#i like it. i think we’re in for a treat

[theyluvkarolina]

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑

· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑ ` ` I feel so much lighter like a feather with you out my life, With you out my life ` ` ⊹ ‧₊˚

𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃?: Yes! (Part of 1K Event!)

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 ୨୧ Being with Carlos was magical and always made you felt as if you were on cloud 9. But him breaking everything off so suddenly and moving on oh so quick? What better way than to show him what he’s missing than with all of your success.

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ୨୧ Carlos Sainz x Fem!Reader, very slight Lando Norris x Fem!Reader

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ୨୧ I use photos of Rebecca and she will be mentioned in it in here but no hate what-so-ever sent to her! (hate on her will be deleted.), no exact fc but i will only use photos of sabrina for music themed posts and the crying story ONLY (my next fic is all sabrina fc)!

𝐀/𝐍 ୨୧ still mad about the croatia vs spain game so i’m taking my anger out on carlos 😭😭. HOLY SHIT I DID THIS ALL IN ONE DAY!! NEW RECORD!!

1K EVENT MASTERLIST

Instagram

y/n_l/n has posted a story 10 seconds ago!

[1: WTF JUST HAPPEND?!] [2: well this is ironic.] [3: i hate men!!]

1,307 replies to your stories!

username1 YOU’RE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED?! WE’RE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED??

username2 DID WHT I THINK HAPPEN, HAPPEN??

username3 …the smooth operator song…? oh god…

username4 THE BOOK QUOTE TOO???

lilymunihe girl. open the groupchat rn.

franscica.cgomes do i have to kill a man???

iMessages

Twitter

Instagram

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by francisca.cgomes, lilymunihe, alexandrasaintmleux, and others

y/n_l/n oh i see how it is then.

2,094 comments

francisca.cgomes ✔︎ hottie mcmommy

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ dump ur bf so we can date and run off to the country side 💋 → francisca.cgomes ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n already on it 🏃‍♀️ → pierregasly ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n that is my girlfriend??? → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ pierregasly not anymore!🤭

alexandrasaintmleux pretty girl 🎞️ 📸

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ so shush you’re the pretty one 🥹🩷 → alexandrasaintmleux @ y/n_l/n that’s not what the camera said when i took these photos 🫶 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux 🫣 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux 🤨

lilymunihe ✔︎ ate

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ devoured

username5 carlos fucked up big time letting her go 🤤

username6 what kika said was so real

→ username7 FRRR

landonorris ✔︎ i can treat you better

→ username9 HELLO?? → username10 lando wtf are you doing here 😭 → username11 GIRLIE JUST GOT SINGLE 💀 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ LEAVE RN LANDO 😭😭 → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n doesn’t hurt to shoot my shot 😞

Twitter

Instagram

carlossainz55 ✔︎

liked by vinijr, sergioramos, djokernole and others

carlosainz55 rest and relaxation 🌊 🌞

1,297 comments

username12 why did you dump our queen 😞

username13 IT WAS BARELY EVEN 2 WEEKS AND HE ALREADY MOVED ON??

username14 who is that woman???

→ username15 guys start a witch-hunt rn. → username16 @ username15 I’M ON IT!! → username17 or we can leave this woman alone??? → username18 @ username17 no → username19 @ username17 no → username20 @ username17 no → username17 oh ok → username16 @ username14 FOUND HER BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THE LIKES AND IN HIS FOLLOWING. her name is rebecca and she’s a scottish model! here is her username: @ iamrebeccad

username17 rest and relaxation my ass.

username18 how tf do you move on from a gf that fast

→ username19 a word that starts with m and ends in y

username20 i feel like carlos is about to get some karma

iMessages

Instagram

carlossainz55 ✔︎

liked by iamrebeccad, carlitosalcarazz, racerbia, and others

carlossainz55 Australia is in the bag, all thanks to my amazing support! 🇦🇺 ✅

tagged ; iamrebeccad, scuderiaferrari

2,386 comments

username21 and y/n wasn’t that amazing support??

username22 no because y/n literally stopped her music career, arranged some concerts around HIM so she can support HIM.

→ username23 she never had to do that tho… → username24 @ username23 but she did. and she was amazing support.

username25 she’s cute and i wish them the best… but i really hope that he doesn’t do her dirty just like what he did with y/n.

*♥︎ by @ y/n_l/n!*

→ username25 UHM… Y/N LIKED MY COMMENT?? → username29 @ username25 she’s here to support the girls not the men that did her and others dirty. → username26 @ username25 idk… the whole relationship gives pr → username27 @ username26 EXACTLY??? out of all the photos we see, she’s the only one that seems in love :( → username28 @ username27 poor girl doesn’t even realize she’s being used for carlos and ferrari pr to make carlos back in the good books 💀

iamrebeccad ✔︎ so proud!! ❤️🥹

→ username29 it’s been a hour and he hasn’t even acknowledged the comment. poor girl.

iMessages

Instagram

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by landonorris, maddiezielger, bellahadid, and others

y/n_l/n might have took everything else, but left the keys to the villa!! thanks for the free trip with my girls ❤️

tagged ; alexandrasaintmleux, francisca.cgomes, lilymunihe

2,406 comments

username30 HELLO??

username31 NOT HER TAKING THE VILLA 😭😭

username32 deserved tbh. you take that boy’s villa!!

charles_leclerc ✔︎ where is my credit for driving you all around? 🥴

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ …whoopsies..? → alexandrasaintmleux credit? mon amour you volunteered to drive us around 😭 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux sorry, i don’t trust anyone else to be driving you all around… 😓 → francisca.cgomes ✔︎ @ charles_leclerc what being a dog dad does to someone

username33 HOTTIE ALERT!!🗣️ 🔥 🚨

lilymunihe ✔︎ mwah mwah, dumping alex for you rn.

→ alexalbon ✔︎ y’know i can see this right?? → lilymunihe ✔︎ @ alexalbon even better → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ lilymunihe tee hee

landonorris cool water (it’s not the water i’m looking at)

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ ENOUGH OF THIS LANDO 😭😭 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ you’re just embarrassing yourself at this point 😓 → alexalbon ✔︎ mate 💀

username33 the way she also looks so much lighter like a feather in the wind.

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ lighter..? feather…? hm. i like your thinking.

Instagram

y/n_l/n has posted a story 26 seconds ago!

[1: back in the studio 🤭🤭] [2: taking a small break] [3: tee hee stay tuned]

1,049 replies to your stories!

username34 OMG???

username35 Y/N IS BACK IN HER MUSIC ERA

username36 we hate you carlos but thank you for bringing her back to us 🫶

username37 LETS FUCKING GO??

username38 LET’S GO?

Twitter

Instagram

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by spotify, laufy, youtubemusic and others

y/n_l/n Surprise surprise! Listen to my new song Feather, along with my album ‘Emails I Can't Send!’ 🤍

3,059 comments

username39 WHAT

username40 THE RANDOM ALBUM DROP???

username41 POSSIBLE ALBUM OF THE YEAR??

username42 miss girl saved summer single handedly.

→ username43 “fine. I’ll do it myself.”

username44 ALKSHJDFLIAKDJFH:WIOH:FKWN

→ username45 me too.

lilymunihe ✔︎ AAHHH IM SO HAPPY!! SO PROUD OF YOU!!

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ LILY!!! IM SO HAPPY THAT YOU WERE THERE WITH ME WHILE MAKING THIS 🩷🩷

alexandrasaintmleux my girl 🩷 your songs were absolutely amazing! so honored to be one of the firsts to listen!!

→ charles_leclerc ✔︎ wait, you listened before me?! the one who does music?! → alexandrasaintmleux @ charles_leclerc 😅 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ charles_leclerc alex is my special girl!! dw charles i still love you, my adoptive brother 🩶

francisca.cgomes ✔︎ I COULD LISTEN TO IT ALL DAY 🫶🥹

→ y/n_l/n KIKA!! SENDING KISSES ALL THE WAY TO PARIS WHILE YOU’RE WITH THE FRENCHIE!! ILYSM 🥹❤️

landonorris ✔︎ congrats you muppet 🙃

→ username45 lando not thirsting for once?? → landonorris ✔︎ @ username45 hey i can be proud of my friend 😒 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris 🥹🫶

Twitter

Instagram

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by spotify, vouge, applemusic and others

y/n_l/n I’m so sorry for your loss! What a wonderful first concert!! Thank you so much to everyone that showed up! ❤️✨

2,986 comments

spotify ✔︎ songs of the summer??

username56 I WANT THE DRESS 🥹🥹

→ usernme57 it’s a need. not a want

username58 not even joking she’s the prettiest woman ive ever seen.

username59 NO FR BECAUSE HOW DID CARLOS DUMP HER??

lilymunihe ✔︎ screaming.

→ francisca.cgomes ✔︎ crying. → alexandrasaintmleux @ francisca.cgomes throwing up. → username60 i love them all being so supportive 🥹

landonorris ✔︎ need help removing that dress? looks sorta heavy.

→ username61 aw hell nah man → username62 HE HASN’T GIVEN UP YET → username63 @ username62 HOW??? 😭😭 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ lando. the only heavy thing you’re getting is my heavy hand against your face → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n kinky??? → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris i’m not talking to you anymore wtf 😭

username64 “I FEEL SO MUCH LIGHTER LIKE A FEATHER WITH YOU OFF MY MIND!”

→ username65 “FLOATING THROUGH THE MEMORIES LIKE WHATEVER, YOU'RE A WASTE OF TIME!!” → username66 @ username65 (AHHHHHH)

Twitter

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y/n_l/n has posted 5 seconds ago!

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by landonorris

y/n_l/n You want me? I'm done. You miss me? No duh.

5 comments

landonorris ✔︎ …so… dinner?

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ fine. only so you can shut up. → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n 😋😋 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris ur such a dork. → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n and you love it 😚

[suiana]

could i ask for a yan!childhood friend. but the childhood friend is the friend of our daughter and we’re her parent. (we think he likes her but he likes us. 18+ obviously) the darling is like a milf or whatever. pretty please with a cherry on top :)

SHUT UPP i love this idea, childhood friend redemption arc?!!?! maybe he wont be my most hated yan anymore!?

(yandere! childhood friend x gn! parent reader)

"my dear, you need to calm down. you don't like me, it's just the hormones-"

"please! pleasepleaseplease just give me one chance! i know you and your spouse aren't together anymore so just give me a chance. i may be younger but i promise i'll treat you so good that you won't regret choosing me!"

the male whines, his hands clasped together in front of his face as he begs you to accept his confession.

obviously you weren't going to accept. why would you? you practically watched him grow up alongisde your daughter! and yes, you knew he's had a little bit of an obsession since he was young but you always thought it was just a kid thing. you never encouraged it, always politely told him that he'd grow up, find someone else his age he'd truly love, maybe someone like your daughter.

what you never expected was for him to continue his obsession well into his early adulthood. especially when it's on you, a 40 something year old that was the parent of his best friend.

you knew you were attractive. you've had lots of people tell you that since forever, and the compliments only rose after you became a parent. you've even heard some kids nowadays call you a... parent they'd like to fuck? was it? you always found it weird. but either way, you never entertained any of their words, especially confessions as you had not wanted any of them to get the wrong idea.

most of them moved on. unfortunately not this boy.

"you're literally the only one for me! i don't care if you're almost 50! it's only like... 20 something years! i'm legal already!"

he continues to beg, hands caging you against a nearby wall. you merely let out a sigh, shaking your head as the male continues to ramble on about how much he adores you.

"my dear, i will not get with you no matter what."

you merely reply to his heartfelt words with a simple sentece, patting his shoulder before you try to push him away. though, you could only freeze in place as you feel the air around you drop in temperature, the aura around the young man changing in an instant.

"if you don't go out with me i'll kill myself in front of you and change the trajectory of your life forever."

"what?!"

ah, younglings and their passion for older people. how fun! not for you though.

[causenessus]

cold kisses

part 0.17. EPILOGUE

PLAYING FROM KODZUKEN'S STREAM . . . sweet / i thought you wanted to dance by tyler the creator

he tries to take in a deep breath as the performance comes to an end. he feels the familiar way anxiety is constricting his chest as he gets up. the room has gone silent after they cheered; y/n and oikawa have just won first place, and the camera cuts to a closeup of them hugging each other tightly, both of them crying. a commentator is saying something about this being the second gold medal they have both won in a row when kenma stands up. everyone in the room looks to him as he moves to shut off the screen and grab the camera that’s been live streaming their reactions. he can see suna out of the corner of his eye giving him the slyest grin ever and he can’t help the smile that stretches across his own face.

“so, some of you guys caught on… but we’re not at my apartment. we’re gonna go find y/n and i have a surprise for her,” he’s talking to the camera, and the words are barely coming out of his mouth, the simultaneous panic and excitement choking him.

kuroo and iwaizumi are slapping him on the back as he walks out, kuroo following after him. he takes the camera from kenma with a stupid grin as slappable as suna’s on his face. kenma tries not to pay any attention to it. he grabs his phone from his pocket; it's open to the chat of his own livestream and he skims the chat. it’s moving faster than he can read, but a few words are catching his eyes. they’re all trying to guess what his surprise is, and some of them have gotten it.

then a notification appears at the top of his screen, and it slightly eases his panic.

“OIKAWA TOORU ☆ has gone live!”

soon the notification is replaced with a phone call from oikawa and he tries to take another deep breath before answering while kuroo talks to the camera.

“hey, is this working? how’s it going? you on your way?” oikawa sounds slightly breathless, which is to be expected. they’ve probably just gotten off the ice. 

“yeah. it’s good, i just left the room,” kenma responds, watching his chat freak out. they know oikawa’s gone live, and kuroo has informed them that kenma's on the phone with him.

the entire plan had taken a lot of preparation; finding a room within the arena that he could stay in to stream watching the entire performance that he’d also be able to easily leave and get to y/n from. iwaizumi was still new as an athletic trainer, but he and oikawa had been able to get in contact with a manager to help them.

“alright, i think my button camera is working–chat, if you can hear me, this is a once in a life time sight: y/n’s making me take off her skates for her like i’m her servant. don’t let your significant others treat you like this,” oikawa’s tone is light hearted before the call goes quiet. kenma thinks he can barely hear y/n before oikawa grumbles about something. “kenma, i’m gonna end the call. we’ll see you soon.”

“your chat is pretty smart, i think they’ve already figured out what’s going on,” kuroo teases, keeping the camera on him.

kenma can only sigh, trying to prepare himself for the moment. “this is a lot more nervewracking than it looks. you guys might want to watch this from oikawa’s point of view instead,” he responds, using his phone to follow his own suggestion.

“no no no, we’re going this way,” oikawa's microphone isn’t the best, but he really couldn’t expect more from the little camera pinned to oikawa's shirt.

“oikawa, i’m pretty sure i know where we’re going. you’re the one who got us lost earlier today. the dressing rooms are to the right.” it’s only through oikawa’s stream, but hearing y/n's voice is enough to make his heart race–with more excitement than panic this time–he thinks.

kuroo puts a hand on his shoulder, “this is gonna go great, kenma.”

“thanks,” he replies, continue to watch oikawa’s stream.

“no! i–how dare you,” she doesn’t even know that she's just humiliated oikawa in front of his entire fanbase, and the thought makes him laugh. “i knew that too. but i have a surprise for you,” oikawa huffs.

“what? how did you even have the time to set anything up?” y/n’s looking up at him with a nervous smile.

“you’ll see soon enough.”

that’s the last thing he hears from oikawa’s stream before he shuts off his phone. he’s almost there. 

⋆꙳•❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆

all she wants to do is change out of her dress. the bottoms of her tights are wet from the ice and the few stray strands of hair that have escaped the tight, sprayed-down bun it’s been pulled into are sticking to her face. 

“god, oikawa, where are you taking me? why am i always getting into these situations i didn’t ask for right after the olympics?” she complains, walking barefoot next to him.

“hey, i’m not waiting outside your dressing room cornering you into a wall and telling you to break up with your boyfriend to date me. just trust me, you’ll be happy. we’re almost there,” he fires back and she can’t stop the mix of a gasp and laugh that comes out of her.

“you did not have to do atsumu that dirty. you know, he actually texted me–oh my god,” she stops in her tracks when they turn the corner and sees him standing on the other end of the hallway.

her feet move faster than her head and she’s running towards him, jumping into his arms as he spins her around, any fatigue she had previously felt disappearing.

“kenma, what are you doing here?” she slaps his shoulder lightly, mind still trying to process that he’s really in front of her.

“i don’t think i could go a week without seeing you, and i’m not missing your performance just because of a stupid class,” he answers, giving her a small smile.

her face warms a little as his words and she returns his smile before she notices kuroo, whose holding a camera a few feet away from them.

“are you recording surprising me at the olympics?” she laughs, pushing a hair that’s fallen in front of his face behind his ear.

“well, actually–” he pauses, taking in a deep breath before he’s kneeling in front of her.

“oh my– kenma. you’re not–” she takes a step back, mind going blank.

“i was wondering if you would marry me?”

her makeup was probably already ruined from the first time she cried while she was still on the ice rink, but if it hadn’t been then, her mascara was surely running down her face now.

she ends up getting on her knees in front of him to hold his face and kiss him while he’s still waiting for her answer, “yes. of course yes. of course i’ll marry you.”

prev. | m.list

extras <3

kenma was nervous the entire stream while him and everyone else was watching y/n and oikawa's performance but he was trying to hide it

kuroo was behind the camera but him and oikawa were just giving each other kissy faces while kenma and y/n were trying to have a private moment (oikawa forgot he was still streaming and so anyone in his chat was like ??? why is kuroo making kissy faces at us LMAO)

kenma's chat moderators are not having a good time

his chat absolutely exploded when he got down on one knee

don't come at me about time and how it's been four years and no one should be in school anymore or about how cameras and streaming works okay

mostly everyone's graduated

but kenma failed a few classes and had poor attendance and was there for another year or something idk

i cannot do more research please

proposals are so weird I had to google "how to say yes to a proposal" but I thought this was cute <3

this was NOT very proofread

thank you for reading cold kisses <3 this was a blast to write

taglist: @rinheartshyunlix @kettlepop @eggyrocks @cr4yolaas @httpakkeiji @keioover @does-directions @calx-bdo @staygoldsquatchling02 @cherrypieyourface @iluv-ace @kitty-m30w @h3xi2g0n3 @mylahrins @thechaosoflonging @momoriii-i @localgaytrainwreck @a-pastel-edgelord @bugglesboop @polish-cereal @osakis-gf @phoenix-eclipses @faesix @ryeyeyer @skylarkalchemist @kunimix @sereniteav @kodzubaby @stayyyyyyyyyyyy21 @r0seandth0rns @gsyche @kitnootkat @seillarium @tamimemo @myromanempiree @coldcigarette @eclipticnikki @squiishymeow @vivian-555 @cryptictheseus @eclecticeggknightpsychic @kodzukein @kawaii-angelanne @luvly-writer @kodzuken-hoe @kodzuken88 @bookworm-center @theweirdfloatything @glitch-karma @spicana

[bob-artist]

Just found you via your funny dream comic. Good stuff 😆. Definitely gonna read the rest, and I was surprised you had your own website. Looks good on mobile too. I’ve got a comic that some friends keep trying to build me a site for but I’ve been telling them no because it seems like between webtoon and social media nobody is interested in personal sites anymore.

Have you noticed an uptick in engagement from your site? Would you recommend going that route? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

I’m also interested in how you decided to build/host it, if that question isn’t too lame.

Anyway, glad I found your comics!

Ah thank you for checking out Into the Smoke's website!!

Oh, I have SO many thoughts about independent webcomic sites and why people should have them. I have so many thoughts, and I'm so so sorry.

Why did I decide to have my own webcomic site?

First of all, this is not a lame question and I wish we could all have this conversation more often, so I could maybe write just a paragraph instead of this whole dissertation!

1. Because I lived through webcomics history.

I launched my first webcomic in 2011. I watched the webcomics scene shift over the years from self-hosted sites to third party sites, and I saw what it meant for independent creators. We lost vital infrastructure, relationships, habits, and control over our own work. I think self-hosted sites are an important backbone for creators, even if/when their largest *numbers* come from a third party site.

We’re all supposed to be helping each other, not fighting each other to satisfy the algorithm. Our early tools (webrings, link trades, comic databases, sharing each other’s posts) were small but meaningful, and they also helped us maintain a community mindset in a long and sometimes lonely line of work. When we started leaning on hosting sites, we let a lot of those tools and relationships decay. And now a lot of people are locked into imbalanced relationships with hosting sites that leave them with very little agency and control over their work and how it’s shared (or isn’t shared).

Hosting sites are great for removing barriers to entry (cost/time to build a site). And a lot of them have large built-in audiences. But the big ones aren’t run by people who care about creators. They’re designed to extract the maximum value from your work while giving you the least they can get away with. Use them if you want (I do), but don't be dependent on them.

2. Comics are the main thing I do for a living, and a website gives me the tools to promote my work and build relationships with my readers.

Most apps and third party sites actively prevent or suppress these things. On your own site, you can share all the info you want about your upcoming Kickstarter, your tradpub book release, your merch, etc. You can collect email addresses for your newsletter. You can literally just talk about your weekend, and you’re not gonna have a 150-character limit.

Yeah, not everyone wants to read a wall of text (ha ha...), but acting like a person reminds readers to treat you like a person. This is one of my main gripes with the apps and social media - they suppress human connection and present you like a cog in their machine that only exists to churn out free content.

3. I have a consistent home base and full control over how my work is displayed.

I don’t have to fight against an app that’s trying to direct my readers toward whichever content is most profitable for them. On an app, the readers “belong” to them, not you. (Who has their email addresses?) So if I'm putting effort into promoting my comic, I'm promoting my own site. (oh look, I just did it.)

Hosting sites/apps aren't designed to showcase your work. They showcase the app’s collection, and they're designed to keep readers on the app, jumping from creator to creator. This can help readers find you, but it also devalues your work and dilutes its impact.

And the app might not show your work to anyone anyway. Tapas is a great example; they recently redesigned their site to prioritize their Originals, and independent creators are hidden away in a “community” tab with barely any discoverability anymore. This is always the struggle on a third party site.

4. I hate censorship.

Into the Smoke is Teen 16/17+ and Demon of the Underground is R/18+. My comics aren’t even explicit, but I still can’t post my true, uncensored vision for either story on third party apps governed by Apple’s App Store and Visa/Mastercard’s tight content restrictions.

If webcomics exist exclusively on apps with heavy censorship, we’ll never have the diversity of storytelling and freedom of expression that’s necessary for groundbreaking or subversive art to happen. And that’s bad for everyone.

Adult brains need to engage with adult concepts. Difficult and triggering topics need to be explored in creative spaces. Artists need freedom to stretch their creative muscles without falling into the damaging patterns of self-censorship that come from having to tiptoe around arbitrary platform rules.

We can’t let the rules of like 3 American companies dictate what every webcomic reader around the world is allowed to read.

5. An independent website can’t easily be taken away from you.

Just make regular backups! You can always move to a new web host and redirect URLs if needed, and you won't lose your readers. On the other hand, you can easily lose the bulk of your audience on a third party site based on circumstances outside your control.

Let’s talk about Smack Jeeves, a formerly popular webcomic hosting site that was bought out and then shut down, leaving lots of cartoonists homeless. Or we can talk about the Tumblr NSFW purge of 2018, where I lost a huge chunk of my first webcomic’s following and most of my webcomic mutuals, even though my own account stayed within the rules. Or Musk buying Twitter, the platform where I once found my literary agent through a publishing event but now get no traction at all.

Have I noticed an uptick in engagement from my site?

I don’t have analytics on my site yet. But, up until a few days ago, that's where people were reading, thanks to my own efforts and the support of my comics friends and all of y’all who shared my ITS posts. (THANK YOU ALL!) I didn't have any discoverability on Webtoon or Tapas yet.

I got 10-15 new patrons between May 25 and June 5. Up until a few days ago, I even had more ITS newsletter subscribers than Webtoon subscribers.

What happened a few days ago is my Webtoon mirror suddenly blew up with 100+ new subs a day. I don’t know where I’m being featured, but I know I’m only getting those readers because Webtoon suddenly chose to grant me visibility. That can end just as instantly with an algorithm tweak or them deciding not to show my comic anymore. (When my first webcomic was in one of their pay programs in 2018, I went from $300 or $400/month to $0 overnight due to a policy change.) So I’ll enjoy it while it lasts, but I won't de-prioritize my website.

The new Webtoon readers are awesome and supportive, and I’m 100% thrilled to have them. But the Webtoon influx isn't resulting in a Patreon influx like my website launch did. I wouldn't expect it to, this early in the story. But it's consistent with my past experience polling my patrons: even when 50% of my readers came from the apps, 90% of patrons read on my website. (Your audience may vary.) And since I depend on crowdfunding for my comic, that's important to me.

Would I recommend going the route of having your own site?

For anyone who’s just testing the waters with webcomics, it might be overkill.

But for anyone who’s committed to their webcomic, I recommend having your own site AND mirroring on every third party site you can, provided you’re cool with their terms of service. It's important to meet readers where they are. Let those hosting sites lend you their readers. Some readers will even want to visit your home site where they can read ahead, read the uncensored version of your comic, get more info, or sign up for your newsletter.

Just remember, no one will discover your independent website all on their own. They’ll only find it through the work you put into promotion. But the reader that cares enough to come to your home site is a special type of reader.

So how do you get readers to visit an independent webcomic site?

Find your allies

These are people who work in similar areas as you who want to help you succeed, and whom you want to help succeed. Chat with each other, help each other, promote each other, boost each other, link to each other (psst, my links page just went live!), be there for each other - behind the scenes and in public.

God, I am SO bad at approaching people, but this is important, and not just for comics.

Be part of a community

Really, this is an extension of the above point. It's easier to find your allies if you're part of a community.

I’m a member of the Cartoonist Cooperative, and they’re a GREAT group of talented people all across the comics industry. The mission of @cartoonistcoop is to help create better conditions for comic workers through cooperation and collective action, and I’ve found so much help from them with Into the Smoke and comics as a whole. (JOIN! They're great!!)

The goal of the co-op isn't to drive traffic to your website. But being part of it has helped me at every level of crafting my comic, including promoting it and making it good enough that I can take pride in promoting it. And it's helped me ground myself as part of a community after I lost so much of mine in past years of burnout and platform enshittification.

Another option: @spiderforestcomics is a great webcomic collective full of supportive creators, and I believe they’re open to submissions till the end of June! They also have an awesome collaborative community mindset, and I've known some of their members for years.

Direct readers to your RSS feed and newsletter

Getting readers to your website is great, but they need to keep coming back for future updates, and it’s hard to remind them without an app notification. You may need to teach younger readers what RSS feeds are. Inoreader is a great RSS reader for the 2024 era.

The dreaded SEO

That’s Search Engine Optimization - optimizing your website so that people can easily find your comic via search engines. That’s a topic for another day, but feel free to research it!

Paid promo

This can be tricky, and I really only recommend spending promo money if you’re making a comic on a professional basis, because then it’s an investment you'll make back.

That said, Comicad.net is a great independent site where you can buy banner slots on other creators’ sites. I just ran small campaign myself. (And no, I won’t ever be offended if you outbid me!)

I haven’t bought any Tumblr Blaze slots, but I got BOPPed (blaze other people’s posts; apparently that’s what it’s called, lol) once on this account and once on a side blog, and both were highly impactful. (Thanks, friend!!) So I consider it a solid option, and it looks really cheap compared to other social media sites. (Never trust Meta.)

And where can you learn more about building a webcomic site?

I know you didn't ask, but if I'm gonna share all this, I might as well give folks a starting place to actually do the thing.

Now, I’m *bad* at offering cheap and easy web solutions. My specialty is hard and expensive. But my one piece of advice: PLEASE make your webcomic site mobile friendly for the current generation of readers! When we talk about barriers to entry, remember that more people have phones than computers, and many can't afford computers.

Anyway, here's some webcomic website resources from OTHER people!

The Cartoonist Co-op has LOTS of great resources on building webcomic sites! Several of them! Check them all out!

@screentonescast has a podcast episode on webcomic web design and one on RSS feeds!

@jeypawlik also has a great comic about how RSS feeds work.

So, congrats if you made it this far. Go make a website, y'all! And if you read any indie comics, go visit the creator's website!

[awoogayanderes]

FRACTURED BOUNDARIES

➪ pairing : kiyoomi sakusa x reader

➪ request : “can i request a sakusa x reader (whatever its pre time skip or timeskip) inspired by these lines from good luck babe! ? “You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth And guess I'm the fool" "I don't wanna call it off But you don't wanna call it love"” - @hohoshiumi

➪ sypnosis : situationships are never fun but they’re even worse with him

➪ other notes : i tried my best to stay as loyal to the lyrics, ALSO THIS IS LIKE MY SECOND ACTUAL HAIKYUU FIC ?? also, to the person who requested this, it wouldn’t allow me to tag you properly i’m so sorry

you weren’t exactly avoiding sakusa, you just stayed clear of anywhere he would be ! so now, there’s a slight annoyance, you knew you should have waited in the library before you went home. your…friend is waiting at the school gates for you. maybe you ignored his texts for a few days, but he’s done the same to you. but this was a first. before you can u-turn your way out of there, sakusa sees you.

“i’ll walk you home,” he says, voice a bit muffled through his mask. you hesitantly nod, letting him walk beside you. “shouldn’t you be at practice ?” he mumbles something. you wonder if komori is stalling for him. the two of you walk in silence for a few minutes, feet pattering on the sidewalk. “you’ve been odd, you haven’t been responding to my texts.” sakusa speaks up. “neither do you,” you rebuttal.

“i’m busy,” he says. “so am i,” you can feel the tension build up. “why are you being like this ?” sakusa asks, his brows furrowing. “i’m not your girlfriend, so don’t act like my boyfriend,” you respond. the rage you’ve been feeling for the past few weeks are finally seeping out. about a month ago, you asked sakusa what your relationship was with him, he simply responded with “friends,” it destroyed you.

“is this what your tantrum is about ?” sakusa asks you. you stop in your tracks, you were only a few blocks away from your house. “tantrum ? that’s what you want to call it ?” you scoff. he also stops walking, turning around to look at you. “let’s just go back to how we used to be, okay ?” he sighs. “you mean when you were leading me on ?” “i never led you on, we’re just friends !” he says, frustrated.

that’s when you snap. “you told me you loved me months ago,” you say. “that was months ago,” he argues. “so you just don’t anymore ?” your voice breaks. “that’s not what i mean,” he says exasperated. “you can say we’re nothing, but you know the truth kiyoomi, am i just just a fucking fool to you ?” you ask the curly haired boy in front of you. you wonder if anyone is watching this from their windows.

sakusa stays quiet, he doesn’t know what to say. “i don’t want to call it off but you don’t want to take me seriously,” you whisper. “i just…i can’t,” he simply says, you know what he means by that. you can only nod at his words, what else was there to say. “i don’t want you to be apart of my life anymore, pretend i don’t exist, don’t text me or call me again,” you say, walking away from sakusa.

he thinks of chasing after you but his legs don’t move towards you. instead, he walks back to school, he needed to get back to practice, komori probably got chewed out by the team as he stalled for his cousin. you and sakusa were strangers. he misses seeing you at his games, misses when he would stay over at your house, misses when you treated him differently than others. he just misses you a lot.

[froyaoya]

home┊002┊004

003: monsters under the bed

© froyaoya all rights reserved. do not repost, modify, steal, plagiarize, or translate my works on any platform.

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[ RINTARO POV ]

“do you think we’re bad people?”

she stumbles into my room, dispatching yellow tinted light to disrupt the peaceful darkness of my sleep. If she were a different person, it would’ve been a problem. It’s unexplainable why I can’t bring myself to treat her the same way I treat everyone else. 

yelling and exaggerated laughter spill in from outside - a sign that my teammates haven't stopped abusing the ‘freeflow sake’ perk we were gifted by reception. I was lucky enough to slip out before it got too crazy; from the looks of it–she wasn’t. 

her head tilts, a supposedly small movement, but it does wonders. she frowns down at me–and for a minute I think it’s my bedhead. 

“..what?” 

“you didn’t answer my question.” oh.

"'bad' is subjective."

and she pouts, amplifying her already apple-red cheeks.

"do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask.

our hands brush together as she leans over the bedframe, conducting a scientific analysis of my nose (it feels like). "yes."

"why--"

"you invited me over, but you only really talked to me at the door. saying hi when you let me in and ignoring me for the rest of the night makes you a terrible host. and a bad person." I would usually laugh at someone this drunk, but no one's ever been this offended that I didn't talk to them. I sit up, guilt stabbing at my side.

"I would try and make it up to you," I squint at the clock above the window. "I can't think of anything other than walking you home though." that earns me a sigh.

"unless you want to sleep over." my mouth has a mind of its own. "there's only one bed in this room." her liquid courage is contagious.

she bites at her bottom lip, and I stare. I'm not ashamed. I'm just being relatable. atsumu would agree. anyone else would do the same. this is normal. not just me.

"no." her hands meet her hip, a failed attempt at being stern. "that would make me a bad person too." she lectures, all the while crawling under the covers and laying her head on the pillow beside mine. aran's going to complain in the morning, but that's a tiny price to pay for this view.

an hour passes, and I think she's asleep, but as I close my eyes, I find out we were both awake. her fingers intertwine with mine as she whispers: "are there monsters under the bed?"

I smile. real & big. "you're baby in a grown woman's body." is all the sarcasm I can manage. looking at me through her eyelashes, all starry-eyed in a I-could-kiss-you-right-here-and-now-but-that-would-absolutely-destroy-the-both-of-us kind of way, she asks, "so you don't believe in monsters?" "I do. but I bet they'd be scared of me," I joke. I swear her grip on my hand tightens, and she's closer than she was. maybe it's just hopeful imagination.

I’ve never been akin to commitment; why is it now that I feel the need to change? 

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ib: @/wipsbymaya on tiktok, it’s embarrassing how much inspiration I get from that app but it birthed this so I guess it’s not so embarassing

author’s note: how we feeling chat

@phoenix-eclipses @thechaosoflonging @yuminako @nbcvs @tenjikusstuff4 @intergalacticrory @sonicsolos @yenonnoff @wyrcan @cnnmairoll @causenessus @reads-stuff-quietly @giocriedpower @applepi25 @gra-eae @lilchubbyyy @thvvluvr @toges-cough-syrup @steiins

[tubbybunnysblog]

Still not done~

Fem feeder/androgynous feedee. Physical dominance and teasing. Another story that seems awfully similar to what me and my muse ( @silliersage ) do~💜🩵

Feeder talks a lot because that’s what I like 😝

I huff impatiently as you purposely struggle to unlock the door. I whine softly. I was having trouble keeping my sloshy body up right “baby please hurry, my feet hurt and I’m so tired” I pout as you look back at me. I try to move before you grab me by the underbelly but I was much too slow. “Maybe it wouldn’t be a problem if you didn’t stuff your fatty face with greasy fries right after we left the restaurant” I blush as you jiggle it, my entire 435 pound lardy body wobbling. I burp from the motion as you finally open the door and pull me inside still keeping a tight grip. I gasp feeling your nails dig into my stretch marked covered flab. “Ok ok I get it!” I say my whines almost sounding like a pig squealing. “No I don’t think you do lard ass” You use your own weight to shove me against the wall hissing in my ear.

“You wake up begging for food, you chug a shake before you even get out of bed. You waddle your fatass to the kitchen plop your fat ass down into a chair that I’ve had to fix twice and stuff yourself with 3000 cal just for breakfast.” You push your leg between my fattened thighs to keep me up right. “Then, you shuffle to couch and plant yourself there eating a second breakfast and filling this blubbery belly with a second weight gain shake, and enough snacks for an entire soccer team.” I whimpered as you run your chubby hand across my nipple and up my neck attaching my collar. It was too small for squeezing my newly forming triple chin. “By lunch time you’ve gorged on at least 6000 cal and not even half way through.” You pull on the leash and yank me into the bedroom. “Wait baby please slow down.” I gasp for air as you look at me smirking. “I’m not slowing down for a pig whose legs are so covered in flab that they clap when it waddles.”

I whimper as you push me onto the bed making it creak under my weight. I kick my fat feet helplessly trying to roll over. My face was red as I was huffing and puffing. “As I was saying earlier, at lunch, typically you chug two milkshakes eat three burgers, an extra large pizza and whatever else your tubby fingers can order on your phone. Then you nap there because you’re too bloated to try and haul your fat ass up.” You smack my ass and push me onto my back. I look up at you eyes wide as I groan feeling my body jiggle, my fat chest was pushing against my chins. “Don’t get all embarrassed now, piggy I’m not done.” You straddle my fat thigh and reach for the doughnuts on the night stand. You always leave some sort of pastry for me when I get hungry in the middle of the night which I always do. You shove one between my plump lips laughing as I tried my best to pull my face away.

“I get home from work to find you sprawled out on the couch, covered in sugar and grease moaning, you whine when you see me ‘mommy I’m so hungry. Did you bring more food?’ And you already know the answer because of course I do.” Before I could finish the first doughnut you shove another one down my throat. “I feed you dinner which can average about 10,000 calories and funnel you until you are completely round bloated like a tick and we’re still not done.” I whimper as you push two eclairs in my mouth, making my cheeks bulge more than they already do. “Every night ends with a huge dessert, that leaves you in a food coma and a gut that that I can hardly lift up to fuck you!” I shiver as I finish the sickly sweet treats. I look at you desperately trying to spread my legs I need you more than anything. You smile at me, kissing my sugar coated cheek. “Now you understand pig, you’re just getting too big,” I whine as I feel you dig under my fat pad and begin to touch me. “But no matter Mommy always finds a way because you’re still not done.~”

[therealcocoshady]

Recovery - Chapter 41

Author’s note : As always, THANK YOU to @shady-577 who kindly agreed to read this beforehand ❤️. I kept this one short and « sweet » 👀. Hope y’all enjoy it !

When you got to your couple therapy appointment, you were rather optimistic. Both you and Marshall were in a good mood and you went there holding hands, smiles on your faces. You’d even had a talk before, telling each other just how committed you were to making things work, because you were so in love with each other. It would have been childish to expect the therapist to give you praises and a pat on the head for being such a great couple, but you did not expect her to dissect every aspect of your relationship, making it feel like you were under a microscope. She started the appointment by asking each of you to say why you were here and, even though both of you answered by talking about most recent events, she asked a lot of follow-up questions about how the relationship came about. You knew your relationship was far from perfect - after all, every couple has their issues - but it did make a dent on your confidence. During that first session, she seemed to pick up on a lot of things. She mentioned that the both of you treated this relationship like it was something you needed, instead of something you wanted, relying on mechanisms similar to addiction.

- For this relationship to work, you need to want this, she explained.

- We wouldn’t be here otherwise, you said. We’re here because we want it to work.

- Or are you here because you’re too scared of functioning without the other one as a lifeboat ? She asked.

You both stared at each other. Evidently, she had picked up on something. Of course you wanted to be in this relationship. But she was also definitely right about you treating your relationship like an addiction. The time spent apart was like being on withdrawal and Marshall’s presence wasn’t only something you wanted - it was something you craved. In hindsight, it was true that you had relied on him for a lot of things. He had been instrumental in your sobriety, had been there for you through tough times… So maybe you tended to think of him as a solution to your issues.

- Isn’t that what couples are supposed to do ? Marshall asked. Support each other ? What’s wrong with that ?

- Support is indeed a key component of a relationship, the therapist agreed. But there is difference between supporting someone and having your stability rely on them entirely.

- So… You think our relationship is unhealthy ? You asked.

- I’m not here to judge your relationship, she said. I’m here to give you tools to solve your problems and increase intimacy so that you can thrive.

- What do you recommend, then ? Marshall asked.

- I’d like to see you both on a weekly basis, she said. I already see Marshall regularly, but we might also schedule appointments with you, Y/N. I will also be giving you exercises.

- Like homework ? You asked.

- Like homework, she said with a smile. I’ll end today’s session with a simple one : go on a date.

- A date ? You chuckled. We already live together. We’re past that.

- From what I gathered, you haven’t dated for very long, if at all, she explained. The dating stage is crucial in a relationship. It helps build communication skills, it nurtures emotional intimacy, it also helps establish trust and commitment.

- We can give that a go, Marshall said as he took your hand.

- Good then, she said. I’ll see you next week.

You left the therapist’s office a bit puzzled. Overall, you were satisfied, but you were also a bit frustrated. All this first session had done was set the tone but you hadn’t really gotten to talk about the events that had led to this session. You had mentioned the track, how hurt you were, as well as the cheating part, but you hadn’t addressed it fully. Marshall, however, seemed rather satisfied. He mentioned something about it taking at long as it takes and being willing to put in some work. All in all, it was encouraging and it gave you hope that you could actually move forward as a couple.

- So… A date ? You asked playfully.

- It’s true that I’ve never really taken you out on a proper date, he chuckled. We just got down to business.

- We already knew each other, though, you pointed out.

- Still… We could use a date, I guess, he said. A real one.

- I’d like that, you nodded.

He pressed a kiss to your temple and told you he had an idea. All you needed to do was to trust him. You decided to leave the planning up to him and, as you went home, you got back to your usual schedule, planning details for Talia and Jamal’s wedding. You were looking at stuff on your iPad while Marshall was next to you, reading a comic book. Your phone started ringing and you froze as soon as you saw the name on the screen. It was Simon. You weren’t too sure what to do so you just let it ring. Marshall was absorbed by his reading and didn’t see the caller ID.

- You’re not picking up ? He asked.

- No, you said quietly.

- What’s wrong ? He questioned as he looked up.

- It’s Simon, you said earnestly.

- Oh.

He stared at you intently, clearly waiting to see what your next move would be. You quietly hummed and went back to your web browsing. However, the phone kept on ringing and ignoring it, with Marshall’s gaze upon you, was growing harder.

- Do you want to pick up ? He asked.

- I don’t know, you admitted.

- Do you want to talk to him ?

- I don’t know, you repeated.

- Do you miss him ?

- I don’t, you sighed. Marshall, please stop with your questions. You’re not helping matters.

- I can’t take it, he said. I’m sorry but I can’t shake the image of him holding you. Touching you. Kissing you. And knowing he is blowing up your phone makes me mad.

- I get it, you said as you reached for his hand. I’m sorry. I’m yours. You know that, right ? And we’re working through it.

- I know, he said as he held your hand. But knowing you’re mine doesn’t change anything to my will to eviscerate him.

- Marsh… I know it hurts but… I’m the one at fault, you said. I’m the one who kissed him. It’s my mistake. Simon didn’t do anything wrong.

He stared at you silently and nodded. You kissed his cheek and held his hand in yours. Obviously, he hadn’t forgiven you yet, and he was still hurt by the whole situation.

- You’re too good, he sighed. I wish you would just say he’s as faulty as you. I wish I could blame him instead of you. I think that’s what hurts the most. It would be so much easier.

- I’m sorry, you said sheepishly. But I can’t lie… I’d rather be honest.

- Speaking of honesty… when are you going to tell him to beat it ? He asked.

- Tell him to beat it ? You asked with a raised eyebrow.

- You’re not really going to entertain this, are you ?!

- I… no, you said. I’m not entertaining anything. But Simon has been a true friend this past week. He even offered to help me look for a job.

- Your « true » friend explored your tonsils days ago, he pointed out coldly. Your « true friend » wants much more than a friendship.

- He pushed me away, you said. As a friend should.

- Is that why you’re back ? He asked. Because he pushed you away ?

- What ? No, you said in disbelief. I’m here because I love you, Marshall. I’m here because you said we can work things out. Because that’s what I want. I want to be with you.

He looked at you intently, not saying anything. You could see the sadness in his eyes. It was a feeling you knew all too well, it was the same feeling you’d felt when you learned about what happened with Tracy in London. Knowing the person you loved had been touched by hands that aren’t yours, been kissed by another’s lips, and wondering what could have happened if things had gone further. Your heart strained and you were feeling more guilty than ever.

- What if he hadn’t pushed you away ? He asked as he swallowed dryly. What if he had taken you to bed ? Would you have let him ?

- I don’t know, you confessed. I hope not.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Obviously, it was not the desired answer and you knew it hurt, but you also didn’t want to lie to him. You respected him too much to lie to his face. You brought a hand to his cheek and stroked it. You could see him release the tension of his clenched jaw as you touched him. You placed a kiss at the corner of his lips, then another one in his neck.

- Marshall, I love you, you said. I am yours. Yours only.

- I know it’s my fault, he said as his eyes were still closed. I know that… the way I made you feel is what led you to do it. But it still fucking hurts, Y/N.

- I’m sorry, you said as you kept on kissing him. I’m so sorry. I love you. You know that, right ?

He simply nodded, eyes still closed. You kept on kissing him, hoping that it would make his pain go away. He wasn’t too responsive, at first, but he let you kiss him nonetheless. Eventually, he kissed you back, each kiss growing more passionate. You were straddling his lap and you could feel him getting hard underneath you.

- I’m yours, you whispered.

- If you don’t stop what you’re doing, I’m going to take what’s mine, he warned.

- Yours, you repeated as you kissed him.

- You can still barely walk, he pointed out.

- Just be gentle, then.

He hummed and kissed you hungrily. His hands on your hips pinned you against him and his rock hard erection. You were soaking wet already and you whimpered, aching to feel him. Five minutes later, you were naked and he was on his knees, face buried between your legs. His soft tongue against your clit felt heavenly. He was making you see stars and you were about to come but you needed more. You begged for him to be inside of you and you could see the hesitation on his face. He got undressed and positioned himself at your entrance. You winced a little when he entered you, still sore from the previous day’s exertions, and he almost stopped but you pleaded for him to keep going. You needed to feel him inside of you, dying to have this heavenly connection. You were all his and you needed him to feel it. You were laying in the couch, legs wrapped around his waist, moving your hips in sync. His moves were slow but he was hitting the right spots. You were a moaning mess under him.

- it’s so good, you whimpered.

- Yeah ? He asked.

- Yeah, you moaned. Please don’t stop.

- Say you’re mine, he pleaded.

- I’m yours, Marshall… I’m yours, you cried in pleasure.

- Say you’ll tell this motherfucker to beat it, he ordered.

You stared at him in shock, confused by both your pleasure and his request. You didn’t want to think about it. Especially not in the middle of sex. You were desperate for him to make you come, but his movements stilled.

- Marshall, please, you pleaded.

- Say it and I’ll make you come, he said.

- Marsh… i- no…

- Maybe you can ask Simon to make you come then, he groaned as he stopped what he was doing.

You stared at each other for a second and, before you could fully comprehend what was going on, he was pulling his sweatpants up and leaving you, naked on the couch, in a state of frustration and confusion.

MARSHALL’S POV - 3 HOURS LATER

He had left Y/N on the couch,right in the middle of sex. He wanted to please her, to give her what she wanted, make her see stars and bring her to orgasm but he couldn’t let go of the thought of Simon. It haunted him, kept coming back at the worst moments. Every time he looked at her and thought of how in love he was, he couldn’t help but think of her ex. The one she had willingly kissed. Thinking about her with him made it sick to his stomach and the thought of him calling her was driving him mad. Usually, he would have vented in the form of writing lyrics but the last time he had picked up his pen, it hadn’t worked too well.

He knew it was a dick move, using sex as a way to get her to get rid of Simon, leaving her high and dry. But he couldn’t help it. He had to get the anger out or his system. He spent two hours in the gym, punching his boxing bag, imagining Simon’s dumb face in its place. He punched until his fists were almost numb but at least, it did a decent job helping him with his thoughts. After a hot shower, he went to the bedroom, where he found her laying in bed, reading a book. She was focused on the reading, not paying attention to him. He observed her face, as beautiful as usual even though she was clearly frowning.

- Hey, he said as he leaned against the doorframe.

- Hi, she said dryly without looking up.

- I’m sorry, he sighed. I’m an asshole.

- You are, she nodded.

- I’m really sorry, though, he said apologetically.

- About what ? She asked as she looked him in the eyes. Using sex to get back at me ? Leaving me high and dry without so much as an explanation ?

- All of it, he said. I just… I didn’t plan- I don’t deal with it very well. I keep on seeing you with him. And knowing you want to keep talking to him… it hurts so much, Y/N. I can’t stand it.

- I know, she said. I know.

- I don’t think you do, actually, he said sheepishly.

- Right. It’s not like you had me meet your ex-wife and mother or your children, or like you keep working with your ex, she said sarcastically.

He stared at her in silence. She had a point and, as hard as he was trying to come up with an argument to counter it, he couldn’t. He simply sat on the bed and looked at you.

- Right, he said sheepishly. So… you’re going to keep him in your life ? I just… I need to know because… the thought of you being around the dude you cheated on me with…

- Marshall, I just need a minute, she sighed. You have absolutely no idea how hard it’s been for me. And I know I’m not the only one suffering, here. And I don’t mean to be selfish. But the truth is… Simon was here for me, and even though I regret what happened, he did act like a friend. And even though I know I’m going to have to tell him that we can’t keep talking, I just need to wrap my head around it. Not because I love him. Not because I miss him. But because I’m lonely. Besides you, I only have two friends. Talia and Jamal. And I love your friends, but they’re not mine. And now, it’s going to be even harder to connect with people because your song is humiliating for me. And I know i hurt you but guess what ? You hurt me too. Several times. And I’ve been doing a lot of the emotional work in this relationship. I’ve moved countries for you. I’ve given up a ton of things for you. I have accepted a lot of things for you. I just need a minute to adjust. And I need you to understand that it’s hard for me.

He swallowed dryly and looked at her. He knew he had put her through a lot but hearing her saying it frankly and out loud felt different. Suddenly, he felt like the most selfish person on earth. He sat on the bed and took her hand.

- I’m sorry, he said.

- I’m sorry too, she replied. I guess… we both put each other through things that are hard to get over.

- Yeah, he nodded. But I love you, Y/N. I just want us to be happy. Just tell me what you want, what you need and I’ll get it for you.

- I just need time, Marshall, she said. And I know I hurt you but you using sex as a form of punishment or whatever that was is not ok.

- I didn’t mean to, he said. It’s just… I don’t have a lot of ways to work through my feelings. I either rap about them or fuck them out of my system. Or exercise.

- Hence the bruised knuckles ? She asked.

- Yeah, he shrugged. I know it sucks. I just… have to work on it, I guess.

- I know, she said softly. And I know you’ve been putting some actual work, with therapy and everything. I see it.

He laid down and rested his head on her knees, closing his eyes as she ran her fingers on his scalp. Her touch was soft and he felt at peace, wishing they could stay like this forever.

- I love you, he mumbled. I’m so scared to lose you.

- I’m scared too, she said.

- I don’t care what the therapist said, he continued. I’m ok with being addicted to you.

- Im addicted to you, too, she said softly. I can’t stay away from you. It’s like… I always need my fix.

He sat up and kissed her lovingly. She leaned into his embrace and they kissed hungrily, pouring their feelings into the kiss, whispering sweet words to each other.

- Let me give you your fix, he whispered. I want you.

- Are you going to leave me high and dry ? She asked.

- No, he promised.

She nodded and, soon enough, they were under the sheets, moaning each other’s name. He made up for his earlier outburst and made it a point to make her come again and again, until she had tears of pleasure streaming down her face. Afterwards, they cuddled, simply enjoying each other’s warmth. They were all fucked-out, exhausted. They were about to fall asleep when Y/N’s phone started ringing. He looked at the screen and saw Simon’s name, which made him tense up instantly. After the talk they had, though, he understood her position and, even if it physically hurt him, he didn’t say anything. She threw him an apologetic glance before picking up, getting up from bed as she took the call.

- Hi, Simon, she said. Look, I’m sorry I didn’t pick up sooner… Yes, I’m good… Well, I’m back home… with him, yes… We’re working through it… Look, I don’t know how to tell you but… I don’t think I can keep talking to you. I hope you understand…

He could her her conversation - or at least what she was saying and his heart felt a little lighter as he heard her say she couldn’t talk to him anymore. It was selfish, but it felt good.

- I love him, she said. I need to do what’s best for me… thank you for understanding… wait… are you sure ? … what’s that about ? … I guess… Ok.

She came back to bed and handed him the phone. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

- He wants to talk to you, she whispered.

- I don’t want to talk to him, he scoffed loud enough for Simon to hear. Tell him to go to hell.

- He says it’s important, she insisted.

He sighed and took the phone.

- Hello ? He asked. What do you want ?

- Hi, he heard Simon say. Marshall’s is it ? I have information you might find useful.

- Look, man, he replied curtly, I don’t know what you want but you heard Y/N. We don’t need you. So whatev-

- I know who leaked your track, Simon said. The one about Y/N.

[thisnameisquitequeer]

Been seeing some criticisms of Stolas from the last two eps that I’m just like…did we watch the same show?

Disclaimer before I begin; I think both parties have made mistakes and both need to grow. I am only focusing on Stolas bc people seem to give Blitzø the benefit of the doubt/understand his actions in a way they seem unwilling to do so for Stolas

Going through different opinions I’ve seen:

- “Stolas is abusive bc he forces Blitzø into sex work/he threatens Blitzø’s business to get sex”

I do agree that Stolas creating the Full Moon transaction wasn’t great, and their relationship could never be more than sex until that was dropped. HOWEVER Blitzø is not blameless in that situation. He is the person who snuck into Stolas’ house and seduced him bc he wanted to steal from him. Blitzø’s business is based off of using Stolas’ stolen property. You could argue that it shouldn’t belong to Stolas or that imps are treated so lowly in society Blitzø had no other choice? But asking for the book back isn’t “threatening Blitzø’s business” it’s…getting back what he stole so Stolas can do his job

- “Stolas is abusive bc of the power/class difference in their relationship”

I do think the class difference is something they’ll have to overcome but I would call it a character flaw of Stolas more than abusive. We do see him condescend to Blitzø earlier in their relationship in Lululand and Truthseekers but I’d argue that is more to do with Stolas being incredibly sheltered and too lovesick from his first relationship. I’d argue this is an earlier element of their relationship that there may still be some work left to do but by the breakup I don’t think is there as much. I think Blitzø externalizes a lot of his insecurities onto Stolas’ perception of him, but it’s mostly that a projection

-“Stolas is at fault for the break up bc he wouldn’t hear Blitzø out/bc he projected Blitzø outside his house”

The breakup is both their fault but I don’t think this is really fair. Yes, Stolas was so busy rehearsing his lines that it didn’t occur to him that Blitzø might need a minute to react or might feel like Stolas’ feelings came out of nowhere. But we don’t always react perfectly when we’re upset or hurt. I don’t think Stolas really believed Blitzø would say yes. A part of him probably hoped, really wanted to think Blitzø would but he was probably expecting a rejection. And to not only be rejected but to be mocked with the words you most want to hear after you’ve just been vulnerable…I would probably walk away from that situation too. Did Blitz start to realize at the end that he fucked up and Stolas was serious? Sure, after he screamed a bunch of insults at Stolas and made him cry. We as the audience know Blitzø’s history and saw him change at the last second but Stolas doesn’t and had his back to him so couldn’t see his expression soften. Also Stolas has lived close to 20 years with a wife who always screams and belittles him so I don’t blame him for not wanting to hear Blitzø out after that

-“Blitzø tried to apologize and Stolas wouldn’t hear him out”

Except…no he didn’t? Sure at the very end of Full Moon he attempts a last minute sorry but only after he’s pushed Stolas so far. He could’ve tried to text Stolas an apology or he could’ve tried to apologize when they were by the pool in apology tour but he doesn’t. At that point he’s still just trying to pretend everything is fine between them and get back to sex with Stolas bc he believes that’s the only reason Stolas likes him and if he can only give Stolas a good lay everything will go back to how it was. Blitzø doesn’t want to apologize, he wants to reset the status quo and Stolas won’t let him.

-“Stolas being upset in Apology Tour came out of nowhere/is bad writing bc he only cared about Blitzø for sex before”

I’m sorry…did we watch the same show? Sure, Stolas is a bit horny on main for Blitzø in the first 2 eps but that’s bc this is his first relationship and he’s excited. But as early as the Harvest Moon Festival he’s wanting to spend time with Blitzø and talk to him more. From then on he’s trying very hard to connect with Blitzø and keeps being shut down. If Full Moon had been Blitzø’s first rejection of Stolas you could maaaaybe see Stolas’ reaction as overkill but not with everything we’ve seen of their relationship and is shown in Stolas’ apology song. The only reason you could think Stolas felt nothing for Blitzø is if you took everything Blitzø said at face value and he is shown by Fizz’s reactions and Stolas’ actions to have a skewed perspective

TLDR; Stolas is not blameless but the way some fans maliciously interpret all of his actions just doesn’t square with the text of the show

[rotzaprachim]

I think the “Israelis/(((they))) steal food!!!” Discourses scratch on some really deep levels of antisemitism and the problems that DIASPORA Jews face in our daily lives because the accusations of Israelis “stealing” food often work to erase the places Jews DID live prior to making aliyah or even now. They treat “Israelis” as an amorphous blob that just came out of the ether, and not a group of people descended from other people who could have both their own distinctive cultural traditions but be connected to other cultures. The most frequent claim is that Israelis “stole” hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, and other things which have been part of the good ways of Jews in the levant for millennia, but I’ve also seen Israelis be accused of stealing Italian, Spanish. German, and polish foods. It’s the catch 22 of antisemitism - people don’t want Jews in Israel, but they also don’t want Jews in their own countries. They don’t want to picture how Jews might be different or define themselves outside of a national polity - I’ve seen Italians who are only okay with the concept of “Italian Jews,” poles who are only ok with the concept of “polish Jews,” Egyptians who are only ok with the concept of “Egyptian Jews” - but then they also don’t want to face the ways Jews could in fact be like them, and part of the same cultural traditions - usually until the goysiche world killed them, or forced them from their lands. At the heart of the question of how polish, Spanish, or Algerian foods can’t be Israeli is also the question of how Israelis can’t be connected to the histories of Poland, Spain, or Algeria - or other countries. There’s no negotiating a better future for the Israel-Palestine region without breaking some od the enacted cultural and ethnic barriers, for which these conversations are supremely unhelpful, but there’s also no better life for Jews in the diaspora or fighting antisemitism globally without a recognition of how Jews may be both different to many cultures but also similar, a product of linked cultural traditions that Jews themselves were and are continuously forcebly cut off from

Also if you think a food can only belong to one state or religious group with sharply defined borders we’re never making it out of the ethnonationalism sand pit

[smoshyourheadin]

dating trevor hc? i have never thought about it but he’s such a tall cutie tee heee

trevor evarts dating headcannons

a/n: UGH YES FINALLY TREVOR LOVE!! underrated king he’s so cute

- loves when you let him cook for you

- also loves when you help him cook

- so good at quiz night bc he’s so smart in like random areas LMAO

- bc he’s tall, when you hug him you feel rlly safe

- loves being taller than u bc he’s ur personal ladder

- like he’ll get something off a tall shelf and be like “all in a day’s work m’lday”

- he makes ur sides hurt from how funny he is

- loves taking u bowling for date night bc he’s a literal professional and loves rubbing it in your face

- watching tv shows or movies w him is a treat bc he tells you about EVERYTHING

- “did you see that!” “no, what did i miss?” “rewind it and pay attention!”

- likes to carry your things bc he feels useful

- he cannot bake AT ALL. like he’s a damn good chef but you’re the household baker fr

- super supportive of everything you do

- like if u have an interview or something he’ll text you and say ‘you got this!!’ with a bunch of gifs

- apartment is FILLED with figures and posters

- every year he has a themed party an you alr KNOW he’s dressing up with you

- you’re winning best dressed couple bc why wouldn’t you

- if you ever go out for food with him he’s like “damn, they needed more acid in this one, it’s pretty bitter” just to annoy you

- “they needed to put lemon on this…” “trev we’re in an olive garden, what more do you want?”

- definitely really sentimental and loves getting you things that make him think of you

- will try anything you try

- hobbies, food, experiences, he’s going with you!!

- 100% calls you stupid shit

- “what’s up dickwad how was work today?”

- (and he then kisses your cheek)

- “what the fuck is with these names trevor”

-“… funny”

[solarwynd]

I really hope this blows up https://x.com/buzzingpop/status/1805025956953813275?s=46&t=xZfMNrysfzaHDchIEDZ2ZQ

Thhat man needs to feel embarrassed for the shit he did and everyone involved needs to know that every time they try to fuck w jimin we’re gonna fight back letting everyone know what they’re doing, and even if it’s not gonna help jimin at the end of the day, we would be documenting everything they’re doing bc this is not okay in any way, they’re disrespecting an artist under their label, AND FOR WHAT??? just pure hate bc he gets support from his own fandom that has been building up ever since we saw the difference treatment that he gets in comparison with the others, and because he doesn’t really need the crazy promo someone else needed to achieve big things in america. Even rn his position in spotify US and Global is insane. And that’s exactly why they feel threatened by him.

Don’t think embarrassment is an emotion he’d take from this. I doubt he cares that he’s offended people and is being rude to Jimin. But I do believe that man is probably getting drawn and quartered in the bowels of the Hybe America building by Scooter while Bang watches on zoom. Cause I know the plan was just to keep ignoring us and those tags just like they did in FACE era. Now they have heat on them from the media criticizing them about the same thing HYBE had to put that statement out about treating all their artists equally since they had accusations that they don’t during the MHJ mess. Fucked up that plausible deniability for all of them lol.

[firein-thesky]

on the death of skirt chasers

a small think piece on how media has been stripped of romance, sex appeal, and charm over the last 20 years using trigun and trigun stampede as an example—specifically looking at this through wolfwood and vash as a tangible way to track this evolution.

it’s interesting and also unsurprising to me that trigun stampede stripped vash and wolfwood of some of their biggest personality traits from the 98 anime, which were their love of women. to be frank— they were both dogs lol

but vash was this sort of forlorn man who, meryl, upon meeting him, adequately describes him by asking, “are you the type of man to fall in love right away and get your heart broken?” or something to that effect. and he says what, no way! and then proceeds to fall in love with the next beautiful woman he sees and gets his heart broken by the end of the episode. and we were seeing this constantly throughout the show, then even in the later movie of the early 2010s badlands rumble.

and the 2000s are notorious for dubious, sexist comments from men who are women-obsessed. our action movies are packed with sexy female characters only existing for romance, etc. etc. we’re sort of at the tail end of it in 2010. so arguably, vash is almost worse here to me? he’s really pushy and borderline inappropriate with how stubborn he is. in a way that, while persistent in the 98 anime, he had a little more boyish charm to him and they never made him so forceful.

and then the middle and later 2010s happen where marvel takes over our action movies and romance and sex and womanizers are all but killed—originally, in reaction to the sexism. it’s important to note that the me too movement picks up in the middle and later 2010s too and becomes well-known by the end of this decade. and in response, i think we nosedive into puritanical ideas and sentiments by the end of the decade.

now we must always remember when a movement (ie feminism in this case) has a critique or reaction that catches on (the me too movement, men being pushy and overly flirtatious in our media, treating women in action movies only as sexy romance options, or showcasing toxic dynamics that subconsciously tell men to keep chasing her, even if she’s not interested) then the oppressive force (patriarchy in this case) will always transform as a way to take control again (bringing puritanical ideals back—we shouldn’t be showing sex or romance in our movies. we should not be consuming any dark content, ever. etc etc.)

i believe we killed romance and sex in the later 2010s because of an over correction of our sex-obsessed media of the 2000s—or rather, the patriarchy over corrected in order to maintain control. there were critiques of the 2000s that were valid, but like i said, the oppressive force will always transform to maintain power, so we hit puritanical beliefs again. “political correctness” if you will.

(capitalism surely has something to do with this too and it’s definitely along the lines of—be more beautiful and even hotter, but your body is not a sexual one, but a visual or capitalistic one. etc. etc. another topic, another time.)

and so here we are and we don’t really have any flirty or womanizing characters like we used to. and we see this very plainly in 2023s trigun stampede, where they have completely stripped vash and wolfwood of any of those traits.

and i sort of miss them? i think a 2023 forlorn vash who loves great and hard and gets his heartbroken would not be a bad thing—one who is effected and charmed by women, maybe rather than nearly stalking them like in the 2010 movie. i think it shows another piece of vash and that is quite literally that he wears his heart on his sleeve. and he gets hurt for it, endlessly. more than that there is a little more whimsy to him? and aching. he’s this lonely man who wants love so, so badly.

now, wolfwood in 98 version was less this forlorn chaser and more this suave womanizer. many jokes are made where vash is chasing a girl that wolfwood sorta already has if he wants her. but he’s this lone wolf who leaves everyone a little high and dry. (of course until the end—with milly —where, in a very classic lone-man way, he dies after leaving a woman with his child. the tragedy being that when he was ready to stop roaming and settle down with her and meryl and vash, he dies, thus still leaving everyone). and i mean even his appearance in the 98 version—big chested with low-buttoned shirt, shaggy hair and stubble. he looks like a 90s rockstar. he looks like your lone cowboy. he’s reminiscent of spike from cowboy bebop who has a similar charming air to him that never leads anywhere because he’s destined to be solo. the unintentional, intentional womanizer.

then the later 2010s hit and we kill the charming womanizer. (tony stark kills the womanizer. another topic, another time.)

and now in 2023, wolfwood is completely stripped of any of his sex appeal and suave personality that the 98 and even 2010 version of him oozed naturally. gone is the cool, tough, lone wolf. replaced with a sort of boy-bandish, squeaky-clean, semi villain, semi hero. he’s crass and he’s snarky and he’s supposed to be rough around the edges. but he doesn’t look it? and he lacks the charm that 98 wolfwood naturally had. which aided him when he talked to kids—he was softer. charming. people liked wolfwood, even when he was being crass. he knew how to talk to people, maybe even how to con them when he wanted.

2023’s wolfwood is tough to get along with. and while fun sometimes, i think it does lose this…romanticism to him? there is a softness in wolfwood that is sorta lost in 2023s version. while we get a fuller and better written backstory, we sort of lose this other aspect of him. we’re supposed to infer from his backstory and his relationship to his brother that he is a good man, just one put in a horrible situation, always had bad luck. whereas the 98 version, we saw that wolfwood was good with kids. gentle. women loved him—he charmed rowdy men, even swindled when he needed to. we saw that there was something good in wolfwood, even if he remained mysterious.

all this to say i do miss the romanticism? i do miss these men being…romantic? flirty? charming? and not even in a fangirl way but in a…humans are romantic creatures way? we are sexual beings? and romance and sex can tell us a lot about characters and their personalities.

and i think looking at vash and wolfwood in particular is a good way to track how we lost this romanticism in our media over the last 20 years—we literally see it in them, in their remaking in 2023, where they are stripped of it.

i think the mid and later 2020s will continue to return to it in some way—we already see this with the resurgence in romance novels (or these dark fantasy romance novels gaining popularity) and even fandom spaces being more “mainstream” on social media. but in late stage capitalism (and thus late stage patriarchy, racism, etc.) it looks a little like a carnival mirror of romance and sex to me.

another topic, another time. etc. etc.

[featheredenby]

Ransom

“You should drink more water.”

“You kidnapped me from my own house and blind folded me so that I can’t see you, just to bait heroes to come here.” Grian says, “I don’t think that you get to give me health tips.”

“To be fair there are a lot of people who would treat you a lot worse in a kidnapping.”

Written by: FeatheredEnby

Word Count: 2,368

Part Nine of: Show Your Fangs

A Superhero AU of Empires SMP/Hermitcraft/The Life Series/Artimator SMP

As the wind blows a missing poster flies into Scar’s face of course things like that happen when you’re on a roof but he needs to find Grian and for that it’s likely best to consult Grian’s other friends. As he only has one clue so far, a text message, “Whatever you do don’t trust C-Fire.” Scar climbs down from the roof and makes his way to Mumbo’s house where upon arrival he finds not only Mumbo but also Cleo. 

“Hotguy,” she says coldly upon seeing him, “What do you want?”

Stay in character Scar, “I’m looking into the recent disappearance of Grian Helios, I’m told that you two are close to him.”

“That would be correct.” Cleo tells him in an icy tone, “but why are you looking into this instead of the cops? Or his family members?”

Okay, I wasn't expecting that reaction. “Well it’s likely that this disappearance has something to do with the villains in this city and I don’t believe that his family members are well suited to deal with this.”

“Well you would be wrong in that regard as me, Mumbo, his half brother, his half brother’s boyfriend, his half brother’s adopted sister, and one of his coworkers are all working together to find him.” They inform Scar, “And you will find that all of us are perfectly competent so unless you have anything of value to give it would be best for you to leave.”

Scar could show her the text message but that would mean them learning that he’s Hotguy. At this point however when Grian has been missing for just over three days it’s worth it. “I have something that could be helpful.”

“Really?” Cleo asks skeptically.

“Yeah. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” Mumbo pipes up.

-

“So you mean to tell me that you are Scar. As in the same Scar who is Grian’s roommate. And you also mean to tell me that the last text that he sent you on the night that he was kidnapped is not to trust the vigilante C-Fire?” Cleo asks.

“Yep that’s pretty much it, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone.”

“Hm…”

“So where are you in the process of finding Grian?” Scar asks.

“We’re not doing very well, Mumbo?”

“Yeah,” Mumbo agrees, “I’ve been trying to hack into any files that could help figure out who took him but nothing has come up.”

“Wait what? Mumbo I know that you’re good with coding but how are you hacking into secure files?”

“Good point. Good point. But uhm, I would like to inform you that I did at one point hack into the comm system of the GFHA. As Well as getting into the files of the GFHA’s villain data.” Mumbo informs him.

“I’m sorry you did what?!?”

“Basically he’s the best hacker that we know.” Cleo tells Scar.

Knock. Knock. “Come in.” Mumbo says. Scar looks up and sees a strange assortment of people entering the room. First there’s the vigilante The Mayor and Grian’s coworker Joel and then there’s Cromia and Jimmy. The shock on The Mayor’s face is just too much. “Cleo,” she says, “You didn’t say that he Would be here.”

“That’s true I didn’t,” Cleo admits, “however I also didn’t know that he would be here and he brought information that could link the vigilante C-Fire to Grian’s disappearance.” 

“Mhm, and we should trust him because?” Cromia asks.

“Uh,” Cleo looks over at Scar, “Our dear friend Hotguy over here happens to know Grian personally. That’s all I’m saying on the subject matter.”

“Your point is? We all do.” The Mayor says.

“The point is that we all have a common goal, now does anyone have a clue where Pearl is?”

“Nope,” Jimmy says, “Something might have extended her shift at the hospital.”

“Okay then. Well we’re gonna split into groups, Mumbo’s gonna stay here and keep trying to find info online, Cromia you’re gonna go with Hotguy to keep an eye out at the park, Jimmy you and The Mayor are going to patrol the downtown area, and I’m gonna go over to the area’s where villains were last spotted.” They explain, “Got it. Good”

They break off into their groups and Cromia looks at Scar, “For the record I still don’t trust you.”

-

“You should drink more water.”

“You kidnapped me from my own house and blind folded me so that I can’t see you, just to bait heroes to come here.” Grian says, “I don’t think that you get to give me health tips.”

“To be fair there are a lot of people who would treat you a lot worse in a kidnapping.”

“True, but for all you know I’ve been able to scout out your hideout this whole time.” Grian tells him.

“Ha! Like you’d be able to do that our entire group is mutants and hybrids. You’re human and don’t have any powers.”

“Maybe that’s what you think,” Grian says while opening his incorporeal eyes and looking around the room, “I can tell practically everything that’s going on around me.”

“Uhm, and what exactly can you tell?”

“First of all I can tell that you aren’t wearing your disguise but you still have your mask on just in case my blindfold slips off. Second I know that the other two are watching this from over in the corner. Finally I know that I could easily take you all out as The Red Hand has bullet wounds in his wing and foot, C-Fire’s scythe is in the other room so she would only be able to use fire manipulation, and The Red King, who I’m assuming is the person that I’m talking to, is still dealing with the unpleasant side effects of a magically induced concussion.”

“How exactly did you know all of that?” The Red King asks him.

“Now why would I tell you that?” Grian responds, “Telling you that would just reveal information that you don’t need to know about me.”

“Maybe because you’re stuck in our hideout and completely at our mercy?” 

“Hm… Doesn’t seem like I’ll be for much longer though.” Grian says while checking around the perimeter and seeing Cromia and Hotguy coming around the corner.

“And why do you say that you’ve been missing for three days, what makes you think that will happen?”

To this Grian just laughs it’s not like these people will see that some of the local heroes and vigilantes are fast approaching the building. Now that Grian has backup and can easily get rid of these idiot’s memories about his secret identity it’s probably a good time to get on his costume. “Welp I gotta bounce.”

“What do you mean? You’re tied up and blindfolded.”

“Heh, that’s what you think.”

“What the-”

“𝙹ꖌᔑ|| ᓭ𝙹 i ᓭℸ ̣ ╎ꖎꖎ ↸𝙹リ'ℸ ̣  ᑑ⚍╎ℸ ̣ ᒷ ⚍リ↸ᒷ∷ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑリ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ʖ⚍ℸ ̣  ╎ℸ ̣  ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸ ʖᒷ ∷ᒷᔑꖎ リ╎ᓵᒷ ╎⎓ ╎ ᓵ𝙹⚍ꖎ↸ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣  ᒲ|| ᓵ𝙹ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍ᒲᒷ.”

Just like that once again a purple light shoots from from Grian’s hands and just like at the masquerade party Grian is instantly in his Poultry Man costume. Within a second Grian uses his talons to unbind his wrists before ripping off his blindfold and running at The Red King. “What the you’re-” The Red King starts to stammer before Grian once again knocks him out. The Hand runs to tackle him but ends up tripping and getting his leg caught under a piece of flying rubble as Grian fires a grenade from a slingshot at him. At this point Hotguy and Cromia come bursting through the door, “Grian we’re- what the?!?”

“How did this happen!?!” Cromia screams.

“Don’t question it, I got him out of here!” Grian tells them, “Just get C-Fire!”

The “vigilante” is running over to her cherry blossom covered scythe and as she swoops down to grab it she narrowly misses an arrow that flies past her head. “Ugh… Jerk!” She yells as she throws her scythe at Cromia, he ducks down and the weapon’s handle hits his antlers before crashing to the floor. Within a moment Cromia sends an arrow from his own bow right back at her only for her to dodge and throw a fireball right back at him. As Cromia rolls away to dodge it Hotguy runs at C-Fire who is going to retrieve the scythe and Grian flies down to try and pick it up. C-Fire reaches the scythe first and swipes it up before turning around and hitting Hotguy with its handle before spinning it in the air and slicing his side with it. “Hotguy!” Grian screams while swooping down and out of instinct grabbing his gun and shooting at C-Fire hitting her in the arm before she runs away. Grian lands next to Hotguy and clutches onto him, “Oh no,” Grian whispers, “NO! Not again… not again.”

“I’m fine,” Hotguy reassures him, “Really I’m fi-”

-

That high pitched beep that happens when a character wakes up in a movie plays.

Grian watches as Hotguy’s eyes flutter open as he lays down on a couch in the employee’s lounge of Cleo’s cafe. Hotguy attempts to sit up only to have to lay back down because of the bandage around his waist. Grian picks up a cup of tea that he made for him and hands it over, “Hey,” Grian says gently, “How are you feeling?”

“Not the best,” Hotguy admits, “What exactly happened again- Wait your-”

“Cuteguy?” Grian finishes.

“Wait, so why did you stop being Cuteguy to be Poultry Man?” He asks.

“Well, I’m sure that you remember the incident that happened a few months ago.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Well the whole idea that I had almost killed you kind of weighed down on me. But if you didn’t know that I was the person who almost killed you you couldn’t hate me.” Grian explains as his eyes start tearing up. 

“I don’t hate you.”

“I know I was being stupid, now can I finish my story?” Grian asks.

“Right, sorry.”

“I tore up my Cuteguy costume and used the symbol from the chest as a patch on an old pair of pants. Then I grabbed some supplies and headed out to remeet you. A week or so later of course there was the masquerade and I went in a drag costume so even then people wouldn’t recognise me, we talked some and then the fight happened. Afterward I was incredibly concerned for everyone who was there, especially for the people who I either knew their identities or who I cared about more about.”

“Like?”

“Well like my roommate or my coworkers,” Grian says, “But back on track, I heard that Grian Helios went missing and quite a few of the other vigilantes started to try and track him down. I normally work alone as Poultry Man and after the incident I got new powers from the magic possession mushroom shit. I used them to find him quicker, then of course the fight from earlier today happened and I was concerned that you would once again almost die. I forgot about being careful about my secrets and did my best to save you. I didn’t want to relive what had previously happened.”

Grian finishes talking and there’s silence until Hotguy speaks up, “You didn’t happen to see under my mask did you?”

“No, all though I will admit that I considered looking to see who you are.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Hotguy asks him.

“It’s not my secret to know, just like how I told you that I’m Cuteguy, that was my secret to tell. But I would only expect you to tell me who you are if you somehow learned who I am.” Grian explains.

“Hm… Are you gonna start being Cuteguy again?” 

“I don’t know.”

“Let me know if you do, okay?”

“Sure,” Grian tells him while standing up, “I talked to Cleo by the way, they’re willing to let you stay here until tomorrow if needed.”

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome, Also… Thank you.”

-

Scar stands in front of the door to his apartment as he considers the conversation that he had with Poultry Man or well Cuteguy earlier. He could have seen who Scar is but he didn’t look, this is the second time that Scar almost died due to The Red Ones. It’s quite possible that either Cleo or Mumbo will just tell him that Scar is Hotguy but he doubts it, however there's someone else who Scar should probably tell. He shakily walks through the door and to his delight sees Grian sitting wrapped in a blanket on the couch. As Scar walks in, Grian looks up at him and smiles, “Hi Scar.”

“Grian!” Scar yells happily as he heads over, “Are you okay?”

“I mean the whole kidnapping thing was a lot to handle but I feel fine now.”

“Are you sure?” He asks while sitting down.

“Yeah really, I feel fine. Honestly it was kind of weird, The Red King tried to tell me that I don’t drink enough water.”

“Wait really?”

“Yep, I think that they were just trying to lure people there.”

“Hm…”

“You good Scar?” Grian asks.

“I- I think I know why this all happened.” Scar tells him.

“What do you mean?”

“I- I have something to tell you.”

“Which is?”

“Okay so you know how they kidnapped you?” Scar explains.

“Scar, I think that I know I was kidnapped.” 

“Can you keep a secret G?”

“Scar, you have no idea how many secrets I’ve kept.” Grian says.

“I- okay. I’m, actually nevermind.” Scar says.

“Okay?” Grian says in a confused tone.

“What?” Scar asks.

“Sorry, Sorry,” Grian laughs, “I was just expecting some sort of big reveal.”

“That makes sense.”

“So, you want to binge watch the life game movies tomorrow?” Grian asks.

“Sure, should we invite any of the others?”

“Totally.”

Okay maybe Scar was being a coward to not admit it, but to be fair that would probably break the contract that he signed with the GFHA. The last thing that Scar needs is to become a public enemy for breaking his contract.

[lizzibennet]

penelope’s styling so far in all the press material is definitely inspired by 40’s and 50’s looks, what with the hair and makeup (clothes not so much obv) and i really like that. in previous seasons her style was ridiculous to the point of making her look childish, with an exception here or there. this season they want her to look mature, sexy, siren-ish even, and of course they can’t “modernize” her so to speak by doing 2024 makeup and hair on her, so they’re doing it by referencing looks that are not current to us but are in our collective consciousness as an era of glamour and allure. i really like that! i think it’s such a smart move, and it’s a very unique approach to characters in this show. it’s the most anachronistic they’ve been so far. i do wonder if this approach is only towards her look, or if it reflects how their attitude towards her character itself has changed this season. penelope, i think, is the character with the most “modern” storyline and the most chances of them kind of belittling the historical component in favor of a more girlboss-y take and i think there, for me at least and for now, lies her appeal: the opportunity to truly be the “audience stand-in” character

[s0fter-sin]

i need ghoap frantically making out against a door finally taking the leap on their feelings. need ghost grinding against soap, expecting to find him just as hard as him, only to feel nothing

and in all his wisdom and experience, he concludes soap was tortured and never told him

he’s trying to think of a delicate way to say he understands, that he’s been through it and it doesn’t change anything about how he feels (and who the fuck touched him so he can hunt them down and rend them limb from limb)

meanwhile trans!soap’s just trying to find the best angle to grind his cunt on ghost’s thigh

just it never even entering ghost’s head bc he’s never known a trans person but he has met plenty of people who’ve been tortured - himself included - so of course that’s his logical leap

soap takes off his shirt and he sees his top surgery scars and ghost asks if he wants him to kill the one who did it and soap just hums like, “actually, man did pretty good, they healed real well,” and ghost’s just teary-eyes with awe at how well he’s coping, “looking on the bright side, that’s my johnny.”

imagine he thinks johnny was fully castrated but sees he’s determined to still have a sex life with him so he buys packers and straps to help him bc hell yeah healing and soap’s just like, “holy shit i’ve never had such a thoughtful partner before, such a sweet man, lt.”