#i just suck at starters omg

[blackflcgs]

He’s been checking his phone so much it’s starting to get pathetic. Except the longer the radio silence goes on, he’s not so much upset as he is concerned. It really isn’t like Tig to bail on plans. It’s even less like him not to call, or at the very least, text if something’s come up.

Ugh. Whatever. Probably more of the same stupid bullshit the pack of white trash fuckheads Tig rides with are constantly embroiled in. Nothing to be done about it now, he supposes.

Fortunately, Ed’s never had any problem with chatting up strangers. He’s just been mingling with the other people at the bar and even having a decent time doing it, but he’s taken a moment to step away to check his phone again. This time because he’s considering calling Izzy to see if his second in command and closest he has to a real friend is free.

But... that’s probably shitty, right? Only ringing Izzy to hang out once his dick appointment has fallen through?

Ed doesn’t have much time to consider it, as his phone is almost knocked from his hands when someone collides with his shoulder. He looks up, scowls when he sees the same prick he’d noticed earlier in the night mean-mugging him. No one Ed recognizes. The fuck that’s all about, anyway? He reckons it could be Ed’s cut he’s got on, displaying the pride flag colors of Queen’s Revenge motorcycle club, ruffling feathers. It’s happened before.

Had it been even just ten years ago, Ed probably just would have swung on the guy immediately. Sometimes he likes to dabble in de-escalation these days, though. Ed grins, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Hey, mate. Gonna let that slide. Why don’t you fuck off before you get in over your head, yeah?”

@forbiddenwoodlands

[actiniumwrites]

Just saw your event and first of all congrats on your milestone, you deserve it and many many more!! <3 If you'll allow me, I'd like to send in a request as well: I'd like to pick bookstore + citrine + clear quartz + moonstone for Alhaitham

synopsis: you run into your ex boyfriend at your favorite bookstore six months after your break up

with the prompts: warmth and comfort, healing from hurt, and new beginnings !

characters: alhaitham x gn!reader

wc: 644

warnings: exes to lovers (??), modern au, breakups, a pinch of angst, alhaitham sucks at reading fiction

notes: this is part of my 2.5k followers event! omg thank you so much, dust! i’m so happy you participated, and i love the prompts, i think it was really fun to write <3

“Next,” a monotone voice calls out amidst the calm atmosphere of your favorite bookstore: Avidya Books. You fidget with the hardcover book that sits tightly in your left hand as you dreadfully drag your body up to the counter.

You slide the book onto the counter with a little more force than intended, a grimace on your face as you eagerly avoid eye contact with the man standing before you. Blue and orange eyes linger on your figure before a light scoff escapes him, “What is this?”

You cough into your arm, eyes glancing back and forth between the digital clock on the wall beside you and the face you very much wished you would never have to see again, “It’s a book you lent me…I need to return it.”

“And you came here?” he deadpans.

“Well, um,” you stutter, shifting your weight onto your other foot, “yeah, I mean, it has the bookstore label on it…and I don’t know where you live anymore…since well, you know.”

Alhaitham squints his eyes at you, almost like he’s trying to analyze your every move. Just like he always did.

At least he hasn’t changed much.

“And what exactly is your reason for returning it?”

“I didn’t like it,” you state simply, “too boring for me.”

His lips part in shock and his eyebrows furrow, “What? How? You do realize this is one of the greatest works of literature to ever exist right?”

“That’s extremely subjective,” you argue, crossing your arms, “you of all people should know that.”

“Okay,” he surrenders, but you know it’s only an act. Alhaitham always tried to find ways to prove you wrong, even over the smallest things. It was one of the many faults that resulted in the demise of your relationship, “What about it was boring to you?”

You click your tongue against the roof of your mouth and shake your head, “For starters, the plot lacked substance. A majority of the characters were the only thing carrying the story, however, many of the others were underdeveloped or forgotten about entirely. Not to mention, the author lacks an understanding of what real dialogue sounds like. I mean, c’mon! The guy sounds like he’s never even talked to someone in real life before!”

“It isn’t like you talk to many people either,” he retorts.

You scoff, “Oh, yeah? Like you’re any better. You barely even have friends! Poor Kaveh can’t shut up about how tired he is of you ganging up on him.”

“So you guys still talk about me then?” He cuts in before you can say anything else. It’s less of a question and more of a statement, and you can’t bring yourself to say he’s wrong.

You talked about him…a lot. Six months had passed and you still weren’t over him, as much as you didn’t want to admit it.

Your eyes focus themselves back on the same wall as before and Alhaitham takes the hint as he quietly slides the book into the counter behind him. “I still talk about you too,” he admits quietly when he turns back around, a serious tone in his voice, “Kaveh’s sick of hearing it, but then I remind him of his lack of a love life and he shuts up.”

A small laugh falls from your lips, “God, you are so mean.”

“I’m just being honest,” he states arrogantly, a small smirk pulling at the sides of his mouth.

Your eyes linger on his for a second before you glance down at the counter, “I still have another book of yours, you know?”

Alhaitham raises a brow, “Oh? Well I suppose you’ll have to return it me somehow. You know how much I value those.”

You hum and shoot him a smile, “If you meet me for coffee on Saturday, I can return it to you then.”

“Saturday it is.”

[maleficentmrsofallevil]

But I wanted her (knockoff playline dolls)

I don't use Temu! Temu bad! Temu steals your info! Temu -

Ooh. She's pretty. Yeah. I caved.

So technically, Defa Lucy is a Mexican Walmart knockoff of Barbie, but plastic playline knockoffs aren't viewed generally with the same level of distaste as recast BJDs. Others have their reasons, but mine goes a little something like this:

These toys are made with plastic injection molding machines. Here's a sales pitch video by Fit Precision Molding, a company that makes and sells these machines:

These machines are NOT cheap. This is the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine of toys. $20K (USD) for ONE machine is a starter price - and that's if you can get it cheap from China. So a company that has decided to create their own knockoff line also tends to have the funds to pick a legal fight with, say, Mattel (MGAE and Bratz). This is not a backyard art theft sort of operation. This is easily a $200K operation just for the machines.

Granted, YMY still got smacked good and hard by the company that makes Nendoroids, and they deserved to get smacked, cuz stealing is bad.

HOWEVER...

Playline companies steal from each other all the time (cough cough Barbie Extra trying to lift the LOL OMG line like that hot mess of clashing color outfits and ridiculous plastic jewelry can compare to the cohesiveness of MGAE looks cough). Generally, if one company is mad enough, they'll sue the "stealing" company pretty quickly, and the marketplace will figure it out.

The other reason it doesn't bother me is cuz I figure these companies kinda have it coming.

So when China opened up for business, companies all over the world ran there like their houses were on fire, cuz China so cheap! Such affordable labor force. Much lack of regulation - environmental or occupational safety. Companies initially balked at employees being required to join a union, but they were immediately comforted by the fact that Chinese labor unions do exactly squat for people. The unions exist solely to steal from the employees and transfer that money to members of government.

When you open a business in China, you're required to bring on a local company as a joint venture (same in Saudi Arabia, by the way), and the Chinese company will steal with delight and abandon - as actively encouraged by the Chinese government and CCP. Companies have whined extensively about this to their respective governments. "I want cheap labor force! I want to destroy water supply! I want to pollute their air! But they're stealing from me! Waaaaah!"

Well - you get what you pay for, now don't you. You want access to exploited labor forces (forced labor for Uyghurs in the Xinjiang province, imported North Korean slaves). You want rights to dump your toxic crap into the Chinese water supply and the Chinese air without repercussions - which travels over to California and gets trapped in LA, by the way (air moves, idiots).

You'll have to forgive me if my sympathies are not particularly high for you.

This sucks for anyone trying to be an ethical consumer. Walk into your local store and flip over any box. They all say "Made in China." All of them.

This is why even though dolls like Momoko and Obitsu are more expensive, I am willing to pay to import them. Japanese wages suck, but at least they're making some money. The dolls are made in Japan. That's why they cost as much as they do. If you want to be an ethical doll collector, your options are basically BJDs and Japanese dolls (maybe Korean). Anything on US shelves is made in China and therefore unethical AF.

[sevikasleftpussyflap]

I would go legally insane if I got cute texts at random times of the day from Sevika

I’m a lil tipsy so sorry in advance

This was kind of difficult because yes omg Sevika would love to have a way to check in with you at random points of the day.

But…

She would be such a dry fucking texter. And she’d probably hate it. So here’s how I think it’d go.

As previously stated, Sevika would find relief in the fact that she can simply pick up her phone and make sure your dumbass is still breathing. That being said, she wouldn’t be much of a conversationalist. Her fingers are too big for the buttons on the Piltover technology you gifted her for her birthday. A brick wall would hold a better conversation.

She still uses it to check in, but that’s all she does. She’ll send you a ‘Hey’ and all she needs is a text back to make sure your alive. Any inquiries or convo starters you bring up with be left on read

Is a fan of the knife, gun, cigarette, chains, fists, and blood emoji only. Sums up her day perfectly in just a few little pictures. Neat.

Also is a fan of this one ‘😐’

You would ask how her day is going, so ecstatic to talk to your girlfriend at work instead of waiting all day. Little did you know she would rarely respond and would fail to ask you the same. Not because she doesn’t care, but she deems the phone as emergency use only.

That being said, it’s funny how quickly she responds when you ask her what she wants for dinner tonight.

She’d respond to any kind of nude with an accidental thumbs up (she meant to put ‘nice’)

It’ll take a while for her to catch on that this device doesn’t have any limitations when it comes to messages, that she doesn’t need to ration her texts to avoid costing you more money.

Some of her sweeter messages would include:

‘Morning, sweet thing. Left u some breakfast on the stove’

‘U ate yet’

‘?’

‘Did u like it’

Sevika loving to cook for you and hearing your praise (even if it isn’t praise-worthy)>>

‘Meeting is boring. Be naked when I get home ?’

‘Grab dinner 🐟’

‘Please’

‘Love u’ ‘tolerate u just barely’

‘Silco fuckin sucks’

‘jinx nearly blew me up again’

‘We’re never having kids right’

Also accusing Sevika of cheating when she doesn’t text back in .5 seconds >> (in jest)

And her calling you just to make sure you’re not serious

‘What position do you have her in now’

The wood of her desk creaks underneath your boots as you await her response. Yes, she has a job to do. Yes, it’s high profile and time-consuming. And yes, you still expect all of her attention to find you in a timely manner.

Her profile picture flashes across the screen as your phone begins to vibrate in your hands. Your laughter cuts through the boring silence you were held prisoner in, the obviously-vexed, beautiful face of your peeved girlfriend popping up on screen when you accept the call.

“Are you going to get your scrawny ass out here and work instead?”

“I am working. For my sugar mommy.” A breath of air crackles through the speaker. She never did quite learn the intricacies of technology or how you didn’t have to shout into the mic to make yourself heard. You wince and tilt your head away from the phone.

“You’re doing my paperwork when I get back.”

“‘Kay. Yes ma’am.”

[merakiui]

pretending genshin is a canon game in twst, who do u think idia (or lilia, and maybe cater bc u cant tell me he doesn't play mobile games) would main? and do u think there'd be any characters he hates either based off their element, personality, or just their lore 💀

Omg omg I have been wanting to talk about this sort of concept recently, so thank you for the ask aaaaaa!!! Let's pretend that everyone in NRC is playing the hit mobile game Genshin Impact (so I can write about who everyone mains hehe)!!!!

Riddle mains one of the starter characters, whether Traveler, Kaeya, Amber, or Lisa because he rarely pulls, so as a result he's built the main four. But I think he'd save for Cyno reruns because Cyno administers justice in accordance with the law and Riddle's pleased to see a character so dedicated to upholding order and justice. He might also like Raiden Shogun because she's a tyrannical strict leader like him and somehow he relates, but then he learns she abandoned her creation and Scaramouche's mommy issues hit a little too close to home for him, so he's not sure if he likes her all that much anymore. He also likes Yanfei because of her ties to the law as well!

Trey mains Jean. When he co-ops with Heartslabyul, he's usually stuck playing a healer. Not that it bothers him, mind you! He enjoys it because he can be a tease and only heal when a select few (Ace and Deuce) are within an inch of their lives lol.

Ace mains Childe, but he sucks at aiming and so he usually relies on Childe's water blades. He likes to join Deuce's world under the guise of helping when in reality he's stealing materials. He's the type who skips all of the dialogue and story.

Deuce mains Heizou and he does play for the story! He likes it a lot, and he really likes Heizou's character and how he's a detective. He is terrified of the Raiden Shogun. 100% was screaming in terror during her battle when she locks your skills because his Traveler is not the best built. >_<

Cater either mains Mona because astrology besties stick together and he loves her aesthetic or he mains Xinyan because he loves the punk-rock vibe she has, both in design but also it's her passion! I think he's also a secret Xiao main, but he doesn't tell anyone about it.

Leona mains Dehya!!!!! He does not care what anyone says about her. Radish Sprout can stick his meta talk elsewhere because Leona isn't listening! He thinks Dehya is super cool and badass. Just to prove everyone wrong, he makes sure to build his Dehya to be the utmost strongest. He doesn't pay the closest attention to the story, but he will admit there are some cutscenes that really do have him fully awake because of how cool they are. (He makes Ruggie play the story for him and do most of the exploring in his world to unlock teleports and domains.)

Ruggie mains one of the starter characters because there is no way he's spending his hard-earned money on pixels. He's entirely free to play, but when he gets to play on Leona's account he has lots of fun using all of the characters Leona has and perhaps even spending a little of Leona's Madol to wish on the banners. As a result, Leona has an unbuilt Cyno, Yae Miko, Eula, and Qiqi (he lost the 50/50 at some point).

Jack either mains Gorou, Albedo, or Noelle. I think he just really likes Geo the most, so it's his preferred element in a character. His characters are reasonably built (they're all better than Ace's builds, that's for sure). He doesn't play Genshin very often, though, so he's a little behind in the story.

Azul mains Yelan, Ayato, Dori, and Ningguang. He plays for the story and the collecting characters aspect. He's greedy, so he wants every character, but he's too prideful to whale. So he saves hoards primogems and uses them when he really wants a character or constellations. Somehow he's yet to lose a 50/50, much to Idia's annoyance.

Jade mains Kokomi. Yes, her crit rate and crit damage are absolutely insane. Yes, his Kokomi solos with wild damage. Yes, it's scary that Jade mains a healer who he's made into a DPS and never puts the jellyfish down when he plays with Azul and Floyd until the very last minute (though mostly he lets them die so he can smile innocently and say, "Oops. I must have missed the button.") He was really disappointed when Kokomi didn't turn out to be a merciless, villainous scheming tactician. In his heart, she is. :(

Floyd mains Wanderer, but it's only because he likes flying around like a little mosquito all the time. He does not care about the lore. He does not care about the story. He does not care about Wanderer's past. He is skipping the dialogue because he only wants to fight enemies and bosses. :/ he likes joining Azul and Jade's worlds at the most inconvenient times just to fly around as Wanderer while they're stuck in a cutscene LOL.

Kalim mains Nilou, Yoimiya, Itto, and Venti! He likes these characters because they all have such lovely, fun energy. He loves the story (he cried during some parts) and he loves every character and their designs and lore! He is a whale because he's weak to the pretty characters with their interesting stories, but he hasn't had time to properly build all of them. Kalim builds his characters based off of what he feels is right. Idia took one look at his account and died when he saw the builds. T_T

Jamil mains Sara or Zhongli! I think he might also be a secret Yae Miko main, but he doesn't tell everyone what characters he has or how strong they are. He rarely co-ops, instead choosing to stick to himself and enjoy the game in peace, but Kalim's always requesting to join his world and he can't possibly turn him down. T_T begrudgingly, Jamil lets him in, but his ego is boosted considerably when he's the one carrying Kalim during co-op. Genshin is one of the few games where Jamil actually beats Kalim in terms of character strengths and builds and he is very proud of that.

Vil mains Yelan, Eula, and Rosaria because he likes their fashion styles (Yelan's fur coat is the moment). He's a casual player, so he's not very far in the story and he returns to it if and when the motivation to play strikes him. Still, he will admit it's a very beautiful game.

Rook mains all bow characters, but his favorite is Tighnari. He loves to say he's playing both an animal of prey and a predator when he's out killing enemies with Tighnari in the open world or if he's just shooting down birds from the sky. Even in a game, his aim is precise and perfect. It's actually a little scary...

Epel mains Razor, Diluc, and Heizou. He loves punching things with Heizou. It's a lot of fun, and there's something about Heizou that gives him a confidence boost. Maybe it's because Heizou is short and cute-looking like him, yet here he is beating people up with his fists. Epel has a lot of fun with that type of play style!

Idia has every character. Do not try to talk to him about builds because his are by far the best and strongest. He has his favorite five stars at c6, which includes Keqing, Xiao, Ganyu, Kazuha, Shenhe, Raiden Shogun, and Zhongli. He's on a mission to collect all of the Archons and all of the Harbingers. He is so invested in the story and lore, but he didn't like how Inazuma was written. He mourned for days when Signora was killed because he was looking forward to her being playable. :( he does not understand the hype around Scaramouche; yes, he is a hater like that. </3 but he will admit Scaramouche's boss theme and the boss design itself goes unbelievably hard. A certified banger.

Ortho mains Sucrose! He likes that she's interested in a field of science much like his brother. Ortho likes all of the characters who are connected to science in some way (like Albedo and Tighnari). He also finds Wanderer's backstory really interesting and, on some level, relatable (at least in terms of not being fully human).

Malleus mains Shenhe because he relates to her being misunderstood (and lonely) and he also finds her backstory to be very riveting. He is also drawn to Zhongli because of how wise he is. Malleus could listen to Zhongli drone on and on about Liyue history because he finds it really captivating! His builds aren't the best, though, and he's not very good at fighting, but he loves the storyline.

Lilia mains Hu Tao. He loves her lore and also her design. He finds all of her morbid jokes incredibly fun, and he loves the contrast between upbeat personality with the funeral director job. The Inazuma arc reminded him of his days as a war general. He was very disappointed when Kokomi accepted help from that "anonymous benefactor." Tsk, tsk. Now look what that has cost you. >_<

Sebek mains whoever Lord Malleus mains because he trusts his lord's discerning eye when it comes to choosing characters. He won't admit it to anyone, but he is actually highly invested in the plot. Sebek will wither away before he tells anyone, though. He's only playing because Malleus is (or so he continues to say, but he does enjoy the game when he plays it on occasion).

Silver mains Ganyu. He relates to her tendency to doze off, for he is guilty of the same thing. He can't play Genshin for too long because he usually falls asleep while playing, so it can get difficult to sit through Archon quests. But he does his best because Lilia recommended the game and he wants to understand it a little more.

[circusclownproductions]

Literally no one asked me for this but I need to distract myself so here’s my Gum Rankings cuz I’m a connoisseur

Trident- 7.5/10 for me I have to eat 2 at a time cuz I need more resistance than just the one gives me, the flavor doesn’t last long enough for u to even get the gum soft enough to blow bubbles too cuz it’s like a brick. BUT I like the packets a LOT (they’re like little foldy wallets hehe :D) and the flavors are very good in the beginning plus it’s very thick and puts a lot of pressure on my jaw(good autism👍)

Trident flavors - the Island Berry Lime and Dragon Fruit Lychee ones are the best ones I’ve tried so far, I really like pairing one Tropical Twist with one Watermelon Twist it is an Experience for sure. Worst flavor is Wintergreen. It just burns

Extra- 8/10 very good texture and it’s almost immediately poppable plus it lasts for like 2 hours. I really like the big packs they come in cuz I save them and reuse them to hold my button collection :> only grievance is that they’re very soft and don’t put any pressure on my jaw unless I eat two of them but then it’s TOO much so I have to eat 1.5 and that’s rlly awkward and just generally annoying

Extra flavors- Pink lemonade will always be on top‼️ watermelon is the worst one it’s like eating an eraser NO CINNAMON cinnamon is the worst idk WHO thought that’d be a good idea but it’s like hot tamales but worse

Hubba Bubba - 10/10 I love it so much omg perfect texture and it’s IN A TAPE DISPENSER that’s so cool I always thought that was so cool and it also means I can get however much I want

Hubba Bubba flavors - ive only had the og and the sour blue raspberry which both went hard asf

5- 7/10 flavor is strong and long lasting but I have to eat 2 which sucks cuz they’re the big ones so it’s actually the whole 1.5 situation all over again and they don’t have a ton of flavors it’s just mint mint strawberry and whatever the hell “elixir” is (I’m aware there’s other ones they’re hard to come across)

5 flavors- strawberry is the best and spearmint is the worst not that it had much competition but still

Orbit- 3/10 not nearly enough gum per pack with how much I need and I don’t like the design of it tbh. Plus it’s got that brick texture and the flavor lasts for like 15 minutes.

Orbit flavors- it’s all mint. Why is everything mixed with mint. Strawberry is the best wintermint is the worst

Ice Breakers Ice Cubes- 6/10 have to eat like 3 but also I get to eat a cube and it’s just so silly and fun to me idk. And I can reuse the containers for my little seed starters I make. Flavor doesn’t last very long tho :(

Ice Breakers flavors- cherry limeade is the best cinnamon is the worst. Pls stop with the cinnamon

Juicy Fruit- 6/10 it’s a very good texture and the flavor and packaging is very nostalgic to me but it’s almost sickly sweet and I can only stand it every once in a while.

Juicy Fruit flavors- I have literally never found a flavor other than the original

Eclipse- 4/10 I like the texture, I have to eat two as usual but still. Hate the unnecessary packaging like you could’ve just put MORE gum in there but instead you’re wasting my time with this clunky package I can never seem to open. No fun flavors :(

Eclipse flavors- they’re all mint again polar ice is my favorite and I’m a lifelong spearmint hater

And I think that’s it unless I think of another brand yeah :D thanks for letting me yap about gum on the internet

[leonsliga]

Don't worry, I understand perfectly that you get emotional when your favourite player who you have a special connection with isn't nominated. Euros at home is a once in a lifetime oppurtunity for players and it sucks to be left out.

I just think that Leon's strength nowadays is being box to box midfielder who plays best in a defensive set-up, but not when you need your midfielder to quickly progress the ball up the pitch. When you look at who Nagelsmann nominated, it's clear he wants to play in a double pivot with Kroos/Pavlovic as an attacking midfielder and Gross/Andrich as a defensive midfielder. Leon is in an unfortunate position because he's jack of all trades, master of none type of midfielder right now. Tuchel choosing to start Pavlovic instead of Leon against Real Madrid, our most important game of the season, must have been the final nail in the coffin.

Leon isn't competing with Ilkay Gündogan for his spot. Gündogan will be playing in Thomas Müller's usual position as a #10.

I was surprised as well that Mats Hummels wasn't called up. I think the explanation was that Mats is too outspoken and wouldn't accept a back-up role. I've never played any sports professionally and I don't know how it is, but I think it it's possible that having too many leading players can be a bad thing. Too many cooks in the kitchen etc. Especially when a leading player is third choice in his position. Very unfortunate for Mats of course, he's had a very good season. And it must sting to watch Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer from 2014 all getting a callup. Mats is better than Schlotterbeck on paper but I think Nagelsmann thought that Schlotti will accept his role in the squad more easily and Schlotti is a defender for the future. He needs big tournament experience for 2026. Plus Dortmund has played a low block and counter attacking football most of the season which plays to Mats' strengths, but Nagelsmann is going for more attacking based set-up where speed is more important.

As for Manu, he's simply the GOAT and improves any team he plays for. I don't think anyone would deny his incredible mental resilience. But I do think that it gets a little silly when people start saying that he should spurn the dfb and Nagelsmann for not worshipping the ground he walks on and that Nagelsmann doesn't rate him when he clearly does. Nags wouldn't have patched up their relationship and called him up otherwise. Nagelsmann has said many times that Manu is the clear starter even tho Manu missed the march games with an injury and hasn't played in the dfb since dec 2022. Nobody else in the squad has been given that much leeway. I doubt Nagelsmann would have taken Manu's armband away, but because Hansi Flick already did then it would have been silly to reverse the decision so soon and basically say fuck you to Gündogan.

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you’re the anon I sent an entire master’s dissertation to the other day 😂 if it’s you, welcome back! And thanks for reading all that omg 😅 I’m glad I didn’t scare you off too much lol.

You raise some excellent points as well. This is why I love footyblr, because we’ve all got different views and takes on news like this, and it’s interesting to hear everyone’s perspectives.

I definitely agree with you on Leon’s role these days. He functions best as he always has—as a box-to-box midfielder—but recently, thanks in large part to Bayern’s current structure under Tuchel, his duties lie more in assisting the defense and helping with the buildup than they do in the attacking third (though he still helps out there when needed). Personally, I think Nagelsmann’s aiming for a Kroos/Andrich midfield pivot with Groß and Pavlović in reserve, but we’ll have to keep an eye on what develops as the Euros draw nearer.

Personal emotions/vested interest aside, for as much as Leon’s greatest strength is his versatility, it’s also his biggest weakness right now, at least as far as Nagelsmann is concerned. After all, it can make him harder to pin down/lock into a role than most, as you suggested. When you can adapt to variety of positions, the issue becomes where you can play best, and I can definitely see how that’s become muddled to some extent recently.

With Leon’s jack-of-all-trades skill set, you could argue he was competing with a variety of players for his spot, depending on where and how Nagelsmann would’ve wanted to use him. That said, I think his stiffest competition was in Groß and Kroos (though I still disagree with excluding Leon, but I’m pretty sure you know that already lol 🤷‍♀️). I think when I discussed Gündogan recently on this blog with one of my mutuals, we were saying that it was impressive that Leon’s goal contributions rival his, considering that Leon operates more defensively these days, despite retaining his role as a CM.

Honestly, I’ve got no issues with Gündogan (I’m a little hung up on the captaincy thing, but I don’t blame him for that); I think my concern is with him assuming Thomas’s role as #10. I understand that Ilkay is the captain now and Thomas is getting older, but Thomas has proven, despite reduced playing time under Tuchel, that he’s still extremely valuable, especially when given the time and freedom to play his game. If I’m honest, it concerns me how quick Nagelsmann was to confirm he won’t be a starter, and it’s hard not to feel, at least to some extent, like he’s being paraded around as some sort of figurehead, even if he’ll still get some playing time. I don’t think that kind of treatment is fair to Thomas—not when he has so much left to offer the team on the pitch as well as off it.

I’m glad I’m not alone in being shocked Mats was left behind 😅 nothing against Koch, but I’m sorry; he’s not better than Hummels. Plain and simple. End of. I’m being a bit dramatic here, but Nagelsmann excluding Mats was genuinely one of the more questionable roster decisions I’ve seen in recent memory, even more baffling than Leon’s absence.

I see your point about Mats’s outspokenness; he certainly can be, but I feel like at least as far as the Euros have been concerned, he’s been fairly tight-lipped. I understand what you mean about the stubbornness as well, but I think at the end of the day, if it came down to him sacrificing a position in the starting XI for the benefit of the team, he would do it in a heartbeat. He’s a self-assured player, sure, but he’s not selfish. He’s a team player above everything.

As far as whether too many leading players can be a bad thing, like you, I haven’t played a sport professionally and can’t speak to that in any definitive way, but I’d imagine that while it can be a bad thing, it doesn’t have to be. In my mind, it comes down to the cohesion we spoke about in that previous ask. Take the 2014 World Cup, for example; the dfb had quite a few leading players at their disposal then, like Phillip Lahm, Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Lukas Podolski (although his role was somewhat limited in the tournament itself, if I recall), to name a few. And that’s without even mentioning Manu, Mats, and Thomas, who, despite still being relatively young at the time, were already well-respected, well-established homegrown talents. I think, at the end of the day, it’s all about how everyone’s different leadership styles mesh with one another, along with how the players in their charge respond to them.

And ugh, it’s gotta feel like a gut punch for Mats, who can do little more than watch his 2014 teammates play in the Heim-EM without him. To some extent, I can put myself in Nagelsmann’s head on this one, even if I strongly disagree with him. As we’ve discussed, he values younger players and wants to develop them into replacements for some of Germany’s aging legends, which unfortunately includes our beloved Mats, despite him playing absolutely out of his mind lately. Do I completely agree with Nagelsmann’s decision to risk developing so many youth players during such a special, high-pressure Euros? No. Would I do things differently if I were in charge? Absolutely. But I’m not, and given that in most matches, Germany likely won’t be playing low like Dortmund and will operate more on the offensive, demanding a bit more speed in the process, I can understand to a degree why Nagelsmann made the calls he did—‘to a degree’ being the operative phrase here.

While speed isn’t exactly Mats’s strong suit, and his knack for long balls and well-timed tackles do favor a counter-attack, we’ve also seen the damage he can do in the attacking third, in spite of his comparatively slower speed—his magnificent header against PSG in the second leg of the UCL semifinal being the most recent example. It’s just that considering the form Mats is in, it seems foolish not to take him, even if he wouldn’t start under Nagelsmann’s current system. Practicing a degree of tactical flexibility and being willing to make adjustments based on the opposition you’re dealing with is important as a manager. With certain opponents, it’s better to lie in wait and go on the counterattack, and like you said, matches like these are right in Mats’s wheelhouse. Save him for them, and in all honesty, he and his body will probably thank you, given he is getting older.

Additionally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out how Nagelsmann decided to call four goalkeepers as opposed to fortifying what’s been a historically shaky defense (at least in recent years). Yes, he has a chance to fix this, as his current shortlist consists of 27 players as opposed to 26, but if the reports are to be believed (though I should note here I make it a rule of thumb to take bild’s reports with a grain of salt), all 4 goalkeeper spots are safe, which, when you have goalkeepers like Manu and Ter-Stegen in your ranks, seems completely excessive in my opinion.

And last but not least, since we’re now on the topic of goalkeepers, let’s talk Manu, because god knows I haven’t talked long enough at this point 😵😂

An anon of culture, I see! I totally agree that Manu’s the GOAT, but I think my opinions on him probably go without saying lmao. The fact that he’s been through as much as he has—Schalke turning its back on him, Bayern ultras initially rejecting him (see: the “koan neuer” incident), getting diagnosed with cancer, and enduring several potentially career-ending injuries, just to name a few—and has managed to rise above it all is truly inspiring.

I understand why it can seem silly at times when some of us Manu fan footyblrians say certain things about him and the dfb. But this is footyblr we’re talking about here; no one has ever accused us of being normal (and that goes for me too ofc; I’m certainly not normal, as I’m sure you can tell 😅). We’re all a little weird here (deeply affectionate). More often than not, it’s all stemming from a combination of frustration at the situation and feelings of protectiveness towards Manu. Hell, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve crossed the line between a simple parasocial relationship into hero worship a time or two. I think the important thing that we can all agree on is that it’s unequivocally good news that Manu and Nagelsmann have patched up their relationship and reconciled their differences. You make a good point about Hansi setting the precedent of Ilkay as captain as well, and you offer a good explanation of why Nagelsmann might be hesitant to reverse the decision so quickly. Still, I do think Manu’s got quite a bit of captain magic left in him, should he get the armband back one day 💫

If you read all this by the way, thanks 💜 I know it was a lot, and I appreciate it!

[unicornmachine]

Unicornmachine AO3 Masterlist

Okay I've wanted to make this post forever so here we go~

For starters, absolutely none of these are safe for work, they are all so very explicit, I'm sorry.

Fiolee

OMG did this pairing possess me (and continues to...) there are so many stories I’ve written for them I’m making a read more break here.

Love in the Moonlight

Summary: Fionna the Human drops by the Candy Palace for the Biennial Gumball Ball, but she doesn't get much dancing done as she's approached by Marshall Lee the Vampire King. She hasn't seen him in years, since she's gone off on rumors searching for a new Enchiridion in Aaa and he's been spending his time in the Nightosphere, and wow. He's just as she remembered, down to the incessant flirting. Let's see if he can make good on any of these promises.

First off, okay, let me just say this was my OG Fiolee fic and the first fanfic I had written in well over a decade. I started out like many authors writing fanfics as a teenager but stopped when I started working on original works. I published three OC books IRL and really enjoyed writing them but there's something about writing fanfics that is just... so much more fun to me. I rewatched Adventure Time and remembered how much I always loved the Fiolee pairing, so I tried to look them up on AO3 to read about them... AND THERE WAS HARDLY ANYTHING!

Oh no, I told myself, I will just write one little fanfic for fun, for old times sake! WHAT A LIE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I wrote Love in the Moonlight, but I'm so happy I did.

The Deal

Summary: In a moment of desperation Fionna makes a deal with Marshall Lee the Vampire King.

Oh man... The concept of this fic was so undoing to me, a human making a deal with a vampire? A little of their blood in exchange for some necessary help? UGH!!!

A Challenge Between Friends

Summary: In an attempt to win a challenge to scare Fionna, Marshall Lee accidentally takes things too far while exploring a dungeon and loses his grip on himself.

My friend and I were literally feral coming up with the concept of this. I mean... sexy vampire? Dungeon sex? Marshall sucking the red coloring out of Fionna's bra? WHO SITS AROUND AND DISCUSSES THIS STUFF WITH THEIR FRIENDS?! Me, apparently!

Fionna Campbell: Vampire Hunter

Summary: After 1000 years of peace vampire attacks are popping up and it seems a new vampire is preying on the land. Who better to cleanse the land of this new evil than the original vampire hunter, Marshall Lee the Vampire King. He’ll just need some human bait.

This fic... OMG this fic, this fic, this fic... This is probably my favorite story I've ever written. It is so self-indulgent to me and I honestly had so much fun writing it.

The Star

Summary: Fionna travels through the multiverse, to the universe where the vampires won on a mission to retrieve Simone a new crown. While traveling through the wreckage of this strange, new Aaa she meets The Star.

All I could think while watching the Fionna and Cake episode about Marceline becoming The Star was... WHAT IF WE FLIPPED THIS? AND MARSHALL WAS THE STAR? AND HE CAPTURES FIONNA?! hahahahahaha!!!

There are also multiple one-shots and smaller stories on my AO3 featuring this pairing. Love in the Moonlight has a follow up that is still in progress that is linked to the original fic. One may argue this is simply too much Fiolee porn for one person to write. The only thing I can think is... it's never enough.

Huntbunny

Ahhh! This pairing is so cute! I love the idea of Fionna and Hunter Wizard. I haven't written NEARLY enough of these two, but I have more stories in progress.

The Magic Flower

Summary: Fionna runs into trouble deep in a forest on a mission to retrieve a magic flower. Thankfully, someone finds her and helps her out...

So, this story came from a friend sending me some very explicit Huntbunny fanart from the X artist Yakza_draw. I wrote a story to go with the art and sent it to the artist as a thank you for her making such a wonderful work. She ended up becoming a very dear friend of mine, so this fic will always have a special place in my heart.

The Traveling Fountain

Summary: A string of misfortunes leads to Fionna being knocked unconscious and Cake trapped in a moving cave inside an enchanted forest. Hopefully her new friend can help her find a way to rescue her sister and get to the bottom of where all this rotten luck is coming from.

[ethans-stars]

Wait tell me about your Ethan Lore this sounds rad

YAY OMG okay if the other person is up for my yapping do tag them. i like people looking at my yapping

okay btw ethan goes by they/them (rarely she/he) and morgana goes by she/they

for starters, ethans parents are fucking assholes. lol. theyre distant and emotionally and verbally abusive (they are a bit physically abusive too). they suck weewee. ok.

now morgana? she hates them. she fucking hates their guts and she doesnt fucking care. their logic is well, if you cant love me, your own child, then im not gonna love you back. theyre independent and rely on their interests. (they LOVE LOVE LOVE collecting molts and sheds of animals, knitting creepy dolls, crafting stuff that look scary, and making origami. she tends to dip into mostly stuff that freak others out, but for her? huge comfort.)

and even with that being said, morgana struggles making friends and has horrible validation issues. they also struggle managing their anger and can lash out when people pick on her or ignore her right infront of her face.

ethan, is a bit different.

theyre loud, obnoxious, trying to be the best and center of attention of everything. they try to get everyone eyes on them and HATE when people focus on someone else.

they would hang out with people they didnt even like, they would try and make themself someone they werent just to appeal to people, "fix" their personality when they saw an error.

they were hungry for any attention, any validation or praise centered to THEM.

now, ethan hung out with streber, leon, blaz, aria, liv, and confi when they were 15. and.. ethan started to get unhealthy obsessed with streber because of how close they were.

ethan would try to do small acts of kindness back, even if they didnt exactly grasp the concept. all they wanted was the spotlight on them, they didnt like when no one payed attention to them.

ethan gave streber a bat earring, necklaces, rings, makeup, nail polish, and a gothic jacket that ethan didnt like anymore.

anyway, after a while, and up until when streber and ethan got into college (18-19, but they started dating when they were 19), ethan confessed to streber with a small bouquet of flowers. now, note, streber suffered a traumatic event when he was 16-17. (wont go into detail, but they did get hurt from something and is very uncomfortable with their shoulders and back being touched, aswell as people sneaking up on him.)

streber had 2 therapists then (technically just one, but he considers his mom a therapist because.. well she does work as a therapist, but streber technically wasnt a client.) and honestly, he didnt feel the need to refuse ethans offer of being boyfriends. (also btw!! smth silly, i hc streber as demiromantic :3) streber was already recovering kinda steadily (since it had been about 2-3 years since) and didnt find ethan too bad. so, he took the offer.

ethan.. shouldnt have been in a relationship. they were horrible at respecting boundaries and trying to focus attention on strebers feelings and would only try and stop doing something just to avoid streber yelling at him. ethan, also, again, had very bad issues with needing the attention on them. so, ethan would be very loving and nice to streber when he gave him attention.

but,, when streber needed attention? ethan would be kinda closed off, trying to shrug streber away and stop it from getting that attention.

now, big thing, streber cannot function in a relationship if their needs arent met, specifically with comfort and love towards them. it doesnt even have to be touch, it can be words, and thats all that they need for that love to get across.

ethan only gave streber a lot of focus and attention specifically only when streber would have intense panic attacks or breakdowns. sometimes ethan gradually tried to share some love and focus and care onto streber, but.. they didnt most of the time.

2 years, 2 months, and the two broke up. streber sobbed on this cliff where ethan and it had their first kiss together. streber threw the bouquet off the cliff.

even worse? ethan didnt even focus on the actual qualities of streber. they loved this specific idea of streber and never appreciated any part of them besides when ethan got attention.

ethan then went to therapy, and the two had a rift seperating eachother for a good while, then ethan.. started to heal, started to get better with themself and truly find who the fuck they were.

ethan broke off various things, but did start to indulge into things they genuinely liked. they broke off unhealthy friendships and they most importantly left their abusive parents and took in morgana to live with her (when ethan was able to adopt them).

ethan took up the hobbies of tattooing, making punk and goth music with blaz and two other friends, collecting furbies, collecting skulls of animals (romeo was a skull they made themself :3!!!!), making creepy dolls, and collecting crystals.

the main thing ethan DID have from the start of their unhealthy need for attention was tattooing. mostly due how taboo it was for being young and tattoos. yk? so yeah. they genuinely do like tattooing though :3

anyway, they became much more calm and started to seep more into actually focusing on peoples feelings. they stsrted to chill out and become much more laid back and instead of always being in a social situation and trying to find a point where they can get the spotlight on them, they focused on whatever was going on. say a conversation, ethan focused on every bit of what that person said just to make them feel important and listened to.

now, ethan and streber began to build their bond, and became much better friends. they have this same sassy and dramatic energy (as kind of shown in strebers rehearsal :3) that makes them really compatible sometimes, and they always have a good time laughing about it after it.

now.. with ethan, they.. kind of focused too much, to the point their new partner after streber took it to their advantage. their partner hurt them emotionally and verbally and manipulated them into thinking that ethan wasnt doing good enough, to the point they wouldnt focus on themself at all and would constantly try and improve themself in ways their partner wanted, and would not give themself any selfcare because they thought that all that mattered was their partner.

that relationship went down, and ethan healed from that more, trying to not bottle their feelings and expressing their emotions with their friends more.

and then... ethan started to like streber, again, but this time they loved the genuine parts of them, each small trait and habit. they loved streber.

they needed streber.

one day on a whim, ethan asked if streber wanted to try again. just for a week, or even less.

and they tried, and ethan was so loving and caring and tried super hard to show their emotions and take care of streber aswell, slowly treading through and giving streber so much love. it felt fulfilling for once, and streber felt genuinely loved.

..except.... it just.. something wasnt right.

every heavy makeout, every soft touch, every date. it just felt off, and streber couldnt figure out why.

it was until it realized.. they didnt see anything in ethan, they didnt really love them. it was just good close friends, and that was all streber could manage.

but.. it would try, it would try and give it more time. ethan had so much love to give, so they would let it last for a little bit more.

anddd. 2 months after, and streber just couldnt let it go on like this, seeing ethan give endless love to him when streber didnt even know how to return it back. streber didnt love ethan. they never did.

afterwards, ethan fell into a slight depression, becoming closed off to their friends and not interacting with streber for a while. streber would visit, but ethan was dry and eventually asked him to leave.

after a bit, ethan learned to accept the rejection and started to be okay with just being good friends with streber. streber looked happy and free not being with ethan, and ethan would accept that.

they talked it out, and were truly just close friends. that was the best way things could turn out.

(though!! one night, when ethan and streber were both high, they almost kissed. they talked it out more and made clear boundaries. ethan wouldnt be satisfied with FWB, and streber wouldnt really like a committed relationship with someone he didnt see romantically.)

holy fucking fucking shit. yeahl there y9u go

i hope that makes sense. yeah whatevrr behwhehhdhfuhfhffhfhdhdhhdhfghhghg

[ineffectualdemon]

Husband and I are rewatching Friends and everytime I watch it my hatred for Ross grows exponentially

For starters the dude:

1. Is an absolute asshole when he loses his temper. The episode where Rachel loses Marcel he's such a gigantic fuckwad to her about it

2. don't get me started on him having an illegal exotic animal in the lead up to having a baby wtf

3. He's so obsessed with the idea that Rachel is going to/has already cheated on him when he cheats arguably 3 times

A) he kisses Rachel when still dating Julie

B) he arguably cheats on Rachel with the copy girl (I would say they weren't on a break because he didn't verbally agree to that before leaving and only sleeps with copy girl because he assumes that Rachel is going to have sex with Mark

C) he kisses Rachel while still dating Bonnie

And that's just some early season stuff he does

He's a giant tool who almost never grows and changes as a person except to become a bigger tool

The only moment of growth I'll give him is Carol and Susan's wedding

Anyway he sucks the most omg

Unrelated to the Ross hate I legit think Joey would be the best parent. He is comfortable with kids and is good to them and if it's women he's not trying to sleep with he's pretty damn good to the women in his life.

Fav early season Joey mom is when he gets the hot single mom at the New Year's Party and spends it taking care of her kids that she brought even when she abandons both them and him

[rwac96]

New Parent Struggles - DragonMonkey

Baby Gang: WAAAAAAHHHH!!

Gohan: *holding his son* It's alright buddy. *lightly bounces him clumsily* Dad's here.

Yang: Gods, this brings back memories of when Ruby was a baby.

Gohan: *exhales, patting Gang's back* Don't get me started on how Goten was back then. *turns to his son* It's okay, Gang.

Yang: *sits down next to Gohan* Lemme hold him, he always calms down around me.

Gohan: *sighs in relief* Sure, I need a break. *hands Gang to Yang*

Yang: *holding her son, cooing* Hey Gang-O. Mommy's here.

Baby Gang: Waaah...Gaah! *calms down, cooing to his mother*

Gohan: *chuckles tiredly* Jeez, it's like he acts different around you than me.

Yang: *shrugs as she lightly bounces him* What can I say? I'm a natural, despite Chi always calling us up 24/7 since Gang was born.

Gohan: She's just worried, hun. *leans in to kiss her cheek* Besides, we got things handled.

Baby Gang: *blinks, lips pursing* Gaa. *sucks his thumb*

Yang: *blinks, sniffs the air* Yup, he needs a change. *stands up, walks off*

~

Gohan: *phone pressed against his shoulder* Yeah, Dad. I'm feeding him a lot, just like you said. *holds out a spoon filled with mashed peas*

Baby Gang: Baah! *knocks the jar of mashed peas toward Gohan's face* Gaah! *giggles, clapping his hands*

Goku: *on the other end* Um, did he cover ya face in baby food again?

Gohan: *face covered in mashed peas* Yup. *exhales*

Goku: Did ya try the airplane trick?

Gohan: *grabs a towel to wipe his face* Tried that, he knocks the soon out of my hand.

Goku: Don't worry, I'll help ya out. *hangs up*

Gohan: *blinks* Dad?

*Goku appears via Instant Transmission, holding a couple of jars of baby food*

Goku: Heya!

Baby Gang: *bounces slightly* Gaa! Gaa!! Gwaampaah!

Gohan: *raises his brows* What did you say, Gang?

Baby Gang: *babbles slightly* Gwampah!

Yang: *pokes her head in* OMG! Gang said his first word! *walks into the kitchen* And it's Grampy Goku!

Gohan: *sighs* Look at that, seems he got excited seein' Dad.

~

*Gohan exhales, placing a sleeping Gang in his crib*

Gohan: Kami, what a day. *wipes the sweat from his brow*

Yang: *walks in* How's my two of my three favorite guys doin'?

Gohan: Gang's finally asleep. It's a miracle Dad actually had that storybook he used to read to me back then.

Yang: Babe. *she approaches him, hugging him from behind* You got that look on your face. That 'I'm unsure' look.

Gohan: *sighs again* You noticed. It's just...I feel like I'm just getting by thanks to everyone else, including you and Dad. Gang seems to calm down around you, and is still whenever anyone other than me is feeding him.

Yang: Hey, don't say that. You're a great papa, Handsome. For starters: You put food on the table, provide for us and you're always on top of things.

Gohan: I know. *nods his head* It's just...I feel like Gang and I aren't really connecting. With work and training making it a bit difficult.

Yang: C'mon, it happens at times. Bonding takes time. I'm sure he'll say 'Dada' eventually, babe. *hugs him tighter*

Gohan: *smiles softly* Thanks. *turns around to kiss the blonde*

[rottentiger-art]

You know, Lyric Reese could be the temporary Dean of the new and improved PCA…? At least, until a qualified person is found…?

Hahahahah omg, I don't see that happening, realistically, but I wanna indulge on it, bc I just find the idea so fun.

Assuming they let get, I think it would be because she guilted Logan with something like "you don't think I'm serious enough for the job *fake sob* you always underestimate me *more fake sobs*"

Logan told her she can be dean for a week (because for some reason the person they hire couldn't make it in time, idk maybe they're from another state and ran into some troubles with their moving company)

Lyric did a pretty decent job, but as both Logan and Quinn predicted, she got bored of it before the week ended.

still, not wanting to admit she wasn't up for the job and this was just a whim, she pushed through the week, with Logan watching over her quietly, to make sure she doesn't overstress and stuff (protective older brother mode)

lowkey, she wants to make both Logan and Quinn proud, but she won't admit that.

in the classic Reese style, she goes over the top with things.

for starters, this is how I imagine she shows up to school:

kinda like she's trying to imitate Quinn's style, while mixing it with her own bc after Logan she's Quinn's biggest fan

definitely wrote a song to sing in a big circle with the new students, Logan clapped the loudest to make up for the confused applause from the rest lol

Quinn showed her support as well, even when Lyric got them all making musical bonding exercises that shouldn't have lasted that long.

on the first days, she tries to break fights amongst the new students, comically making things worse, but at the end she manages to fix them.

by the rest of the week she realizes she really doesn't need to interfiere on every single problem amongst the students and leave that to the counselors.

(assuming Lyric is 25ish on this AU) working with kids younger than her made her realize she's no longer part of the latest generation. As in, she's having that revelation gen Z is having about whatever name they gave to the new generation. She does not like that at all.

she also realizes kids suck and the only valid child is her new nibbling (if you're not following this AU, i hc that Logan and Quinn had a kid in the middle of the school reopening), in her opinion.

speaking of said nibbling, when Quinn or Logan pop up to check on things (check she hadn't break chaos somehow), they bring along the baby, much to the new aunt's joy.

imagine Logan walking with Lyric through the campus while he pushes a strolled and excitedly tells the baby about his own adventures on that same campus *dies from cuteness*

Lyric: "don't listen to your lame dad, I've been here for less than a week and already have more interesting stories to share"

she spends a lot of time either on "her" office or taking pictures of her on campus, just to prove she has been doing her job.

she throws herself a goodbye party to conclude her week (and by herself I mean Logan organized everything but it was *her* idea so it's almost the same)

Quinn and Logan do tell them they're proud of her, and they honestly mean it. She lasted more than they expected.

if she learned a lesson on that week, is that she's never offering her help again when it comes to that school. She's way to busy to deal with kids that are not her precious nibbling.

well, that's all I got, but as always I invite anyone to add to this if they want.

[h4desian]

I love your fem nostalgia stuff on ao3! Do you by any chance have some headcanons for them?

Anon you have no idea the kind of pandora box you just opened. Sure, I got some!

Fem! Onodera:

She was raised from a very young age to become the spitting image of the ideal japanese wife (yamato nadeshiko) by her mother (her father doesn't mind as much and is fine with who she is already). While she appears to be one at first glance, due to the feminine way she dresses (the kind of feminine a japanese man would like, i.e., modest), she is far from being a traditional woman.

For starters, she sucks at domestic chores. Just like canon Ritsu, her place is a mess. Her cooking skills are a bit more "refined" (her mom pushed her to learn how to cook as a way to become the perfect wife and mother), but it still leaves much to be desired (she is the kind of person who would burn the water).

Also, just like canon Ritsu, she was involved in an arranged married with her childhood friend and the only child of the Kohinatas (Akkun??? Yeah, let's go with that name for now). However, he was already aware of Ritsuko's umm...sapphic inclinations, and is very supportive of her. He is the one who called off the engagement, as Ritsuko's mother has always been more willing to listen to him instead of her own daughter.

As for her name, Ritsuko, I went with that since all sources I found about Ritsu as a name said that it's a guy's name (I'm aware that there are female characters named Ritsu). Also, I've heard that "yamato nadeshiko" women typically have names ending in -ko, so it was perfect.

Her job makes her prefer outfits that prioritize comfort over aesthetics. Even so, she is a fan of fashion (particularly couture fashion), and she likes to try on different outfits when she is all alone. Okay, MAYBE Takano has helped her a little with these "fashion shows" but you get the idea.

Speaking of fashion, she definitely has some lingerie in her closet (think of the most lacey, cutesy, and girly lingerie you could ever image). There is no big reason as to why she has them, she just thinks it makes her look cute. These are hidden as much as possible so that no one can find them.

Just like canon Ritsu, Ritsuko is a literature person. Her favorite genres are mystery and historical fiction.

 Fem! Takano:

Not many differences with canon Takano. Because of her upbringing, she is a very independent person and is not under the pressure to get married and have kids, unlike most japanese women (read: Onodera).

This is more of a general thing: all the Emerald girls (yes, they're all girls in my AU) have different "female tropes" vibes. In Takano's case, she gives femme fatale vibes. While she can be intimidating as a boss (and the reason why she might be seen as one), Takano is a sensitive woman. Onodera knows this better than anybody else.

I named her Masami in my AU. Technically, the feminine version of Masamune is Masako, but I didn’t want to use too many names ending in -ko. Masami is a name with a plethora of writings. In this case, I like this version: 雅美, it means “elegant beauty”. I think it fits her just right.

She never gave too much thought about her sexuality back in high school. There were a lot of guys who liked her, and she even got some confessions and love letters from them. The other girls would say that she was very lucky, but she didn't feel like it was like that. It wasn't until Oda came into the picture that she went "shit I'm gay".

She still has one of the books she borrowed from Onodera back in high school. Ritsuko has completely forgotten about it. You can see it on Takano's bookcase.

Takano is the type of person who could wear anything and would still look good. She shows up in a hoodie and some sweatpants and other women at Marukawa are like "omg fashion icon!!".

You bet your ass she sends Ritsuko pictures of cats snuggling together and write something like "look it's us". She isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. Actually, Onodera doesn’t her want her to stop either.

These are some I have for now, hope you like them :)

[adeleba]

OMG PLEASE MARRY ME IM SO FUCKING HAPPY YOU HAVE NO IDEA

okay, so for starters, this is what they look like:

This art is NOT mine btw, I made it using a picrew, but I did darken the colors using ibispaint

My oc’s name is Marcy, they’re nonbinary and use they/them pronouns

Marcy’s 16!

Marcy is the elemental master of darkness, meaning they basically have umbrakenesis!

Marcy meets the ninja during the tournament of elements

Marcy is a very quite yet observant person, but they also have the shittiest social cues EVER 😭

Poor thing is so dense? Oblivious? like, think season 1 Zane, that’s kinda how they act

Their also sooo oblivious, they can’t tell whether or not someone is genuinely complimenting/flirting with them (but that’s mostly cuz of trauma <3)

They have a monotone-ish voice, so people have a hard time telling if their joking or not, and most people don’t understand their humor anyways (same lol)

This motherfucker does NOT know the phrase “think before you speak”, what’s worst is that they’re the bluntest (is that even a word?) person ever

They don’t mean to say anything rude or hurtful on purpose, but they often tell their honest opinion without thinking, and comes off as rude most of the time

This fucker has such a big sweet tooth, like, they’ll devour an entire bag of candy within an entire day or two

OBSESSED with sci fi and tech, they will NOT shut up about how awesome Cyrus Borg is or how cool the latest ‘Starfarer’ comic was

The BIGGEST nerd ever, they LOVE fantasy and (as I’ve said before) SCI FI ‼️

They love music, and they love reading as well!

Marcy’s aesthetic is grunge/emo!

I really wanna ship them with one of the ninja I just don’t know who 😭

ON TO THE TRAUMATIC BACKSTORY

Trigger warners: abuse (mental and physical), violence, alcohol, etc

Marcy was able to first tap into their elemental power when they were really young, I’m talking like, around 5-6 years old

Well, once their father knew about this (whom of which was the previous elemental master of darkness) he decided to train them, wanting them to be the perfect elemental master

So, Marcy’s father would train them everyday, and was like, crazy strict and manipulative

Marcy’s mother couldn’t really do much due to their father manipulating and gaslighting her into thinking she and Marcy couldn’t survive without him, and stuff like that

Well, one day, after Marcy turned 14, their father got drunk and he got into a fight with their mother

Marcy observed the fight, until they realized that their father had raised his fist, preparing to strike their mother

Marcy was quick to rush in, using their training and fast reflexes to stop their father, which only made him even more angry

Grabbing a nearby empty beer bottle, Marcy’s father threw it directly at them, and ended up hitting them in the face with it

The force of the throw caused the bottle to shatter on impact, the glass shards cutting through Marcy’s skin (hence the scars on their face)

Out of pure fear and adrenaline, Marcy ran out the door as fast as possible, running through the streets of Ninjago, knowing they could never return back home, knowing that it was unsafe to do so

The backstory kinda sucks rn, I’m probably gonna change it up a little later on 😭

ANYWAYS THATS THE END OF MY RANT THANK YOU FOR READING ‼️‼️‼️

Eyo, umbrakinesis?? I'm curious on how different that is from the element of shadows :o

And we love a blunt royal. You can always trust em ToT. Feelings may get hurt but at least you get something real, yknow. And I dig their aesthetic choices mmm.

But why is their backstory so sad :( . And is their mom okay? Does the dad get his comeuppance?

(Ooh you could incorporate their powers on how they overpower their father, in the future or something. It would be fitting that the man who'd seek perfection from that power results in that very thing defeating him. Karma or something lmaoo)

[stormblessed95]

If people cannot tell the difference between these little love bites and pecks and Rosebowl... well its simply because they do not want to see it. Nothing to do about it.

Now what about hickey gate ? Do you think it was any other simple love bite guys always gives to each other ?

And you say for yourself in comments it can just be his mouth stuck to ear while whispering. So which is truth ? One place you say it's sucking and it's so emotional and romantic, in same post's comments you say otherwise..

Okay well for starters, thank you for actually reading the posts and even going through the comments. I do appreciate it. I'm assuming you probably don't want to DM me and we can keep talking without requiring a post everytime. I promise I'd keep your account to myself/anon. I genuinely mean it that as long as you are respectful, idc who you ship.

Regardless, I think you misread my comment, this comment that I think you are referring to was in regards to taekook from Festa 2014. It was the original gif I used for a taekook bite in that rosebowl post before I changed it to the one you see now. Because upon closer inspection, it did look more clear that he just whispered an answer in JKs ear and no biting or anything else happened. But that either way, "my point still stands."

And a few comments down was my comment about rosebowl to someone else

I actually also have a post about people saying JKs mouth was just stuck to Jimins ear. Forewarning, I'm a little snarkier in this post then I'm trying to be with you. Because I'd like to think we could have an actual conversation. But please read that too if you want

I was a little irritated by the point of this post being made. Lol

As for the hickey, I have a post over that too! Lol as I'm sure you've come to expect. Forewarning, I've done mostly just lots of gushing over that moment in this post and for someone who doesn't think jikook are romantically involved, it might not be your favorite. The short answer is no, I don't think it is the same. Because a quick chomp doesn't leave a bruise or a "hickey" so clearly circumstances were once again, different.

Including the fact that JK didn't let anyone other than Jimin touch his "hickey" and they both came and posted selcas online while "kiss mark" was in the top trends on Twitter in South Korea. But again, please read the posts with an open mind and I'll happily continue talking with you. And you are as always free to disagree with any or all of it!

[ningningsdream]

jaemin literally does NOT care about jiwoo LMAO 😭😭 also i had a few questions!!

what does the writing process look like for you and why did you decide to start this ~amazing~ ff?

how often do you write and update ?

lastly, can i be 🦋 anon?? i have a feeling i'm going to continue to drop some thoughts 🤭

i love when delulus are proven wrong

omg first of all, thank you for the questions!

disclaimer: idk other writers' process so idk if mine is common or not, i'm not in any way saying that mine is the best or that everyone should process like me. i'm just stating what works for me and how i process

for starter, i usually have the idea for the fic first before "giving" it to one member. like i have a plot and i see who fits it more or which member i see being the male lead of it. it's never the other way around, like, i don't write fics/plots for a specific member. i just can't, i suck at it lol. that's why i can't do request.

for the plots, i'm often inspired by my real life and what goes on around me or like shows i watch, things i read etc... im the type of person that writes an entire movie to fall asleep so sometimes ideas just pop here and there.

for example, for tviys (thank you for calling it amazing btw), i've had friends who liked the same guy, i've had friends that liked the same guy as me and it turned out to be a pretty common thing. and there's this whole girls' code thing, which is kind of dumb in my opinion, like, if your friend and you, both, find another person interesting, one of you is gonna talk first about the fact that you like that third person, and suddenly the other one just have to shut up because they weren't fast enough to call 'dibs', even though it's often never really said blatantly. and wdym you called dibs on someone? they're a human being?? they can make their own choices?? who are you to make that choice for them? and if you go for your friend's crush, you automatically become the bitch, even if you started liking that person before or at the same time as your friend, because it was publicly known in your friend group or in general that your friend liked that person. in shows, you often see the one going for her friend's crush as the 'villain' and often show writers wrote them as such, but i wanted to show the other side of the story. the side that is usually hated. for me, jiwoo is the cliché 'y/n', but in this she's put in a 'realistic' world. in another story, jiwoo would've been the main character and people would've probably been on her side if they saw the story from her pov.

ofc you can be!! please do! i love it! i hope this wasn't too boring or messy!