#i just highly highly HIGHLY doubt they're already together

[fruity-fruition]

I have this really stupid Ruikasa adopted child AU where it's all completely batshit chaotic.

You think Rui and Tsukasa are already dating here? NO. They just live together. You know how you adopt a stray cat and dog suddenly without planning sometimes? Exact opposite here.

Tsukasa and Rui are working with a theatre troupe that's funding a charity towards a foster care system. They flew out to the area of the production, but the head of the whole thing is actually a couple cities away, so they go and drive out to the place to make sure it's actually decent.

They talk to the higher ups, who thank them for their time, then talk to the caretakers about the project. Of course they want to make sure the fundraising is actually going to go to a good source. During all the discussions, they ended up speaking to some of the children there and just in general, have a good time.

But eventually they drive back. A couple hours out, and they're both hungry and tired. So they pull up at a drive-through to at least get something to eat when they get home. Tsukasa turns to Rui, asking "hey, what do you want?" But to BOTH of their horror, a child pops out the back trunk, asking if she could order as well.

Rui nearly flings himself out the car window and Tsukasa's scream was nearly enough to shatter it.

Turns out, this child had ran away from the foster system into the car with them because she didn't like it there (understandable). Both Tsukasa and Rui are horrified, because fuck, dude?? What are they going to do with an 8 year old?? They're already hours out from the place! So they did the most logical thing they could do right then, just drive back to their stay and figure it out there.

Toshiko, age 8, had snuck into the back of the trunk and stayed terrifyingly silent for half a dozen hours before revealing herself.

(This did cause some concern, so they asked if it was terrible there. She just shrugged, and said "not really... I just... Don't like it)

Tsukasa makes calls to the organization, obviously wanting to get this girl back again but this late hour, and all three of their busy schedules, they're not going to be able to drive her out for a while unless someone picks her up.

For plot conveniences, no one can pick her up until about two weeks or so, so now Ruikasa is stuck with an 8 year old in their temporary living space, all three of them have no idea where to go from here

Cue silly bonding moments and Ruikasa figuring out how to parent while trying to convince themselves they're not madly in love with each other, also failing miserably at staying disconnected with Toshiko

Yeah I highly doubt anyone is going to read this but it's something I just wanna drop bc I love imagining my favourite characters parenting bc I want to parent so I self project

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

saw some speculation on FranklyDear in relation to the audios and i want to toss my two cents in

so all the thing's i've been seeing have been people talking about how they're a couple, but they're not acting like it, so that must be Playfellow's influence making them put distance between each other

but i immediately interpreted it as - they're not there yet. there might be feelings, but they aren't Together. cause in the 14 bug audios, i feel like it's pretty clear that these are snapshots of the neighborhood outside of the show. cameras aren't rolling, there are no influences, it's the neighbors just Existing on their own dime

'cause the conversations are more natural! the characters seem more nuanced! there aren't any sound effects! so if FranklyDear is already established, wouldn't we have "seen" that in their shared audio 8-14? wouldn't Eddie have just called Frank Frank, without the immediate (and somewhat flustered) correction to Mr. Frankly? and wouldn't Frank call him Eddie instead of Mr. Dear? plus, idk about y'all, but that scene was a lil romantically charged. a little flirty - especially from Frank's side. the kind of tension you get from budding emotions, not fully-realized ones

they just seem to be in a before state. the beginning stages. and anyway, i remember Clown saying that revealing FranklyDear as an endgame couple was sort of an Accident? i think we were meant to watch it evolve and figure it out along with the characters, the way we will with any other relationships (that we Definitely are not aware of / confident about yet).

we're still only in the prologue of the story, so it'd make so much sense if Frank and Eddie are not yet Involved. we're on this journey With them

[baldursgate3tempobsessed]

Please let Astarion meet Tav's family and have a younger sibling like 6 be like im gonna marry the prince points at Astarion.

Tav : Sorry, im married to the prince

NO IM GONNA MARRY THE PRINCE

That's so fucking cute kill me. But I just realized AFTER I finished it I read this wrong 😭😭 I read it as "marry" instead of "married" so whoops now it's an asking for your hand in marriage fic.

Also, I'm going to make this a weird little, unofficial, alternate reality, off shoot of this fic to explain away why Astarion can be in the sun without ascending because I am ~lazy~

Quick summary if you didn't read it, Tav serves Selune, gets a blessing for all the good work, and uses it to cure the anti-light issue of the vampirism (but not all of it). It's not a literal extension of that fic but I'm stealing my own plot explanations. That's it! Now here we go:

~

Astarion wasn't nervous per se. He was just... on edge. And the two-week journey it took to get here wasn't helping things, not when it gave him so much time to ruminate in his thoughts. He never expected to be in the position of "meeting the family," let alone in anticipation for asking for someone's hand in marriage.

Astarion wasn't even quite sure how his life got here. He had always fantasized that a life without Cazador would be one of selfish hedonism, not one where he would be legitimately concerned about a damn six year old sibling's first impression of him.

But then you came along, effortlessly shattering all of his grandiose plans with a batt of your eyelashes. Perhaps the entire journey of falling in love was more complicated, but it felt like it was that simple. In hindsight, he never stood a chance against you, but it was hilarious that there was a time he ever thought he did.

All of his prior dreams and fantasies felt like nothing in comparison to just being with you. It had been a year since you both saved the Sword Coast, a beautiful, fantastic year. That had ended with him somehow more in love with you now than when he first confessed. Selune's blessing had certainly helped with that he was sure. He still couldn't quite believe that you would use a god's blessing on him of all people, but gods, was he appreciative. Because being able to walk in the sun again meant that he could live the life he wanted, with no restrictions. He could be the partner you deserved, the kind that a father would happily say yes to when asking for your hand.

Which brought him back to his current dilemma. Perhaps he hadn't seen any of your family members in the time you'd been together, but he had heard plenty. You loved them all to death, especially your little sister. You wrote to them constantly, the mere sight of a letter from your parents enough to put you in a great mood for the rest of the day. He was aware that your mother was supposedly a saint, a fact that your own father had instilled in you often. He knew that they had a wonderful, loving marriage and were both higher ups in the Church of Selune. A fact that Astarion didn't particularly enjoy.

As grateful to the moon goddess as he was, he was aware that you were an expectation to the very normal belief that vampires were bad. And that marrying one was one of the stupidest things you could ever do from an average person's perspective, let alone a Selunite.

Why you hadn't done the smart thing and lied about what he was, Astarion would never know. But he did know that the thought of their rejection over his admittedly sordid history was putting him in a tailspin.

"They're going to love you," You said for the hundredth time, giving his hand a squeeze as you led him up the steps to your childhood home, "You have nothing to worry about sweetheart. I promise."

Astarion highly doubted that, but you were already knocking on the front door before he had a chance to argue. The door instantly slammed open, a beaming child already launching themselves at you before Astarion could process what was happening.

But you were more prepared them he was. You effortlessly caught them in your arms, laughing at their excited shouting, "Titi! You're late!"

So this was the famous Arabeth.

"No, I'm not!" You laughed as you settled her on your hip, "And what happened to my little girl's manners huh? You haven't even introduced yourself yet."

The child glanced over at him, like she was just realizing for the first time that someone else was standing over there. She looked a little shocked at the sight of him, staring at him with wide eyes. Wide enough for Astarion to start to wonder if something was on his face.

He gave her a little wave only for her to bury her face into your shoulder, peeking out at him with her lips pursed. Which was not the best start to the whole making his darling's family actually like him plan.

"Well, as you've probably guessed this is Arabeth. She's just a little shy," You reassured as you stepped inside, muttering a quick invitation inside under your breath. He appreciated that, he didn't need the whole house to be reminded of his... limitations.

"But she'll get over it soon enough," You continued as you called into the house, "Mom? Dad? We're here!"

And just like that they were rushing into the room, acting just as excited as your sister had been. Your mother wasted no time in smothering your face with kisses while your father swept you up into a hug. It was a rather impressive display of coordination, considering how they hadn't managed to knock you and your sister to the floor in the process. Astarion was pretty sure they were both saying something along the lines of We missed you! But it was hard to tell with all of you so tangled up in each other.

It was heartwarming to see, in all honestly. Of course such a loving person would come from an equally loving family, what else would he expect?

Though he certainly hadn't been expecting for your mother to throw her arms around him next. She brought him into a tight hug before looking him up and down, "So you're Astarion huh?"

She turned back to you, grinning ear to ear with her hands set on Astarion's shoulders, "He's so handsome! Selune help us, do you remember the last boy you brought home? He had a nose the length of my arm-"

"And that's enough of that," You said with a strained laugh, pulling your eccentric mother back a few inches, "And we've talked about the impromptu hugs. What happened to asking for permission?"

"Sorry, sorry!" She said with a wave of her hand, "Let me try again. I'm Seliras, and this is my husband-"

"Marcoul," Your father interrupted, putting his hand out for Astarion to shake, "It's been awhile since we've met a boyfriend."

"He's a little more than that," You said with a sigh as everyone exchanged pleasantries.

"We'll be the judge of that," Marcoul said with a sharp but friendly grin, the grip he had on Astarion's hand briefly tightening before he let go, "From what we've heard, you're quite the character aren't you?"

Ah, so the interrogating was starting early then. It was nothing that Astarion hadn't expected. Besides, turning up the charm was his strong suit, even when he was uncharacteristically nervous.

Astarion smiled back at him, "You've heard right. And I'm more than happy to answer any questions you might have."

"Oh gods please don't say that," You groaned, but it was too late. Your parents were already leading him to sit, rapid-fire questions coming out of their mouth.

Where are you from? How did you meet? Are you serious about our Tav? What's your religion? Where's your family? What are your plans?

But Astarion answered them all, with only mild censorship for the child's sake. The child who suddenly couldn't stop staring at him. It wasn't exactly easy to sell himself as a future husband when he was a vampiric ex-slave, but he made do.

It was an overwhelming experience to say the least, but not necessarily an unpleasant one. That was one good thing about trying to marry into a family of zealots, it was a lot easier to convince them of your virtue when you received a personal blessing from their goddess.

By the end of the night, they were all throughly appeased, enough so to get off the topic of him for a moment.

"You look a little young to have a thirty-year old child," Astarion said to your mother. He was actively trying to compliment her for obvious reasons, but he was also genuinely curious. She barely looked a day over 40.

"Oh we breed young," She said with a laugh, "We had Tav in our teenage years. Arabeth came much, much later. Our favorite little surprise. Gods, I can't think of a single person in our family who didn't have kids young. Our little Tav is the only exception to the rule."

"But maybe not for much longer, huh?" Marcoul added with a grin, yelping when you lightly smacked him over the head for the comment.

"Do not start the kid talk again!" You hissed out, cheeks red, "We've talked about this!"

Astarion couldn't help but grin at your reaction, charmed by your embarrassment. Though... the idea of the two of you having children together sure was an interesting thought.

Astarion felt a tug on his sleeve while you were distracted arguing with your parents. He turned, smiling when he saw your little sister standing there, still staring at him with wide-eyes.

She took a deep breath before blurting out, "You look like a prince. Are you?"

"Not exactly," Astarion said with a small laugh. That couldn't be further from the truth, "There's no blue blood in my veins."

She frowned, cocking her head at him like he wasn't making any sense. But then an idea obviously struck her as she excitedly asked, "But if you married a princess, then you'd become a prince too. Right?"

"I suppose?" Astarion answered with a shrug.

"So if I become a princess, and I marry you, then you'll be a prince?"

This conversation was quickly becoming out of his depth. But luckily enough for him you were swooping in to save him.

You laughed at her question, turning your attention back to the two of them, "No offense Bethy, but I'm going to be the one marrying this particular prince."

But Arabeth wasn't having it. She crossed her arms, looking at you like she was the one talking to a child, "You can't. Because if I don't marry him, he won't be a prince. So there. I have to do it."

She looked so serious, her facial expressions incredibly similar to your own. Astarion was holding back a loud laugh as you tried and failed to reason with her, "I can marry him without the royal status-"

"No! I'm marrying the prince!"

Your parents were doing a much worse job at hiding their reactions, both of them opening giggling behind their hands as you came up with a compromise.

"Okay, okay," You said with a sigh, kneeling down to look the small girl in the eye, "How about this? I marry him first. But only until you become a princess. Then he's all yours. Sound fair?"

She thought about it for a moment before nodding to herself, "Sounds fair."

Well Astarion wasn't going to get a better set-up then that. He turned to your father, his nerves coming back for a brief appearance, "I'm assuming now might be a good time to ask what I came here to ask. Though I do promise I only intending on asking for one of your children's hand in marriage."

Marcoul nodded slowly, his face unreadable as he spoke, "I mean no offense when I say this Astarion, but you aren't exactly who I imagined for my daughter."

"Dad don't-"

"Darling, let him finish," Astarion gently interrupted, his eyes still locked with your father's.

He took a deep breathe before continuing, "That said, I've never seen her so... herself with someone else before. So yes. The two of you can marry. On one condition."

"Anything," Astarion said instantly, nearly giddy at the fact that he was so close to the official yes, "Just name it."

"You have to have the wedding here," Seliras answered for him, a massive smile on her face, "No ifs, ands, or buts."

"And I get to be flower girl!" Arabeth chimed in, her past indignation completely forgotten as she climbed all over you, "And there has to be chocolate cake!"

"Oh gods, help us," You groaned, but Astarion was already nodding along. He couldn't give less than two shits where it happened or who was involved. He could scarcely believe that it was happening at all. But that was the last thing he had needed.

He already had the ring, the most amazing person he could ever fathom being with. Who actually wanted him back.

Now all he had to do was ask.

[discoursecatharsis]

I've noticed this pattern with antis in fandom where, in their attempt to distance themselves from anything and everything "problematic" in their fandoms, they refuse to acknowledge when they DO enjoy something problematic. Therefore, they don't recognize the problematic elements of the ship, character, media, etc. They'll also heavily downplay or deny any problematic. aspects of their favorite fandom thing.

I just saw an example of this and it is blowing my mind right now and I need to share this with y'all.

It involves the comments on this video.

Some context for Princess and the Frog: the blonde girl is Charlotte, also called Lottie. She's the main character Tiana's best friend. Charlotte's goal was always to marry a prince, and she almost marries (who she believes to be) Prince Naveen, but once she sees that Naveen and Tiana are in love, she tries to help them turn back human so they can be together.

At the end of the movie, Tiana and Naveen get married, and this scene plays after. Charlotte dances with Naveen's kid brother, and says "I've waited this long" in response to him saying that he's 6 and a half years old.

Now Charlotte's line here, if you look at the context clues of her story line, implies that she's saying "I've waited this long for a prince to marry, so I can wait longer for Naveen's younger brother to grow up." It's just a joke. Albeit, a joke that many will find to be very uncomfortable and inappropriate, but a joke nonetheless. I highly doubt Charlotte is actually going to "wait for" this child to grow up to marry him. She's making a joke at her expense, about her desperation of her dream to marry a prince.

BUT FOR SOME REASON.... many of the comments are like "she means that she's been waiting to DANCE with a prince."

I'm completely and utterly serious y'all. Here are some of the comments along those lines, with thousands of thumbs up each.

If you've seen this movie, you'll realize that these comments make absolutely no sense for more than one reason.

1) Charlotte danced with Prince Naveen (or at least with the villain disguised as him) earlier in the movie. She danced with a prince already. Why would that still be her dream if she already accomplished that?

2) Lottie speaks multiple times (during her childhood and in present day as a young adult) about her dream of "marrying a prince." Not dancing with a prince. Not meeting one. No, she wants to MARRY A PRINCE AND BE A PRINCESS.

This video has some clips of her saying this, at the time stamps 0:20, 2:52, 4:08, and 5:21.

Charlotte does give up her dream of marrying Naveen specifically for Tiana, because she see that he makes Tiana happy. But with how she jumps in like a wide receiver to catch the bouquet at Naveen and Tiana's wedding, it's clear she still has her dream of marrying *A* prince, just not Naveen.

But back to the comments on that video.

The comments seem to be downplaying the actual implication of her line. It's almost like they're desperately trying to ignore what she actually meant and make it more wholesome because they don't want to admit that their favorite movie has an uncomfy and inappropriate joke.

It's disturbing that this is yet another example where people in fandom (who are fantis or have been influenced by that fanti mindset) are downplaying a scene (or a ship, trope, etc) that is ACTUALLY problematic because they personally like the movie or the character and they don't want to admit that it has some issues. Instead of just admitting "yeah that scene/line was kinda fucked up and gross," they are jumping through HOOPS to make it seem more innocent than it was. And this is completely blowing my mind and is honestly concerning.

If you want to personally interpret it in a different way, in a way to make it more palatable to you, be my guest. That's what fandom and fanon is all about and I do that a lot too. But to see so many people outright deny the actual implications of this line is... bizarre af. It's one thing to be like "hmm yeah I don't like that, so I'm going to personally interpret this ship/trope/scene differently so it's more comfortable to me." It's another thing entirely to be in complete denial and ignore the actual context of the character and their story.

Also, so many of the other comments on the video aren't even commenting on the actual scene or on what Charlotte said. They're just generic comments on how much they love Charlotte as a character or how they miss this 2D animation. It's like they're trying reallyyyyyy hard to ignore the joke that's being made.

On the grander scheme, this is concerning because these people are refusing to acknowledge something that's inappropriate at best and predatory at worse (an adult "waiting" for a child to grow up) because they don't want to be caught enjoying/supporting something "bad."

All their talk about normalizing and normalization, but they're the ones kinda normalizing bad things by downplaying them or being in denial of it when it's in THEIR favorite media. And that is very concerning and a big issue.

[eyestrain-addict]

I just realized why lestat marked Tom, like the big stupid idiot I am

(I know everyone else probably already figured this out, but this is MY blog and I get to post whatever deranged thought crosses my pea brained mind.)

When I watched that scene in episode 5 where they're at the bar talking to Tom, I was confused as to why exactly. Why does Lestat mark Tom? If he's marked to kill, why does he wait almost 2 decades later? Well I realized, as all realizations come, in the shower.

Lestat has been planning on killing Tom the whole time.

(Warning before you click read more, this post is a lot longer than I first intended holy fuck)

Well not the whole time. Just right when Louis realized that Anderson and Fenwick had screwed him over. Maybe even longer if he knew it was a trick ("ridiculous of you to mix human and vampire business it always ends poorly"). Notice how he's upset with louis when he kills the guy who's microaggressive with him, cus lestat wasn't there (even if he was there I have my doubts Lestat would understand microaggressions, but he would have definitely killed him for touching Louis.) But tells Louis he's proud of him for killing Alderman. I think this has to be because he witnessed the disrespect first hand. He didn't give a fuck about the money, what he DID care about was that those two disrespected not only him, but Louis.

Even with Lestats little understanding of race relations of the time in America, he did understand hierarchys. He's from 1700s France for God's sake. It's no coincidence wanted to be king of mardi gras. Lestat came to New Orleans and saw himself as the king, even if no one knew it. And he wanted Louis to be his queen. Honestly I could make an entire other post about how Lestat almost literally saw himself as if he was a King and Louis his beloved Queen, which is why he thought it was okay for him to sleep with other women (mistresses and playthings of the king should mean nothing compared to the queen in lestats eyes) but that's getting off topic. I only bring that up because I'm trying to paint a picture of how I think Lestat sees disrespect done to Louis. To him that goes beyond disrespect or rudeness, it's irreverence.

You begin to notice if you watch scenes with them together. Because while I wouldn't say lestat is good at controlling his anger, he's definitely great at concealing it until it erupts (props to Sam Reid have to be given here) lestat is always on the verge of fury when talking to Tom. It starts as a distaste then as he begins to fall more in love with Louis and become more protective of him, his anger builds. Claudia was wrong about one thing, it was no petty slight that was the reason Lestat killed Tom first, it was a loooonng time coming.

I could list every detail I think supports this but I'm sure you get the gist by now. My main point is really the layer of complexity this adds to not only the story, the characters, but also lestat and louis' relationship. Consider it for a second, Lestat saw all his violence as justified, everything he did one can see it through the lense of him punishing the disrespectful (take a shot every time I say disrespect in this post jesus christ). "I bring death to those deserving" indeed. Lestat has a god complex out the wazoo, and every attack, torture, and death he caused was righteous to him and thus enjoyable. Louis on the other hand didn't see himself so highly. He may seem confident but if you look through the cracks it's apparent Louis's self worth in near nonexistent and he's horribly insecure. I think lestat thought when Louis was made a vampire he would see himself as Lestat saw himself, and as Lestat saw Louis. But again, another post for another time.

Despite Louis' insecurities (or perhaps because of them) louis revels in the violence lestat commits for his sake. That's probably why louis is so quick to forgive lestat about the priests. For a brief moment Lestat truly said the truth to Louis and Louis could forgive him because of it. As lestat says, he doesn't kill the priests to intimidate Louis, nor does he do it just because he enjoys it. He does it because he sees them as humiliating Louis, charlatans that don't deserve Louis' sorrow. Louis didn't want the priest's to die, but he could understand why lestat killed them, simply because for once in his goddamn life lestat told the truth, and louis loved that truth. That truth being that lestat killed and mutilated and committed such horrors not just because he liked it, but because he did it out of a fucked up sense of protection. Him killing the priests was essentially a knight killing a dragon to earn the princess' hand in marriage.

The worst part is that Lestat doesn't even realize it. Not fully anyway. Let's be honest with ourselves, lestat doesn't understand Louis. Obviously there's the race, background, culture differences that lestat doesn't understand nor seems inclined to try, but there are better posts about that made by smarter people than moi. I'm mostly talking about lestat doesn't understand louis' mind itself (louis' mind in a vacuum I suppose you could say) he understands Louis' desire for violence sure, but he doesn't understand the core of that want. Honestly I'm on the fence of if he ever understood that Louis loved it when lestat was protective in the first place. I guess it can be dumbed down to Louis wants Lestat to kill to protect Louis and to protect the family (and anyone who deeply disrepects them), lestat perhaps understood a little at one point, but since he sees everyone as a threat and everything is a slight to him, he has no trouble and qualms with delighting in the torture of people Louis views as innocent. Louis' heart is a bit dark, but ultimately human, so he's disgusted by lestats violence towards the undeserving. Lestat can no longer read Louis' mind and even if he could, Louis doesn't quite understand the difference himself (that's why he tries to hunt for criminals briefly) so the cracks of miscommunication starts to form, and neither of them even realize there is miscommunication.

Therein lies the importance of Tom Anderson for season 1. Not much of a character, more of a plot device in human skin. Claudia can see that Lestat hates him, but doesn't understand why, nor does she care to get to the depths of that. (*Mr house voice* understandable) I think it's notable that Louis rarely brought him up, he didn't understand the depths of lestats love. Nor did he know about Lestats 3 decade long grudge, all because Tom disrespected Louis.

Now I'm not excusing Lestat's actions, I just think it's interesting how this one throwaway character reveals a whole level of complexity to the relationship between him and Louis, and better sheds light on not only Lestats personal philosophy but louis' as well. Even Claudia to a degree.

Anyway, uh. End of essay. Bye.

[penelope-kat]

So I'm a little dissatisfied with the ending of F&C (btw totally fine to disagree, this is just my opinion. Also it's just a show ok let's all be mature here).

Let me be clear: I don't hate the ending; I think the rest of the show is amazing, AND while I LOVE the message of Simon and Betty moving on from each other and being able to be ok without each other, it felt really disingenuous for the show to say that Betty was more obsessed with Simon when they're clearly both complete freaks for each other?

Simon's whole thing in the original show whenever he was lucid was about how much he missed Betty, how fixated he was on her, and how he'd do anything to get her back, or at least be able to talk to her one more time. Marceline is always talking about how Simon was constantly obsessed with finding Betty again when she was little, and Ice King's whole character and obsession with kidnapping princesses stemmed from Simon desperately wanting to find Betty again.

All relationships have flaws, but I feel like this wasn't the right flaw to give their relationship. Simon and Betty's relationship was flawed because they were super obsessed with each other, not because Betty was more obsessed with Simon than Simon was with her. I guarantee that Simon would have done all the same shit Betty did if the roles were reversed and Betty had put on the ice crown instead, like I have not a single doubt in my mind.

It also makes Simon look a lot less emotionally intelligent and empathetic, which is like yeah, people don't always see how they hurt their loved ones, but you're really telling me he NEVER ONCE did anything Betty wanted to do? Never?? And Betty is a strong-willed woman, we always see that. She's unhinged. I love her. I feel like Simon would have picked up on her wants, too, especially since they were implied to have been together for a long time given, you know, they've co-written books and explored the world together and all. Simon ADORED Betty, and he's always been shown to be very empathetic and insightful, even at his worst during F&C! I highly doubt after all that time with Betty he would have never even considered doing her stuff. Do you really think Mr Semen Peggtricock over here, the final-boss of pathetic submissive twinks, took the reins on every aspect of anything they did together? I know that man gets his bussy destroyed three nights a week by Betty's 12 inch strap and whimpers under her weight m'kay there's no WAY he never ever once listened to what she wanted to do.

I do appreciate that the show doesn't make Simon or Betty out to be monsters or bad people or anything, and I do think in the context of Simon and Betty's stories, them going different ways makes the most narrative and thematic sense since their obsession with each other did end up severely negatively-impacting both their lives. Also, it was heavily implied that Betty reincarnated after blowing Simon sending Simon back to Ooo, so she won't be fused with Golb for all eternity in infinite loneliness. Uh that also makes me feel way better about the ending too lol.

But the specific point of "Simon didn't appreciate Betty enough".. it just doesn't sit right. That man spent collective decades mourning the loss of Betty, his princess, and all he really wanted was to be with her. He understood how brilliant she was, he loved her for it. Yes, he almost gave up her sacrifice that made him Simon again, but can you really blame him for that? He was super depressed and genuinely believed it would be the best thing to do in order to protect the little gay people in his head. He wasn't doing it to punish Betty, he'd never do that. Tbf I haven't seen many people claim he did it to punish Betty, I can just see that being a reachable conclusion for someone watching who already wasn't too keen on how their relationship had been portrayed thus far.

Betty was right: they did make their choices. And that means her choices too, choices that she literally took ownership of in the same breath, so it's weird for the show to imply only she would have gone to the lengths she did in their relationship.

Honestly the topic of overcoming obsession makes perfect sense to explore for BOTH of them. Betty having had time to think about it for 12 years as a chaos god, and Simon still being hung up because he blames himself for everything that happened. They were both equally obsessed with each other, and that mutual obsession destroyed both their lives. Now they need to be able to move on and, in Simon's case, keep living, even though Betty isn't around anymore, because his life as Simon Petrikov MATTERS.

Also before anyone brings up Temple of Mars that episode SLAPS it's GREAT and yes it is about Betty's obsession with Simon, but I always found it to be more of a "wow things became so screwed up. It's a shame Betty didn't go on her trip but the happiness she had with Simon was clearly worth it to her, it's just crazy how something like her missing a trip to be with him evolved into her time traveling into the future and losing her mind trying to save him". It wasn't really an episode about how bad Simon was for her in the beginning, it was like "holy shit girlie we need to get you on mood stabilizers ASAP cuz this shit is CRAZY".

Yeah I dunno how to wrap this up. Didn't mean to make anyone upset: I'm still shaky about how I feel on all of this and just wanted to get my thoughts out there. Opinions are valid! Even if you don't agree, I hope you can see where I'm coming from :)

Have a good night!

[figs-and-cigs]

I've been watching a friend of mine cycle through one relationship after another within a short period of time. The pattern is essential the same. She's head over heels for them. Brings them to one of our poly group events (meet up or party). Their new partner seems overwhelmed by the high energy, highly flirtatious, incredibly intimate behavior of this friend with so many people (who are strangers to this new partner). She goes on and on another how supportive, accepting, and open this new partner is. Then within in a week it crashes and burns. The partner is overwhelmed, insecure, doesn't know how they're supposed to fit into her life. And the friend complains and complains about how she doesn't feel supported, how hard these conversations are, that they're both triggering each other, and her partner needs more therapy and she's breaking up with them.

I'm all for the idea that if someone wants to be with me, they need to accept me as I am. I'm flirtatious, I'm sexual, I'm part of a pretty intimate group with quite a few entanglements. If it makes them uncomfortable they need to voice that early on. However, knowing these facts is very different from being faced with them before our own relationship is established. Part of choosing to be in a relationship is choosing to evolve with each other over time. I can't jam a new puzzle piece into a picture each piece needs make space for the other to fit together.

I have a post about the Knaps relationship cycle. The issue my friend is dealing with is NRE, skipping quickly through those foundational stages of a relationship, skipping any sort of integration and right into being bonded. In doing that neither individual actually *knows* who they're suddenly in a relationship with. And then they begin to fall apart and break up.

I'm writing these thoughts out now because I've seen this happen with so many polyam peeps. They so quickly want to sit someone at the kitchen table before even forming a relationship with someone. This is both uncomfortable for the new person, places a lot of expectations on them, and leaves the other with frustration that their new partner doesn't act or fit in the way they hoped.

It's like inviting someone you've been dating for a couple weeks to a family Thanksgiving. They aren't family yet, they barely know you, and now your mom is asking how many babies you're both gonna have.

Only now they're faced with a bunch of people you already have close intimate fun relationships with - and even when they might *know* there's no competition in poly, it's natural for them to wonder how they're going to compete for your time and attention when neither of you actually know each other yet.

With my newer relationship I told him I wanted to wait until we were established before introducing him to my husband or friends - and before meeting his wife. He's awesome and would get along with everyone and fit in, I have no doubt about it. But whether we evolve into a serious relationship or just a platonic friendship we need to know how we fit into each other's lives on an individual basis before integrating into a bigger piece of it.

Ok I guess that's all.

[p-redux]

From Anon that made me spit out my coffee this morning. 🤣

I didn't reply since I've answered this MANY times. Google Search is your friend, my friends. I am not Google, please, for the love of God, SEARCH my blog and/or Google before you come an ask me things I've answered over and over. Anyhooo, as she promised, the Anon didn't give up and sent another Ask this morning. 👇

Before I answer...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 OMG, "Sam's penis seizure" will go down in fandom annals as one of the funniest autocorrect fails ever. "Sam's penis seizure," I'm still laughing. Needless to say, I think the Anon meant "size," not "seizure." But, hey, she's not far off, many penis do look like they're having seizures when aroused hahaha.

So, to answer your question, Anon. The shrimp comment Sam and Cait made years ago was this. They were having fun with Brazilian fans, tweeting in Portuguese. 👇

And Caitriona one upped Sam with 👇

They were OBVIOUSLY kidding and bantering together, as has always been their style. IOW, they were joking around. Anyone who actually thinks Cait was saying Sam has a small peen literally should go to Walmart and return their brain and get a refund.

Here's an old post where we all laughed about how funny Sam and Cait were being. 👇

As for the size of Sam's dirk, I've already discussed this MANY times. Here's an old post, where I mention it briefly, and what Sam himself said about it. 👇

And here is a longer post showing evidence that Sam Roland Heughan ain't shrimpy. JS. 👇

And finally here, conclusive scientific proof that TMGD aka The Magical Golden Dirk is so magical it makes grown women lose their dang minds. That doesn't happen with small dick. It just doesn't. 👇

I've seen lots 'o penis in my day, and small peen does NOT show from the side like this. 👇 It just doesn't.

Some men are "showers" a la Jon Hamm 👇 Meaning, their peen "shows" even when not erect.

But most men are "growers," like Sam. Meaning their dirk is well hidden and sleeping until it's gets woken up, and then it GROWS.

I hope that answers your question, Anon. But, please don't come back demanding I answer you and if I don't, you will keep bugging me until I do. I don't take kindly to people telling me what to do. Do it again, and I'll block you. I do thank you for my much needed laugh for the day, though. ❤️

[brujitaadinbo]

They say that mothers have a highly developed sixth sense for everything and let me tell you that I fervently believe it. I just checked this after watching Ahsoka with my mom, she has no experience in SW, she never watched Rebels and it was her first time watching the series, just like when she watched The Mandalorian, she deduced a lot of things just by watching.

I can only tell you that I always base myself on the facts and what has been seen on TV.

Sabine definitely feels something more for Ezra and it is not simply a "sisterhood" I love that both here and in The Mandalorian they show you the characters in their worst moments, in depression, in their duels and in some way they also show you that sometimes what they want or need the least is what actually helps them, or it's what they want or need.

Bo Katan did not want to see Din again and technically managed to save his life, give him back his planet, build a beautiful relationship (because it is, canon or not, they combine very well and hate will not change my mind) And above all, return some glory to the Mandalorian people.

Sabine lost her family and doesn't want to know anything, she lives her grief and a very particular one, she distances herself from everyone and takes refuge in Ezra's home, she takes care of his things and unites hers in that hiding place. Grief can be experienced in many ways but let's be honest, when you lose a family member, especially a brother, it is hard and very difficult but unfortunately life has to go on, it is very different from when a mother loses her child or when someone you lose your loved one.

Sabine shows it in every moment, it hurts her not to know what happened to Ezra, she is immobile, the pain does not allow her to move forward. My mom, seeing this, asked me, who is Ezra? Why she miss him so much? I replied, you have to keep watching, I won't tell you anything. But in particular we both agreed that when Ahsoka showed hope to see him again, with the map, Sabine came back to life. He regained the shine on his face.

We also agreed and you can see that Ahsoka had that feeling all the time, that knowing, that Sabine had an irrational need to see Ezra again. That's why he says it more than three times. Until the moment he says, Can I count on you? Somehow he doubts and senses that Sabine did not destroy that map.

That's why Baylan convinces her to go together to Peridia, for his "lost friend" despite all odds. That's why Thrawn also tells him so. "that foolishness of finding your lost friend" and she answers "you would never understand" because Sabine has always been defensive about the feelings she unconsciously shows towards Ezra and does not recognize them even when she is exposed. That's why she hide them and I'm sorry, but I do have a brotherhood with someone, very close, I don't care what they think, I show my affection because we are brothers. I explain?

It doesn't make sense unless they're setting up something big later.

The best thing is the moment of Sabine and Ezra's reunion, the hug that "according to them" doesn't prove anything, but the sighs I could hear, well, why hide what you feel? My mother told me "They hug each other very affectionately, it doesn't seem like their friend, it seems like it's the boy they like"

Also when Ahsoka already finding these two, she tells Sabine "Looks like your bet paid off" In the end Sabine feels good because she found Ezra in some way or another, that irrational foolishness calms down and even her use of force is shown magically… coincidence???

I don't believe it. and to conclude...

Sabine prefers that Ezra go home, the whole situation becomes complicated and at least she knows that he is alive and well, her heart is calm. Now he knows that he should be with Ahsoka, she is his teacher in a way, she gave him back the hope of finding Ezra, of seeing him again. He has to be with Ahoska because thanks to her she was able to see him again.

To affirm that Ezra and Sabine only see each other as brothers is to deny the facts and deny what was experienced in Rebels, the development of the relationship of these characters and above all to deny that Sabine prefers Ezra to the galaxy.

I'm sorry but I will also send this ship and not abandon the DinBo, only time will tell us who was right or at least what will happen to all of them.

this is the way....

[liannelara-dracula]

Can I get the mukami's for this prompt?

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What their family is like, like the household and number of kids.

Hi love,

Good question, sorry it took so long and that some are short but I did my best. Hope you like it. :)

Mukami Boys Family + Household hcs

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Prompt

Requests are open

Rules

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Ruki:

Family + Background:

Ruki wasn't focused on marrying, he just wants to spend his life with you and you wanted the same.

You two were unsure of what that had in store for you.

So you weren't even thinking about marriage or having kids.

Your main focus was just being together.

The marriage just came along the way because Ruki loves you and thought the time was right. Although he honestly feels like he's already married to you.

Number of kids:

Two! A boy and a girl.

You had your kids before you were married.

This is mostly because he can never keep his hands off you and you have a hard time saying no, you eventually had a baby.

You started off as a family of three and lived in the Mukami mansion because you too were just starting out.

The both of you were trying to figure things out so Ruki figured it was best to just stay at the mansion at first.

Plus, there was plenty of room.

And his brothers don't really mind, they are actually excited.

Especially Kou, he can't wait to babysit and help with baby showers or whatever.

Of course your pregnancy was an adventure for you both because you were clueless about caring a supernatural baby and so was he.

And being parents wasn't something you to were planning or expecting.

You both wanted to stick to the lover phase for a while but things happened so fast and you to did like the idea of baby.

It's also cause Ruki is old-fashioned, I highly doubt he'd let you get rid of it. Whatever the case you don't want to.

In terms of giving birth Ruki would just take you to the hospital

Your first child was definitely a boy and looked exactly like Ruki.

When you had this little one it took some time of getting used to and you eventually worked out who would do what.

Ruki is pretty involved as a parent as are you and he does a fair amount for you and the your first kid.

He will get up for you at night if you are too tired.

Made sure you had a nursery for your firstborn.

And he was pretty attentive to what you needed.

He was honestly great about everything.

And the best part had to be when he'd interact with his mini-self.

As you too were getting comfortable with the new baby, within a year or two there was baby two.

Which was a girl!

And Ruki really grew to have a soft spot here. I mean this was a mini you, even though she had his eyes.

His daughter is someone he cannot say no to.

He finds her so cute, he just can't tell her no.

Ruki tends to worry about her a lot so he's a bit over protective.

But he also worries about his son equally.

He loves both of his kids and after being with you long enough and seeing the family he had created he thought it was now a good time to propose to you. (Let me be clear you where a young adult when he met you so that's why you weren't marrying and the relationship was one of many years).

It was cute though because he asked his kids first if he should marry you.

"What do you guys think? Should daddy marry mommy?" He'd grin seeing his kids get excited.

"YEAH!" They'd cheer.

Household:

He cooks, you don't, because he doesn't think you're good enough.

The kids even think that Dad is a better cook.

There isn't too much difference in your role as a parent, you too typically share an equal amount of the work.

He might be the one to teach them academically.

I think he is also a bit better at being strict than you.

Its something about his tone that gets his kids to listen if they're not listening to you.

Kou:

Family + Background

You two got married and you were expecting and he thought it would be nice to have two surprises in one.

He wouldn't stay with his brothers.

After all he is an idol so he would just move out into another house.

This way you two have the place to yourself and you two even have a little bit more privacy.

Of course, it is hard to do with his idol life but you both manage.

if you want me to be really honest I don't see that he'd ever have kids.

Household

You are the one who stays at home considering that he works.

So you usually take care of things.

And the kids

But he appreciates it and when he can stay home he makes sure to spend time with everyone.

He plays with his kids a lot.

Especially when you want to get things done around the house.

I swear he is too lazy to clean and leaves that to you.

But you then leave him to watch the kids for when you go out.

He is usually the one who incorporates fun time for his kids.

He is known to be the more “fun” parent.

Mostly cause he says yes to like everything they ask.

Number of Kids

Two twin boys

He got more than he could ask for.

Sometimes wonders what it would be like if he had girls.

He is also training them to be idols.

It's mostly for fun, so they are his studio a lot.

He sometimes gets inspo from them.

And he dresses them on to.

They surprisingly don’t look like him, they resemble you but they have his social personality.

Yuma:

Family

You’re known as the big family.

He married you before starting a family though.

And even though having kids was on his list.

I don’t think he was planning on having them right away but it sorta ended up being that way.

When you two first got married you stayed at the mansion because you were still working things out.

And his brothers didn’t mind it.

They actually like having you two around.

Seeing Yuma smile is also rare for them too so they are glad you're around.

Although privacy can sometimes be an issue for Yuma.

Especially when arguing, although his brothers don't mind it too much.

In fact, Ruki finds it amusing hearing you two argue.

It's mostly because you and Yuma argue over silly things so it can be funny.

But not to you two.

Household

You and Yuma both stay at home for the most part.

He spends most of his time in the garden.

And his brothers play as babysitters.

There is also a lot of noise and movement thanks to the kids.

And he is also involved in that.

Number of Kids

A lot, honestly it’s over ten.

This man makes you have too many babies.

If you thought you didn’t have it in you, you thought wrong.

So it’s probably 14 kids and probably one by one

So you were pregnant every year practically.

All of them were boys except the last one.

He had one little girl who looked exactly like him.

And most of the boys are mixes of you two.

Although your first looks like him too.

The kids climb all over him.

He yells at the boys if they run around in the garden.

Like he’s strict about that.

Although he carries his little girl when he’s in the garden.

He prefers it’s just her since she stays put in his arms and doesn’t complain. She just watches him but if a bug lands on her she’d probably start to cry.

It’s cause she’s still a baby

Although with his boys he’s good at playing with them and chasing them on the field.

He gets too rambunctious with them you end up scolding him.

He's pretty easy going but sometimes the kids scream too much and don't listen so he sometimes gets serious and then they stop.

Azusa:

Family

The quiet but sweet family.

You two were together for a while and when he proposed to you, you were also pregnant.

So it was two surprises wrapped up in one.

he was really excited.

And he was more than ready to start a family.

He probably lives with his bros but eventually wanted to move out and so he got a place for the both of you.

Household

He does everything for you. Or whatever you need and vice versa.

He stays at home with the kids if you want too.

Azusa is happy to be at home with you and whatever you to do, you do together.

Whether it's cleaning, cooking, baking, watching tv, etc.

Although with one kid he finds the place empty and would like some more.

Number of Kids

Three, two boys and a girl.

They are all quiet and soft-spoken like him.

But they are all very sweet.

Except for when the screaming starts

Azusa usually gets them to settle down.

He reads them bedtime stories and he tucks them in.

He also plays with them a lot.

but overall you are a happy bunch.

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˗ˏˋ 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑦 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 ˎˊ˗ ©𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔~Present

[gasolinerainbowpuddles]

𝑭𝑬𝑹𝑨𝑳 𝑾𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵 ║ Chapter 10 - Don't Run. You Will Only Die Tired.

| FERAL WOMAN | series masterlist | main masterlist | | PAIRING(s): Joel Miller x fem!OC

| RATING: explicit material | 18+ | WORD COUNT: 5k | CHAPTER WARNINGS: heavy topics relating to captivity, SA, sewer slide, difficulties with intimacy following SA, PTSD, etc. The whole thing is a doozy.

| CHAPTER SUMMARY: You've waited so long for good things, and now it's hard to be patient when they're just within reach. Against your better judgment, you push yourself. Joel pushes back.

║ＰＲＥＶＩＯＵＳ ║⋄── •✧• ──⋄║ ＮＥＸＴ ║

Please read with caution if you have difficulties with works concerning: SA, physical violence, torture, captivity, trauma, and similar topics as they are discussed throughout the series. All highly sensitive portions WILL BE MARKED with my sensitive material banner if you wish to skip the more challenging portions. The sensitive material banner looks like this:

Joel liked you. You didn’t need to prove anything to him. You didn’t need to be anything in particular for him to want to spend time with you. It was something you had to continuously remind yourself of. And yet, the voice in your mind kept quietly nagging: why does he want to take things slow?

You’d done a very bad job of doing anything remotely close to “taking things slow,” and you felt guilty every so often when you realized just how much of that you were putting on Joel to oversee and manage. After years of torment, it was hard for your logical side to convince your emotional side to not just dive headfirst into all of these good feelings. It’s been so long since you’d felt happiness like this, and to deny yourself of it felt like a betrayal in many ways. What was the harm in going a little faster? What was the risk of doing more, and sooner?

Joel felt strongly about it, however, and you did your best to respect that. You wanted him with a fervor so unfamiliar to you that you sometimes had to force yourself to not push those boundaries too far and too hard. There was always the risk of you getting triggered or overwhelmed, but the longer you had to wait for those good feelings and sensations, the more it seemed like a calculated risk worth taking.

You aren’t sure when the shift happened, but not being physically or sexually connected to Joel made you feel antsy. When you cuddled on the couch or exchanged intimate kisses, you felt confident and sure of yourself and your relationship. When you were doing literally anything else, you were flooded with uncertainty and self-doubt. You could be in the same room together, but if you weren’t touching, that chasm of ambiguity and anxiety began to swallow you whole.

Joel had picked up on the change because of course he had. At first you didn’t want to admit to him how desperate and needy you were for something that he time and again executed refrain and patience for. It left you feeling like all the desire and want was one-sided. Eventually you admitted the truth to him. He took it in stride as he always did with your ricochet of doubt and worry and elation. He’d carefully - thoughtfully - suggested the two of you think of non-sexual ways to build intimacy and trust. When he asked if you had anything in mind, you already had an answer.

The heat of the water fogged up the mirrors in Joel’s bathroom. It had been running for a few minutes now, and the tub was nearly filled. You hadn’t had a bath in months. You hadn’t had an actual bath in a tub in … you can’t even remember when. The flower marking on your hip had meant you needed to avoid submerging the open scarring until it fully healed, but you wouldn’t have been sinking into a warm pool of water anyway. It carried too much weight to be indulged on a whim.

“You really aren’t going to get in with me?” you ask quietly as you watch the line of water rise.

“I jus’ think it’s, uh, safer that way.” Joel scratches the back of his neck. “Ya know, jus’ to… keep things goin’ in the right direction.”

You sigh and shoot him a watery smile. “Alright. I understand.”

He curls his hand around yours and gives a small squeeze. “Jus’ because it ain’t today doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen.”

You wrap your arms around one of his and hug tight. “I know,” you say, trying your best to not sound disappointed. The commiserating grin Joel gives you let’s you know you probably aren’t doing a great job at hiding it. Joel leans over and turns off the water. He makes a low grunt as he straightens back up again.

“I think that’ll do it. Do you want me to….?” he trails off and glances in the direction of the door. 

“No, stay. Please. And, do you think– I mean, if you want to— that you could undress me?” you ask.

Joel swallows thickly and makes a noise of uncertainty.

“I—” you immediately falter. “I want. For when it happens – for when that happens – that it’s… something I asked to happen.”

You aren’t sure if your explanation will suffice to convey all the scope of what you’re asking. Joel’s eyes narrow as his head tilts, but there’s still an element of doubt. So, you try again.

“I want for you to.. undress me because–it’s what I— for me to…. I want it to think of it as a good thing, and not s-something that means.. something that means something bad is about to happen to me,” you manage to get out.

Joel’s eyes close briefly. He takes a deep breath. It seems he did understand what you meant without further explanation, but that maybe he was wishing he was wrong in his interpretation.

“Of course. I– Of course we can do that, honey. Let me– how d’ya wanna go about it?”

“M-Maybe we do it together? The first time?” you suggest.

He nods slowly, watching your face closely. You reach out to his hands and guide them to your t-shirt. You drag them slowly upward before raising your hands above your head and allow Joel to pull your shirt off. He drops it to the floor and carefully awaits your next instruction. You ask if he can kiss you “in a small way,” and he thankfully understands. After a few gentle, slow presses of your lips together, you feel grounded enough again to continue. Soon enough, you’re standing bare before him and feel completely safe and sane. You even surprise yourself at the lack of nerves.

Even if there had been any to begin with, they would’ve quickly melted away under Joel’s attention and care as he eases you into the water and pours a cupful of it along your scalp a few times. You don’t bother not ogling him as he removes his long sleeved shirt so the sleeves don’t get drenched. You catch his almost shy grin.

“Like what ya see?” he teases.

“I’m full on naked, okay? I think it’s only fair I get to stare at you a little bit,” you point out.

He huffs a laugh and rolls his eyes. “Remember that ain’t what this is supposed’ta be.”

You both pull back on your giddy grins. It was so hard to ignore the rushing feelings of excited nerves and anticipation for what this new romantic and sexual aspect of your relationship would bring. But he was right. This was supposed to be about intimacy outside of those things. You’re sure if you thought about it too much for too long that you’d get nervous. Asking restraint from a man. Asking for respect of your body and your boundaries. Laying open and bare for the taking, but asking and trusting you won’t be. Not without your permission. Asking – daring to ask – to be touched and cared for in a way that does nothing for the other person. A test of morals and trust.

You sit in a quiet silence for the most part, a comfortable bubble with just you and Joel. He gently washes your body, pausing every now and then as he waits for your verbal consent for his hands to be on your body, your most intimate parts. Somehow it doesn’t feel sexual. You were sure when he got to your breasts or private areas, you’d feel aroused. Instead it was much the same as any other part.  You just felt safe and warm and content.

The only shift comes when he begins washing your hair. He feels you tense for a split second and stops. “I don’t hafta do your hair if you’re not—”

“No. I- I want you to wash my hair. More than anything else, actually. It’s–It’s the reason I even suggested you bathing me as part of that... thing you said. Trying for the nonsexual stuff.”

“Okay. It’s just, you sorta flinched when I–”

“Mae used to wash my hair,” you interrupt hastily. “We would do it for each other.”

Joel is quiet for a moment. Then, “Your friend, right? The one you, uh, lost?”

You nod somberly. “I miss it. I miss doing that for each other. I miss her.”

“Somethin’ y’all did together a lot?” he asks delicately.

Your face warms with a smile. “Yeah. It was some of the only times we were alone, so we could actually talk about things. Help each other. Comfort each other.”

Joel makes a contemplative noise. He pauses again. You can feel his hesitation, nervous to say the wrong thing. Nervous to take one of your few good memories from the past couple of years and ruin it. You already had so little from your time in captivity. He didn’t want to take the crumbs that were left.

“That sounds nice. I’m glad y’all had each other.”

“It was nice,” you agree softly. “We would wash our own bodies most of the time. Sometimes after… certain things, when you can’t hardly stand to be in your body, let alone touch it and bathe it… we’d help each other those times. But, mostly it was washing each other’s hair. Just felt nice for there to be somebody touching you that wasn’t meant to hurt you. To own you.”

You take a deep breath and lean into Joel’s gentle massaging motions. “Feels good, baby,” you whisper.

“Wanna make you feel good. Wanna make you feel safe,” he responds with equal tenderness.

“You do.” You close your eyes and smile when you feel Joel’s gentle kiss on your temple.

“You can, uh.. you can talk about her, if you want. Mae. I’d like to hear about her, if you’re able.” He sounds so docile and soft. He feels like the warm bath water soaking into your skin. He feels like the blanket of soothing heat that surrounds you.

You find the words spilling out without any effort. There’s no gruesome gnarl or knot of pain in your chest. You feel light. It feels good to talk about her. To keep her memory alive. To give her the sort of eulogy and tribute she deserves. She deserved so much more. Joel is a good audience – asking questions at all the right spots, chuckling quietly when you share funny tidbits, running comforting strokes up and down your back when you recall harder times.

You find yourself able to work all the way up to her final day. “They were going to take her. He-Sam. Sam was annoyed with her over something. I don’t know what. Said he didn’t want her sleeping in the room with us that night. Said she was gonna have to sleep naked out there with the rest of the crew.”

You swallow hard and flick aimlessly at the bathwater. Joel is still as a statue beside you with only the measured pull and release of air through his nose letting you know he was still there.

“She knew what that meant. She was already–she wasn’t better yet from a few days before… we were still trying to look after some of her injuries…..,” you meander through the memory. “I just think she knew she might not survive the night anyway.”

Your eyes sting with tears. You sniff some of them back. “She looked at me, and I knew. Not exactly, but I knew she was going to make a break for it right then and there. I just froze. It’s like I was stuck. I just stood there while she took her chance and tackled one of the guys.”

“She got him to the ground?” Joel sounds surprised.

“Managed to get him to the ground and wrestle his gun from him, actually,” you answer in a flat tone.

“She got away?” His suspended disbelief at the implication was palpable.

You turn to look at him in confusion, your brows scrunching together. “No, of course not. She shot herself.”

It’s said as though any other outcome was preposterous. What on earth would she have done in that situation? Other than take her own life, put an end to all of it? The idea that Mae would’ve ever managed to escape and flee without being apprehended and, at best, beaten to death, was downright farcical. Joel froze, holding your gaze. “Shit,” he mumbles. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t think that’s what you meant.” “Yeah,” you whisper quietly. The water sloshes around you abruptly as Joel clings to you, pulling you into his arms with fervor. You’re caught off guard, but you quickly return the hug, wrapping your arms around his middle as he gently rocks  you back and forth in the water.

Each day carried on, and you found yourself slipping into the comfort of simple bonding with Joel. Grocery store trips. Trying out a recipe together. Walking hand in hand to and from the patrol station. You’d even managed to convince him to play something for you on the guitar and not just when you were already half asleep. It was a familiarity that evolved into an often uncomplicated shared intimacy.

You didn’t jump every time he surprised you with a hand on your back from behind. He could rub your leg as you sat next to each other on the couch, and it didn’t make you feel antsy. He leaned into your hand as it scratched along his scalp, his head lolling in your lap. He’d started to loosen up a bit and not hold back as much. Hugging you tighter. Holding you closer. Kissing you harder.

The feel of his lips against your own as you made out on the couch was absolutely divine. It made you feel giddy and light just to go in between lazy kisses and feverish making out, off and on for however long Ellie was out of the house with some friends. You giggle at the slip of his tongue curling between your bottom teeth and lip. 

“God you taste good,” he mutters.

“Not too much jerky flavor?” you titter against his mouth. You can feel him smile against yours.

“Mmmm, just the right amount. Really does it for me, ya know?” he teases. “Always dreamed of findin’ me a woman with a passion for dehydrated and cured meats.”

You snort a laugh at his harmless taunting and pull him back onto you. You roll your hips into his and swallow his groan. You wrap your legs around his back and cross your ankles at his tailbone, pulling him closer to you. He follows your lead and presses himself into you and meets your mouth in a passionate kiss. You moan and whimper at the unchecked pace, at the uninhibited way he licks and nips into your mouth.

His smell is intoxicating, and you quickly find yourself lost in him. The feel of him is all around you, and what began as a welcomed overwhelming sensation has begun shifting into something unnerving and overbearing. You ignore it, try to push past it, but your chest starts to feel tight. Joel is broad and strong above you, and he’s lost in the kiss you’re still eagerly returning. You make a trembling whimper he mistakes for encouragement to continue. He’s pressing into you, touching you, tasting you. It’s now suffocating and upsetting.

“J-Joel,” you shake out. He groans eagerly in response. Your heart is beating a million miles an hour. You need to stop. He needs to stop. You need for him to stop. Now.

“Joel.” It comes out clipped and tense, not at all the calm, casual remark you had planned. As expected, Joel immediately freezes and pulls up, giving himself enough space to wildly search your features for an answer of what he had changed, what had he done to make you feel uncomfortable. “No, no. It’s okay. I just need, I just think I need a minute, and I’ll be okay. Okay? J-Just a minute,” you insist with a shaky voice. Your lip trembles. The back of your eyes start to pinch. Joel doesn’t look convinced. You bring your hands to either side of his face, a soft gesture to prove your interlude is just that, nothing more. Anything but the truth. You can’t tell him the truth. You don’t know why your head is suddenly spinning. If he knows something is wrong, he might not let go again like this. It felt so good until it hadn’t. You couldn’t lose it. You couldn’t give Joel a reminder of how broken you were.

“Darlin’,” he starts, and the reluctance in his voice kills you. You rest his forehead against yours and close your eyes. You will just have to work through this at the same time that you are convincing him to not give this moment up. You try your best with attending to the whirlwind of anxiety gripping your gut and the deep-seated need for him to cover every square inch of your body in kisses. “No no no. It’s okay. It’s okay. I just-I just need a minute,” you beg. “That’s all. That’s it. Just give me a minute, Joel.” Your heavy breathing and antsy tone only serve to undermine your appeals. 

Your eyes flutter open from being screwed shut in concentration when you feel Joel shift above you.  He shakes his head and positions himself to sit beside you with a modest berth between you. You start to feel the anger bubble up inside your gut, threatening to rise up your throat and come out as acidic remarks.

“All I need– I just—” your lips tingle and burn. “Why can’t you just be patient with me?” you snap.

You aren’t sure why you’re acting so indignant. It wasn’t as if you deserved Joel’s patience, his understanding, his compassion. And yet here you were, demanding he return what wasn’t even rightfully yours.

“You’re forcin’ yourself to be okay with it, and I just can’t do that.” His tone is firm but tender.

“I’m not!” you argue, flinging yourself over him to straddle his lap as if to emphasize your point.

Your lips crash into his, but they weren’t met with the previous fervor. Joel yet again pulls away, and you grasp at the back of his head to pull him back. When you try to kiss him again, his arms find their way to you, gently restraining you enough to put space between you.

“Why won’t you just give me a minute?!” you bark, enraged at him shutting the entire moment down. Rejecting you. Rejecting your body, your advances - one of the few things you had of value to offer him. He starts to reposition you further away, but you beat him to the punch. You push off him and off the couch, stomping towards the door. Joel was behind you before you could cross the threshold, his arm blocking your passage as his hand gripped the doorjamb. Joel had just rejected you, and now he was refusing to let you wallow in your mortification privately. 

“Sweetheart, I’m givin’ you a minute by givin’ you some space,” he explains calmly. 

“No you’re not! You’re turning me down. Like-Like you don’t even want me. You could just give me a minute to think for a second.” You march angrily towards the wall, not sure where you were headed exactly, but unable to bear Joel being nearby. Your shame flares in his proximity. Again, he follows behind you, loudly enough that you instinctively know it is for your benefit. For some reason this only makes you angrier. You whip around, your back against the wall, to glare at the man who had rejected your advances and appeal to patience. “If you had just given me a SECOND I would have been fine!” You feel the angry tears brimming.

He holds his hands out to the side, open and welcoming but not demanding. Why won’t he just snatch you up and bury his tongue in your mouth? “I could have worked through it, Joel. I wanted to, but you wouldn’t let me! If you had just let me, if you had just given me a second I could’ve-” you croak. 

Your hands ball into tight fists, tightening even more as Joel’s face morphs into a sort of pitying expression.  “I could’ve done it. I could have been normal! It could have been normal. I could have done it if you had just let me. I could have worked through it and been fine and had a normal kiss with you I could’ve done it if you had just let me I could’ve been normal for you for once I could’ve been a normal-”

Your incoherent babbling dissolves into quiet sobs. You feel Joel’s familiar warm embrace surround you, grounding you. He shushes and soothes and caresses, all while you cry into his shoulder in defeat.

Your eyes are still red from yesterday afternoon. You splash ice cold water on your face. It doesn’t help. You’d left in a hurry once Joel let you go. You could feel he wanted to chase after you, to fix it, to comfort you, but he didn’t. He stopped himself because of you. Because you can’t handle basic physical interactions. You can’t handle being intimate with somebody, even if they’re safe and warm and soothing. None of that matters when you’re a broken person. Joel couldn’t do the normal thing of comforting you because you were nothing more than a hobbled mess of a person, fragments of humanity pieced together haphazardly. 

You’d been lying to yourself when you said you could be normal for him. You were never going to be normal for him, for anyone. He deserves more. He deserves more than somebody who can’t manage to avoid a panic attack, some several months of living in the sliver of paradise that still existed in the apocalypse. If you couldn’t be enough for him here, you’d never be enough for him anywhere.

Your shoes drag along the dirt as you make your way to his house. You’d watched for Ellie to leave. You weren’t sure how long you had. You hoped you could make it quick and painless for him. For you, though, you figured crying yourself to sleep tonight was a best case scenario.

Your knock on the door is timid. Nothing like the bouncing rap of knuckles you’d usually greet it with. The door swings open. Joel looks like he’s been waiting for you to show up. No surprise in his face whatsoever. His eyes are soft and light. It makes you want to burst into tears.

“Hey, darlin’. Come on i—”

“You deserve to be with someone who isn’t so much work,” you say flatly. 

Joel opens his mouth to argue, but you hold a hand up to stop him. “Please just listen to me, Joel.” 

He closes his mouth but looks as though he has already decided to disagree with whatever you plan on telling him. He wordlessly wraps an arm around your back and ushers you inside. You start speaking again before he has a chance to close the door. If you put this off, you’re sure to be a coward and not do what needs to be done. For Joel. You’re doing this for Joel. You aren’t going to burden him with your baggage. You have to break things off. He deserves someone normal. Someone capable of kissing him without having a meltdown.

“Please don’t take this like I want you to tell me I’m wrong and that you’re going to win me back or something. I-I’m serious, Joel. You deserve more than… more than what I can give you.” Your words get lodged in your throat, hot and sticky and heavy.

Joel rests his hands on his hips and relaxes a leg. He almost looks impatient with you. You try to hurry up and finish so you’re not wasting anymore of his time.

“I-I… It’s hard f-for me to accept, but I do accept it. I can’t make you happy, and you deserve to be happy,” you choke out. “I wish I could fix me, but I just don’t think it’s ever gonna happen.” Joel makes no move to comfort you or wipe away the tears that have started falling onto your cheekbones. Good. He’s already moving on. This is good. This is what you wanted. This is what’s best for him. He’s better without you dragging him down.

“I just know in the end it will not have been worth it. Just-Just wasting your  time - the little time we all have left in this awful world. I’m not going to let you waste it on me.” Your sniffles turn into rapid intakes of air before leveling out again. “Ya done?” he asks pointedly with a raised brow.

“I-Yes. I’m done,” you answer meekly. Now all that was left was for Joel to send you on your way.

“Good, because now it’s your turn to listen.” His eyes burn with something new. Something you’ve not seen before, certainly not directed at you. It makes your tummy flip. “All that? That’s not really for you to decide,” he says coolly. “Wh-What?” you balk. “What’s not for me to decide?” “What makes me happy. What is worth my time. How I want to spend the rest of my life.” His nostrils flare, but you know he’s not angry at you. Maybe some version of you that’s trying to run away. But not at you. You aren’t sure how you know it, but you do. “Joel,” you sigh, exasperated at his persistence. You knew there was a chance he would argue with you, but you still find yourself unprepared for the tenacity radiating from him. “No. You don’t get to decide any of that for me. If you didn’t want me - if you didn’t want us - that would be one thing. But this? This bullshit? Not your call, sweetheart.” Joel’s gaze levels with yours, and you could see in his eyes this was not a challenge you were going to win. “Joel, it’s not right for me to-”

He takes his first steps forward then. His entire palm covers your cheek. He tilts your head up. “Tell me you want to end things because you want them to end. Not because of me, not for some sort of happiness I’m supposed’ta have with you outta the picture. Tell me you want it over because you don’t want it,” he demands. “Say right now you don’t want me. That you don’t want us. Say it.” You open your mouth a few times, but the words to make Joel understand you were doing this for his benefit never materialize. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he demands again in a low voice, inching towards you so close you could feel his breath fanning on your face. “I can’t,” you admit in a shaky whisper. “Then that’s that,” he decides with finality. You blink back up at him, confused by his unwillingness to rid himself of the baggage that was you. Your eyes flit to his lips where his hot breaths plume against your skin. When you look back at him, something has changed. There is a determination there. “I’m gonna hold you real close now, and I’m gonna kiss you. You’re gonna kiss me back. And it’s gonna be like last time, but we’re really going to do it this time, you hear me?” 

His words aren’t a threat but a promise. You nod meekly, wide eyed with anticipation. True to his word, Joel sweeps you into his embrace, cupping the back of your head as he tilts it to the side. His lips brush yours in a whisper of a caress. His terse preamble is a contrast to the slow, unrushed, gentle movements against your mouth. Your eyes flutter shut at the pleasant sensation, your hands winding up to his neck and hair where you smooth and rub and grab. His tongue slips along your bottom lip, gaining purchase into your mouth in a smooth motion. The way he delicately and hungrily explores you makes your mind go hazy. You feel your body melting back into his arms against you and the subsequent pull as he takes on your weight. His hand steadies your neck while his forearm and elbow hold you against him, allowing his other hand to press firmly against your back as it glides up and down. Joel swallows the weak whimper from your lungs as you match his pace and return his affections.

He pulls from your lips with a gasp. You both catch your breath for a moment. His eyes search yours.

“We make decisions together. We’re in this together, and it ain’t right for you to go off and make these big choices for the both of us, you understand?” he asserts. There’s the edge of something pleading in his tone.

“O-Okay. I’m sorry, Joel,” you murmur softly. “I just didn’t want you to be—”

“Enough,” he interjects. “You belong here. You belong in Jackson with all the rest of us. And you’re crazy if you think I’m the only person who’s gonna let you push people away the second things get hard.”

You swallow around the lump in your throat and drop your eyes. His hand lifts your chin so you’re looking at him again.

“No runnin’. Not unless I’m right beside ya, runnin’ too,” he says sternly. “It’s us in it together.”

You nod your head slowly. “Okay. Together.”

“Together,” he agrees.

Hey friends,

I'm sorry there's been such a gap in between the last chapter and this one. This chapter in particular drudged up a lot of shit for me, and it made it really difficult to write. I'm not really sure how the chapter comes across because I've been sitting with it for so long. I've been getting a bit lost in it, so I decided to just leave it once it felt right.

Thanks for all your patience and understanding!

catch ya later, ♥Puddles♥

[httplilyyy]

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 || 𝐌𝐀𝐏𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍

pairing: mapi Leon x reader, fcb femeni x reader

request: ‘could I request a mapi fic where they start on different teams then reader moves to barcelona and they become best friends, everyone thinks they're dating then eventually they get together'

summary: after you transfer to barcelona you get very close with a certain defender, who, luckily enough for you, starts to develop feelings which you happily reciprocate.

warnings: slight sexual themes but no smut other than that its just pure fluff with the occasional swear word

words: 3525

a/n: i upgraded from google translate to spanishdict so hopefully the spanish is more accurate, thank you to that one anon who told me about that. we’re also going to ignoring that alexia has torn her acl :)

woso masterlist

“Man United sensation, y/n y/l/n, has agreed on a three year contract at Barcelona.”

“Manchester United defender, y/n y/l/n, is set to transfer to Barcelona on a three year deal.”

“Y/n y/l/n is set to join Barcelona next season on a three year deal.”

“It’s the end of an era for y/n y/l/n at Manchester United as they are to join Barcelona this upcoming season on a three year contract.”

“I’m sure you’ve all heard the news.” Jona told the team. “We have a new player joining us today.”

A course of excited murmurs erupted around the room from various different players. You were known as being one of the best defenders of your generation.

You’ve spent your whole life at Manchester United up until this point. You decided that a change of scenery would be the best fit for your career at the moment. It was a hard decision to make but ultimately one you couldn't turn down.

Having seen that Keira and Lucy had joined Barcelona made the decision just that bit easier, knowing that you’ll have people there that you already knew.

You were excited to join Barcelona as you knew how good of a club they were, you were also looking forward to getting to know the top class players that had made that team their home.

“I expect you to give them a warm welcome,” Jona continued, “they should be arriving any minute now.”

As if on cue you arrived at the training ground, you stood with your manager as you looked at your new team.

“Hola.” You greeted as you looked at your new teammates, sending each of them a smile.

As you were looking at all the girls, your eyes stuck on one blonde, you kept eye contact a little longer than expected and you sent her a smile just like you did with the other girls before turning your attention to Jona

“This is our new defender, y/n y/l/n.”

The team introduced themselves individually, until there was one person left.

“Hola, I’m Maria but most people call me Mapi.” She said as she gave you a charming smile.

“Hey, I’m y/n, but you already knew that.” You chuckled as you scratched the back of your neck.

“I’m looking forward to playing together.”

“Yeah, me too, maybe you could teach me a couple of things.”

“I’m sure you’ll be the one doing the teaching.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Okay you two,” Patri interrupted as she slung her arms around both your shoulders, “stop flirting. The rest of the team want to get to know our new defender.”

Your first day went by like a breeze, you got to know the team and vice versa.

It was now a couple of weeks later and it was your first game of the season. Barcelona against Real Madrid. An El Clasico.

“Nervous?” Mapi asked as she sat beside you in the locker room.

“A little.” You replied as you finished tying your laces.

“Don’t be, you’ll be the best player on the pitch, other than me of course.”

“Don’t let Alexia hear you say that.” You chuckled.

“She’ll agree with me.” Mapi shrugged.

“Sure she would.”

The first half went by and no one had scored yet, but that was about to change. Barcelona received a corner. You made your way into the box and got ready for the cross to fly in.

A beautiful ball was sent in and it was making its way right towards you. Jumping up, your head connected with the ball and sent it flying into the back of the net. However, instead of celebrating you went down clutching your shoulder.

A Madrid player had pushed you as you were in the air causing you to land on your shoulder at an awkward angle. Your team was quick to surround you, pushing away the opposition.

“Hey, y/n?” You heard Mapi call out. “Look at me.”

You do as told and you turn your head to the side to look at the blonde defender. Clutching onto your shoulder, you let Mapi peel away your hands.

“I scored.” You said, your voice coming out as broken, desperate to not let the tears fall.

“You did, it was a great header.” Mapi smiled before she looked up and saw the medics rushing towards the two of you.

“I’m going to get taken off, aren't i?” You mumbled, seeing the medics begging to crowd around you.

“Just to make sure it's nothing serious.” Mapi said, “I’ll see you after the match, okay?”

“You better win it for me.”

“Will do.” Mapi said as she let the medics take over and walk back to the rest of your teammates.

“Can you stand?” One of the medics asked and you gave them a nod. They helped you get to your feet, walking off the pitch with you. The stadium clapped as you walked off, your teammates sending you smiles and nods of determination.

The medics did some check ups on your shoulder and luckily nothing was broken, just a nasty bruise beginning to form.

Instead of going back out to watch the match, you gave yourself a quick shower and changed your clothes before waiting in the locker room. You soon heard the disruption of your team coming back in signifying that the match was over.

The girls soon piled into the locker room with huge smiles on their faces, which could only mean one thing.

Mapi was quick to come and sit down next to you to tell you all what happened after you went off. The final score was 3-0 which made your smile broaden.

“Hows the shoulder?” Mapi asked as she bumped her shoulder into yours.

“Ouch.” You mumbled as you brought your hand up to rub it gently.

“Oh, lo siento, I didn't-”

“It’s fine.” You chuckled, “I’m only messing with you. I hurt my left shoulder, not the right.”

“Te odio.” Mapi mumbled.

“No you don’t,” You grinned, “and it's fine thank you, just bruised.”

“I was worried it was something worse, you went down quite hard.”

“It's gonna take a lot more than a Madrid defender to knock me down, figuratively, not literally.” You said, causing Mapi to let out a chuckle.

The two of you continued to talk, throwing in jokes here and there, completely forgetting there was a whole team surrounding you both.

“I reckon they’ll get together at the end of the season.” Sandra mumbled as she stood beside Alexia.

“Are you sure they’re not already together?” Alexia questioned, “I mean, look at them.”

The two watched as you and Mapi laughed at something you saw on your phone, leaning into one another, having no space in between you.

“I just hope they know what they’re doing.”

A couple of weeks went by and the champions league was back. Your first game was against Arsenal, meaning you had to travel back to England.

You were a little nervous going back to England as it had been a while since you’ve played there, and although it was your home you found a new one in Barcelona.

The last time you played in England was for the Euros final in Wembley, the thought bringing a smile to your face. You were sitting next to Mapi for the flight and it was fair to say you weren't going to be sleeping at any point.

The two of you conversed for the whole journey, up until you had an hour left when you both decided to watch a movie. Halfway through the movie you felt yourself get a little drowsy, leaning your head against Mapi’s shoulder.

The defender didn’t mind it though, instead she shifted a little so you were more comfortable and she placed her head on top of yours. The two of you continued to watch the movie completely oblivious to the rest of your teammates giving you knowing looks.

Once the plane landed you were quick to separate from each other, not really knowing what to do or say, you both collected your bags and walked off the plane.

It wasn't awkward per se, just unknown. To what you were feeling and what could happen with said feelings.

The coach journey to the hotel that you would be staying in, you sat by yourself, not voluntarily, it was that Mapi had decided to sit with Ingrid.

Once you arrived at the hotel you were each assigned rooms with one other teammate. You weren't really concentrating on who you were going to be partnered with and once your name got called out you snapped your head up from your phone.

“Y/l/n, you’re with Mapi.”

“Great.” You muttered, you weren't mad at the fact you were rooming with Mapi, the complete opposite, you were elated. It was that you felt that she didn't feel the same way.

“Ooh, y/n and Mapi sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g.” Pina sang loudly causing the girls to erupt into laughter.

“Vamos, y/n.” Mapi smiled, ignoring her teammate and walking over to you. She grabbed her bag with one hand whilst she slung her other around your shoulders.

The two of you walked towards the elevator and made your way up to the room you'll be staying in for the weekend.

“What room are we in?” You asked as you tapped your fingers along the handle of your suitcase.

“Uh, 116.” Mapi replied.

“Cool.”

“Yeah, cool…”

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened revealing a hallway with rooms on either side. You walked a little way down before you came to a stop in front of your room.

“You want to do the honours?” You asked as you motioned to the door.

“Yeah, okay.”

Mapi used her key card on the door and opened it to show the room where the two of you would be staying in for the weekend.

“After you.” You said as you let Mapi walk into your room. “I’ll take the bags.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, promise.” You trailed closely behind, carrying all the bags with you. Letting Mapi walk off to discover everything the room has to offer, which only included two beds, a bathroom and a balcony.

“Which bed do you want?” You questioned as you placed each suitcase onto one bed.

“This one?” Mapi said, pointing to the bed furthest away from the balcony.

“Yeah, no problem.” You smiled as you moved your suitcase over to your bed.

“Are you alright?” Mapi asked as she sat down on her bed.

“Yeah, why?”

“I don't know, you just seemed a little different after the plane journey here.”

“Oh, no, nothings wrong.” You said. “Promise.”

“What are we meant to do now?” Mapi wondered as she leaned back onto her bed like a starfish.

“How about we go do something?”

“Like what?”

“Anything you want.”

“I have no idea, you’re meant to be the tour guide around here.”

“Okay,” you chuckled, “have you got a coat?”

“Yeah?”

“I know where we can go.”

“Are you sure we’re even allowed to go out?”

“Since when were you likely to abide by the rules? And what the team doesn’t know, won’t hurt them.”

“Alright, let's go.” Mapi said as she put on her coat and waited for you by the door. “Lead the way.”

You put on your coat and opened the door gesturing for Mapi to go before you.

“So chivalrous.” Mapi teased.

“Shut up.” You mumbled with a smile.

The two of you walked out of your room and to the elevator. Pressing the button for the rooftop, you both waited in a comfortable silence until the elevator came to a stop.

Letting Mapi out first, you placed your hand at the small of her back and led her to the front of the hotel.

The two of you got onto the underground and made your way to Hyde Park corner. From there you walked down the streets of London, talking to each other about anything and everything. After a little while of walking you finally reached a coffee shop.

You opened the door and let Mapi walk in before you followed shortly behind.

“Anything specific you want?” You asked as the two of you stood in the queue.

“Just a Latte.”

“Oh, fancy.” You chuckled, earning an elbow to the ribs from the defender beside you.

“Alright, what are you getting?”

“A tea.”

“Typical Brit.” Mapi smirked.

“Shush you.”

After you paid for your drinks you both went back onto the streets of london and into Hyde Park. Walking around and occasionally pointing out the odd squirrel that you would see, you both made your way over to the lake and sat down on a bench to look out and over the water.

You were sitting a little ways away from Mapi till you saw her shiver and you slid yourself closer to the blonde, placing your arm behind Mapi’s back and on the bench.

Mapi rested her head on your shoulder as best as she could, seeing as you were a little taller than her. Pulling Mapi closer to you, you continued to look at the lake, not saying much, just enjoying the tranquillity of it all.

The two of you sat in a comfortable silence, taking in the beauty of London at night. Mapi’s head darted around at the scenery. Pointing out the small details she saw or anything that would bring a smile to her face.

“It's really beautiful.” Mapi said as she focused on the way the moon glistened on the water.

“So beautiful.” You muttered, instead you weren’t looking at the view per se you were looking at the woman next to you.

"Can I ask you something?" Mapi asked quietly as she looked up at you.

"You just did." You joked as you smiled down at her.

“Hilarious.”

“Sorry, what did you want to ask me?”

“Do you ever think about what it would be like if you never moved to Barca?”

“Not really.” You replied as you played with your cup of tea. “Why?”

“No reason, it’s just you were sort of Man United's golden player.”

“I felt as if I needed a change.” You said, “I’m glad I did move.”

“How so?”

“I met you.” You smiled, “Cheesy, I know.”

Mapi moved slightly so she wasn't leaning against you but still in your arms. She gently placed her hands on either side of your face making sure you were looking at her.

“Y/n.” Mapi whispered.

“I'm pretty sure I didn't meet you for nothing.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“​​You have no idea how much I like you.”

“Y/n-”

“You don't have to say anything jus-”

“Shut up and kiss me.” Mapi said as she took your chin in your hand and pulled your face closer to hers.

Your breath fanned over her lips, eyes darting between hers.

“Kiss me.” Mapi whispered.

And so you did.

Serging forward you crash your lips against hers. Soft kisses of exploration and passion soon turned into one of want and need very quickly.

Your hands were quick to find themselves tangled in her hair, before they settled on her waist as you pulled her to sit on your lap. Both of your drinks have fallen on the floor, completely forgotten.

You swiped your tongue across her lips and she whimpered, granting you access to her mouth. She hummed into your mouth and raked her hands through your hair in contentment, then coming down your neck then resting on your shoulders.

As you broke the kiss, Mapi gently bit onto your bottom lip letting it go with a smirk. The defender's breathing was erratic, her heart practically beating out of her chest, her hair standing in all different directions. But to you she still looked like a goddess.

“I really like you.” You said softly.

“I really like you too.” Mapi replied with a smile. “What does this make us?”

“Whatever you want us to be.”

“I want to be with you but can we keep it between us for a little while?”

“Of course, whatever you want.” You smiled, “how about we go back to the hotel before people become suspicious about where we are.”

“Okay.”

It was two month after the champions league game against Arsenal and you were back in Barcelona. You and Mapi still haven't told anyone that you are together, but you didn't mind.

The two of you were sneaking around and it seemed to be getting harder and harder everyday, you had a feeling that the team knew but they just needed that extra bit of confirmation.

It was after practice one day and you and Mapi were down a corridor, away from all the rest of the team.

“I feel like we haven't gotten any alone time this week.” Mapi mumbled as she placed her hands on your waist, pushing you against a wall.

“Do you want to come over later?” You asked, breath hitching when Mapi planted her lips on your neck.

“I’d love to.”

“Okay-” Just as you were about to speak you heard voices making their way closer to the two of you.

Thinking fast, you pulled Mapi away from your neck and into an old equipment cupboard. Both your bodies pressed up against each other, chests rising and falling at the same time.

As Mapi was going to talk, questioning why you both were hiding, the voices got closer so you gently placed a hand over her mouth and you leaned in so your mouth was by her ear.

“Don’t make a sound.” You whispered. Pulling back slightly, you saw Mapi nod.

Every bone in your body was screaming at you to make some form of a move, so you did. Placing opened mouth kisses along her neck making your way across her throat as she dug her nails in your back. You kissed below her right ear and she moaned your name.

“Quiet, love.” You whispered as you pulled away before continuing your assault.

Content that you had found her sweet spot, you began to suck, leaving a dark bruise. Mapi was too blissed out in absolute euphoria to realise her volume was beginning to increase.

“What did I say, amor?” You questioned as you pulled back so your noses were touching.

“I need to be quiet.”

“As much as I love to hear you screaming my name, you might want to lower your voice unless you want someone to see us.”

“Or why don't you just take me back to your place?”

“That can be arranged.” You smiled as you gave Mapi a quick kiss before pulling away completely.

As the two of you stepped out of the equipment cupboard, you were met by a couple of your teammates standing outside.

“Shit.” You mumbled.

“Mierda” Mapi said.

“Qué diablos.” Alexia muttered as she saw the dishevelled hair and rapid breathing.

“You two are fucking?!” Claudia shouted.

“What?” You asked, shocked. “No? Why would you ask that?”

“You two just came out of a cupboard after training and you expect us to think you were looking for equipment and not certain body parts?”

“Well..” You trailed off.

“How long have you been ‘friends with benefits’? and were you even going to tell us?” Lucy questioned.

“We’re not friends with benefits.” Mapi said as she turned her head to look at you, silently asking if it was okay to say you two were together with you giving her a nod in return. “I’m in love with her.”

That you didn't expect.

You had been together for two months and you were yet to say the ‘L word’ and Mapi had just said it in front of your friends.

“You love her?” Alexia asked.

“You love me?” You questioned, completely stunned.

“Yeah.” Mapi said softly. “More than anything in the world.”

“Even more than football?” You teased.

“Even more than football.”

“I love you too.” You smiled as you placed your hand at the back of Mapi’s neck and brought her face closer to yours, capturing her lips in a kiss that was nothing but full of love and adoration.

You two pulled apart when some of the girls started to fake gag and make kissing noises. Only pulling apart so your foreheads pressed together, nose brushing past, smiling against each other's lips.

“Still want to go to my place?” You whispered.

“Definitely.”

“Want to make a runner?”

“In three?”

The two of you silently counted to three and sprinted away from your friends teasing manners, laughing as you ran all the way to your car.

“Te amo.” Mapi said as she pushed you gently against your car door, placing soft kisses on your lips.

“Careful, amor.” You said as you wrapped your hands around her shoulders.

“Say it back.” Mapi sulked, pulling you away from your car and placing her head in the crook of your neck, wrapping her hands around your waist, swaying you side to side.

“Te amo mucho, mi amor.”

[ceciliatllis]

I saw someone on here mention how Alys and Elizabeth Woodville do not have any striking parallels and just felt the need to write about how they do in fact have quite a few different similarities. I've always been a huge enthusiast when it comes to The Wars of the Roses and find that period of history incredibly compelling (not to mention GRRM himself has acknowledged how it inspires ASOIAF and his work as a writer which is clearly evident in some of the characters he's created) so I felt compelled to write about this and share my own thoughts.

Both Alys and Elizabeth were polarizing women accused of being devious and using witchcraft/sorcery to "bewitch" a powerful royal who was exceedingly above them in rank; Elizabeth was reviled by the court as she was not an advantageous match for Edward IV politically at all and she and her family’s rise in status caused envy among many. She was older than him, already had children of her own, and was a widow; all of these aspects made her a scandalous woman which the court looked down upon with great disdain and scrutiny. Even now, historians continue to debate whether she actually loved Edward IV and returned his affection or if her primary goal was centered around using him to advance her rank and that of her family. Similarly, the maesters in F&B (as well as numerous people within the fanbase) create a villanious and cartoonish sort of figure when describing Alys as she is perceived as an unsuitable and unlikely match for Aemond - an unusual servant who has had several stillbirths and sees visions is a clear departure from the chaste, agreeable maiden they expected him to fall for. In addition, Elizabeth and Edward were said to have been married in secret whereas Alys and Aemond were ALSO rumored to be married secretly before his death according to Alys (she is referred to as his widow by other characters in F&B so it seems this was an accepted consensus among people and not something she invented). Another detail that stands out and further binds them together is that Elizabeth's father's title was Baron Rivers. Perhaps all of these links are simply coincidental (although I highly doubt that since this is GRRM) but it would be disingenuous to insinuate they do not exist whatsoever because one does not wish to see them.

While opinions vary greatly when it comes to Alys's motivations and true feelings (just as historians disagree about Elizabeth's personality and her relationship with Edward IV), I think it's fascinating to see how the negative reactions to controversial/mysterious women oftentimes mimic how female historical figures were unfairly judged and lazily reduced to common, reductive labels still recycled in the media today (such as forcing them into restrictive boxes where they're either a calculating seductress or helpless damsel). Many people seem to believe that strong-minded female characters can only be written as emotionless caricatures who use their charms (such as their sexuality) to get ahead for their own ambitions and while that trope is commonly seen in film/television and used as a storyline, I believe these ambitious and cunning women can be shown to have agency of their own while still being vulnerable, lonely, and open to love/companionship. That does not make them less empowering or intelligent by any stretch of the imagination; it makes them human. Women can contain a myriad of different traits and motives while still being interesting. That's how I hope the writers will approach Alys and it's also what I believe to be the more intriguing route to go when it comes to well-rounded, complex storytelling.

[081314]

Sunset Savannah’s Tamashina-Mina – Episode 3 (Part 1)

Following is part 1 of my translation of Episode 3 of the Tamashina-Mina event. This part contains episodes 3-1 to 3-4.

Spoilers after the cut!

Episode 3-1

Grim: *Sniff* *Sniff* There’s a really good smell coming from that stall!

Kalim: And there’s tons of customers, too. They’re all chowing down on some meat at those tables over there.

Leona: They’re eatin’ sautéed mutton. It’s a common meal in this country. You just take some chunks of meat and smoke ‘em over a charcoal fire. Now I’m kinda wantin’ some, it’s been a while.

Grim: It looks really good! I wanna try it, too!

BBQ Shopkeeper: Welcome! Here you go.

Grim: It’s hot!! But the meat's well done, and it's really tasty.

Leona: Sunset Savannah’s first-rate when it comes to cookin' up meat.

Kalim: Ooh, it looks really good. Now I want some, too!

Kifaji: I suspected that might be the case, so I went ahead and fetched another plate for you.

Kalim: Oh, man. This sauce is so spicy! I love it!

Vil: Meat’s a fine enough choice, but I’m more interested in that assortment of fruit over there. A lot of fruits are rich in vitamins, and they’re good for your beauty. I love a good smoothie, but… I’ll go ahead and enjoy some raw fruit this time.

Kifaji: Out of all the fruits sold here, mangoes are the local specialty. I recommend you give them a try.

Vil: Is that so? Alright, one mango please.

Kalim: Me too!

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: Thank you!

Kalim / Vil: *eating the mango*

Vil: It’s delicious! It’s got such a rich taste.

Kalim: Huh? Does your mango taste different than mine? Mine’s got more of a milder taste to it, and it’s really good!

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: I just split a mango in half and gave each of you boys a piece, so they should both taste the same…

Vil: Honestly, there’s no use trying to compare it with the high-end fruit that Kalim normally eats…

Leona: Thanks so much for the snark.

Lilia: Perhaps I’ll have some fruit, as well. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: How about some passion fruit?

Vil: It looks good… But I’m not exactly sure how we’re supposed to eat it.

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: Ah, you just need to cut it in half and eat the insides with your spoons, seeds and all.

Vil: *takes a bite* Oh, it’s sweet and sour. It tastes really good.

Lilia: Indeed, it’s quite delicious! These crunchy seeds on the inside make for an interesting texture, and the contrast between the deep red skin and the yellow flesh is very beautiful.

Grim: Everything is so yummy! ...Huh? Woah!? Look at that massive fruit they’re sellin’!

Kalim: Hey, you’re right! That thing’s almost as big as you, Grim!

Leona: That’s called a jackfruit.

Vil: Oh, same name as Jack.

Leona: Apparently, it’s the largest type of fruit in the world. Since they're so heavy, they grow right on the tree's trunk instead of from the branches.

Lilia: I’ve eaten some before. They’re delicious.

Vil: And how do they taste?

Lilia: They have this very distinctive stench about them. They’re dreadfully gooey on the inside, and the texture feels like you’re eating a piece of meat…

Vil: ….What? Is that supposed to be your review? You’re making it sound completely unappetizing.

Leona: You'll understand what he means once you try some. I’ll take one jackfruit.

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: Thank you! Here, I’ll remove the skin and scoop out the fruit for you.

Vil: It started reeking as soon as he removed the skin.

Kalim: Ah! And there’s a bunch of yellow fruit on the inside! Woah, look how much he’s getting out of it. I guess it really is the largest fruit in the world!

Vil: I highly doubt any one of us could eat all of that on our own. Let’s all share it together.

Grim: Awesome, let’s eat! *munch munch munch* Nya ha ha! It’s super sticky! And yummy, too! *munch munch*

Leona: I blinked and that furball already ate the whole thing.

Lilia: But how? That pile of fruit was as big as him.

Leona: Tsch. Gimme another jackfruit.

Fruit Stand Shopkeeper: Thank you!

Vil: *takes a bite* ….Reminds me of tropical fruit. It’s got a nice combination of acidity and sweetness, but… It’s awfully grassy smelling.

Lilia: I for one quite enjoy this distinctive taste.

Leona: Heh. Jackfruit chooses who eats it. It ain't the other way around.

Episode 3-2

Lilia: They’re selling bananas over there. Ah, and that's one of my favorite meals they're serving!

Vil: Please don't tell me it also has a "distinctive" taste?

Lilia: Oh, just trust me. Hello, shopkeeper. Could you prepare enough for all of us?

Stall Shopkeeper: Of course! Please enjoy!

Vil: ….Wait. Are those potatoes?

Leona: They ain't potatoes. It’s steamed bananas. One of the staple foods here in Sunset Savannah.

Lilia: One that’s been around since long ago.

Leona: Yeah. That’s cause it’s easier to grow fruits here instead of wheat and rice.

Vil: Oh, yeah? It’s unusual for bananas to be a staple food.

Kalim: I’ve never seen steamed bananas before, either. Oooh, this is gonna be good. Let’s dig in!

(Everyone starts eating)

Kalim: They got a really light taste. I think they’re yummy!

Leona: I bet the others are gonna agree with ya on this one.

Vil: Yes. I presumed they’d be sweeter, like a dessert, but it’s different. Now I understand why they’ve become a staple food here.

Lilia: Still, they do have a faint amount of sweetness to them.

Yuu: That really hit the spot!

Vil: Bananas are very nutritious, and they’re easy to digest. They make for a great pre-game fuel if you’re about to play sports. Since we’ll be practicing Catch the Tail later, they’re just what the doctor ordered.

Lilia: Oh! The dish that’s being sold at that stall over there also looks very delectable.

Vil: Looks like a crepe of some sort. I was just in the mood for dessert, so I’ll try it.

Stall Shopkeeper: Thank you! Please do pour these over the crepes before you eat them.

Vil: These…? Is this… stew?

Kalim: It looks like they simmered white fish in tomato sauce.

Vil: And there’s also spinach and potato stew. This one is beef. …Side dishes as far as the eye can see.

Leona: Of course. These rice crepes are another staple food here, after all.

Vil: Here I’d been hoping it was dessert. Well, it’s fine. First, I’ll try just the crepe by itself…. *takes a bite* …Ack! It…It’s so sour. What a peculiar taste. It might be a bit too much for me…

Grim: Hey, Vil! If you’re not gonna eat the rest of that, then fork it over! Mmm, it’s so sour! I love it! Nyahaha.

Kifaji: You’re quite the connoisseur, Master Grim.

Leona: The shopkeeper told ya’ll to pour the stew over the crepes before eatin’ ‘em, didn’t he? They taste like that ‘cause ya didn’t do what he said.

Kalim: Oh, you’re right! They’re really yummy when you eat them together with the stew!

Lilia: Indeed. The spiciness of the stew provides a wonderful accent for the sourness of the crepes. It’s very delicious.

Vil: Really? *takes a bite* You’re right, it really does taste good. Now I understand. You need to eat these crepes with really flavorful side dishes.

Kalim: Anyways, there’s lots of cool stuff for sale at the bazaar besides food.

Kifaji: Certainly. There are many establishments here that sell souvenirs for tourists. 

Kalim: Hey! That store’s selling a whole bunch of accessories!

Kifaji: From valuable jewels and precious metals, to moderately priced wares made from glass beads, they have quite the inventory. In our country, we produce a variety of precious metals and natural rocks.

Leona: He said “produce”, but all they do here is just collect rocks they find lyin’ around. Ain’t like ya’ll have any mining operations set up.

Kifaji: That’s enough. There’s no need for us to do that since it isn’t a major industry here.

Leona: Oh yeah? Even though ya’ll know very well just how many natural resources we got buried under these lands, ya don’t even think once about tryin’ to mine ‘em.

Kifaji: That is because the people of Sunset Savannah treasure nature as it is. Destroying the environment just for economic gain would be foolish.

Leona: So instead you’re just gonna sit around and wait for this country to fall apart? Guess I’m too much of a fool to understand your line of thinkin’.

Kalim: H-hey. Don’t fight, you guys.

Lilia: Oh, leave them be. They’ve been bickering like that the entire time. I gather it's the norm for them.

Vil: We might be able to make some great finds at this stall. If they have anything good here, I think I’ll buy it.

Lilia: And here I’d thought you were only interested in top-name brands.

Vil: What’s important isn’t the brand, it’s the item’s quality. And as long as the quality of these stones and the craftmanship of the accessory both appear to be trustworthy, then it doesn’t matter to me if there’s no brand name attached.

Kalim: Look at this sparkly bracelet! It’s so pretty!

Lilia: It certainly is.

Vil: Show it to me. …Of course. These are real diamonds.

Lilia: Oh my! And just look at that steep price. I fear that might be much too expensive for a travel souvenir.

Kalim: Oh, but it’s so pretty…. And I really like it. Okay, I’ll take it!

Lilia: An on-the-spot decision. As expected of Kalim.

Vil: I’m sure if you gift Jamil something as valuable as that next time you see him, he’ll be elated. So elated, in fact, he’ll give himself a headache.

Kalim: Yeah, I’m sure Jamil’s also gonna be happy!

Lilia: “Also”? Do you mean to say you’ll be giving one of these bracelets to someone else, as well?

Kalim: Uh-huh! To everyone in my dorm!

Everyone: Everyone in Scarabia!?

Kalim: Yeah! If they get something pretty like this, they’ll all be so happy.

Vil: They’ll probably be way too embarrassed to accept something like that.

Lilia: No, I doubt they’d ever suspect those are real diamonds.  

Grim: Hey, Kalim! Buy one of those for me, too!

Kalim: Okay! I’ll buy one for all you guys…. Oh, wait. ….This colorful bracelet here is even prettier. Okay, I’ll get this one, instead!

Vil: That’s a handmade bracelet made with glass beads. It’s certainly very pretty, but…

Lilia: Kalim isn’t interested in something like the value of those stones. As long as he likes it, that’s fine.

Grim: I thought I was about to get my hands on a diamond bracelet, but it turned into a glass one right before my eyes…

Episode 3-3

Lilia: I’d also like to get something for Malleus and the others. When you go traveling as often as I do, sometimes you end up just buying the same old souvenirs each time. I’ll need to be careful. For Malleus, maybe I’ll get him this t-shirt… No, I gave him something like this not too long ago. I could get him something to decorate his room with, but…. I doubt I can find anything that would top that gargoyle I gave him before. And if I buy something different for Silver and Sebek, I fear that might stir up a quarrel between them. Hmm. Whatever shall I do…

Kalim: Wow. You’re really thinking this through, Lilia!

Lilia: Hm? Ah, this is just another part of the pleasures of traveling. Our trip will continue for some time yet, so I’ll continue my search for the time being.

Kalim: Grim and Yuu, what about you guys?

Grim: We’re gonna get some souvenirs, too.

Kifaji: If you’re on the hunt for more souvenirs, then might I suggest a textile of some sort?

Kalim: Oh, yeah. They got tons of stuff like that here. Tapestries, carpets, scarves, towels….

Leona: Since they value nature so much, they’ve avoided mining the land, startin’ large scale agriculture, an’ industrializing the country. ‘Cause of that, handmade textiles have become an important industry in Sunset Savannah.

Grim: Got any recommendations for me?

Leona: The heck do I gotta choose somethin’ for ya?

Kifaji: Might I recommend something you could spread out on your floor? They have a number of carpets in all different sizes here.

Grim: ‘Kay, then I’ll get… The heck? These things are so expensive!! I can’t buy something as pricey as this!! And here I was wantin’ to take an afternoon nap on a nice and fluffy carpet… Uh… Is there anything here we can get for around 100 madol?

Leona: Of course not. If you wanna take a nap that bad, then just get a hammock. Look, they weaved this one so it looks like an ivy hammock you’d find at an oasis. These ones are real popular. People say that long ago, lions would use these hammocks to rest on. That’s how comfy these things are.

Grim: Oooh. Sounds interesting. It costs over 100 madol, but… I’ll buy it! Nya ha ha! Thanks for your recommendations, Leona!

Vil: Just the kind of recommendation you’d expect from someone who spends all his time sleeping. Well, Grim’s about on par with you when it comes to laziness, so I’d say it all worked out.

Leona: Only one left is Yuu…. If a carpet is a no-go, then how about a tapestry?

Vil: There’s plenty of tapestries being sold here and there. They’ve all got the image of a young lion embroidered on them.

Leona: Remember that fountain we saw earlier, and it had all those statues celebratin’ the birth of the prince? The lion on those tapestries is that prince. Back during the time of the King of the Beasts, when they were celebratin’ the kid’s birth, a renowned shaman painted a mural of the prince using baobab juice. And this image is supposed to be a design based off that mural. It’s real popular, and it’s pretty much the go-to design in this country for just about everything.

Vil: It certainly is a very Sunset Savannah-esque souvenir.

Lilia: I think it’d be a great choice, Yuu.

Yuu: I’ll go ahead and get the tapestry with the lion on it.

Leona: Thanks for makin’ this quick an' easy. I can’t stand goin’ back and forth with people, it’s annoying.

Souvenir Stand Shopkeeper: Thank you for your patronage!

Grim: Nyahaha! I got it, I got it!

Kalim: Hey, Lilia! How about we get something for Cater, too?

Lilia: Oh, that’s a great idea! I’m sure he’ll be delighted if we gift him something during our next club meetup.

Kalim: The go-to gift for us pop music club members is snacks.

Leona: If you’re lookin’ for snacks, then go get somethin’ from that stall over there.

Kifaji: Lord Leona… Your phrasing is rather lacking. Please put some more thought into how you say things.

Leona: Could you be any more annoying? This country’s stuffy enough as it is, no way in hell I’m gonna be all prim and proper like you’re wantin’.

(Leona walks away)

Kifaji: ….A thousand pardons, everyone. He can be quite difficult at times.

Lilia: Oh, don’t worry about it! We’re all used to it.

Kifaji: Many of the snacks sold here are local specialties. They’re quite popular as souvenirs.

Kalim: What’s the one that Leona bought from that stall over there? He’s chowing down on it.

Kifaji: That is a candy made from baobab fruit. It’s dyed red with food coloring, and has sugar and chili pepper powder dusted on it. Lord Leona has been fond of it since he was a young boy. …Though he’s grown up to be quite the impudent young man, that’s one thing about him that hasn’t changed.

Lilia: That so? Now I’m curious what it tastes like. I’ll go buy us some.

Lilia: *takes a bite* ….Ah, this is very good. The sourness of the fruit, the spiciness of the pepper, and the sweetness of the sugar…. They’re all combining together to form a most complex flavor.

Kalim: *starts eating the candy* …You’re right! It’s kind of a more mature flavor. It’s really good! Since this is Leona’s favorite, I bet he must recommend it. Let’s get some for Cater!

Lilia: And since it has such a stunning appearance, I'm sure he’ll find it Magicam-worthy. He'll be just delighted.

Snack Stall Shopkeeper: Thank you for your purchase!

Episode 3-4

Leona: Okay, that wraps up our shoppin' trip.

Vil: Hey… I’ve been curious about something for a while now. There’s a couple of soldiers standing here and there around the bazaar, yeah?

Leona: Uh-huh. They’re guards who patrol the city.

Kifaji: Here in the heart of Sunrise City, public peace is maintained by the castle guards. This is the imperial city, after all.

Leona: But no matter how much they preserve the peace or whatever, I still don’t recommend walkin’ around here by yourselves at night.

Vil: We’ll be careful.

Kalim: I was thinking that only beastfolk would live in Sunset Savannah, but I guess I was wrong.

Leona: More than half of the population is beastfolk, not all of it. The percentage changes dependin’ on the region.

Kifaji: There is a wide variety of species amongst the beastfolk, and some species in Sunset Savannah live in settlements they’ve formed with one another. While we’re on the topic, I’ll let you all know that I am a bird beastman. There aren’t many of us, and even here in the imperial city our numbers are quite low. We beastfolk have different cultures and customs, and it’s been difficult for the royal to unify the nation. Lord Falena, who’s been entrusted with overseeing the national polity, also appears to be struggling.

Leona: Since he’s so stupidly honest, all he does is make things harder for himself.

Kifaji: If that is what you truly think, then could you please stand by Lord Falena’s side and assist him? That is what your father desires, you know.

Leona: Nah, it’s easier for my older brother if I ain’t here. The reason I've been stayin' away from home is for our country’s sake. In other words, me not showin' up to Tamashina-Mina until this year was also for the good of our country. It’s my own special way of showin’ concern for you guys. Ain’t I so nice?

Kifaji: How deplorable…. When I think how Lord Falena feels, it pains my own heart even more… Aah, why did you grow up to be such an embittered young man…

Leona: Who knows. Maybe ‘cause a certain bitter old Chamberlain was too hard on me growin’ up?

Kifaji: To think, that adorable little child who’d start bawling whenever he lost to me in chess would grow up to say such despicable things…. I understand. Perhaps it was because I was too strict with you.

Leona: You’re such a pain in the neck. How long are you gonna be hanging around us, anyways?

Kifaji: I am here to attend to our guest of the state, Master Kalim.

Kalim: Oh, I’m sorry about that. You don’t have to worry about me! Just take it easy.

Kifaji: No, that would be out of the question.

Leona (whispering to himself): Tsch. I wasn’t expectin’ him to tag along. He makes everythin’ a lot more difficult than it needs to be and I can’t stand it anymore. I need to do somethin’ quick to shake him off my tail.

Grim: Hmm, what should I eat next?

Leona: We’re done goin’ around the stalls. It’s about time we go to Elephant Legacy now.

Vil: Finally. I’ve been waiting impatiently this whole time.

Kifaji: I’ve prepared a charter bus for us over there.

Large man: Sorry to keep you guys waitin’. Everyone go ahead and climb aboard.

Lilia: My, what a splendid bus.

Vil: With a ride like this, we’ll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the drive.

Leona: Everyone’s on board now. Let’s head out.

Lilia: There certainly are a lot of cars driving about in Sunrise City.

Leona: Yeah, ‘cause they actually got a road network developed here. Well, there’s lots of unpaved roads, though.

Kifaji: The residents here typically use the bus, taxis, or bicycle taxis for their means of transportation.

Leona: But soon as you leave the metropolis, it’s all grasslands. A bunch of undeveloped off road far as the eye can see. We’re gonna be getting’ jostled around, so be prepared.

Lilia: I gather this isn’t going to be a pleasant ride, then…

Leona: Mm. And the road’s are pretty bad, so it’s easy to get flat tires. You can hardly see through all the dust clouds flying around, an’ people are always havin’ engine problems.

Kalim: Look, we’re about to go into the savannah!

(Boom!! Bang!!)

Large man: Aah! I got a flat, and the engine broke down!

Everyone: What!?

Leona: And right after I said it…

Lilia: That’s the fastest jinx I’ve ever seen!

Large man: M-my bus…. It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get this repaired. I might have to just sell this thing for scrap metal… But I had so many people booked for tomorrow… The heck am I supposed do? Without my bus, I won’t be able to make any money. And my family won’t be able to get by…

Kalim: Huh!? That’s awful….! I know! I’ll buy you a new bus.

Large guy: Y-you’re gonna what!?

Everyone: A new bus!?

Lilia: Kalim, you shouldn’t be so quick to help strangers like that. We just hardly met him a few minutes ago.

Grim: Yeah, but somethin’ like a bus isn’t a big deal for Kalim to buy. Right?

Vil: That really isn’t the problem here.

Large man: H-he’s right. That’s ridiculous. I can’t just let some random student I don’t know go and buy me a whole new bus.

Kalim: But you gotta look out for your family! And I’m sure a lot of those people with reservations tomorrow are really looking forward to it. I’ll go ahead and get you a new bus right away.

Large man: *sniffle* …I-I’m really sorry about all this…  I feel so ashamed of myself, but it’s for my family… I’ll swallow my pride, then. Please do help me out here!  I’ll be sure to save up money and pay off my debt to you, so please tell me your name!

Kalim: It’s Kalim, but… You really don’t need to worry about it! Of course I’d help someone in need.

Vil: Wow. He really is going to buy him a bus… Even though we have no idea if we can even trust this guy.

Lilia: Oh, goodness. Well, it’s very like Kalim to do such a thing.

Leona: Seein’ as Kifaji hired him, his background’s probably clean. But still, it’s pretty suspect whether or not he was just puttin’ on the water works to get Kalim all worked up like that.

Kifaji: To think, the bus would just go and break down on us…. We have no other choice, then. I will arrange another car right away.

Leona: ……..Wait, Kifaji. There's an easier way to get us back on the road. Everybody come with me, we’re gonna go on a little walk. Our destination’s the royal palace.

Episode 1

Episode 2 (Part 1)

Episode 2 (Part 2)

Episode 3 (Part 2)

Episode 3 (Part 3)

Episode 4 (Part 1)

Episode 4 (Part 2)

Episode 5

[sprout-writes-stuff]

Inspired by @henderdads fic. A little thing that entered my brain fully formed and had to come out. (if I did anything wrong here let me know and I'll take it down)

It's not exactly what Steve thought he'd be doing on a friday night, he and Robin have their laptops open doing a personality quiz that the school heavily encouraged them to take.

He highly doubts a few questions (okay so there's at least 50, whatever) will tell him anything about himself that he didn't already know but Robin insisted they do it together. The part that actually interests Steve is they'll get a list of the ten people they're most compatible with, it'll even say whether that's in a romantic way or not. The last question asks about their preference (Men/Women/Any/None).

Early sunday morning Steve is lying in bed scrolling his emails and it's there! The results. He skims over all the stuff about him (he'll make a great parent someday, blah blah blah, maybe he'll read it properly later) until he finds the list. Unsurprisingly, Robin is at the top with 98.2% but the second... What? No way?

He video calls Robin immediately, it actually takes three tries to wake her up.

"Steve? It's," she looks up to the time on her phone, "7:18. Why? It's sunday."

"The email, Robin, it's here." He watches her face as she tries to understand what's happening, barely containing his amusement at that, and then waits as she checks hers.

"Aww we're compatible Stevie," she says with a silly, overly sweet smile, "like we didn't know that already. Who'd you get first with a heart?"

Steve now has his open on his laptop, staring at the little pink heart next the name second on his list.

"Steve?"

"It's... I mean, it can't be right."

"Why not? It got us didn't it?"

"It's Eddie Munson. 97.6%." The rest are all mid 80s or lower and might as well be zero for all Steve cares about them right now. Robin's jaw drops.

"He doesn't exactly seem the type to even take the quiz," she says, "you have to talk to him tomorrow."

"I don't know anything about him."

"Well you've got all the time in the world to find out."

He doesn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.

He sees Eddie's van pull into the parking lot and Robin pushes him towards it before the engine is even off.

"Can I talk to you?" he asks as soon as the door is open. "Privately?"

"Alright," Eddie says, confusion on his face as he follows Steve away from everyone else. "What's this about Harrington?"

"The quiz? The other night?" Did Eddie think Steve was just going to leave it?

"Oh, that's in already?" He digs his phone out of his pocket. He doesn't know.

Steve watches him read, getting more and more nervous as he gets closer to the end. Eddie looks up at him in shock. All Steve can do is nod.

"And the... heart? That's not a mistake?" He's kind of breathless.

"Huh?"

"Like, you could have accidentally checked men instead of women and that's what you came to tell me."

"Oh," Steve says with a giggle, "no, I'm bi."

The nervous energy from a few minutes ago is turning into bubbling excitement as they stare at each other, both with tentative, hopeful smiles.

"I don't know about you but I really wanna kiss you." Steve says, stepping closer. Eddie bridges the gap and their lips meet. Before they can get too into it, the school bell rings and they have to start heading to class.

"Can't believe we got each other at the top of our lists," Eddie says knocking his shoulder into Steve's.

"Hate to break it to you but you're number two on mine," Steve replies with a grin. Eddie stops walking for a few seconds and has to jog to catch up.

"Oh, of course, Buckley right?"

Steve nods, still grinning. "See you after class?" he asks when they get to his room.

"Definitely." Eddie kisses him again, a peck this time. Steve watches him leave and marvels at the fact a stupid piece of homework may have just changed his life forever.

[acourtofthought]

I love how the IC just can't seem to help themselves from rooting for Elucien:

“Who else thinks it’s a terrible idea to leave the three of them up at the House of Wind?” Cassian raised his hand as Rhys and Mor chuckled. The High Lord’s general said, “I give him an hour before he tries to see her.” “Thirty minutes,” Mor countered, sitting back down on the divan and crossing her legs.

“You come between a male and his mate, Nesta Archeron, and you’re going to learn about the consequences the hard way.”

“Poor Lucien,” Cassian said, smiling. “If Lucien shows up,” I corrected. No word about whether he would be joining us. Or remaining in that mausoleum Tamlin called a home. “My money’s on yes,” Cassian said. “Want to make a wager?”

“You couldn’t say a single word to him? A pleasant greeting?”

“He is a good male,” I repeated."

“Stay out of it. She’s not ready, and neither is he. Mor continued, “Just be patient. It’ll sort itself out. It always does.” Another kernel of truth.

Elain, the wretch, had taken the seat between Feyre and Varian, about as far from Lucien as she could get.

Cassian’s heart strained at the pain etching deep into Lucien’s face as he tried to hide his disappointment and longing.

“Do you think she and Lucien match well?”. But I will say that Lucien is loyal—fiercely so.”

"I'm talking about you, about to kiss Elain, in the middle of the hallway where anyone could see you....including her mate".

I didn't dare mention that if she had been wearing the enchanted gloves Lucien had gotten her last Solstice, nothing would have pierced them at all ".

And that's kind of a big deal when you consider that they have previously had reservations about Lucien because of their history with Tamlin and him. It would be so easy for them to encourage Elain to break the bond, to seek out companionship within the Night Court (say someone they're already good friends with). Instead we have Mor telling Feyre to give them time to sort themselves out before getting to know one another, we have Cassian feeling sad over Lucien's disappointment, we have Nesta mentally calling out Elain for sitting far away from Lucien, we have Feyre vouching for Lucien's character and thinking about the Solstice gift he had given her sister, we have Rhys acknowledging that Lucien's loyalty is worth noting, we have Rhys calling out Az for trying to hook up with Elain in the middle of the hallway which is disrespectful to Lucien.

In real life love doesn't happen according to what friends and families want for you but the characters aren't free thinking individuals who have no say in the direction the story is going. They are a product of SJMs voice and she uses them all to hint at where things are going (and I highly doubt SJM wants to tarnish every member of the IC who she loves by making them the villains who stand in the way of Az and Elain's true love 🤦). When Lucien has their backing for his bond, it's telling us something. When we see a positive progression in what some character initially thought about him in book 3 to how they feel about Lucien now, it's telling us something.

A last thought:

At this point they all probably realize there's a good chance that Lucien will never remain in the NC on a permanent basis. They know he's living in the human lands, they know he's still visiting Spring and interacting with Tamlin, and Feyre and Rhys know that he's the likely heir to Day Court. Yet knowing all that and knowing what that would most likely mean for Elain should they end up together and they are still supportive of Lucien's bond with Elain?

That's pretty major.

As much as no one ever wants to admit it, sometimes friends and family (especially ones you have a decent relationship with or whose opinion you respect) do see things with a clarity that you might not (especially if you're being stubborn over something). I do not take the ICs support of Elucien lightly or ignore what it might be hinting at for the future of the series.