#i see at maximum 3 a year in the wild

[tangibletechnomancy]

The reason I took interest in AI as an art medium is that I've always been interested in experimenting with novel and unconventional art media - I started incorporating power tools into a lot of my physical processes younger than most people were even allowed to breathe near them, and I took to digital art like a duck to water when it was the big, relatively new, controversial thing too, so really this just seems like the logical next step. More than that, it's exciting - it's not every day that we just invent an entirely new never-before-seen art medium! I have always been one to go fucking wild for that shit.

Which is, ironically, a huge part of why I almost reflexively recoil at how it's used in the corporate world: because the world of business, particularly the entertainment industry, has what often seems like less than zero interest in appreciating it as a novel medium.

And I often wonder how much less that would be the case - and, by extension, how much less vitriolic the discussion around it would be, and how many fewer well-meaning people would be falling for reactionary mythologies about where exactly the problems lie - if it hadn't reached the point of...at least an illusion of commercial viability, at exactly the moment it did.

See, the groundwork was laid in 2020, back during covid lockdowns, when we saw a massive spike in people relying on TV, games, books, movies, etc. to compensate for the lack of outdoor, physical, social entertainment. This was, seemingly, wonderful for the whole industry - but under late-stage capitalism, it was as much of a curse as it was a gift. When industries are run by people whose sole brain process is "line-go-up", tiny factors like "we're not going to be in lockdown forever" don't matter. CEOs got dollar signs in their eyes. Shareholders demanded not only perpetual growth, but perpetual growth at this rate or better. Even though everyone with an ounce of common sense was screaming "this is an aberration, this is not sustainable" - it didn't matter. The business bros refused to believe it. This was their new normal, they were determined to prove -

And they, predictably, failed to prove it.

So now the business bros are in a pickle. They're beholden to the shareholders to do everything within their power to maintain the infinite growth they promised, in a world with finite resources. In fact, by precedent, they're beholden to this by law. Fiduciary duty has been interpreted in court to mean that, given the choice between offering a better product and ensuring maximum returns for shareholders, the latter MUST be a higher priority; reinvesting too much in the business instead of trying to make the share value increase as much as possible, as fast as possible, can result in a lawsuit - that a board member or CEO can lose, and have lost before - because it's not acting in the best interest of shareholders. If that unsustainable explosive growth was promised forever, all the more so.

And now, 2-3-4 years on, that impossibility hangs like a sword of Damocles over the heads of these media company CEOs. The market is fully saturated; the number of new potential customers left to onboard is negligible. Some companies began trying to "solve" this "problem" by violating consumer privacy and charging per household member, which (also predictably) backfired because those of us who live in reality and not statsland were not exactly thrilled about the concept of being told we couldn't watch TV with our own families. Shareholders are getting antsy, because their (however predictably impossible) infinite lockdown-level profits...aren't coming, and someone's gotta make up for that, right? So they had already started enshittifying, making excuses for layoffs, for cutting employee pay, for duty creep, for increasing crunch, for lean-staffing, for tightening turnarounds-

And that was when we got the first iterations of AI image generation that were actually somewhat useful for things like rapid first drafts, moodboards, and conceptualizing.

Lo! A savior! It might as well have been the digital messiah to the business bros, and their eyes turned back into dollar signs. More than that, they were being promised that this...both was, and wasn't art at the same time. It was good enough for their final product, or if not it would be within a year or two, but it required no skill whatsoever to make! Soon, you could fire ALL your creatives and just have Susan from accounting write your scripts and make your concept art with all the effort that it takes to get lunch from a Star Trek replicator!

This is every bit as much bullshit as the promise of infinite lockdown-level growth, of course, but with shareholders clamoring for the money they were recklessly promised, executives are looking for anything, even the slightest glimmer of a new possibility, that just might work as a life raft from this sinking ship.

So where are we now? Well, we're exiting the "fucking around" phase and entering "finding out". According to anecdotes I've read, companies are, allegedly, already hiring prompt engineers (or "prompters" - can't give them a job title that implies there's skill or thought involved, now can we, that just might imply they deserve enough money to survive!)...and most of them not only lack the skill to manually post-process their works, but don't even know how (or perhaps aren't given access) to fully use the software they specialize in, being blissfully unaware of (or perhaps not able/allowed to use) features such as inpainting or img2img. It has been observed many times that LLMs are being used to flood once-reputable information outlets with hallucinated garbage. I can verify - as can nearly everyone who was online in the aftermath of the Glasgow Willy Wonka Dashcon Experience - that the results are often outright comically bad.

To anyone who was paying attention to anything other than please-line-go-up-faster-please-line-go-please (or buying so heavily into reactionary mythologies about why AI can be dangerous in industry that they bought the tech companies' false promises too and just thought it was a bad thing), this was entirely predictable. Unfortunately for everyone in the blast radius, common sense has never been an executive's strong suit when so much money is on the line.

Much like CGI before it, what we have here is a whole new medium that is seldom being treated as a new medium with its own unique strengths, but more often being used as a replacement for more expensive labor, no matter how bad the result may be - nor, for that matter, how unjust it may be that the labor is so much cheaper.

And it's all because of timing. It's all because it came about in the perfect moment to look like a life raft in a moment of late-stage capitalist panic. Any port in a storm, after all - even if that port is a non-Euclidean labyrinth of soggy, rotten botshit garbage.

Any port in a storm, right? ...right?

All images generated using Simple Stable, under the Code of Ethics of Are We Art Yet?

[boiohboii]

Vigilante Shit 《pt.1》

(max verstappen x ricciardo!reader)

Yn Ricciardo is a familiar face for every formula 1 fan, having known her since she was 10 years old as she joined her brother in the paddock over the years, she leads quite a normal life as a normal college student with her boyfriend.. well, as normal as it can be

or

in which yn ricciardo gets through her first heartbreak by the help of her brother's teammate?

N.B: the summary isn't the best tbh... this small series (i think 4 or 5 parts maximum) is inspired by taylor swift's reputation and midnight albums (2 of my all time favourite albums)... I hope you guys like it! Also I left a hidden message for where this is going in here, so let me know your theories in the comments, thank you for reading ♥️♥️ °ps: don't worry, pt2 of the cillian x fem driver reader is coming very soon° WARNINGS: very short, not proof read, swear words, smoking and drinking (mentioned and in pics), 5 year age gap, if I missed anything else please let me know

faceclaim: jenna ortega

masterlist

Liked by jakesven, danielricandynric, ynswife and 89,618 others

DannyRicUpdates: YN Ricciardo gone wild?? The 20 year old was seen tody smoking and drinking right before the Italian GP (not really a hot look, the youngest riccardo looks sick and tired). yn is known as quite the lovely and good girl, her older brother always supports her and takes her travelling whenever her studies allow while she has a lovely boyfriend back home who is always waiting for her with open arms(as documented through hers and Daniel's social media) so what could possibly push her to waste her life away?

ynric: this is ridiculous, first of i am 20 I can drink in Europe and second it's non of your fucking business you dickheads

Liked by danielricciardo, landonorris, maxverstappen1 and 183,627 others

ynric: Tous les mêmes, tous les mêmes, tous les mêmes

username: the only 20 year old that looks like an actual 20 year old

username: now hold up, the first picture of her and jake was captioned with not all men... now she has this caption after 3 weeks of no jake

username: you might be onto something

username: I see where this is going and I don't like it

Liked by Dannyandyn, mickschumacher, danielricciardo and 126,819 others

ynric: I regret you all the time

username: soooo, jake fucked up huh...

username: tous les mêmes indeed

username: fucking hell man

username: no cause y'all remember that video where yn and jake answered some questions and he said that he doesn't think she'd look good in short hair and that he thinks dark colors and black doesn't suite her

username: thank fuck they broke up, like sure I hate that she had to get hurt but she can only go up from here

~liked by danielricciardo~

Liked by danielricciardo, Charles_Leclerc, ynric and 1,927,048 others

maxverstappen1: I like it 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

username: max listening to Taylor swift was not on my 2023 bingo card wtf

username: no cause why did he choose the one song that had shit in the title

username: no cause yn having the caption from would've, could've, should've and now max suddenly listens to a song from the same album

username: coincidence? I THINK THE FUCK NOT

username: not him having the song on repeat 😂😂

part 2

[knoxic]

A kiss may ruin a human life.

Oscar Wilde

-Masterlist- part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4

wc: 3k

warnings: usual cm things? angst, Aaron being horny again but I doubt that's an issue

a/n: I actually wrote smut in this part but it got so big I had to cut off lmao

Time passed strangely.

The car ride to the station was weird and silent, the elevator was too small, a couple officers looked at you weirdly but you never felt more relieved to be in a police station as you were now. Missing person records were scattered all over the place, set up specifically for your team, the door to the room the BAU had been using was left open, the round table in the middle was surrounded by maps and pictures of possible suspects.

"Oh, hello!" so focused on getting away from Aaron you had failed to realize Derek was watching you since you stepped out of the elevator, "What took you so long, honey?"

"Look who's talking, you are always at least 10 minutes late."

"That's because I got things to do" he smirked and even dared a wink "But you... Are always on time, I got curious that's all."

Opting to answer with a slight slap on his muscled arm, you left him and went to search for some coffee, the constant change in emotions left you dizzy with a foggy brain, your stomach grumbling did not help.

The embarrassing noise it made reminding you that those peanuts you ate for dinner are not actually meant to fill your stomach. Coffee was already being brewed despite not having many officers working this late, you supposed it was probably one of your teammates. There were some packages of food next to an old box of pizza and some napkins, nasty.

A sudden husky voice from the entrance door echoed inside the small room, the speed in which you lifted your head made your tense neck hurt.

"JJ is getting us something to eat, well, something better than..." with 'better' he meant healthier, there was barely any food in there and the only things that were edible did not really seem edible. With a hand gesture he pointed to the package in your hand, to be honest you had picked it up just to try and figure out what it was, not exactly meaning to eat it.

"Good, she always knows what we want." throwing the package back to where it sat before, you leaned on the counter trying to look unaffected, over the years you had mastered the art of having no facial expression, yet, you couldn't hide from the person standing in front of you.

...

He noticed the way you stepped out of the elevator, your head being held high even if your mind seemed to be elsewhere, the minute you two spent side by side in that tiny space seemed to have made your confidence slip. Heading to the meeting room to see Dave he walked past you and Morgan talking, he couldn't hear what was said before but the smirk on Derek's face told him enough-

"That's because I got things to do." spoke that teasing voice he was so familiarized with, making him stop, "But you... Are always on time, I got curious that's all." turning back, he saw the way you glared at the guy, tired and unfocused but with a hint of the flame that always showed when you were being teased, your mouth opened and closed but no words came out, your hand raising slowly to give the man's arm a weak slap, making your way around Derek your feet dragged you towards the kitchen.

His heart felt lighter and his lungs could finally take a deep breath. He knew the relationship you maintained with the team was at maximum, friendship. You were strictly professional and barely ever laughed at the dumb jokes and acts Derek and Emily pulled, holding back your own dumb remarks for an off work time, he had caught a glimpse of it once. At the time he wasn't aware how deep in he was for you so it didn't really affect him the way you threw you body at Emily from laughing too hard, or the way Derek always kept his hands on you, a simple trick to make people think you were unavailable and to keep creepy men away from you, he used that with Garcia too. Unfortunately for Aaron, it worked so well that it even kept himself away from you.

Following you was a decision his heart made and his mind didn't argue with. After what happened tonight he could use some caffeine to keep himself sane, the words you two exchanged seemed to have been said yesterday and not 45 minutes ago.

His phone, which he had found strangely under his go bag, now tucked into his left pocket buzzed twice, the walk to the kitchen was rather small so he stopped to check the messages. Both of them being from JJ and he could already guess what they said.

"Hotch!"

'Don't let anyone eat yet, I'll get us something.' paired with a winking emoji. Good, he didn't think anyone would eat the food here anyway.

He was wrong.

Seeing you with a 'snack' on your hand made his eyebrows go up and the sides of his mouth pull down, you wouldn't... "JJ is getting us something to eat, well, something better than..." his mouth worked fast, you hadn't acknowledged his presence, the slip on your expression when you looked up made him cringe at himself, you looked frightened before staring at him like a blank wall.

He heard your voice and saw your mouth moving but paid no attention to what was being said. He was focused on the way your body leaned on the counter and the way you tried so hard to keep a straight face.

Not knowing what he was supposed to say, he only nodded and walked over to the coffee machine right beside you. Grabbing two cups and filling them without saying anything, you kept watching him, he was close enough that his arm brushed yours a couple times.

"Did you talk to Rossi yet?" your voice was almost a whisper.

"No, not yet." he pushed one of the cups in your direction before mirroring your position against the counter. "Did Derek say anything?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"About the case?" he nodded. "No."

"What did he say then?" Oh my god, Aaron.

You laughed, a sarcastic laugh with no actual humor behind.

"Why would I tell you?" you grabbed the cup and left the kitchen.

...

"We thought he was only taking girls, right? But we were wrong, I asked Garcia to take a look at other bodies found in the area because I was sure I had seen something similar. Two young boys were taken a few weeks ago, few days in between and were found dead after three days too. I had seen their pictures and something clicked. The unsub has a type! People who look innocent and small, in general someone who look defenseless you know?" He took some time to place all of the victims pictures on the table.

"We profiled that he was impulsive," his messy hair and fumbling fingers made him look like a crazy magician. "But actually, he's extremely cautious and calculated." his rambling went on for what felt like hours.

"Reid!"

"Sorry, Hotch!" he took a deep breath, "What I'm trying to say is, he's smart. He plans everything twice before acting. He chooses the victims based on their relationship with their partners, all of them had abusive boyfriends, one of the boys was married to a woman twenty years older than him, not that age means anything! But they apparently started dating when he had just turned eighteen..."

"How did we not see that they were all in a abusive relationship?" Emily sounded surprised because normally, relationships is one of the first things to be checked.

"We did." Aaron sighed. "But toxic relationships are unfortunately common enough that we just... ignored it."

"So, what do we do now?" you asked. On the way to the police station you were excited to hear what Spence had figured out, now feeling what was about to come did not ease your anxiety.

"I think some of us are going to have a date tomorrow" damn Dave and his teasing.

"Fortunately not me." Emily said while raising both hands, "I flirted with a psycho last time, I deserve a little break."

"All of them had dark hair..." You could see how JJ was relieved, she was almost always pretty much like the victims, blonde and innocent looking.

"I am too old."

"Oh, now you think you're old?"

"Don't push it, Emily." Dave rolled his eyes before turning to you. "I think you should go, you look innocent and young, dark haired and small."

"Ok, I'll go. Who am I dating?"

"I could go." bless Emily.

"I thought you were taking a break? I'll go, I'm strong and intimidating." Derek ignored her.

"Yeah I think you'd be good at it, considering you basically gaslight all your girlfriends into breaking up with you." Emily laughed.

Aaron was strangely quiet. after you walked into the room and stood behind a chair, he had taken a place right beside you. If you didn't profile people for a living, you'd think nothing of it, but you knew he did it for a deeper reason. Everybody knew you two were sharing a room, and everyone had the tendency to stand close to whoever they roomed with, you two were no different. If he chose a place far away from you like he wanted to, it would be too obvious something had happened.

"I think it's funny how none of us considered Reid." You said. "Maybe we could ask that rookie to help?" you could hear a sigh coming from your side right after the words left your mouth.

"He almost cried when Dave gave him a lesson on how to handle the victims parents, you think he can play your toxic boyfriend?" His voice was slightly raised and the word 'boyfriend' had a mocking tone. From where you were looking at him you could also see Emily and JJ exchanging a look. "I'll do it." Nobody questioned him.

The next couple hours were spent planning and then you two were being sent back to the hotel. In a few hours, after the sun came up, you would probably be going out to pick some clothes, and after that you'd be rehearsing your role. While Aaron would be acting like a complete asshole, you couldn't help but feel some butterflies in your stomach. Fake dating Aaron Hotchner was the closest you'd be to the real thing and if it wasn't for a mission, you would certainly be making the most of it.

When you got inside the room the first thing you did was take your sneakers off and find the shorts you were wearing earlier, going straight to the bathroom to change. You brushed your teeth again and went back intending to ignore Aaron, unfortunately for you, he was sitting on your bed facing the bathroom.

"Can we talk?"

"Now you want to talk? Now?" You weren't yelling, yet.

"Listen, tomorrow it's going to be just me and you alone, I thought it would be best if we talk now."

"I actually think the opposite." you walked to your bed and threw your clothes above your bag, there'll be time to fold it later. "You are going to act like an asshole anyway so if we just continue like this you won't have to pretend." you were now facing him from the end of the bed, he was still in the same position but his neck was bent in a weird way to look at you.

"What do you mean I won't have to pretend?" he raised his voice and turned a leg to rest above the bed. "You actually think I would be like all those fucking idiots?"

"No, I'm just saying it would be easier to not have to pretend this fucking awkward thing between us." if he was raising his voice then you could too, and you did.

"How do you expect me to treat you poorly when I know we're already on bad terms?"

"Aaron, you already did treat me poorly, and in front of everyone! You doubted my profile skills, you questioned my methods in front of other officers, you brushed off my theories so many times even when everyone believed them... You have been toxic, playing a toxic boyfriend won't be so hard for you."

He didn't know you felt that way, he always thought so highly of you that sometimes he felt like he needed to brush a few things off. He got lost.

"I didn't know you felt that way."

"Why would you?" he didn't answer. "You realize the BAU is not a normal unit right?" Now he looked like he was expecting you to finish talking, "Normally, we do have to trust each other and have a certain connection, but we don't always get treated like family. Sometimes we don't even like some coworkers, for a couple units I've been in we didn't even talk outside work. The BAU makes you feel special, like you actually add something to the team that no one else has. You are a big part of the team, and a big part of why I felt special... but for a while now you make me feel like I'm fucking dumb and useless."

From and outsiders perspective, you two looked broken.

"I am so sorry you felt that way."

There wasn't any answer from you, your arms were crossed tightly over your chest. Your eyes weren't meeting his but from what he could see they were teary too.

"I always trusted you, to the point where Dave asked if I was giving you special treatment on purpose. I wasn't. You have always been a good agent and an even better profiler. Your work is impeccable but as a unit chief I couldn't give you the treatment I would like to give. At some point I got scared that I would slip and compliment you too much, when we first started interacting outside work I noticed how much I actually liked you as a friend, and I had to put a stop to it before it got too far. Except I was late and went too far, I liked you too much already and I didn't know how to stop being so nice to you so I just started pushing you away. So many stories from Derek breaking up with his girlfriends gave me an idea and I hated having to do that, always hated hearing him tell me how he manipulated them just so he wouldn't be the bad boyfriend, but it worked. I see now I should've never done that and I am so sorry I made you feel the way you felt."

"Feel."

"Sorry?"

"Feel. You said felt but I still feel."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, thanks."

There was this weird silence in the room, not as weird as the other ones were but still uncomfortable.

"This is probably not the best time to say this but-"

"Oh my god! What are you doing? We finally communicated!" you groaned while dropping your head into your hands.

"-I think I'm in love with you..."

"What the hell happened with 'not sure we should act on it' bullshit you pulled out earlier?" you were sure you two would've woken the people sleeping on the rooms close to yours, thankfully they were all too busy working in a police department now.

"We acted on it anyway! We're not fucking but we acted like a married couple fighting today!" and the 'not fucking' part also contributes. He stood up but didn't get any closer to you.

"And whose fault is that?"

"What? What did I do?"

"Aaron, what the fuck? First you told me you liked me and then you just brushed me off when I said I liked you back. You didn't let me leave the room and pulled a move like I was a teenager and you were the parent taking my phone off, then later you just pretended nothing happened but looked so fucking jealous that I talked to Derek."

"Okay, it's my fault! I'm sorry, but I already told you, I like you and Derek is a fucking threat to anyone!"

"I told you I like you back, you idiot! Derek is not a threat for you!"

"What did you call me?"

"Idiot. Is that the only thing you paid attention to?"

"No..."

Oh my god...

"Are you-" no way.

"Yeah..." he whispered.

"You liked being called idiot?"

He was hard. His left hand making a move to adjust his pants, a tent making itself bigger. He looked embarrassed, his cheeks were getting red and he couldn't look you in the eye.

"No, I like you."

"You can't just do this, you know?" your head was pounding and you raised a hand to apply pressure with your thumb and index finger to both sides of it. In merely a few hours you had gone through so many emotions and now you could even feel a certain warmth on your lower belly. "You make me confused."

"I am sorry and I want to fix it." he was stepping closer to you now, "Please, let me?"

"I'm not confused in a sexual way, I find you extremely hot and all that. I'm confused in a way that I need you to explain your actions and feelings because I feel like there's more to it than you told me." your eyes were still closed and you only opened them when you felt his hands touching both of your arms.

"I will, I promise. But I can't handle this anymore."

"Aaron..."

His toes were touching yours from how close he had gotten, his hands kept moving up and down your arms, occasionally squeezing your flesh. He was so close, his touches warmed up your skin, his ragged breath fanned your face. You couldn't, you shouldn't... But he was so tempting and you were tired of holding back.

Taglist: @mrs-ssa-hotch @emobabeyy

[rosepetalsinwinter]

Five Years That Felt Like a Millennium (2) — Bucky Barnes

Pairing: tfatws!bucky x reader

Word count: 7,579

Summary: Baby Girl isn't doing too well after seeing Quentin.

Warnings: illusions and mention of violence, abuse, manipulation, and cheating, self-deprecation, fluff, flirting, angst

Note: I apologize for my absence. The response to the first part has been unbelievable! Thank you all so much. I hope I can do it justice.

Ao3│Wattpad│Ko-fi

Main Masterlist │Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3

Happy Reading! 💜

Bucky didn't know a person could cry so much. Surely, the body must have surpassed a threshold ages ago for maximum fluid expulsion, but it seemed unlikely. Tears ran unbidden down Baby Girl's face, soaking into her white camisole, still wet from the lake. At least her body no longer wracked with sobs, which was a small accomplishment, he supposed.

He filled a glass with cold water. "Here, drink this."

Baby Girl's movements were almost mechanical as she took measured sips, slowly draining the glass. She stared at her reflection in the crystal, then abruptly stood, making Bucky hastily step back. Barefoot and half-dressed, she made for the front door.

Bucky blocked her path. "Where are you going?"

She went around him and reached for the handle, but Bucky intercepted her just in time, pulling her by the wrist. Her eyes were unfocused and wild, darting this way and that. "Hey!" She froze. "Hey," he said again, softer and with considerably less force. "What's going on in that smart brain of yours, huh? What are you thinking?"

"I need to find Quentin," she gulped. "I need to apologize to him. I need to make things right before he—"

She choked on her words, but Bucky knew her enough by now to predict what she would say next. "Before he what? Before he hurts Sam?"

Her face crumpled. "Maybe if I get down on my knees and beg, he'll forgive me, and things can go back to the way they used to be."

Bucky felt his previous anger return. Quentin Beck was a goddamn asshole because, in the span of a few minutes, he had managed to turn a bright and bubbly soul into an inconsolable mess.

"Is that really what you want?" he asked. "You want things to go back to the way they used to be?" Bucky already knew Baby Girl's answer, but he felt it was imperative for her to acknowledge out loud.

"No," she croaked. "Not really, but I don't have a choice. Quentin will hurt Sam and his family."

Bucky wiped the fresh tears from her face, letting his hands linger on her cheeks. "And what about you? He's hurting you. Are you not Sam's family?"

Baby girl began crying anew. Bucky carried her to the couch and held her close, letting her tears run down his bare skin. They sat like that until her breathing eventually evened, and her eyes drooped close. Bucky didn't dare move. Baby Girl was cradled in his arms and against his neck, legs stretched on the couch.

His eyes began to close, sleep slowly taking over, and he was going to let it. They both needed rest after the day's events, but sleep wasn't in his fortune. Bucky's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he startled awake, awkwardly maneuvering around to retrieve it without disturbing Baby Girl.

It was Sam. Bucky glanced down at the sleeping form in his arms. Dried tears painted her face, her eyes were puffy, and her nose red. Bucky's heart lurched in his chest, and he made a hasty decision—promise be damned, Bucky would fix this for her.

He answered the call. "Hey, Sam." And told him everything .

"Sam?" Bucky asked, after Sam had been quiet too long.

Sam sounded wretched with grief. "I knew something was wrong. I just never imagined..."

Bucky sighed, already anticipating the blame game. A family trait, he considered. "It's not your fault. Quentin Beck is to blame, and he will pay for his actions, I promise you." Though Bucky couldn't see him, he imagined Sam nodding his frustration. "Do you think you could get in contact with Congressman Lockhart?"

"Congressman Lock—why?"

"He owes me a favour," said Bucky, not mentioning that he had saved Lockhart's life. "How much are you willing to bet that Lockhart has met Quentin Beck before, and that Beck has probably left a less-than-savoury impression on the Congressman?"

"I don't understand."

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Sam."

Sam was impressed. "I'll ask Torres to get us in contact."

Bucky smirked, feeling a satisfaction spread over him at the thought of Quentin Beck rotting in a jail cell. "You do that. When do you think you'll be back?"

Baby Girl shifted in his arms, and Bucky softened his voice. "Day after tomorrow? Alright, keep me updated." He ended the call.

"Who was that?" came a groggy voice. Baby Girl's eyes were closed, and she was in the process of waking up.

"Sam," Bucky answered, adjusting her in his arms. "His business is taking longer than usual. He and Sarah will be back in a few days.

Baby Girl pushed away from Bucky, sat up next to him, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes trailed to his chest and widened in mortification. "Shit, I'm so sorry. I drooled all over you."

When she reached over to wipe him clean, he grabbed her wrist. "Why do you make it a habit to apologize for things out of your control?"

She suddenly jerked away from him, putting ample space between them. "I can hardly help how I feel. If I feel sorry, I apologize."

"Well, don't." Bucky stretched his legs, groaning at the relief. "I'm a grown man," he teased, wiping his chest with the back of his hand. "I can handle a little drool."

Baby girl looked down at her palms, forlorn and despondent. "I'm a mess," she muttered.

"Yes, you are," Bucky responded quietly. She jerked her head in surprise, expecting him to dispute her. But she didn't need his false reassurances any longer. Bucky wanted the full weight of her circumstances bearing down on her so she might escape from the haze of melancholy and finally fight back.

Bucky looked out the window at the setting sun. It cast a beautiful golden glow over the two of them. "You should change into something comfortable," he told her. "There's a lot to talk about."

"Quentin was in one of my electives at school." Baby Girl was freshly showered and changed, wearing Bucky's sweats because she was out of clean clothes. They were enormous on her frame, which suited her well.

Bucky had also changed and was sitting across from her on the kitchen table, a warm cup of tea in his hands. It was something floral with a bitter note. He took his plain while she drowned hers in honey.

"Abnormal Psychology," she continued, "which is ironic because I diagnosed him with narcissism a few years into our relationship. I never told him, obviously. It wouldn't have ended well."

The conversation—long overdue—produced a painful pit in Bucky's stomach. He recognized it as suppressed rage, slowly building in potency and power. Bucky took a large sip of his tea, letting it burn his tongue so he might focus on anything other than the need to punch Beck's face.

"I tripped over his bag. He helped me up; apologized, and asked me to dinner."

Bucky couldn't help how bitter he sounded. "And you said yes."

She looked at him with dead eyes. "I wish I had. Then my life wouldn't have turned into a Shakespearean tragedy."

"That seems a bit bleak," Bucky snorted.

"But isn't it?" she implored. "Bleak? He was my first serious boyfriend; I moved in with him after two weeks and quit my job after a month. He didn't say 'I love you' until I threatened to leave him when I found out he was cheating. I pretended to look the other way when I found another girl's bra in our bed. I laughed when I saw lipstick stains on his collar. I gave him my virginity on my birthday, the day after I found out he cheated on me again. If that isn't bleak, if that isn't a tragedy, then what is? Perhaps it's the fact that I made excuses for him the first time he hit me. I told myself he was aiming for the wall, and I got in the way of his fist, but let's be honest, I was deluding myself."

Baby girl took a deep breath and dug her nails into the table. Her previous sorrow was replaced with unbridled anger. "I recognized all the signs. I knew he was using me—manipulating me! He even said so himself. We were at a party, and his friend said I was 'quite something.' Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean! Quentin said, 'She is, isn't she? But I gotta tell you, I'm not with her for that brain of hers.' I was standing right next to him! He and his friends undressed me with their eyes, and I just stood there and smiled!"

Bucky felt his rage simmering—at Beck, at the situation, at her . "Why are you blaming yourself? It's not your fault!"

Baby Girl pushed away from the table and paced around. "Don't!" she shouted. "Nothing you say will make this okay, Bucky. Nothing you say will make what I did okay!"

Bucky stood up as well, breathing heavily. He had known her less than a week but already felt burning concern on her behalf. "And what did you do?"

"Nothing!" she screamed, and her shrill voice echoed throughout the empty house. "I did nothing! Quentin threatened Sam, then once Sam blipped, he threatened Sarah and the boys, and I knew it wasn't a bluff because he had the connections to back him up. I knew, because I'm the one who helped him get those connections in the first place!"

Bucky sucked in a quick breath. "What connections?" Baby Girl had calmed somewhat after her brief yet brutal rant, and she sat down at the table, sipping her tea.

"What connections!" Bucky almost shouted.

Baby Girl startled. "I don't know! Businessmen, stockbrokers, a lot of Wall Street types. They paid attention to him when he had a pretty girl on his arm."

"Was that all?" Bucky probed.

Baby Girl shook her head. "There were a lot of government officials, too. I told you, remember? FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, Senators, UN spokespersons, congressmen, federal court judges—"

"Repeat that."

"Federal court—"

"No!" Bucky interrupted again. "What you said before."

"Congressmen?" Baby Girl huffed in annoyance. "I don't understand why that stood out to you the most. Are federal court judges not impressive enough for you, Bucky?"

Bucky ignored her snark and sat across from her. "Do you happen to know a Congressman Lockhart?"

Baby Girl paused before taking a sip from her cup. "Surprisingly, yes. Mr. Lockhart left a lasting impression when he didn't try looking down my dress every few minutes or shoving his hand up my leg."

"That's disgusting," he frowned.

"That's life," Baby Girl retorted. "Trust me, I had it better than most women."

Bucky shook his head, hating how she downplayed her struggles. "That's not okay."

Baby Girl scoffed without heat. "Like things were so much better in the forties. Right, Sergeant Barnes?"

Bucky ignored any feelings the utterance of his title from her lips brought forth. "I didn't stand for that then, and I don't stand for it now."

Thankfully, she seemed to have mercy on him and let the topic slide. "He didn't seem to like Quentin much; Lockhart. He asked me a lot of questions, and I think he got suspicious when I couldn't answer anything."

"Like what?"

"Like what I do for work, my interests, how I met Quentin. I couldn't tell him anything without revealing how abusive Quentin was. He especially didn't like it when he found out I was Sam Wilson's adopted kid sister."

Bucky was intrigued. "What did he say?"

"Nothing. He ignored Quentin for the rest of the event, but right before it ended, he pulled me aside and..." she trailed off.

"What?" Bucky encouraged her.

Baby Girl looked at him with shame and guilt swimming in her irises. "Congressman Lockhart told me I was making a mistake. He told me Quentin was using me because of my relation to Sam Wilson. He told me men like Quentin were rotten to the core, and I should run the other way and never look back." She gulped. "I should've listened to him."

Bucky shook his head. "You made a decision. You couldn't have known."

She didn't hear him, seemingly playing the scene in her mind. "Then the strangest thing happened. Congressman Lockhart called a few days later to meet about the project Quentin had proposed. Quentin was ecstatic, as you can imagine. He was overly sweet with me that day." Her brows puckered in confusion. "But I never understood... Why warn me away from Quentin only to cozy up to him later?"

Bucky leaned back in his chair, thinking everything over, connecting the dots. "Congressman Lockhart is a good man," he said. "A good and clever man."

Baby Girl narrowed her eyes. "How do you know him anyway? What does he have to do with anything?"

Bucky hesitated. He didn't want to get her hopes up if his plan didn't work, but he also couldn't watch her beat herself up any longer. This girl, this beautiful and feisty girl, had Bucky wrapped around her fingers since she wrapped her arms around his waist that day on his bike. This girl, who laughed and cried and smiled and was never afraid to voice her opinion. This girl, who looked at Bucky with admiration in her eyes, who looked at his metal arm with gentle curiosity and without any of the disgust or malice he was used to. Who kept her questions light and discrete so as not to unsettle him. This girl, this beautiful and feisty girl, who made Bucky smile.

He would do anything for her. Even if it meant keeping his scheme a secret.

Bucky hesitated, not wanting to lie to her, but finding he had little choice. "I have a plan," he said. "To get rid of Quentin Beck for good."

And Bucky was presented, for the first time since their swim in the lake, a genuine and awe-filled smile, directed entirely at him.

"Lemonade?"

Bucky swam toward the deck, hoisting himself from the lake. Baby Girl was sitting on the edge, letting her bare feet skim the cool water. "You take such good care of me," Bucky teased. He gave a playful shake of his head, sending droplets of water her way.

Baby Girl shrieked and raised her hands to cover her face. "You ass!"

With a chuckle, Bucky leaned back on his elbow, reaching for the drink.

"And to think I brought you sustenance!" Baby Girl pushed a plate of fruit toward him.

Bucky picked up a fruit with a deep purple flesh and examined it with suspicion. "Is this alien food? It looks like something you might find in Asgard."

Baby Girl stared in awe. "You've been to Asgard?"

Bucky was still looking at the teardrop-shaped product. "Not yet," he declared confidently and bit into the flesh. Bucky paused a moment, staring at Baby Girl before taking a larger bite. "What the fuck? Why is it so good?"

Baby Girl laughed. "What, you've never had a fig before?" She grabbed one for herself and showed him a better way to eat it. "You pinch it at the top. Split it open. Fold it over, and voila!" She popped it in her mouth, groaning as flavour burst across her tongue.

"I thought it was some weird kind of plum!" Bucky exclaimed, grabbing another.

"Nope, just a fig."

"Just a fig, she says," Bucky teased. "And what's this?" He threw a shiny orange fruit in the air, catching it just before it smacked Baby Girl in the face.

She took it from him with an unconvincing frown. " This —is a persimmon. You know it's ripe when it's ready to burst. I like to pinch the skin like this—" she demonstrated by making an incision with her teeth, "and suck the flesh." Baby Girl moaned in delight. "I missed this."

Bucky intensely observed her, paying close attention to a drop of persimmon juice on her lip.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Bucky reached over to wipe the juice with his thumb. "You're a mess," he said hoarsely. Then, he brought his thumb to his mouth and licked it off as she watched him. "It's sweet."

She stared at him, soft lips parted and breaths uneven. "Did you think it would be sour?"

Bucky shrugged and picked up one for himself, following Baby Girl's instructions and getting a proper taste. When he was halfway through his fruit and Baby Girl was still gawking at him, Bucky realized he had taken the flirting a bit too far.

Satisfaction crackled in his muscles, and he twitched out a smirk. It was only a small accomplishment that he had retained some of his frivolous ways, but he was still proud. "What else do you have for me?" he inquired loudly, effectively diverting her.

Baby Girl quickly composed herself, dropping the rest of her persimmon onto the fruit plate. "Watermelon and grapes."

"Does the watermelon change colours, and do the grapes taste like cotton candy?"

"Change colours—No!" Baby Girl gawped. "You have a strong imagination." She suddenly turned thoughtful. "I was thinking of grabbing the cotton candy grapes, though. But they're too sweet for me."

It was Bucky's turn to gawp. "I was being sarcastic. Do cotton candy grapes really exist?"

Baby Girl smiled. "They've been around a while. I'll get you some next time."

Bucky reclined on his elbow, resting his head in his hand. "Next time. I like the sound of that." He caught her eye and asked her the burning question. "So, you've decided to stay?"

Baby Girl pushed the empty glasses and fruit tray away, lying back on the deck. From this angle, with Bucky hovering over her, the sun didn't burn her eyes. She smiled a sad smile. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"You always have a choice," Bucky replied fervently. "We would never keep you against your will."

Baby Girl shook her head. "That's not what I meant. Quentin will always find me. He's possessive of his things."

"You're not a thing . And he doesn't deserve you."

"Maybe I deserve him."

Bucky looked into her bright eyes, thinly veiled with tears. He understood the feeling of helplessness—the intense guilt that followed. Even now, after being pardoned and making amends, Bucky couldn't stop guilt from seizing him in the dark hours of the night, when he was most vulnerable and exposed.

He often looked around and wondered if he deserved the life he had been given, this second chance that none of his victims had the fortune of. On more of a surface level, Bucky understood he was as much a victim as any other. A prisoner in his own body. He, and he alone, knew the struggle he had put up for almost twenty years before finally succumbing.

Bucky looked into her bright eyes, thinly veiled with tears, and saw himself reflected in them. He saw himself as a younger man—a better man—waging a war against invisible demons, and he understood. Trauma left its presence in various ways, and the evidence of it was scattered all across her vulnerable physique.

Bucky reached for a strand of her hair. "Sometimes, the hardest prison to escape from is the one we build in our own minds."

Baby Girl turned her head to look up at the sky. "That sounds like something you'd hear at the therapist's."

"And I'm giving it out for free," Bucky smiled.

They both said nothing for a short while, enjoying the sun, and soaking each other's company.

"He used to tell me I was beautiful every day." Her brows creased. "Well, not exactly. He never called me beautiful. He called me hot, and sexy, and fire—" she suddenly scoffed. "I hated that. 'You look fire.' One day, even that stopped. I remember thinking he didn't love me anymore because that's what attracted him in the first place."

Bucky played with her hair, letting her say what she needed to.

"Objectively, I know I'm attractive. I was told often enough by his friends. But I haven't felt pretty in a long time. And it disgusts me that I needed his validation to feel good about myself." Baby Girl took a deep breath, shaking slightly from the overload of emotions. "Sorry."

Making sure she was looking at him, Bucky leaned his head down and kissed the corner of her mouth. Her skin was soft and warm, and he lingered a moment longer than necessary. "You're beautiful," he murmured, savouring her sweet scent. "Absolutely gorgeous."

Baby Girl stiffened under him, eyes widened with surprise, soft lips parted in exhale. She blinked furiously, grabbing her necklace in a white-knuckled grip—a dainty gold crescent moon with black detailing. "I feel very hot," she croaked.

Indeed, Bucky could hear her heart furiously pumping blood through her veins due to his risky kiss. He bent down and placed another, dangerously closer to her lips than the previous. "Let's cool you down then," he smirked, grabbing her around the waist and launching both of them into the lake.

He lost his hold on her as they submerged in the cool water. Bucky kicked off the bottom and broke the surface, looking around for her. Baby Girl emerged a moment later, mascara lines running down her cheeks and brows creased in a furious frown.

She wiped her face and scoffed, "You absolute ass!" When Bucky laughed at her, she splashed him with a large swell of water, which went into his mouth. He choked and sputtered between laughter, welcoming her gentle abuse with a large smile.

"You said you were hot," he rationalized. "I only wanted to cool you down."

Baby Girl intensified her attack, wading closer until she was on top of him, attempting to submerge his head. "You idiot!" she yelled. "My clothes are all wet!"

"Pity," Bucky sputtered, trying to grab hold of her, but she was relentless in her assault, flailing her limbs in reckless abandon.

"Die!" she shrieked, managing to clamber on top of him. She wrapped her legs around his neck and pushed him under, painfully pulling at his roots in the process.

All this time, Bucky could've easily subdued her. But where was the fun in that? When her legs tightened a smidge too much, and Bucky could no longer breathe, he finally put an end to their little game. He clasped his hand around her ankle and gave a gentle pull. Baby Girl fell from his shoulders with a dramatic scream, and realizing she had far surpassed his patience, began to swim away.

Bucky grabbed her ankle once more, keeping her in place. "You brat," he hissed. "I'll teach you a lesson."

Her panicked laughter brought a large smile to his face. Seeing her happy because of him; after the horrible week she'd had, filled Bucky with indescribable pride.

"No!" she giggled. "No more. I'm tired." In fact, she had stopped swimming and was struggling to stay afloat.

Bucky lifted her into his arms, ignoring her feeble protests. "That's enough games for today," he announced, carrying her dripping body inside.

After drying themselves and changing, they settled in the kitchen for dinner. Baby Girl sat on the island with her head resting on her arms, watching Bucky cook.

"Where did you learn that?" she asked when he expertly chopped onions without looking.

Bucky shrugged. "My Ma taught me the basics when I was little. She said cooking was a survival skill."

The girl smiled. "Smart woman."

"That she was," he sighed. "I learned some more in the army. Then, after I was pardoned, I found all this time on my hands and all these cuisines I wanted to try. YouTube is very handy for that."

"That it is." She walked to his side, watching him saute shrimp for the pasta. "You sure you don't want me to help?"

"Yeah, you sit your pretty ass down and relax."

"Yes, Chef!" Baby Girl saluted, not bothering to sit. She exclaimed in delight when Bucky flipped the pan one-handed.

"Wanna see something cool?" he smirked, grabbing a bottle of Cognac from the pantry. "Step back."

Baby Girl shuffled back, and Bucky poured some Cognac into the saucepan. He was so focused on the task that he didn't notice Baby Girl inch closer. Bucky tilted the pan, letting it catch fire, and a beautiful flame blazed powerfully in front of him. He turned, wanting to see her reaction.

She stepped away with a shout, arms raised to protect her face. The flame fizzled away as quickly as it had ignited, but she was still shaking in fear. She fell against the island counter, sliding to her knees.

Bucky turned off the stove and sank next to her, grabbing her arms. "What's wrong?" he worried. "Are you hurt?"

Eyes shut tight, she shook her head, but she was still trembling. "I'm okay."

Bucky didn't believe her. He lifted her up and set her on the counter, sliding between her spread legs. "Hey," he soothed. "What happened just now?"

She shook her head, eyes still closed. "I don't know, I—" Baby Girl exhaled shakily, trying to calm down. "I wasn't expecting—I thought. I'm scared of fire," she eventually admitted.

Bucky frowned. He vividly remembered the night of the bonfire, where she chased AJ and Cass around the large fire. There was no hint of fear on her face that night, no discomfort or hesitancy. He told her as such.

"I don't know. I think it's because the bonfire was out in the open. It was controlled and didn't feel as dangerous. But indoor fires..." She left the next part unsaid, but Bucky understood.

His flambé trick took her by surprise at such close proximity. For a moment, she was transported to her childhood home to relive that fateful night. Bucky hugged her tight, soothing her with kind words of affirmation. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."

She clutched tightly onto him, burying her face in his neck, breathing heavily into his ears. "Sometimes I think I was supposed to die that night," she whimpered, making Bucky freeze. "I was supposed to die in that house with my family. But I didn't. I'm scared the past will catch up with me one day to finish what it started."

Bucky held on to her tighter.

"I'm scared I'll find myself in that house again, and no one will be there to push me out the window."

"That won't happen," he promised. "I won't let it."

She briefly said nothing, and Bucky worried he hadn't done enough to reassure her.

"Have you seen the house?" she suddenly asked.

"No," replied Bucky, running his hands through her hair. "But Sam told me it was nearby."

Baby Girl hummed. "It's on the far side of the lake, covered by trees. We shared the lake with the Wilsons. Did you know the house is still there? What's left of it anyway. They fixed the damaged parts and put it up for sale. I found out two years ago."

Bucky pulled away from her, meeting her gaze. "It's been up that long?"

"Longer," she replied. "It went up for sale six years ago, but no one will buy it. Who wants to live in a house where an entire family died?"

Bucky wanted to correct her. "You're not dead," he wanted to shout. "You're not at fault. You deserve so much." 

"If I had the money..." she shook her head and dismissed the thought.

Would she buy the house if she could? he wondered. The home where she grew up and created happy memories with her siblings.

Bucky thought about his house in Brooklyn Heights, which had been turned into a poor excuse of a strip mall. The house where he had sleepovers with Steve. Where Rebecca hosted her friends, and Bucky hid underneath her bed to try and scare them. Where he snuck in his prom date, Dorothy, through his bedroom window when his parents were out of town. The time he and Steve were playing baseball on the street, and Steve hit the ball straight through the front window.

Would he buy that house if he could? If it hadn't been bulldozed? He decided he would. He had the desire, and he sure as hell had the money.

"There's no point in dwelling on the past," he parroted. Occasionally, his new therapist offered advice that Bucky kept close to his heart. "You're alive to see another day. Make the most of it."

Baby Girl smiled softly. "You always know just what to say," she teased. "I will."

Bucky was consoled by her steady heartbeat and easy manner. "It's a god-given talent," he shrugged, instantly rewarded by soft giggles and an unenthusiastic shove at his chest.

Once the adrenaline from the scare dissipated, Bucky finally noticed their proximity. Her thighs were bracketing his, and his arms were caging her body. Their breaths mingled in the air between them.

"You're very modest," Baby Girl croaked, jerking away.

Bucky hastily turned to the stove, turning it on and resuming making dinner. "With good reason," he replied, clearing his throat.

He chastised himself while the shrimps finished cooking. Baby Girl had just gotten out of an abusive relationship. Now was not the time to be sweet on her—hovering so close he could smell her shampoo and the scent of her skin.

Wait. Was she out of an abusive relationship? Baby Girl had emphasized that she was only with Quentin because he threatened Sam, Sarah, and the boys. Except, that was no longer an issue as a plan was underway. Bucky knew it, Sam knew it, but did Quentin? Did Quentin assume that his dismissal from the Wilson Residence a few days prior was a fluke? If Quentin returned thinking he could whisk her away as if she owed him anything, he would be sorely mistaken. Bucky would make sure of it.

But where did that leave them? There was obvious attraction—though Bucky was unsure if it was appropriate to act on, considering the circumstances—and they were legal adults, but the path forward felt very unclear. While Baby Girl hadn't shown any unpleasant reactions to Bucky's past, she hadn't particularly reassured him either that it did not bother her. Was it fair to her to be caught up in his mess, along with her own?

So many questions, and yet the answers felt out of reach. Bucky turned around. Baby girl was sitting on the kitchen table, and she gave Bucky a smile that answered at least one question. 

Did she trust him? Her smile said, "Yes. Yes, she did."

Another day passed like all the others. Had it really been over a week since she arrived in Louisiana? Sam and Sarah were still away on "business," and the boys were still at their sleepover—ridiculous really—she knew it was summer break, but there had to be a limit. She and Bucky were still alone together.

Bucky. His name made her burn with embarrassment. Lately, anything and everything related to him made her temperature rise a few degrees. His smile, his presence, his proximity . His hands holding her tight to his chest. Embarrassment always closely followed such thoughts, though for reasons that deeply ashamed her because never, in the entirety of her relationship with Quentin, did she feel like this. Beautiful, and desired, and wanted, and free . Happy.

She had invested around six to seven years in her on-again, off-again relationship with Quentin Beck and never managed to blush as furiously as she did in the presence of Bucky Barnes. The White Wolf. War hero. Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.

While most girls gushed over Captain America in high school, Baby Girl cut out pictures of his best friend from her textbook and plastered them inside her locker. It was a stupid girl crush, one she quickly outgrew as she matured into a young woman. However, the fascination remained. During the past week, this fascination had transformed from a small, barely there spark to a blazing fire. The gruesome analogy was not lost on her, yet it was the only way to vividly describe her deepening feelings.

Bucky Barnes had lit her heart on fire. And that terrified her. Not because she was afraid of men after her relationship with Quentin, and not because of Bucky's unfortunate past, but because of her unfortunate reality. What did she have to offer a man like Bucky Barnes? She had nothing. No job, no prospects, no backbone with which to confidently regard the world. She had spent six years with an abusive man, and she could have left at any moment—could have gathered the courage to trust her brother Sam to take care of all of them. She hadn't taken the opportunity when presented with it, and there was this man, who hadn't been given any semblance of reprieve, and he was stronger for it.

So, no. While there was obvious attraction between them both, she was not sure it was appropriate to act on. She could never deserve the likes of him.

The path ahead was unclear, but somehow she knew he would be there to guide her. And when he chucked her into the lake that evening, laughing loudly at her temper, she smiled back, hoping her face screamed, "I trust you. I do." 

After an uneventful dinner, Bucky sheepishly announced he had to leave. "I forgot I promised Carlos I'd help with his car."

She raised an unimpressed brow, fixing him with a stern look. He had promised to take her shopping for a new phone, and while she wasn't looking forward to a ride on his death trap, she really wanted her games back. "I didn't know you were a mechanic along with being a war hero."

"I'm not a war hero," he responded mechanically.

The words burst from her lips. "If it weren't for you," she snapped, "Doctor Zola would've been on his merry way to design new techniques to destroy the human race. You stopped him. If that's not heroic, I don't know what is."

"I'm not a war hero," Bucky said again after getting over the initial shock at her outburst.

"But you're a mechanic?"

"I'm not that either," he huffed. "Mr. Thurow needs me to tow his car."

"Excuse me?"

"The company overcharges and always ends up damaging the vehicle. He asked me for a favour."

"Do we have a tow truck?" she asked.

Bucky raised his left hand. "I have a metal arm," he pointed out. "And super strength. I can easily tow a car."

Baby Girl was speechless. "How long will you be?"

Bucky checked his watch. "An hour? Less, if I manage to not get roped into game night."

"Game night? It's a weekday."

"Every night's a game night at the Thurow's," Bucky responded seriously. "We'll get your phone first thing tomorrow morning."

"Promise?" she asked his retreating figure.

"Promise," he replied. "Lock the door, alright? And keep the blinds down."

"Alright, Dad," she retorted, but he had already left.

Baby Girl took a deep breath. This was the first time she had been alone in weeks. She sat down on the couch and closed her eyes. A minute passed, then two, then three. Five minutes later, she opened her eyes and saw only thirty seconds had passed. She groaned from boredom and flopped over the armrest. She was loath to admit that she dearly missed Bucky. There was something in his air and manner of walking that brought peace to her inner turmoil.

She sighed, resorting to cleaning the kitchen, which was not dirty in the least. In the middle of her furiously scrubbing the countertop with a sponge, the landline chimed annoyingly from the other room. "Hello," she answered, twirling the cord with her pinky. "Who's this?"

"Baby Girl!" the jolly voice on the other line bellowed. "I was hoping you'd pick up."

"Sam!" The two talked, catching up on the past few days. It turned out Sam was in Washington. "How's Sarah?" she asked. "Is she enjoying her time away from the boys? They're lovely, but they can be a nuisance."

Sam grumbled something unintelligible under his breath.

"What?"

"She's on a date," he groaned. "Look, I'm happy for her. But I didn't need to see her exchanging spit with a stranger."

"Poor you," she giggled. "And lucky Sarah! Wowza!"

Sam laughed on the other line. "It's great to hear you happy after so long."

"Hmm," Baby Girl hummed, feeling momentarily guilty. "By the way, I thought you and Sarah were going to New Orleans. What are you doing in Washington?"

"He didn't tell you," Sam said with surprise. "I thought he would."

"Tell me what?"

"I know about Quentin," Sam sighed. "I know you're still dating him."

Her breath got stuck in her throat. "He told you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Don't be mad at him," Sam pleaded. "I made him tell me."

There was shuffling on the other end. A loud sniffle.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry you felt like Quentin was the only one you could count on."

"What exactly did Bucky say?" Baby Girl questioned, thinking Sam was too calm about the situation.

"He said Quentin was blackmailing you to stay with him."

Baby Girl sighed. "Is that all? Did he say anything else?"

"Like what?"

"Like... nothing." She realized Bucky had not disclosed any of the more sensitive subject matter. Not the abuse, nor Quentin's impromptu visit. "It's nothing. I'm sorry I kept this from you."

Sam sighed heavily on the other line. "That's in the past. We can only move forward from here on out."

Baby Girl nodded even though Sam couldn't see her. "You have a good friend," she told him. "Bucky's doing a lot to help. He came up with the plan to distract Quentin with "bigger fish," as he put it. Quentin will forget all about me if he finds something more worthwhile. But I'm sure you know all about that."

"He said what? That's not what we planned!" Sam exclaimed. He swore under his breath. "I need to take this call. It's Congress—I'll tell you soon, alright? I'll call you right back."

"Sure," she said, slightly flustered. "I'll be waiting."

Sam ended the call, and she put the receiver down. The second she did, the landline immediately started ringing.

"What took you so long?" she joked with a laugh. "I've been waiting hours for your call."

"You have? I knew you missed me."

Baby Girl felt her heart drop to her stomach. The voice on the other line was not quite as deep, or quite as warm. It was low and raspy, eliciting goosebumps across her arms and bad memories across her skin.

She made to end the call, but his shrill warning stopped her. "You don't want to do that," Quentin hissed.

"What do you want?" she managed to ask between ragged breaths.

"Straight to the point, I see. You've really changed."

"Fuck you!" she seethed. "I asked you a question." She was surprised by her resolve, and so was he.

"What, you're swearing now? That's not the girl I know."

Her body was trembling with adrenaline. "Tell me what you want, or I'll end the call."

She could feel his anger through the line. "I want to talk to you in person."

"Over your dead body!" she yelled.

Quentin was oddly calm with his response. "No, not over mine."

It was so obviously a bait—one she couldn't help but fall for. "What do you mean?"

"It's a shame," he sighed, "that I'm meeting them for the first time under such shit circumstances. They're cute kids. Would've loved New York."

Time seemed to stop.

"Have you boys ever seen the Statue of Liberty? I'll take you once your Aunt comes back home. We can all go together."

There was a muffled noise, then the slam of a door shutting close. It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over Baby Girl. Her muscles tightened painfully, and she collapsed onto the couch.

"No," she whispered.

Quentin laughed on the other end. "Cat got your tongue?"

Baby Girl closed her eyes, feeling tears of frustration well in the corners. This is why she kept her distance. This is why she wanted to go back to Quentin and back to New York. But she let herself hope in Bucky's presence, let herself believe that she could have a family while keeping her freedom. "You monster," she hissed. "Don't you dare touch them." But there wasn't any heat behind her words, only the bitter taste of defeat.

He tasted it too, and oh, how he reveled in it! Quentin laughed again, low and menacing. "I told you I wouldn't let you leave so easily. Meet me in person if you want to see your dear nephews again. And don't you dare tell anyone," he hissed. "This is between you and me."

Baby Girl ignored his warning and reached into her back pocket to grab her phone and tell Bucky. But her hand came back empty. She didn't have a phone; she didn't even have Bucky's number. And did she really want to risk the boys' lives by going behind Quentin's back? He didn't want them anyway, he only wanted her.

With tears burning her eyes and a fire blazing in her chest, Baby Girl asked, "Where do you want to meet?"

On the other end, Quentin smiled, knowing he had won.

Bucky reached into his back pocket and grabbed his phone. He scrolled through his contacts, realizing too late that he didn't have her number. His face fell, and he sighed deep and slow, garnering the attention of the room. Carlos Thurow had invited some friends for a game of poker and forced Bucky to play a round with them. That was four rounds ago.

"What's got you so down, Sergeant?" Carlos teased. "There a girl waiting for you at home?" The men laughed and cheered, barraging Bucky with questions.

He found himself smiling, and finished his beer in one swig. "I do, actually," he said, grabbing his jacket and walking to the door. "I should get going."

The men cheered him on, and Bucky left feeling light and tingly. It wasn't from the alcohol—Bucky couldn't get drunk anymore—it was her. His Baby Girl.

The walk to Sam's was warm. The stars were out, the sky clear, and the wind blew gently, ruffling the trees around him. Bucky took a deep breath, smelling the ocean air and the earthy trees, listening to the faint sounds of crickets chirping and owls hooting. A night had never been sweeter.

Once at the house, Bucky lightened his footsteps and creeped onto the porch, feeling mischievous and wanting to spook Baby Girl. The living room light was on, and he could see the television playing silently through the thin curtain. Bucky placed a hand on the door, frowning when it creeped open at the slightest touch.

Didn't he tell her to lock the door? And to leave it completely open? Delacroix was a small community inhabited by kind and lawful people, but there was a crazy ex on the loose. He expected Baby Girl to be more careful than that.

Bucky decided he would give her a proper scare for her carelessness and slipped through the entryway. He sneaked into the living room, arms raised like in the movies, and—

She wasn't there. Bucky quickly scanned his surroundings. TV playing, couch pushed askew, the landline dangling from its cord, the edge of the carpet flipped over as if someone had run over it. Bucky rushed to check the rest of the house, the bedrooms, the washroom—he even checked the lake. Nothing.

He went back to the living room, senses dialed to the maximum. There was no sign of a forced entry, and though a scuffle was apparent, there were no prints or marks that indicated there had been another person. Unless they covered their tracks. But then why leave the carpet overturned, the couch askew? Why make it obvious something had happened?

Perhaps Bucky was overthinking, and Baby Girl had run to the store to grab something. She had already proved herself to be impulsive and clumsy. It wouldn't be a huge stretch to believe she forgot to lock the door behind her in a hurry.

Except, she wouldn't have left without her wallet. Bucky bent down to grab her purse from under the coffee table, feeling dread engulf him at the sight. Palms sticky and breaths uneven, he looked around the room once more. This time, he noticed something he hadn't before, a hastily scribbled note peeking out from under the landline.

Bucky snatched the note, careful not to crease it.

"I'm sorry," it began. "I had no choice. He has the boys." 

Bucky's mind began to race with questions. Most namely, "Where?"

It was then that his senses picked up on something new. The faint scent of smoke. Bucky dropped the note and ran out the back, scanning the horizon. There, on the opposite side of the lake, a thick column of smoke billowed from behind the treeline. The beginnings of a large fire. Baby Girl's house was set ablaze, glowing brightly in the dark. Bucky's heart dropped to his stomach, and he ran.

Note: So... I lied. There will need to be another part.

Ao3│Wattpad│Ko-fi

Main Masterlist │Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3

Comments and Reblogs are appreciated!! 💜

@astrophileous @buckylovinglokivariant @casa-boiardi @crazyunsexycool @dancer3205 @dascarypicklerawr @drakelover78 @hallecarey1 @kandis-mom @marantha @marvelatthetwilight @marvelouslyunstable @ria132love @spookyparadisesheep @sunnyhummingbee @traderjoesmints

[cinderella-ish]

Momiji Sohma and his beautiful, complex relationship to Kyo (part 1 of 5)

So, if Yuki is my favorite character of the main trio, Momiji would have to be my favorite of the large cast of secondary characters. He may even be my favorite character outright- a hard pick, as there are so many characters to love in Fruits Basket!

When it comes to Yuki and Kyo, their relationship to each other and Yuki's relationship to Haru (which is beautiful and now I want to do a post on them, too) are perhaps the two most obvious dynamics among these four boys. But I think Momiji and Kyo have their own important, deep relationship, with huge significance to the plot and to Kyo's arc in particular.

In many ways, Momiji and Kyo's stories are parallels.

They both lost their mothers at a young age. Kyo watched as his mother stepped in front of a train, and Momiji watched as his mother's memories of him were erased (though it's worth noting Momiji's mother was also suicidal). Both watched their mothers suffer for years because of the curse.

Both had a parent who viewed them as sub-human. Momiji's mother referred to him as a "creature," and Kyo's father called him a "monster."

Both also had fathers who put responsibility for their mothers' mental health issues on them and ultimately abandoned or neglected them. And both had loving surrogate father figures who took them in out of guilt, Kyo in Kazuma and Momiji to a lesser extent in Hatori (it does seem like Momiji's father was somewhat present in his life, though Hatori was much more present for him).

They also both had reputations as a bit of a wild child, Kyo because of his short temper and aggression (and stereotypes about the cat), and Momiji because of his id-driven hedonism and frequent lack of supervision. They're both impulsive to a fault, Momiji in pursuit of maximum fun, and Kyo out of extreme self-hatred and a desire to protect the people he cares about (mostly from himself). They each lean into people's misconceptions about them - Momiji encouraging people to underestimate him due to his small size because it allows him to get away with more, and Kyo willing to let people see him as a monster because he believes that's true (and therefore using physical intimidation as his main strategy for protecting people he cares about).

They're also both quite good at reading others - for Kyo, this is remarked upon several times in canon, and for Momiji, he's often cited by fans as possibly the most emotionally mature character in the series.

And they both are at their best when they act a bit more like each other, Kyo when he lightens up and lets himself have fun, and Momiji when he stands up for himself and the people he cares about.

I would even argue that Kyo is the main driver behind Momiji's character development, and that Momiji is the main catalyst for Kyo to understand and accept his feelings for Tohru.

So, with all that in mind, let's look at Momiji's first appearance with Kyo at the first culture festival.

(An aside: Hiroshi's reactions in this scene will never not be funny to me.)

So, the first time we see Kyo and Momiji together is at the first culture festival, when Momiji is officially introduced to Tohru and thus to the reader (after a brief appearance 1 chapter/3 episodes earlier, where we're not entirely sure who he is). In quick succession, Momiji proceeds to:

jump on Yuki's shoulders and tell him he looks like a girl

get scolded by Hatori for running off on his own

excitedly introduce himself and Hatori as relatives of Yuki and Kyo to the crowd of students, making sure to mention that he's half-German

climb on top of the rice stand, frightening everyone, eating a rice ball he probably didn't pay for

get dragged away by a grouchy Kyo, laughing all the way

It's quite a memorable entrance!

But a closer look at this scene suggests that Momiji was causing a stir for Yuki's sake as much as for his own desire to have fun.

he jumps on Yuki right when Yuki's feeling extremely self-conscious about all the attention he's receiving, immediately after both Tohru and Kyo have made comments about his appearance

he climbs atop the riceball stand right when Yuki looks ready to murder Hatori

One could argue that this is just Momiji being his typical wild-child self, especially since he tells Yuki he looks like a girl right when Yuki's at his most self-conscious about his feminine appearance, but it fits with a pattern we see repeated throughout the series: Momiji is willing to make a spectacle of himself if it helps him achieve his goals, whether they are to have more fun or to protect someone he cares about (all the better if it's both!).

I do wonder about that comment - Fruits Basket can be very subtle, so I think there are multiple ways of interpreting Momiji's comment to Yuki. It's possible he made that comment because he didn't know what Yuki was so upset about, or to remind Yuki that of course people are going to talk about what he's wearing when its unusual for him, or maybe for another reason altogether. But what I think is most telling is that he says it without any judgment - it's simply an observation of fact. That, in and of itself, might be enough to help Yuki feel less self-conscious about the whole thing, whether Momiji intended that or not.

As Momiji is dragged off, Hatori reveals to Yuki that they're here because Momiji brought home the flier Tohru dropped when they met 3 episodes/1 chapter earlier. He also reveals that Akito wanted to come, to Yuki's terror, but was too ill, so Hatori is here in her place.

After Kyo drags Momiji away, we see the first iteration of their play big-brother/little-brother dynamic. Kyo's been trying to scold him this whole time, and Momiji fake cries that Kyo "hit" him, but he immediately beams when he realizes Tohru is right behind them.

Kyo probably gave Momiji a light rap on the head or something while scolding him (we know Kyo's a skilled martial artist who knows better than to fight people without training), and Momiji overreacted because teasing Kyo is fun and that's their "thing." But what's super interesting to me is that the only other person Kyo has scolded up until now or given a knock on the head is the only person we know he cares about and wants to protect: Tohru. So, even though outwardly, Kyo seems angry and annoyed at Momiji, he's treating him the way he treats people he cares about and wants to protect.

Momiji then goes over to Tohru, where he:

tells her he came specifically to see her

FLIRTS WITH HER IN FRONT OF KYO ("Ja! Fate brought us together that day, huh?")

tells her his papa owns the building where she works and he likes to hang out there

and confirms she knows the Zodiac secret before announcing his plans to hug her

Kyo physically prevents Momiji from hugging her and they have this INCREDIBLE exchange.

Kyo: "Hold it, Romeo. Remember where you are." Momiji: "Keeping Tohru all to yourself just because you like her? I bet you hug her every day!" Kyo: *blushes* "As if I'd do that!" *drops Momiji* Momiji: *jumps into Tohru's arms* "Gotcha!"

At this point in the story, I doubt that either Kyo or Momiji feel the deep, romantic love they both feel for Tohru by the end of the series. But if we accept that they both have at least a crush on her by now, they're going about it in completely opposite ways. Momiji openly wants to hug Tohru as often as possible and spend as much time with her as he can, whereas Kyo wants to avoid making Tohru uncomfortable and avoid any semblance of impropriety that could reflect poorly on her.

So, Momiji hugs Tohru and transforms, and Tohru's classmates pull back the curtain and start asking questions about what happened. How do they get out of this situation?

Well, Yuki takes a lesson from Momiji's earlier actions, making a spectacle of himself to protect the family secret (and therefore Tohru).

So, in summary, in Momiji's first appearance:

he shows Yuki it's okay to play up the aspects of yourself that make you different in pursuit of a goal

we clearly see that his crying at Kyo's scolding is an act

he immediately notices and calls out Kyo's feelings for Tohru to trick Kyo into letting him go

he generally just does whatever he wants, including hugging Tohru, in stark contrast to Kyo, whose approach to life seems to be all about denying himself what he wants because he doesn't believe himself worthy (which is the exact opposite of the advice he gives Tohru, that it's okay to be selfish sometimes)

We see that Momiji is much smarter than he lets on, but also that he has a lot of growing to do, and that he and Kyo are opposites in many ways.

I'll leave you with these cute shots from S2 (because they didn't fit with any of the other posts), where we see their big brother/little brother dynamic was already in place in elementary school. (Also, poor Yuki!)

Momiji and Kyo: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

[alastorgould]

Half-World-Building Part 1

doin a lil series where i go super in-depth into my Halfworld headcannons and worldbuilding. This is an extension of my Rocket backstory post where I combine elements of his cannon backstories into a logical and consistent one so go read that first.

In this first part we'll discuss the Keystone Quadrant and Halfworld's geography and maps.

This is the best image we get of Halfworld in the 1985 comics.

As you can see, Halfworld has 4 moons and many... yellow orbs? I believe these are artificial suns as there are none visible nearby. These moons do not have names but I may name them in the future.

Based on this very sea-heavy pic and my personal draws I have created this crappy map:

This is a post-rebellion map. Any older just remove any trace of humanity across the isthmus. As you can see, it's a bit polluted from the constant improper waste disposal from the lab for ~900 years.

"900 YEARS?!?!" you might ask (earth years). We know Rocket and co is part of batch 89. If we assume each batch only survives ~10 years before dying of physical trauma, distress, starvation, or execution we get around ~890-~920-ish years of the labs existence (we can assume to first few batches were the real loonies). Subject names go through the scheme of: Batch#, species class, individual#. We don't know if individual numbers go past double digits, but if they DON'T that leave the maximum total late patients/subjects from batches 1-88 at...

226,512

This is ONLY if individual numbers stay in double digits. Triple would be over 2 million. Oof. Generational trauma moment.

This has gotten off-topic so back to Halfworld ecology. Ever heard of wild worms?

They live in the wasteland areas and eat just about anything. Easily farmable and great food source for the growing civilization. This is one of the few reasons modern Halfworlders venture into the Dark Side.

I am unaware of any other Haflword- exclusive non-sentient species. However, there are likely plenty of birds, lizards, and rodents the Halfworlders were forcibly evolved from.

I am also of the firm belief that surviving lab robots are a problem for modern civilization. The robots were programmed to be entirely independent, making them probably capable of repairing/reproducing new robots with spare parts. This is why I think it'd be advantageous for them to build a wall over the crossing.

Is it possible to fully eliminate all of them? I don't think so, personally. But the government is trying.

"Government?? Tf are you talking about Al??"

:3 stay tuned 4 part 2

[sonicasura]

Here's another crack idea that popped into my head. Persona 5's Ren Amamiya/Joker being the biological son of Pizza Tower's Peppino Spaghetti.

Is it dumb? Yes. Is it absurdly stupid and insane? Yes. Do I regret this? FUCK NO. Let Joker be half crazy Italian with an even more nutty father who WILL pile drive god if he has to. Also his last name for this shall be Spaghetti, Amamiya being his middle, cause I ain't half assing things.

(Putting a link to Part 2 here and make sure people check the reblogs for this as I added an extra page!)

Peppino is the anxious father that does his best to raise his kid despite the various issues he has to face. Whether it be finding a decent school, make sure there's some money for a little rare treat, or keep Ren's awful mother from breaking shared custody rules. Do not trifle with this man.

Any rat/mouse/raccoon in the restaurant? Those are Ren's pets who eat the insects and scare off the bad customers. (Kid does lemonade stands to buy pet friendly soap alongside basic necessities.) Peppino doesn't question it since they make his son happy and take care of the pests.

Ren absolutely helped around the pizzeria whenever he could. First time Peppino cries is when his kid made his first pizza. The second being a 12 year old Ren getting him a well made chef's hat for a birthday present. (You can say our boy already has Rank 3 proficiency.)

All the Pizza Tower weirdness can be considered normal for Joker as he doesn't exactly come from the Personaverse. (I wholeheartedly believe in Ren being a sheer cryptid, even more after seeing this comic.) His mother just dumped him there during her turn and left Ren in that neighborhood where he comes across Shido. Yes, Peppino absolutely lost it when his precious little Spaghetti didn't come home that night.

He looked everywhere for Ren and the events of Pizza Tower only put a big fat Stop Sign to that for quite awhile. Meanwhile the younger Spaghetti didn't have a fun time adjusting until Persona 5 truly kicked off. He wasn't thrown in a rigged court trial.

Ren just knocked Shido's lights out then fucking outran the cops like his Pops would on a 3rd lap game wise. He finds Leblanc and camps out there for two months. Well until Sojiro barely manages to drag Ren inside as his sanity(heart) couldn't handle this strange homeless teen facing the harsh elements. The kid running like an insane Usain Bolt when startled didn't help too.

Ren is absolutely homesick thus his Persona get to hear it the most. (I'm aware of the sheer irony with a French Persona having an half Italian wielder.) Arséne is very curious to meet Ren's father at some point and cackled upon hearing his charge's antics.

The other Thieves have no clue about how bizarre their leader's origins is. Funnily enough, Haru wholeheartedly believes in Ren's stories despite even Morgana considering it a crazy tall tale. (She got rewarded with a video of an 8 year old Ren having a breakdancing contest against his dad while sentient pizza toppings cheered them on.) The guy doesn't blame his other friends and is instead waiting for the chance to blow their minds like the gremlin he is.

Well Ren can thank Royal's Third Semester cause guess who shows up for the true boss fight?! A wild Peppino at Mach 4 speed about to pile drive his kid's former councilor. Haru is the only person not gawking when Ren's dad drags the unconscious man out before FINALLY being able to hug his kid.

Joker gets an extra gift than just him and his friends being able to keep their Persona. He can now visit everyone with a simple press of his phone. Sojiro and Peppino absolutely butt heads in a mostly friendly father flavored rivalry. (Ren doesn't notice at first as he's too busy showing One Shot Kill Medjed to Gustavo.)

Peppino absolutely fainted when his son drops an entire suitcase with enough money to not only pay off the debt but to even refurbish the diner and still have cash leftover. Maximum money perks can make Mementos a good place to grind. Ren always converted a chunk of his spoils to the appropriate currency so he can help his dad.

Peppino's Pizzeria is a secondary hangout for the Phantom Thieves and absolutely gets subjected to Persona shenanigans. Game Night is for everyone despite the fact Carmen/Milady/Arséne tend to cheat at cards. Peppino takes it as an excuse to do it too.

The older Spaghetti does his best to support his son and his friends. Whether it be making pizza that grant great stat buffs, help in battle if Ren can find a Golden Pizza Cutter whenever traversing a dungeon or offer some simple advice. Peppino will continue to drop kick anyone who gets in the way of that.

And this anxiety driven beat shall play at maximum volume.

[marisaeon]

I told youy hc about Aeon children, hut what about you? Any ideas for names? how many they make? Who takes from witch? Who looks lile who? Do they live in Leon's appartment ot they boguht a new house? What happens when one of the kids breaks up? (for me, Leon amd Ada breaks the cealing and come to shoot the fuck out of the Bf/Gf who vroke up, lile that old smosh video). Also who's driving?

Ohh I think about aeon children all the time. I LOVE THEMEMSM

Ideas for names, I had a bit of a struggle with. For a while I just called their daughter "little girl" But I called her "Alicia!" So probably be hearing more about that soon. For a boy... Oh man still struggling T-T honestly, I think a 3 letter name. Sorta like Kai. I saw someone name their aeon son "Leo" that's also cute!

For how many they have, probably 2 minimum (because they'd want their child to have somebody to keep them company in the end.) And maybe 3 maximum. I can't see them with any more, and the pregnancies would probably be spaced out by a few years :)

Typically, boys look more like their mother, and girls look more like their father. But that really all depends on genes! I imagine if it's a girl, to be almost a carbon copy of Ada, yet still have remarkable facial traits to Leon. Like his nose, or soft jawline! If it's a boy, probably the opposite way around. Where he looks similar to Leon, yet has some features of Ada, of course! Soft jawline is a definite thing in my book. They'd both have black hair, though.

I feel like their child would take more from Leon, since he shares the most with them. They look up to him, and want to follow in his steps. But I feel like their daughter would still end up being very into fashion or something haha. I wrote something about that actually!

Depends on how big Leon's apartment is, they'd probably move to a new home though. Especially if they're retired and he doesn't want any agents bothering him while him and Ada are raising a family.

WHAT A WILD IMAGINATION LOL ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;) I don't think they would shoot their ex partner... But probably Leon would try and comfort his daughter the best he could. Maybe take her out somewhere. If it's a boy, he'd probably be more harsh. Giving him a sort of peptalk. Adaa hmmm probably the same, yet she'd be more harsh to both. And of course, they'd be pretty upset that whoever their gf/bf was broke their child's heart but they'd have to remind them to move on best they can. Hopefully that makes sense!

Leon would drive, though we all know he crashes literally everything he drives LOLL. Ada is definitely a better driver imo, but she still makes him drive anyway cause she refuses to drive him. He'd slowly learn to drive safely. In all seriousness I'm sure he doesn't actually crash cars everytime he enters one... I hope...

Thanks for the ask! .⋅ ۵♡۵ ⋅.

[hobgobbin]

Forgot to post these earlier but heres some fresh new D&D mini adopts :)

PRICES: $10 -- Transparent version of your adopt as-is $15 -- Transparent version of your adopt plus I'll make small edits $25 -- Transparent file + edits + additional headshot $45 -- Transparent + edits + A more detailed full body of your adopt $55+ -- previous + we can discuss more art DM or send me an ask to claim !

Availability + Rules under cut

1. Goblin Ranger ♀ CLOSED 2. Gnome Cleric (of Tyr) ♀ 3. Dwarf Rogue ♀ CLOSED 4. Halfling Barbarian ♀ CLOSED 5. Yuan-Ti Artificer ♀  CLOSED 6. Half-Orc Cleric (of Selune) ♀ CLOSED 7. Drow Druid (Circle of Spores) ♀ CLOSED 8. Air Genasi Paladin (of Leira) ♀ 9. Hobgoblin Monk ♀ CLOSED 10. Tabaxi Bard ♀ 11. Lizardfolk Artificer ♂ CLOSED 12. Aarakocra Sorcerer (Wild Magic) ♂ 13. Dragonborn Wizard ♂ CLOSED 14. Tiefling Sorcerer (Divine) ♂ CLOSED 15. Elf Blood Hunter ♂ CLOSED 16. *Kobold Warlock ♂ CLOSED 17. *Goblin Warlock ♂ CLOSED 18. Goliath Bard ♂ CLOSED 19. Bugbear Ranger ♂ CLOSED 20. Earth Genasi Fighter ♂ *will give a discount if you buy these two together. they are fighting for specialest lil guy of the cult

I also have some custom slots open [HERE] if anyone wants custom little guys :) Adoption Rules:

You can change what you want about them, but please at least keep them recognizable. Also PLEASE do not change body types if they are fat/large or I will curse you for 1000 years

To claim an adopt please comment which adopt you would like and I will send you a link to send the money to (PayPal only)

Maximum 2 adopts per person

I will hold adopts for up to 48 hours if you cannot pay within that time they will go back up for adoption

You are allowed to post them places but you are REQUIRED to credit me ! hobgobbin on tumblr, twitter, and toyhouse and @drak-art on deviantArt

Please also credit/link to/@ me on the 1st picture you draw of them, I just wanna see them 

You MAY NOT resell them for a higher price that you paid, UNLESS you have bought or made more art for them

Optional, but I would love to see/hear what you do with them !

[naruto-fantasy-zine]

✨What is Dreaming in Daylight, Drowning in Darkness (D·4)?✨

From flights of fancy to folklore, magic and monsters, swords and swashbucklers, let your imagination run wild in this enchanting two-part Naruto AU Fantasy zine! Split into two sections, this zine will explore both the light side (Dreaming in Daylight) and dark side (Drowning in Darkness) of the fantasy genre. It promises to be a genuine delight!!!

✨Which characters will be represented in the project?✨

Any and all! This project is open to all characters from Naruto and Naruto Shippuden.

✨What’s in the project?✨

SO MUCH AMAZING STUFF!!!! 1.) A gorgeous art + poetry book - 8.5" square (21.6cm square), perfect-bound, featuring luxurious fantasy AU art spreads paired with breathtaking poetry! 2.) Our delightful wall calendar - 8.5" x 11" (21.6cm x 28cm), saddle stitched, with 13 incredible pin-up illustrations! 3.) A ton of fun merch, (Fill out our interest check to choose your favorites!) ✨Will you be inviting guests?✨

Absolutely! Feel free to make your suggestions on our interest check! Plus, you’ll be seeing some familiar names from prior P4Pzines projects reprising their role to bring these beautiful fantasy AUs to life in their uniquely gorgeous styles!!!

✨Who can apply?✨

D·4 is looking for page/cover artists (x30), authors/poets (x5), a calligrapher (x1), and merch artists (tbd)! This is a large, inclusive project and we would love to see a broad spectrum of styles!!! Zine applicants are required to be 18y/o and up, or over the age of majority in their respective countries at the time of their application.

✨Can I apply for multiple roles?✨

You certainly may!

✨What do I need to have in order to apply?✨

For this project, we’ll be asking art contributors to submit 3-5 pieces of work that demonstrate their ability (some of which will need to be full illustrations with backgrounds, unless applying to be a merch artist). Authors will be asked to submit at least three links or a compiled document of excerpts for those stories they feel best represent them as authors (Maximum 5k in length per fic).

It’s not mandatory that the art submitted be from Naruto, however, authors will need to include at least one piece demonstrating a grasp of characterization for the Naruto fandom.

Some people will submit direct links to their work and some will prefer to compile their work into one google drive folder or website. Any style of submission is acceptable!

✨What will contributors receive for their participation?✨

As is P4Pzines’ tradition, all contributors will receive a free contributor bundle + free shipping, regardless of sales! Contributor bundles are always pre-funded. ^_^

✨Is this a for profit or charity project?✨

Neither! It’s “Pay for Production” (P4P)!!! Since contributor bundles are covered separately, customers pay only the cost of production and associated fees.

Here at P4P Zines, our focus is on bringing amazing art to your doorstep as low cost as possible! This is our way of giving back to fandom and saying “thank you” to the community that has provided us with both entertainment and support throughout the years. <3

✨Who is the head mod?✨

WBY, 5 years in and still going strong. ;D Check out @p4pzines for our past projects and free downloads.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send an ask or DM!

[accio-victuuri]

CPN : Times when 🔴🟢 rumor house post was telling the truth ✨

yes. this is a clickbait title and i’m trying to deceive you. lol. because everything is fake and nothing is real. these are instances when posts from this source caused people in the fandom to go 👀 because of something they pointed out or a moment they mentioned that came true later on. the truth factor depends on who is looking cause you might argue that it’s all interpretation and we’re all looking at things with a bxg bias.

I’ve been wanting to make something like this since I started making cpn posts and it’s finally here! I also want to have a place where I can point people to when asked why turtles love LRLG so much. Aside from the individual posts I’ve been making recently and the usual: ‘they shared stuff that seem to come true.’ answer, I think it’s good to have actual examples to those who wanna know. Enjoy! 🍂

★・・・・・・★

1. Tencent Starlight 2020 Ring - This is my favorite and have a bit of a bias because it’s one that made me believe LRLG is on to something. So the rumor goes that GG gave something to Web to keep in his pocket when he performed. Web was holding onto it in his pocket to keep him company and for him to not be nervous. Web is confident when it comes to performing especially when it comes to dance but this one— he was only singing. We CPN that it’s a ring because of the close-up videos & photos of Web’s pocket and it doesn’t help thatwhen GG made a douyin later in the day, he was no longer wearing his ring. THE FACT THAT A FAKE RUMOR HAD TO POINT IT OUT for us to notice is just one of the biggest BJYX mystery. How did that person know. 👁👄👁

20 minutes before Wang laoshi got on the stage

WLS: What should I do now, I'm nervous (He didn't seem to be nervous at all)

XLS: You can do it by yourself

WLS : So ferocious (But his mood was totallydifferent from before, he started to be naughty) Put you in my pocket

XLS : I'll stay in the pocket and help you to be in tune (with your song)

full english translation is here for maximum feels.

😭😭😭😭

2. Birthday message - In Oct 2020, a post was released that included a part that said : birthday means you are 1 year older and someone told you to grow up slowly. So this is apparently GG’s message to Web. Aside from it being sweet, it’s a coincidence that a year later, the YBO birthday message we all CPN was written by GG had a similar message:

When you are tired, I hope you can skateboard freely in an open venue, or ride a motorcycle across the wild. All this time, you just have to be a better version of yourself, and that better version of yourself is defined by you. Everything is cool, grow up slowly, in seconds, become yourself. Happy birthday to 24-year-old @UNIQ-王一博.

It makes me so soft thinking that this is what GG wants for Web. Even if the whole world is pushing Web to grow up so he can do all the things, GG is there to remind him to enjoy life while he is still young and don’t rush. This is also an example of LRLG having a ‘message’ before we see it related to the boys. It added weight to the CPN that GG wrote the birthday message, sometimes clues take a year or more to be “verified”.

3. Douyin overload - 12/19/2020, a post was shared where it said : WLS pouted his lips while looking at his phone. Oh, he was recording for his douyin, I thought he did something else. He recorded so many videos, some are for work and some are for fun. Well if you were here that time you’ll know that Web posted did posts lots of DY’s for the month of December. being the DY King that he is. This is a bit late but we don’t know how late submissions are posted on the weibo account from when it’s initially passed. However this is another clue that LRLG is indeed someone who works closely with Web.

4. Clip on earrings - another favorite of mine! HAHAHAHAHA! Talked about it here before and more weight was added because it was once mentioned in an LRLG rumor in 2020. A year later from when the photo @ OOL set was taken in 2019. This is a case of when we read it back then we all thought it was a cute head-canon that had no place in reality. Then GG shares that photo in 2022 and we are all going “ wait a minute.... hmmmmm...” It’s why LRLG continues to be a favorite because of stuff like this 💪🏻

WLS bought a pair of clip-on earrings and said those were for XLS. Will XLS wear clip on earrings? I guess WLS will keep it for himself after all.

5. BYH crew closeness - In Sept 2020, it was shared that CX ( Chen Xiao who is his co-star in BAH ) was teasing him about XZ. It implied that they were that close for CX to know about the relationship. It seemed fake at the time because the two did not seem close during the wrap. However now we know in 2022 from the BTS, the words of the director and the fact that Web gave CX his favorite skateboard that they are friends. They just don’t advertise it. It’s a reminder to not rely on what you see outside. These two never interacted on Weibo but turns out they became friends during the shoot.

WLS was embarassed, he took his phone and left, CX laoshi was also there, he held back his laughter.

After he got back, CX laoshi asked him “Got taught a lesson?"

WLS: "It wasn't right to drink a mouthful of water though" (Although he was taught a lesson, I still wanna say that, please take that happy look off your face a little bit)

CX laoshi "Drink a mouthful but don't let himsee you do it"

WLS: "I don't know where he saw that"

(I didn't pay attention to what he drank)

CX laoshi "Then take small sips, there maybe a spy here"

6. VogueFilm collaboration clue - Source is this BXG who looked in to this in detail. On 10/15/2020, LRLG post had a line that said keywords like vest, good condition and ‘this cooperation is perfect.’ At the time, people didn’t know what LRLG was talking about and who Bobo is cooperating with. Then on 11/2, Vogue released the first teaser for Bobo & Zhou Xun collab for the magazine.

According to the words used in the fake material: "[The day] two people made an appointment for a movie, and the state is good as it should be" [the day], it can be seen that the shooting date is a few days before the submission date (it will not be the day before, otherwise the contributor would be [yesterday] instead of [that day]). Therefore, it is roughly inferred that the shooting date is before 10.11.

OP made lots of deduction based on Web’s schedule that the shooting was 10.10 and with the keywords said, it’s really the Vogue Film shoot LRLG was referring to. A more clear evidence tho is YBO posting a comic strip that is inspired by the VF shoot and the date written on the “script” is 10.10.

See, at the time 🍉 were not really that popular ( back in 2020 ) so people will not know if there is an upcoming magazine collaboration. This also show how different LRLG is, because they just share things that are happening and interactions they see between the boys and don’t leak any solid information about projects they work on. In this example they can easily say : Bobo is working with a really famous movie actress for a magazine to gain more clout but they didn’t. They never do.

7. YBO 🤝 XZS - There are lots of submissions that talk about their staff working together and knowing about their relationship. I won’t go into detail anymore cause I ( and other bxgs ) post lots of similarities between what these two studios post and is a “proof” that it may be true. It’s not that we’re implying the two have no money to pay for their own staff or something. Lol. It’s just that they are considered one household and their staff will overlap at some point. ☺️

8. Stage design - 11/16/20, LRLG was talking about Web supervising what visuals should be on stage for a performance. It went like this :

XLS sang, we heard when we were resting in the stage, it is not complete. I don't know anyone else. I didn't know about XLS’ activities at the time. WLS also listens to XLS’ songs, he doesn't care much.

What I want to say is the stage of Mr. Wang. The background that the staff first gave combined with the spotlights came out of that room...

WLS is not very satisfied after watching the video and he wants to add some elements, to add the moon, and to have a sense of starry sky. But there is no suitable image element, the stage effect is wrong. At that time, the staff asked whether it was necessary to have both elements? Mr. Wang said to think about it. I don't know where the inspiration came from when I came back "Can the stars be broken a little to fill this place?”

BXGs think it might be these two performance that could be what the rumor referred to. Either VOF or he was giving ideas to GG’s stage.

9. Scary Douyin post by GG - On 10/18, same day that creepy DY was shared, there was a contribution that talked about people on set doing doing a game but Web did not join. Then DLS ( da laoshi ) found him, it wasn’t said what he was looking at but DLS commented : I think it's funny, don't you think it's funny?

BXGs think it’s this DY post. GG might have sent it first to Web to see his reaction and clown him. We know Web isn’t exactly fond of scary/creepy things so maybe that’s why he didn’t it find it funny. I can only imagine him expecting some thirst trap or pretty picture and ended up with this 😂😂😂

Again, we’re operating on the assumption that this was submitted days before the actual date.

10. The handheld fan - this is a pretty short one from 9/4/2020 and it was about a small fan. It goes WLS: "You have to keep it, don't lose it" XLS: "How dare I lose it"

Yes. How dare you lose it XLS! A really cheap fan that WLS gave you back in 2018. At this point ( 2020 ) we knew XLS still kept it and it’s important. 2 years later, we know just how, during the wrap for Where Dreams Begin we see GG holding on to it and it looks like it’s broken. but he still uses it 🥺

11. White Hair - posted 8/24/20 and is a conversation where GG says “ "Mr. Wang is so handsome with white hair" ; then GG said he will pull out Web’s gray hair. It is also implied in this whole exchange that the most romantic thing is to grow old with you 😭 There was a part where GG said : "Yes, you have to wait thirty or forty years before you have a chance" ( to pick gray hair from his head ) WHAT. Are you implying you will stay together for that long? I hope they do. 🤍

The exchange reminded BXGs of what happened in the Tianjin CQL fanmeet. Where they did a skit of meeting each other after years and Yibo’s acting included him picking Old GG’s gray hair.

12. 10/4/2020, XZ’s message to Web goes :

Just enjoy the stage and be happy. "Silence in the air, silence in the woods"

This can allude to the SDC 3 finale which was the day before. What’s interesting here is that BXGs think GG got it from a poem. We know how much GG loves him poems and just reading in general. He is so romantic.

It’s allegedly from this one :

13. Finally, LRLG sometimes posts messages that communicate with the fans. It can be a small greeting or sometimes a really nice one like this example :

You guys (cpf) are the people who make they smile whenever they think of you. So I wanna say- no matter what we got through in the past, no matter what we are going through in the present, and no matter what we will have to face in the future, thanks for your efforts.

It’s little things like this that warms our hearts as turtle. because we can’t be as loud as how we want to be and to have this appreciation ( a fake one ) from the boys is special.

I will end this here and if you noticed I posted 2020 stuff. This is because 2021-2022 contributions have been talked about in detail already and had more exposure than the 2020 ones. Also this is why turtles loved LRLG because that year was pretty chaotic and we had no insight with what going on with them — so the contributions felt like hope. 🤍

★・・・・・・★

Some LRLG related posts I made as supplement to this post. If you have been me following me for some time you might have read all of these already. ☺️

Significance of LRLG rumor house - this is a post I made that I always reference as intro to people who have no idea what LRLG is.

Why the Rumor House is not being reported

Why people trust the rumor house

052421 Rumor explanation

08132021 Rumor explanation

121221 Rumor explanation

01162022 Rumor explanation

07172022 Rumor explanation

09112022 Rumor explanation ; Mid Autumn Festival special

Green roses given to Yibo

Poem mentioned in a book GG read

Rumor of them talking about a kid’s show

Give me five

Sauced beef - this one is by @rainbowsky

I know I missed one about taking photos of the moon but I already talked about that symbolism before. Also the one with DLS / Web recording something which is allegedly the backup vocals for GG’s 2020 NYE performance.

This is really a small portion of all the hidden gems and possible truths for LRLG content. For turtles, “rumor” does not always mean LRLG. It can mean a rumor from a repo or other rumor houses ( yes there are others ) / BJYX 49 ( original ) / BJYX 49 ( new ) / those old convos we thought were fake but actually from what was then unreleased bts content etc etc. There continues to be so much bits & pieces going around regarding these two and we just wait if some of it happens. That requires another long post tbh.

I think it’s why BJYX will still be popular in the coming years and will have more & more people rooting for it. Aside from having 2 boys who are amazing being paired up, the fandom is really strong. No matter how outsiders call us delusional we actually have so much history and incidents that no other pairing has. Just recently, ZZ/WYB won a voting poll as best pairing and a LED ad of them will be screened in Thailand. Turtles weren’t even paying attention but they were so competitive and can’t bear to see the boys lose. Lol. This is how strong the Fandom is if they want to. We can even go on HS. 3 million + on weibo and more internationally and united ( well for the most part ). A drama that aired in 2019 and two people who have no public interaction for years and we’re still here. We are staying. 🤍✨

-END.

[talkingteardrop]

info on my fantribes for the bfdi WOF au!

Foodwings:

They aren’t technically their own tribe, they’re subspecies of existing tribes

Gelatin is a subspecies of leaf, rain, and seawings. he can breathe underwater for a limited amount of time

Lollipop is a subspecies of sand and hivewings. her lollipop tail has venom in it, however its weaker than Sandwing and Hivewing venom, it just puts the person she injects it into a coma

Cake is a Subspecies of night, mud, and Silkwings. He can hold his breath for a maximum of 45 minutes, however he isnt good at holding his breath so he normally only holds his breath for 15-30 minutes at once

Pie is a subspecies of Silkwings, she can pull blueberry flavored silk from glands on her wrists, which she often uses to add flavor to fruit dishes she makes

Fries is a subspecies of rain and sandwings, he has weak venom in both his fangs and his tail, all it does is knock out the person he injects it with for a few hours, the rainwing venom he has just causes pain to the dragon

Donut is a subspecies of sandwings, he has no venom in his tail, but can go a long while without water and can withstand high heats

Taco is a subspecies of leaf (lettuce), sand (shell), and seawings (fish), she can breath underwater, her green can slightly shift colors to a brown, and she can live without water for a week, she also has venom in her tail just like fries

Mathwings:

They are a species of dragons from a different continent, one long destroyed. The mathwings had to flee from the continent as it was sinking. And they made it all the way to Goiky

X: one of the weaker mathwings, his powers are very limited to short distance teleporting, they’re also extremely small, looking like a dragonet of only a few years old, he also has very VERY weak wings and can barely fly, however, all these shortcomings give them another ability. He has, an EXTREMELY good sense of smell, he can be in a forest, surrounded by flowers and leaves, and smell out one tiny leafwing dragonet. He can sniff out the relative size of a dragon, what tribe they are (“i smell a leaf dragon” “i can smell a metal dragon?” “Hmm..a fire dragon..”)

4: one of the most powerful mathwings. Constantly gets mistaken for X’s parent, which he HATES as they are in a relationship with X. He can fly for weeks, possibly months, without a break (which was great for when the equation environment was destroyed)

2: another one of the most powerful mathwings. Pretty damn strong and can also fly for weeks. When the equation environment was destroyed, they would carry 9 or 6 when either of their wings got tired

6: a relatively normal mathwing, she can fly for a week before needing a break. He can also breathe fire, weak fire but still fire. They are dating 9 and constantly has to stop 9 from injuring themself

9: also relatively normal in power, can only fly for 3-5 days, can spit out acid from his fangs, and breathe fire, he can also squeeze into very tight spaces. Shes also a fuking dumbass

Mechanicalwings:

mechanicalwings are robotic dragons that are made by other dragons, however one has been found in the wild, without having ever been created by another dragon

Remote: The only mechanicalwing to be found in the wild, she doesn’t like most other dragons and stays with her team at all times, even protecting Fanny and lightning from -unintelligible- when theyd angered her.

TV: A mechanicalwing made by Golf Ball. He never leaves the lab and often would hang out with Golf Club and use his belly screen to communicate with her.

Robot Flower: a mechanicalwing made by Basketball intended to keep Grassy company when she was gone

Mineralwings

dragons based off of minerals, hence the name

Ruby: A slightly see through mineralwing with small gems jetting out of her body, she glows when she experiences a strong positive emotion. She has a LOT of energy all the time and is seen running around goiky, she also often spends a MONTH flying to Yoyleland to grab herself some yoyle berries.

Rocky: A small mineralwing who loves running around, sometimes toppling into situations where he almost dies. He cant swim at all, but loves the water. So Golf Ball made him a kiddy pool. He has small rocks pokingout of his scales that he uses for self defense, rubbing against an attacker to scratch them, bad.

Loser: A Mineralwing with glass scales, however the only parts of him that are see through are his horns, spines, teeth, and claws. He never attacks people as he doesn’t want to damage himself. Hes very close to winner

Winner: a slightly squishy mineralwing, seemingly made out of a naturally occurring goo. They can squish their body into gaps most dragons cant fit in. Theyre very close to loser and is slightly eepy at all times

Needle: a grey mineralwing wity a pointy tail. She often has to prevent Naily from stabbing people with her tail point.

Naily: a smaller mineralwing, she looks very alike to her big sister. Grey body, spike on the end of her tail. Unlike her sister she loves stabbing people. Mainly her adoptive brother, Nickel.

[theghostofashton]

Hi 🥰🥰 Hope I don't bother you, but apparently, it's a "thinking about you saw the truth in me" type of day 😅 so... if you wouldn't mind rambling a little - any future headcanons? Will they at all announce their relationship to the public or let the paparazzi sort of do it? If they get engaged, will they 'talk' about it or keep it a secret until the wedding, and TK'll just show up with a wedding band one day?😅 Will there be any red carpet event Carlos'd accompany him or have they agreed on TK going alone/with castmates only?

no joke this ask has made my entire day. talking about my fics is one of my most favorite things to do so thank you for giving me that opportunity! it means so much that you're still thinking about my fic <3

so, one of my original thoughts on how to end the story was actually going to be the red carpet of tk's movie. carlos would walk with him, as his plus one, but there wouldn't be any explicit attention drawn to carlos being his boyfriend or anything. i decided to go with the interview instead because i loved the idea of things coming full circle with tk finally getting to control his narrative, getting to have the last word.

tk wouldn't want to announce their relationship publicly, but it wouldn't be too much of a secret (because carlos is relatively known in hollywood as a trainer). tk would early on get asked questions in interviews, and he'd shoot them down quickly, until nancy finally put carlos on the list of things interviewers are banned from asking him about.

the final interview also reveals they've moved out of california, but doesn't say where, and that information would also be heavily guarded. tk finally takes gwyn's advice from years ago and involves a legal team that's ready to take action against any future defamation.

tk and marjan have a lot of conversations about the steps she takes to protect herself, the security she hires, the way she balances being open with her fans and sharing her life and keeping things private enough to keep her safe (mentally and physically). she helps him work on setting boundaries and shows him that it is possible to enjoy his life and see the world without things getting messy.

tk thoroughly freaks out before meeting carlos's parents for the first time, completely prepared for them to have already read everything that's been said and judge him. he works himself up so much about it (despite carlos's insistence that they would never) but everything melts away when andrea hugs him the moment he sees her. he's worried about what gabriel will say, but the first words out of his mouth are a compliment about the movie, and tk feels like he can breathe again after hearing that.

carlos does get mobbed once. he makes a trip to la with tk so they can visit tommy, charles, and the girls (and see paul, marjan, and mateo), and gets recognized while out on a run. it's nothing too wild, and nancy quickly sends in security to disperse the crowd. carlos is shaken, but physically unharmed. the whole incident freaks tk out a lot, and sends him down another spiral of wondering if it's fair to risk carlos's safety like this. he's quickly reassured that he is the most rewarding risk carlos has ever taken, in more ways than carlos can even tell him.

when they get engaged, it's also kept quiet. carlos proposes. tk wants to, but struggles with the thought of proposing forever with the knowledge of what his life is like. he wants to marry carlos more than anything, but he feels like in good conscience he can't ask for that, subject carlos to it. when he tells carlos this, he's reminded that they are a team and he doesn't get to make those decisions on his own anymore, and they finally do get engaged. and yes, tk doesn't say anything about it, he just starts wearing a ring for maximum chaos. (i can see him casually dropping 'husband' in an interview and freaking the internet out, but refusing to say more)

i think eventually, carlos would start accompanying him on red carpets, but it would be years in the future, possibly when they're engaged or married. carlos wants to do it much sooner, but tk isn't ready, and carlos knows not to push.

when they have a child, tk insists that it stay completely under lock and key. their baby girl grows up entirely protected from the spotlight for a few years, knowing her aunt marjan and uncle mateo as goofy grown-ups that skype her at the strangest hours (while they're off shooting) and always bring her the coolest goodies. seeing her uncle paul is her favorite, she loves when he lifts her into the air and does overhead presses with her. and aunt nancy is the funniest person she's ever met, she and her daddy have the silliest arguments, she loves when she comes over.

[agentsterling]

[It’s that time again, ladies and gentlemen! SHIELD KARAOKE NIGHT! Let’s party like it’s 2012!]

Brief Recap: The Location? The Blue Roof Bar. The Bartender? Joey Laroe. He was used to hosting the weirdly wild crew years ago but when suddenly they stopped showing up after all SHIELD’s files were leaked, he finally pieced things together. Now, after being in the dark for so long, he got a call out of the blue from an old patron, asking for another night of drunken fun. He was happy to oblige.

SHIELD was rebuilding again. Some underground. Some finally crawling out into more open bases. Some rebuilding the ruins of the past bases they once knew. Some moving on with their lives without SHIELD.

It was hard seeing SHIELD like this, but Sterling felt perhaps what they needed was a reminder of the old days. Nostalgia. Fun. Team building togetherness.

With booze, of course.

[After the intro announcement [THIS] The event has begun! But Sterling-mun? What do I post? How do I participate?

I’m glad you asked.

How to Have Your Character Sing a Song: Post a video [with lyrics if you can find it] or audio of a song you want your character to sing. Or, you could just post the lyrics to a song. Maybe they are getting a little drunk. Maybe they start getting the words wrong. Have fun with it!

And don’t forget gifs and icons if you have them!

You can comment on each other’s songs too to encourage them, join in for a duet, boo them off the stage [be nice], or whatever you want in terms of interacting with their performance.

Don’t want to sing? Between songs? Just showed up to put it all on youtube or for blackmail?: Make little starter posts set in the bar for others attending the event. It’s just a big party. Any SHIELD agent can join in. But make sure you tag it “SHIELD Karaoke Night” and “Open” for us all to know where it’s taking place, when, and letting others know it’s open for commenting. They can be watching the shenanigans, doing shots, taking a smoke break outside, whatever you want.

Protocol: In the old days Fury instituted a 3 drink maximum for all agents. We will be going back to these protocols [but let’s be real, no one but Sterling is going to follow it]. Please make sure you do not kill anyone, including yourselves, and no weapons should be drawn unless it is an emergency. I will not be cleaning up after you.

There really are no rules. It’s very casual. Don’t stress about getting anything right or wrong. It’s just providing a setting and a time for SHIELD agent rpers to have their characters all unwind together. Keep track of other people posting in it so you can comment on what song they sang or how drunk they’re getting. Name drop. It’s fun and everyone loves when their character is mentioned in a thread they aren’t in. Especially if they just sang something and you’re commenting on their performance. Do it.

The NPC: Joey Laroe is an NPC and you can take him over for your interactions if you would like. Or, if you want me to play him [because I like playing him so I don’t mind] just tag me in and I’ll pop in for a moment to be him for you.

Help: If you have any questions or you don’t understand, please track the tag “shield karaoke night” and see what we did the last time. If you STILL have questions, please do not hesitate to ask me, @agentsterling​.

This event is for SHIELD PERSONNEL ONLY unless you are invited by a SHIELD agent. Or crashing it. I have no problem with the event being crashed, just know what you’re getting yourself into by doing so.]

[mushiemellows]

2, 15, 17 for the writer ask game!! love your work <3

2.       Is there a least favorite character or title you dislike writing for?

I have some semi-extensive Jinbei writing on the horizon that I’m not feeling totally confident in. I also am writing some Sanj atm, and I’ve never totally felt confident in how I write him (tho I’ve been practicing and I subjectively think I’m improving?) I also sort of abandoned the Frankenstein fic, I might get back to it one day but it’s ultimately sad and thinking about it makes me feel even sadder to work on. We’ll see how it all pans out, I’d like to return to it one day because I still know where I want the story to go, I just don’t know if I’m in the place to write it yet. But I appreciate what it meant when I wrote it back over new years/xmas. Lots of things. I tend to get really harsh on myself, even tho it’s kind of silly. This is all just playing dolls. I don’t need to be so upset with the things I make, idk. And yet, I do.

15.   What made you start to write fanfiction/stories?

Hm. This is complicated to answer, I guess. Like I guess I’ve been thinking about fic since I was an 8year old kid realizing I could build off of stories in my brain before I went to bed. I used to feel a lot of shame about my desire to write those stories down, though. I was made fun of a lot when I was young for it. When I was in my early 20s I was in a fandom that was hot at the time where I wrote some pretty successful one shots (relatively, idk if they have longevity tho) but I didn’t sit down and start fully typing out words like I have become known for until ~6 months ago. I put out a crap fic I’ve since deleted because I was so ashamed of how bad it was, but it lead to me writing SRH so i can’t be totally mad at it either. And one day, I’ll look back on writing 315k of anime smut as a stepping stone to the next thing after it. It’s just a matter of time and perspective, I know that. I owe a lot to the terrible stories I made up in my brain when I was eight. I owe a lot to the terrible stories I made up in ao3 20 years after that. One day, I’ll look back on this phase too, hopefully. Stories pop into my brain in a way that is easier than words in real life. I like crafting narratives, I’ve fallen in love with the process these last few months. It’s always felt natural to me, and I’m so happy to finally pursue it. It’s freeing.

17.   If there’s one thing you could tell your readers, what would it be?

So I answered this one already, but I’m going to add to it. Oh my god, get weird. We’re in such a fecking different era of art creation, you need to make something weird and off putting to the masses. Find your niche, have confidence with the weird shit you’re into. Every time I get down about like, AI and bullshit like that, I think about the history of the camera and its relationship to painting. When science realized it could capture real life with more “technical precision” with the camera, portraiture and painting didn’t end. It adapted, we got Impressionism, expressionism, surrealism. Poison the content machine with unusable trash. Make something so weird that a computer couldn’t even dream of creating. Get wild, get funky, get freaky, fuck it get a little kinky. You’re never going to appease everyone. Maximum palatability isn’t the point. Be a fucking weirdo on main. Soak it up. Lean in twice as hard. Double down. Freak people out. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Tysm for all of the love 💜💜💜💜

[mejomonster]

Midnight Museum ep 3:

Is dome an alien???? A mystical god???? THERES ALIENS IN THIS??? (WOW THE GUARDIAN PARALLELS ILL SHUT UP)

So if Khatha is Jack Harkness and Dome is shen wei then who's driving rhe bus??

That FLASHBACK 1000 YEARS IM OVERWHEOMED IM !!!! 1. WHAT KIND OF ZHAO YUNLAN TIME TRAVEL BULLSHIT (affectionate - but seriously I never thought I'd see it done again, cyclical storytelling my beloved) 2. in a BASEBALL HAT 3. DID KHATHA TIME TRAVEL TOO OR WAS THAT MAYBE HOW HE FIRST DIED AND BECAME IMMORTAL WHAT???

I needed more Namtan this episode but I get it. She's not the lead. Still I missed her I hope she talks to Dome

Dome is WILD I am ENTHRALLED INTRIGUED ENGAGED. yes svsss give me the "damsel" looking character who's actually Ye Zun or worse he's just the Destroyer idk WHAT he is but if he's not possessed then he's God tier in this plot and Khatha even immortal is an ant in comparison power-scale wise YES YES I love that. I love it. (Also sorry for the Guardian references but if you get it you get it)

I love Bam that's all

Locking him up like a cursed artifact. Logical but fucked. Dome doesn't want to kill more people... does he remember killing people now? Oh??

I do not know how to read Khatha toward Dome except reverent longing. If this ain't a gay romance (or gay enemies with broken hearts) by the end then idk what the fuck is going on with Khatha longingly reaching out

I fear this outcome but. I do predict. There's a chance Domes forgotten personality is dark AF and if it "comes back" (and turns out he wasn't possessed but just a self determined person on a mission he chose) then it's gonna get heavy as fuck when he remembers. Two options at that point which is either he Leans into the old self (and we get a Hei Qi from Fairyland Lovers cdrama situation but more murder) or he retains his current personality and has to RECONCILE it with who he is now and his desire to "take responsibility" leading to maximum angst but I personally hope Eventually it hits that point as it's the more interesting character development outcome. Either way I predict Dome being a time bomb until he Does fully remember.

1000 YEARS AGO TELL ME MOREEEEE

Ohhhh who's the lady spying on Domeeeee