#intensity slicing and color coding

[lightsabergirl]

@genopsychos thanks for asking about lightsaber colours! now I get to yap about them lol

welcome to my NOT simplified list of my interpretation of lightsaber colours (based on the the interpretation that lightsaber colours depend on ones relationship with/interpretation of the force)

warning: if you prefer the theory that lightsaber colours don't mean anything in particular this post is not for you! if you prefer that that's totally cool, I just think that's boring lol

if we take the fact that the three most recognizable and common lightsabers are blue, red and green and base the rest of the colours off of these three "force mindsets" we can make a whole fun range of perspectives! which I love because it allows more freedom for self expression among Jedi :)

so! for a visual aid I use a color wheel

so far these guys are canon :

💙 blue = prefers most to use means of physical combat to solve problems, they can be powerful in the force but they like to use their lightsaber first (I don't blame em)

💚 green = prefers to rely on their force abilities before relying on combative means to solve problems, they usually meditate before making any rash decisions and value the will and their connection to the force very much

♥️ red = a crystal that was bleed, that means that the user has taken the crystal and put all their intense negative emotions into it. hate, anger and grief are all emotions that are used in the process. this is actually surprisingly difficult to do depending on how intense your emotions are at the time, it's also possible to crack your crystal if you bleed it to much, you'd need a modified saber like Kylo Ren if that's the case (if you keep cracking it tho, you'd blow up and die sooo yeah)

💛 yellow = values academia and non Jedi related skills more, they might learn slicing (hacking), code cracking it literally any practical skill, they make the best spies and you're about as likely to see a yellow lightsaber as you are to see a purple one, not because they're that rare to have but because they rarely get to the point where they gotta use em

💜 purple = best described as the middle point between blue and red, an extremely rare balance between the light and dark sides, if the light side is walking and the dark side is running this is speed walking, way harder to do than you think, also these guys are huge gatekeepers and for good reason, you could become consumed by the dark side very fast

🤍 white = a healed red crystal, it usually says a lot about your character seeing as it's not easy to heal something that was so corrupted. characters with white lightsabers usually are a little unorthodox and defer from the more traditional way of the Jedi, that said a Jedi in the order can have this color

🧡 orange = dark jedi most likely this one's a little iffy, it's not possible to 'half bleed a crystal' (in canon anyways but I got my theories), similarly to white crystal users, these Jedi are very separate to the traditional Jedi, except these guys are a little more towards the dark side, not like purple lightsabers where they dance on the line, they kinda just stand next to it.

lime green: yellow and green, balance between force abilities and academic/practical abilities (thank ahsoka's shoto for opening the door to a bunch of hybrid color possibilities!)

let's get to the non canon ones now:

these are totally speculation and vibes

any color but a little more dusty ≈ a disconnection to the force

pink ≈ iconic girlie vibes

magenta ≈ pink and purple, girlie who can balance both light and dark

cyan ≈ green and blue so a balance between force abilities and lightsaber combat

I think the rest are self explanatory since the colours are just combos from now on.

welp thanks for reading if you got this far! 😁. im chill with answering more questions if need be

[eldraftsman]

Day 18: Favorite anime art?

I'm gonna assume it counts by technicality, so I'll go with this poster for Spy X Family CODE: White.

I have to wonder if this is cheating? Eh, this challenge is meant to be fun so I hope nobody nitpicks

Anyway, compared to the manga, the anime art direction is a whole different beast. While trying to be respectful to the color palette of the source material, a lot of it kind of botches the color design just a little. Due to the anime adaptation's emphasis on the cozy family aspect of the story, it's certainly more prone to get a little more intense on the saturation I talked about yesterday, and since the color is more naturalistic the palette is constrained by trying to look accurate to the lighting conditions it's trying to mimic over the more expressionistic choices of the manga art (like using moderately vivid blues for the shadows just to balance out the color palette). As a side note, I think we can agree the fashion choices for the Forgers by the anime staff and marketing team are... not always on point. So there's that too. But when it comes to this poster, in many ways I find it to be one of the closest to the manga's color illustrations. Not quite in that the art-style is a dead ringer for Endo's artwork but in that the color philosophy resembles the more pragmatic choices you see in those color spreads. The general composition and use of a more painterly design to the background also are a welcome change of pace, and while it's not a direct reference, the design of the whole thing certainly borrows from classic espionage films like the James Bond series.

Just, you know, without the horniness. Though on that front I REALLY wish there was a clean version online of the bonus poster that came with the first Blu Ray. I'm a sucker for a good homage to film and this was very clearly inspired by the posters of movies like From Russia with Love. The Connery era of James Bond may be particularly cringeworthy with the machismo, but the posters were fire.

That said, If I have to pick promotional art tied to the actual anime seasons, the season 2 promo is where it's at.

In spite of not being the biggest fan of those overly bombastic yellows on the top half(or those pseudo chromatic aberration blues in the bottom half), I like how this image does a great job in reflecting the dichotomy the series tends to opperate on. On one hand you get a silly slice of life that is directly contingent on the success of an elementary schooler befriending her peers at a prestigious school... while on the other you have a (fictional world) cold war action-drama where all the involved parties know each others and coexist as peers despite being secretly on opposite sides.

There's not such a thing as a perfect adaptation, but I think it's safe to say we've got so far a damn good one.

[england-would-fall]

He’d forgotten his pen. Yes, there were dozens in his office: in the letter tray, behind the lamp, scattered through every drawer and bin and chair cushion. It was an occupational hazard of living with a mad genius whose antidote to anxiety was color-coding.

Despite the plethora of writing implements, Henry was forced to sneak into the bedroom for his favorite pen—the pen his father had signed autographs with, signed his wedding agreement with, and had left Henry in his will. Henry wasn’t usually superstitious (Alex called him “a little stitious,” whatever that meant), but it was bad luck to sign contracts with anything else.

His bare feet on the hardwood floor weren’t enough to disturb Alex where he lay smiling in his sleep. Face pressed into a pillow, one tan leg hooked over the top of the duvet, and making a deliciously satisfied humming sound. Henry approached the foot of the bed, remembering the way Alex had looked as he left his room that first night.

Domesticity poisoned passion, he’d always been told, but this man…this witty, charming, endlessly kind man…did nothing but fan the flames of Henry’s want with each passing day. Dressing gown dropping to the floor, Henry stripped out of his clothes and climbed the length of Alex’s body.

“Darling,” he whispered, nose running along the side of his neck, “I need you.” He pressed his lips to a shoulder, a vertebra, a hip. His tongue paid worship to the dimples on Alex’s lower back, which still owed him a debt for all the years they’d been visible only in magazine pages and Henry’s dreams. He lifted his head as Alex rolled slowly onto his back. A soft grin spread across Alex’s face at the sight of Henry hovering above his thighs.

“Baby.”

Henry needed nothing further. They had danced this dance a hundred times, their steps now fluid and sure.

“I dreamt of you.” The back of Alex’s hand brushed Henry’s cheek, sending his eyelids fluttering closed against an onslaught of emotion. How could his chest compress beneath the weight of calm Alex instilled in him while simultaneously setting every ounce of blood in his veins aflame with desire? How could one man feel so deeply? How could another drive such feeling? It didn’t make sense, and so Henry turned to the one act always able to anchor his runaway mind: he looked Alex in the eye and swallowed him down.

A gasp rang out near the head of the bed, slicing open the early winter morning’s darkness. Alex’s hands sunk into Henry’s hair, the electricity coursing through his fingertips spurring him immediately to a furious pace. There were moments of endless tenderness between them; this was not one of them. Alex’s grip tightened and pulled in a gorgeous plea for control to which Henry easily yielded. He released the tension in his jaw, shifting his focus to the suction between his tongue and palette.

Dark moans tore themselves out of Alex’s throat as he thrust himself fiercely into Henry’s. Eyes watering at the rawness of Alex’s claim on his body and the intensity of their trust, he leaned hard onto an elbow pressed into the crumpled linens beside Alex’s flexing thigh and wrapped his free hand around himself. Matching the erratic pace of Alex’s hips as closely as he could, Henry was vaguely aware of the lack of lubricant building heat quickly where skin met skin. He should wait, but the almost-painful drag of his palm met the mounting soreness of his throat and the lingering sting of abuse to his scalp and he was there, pressed against the edge and moaning around a mouthful of Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz until he was shaking with the force of his release.

Alex, his amazing fucking Alex, was crying out now into the fading darkness, fists clenched in Henry’s hair to hold him in place while he came into his wonderfully aching throat, gasping each time Henry swallowed with him still deep inside his mouth. Eventually, the body beneath him melted back into the bed and Henry found himself being beckoned more than pulled toward the pillows.

“You,” Alex said, shaking his head and smirking, “are absolutely perfect.” He turned his head to meet Henry’s gaze, which was embarrassingly adoring, and wound their fingers together.

“This shouldn’t be news to you, dear.” Henry’s attempted attitude failed thanks to the enormous smile plastered on his face, though he’d never concede the point willingly.

“It’s not,” Alex said simply, forcing Henry’s heart to skip a beat against its better judgment. “What time is it?”

Henry’s brow furrowed a moment. “I was up at half five, so about six now I’d wager.”

“Six o’clock. On a Saturday. In November. You are perfect. And I love you. And if you speak one word to me in the next hour, I will have you killed.”

Henry kissed his temple and slid off the bed in search of clothes. “Shall I put coffee on, sweetheart?”

“Wales, I swear to god. MI6 cannot save you from my wrath.”

“Half pot, then?”

Alex groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. Henry strode out of the room to a muffled “better remember the cinnamon.” He would, of course, until his dying day. Unfortunately, he had once again forgotten his pen.

[becauseimanicequeen]

Color Harmony

This is inspired by a post I wrote answering an ask about the triadic color scheme. So, let's dive into color harmonies.

There are a couple of ways to create color harmony, and some of the most common are:

Analogous color scheme (which I usually refer to as "related colors")

Monochromatic color scheme

Complementary/contrasting color scheme

Split complementary color scheme

Triadic color scheme

There are also other color harmonies like the tetradic color scheme (which forms a rectangle across the color wheel and includes 4 colors) and the square color scheme (which forms a square across the color wheel and also includes 4 colors) to name a few. But I'm keeping it (somewhat) basic in this post.

Value (dark/light) and intensity (saturated/muted) also play a role in color harmonies, but I'm keeping it simple in this post by just focusing on color combinations.

As always when explaining these things, I need this visual aid to help me:

(This is a photo I took of a color-wheel illustration in Betty Edwards' book "Color".)

This is a traditional color wheel with 3 primary colors, 3 secondary colors, and 6 tertiary colors.

(I'm putting their numbers in the list below so you'll know which color I'm referring to on the color wheel.)

The colors are:

12: Yellow (primary)

1: Yellow-Orange (tertiary)

2: Orange (secondary)

3: Red-Orange (tertiary)

4: Red (primary)

5: Red-Purple (tertiary)

6: Purple (secondary)

7: Blue-Purple (tertiary)

8: Blue (primary)

9: Blue-Green (tertiary)

10: Green (secondary)

11: Yellow-Green (tertiary)

(Not that this will matter to the post, but if you're interested: The primary colors can't be created by mixing other colors/pigments. These are the basic colors you need to create the other colors on the color wheel. The secondary colors are those you get by mixing two of the primaries together. The tertiary colors are those you get by mixing the primary color with the secondary color that's on either side of it.)

(Also, the tertiary colors usually have different names in everyday language (like magenta, indigo, or turquoise). But I'm coming from a painter's perspective when naming the tertiary colors because this was how I learned how to identify hues and mix them properly.)

With that sorted, let's dive into the different color harmonies.

Analogous Color Scheme

These colors are inherently harmonious because they share the same space on the color wheel and reflect similar light waves.

Usually, they include 3 colors, but a 4th and 5th could potentially work as well.

If you think of the color wheel as a cake, the analogous colors are all included in a small/mid slice of it. They are all next to each other.

An example could be purple, blue-purple, and blue since these 3 colors are right next to each other on the color wheel.

The analogous color scheme is often used with characters that are color-coded with a secondary (or tertiary) color. Secondary (and tertiary) colors are more difficult to distinguish than primary colors since they're produced by mixing at least two other colors. So, there is always more than one color at play in the secondary (and tertiary) ones.

This is why we often see, for example, orange color-coded characters in QLs use a spectrum of orange where they sometimes verge towards yellow and/or red.

But, this color scheme can be used in the set design as well, as it was in the background in this scene from House of Stars:

There's yellow, orange, and red (which incorporates a spectrum of 5 colors on the color wheel), and makes an analogous color scheme. There's some pink in there as well, which, if we want to be basic, is pretty much just a light red (red mixed with white). (There's also some green, which is a complementary color to red, but I'll get to that below.)

Monochromatic Color Scheme

This color scheme is basically several values (dark/light) of the same color.

A simple way to think about it is to think about a black-and-white photo. There's everything in there from black to the gray midtones to white.

Or this frame from Bed Friend:

If we just focus on the white-to-black color spectrum, there's the white of the lampshade and Uea's shirt, the gray on the wall, the gray of Uea's pants, the darker gray/black on the headboard and King's shirt, and the black of the nightstand.

If another color was used, the black would still be black and the white would be white, but the midtones in between would be different values of the color of choice (for example purple, blue, or green).

Obviously, it doesn't have to go all the way to the ends of the spectrum (to the black and the white) to create color harmony. Using the midtones also works well, like these harmonious blues in Ji's bedroom in To Be Continued:

(I know this might look gray to a lot of people. But, trust me, there's blue in there.)

Complementary/Contrasting Color Scheme

I've already written about complementary/contrasting colors before, so I won't explain it in detail in this post. However, the core principle is that the complementary colors sit on the opposite sides of the color wheel.

The basic (primary + secondary) examples are:

Yellow + purple

Red + green

Blue + orange

And we also have black/white (or dark/light).

I would say that this is the most commonly used color harmony in the QLs I've watched. It's an easy way to make the colors stand out, it's a great way to show contrasts in characters, but it's also very easily and universally used with the black and white, dark and light contrasts in particular.

There are a lot of options to choose from when it comes to the black and white contrasts, but I'm choosing Lee Hyun and Kim An in Love Class Season 2 because their lives and personalities contrast just as much as their black and white colors.

I also want to add Chen Yi and Ai Di from Kiseki: Dear to Me who are matching each other:

It's a bonus that they're matching on all three colors (black, white, and red).

If I were to choose two of the colors from the color wheel and a QL that used them well, I would choose red and green and I Told Sunset About You:

They used these contrasting/complementary colors everywhere and it was so well done that everything from the set design to the characters was unforgettable. It was divine.

Split Complementary Color Scheme

This is also a way to use color on the opposite side of the color wheel. But, instead of the complete opposite, you select the two colors adjacent to the complement.

Instead of yellow being used with purple, yellow is used with red-purple and blue-purple, or purple is used with yellow-green and yellow-orange.

This is where we get into complicated territory, especially when trying to find examples of this in QLs. I don't think this is used very much (I can't remember having seen a representation of this) because sticking to the primary and secondary colors is easier.

Tertiary colors are used (I would say they're used more as a hue of a secondary or primary color, like I mentioned with orange in the part about the analogous color scheme above, rather than a color on its own) but are difficult to distinguish from the primary and secondary colors that produce them.

Every split complementary combination includes at least one tertiary color, so this might be why this color harmony isn't used as often in QLs.

If you have any examples, feel free to share them.

Triadic Color Scheme

I've already written about the triadic color scheme before, so I won't explain it in detail here. However, the core principle is that this color scheme is depicted with a triangle (there are two examples in the image of the color wheel above). Each point of the triangle points to a color that harmonizes with the other two.

The basic examples are:

The 3 primary colors together (yellow, red, and blue)

The 3 secondary colors together (orange, purple, and green)

An example of this can be Ji's bedroom in To Be Continued (the image I showed above), where there are yellow candles on the nightstands, a red balloon dog to the left (I can't really see if this is a Jeff Koons' figurine, but I doubt it), and the blue surrounding them (as well as their clothes).

There's also the living room in Knock Knock, Boys!, which includes the yellow, red, and blue (I love how all three of those colors pop):

But there are also the secondary colors in combination:

The orange pillow and posters, the purple light in the background to the right, and the green beer bottles. This is just another reason for me to absolutely love this series.

And then there's Secret Crush on You who wants to have all the primary and secondary colors in one frame at the same time (considering this is a colorful show, I'm not surprised):

The yellow, red-ish, and blue straws, the red backpack, the blue on Toh's shirt and the pillow behind Nuea, the orange on Nuea's clothes, the purple on Toh's shirt, and the green on Toh's shirt as well as the plants behind them.

And in this frame:

Where all three primary and all three secondary colors exist on those condom packages. Iconic!

And what a way to finish off this post, lol.

So, there you have it. 5 different ways to create color harmony with some examples from a couple of QLs.

[blackbooklog]

Ultra Learning

Ultra learning is a strategy for acquiring skills and knowledge that is both self-directed and intense.

Principle #1 Meta Learning

Designing a study plan

10% of the studying should be spent on what is the best way to learn

Why, What, How

Why are you learning what is it's purpose or your interest

What are you learning what is it exactly you are learning

How are your learning what are the mediums that you are using your methods.

Principle #2 Focus

Three major problems people face are, procrastination, failing to maintain focus, failing to create the right kind of focus.

The greater the arousal the more narrow the focus. The lower the arousal the more wider the focus.

The greater the task complexity the wider the focus you will need

Principle #3 Directness

Learning the task as closely as possible to the situation or context you will be using it in.

For example you want to learn to be conversationally fluent in a language, the best method to incorporate in your learning is conversing with those who are fluent

This applies to other topics as well if the goal is to code apps, you need to learn coding in the context of developing apps.

Principle #4 Drill

Attacking your weak point

A very common tactic for musicians or athletes is time slicing

Time slicing is the breaking down of what you are trying to learn into separate parts and attacking the most difficult parts

Principle #5 Retrieval

The concept of testing yourself to learn

Neurons that wire together fire together

Forcing yourself into reactivating what you've learned through actions and tasks

Self generated challenges, flash cards, free recall, and the question book method are more narrowly focused versions of this learning to build an app from scratch when you are learning to code is a more broadly focused example of this.

Free recall is the reiteration of what you've learned in your own words

The question book method is the phrasing of what it is you are trying to learn in the form of a question.

Principle #6 Feedback

There are three types of feedback, outcome feedback, informational feedback, and corrective feedback

Outcome feedback is straight forward and the end result of your inputs

Informational feedback is based in asking questions and seeking information it tells you what it is you are doing wrong or doing right.

Corrective feed back it not only tells you what is good or bad but how to improve things and correct shortcomings this kind of feedback can be sourced through a mentor or an expert

In today's A.I. driven world it's possible to seek feed back from Chat GPT

Principle #7 Retention

Imagine a bucket with some holes in it that is your brain, as you are learning things, things you have learned in the past spill out and are forgotten

The forgetting curve, after you learn something you immediately start forgetting something

The most amount of forgetting something happens right after you learn it. Over-time your rate your rate of forgetting decreases but you are still forgetting things slowly over time

Not only do you need to focus on storing information but also on keeping information from leaving the brain.

Spacing out your learning, spaced repetition system (anki), and proceduralization. can all aid in the better retention of information.

Principle #8 Intuition

This is developed by digging deeply into a subject or topic of interest as it pertains to learning

The Fymen Technique aids in developing a deeper understanding

Select a concept to learn, teach it to a child, review and refine your understanding, organize your notes and revisit them regularly

Principle #9 Experimentation

Once you start getting to the intermediate to master level you will have less and less resources online.

Vincent van Gogh is prime example of experimentation he implemented several methods to develop his painting style.

Different mediums, different usages of color, different styles of paints, different techniques, subjects for his paintings, and his internalized states.

He differs from da Vinci in that it was his experimentation that made him a master even though he was not as talented by default.

Bonus, Learning Things Fast

1. increase physiological arousal   ⠀

(move around)

2. induce panic   ⠀

(set deadlines)

3. set an emotional response   ⠀

(build a sense of purpose, you can transform learning material into a story)

4. regenerate dopamine   ⠀

(doing nothing/freaking out/doing something you hate)

5. decrease motivation needed to get started   ⠀

(using AI to get the first draft so you have something to start working on)

6. use different methods to learn the same thing   ⠀

(auditory, visual, etc.)

7. construct memory links   ⠀

(associate new material with existing information/memories. e.g. mind maps. ChatMind AI)

8. AI tools to use: Speechify, InVideo, HubSpot

[crazyblondelife]

Springtime Pasta - Spaghetti with Arugula & Pistachio Pesto

Several days ago I got an email from Eatily and it was all things pistachio! I noticed a jar of pistachio pesto and it sounded delicious, but it was $15 for about 6 ounces! Six ounces would definitely not be enough for a pound of pasta and I knew I could make my own and I also knew it would be better! I started looking for a recipe and most of them were made with basil which isn’t in season right now so I kept looking and found one made with arugula! I love the peppery, spicy flavor of arugula and knew it would be a fabulous combination with pistachios and…I was right! I tweaked the recipe quite a bit and came up with this recipe for Spaghetti with Arugula & Pistachio Pesto!.

Garlic is an important element of a good pesto and since it’s so healthy and delicious, I used 3 large cloves. I actually think 4 cloves would be even better, but make this recipe according to what you like. I love the combination of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses and I used roasted and salted pistachios. You could definitely use an unsalted nut and adjust the amount of salt you add to the final pesto sauce. The lemon juice adds just enough acidity and is also very healthy! This sauce is so lovely on pasta, but it would be fabulous added to a soup, or spread on toasted baguette slices with goat cheese. I’m sure if I sat here long enough, I could come up with many more uses, but I’ll leave that to you! My point here is…make a little extra because you’ll love this recipe and why not?

Creating beautiful table settings has become a passion for me and this one really made me happy! The tablecloth is one that I’ve had forever and was purchased at TJ Maxx! For some reason, I’ve held on to it and I’m so glad that I did because it really brought the elements of this table together. The blue serving bowl, flower vase and green plates are from Haand Pottery and so perfect for spring! I love the green pesto with the blue bowl! I really couldn’t believe how perfect the colors were! The flowers came from a local farm called Rodwell Roots and are the pink tulips truly some of the most beautiful tulips I’ve ever seen!

Don’t forget to use my code CRAZYBLONDELIFE to receive 20% off your purchase from Haand! These dishes are dishwasher safe and add such a beautiful handmade element to your table!

Keep scrolling for the recipe!

{"image":"https://i.imgur.com/iYGfhn9.png","name":"Spaghetti with Pistachio Arugula Pesto","prepTime":"PT15M","cookTime":"PT12M","totalTime":"PT27M","description":"The flavor of this pesto is intense and delicious and it couldn't be healthier!","yield":"4","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Suzanne Smith"},"recipeIngredient":["3 generously packed cups fresh arugula","3 garlic gloves, peeled","8 ounces coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (or a combination of both) plus more for sprinkling at the end","Juice of 1/2 lemon","Extra virgin olive oil","Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste","1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes","3/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios","1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions. Be sure to save about 1 cup of the pasta water."],"recipeInstructions":["Place the arugula, garlic, cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes into your food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped.","Begin to add the olive oil, pulsing to blend well until it becomes the consistency you like. You want it thin enough to coat the pasta but not so thin that it's runny. I like mine to have a bit of texture.","Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.","Add the pistachios and pulse until finely chopped.","Add pesto to hot spaghetti and stir to combine. Add extra cheese and pasta water as needed. Top with more cheese and chopped pistachios. Enjoy!"],"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Recipe"}

Today, I’m teaming up with some of my influencer friends on a blog hop! I hope you’ll hop on over to their blogs and check them out! You’ll love them all including Dear Darcy by D’arcy Vandenberg, LuLu Loves 7 by Cindy Hannam, and Party Till Dawn by Dawn Parsons! Also follow them on Instagram…

D’Arcy - Darcy Vandenberg, Cindy - Lululoves7 and Dawn - PartyTilDawn

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and please leave a comment because you know how much I love your comments!

[epochtutorials]

How To Use False Color Coding And Intensity Slicing - C# - Epoch Abuse False color or pseudocolor image processing coupled with intensity slicing is useful for emphasizing shapes that might be hidden to our eyes.

[fleet-off]

From some of your posts, your editing sounds really analytical. What does your process look like?

Assuming this is about fic-editing? Thanks for the question, anon! I hope you don’t mind me going off a bit. 😅 If you want access to any of my macros + a quick intro on how to use them, hit me up—it’s super easy and I love talking about them. Sometimes I wonder if I’m too analytical, but my process works for me! Here is the nitty-gritty:

Bad-habit words. I use a Word macro to highlight ‘em. If I can’t justify a usage, I revise. Most “begin to” “reach for” “murmur” “think” “just” “softly” “the moment that” can be cut. Gestures like nodding or breathing tend to be filler. “goes [adjective, e.g. pale]” collocations can be replaced by a verb (“pales”). Etc.

Irrelevant description. The first draft of LatE had a long ill-thought tangent about Vegas running a hand up Pete’s leg and thinking about leg waxing. I was invested in that being a thing for them, but it bogged down my narration—I cut it. Even lovely colorful descriptions must fit and carry their weight. In general: is this detail plot- or setting-relevant? Does it contribute to mood? Does noticing it say something about the POV character? Does it repeat something I’ve already said? (That last one’s my worst writing habit. I’m prone to rephrases and near-synonymous coordinate adjectives/verbs.) (Also. Having to cut a metaphor I like breaks me every time. Pretty phrases that just don’t work? Gaaaaaah. Sometimes I can’t help keeping ‘em. It’s fanfiction, I’m allowed to be indulgent.)

Dialogue. I turn all non-dialogue text the same color as the page with a macro to check pacing. Filler phrases that don’t convey speaker emotion go first. Then I confront the overwritten parts—while I’ve outgrown blocks of dramatic high-style dialogue, I still tend to be too honest in my first draft. It’s cathartic to write all someone’s feelings out loud, but the most interesting part of a dialogue is what’s left unsaid. Emotional honesty is hard. Earning it is the negotiation of a difficult conversation.

Sentence/paragraph-level. I use a macro that colors sentences based on their length. With color-coding, I can check variety and tell at a glance whether sentence lengths align with the rise and fall of tension. At this stage, I split most of my run-ons—long sentences can be used to glorious effect, but their overuse wears on a reader. I try to save them for moments of high emotional intensity but low immediate action-based tension.

Big picture. I record myself reading the whole scene out loud and listen to it while I go on a walk or do household chores. Anything I stumble over recording or tune out listening to deserves a second look. Is event/thought progression logical? How does the scene flow? Does the pacing lag or skim at inappropriate moments?

So putting it all together, here’s a paragraph from an early draft of Lapping at the Edges:

Most days, Vegas genuinely tries not to push him past those limits. He just—he’s not like Pete, who seems to know instinctively where to cut him open to drain the worst of his poison. For Pete, understanding Vegas seems to come so simply; blunt weapon that he is, Vegas only knows how to take broad swipes and hope he strikes true.

The bad-habit highlight rids us of “genuinely” and “seems to.” We keep “he just—” and “only” because they mean something here. “Know instinctively” becomes “intuit.” (Onelook Thesaurus is a great resource, btw.)

Unneeded description? “For Pete, understanding Vegas seems to come so simply” restates the previous sentence, and “blunt weapon that he is” beats in a theme I express more subtly throughout the chapter. I cut both. Tangent I can’t help keeping here: hammers and bruises for Vegas, slicing and cutting off and sharp teeth for Pete except when Vegas romanticizes Pete punching him—the form of violence Pete was trained on and the one that hurts Pete to give him. (This is filtered through Vegas’s “I’m not the knife my father wanted me to be” feelings from chapter 1 and may not reflect what he and Pete actually are.)

That last sentence would need split, but cutting the “blunt weapon” bit removes the need. Sentence length works now.

No dialogue here, and the paragraph placement fits.

Revised paragraph:

Most days, Vegas tries not to push him past those limits. He just--he’s not like Pete, who can intuit where to cut him open to drain the worst of his poison. Vegas only knows to take broad swipes and hope he strikes true.

[showrunnerihardlyknowher]

Idk about you but that trope where a giant gets angry and accidentally scares a tiny and feels bad abt it afterwards makes me go absolutely feral,,

So, originally, I was planning for this scene to be in a future chapter of This Is Nothing Like The Disney Star Wars Trilogy, but I could never really think of a full story arc around it, even though I still really really really love this idea. In any case, if I happen to brainstorm a better plot and find a way to squeeze this in I might edit it into the main story, otherwise enjoy some classic Giant Catboi and Twink Solider fearplay >:3c

--

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was!?”

As expected, the little one did not respond to his rhetorical question, though his tone certainly helped snap it out of its previous stupor as it released its death grip on his shirt in favor of squirming as soon as the bedroom door slid shut behind him. His aggravation at the situation was clear as day even without the usual language and cultural barrier that impeded any sort of deeper relationship Edix tried to form with the human. Red ears were still folded back against his curls and his shoulders tense, the stiff posture traveling down to his hands were they gripped the earthling to his chest perhaps just a touch more tightly than usual, not that it prevented it from trying to push and wriggle itself out of his overprotective hold.

Fuck no, he wasn’t ready to let it go yet, not when flecks of blood were still smeared against his knuckles as a result of an impromptu rescue mission. The satisfying snap of cartilage under his fist after one good sucker punch to Talan’s smug face still echoed in his mind, blood gushing from the surely broken nose while the biologist stumbled backwards into the shelves. Edix wondered if he would be reprimanded for that by the directors later, or if Talan would be too proud to report the ass kicking, maybe even taking the lesson to heart to not fuck with his things in the future. And yes, that included trying to vivisect his sweet little pet.

How was I supposed to know the stray belonged to you? He had asked with sarcastic innocence, as if the human in question hadn’t been seen with Edix a thousand times before, and wasn’t drenched in his scent, and didn’t have his ID code printed on the back of its little suit, Maybe if you weren’t such a wuss and actually put it on a shorter leash-

Asshole. He was lucky Edix’s only goal at the moment was to get the little one off the table and back to the appropriate sector rather than rip Talan to shreds with his own tools. A taste of his own medicine, perhaps. Still, he admittedly did have a point about the human, what with how much it would run off and get lost and damn near killed. He simply couldn’t figure out what was so terrible about staying in his company that the little one would risk injury and mutilation in a foreign environment as opposed to the safety and comfort he so desperately tried to provide for it. They might have had a bit of a rocky start, sure, but stars above that was far in the past now. There’s nothing either of them can do to change the facts so why not accept things as they are and make some type of effort to be happy in this new life? By all accounts, Edix was a great owner!

And yet, the little one still fought him every step of the way. Even now, having just saved it from a fate of having its tiny organs sliced while it was wide awake, it made it known it did not want to be near him anymore. It might have been clinging to him the entire walk back to the bedroom, but it must have remembered it was supposed to be oblivious to the notion of genuine love and safety because now it started to stutter out little squeaks on top of struggling. Normally, Edix adored any and all of the sounds it made, especially when it was directly trying to talk to him which only served to give him the mental image of a pup mindlessly babbling before they managed their first few words. This time, however, it only worsened his irritation.

“Stop.” He ordered, which the human somewhat complied with, though it probably had more to do with his harsher tone and the fact that he was already lowering his hand towards the bed to set it down. As soon as it was free of his hold, it scrambled back, looking at him with those wide brown eyes that were full of so much fear it made him sick. Why did it have to be so afraid of him? What could he have possibly done that even now, almost a cycle later, it was still overtly wary of his intentions. All he ever did was care for it. Feed it, pet it, cuddle it, protect it, and still nothing was good enough!

With a tired sigh, he rubbed his hand down his face and resisted the urge to tug at his hair. “I just don’t understand,” he pleaded, begging some cosmic being out there to suddenly grant the little one the power to understand what he was saying, “what can I possibly do to prove to you that I’m not going to hurt you? I’m trying to keep you alive and it’s like...I don’t know, you resent me for that or something!”

The sweet thing looked more confused at his words than anything, but he could tell his body language and voice were making it uneasy. The human was used to soft words and purrs and slow movements, rarely any agitation in his being. After a beat of silence marked by an intense stare down, Edix gave up on hoping the earthling would miraculously explain itself and open up to sharing its thoughts on the matter. He reached for it and it instinctively back up, flinching when a growl rumbled in his throat in response.

“Stop running,” it was a fruitless endeavor, but like hell if he wouldn’t stop trying. That was how new pups learned how to understand a language anyways, wasn’t it? To repeat certain words over and over until they got the idea? Maybe that’s all he needed to do here, maybe by now it already knew the Venandi words for no, stop, be good, and so on. He reached for it again and it did the same thing as last time, always sure to stay just out of the most convenient reach. Not that it mattered how much it inched away seeing how it was trapped on the bed with Edix directly in front of it, but it was the principal of the matter.

And it was then that something inside him snapped. Something primal as a result of dealing with an unruly pup far too long for his nerves to handle at this moment. He wasn’t even aware of his actions, belatedly realizing how he pounced on the bed in a flash, the human scrambling to get away but only having enough time to turn around before being roughly pinned on its stomach against the mattress. His teeth were bared and pressed tightly against its back, fangs scraping against the layers of its clothes to no doubt bruise the tender flesh underneath, though thankfully they didn’t break the skin. A loud growl reverberated though its entire body, shaking it to its core.

“Enough.” He hissed against its back, keeping his teeth pressed into its skinny frame for a moment longer before pulling away. The second he did, his glare softened, all the anger he felt gone in an instant as soon as he saw the sight underneath him.

The poor thing was absolutely petrified.

It was probably the worst it’s ever been scared, arguably. Not even the first time they met, when it had so gracefully tumbled down that hill and landed face first in front of him, compared to the level of fear that radiated off it. A split-second thought had Edix wondering if he had legitimately scared it to death. Soon enough, though, he was able to pick up the minute tremors that shook through it, almost like an aftershock of the warning that it felt more than heard. It was pale, baby face devoid of color not unlike that time before when it had been sick with fever. But its eyes...those sweet little doe eyes he loved so much were wide and wet with a sheen of tears that refused to fall, locked in a blank stare straight ahead towards the wall and refusing to look at him.

A small, choked hiccup made its body twitch every couple of breaths, but it refused to open its mouth to allow any of these sniffles to turn into cries. Shit, it refused to move at all, too terrified of Edix’s threat display that if it did anything he didn’t like there would be dire consequences to pay. He supposed it worked exactly as intended, in that case. It was still, it was quiet, it was technically obeying him after he just forced it to behave via alternative punishment. That didn’t change the fact that he felt absolutely, terribly, extremely awful about what he just did.

It was just a pup, as he always said, regardless of what Ylva would tell him about human adolescence and such. It didn’t know any better, it had never been raised in these situations before and needed much longer than a measly cycle to unlearn all of its prey behaviors it needed to survive on its home planet. Besides, it wasn’t that it didn’t fully know that it was perfectly safe with Edix, it was smart enough to know he was at the very least the safest option when presented with any other Venandi. Edix had been upset, and it knew he was upset, so of course it would want to avoid a potentially hostile predator before-

--before it snatched the little one in its teeth.

Fuck, fuck, he was an idiot. Maybe he wasn’t as cut out for this as he thought, not like Ylva who was the very essence of motherhood. No. Now wasn’t the time for self doubts and pity, not when the human was in such a state. Slowly, hands cupped around its shaking form, mindful to make sure his fingers were in its view so it wouldn’t be any more startled when he lifted it up, not that he was completely sure it was actually seeing anything in front of it. The little one hardly reacted to the movement, laying limp when he pressed it against his chest and moved to sit up against the headboard of the bed in a similar fashion to what he had done the first night the poor thing was on the ship.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s okay,” he whispered to it, rubbing his thumb along the curve of its back just how it liked whenever it dozed, “you’re okay, we’re fine, it’s okay to cry. I’m sorry I scared you, I’m so sorry.”

Normally in these types of instances, he’d be purring and shushing the little sweetheart until he was able to get it down for a nap, but he had little confidence that any other types of chest vibrations would have its usual effect of making the human drowsy currently. When it finally started blinking again, the tears that had welled up ran freely down its cheeks, quickly biting down on its wobbling lip to prevent any sobs from escaping and get it in trouble for misbehaving. He softly clicked his tongue at it and cooed, anything to put it at ease with a softer demeanor. “I know, honey, I know. I won’t ever do that again, I promise."

Well, if nothing else, at least the little one’s apprehension of him wasn’t unfounded anymore, much to his dismay.

[itsclydebitches]

I ask you because you’re good at articulating your thoughts but why do you like BB? I just wanna know the hype behind this ship, I’ve seen people outside the fandom either say they’re waiting for it to be canon to get into the show or they claim it’s the only good thing about it.

Hey, anon! Ah, getting a lovely compliment about articulating thoughts while I sit here struggling to articulate my thoughts lol.

Okay, I want to start by saying that I personally like Yang/Blake about as much as the majority of the ships I have. Meaning, the 95% of fictional characters I enjoy seeing as a canonical couple and/or imagining as a potential couple, excluding the 5% that I get really, really into. I've got OTPs and I've got casual ships. BB is the latter. Why is this important? Because I think BB has been under an extreme amount of pressure over the years, with that pressure only increasing as time goes on and that... kinda sucks. They represent the growing demand for explicitly queer relationships. They're tied to a webseries and a fandom rather infamous at this point for its heated, controversial content. They're a part of an era where fans are more focused than ever on canonical status, whereas back in the day you just enjoyed ships for the hell of it, regardless of their chances of getting together on screen. It used to be that people unironically adored ships for characters who had never exchanged a single greeting. Nowadays, you need a ten page essay explaining why the ship is supposedly The Best. Blake/Yang is bound up in all of that, resulting in a community that, yeah, hypes things up to an arguably unnecessary degree. We've reached a point where this couple supposedly makes or breaks the entire show; it's either the greatest ship to every grace the small screen, or it's the ruin of the entire franchise. In reality, Blake/Yang is just... a ship. Like any other ship. Some people like it. Some people don't. It should be far more casual than it is. Which isn't to say fans aren't justified in being invested in the politics of the queer relationship — I am — or even just emotionally invested in a ship they really enjoy, but rather that I think the hype is due more to these external factors than the relationship itself. Blake and Yang arguably aren't unique in what makes them an attractive couple. Are they important in terms of that representation for an American webseries? Yes. Are they exceptional in regards to these two character types being shipped by a fandom? Not by a longshot. I could give you hundreds of ships that look just like Blake and Yang.

And that for me is part of the appeal. I like many of the same sorts of things in my ships. One of those is the "opposites attract" setup, where we have the brash party girl coupled with the quieter bookworm. They balance each other in a number of significant ways, from fighting styles to their backgrounds. And, for fic purposes, that balance can also provide great conflict for them to work through, resulting in a stronger couple down the line. Going off of that, I enjoy that they're already partners at the (near) start of the show. The different definitions of "partner" is always fun, but beyond that — and despite the before mentioned shipping of characters who have never interacted — there's a tendency to pair of the duos who have already been paired up by the story. There's a sense of inevitability about it (fate, perhaps?) alongside the practical benefit of them getting a lot of screen time together. There's a reason why Blake/Yang and Ruby/Weiss got popular, with the former arguably surpassing the latter only because of its likelihood of becoming canon. We reached a point where the show is actively pushing Blake/Yang in a way they never did Ruby/Weiss — their coding is far stronger — and that creates a snowball effect: popular ships keep getting more popular the more attention they're paid; you pay the popular stuff more attention. Round and round we go. But I also enjoy their awkward flirting and tender moments, no matter how many problems might be attached to those in the story's context. I like how they tease and push one another — even if, again, the story has largely failed in that regard. They have a lot of good potential, shall we say, which is all a fan ever needs. Whether you're analyzing one of their clearly coded moments, or just running with the balanced color scheme — Yang has purple eyes with Blake wearing purple, Blake has yellow eyes with Yang wearing yellow — there's a lot in the show to connect them together, making the already easy job of shipping even easier.

Blake/Yang is a solid ship. They just also happen to be a ship bearing most of the weight of their show. I've made the comparison before, but it's not unlike Dean/Cas becoming the cornerstone of Supernatural. You reach a point where the story itself is such a mess that the most popular pairing becomes the supposed answer to all these problems: it's either the saving grace, or the reason for the show's destruction. It'll either save RWBY or function as the explanation for its downfall. Yang/Blake is heading more and more in that direction, either built up or torn down to an extreme degree as it tries to bear that weight. But honestly? I don't think it's any better or worse than those hundred other ships I could toss out. Ignoring the f/f rep, they're a pretty classic setup, a dime a dozen, and the important takeaway is that there's nothing wrong with that. There's a reason pairings like Blake/Yang got popular in the first place. Saying "I've seen it before" isn't a bad thing because fans like familiarity. But it simultaneously means they're not the best thing since sliced bread. They're neither the devil nor the angel the RWBY community has made them out to be.

So basically, my own casual enjoyment aside, I don't think the external factors propelling the love/hatred for the ship means the ship itself is actually that astounding or horrific. In a better written show, a less controversial show, setting aside those fans who have Yang/Blake as their first OTP and are pouring all that intense love into it, etc. I think the ship would still be popular... but we wouldn't be in this "it's the only good thing about the show"/"this was the show's downfall" territory. Pretty much every large fandom is going to develop that one, popular ship — just look at how fast Loki/Mobius happened — which shows that Blake/Yang is not unique in regards to getting the majority of a community's attention. It's just that other shows are solid enough to let ships be ships, without expecting any one ship to prove the show's worth. Or herald its downfall.

[obxsummer]

Hurricane // The Pogues

word count: 1.6k

pairing: platonic!core four x reader

warnings: angsty, phsyical abuse, cursing

summary: you weren’t sure how fast it all happened, but you found a family in the pogues. luckily, with a one worded message, they come to your side when you need them most.

request: hello! maybe something about being friends with all the pogues and then something happens to you and they all like take care of you or whatever, you can take this however you like!! thank you

a/n: took a darker twist with this like i usually do oops. italics are a flashback! hope you guys enjoy this!

masterlist

ask me anything (I’m all caught up with my requests so send some more!!)

--

You weren’t quite sure how you ended up in this position. It was practically monsooning outside as you sat on the floor of your bedroom, curled in a ball. You had heard the news through the door of your room enough to understand a major tropical storm was hitting the coast, but that didn’t matter.

About three years ago, your parents had disappeared, leaving you to the custody of your aunt who wanted nothing to do with you. At first, it was fine. There wasn’t much arguing, you just did your own thing and stayed out of her way as much as you could, spending your time with the resident Pogues who you called your own family. After the first year, things started getting iffy. Your aunt started seeing people and coming back completely drunk, taking her emotions out on you no matter what the cost, whether it helped her or not.

Your friends never knew the full intensity of what was hiding behind closed doors. You didn’t want to seem weak, or ungrateful because really, living with her had given you the best friends you could ever ask for, but you were struggling.

It was a particularly bad week. Your aunt’s supposed boyfriend had cheated on her, something she found to be your fault for some reason. You had plans with the group tonight, but once she stormed through the door in a fury, you knew it wasn’t happening. Seeing the darkness in her eyes, the anger, you quickly sent a text in the group chat before the first slap connected to your cheek.

“What if you ran away?” JJ asked as he sat across from you in the sand. “Would she notice? You could just stay here, with us, all the time.”

You shook your head, leaning back against the piece of driftwood behind you. “I need to wait until I’m 18. That way I can get what my parents left behind, maybe enough to find my own place here and get away from her.”

“What if something happens before then?” Kiara was worried. Not only did JJ have battles with his father, but learning your aunt was just as bad had her clearly upset. She hated knowing you guys had to struggle through any of that. “You guys, seriously. What if one day something happens and you need help?”

Pope snapped his fingers as he thought of an idea. “A code word. If it’s ever really bad, you could send like…” He trailed off as he tried to think of a word.

“Hurricane,” You mumbled as you played with the sand under your fingers. JJ hummed since he couldn’t hear you which made you speak up again. “Hurricane, because they’re dangerous, deadly even.”

John B nodded. “Then we have it. If anyone ever needs us to drop everything and help, send a hurricane.”

You prayed the little blue bubble had sent across your screen, the code word in place as you collided with the ground. Your aunt was in a rage as she continued to attack you left and right, the gems of her jewelry slicing your skin. Her hand latched in your hair as she dragged you up the stairs leaving barely any time to keep up with her. She slammed you against the wall just outside of your room.

You felt your head rattle with the action, pain surging through you as you winced. “God, I knew I should’ve declined that call when they asked if I could take you in. Nothing good has come out of it!” Her nails dug into your shoulder, making you whimper as she drew blood. She threw your door open and practically kicked you inside, slamming it shut as you landed in a heap on the floor.

Your lung burned as you fought to breathe through the pain in your ribs. You curled into a ball in an attempt to ease the strain on your body as you tried to catch your breath. Your arms were bleeding from your aunt’s nails, scalp sore from her ripping on your hair. You weren’t sure how bad everything was, but you also didn’t want to find out.

“Where is she?” John B’s shout echoed through the entire house. You could hear more yelling, something crashing against the floor. Footsteps pounded on the stairs before your door was opened again.

You flinched when someone’s hand touched your shoulder. “No!” You whined as you squeezed yourself in a tighter ball to prevent further harm.

“Y/N/N, come on, babe. It’s me. We gotta move.” JJ’s hands were gentle as he shifted you so he could see your face. Kiara leaned down, her fingers brushing the deep scratch on your arms before she kneeled next to you. After a moment of consolation, you released your tight grip and blinked up at them, fighting the tears in your eyes.

“Fuck,” Kiara mumbled as she wiped the water from your cheeks. “Come on. JJ, get her out to the van. I’ll get her stuff.”

You let out a small scream as JJ lifted you off the ground, earning instant apologies as he moved from the room. “You’re okay. We’ve got you.” You closed your eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to pass as JJ climbed down the stairs carefully.

“Is she okay?” Pope’s voice filled your ears as you looked over. Broken glass was scattered amongst the floor but your aunt was nowhere in sight. Thankfully both boys looked completely fine with zero evidence of injury on them.

John B caught your curious eyes and answered your inevitable question. “She left. Said she wasn’t drunk enough to deal with this. We don’t know where she went.”

“Kie’s getting her stuff together. Will one of you help her?” JJ nudged his head up the stairs, to which Pope responded and ran up to assist his friend. John B set a hand on JJ’s shoulder as he took into account your injuries. He shook his head before moving towards the door. JJ tried to shield you from the rain as the two of them ran towards the van.

You whimpered as JJ shifted awkwardly to place you on the seat, earning more apologies from the blonde boy. “You’re fine, I’m fine. It’s okay,” You mumbled. John B took over helping you while JJ ran back inside to help the other two.

“Hey,” He whispered as he sat by your side. You gave him a forced smile in return as he grabbed your hand and squeezed it. John B had always been a brother figure, someone you could share anything with and you weren’t afraid to let him see when something was wrong.

“Hi,” You mumbled back as his thumb rubbed against the back of your hand. “Thank you. For saving me.”

John B swore he would cry at the tone in your voice. He leaned forward and kissed your forehead. “Can you sit up for me? I gotta get your shirt off if that’s okay.” You nodded, biting your cheek as he helped you sit up. His hands were careful as he pulled your t-shirt over your head, leaving you in your shorts and sports bra. “Shit, Y/N.”

You almost didn’t glance down, his reaction being enough to let you know that it was bad. Your ribs were turning an ugly purple color, slightly swollen. You exhaled, laying back against the seat. You were overwhelmed with the events of the night and tears threatened to spill.

“Hey, no, no, no. Don’t cry.” John B placed his hand on your cheek, rubbing your tears away as you shook your head. “It’s okay. We’ve got you now, I promise.”

At that moment, your friends jumped back in the van with various bags filled with your stuff. Pope and Kiara took John B’s spot in helping treat your injuries and clean you up while JJ hopped in the driver’s seat to head back to the chateau.

Once you were inside, Kiara helped you change into comfier clothes including one of JJ’s oversized t-shirts and a pair of sweats. You had always craved someone’s presence when you were hurt or upset and this was no different. Walking back into the main room, the boys were already laying across the pullout couch, some movie playing on the screen.

Pope offered you his hand as you crawled up near your friends, settling in between them. You could feel various comforting touches as Kiara settled in next to you, your head laying in JJ’s lap as you situated yourself in between his legs. John B’s fingers played with your hair as you hugged JJ’s waist tightly, feeling his hands rub across your back. Your eyes threatened to shut as you listened to the sound of the movie and the pouring rain outside. Before long, you were asleep amongst the comfort and security of your friends.

There was still a battle ahead of you with leaving your aunt behind and finding your own place in The Cut so you could be with your friends, but in the moment, none of that mattered. All you cared about were the people around you who you considered family and loved more than anything. With them by your side, you knew whatever happened would be okay.

[magalidragon]

#4 or #5 for romantic one liners please and thank you 🤗

HOW ABOUT BOTH!? 🥰😭🤗 And even better how about both in the silent shadows universe!? AND WHAT IF I MAKE IT ANGSTY!?!?! (Moodboard to follow)

Sooooooo sorry it took me an age. 😭 I hope you like it even if if gave me perverse pleasure to torture the beans a bit.

Romantic One Liner Prompts

4. “Not to sound cheesy but your smile really lights up the room.”

5. “I cannot find the words to describe how I feel about you.”

Shadow watched her warily from his position on her bed, head on his paws, and his tail shoved underneath his back legs, eyes darting occasionally between her pacing form and Drogon sitting atop her dresser, hissing at him every few minutes.  He was vibrating, nervous and keying in on her emotions, which were pouring off of her with every second.

Her frustration levels had exploded in one godsawful fight and she'd hightailed it out of Jon's house and to her apartment, not wanting to deal with him for another second longer.  It wasn't her fault, she kept telling herself, speeding away from his house, skidding snow and melt, and exploding into her apartment at full steam, shouting how annoying he was, how much she was sick of his behaviors.

"I owe it to myself," she said to Shadow, passing by him again.  Her fingers clenched into her palms, nails digging deep.  "I mean, I'm the one who is going through all this stuff physically, right?  The least he could do is just..." She growled.  He was still holding back.  He was still refusing to speak to her, keeping his emotions close to the vest, but they had moved beyond that.  Or so she thought.

Instead of talking to her, instead of at the very least telling her he wasn't thinking the same, he'd shut down, he'd withdrawn into himself, and he had been spending most of his nights on "observation calls" with the wolves, deep in the forest, and not in their bed.  "He has to stop doing that," she told Shadow.

She scrubbed her fingers over her face, exhausted, and sank into a chair in the corner.  Her stomach hurt, her head hurt, and she ached every which way.  It was the bloody hormones.  The little notebook at her side, resting innocently on the end table, mocked her with its check marks and color-coding.  Next week was their first egg retrieval and he'd give his sample.  They were flying out to Essos in a couple days.

Or rather, they were planning on it.

Right now she had no bloody idea what was happening.

Leaning over her knees, she pressed her face into her palms, thinking back over the argument.  It was so stupid.  It was just over dinner.  Dinner, of all bloody things!

He'd come home, to find her making them grilled cheese sandwiches, because there was nothing in the fridge and she thought he was getting something.  He had texted her before leaving the sanctuary that he thought she was getting stuff.  Annoyed, she snapped she'd just make something.

He tapped her shoulder when he came into the kitchen, even though she heard him and had ignored him.  He picked up one of the slices of grilled cheese and smirked at her, biting into it and then signing.  "Not to sound cheesy, but your smile really lights up the room."

She had been smiling, but not at him.  More so at Ghost ,who was in the other room with Shadow, wisely sensing the tension.  Jon laughed at his own joke, but she was not amused.  She signed, angry.  "You were supposed to get dinner."

"I thought that was you, I was busy."

"Busy?  You're the busy one?  You've been sleeping in the forest for the last week!"

He shrugged, continuing to eat.  "Aye, it's breeding season, lots to observe."

"Breeding season?"  She shouted now, slamming her hands on her stomach, which had puffed out because of the hormones.  He flinched, not looking at her.  She grabbed his face, jerking his eyes towards her lips so he could read them-- he wasn't getting out of it that easy.  "Yeah it's breeding season Jon!  We're going to Essos next week for the IVF and you've been hiding from me, not listening to me, and now you're making jokes like it's all fun and games?"

They hadn't even talked about the IVF.

That would require them to be in the same house at the same time.

So basically, he was avoiding her.

And she had been avoiding him, because he had been avoiding her.

His lips twitched, his eyes shuttering, and she lunged for him, but he was already turning away.  "Don't you do that!" she shouted, although it was pointless, because he was already walking away from her.  She grabbed his arm, jerking him around, furiously signing.  "Don't you run away from me Jon!"  Tears stung the corners of her eyes.  "We have to talk about this!  I decided to do this with you because...because I was ready but if you are changing your mind..."  It had been three months since he ran into that hospital corridor, proclaiming his love and throwing himself at the mercy of her love, saying he wanted to be with her, he wanted a baby with her too, he was ready.

And now he was changing his mind, basically, or that's what it seemed to her.

He shook his arm free.  "I'm not changing my mind!  I've been busy!"

"Oh you're busy?  Well so am I!  Busy trying to figure out if I even want this baby with you now!"  It came out before she realized it and she saw his face, the ashen color, and she hesitated.  "Jon I didn't..."

He shook his head, sneering, and spoke, voice thick.  "You feel that?  You...I told you....I'm not..."  He scrambled for the words and signed, his face a twist of pain and anger.  "I told you!"

Told me what?  She was so mad at him, she signed again.  "I'm not staying here tonight."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Shadow was out the door with her before she knew what was happening, and now here she was, lost and confused, and frustrated.  Upset.  Hurt.  She blinked away tears, tucking her feet under her in the chair, sniffling back sobs.  It was too late in Essos to call Missandei or Rhaegar.  There was always Arya, but when it came to matters of Jon Snow vs. Daenerys Targaryen, as close as she was to Arya, she did tend towards siding with Jon.  Since it was about...whatever it was about, she probably would stay out of it entirely.

There was Shadow, but as he was deaf, he couldn't' even hear her voice.  He hopped off the bed, however and rested his chin on her knee, dolefully staring up at her.  She scratched his head, whispering.  "You're a good boy."

This was supposed to be different now.

Jon and her had different priorities in life, they'd realigned those.  He'd gone to therapy-- was still going actually-- resulting in him being more open with her, more accepting.  He still struggled, she understood that, she sympathized and she felt it deeply, but gods....he had to realize at this point in their relationship, she was there for him!

"He can talk to me," she mumbled, closing her eyes.

But what if he couldn't?

Her eyes opened and she blinked a few times, her heart hurting so badly it was bleeding everywhere.  She missed him.

If he couldn't talk to her, then why?  Was it about the baby?  Was she pressuring ihm?  She frowned, looking over her behavior, but then she shook her head, growling.  No!  It wasn't her!  She had been more than open with him, more than understanding, and sometimes that was what drove her so crazy with the man.  She had bent over backwards for him.

But she'd been passive aggressive the last week.

She'd been ignoring him too.

She took a deep breath and picked up her phone from the end table, staring at the screen.  There were several texts from him.

Can we talk?

I'm sorry.

I don't want to do this over the phone.

I'm coming over.

You don't get to ignore me.

You've been ignoring me too.

Dany?

What the fuck.  talk to me.

Fine.

Whatever that last one meant, she wasn't going to try to figure it out.  She opened up the messages and sent him back a response.

I'm here.  I'm not ignoring you.

She paused and took a deep breath, typing fast:  I don't understand what is going on.  Talk to me Jon.  If you don't then I guess I know where I stand in the scheme of things.  She closed her eyes and hit send, following up quickly with:  I love you.

The instant she pressed send, her door rattled, keys jangling in the lock.  Shadow didn't react, obviously, but the dragons did, Drogon and Rhaegal springing up and running to the door to see who had arrived.  At their departure, Shadow turned and barked, taking a sniff and eyes widening when he caught Ghost and Jon's scents, rutning and greeting them.

She remained in her chair, waiting for him to enter.  He did, a few seconds later, and he looked miserable.  His eyes were sunken, his hands shoved in his pockets.  He wasn't wearing a coat, the flannel shirt hanging off his shoulders loosely, his frame appearing thin to her.  She hadn't noticed, but he did look like he'd lost some weight recently.  He stared over at her and she waited, continuing to keep her hands still, although they itched to begin speaking.

"I cannot find the words to describe how I feel about you," he spoke.

Each time he spoke, stretching his vocal cords to their limits, his heart racing nervously because he could not tell what he was actually saying, the pitch and the volume, her pulse quickened, because it was his true voice, and he was vulnerable when he did it, his heart out in the open, offered for the trampling.

It made her melt, it was her favorite sound in the world, expect maybe his laugh.

It meant things were important, when he spoke to her like that.

She didn't move, her muscles locked, gaze intense on him.  He continued, stuttering.  "I...you make me..." He clenched his fist and pressed to his chest.  "Hurt.  Here."  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  "I...scared.  Scared of it...so real now.  All real.  I...forget.  Forget because I feel so much."

The vision of him before her wavered, tears filling her eyes, unshed.  She knew what he was talking about.  He loved her so much it overwhelmed him, it scared him, and he reverted back to the easy thing.  To the forest, to his wolves.  She lifted her fingers, folding them into the words.  "You cannot do that anymore  You cannot run from me."

He nodded.  "I know."

"I love you so much Jon Snow.  We are in this together.  Both of us.  it has to be both of us."

He pushed from the door and walked over to her, kneeling in front of her and covered her hand with his.  She could see the pain etched in the lines therading from his eyes and around his lips.  "I want a baby.  With you.  Only you."  He hesitated and she struggled to understand, the emotion so thick in his words he was almost unintelligible.  "I am scared.  No going back.  I forget you...you want me."

Her hands went to his face, cupping it in her palms, and she spoke, crystal clear so he could read her lips.  "I want you more than anything in this world Jon Snow.  I love you and I want this baby with you."  She hesitated and continued.  "I am sorry I ran off tonight, but you make me...I can't read your mind and I don't deserve it when you push me away.  Again."  And again and again.

He nodded quickly.  "I know.  I'm so sorry.  I just..."  He shrugged, helpless.  "My whole life.  NO one...wanted...me."

It killed her, that he had been so locked away after his accident.  No one saw him as anything but that deaf boy, shuttered in the attic, locked in his silent world, just his wolves.  And her.

"I want you," she signed.  She smiled.  "All of you."

"i know."

"Then stop closing me away Jon."  She bit her lower lip, shrugging sadly.  "Because I cannot risk the pain of what is going to happen to us if we aren't in it together."

He nodded, but she didn't think he quite understood.  He seemed so certain that this would work.  They would fly to Essos, they'd go through the procedure, and a few weeks later they would have a baby, but she knew better than to be so hopeful, so certain.  She was cautious about it.  It was the only way to protect herself.

Just like running away was his.

She brushed his hair back behind his ear, curling it around her finger, speaking out loud again.  "I'm sorry I ran away too.  We can't do that."

"No, we can't," he signed, agreeing.

They would figure it out.  She fell into his arms, both of htem sinking to the floor, embracing tight.  He kissed her neck, face buried in her hair and she did the same to him, swaying lightly in his arms.  She loved him so much it hurt.  It would always hurt.  The good kind, she thought.  She pulled her face away and stared at him, his pain and fear still evident in the furrow of his brow and the pressed line of his lips.  She touched her fingertip to them, shaking her head.  "You will be a good father Jon.  I want this with you.  Only you."

It had been easy in the beginning, to say that she would do the donor sperm, because she wanted this baby.  Now she couldn't think of anyone else as the father of her child.  Not some nameless entity in a test tube.  It had to be Jon and only Jon.

He kissed her gently.  His hand came up, signing.  "I only want this with you too."

They kissed, deeper this time, the emotions surging inside of them, the hormones raging in her.  It had been weeks; she'd been so scared of potentially messing something up and they had a stopping point.  Mel told her they needed to refrain from anything a week before, part of the protocols.  She hadn't had to worry about it the last time, since she'd been doing it on her own, but now she needed him desperately, especially if it was going to be the last time for a week.

He lifted her up from the floor, easily carrying her over to the bed and depositing her on it, breaking away from their furious kisses long enough to shut the door on a nosy Shadow and Viserion, who were trying to sneak back in.  She giggled, reaching up for him and leaning back, head lightly hitting her pillows and traced his cheek, scratching at his bristly beard.  He smiled gently.  "I love you so much," she said.

"I love you."  He rose over her, touching his nose against hers, breathing deep.  His hands found hers and squeezed, stretching them up over her head, his lips brushing down her cheeks, to her chin and began tracking down, letting go of her to begin plucking at her clothing, while she remained in place, hands up over her head, eyes fluttering shut.

A few hours later, she tapped his heart, lifting up to rest her chin on his chest, peering up at his face, which was tilted up to the ceiling, watching the moonlight play shadows through the open window.  She took a deep breath and sighed.  "Jon," she said.

He didn't move and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, speaking out loud, to nothing really.  "Jon I need you to do this with me.  I can't do it alone.  We're in this together.  You and me.  No more running away and I won't either.  We're making a baby together.  We're going to be parents.  I love you more than anything, but if this keeps up, I can't do this.  It isn't fair to either of us.  I know you can't hear me, but I want you to know, and I hope you can understand."

There, she said it.

She lifted up a little farther, looking down at him.  His eyes flicked open, a smile lazily pulling over his lips. He turned a little closer to her, and his voice was raspy, breaking when he spoke. "You are awake?"

She smiled and nodded.  He smiled again and fumbled some signs.  "Do you want to go see some pups?"

Eyebrows lifting, she shrugged and let him pull her from the bed.  They dressed and he drove her, Shadow, and Ghost out to the sanctuary and they rumbled through, coming to a stop before one of the gates.  He opened it and they started walking in the darkness.  He was oblivious to the creepy crunching of their feet on dry leaves, the occasional hoot of an owl, and even fainter, howling from a wolf in the distance.

Ghost and Shadow moved with the darkness, flashing here and there in the trees, like their namesakes, and she held Jon's hand as he led her through the brush, until they came upon a huge oak tree with a marker on it.  He crouched and picked up a flashlight, flicking it on and handing it to her.  He crept a little closer and got down on his stomach, waiting a few moments.  The brush rustled and she held her breath, a massive gray wolf appearing, focusing on him.

He stared at the wolf and after a moment, the wolf's tail wagged and he approached, licking Jon's hand and bowing his head in deference.  Jon stood and went with the wolf and a few others from the pack who came out.  He disappeared and a few moments later, he emerged holding a wiggling bundle.  She stood and carefully approached.  The wolves stared at her, obviously nervous at the interloper, but not moving because their alpha was trusting her.

Jon passed the bundle to her and she smiled, holding the warm creature, squeaking and wiggling in her arms.  It was still so small, these majestic creatures large enough to take down grown men and jaws as strong as steel, and yet here in her arms was this helpless little creation, fine downy fur a thin layer over its short limbs, ears barely flipped over, and eyes still shut.  She took a quick glance and noted the pup was female, wiggling into her, nuzzling and searching for her mother, crying out and eventually settling when she grew tired.

She stroked the little pup, eyes closed, and Jon took her back a few seconds later, returning her to her mother.  A few minutes of checking on them, bringing out another-- this one a little brown and gray one with a curled tail and one eye half open-- to nuzzle against her, they said their goodbyes to the pack, who appeared relieved to see them go.

It was magical, she thought, walking back with Jon to the car.

She stopped in her tracks at one point, letting go of his hand.

He turned, frowning.  "Okay?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, signing, the moonlight bright enough for him to see.  "I told you earlier, but you...I didn't want you to hear me."  He stiffened, knowing that meant she was talking to him.  She hated doing it, but she wanted him to know.  "We have to be strong Jon.  We can't run away.  I'm serious.  If this keeps up...." She trailed off and sobbed, letting it linger.  SHe didn't want to say it.

He tilted her face up to his, thumb brushing her chin.  He nodded.  "I know."

"I love you," she whispered.

He wrapped his arms tight around her, squeezing, and said nothing, but she knew.  She exhaled, relieved.  It was just a bump, she told herself, just their constant struggling.  They had to work on it.  It wasn't supposed to be easy.

They had the rest of their lives to look forward to, she thought, letting go of him so they could walk back to the car.  She squeezed his hand tight.  They were going to be parents.  That would be the hardest thing, this was just a blip.  Just a little shadow.

They would be fine.  They were having a baby after all.

Just another month and they'd know.

Jon lifted her hand to his, kissing her knuckles, and she smiled, leaning against him and closed her eyes, walking back towards the car, feeling hopeful.

[bnha-butterfly]

Chapter 2: Snitch

Chapter warning: manipulation (aka reader using their quirk again); a sprinkle of violence (someone gets a broken nose)

A/N: Finally decided to post chapter too so it isn’t just rotting in my google drive. Gonna crosspost this to AO3 soon! Also might write a torture scene to accompany this chapter as a 2.5 but who knows. 

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The house you had grown to call home was more akin to an estate or compound. The main building itself was a crisp off-white color with midnight blue embellishments. A large gate surrounded the entirety of the property with 2 security points, one to the front and one to the back. Bakugou couldn't help but to gawk at the lavish looking building. It made the living situations back in the city seem like living on the street. The car pulled past the security gate and up the front of the house.

You stepped out of the car with Bakugou behind you and ascended the steps. Waiting in the foyer of the house was Sero, one of the few young men in the family who managed to ascend the ranks rather quickly. Right until he had been taken under your wing as your right hand. He greeted you with a smile and a quick kiss to the cheek before noticing the blonde behind you.

“Lemme guess. The old geezer saddled you with another bodyguard? You’d think by now he’d get the message.” He said with a soft chuckle as he sized up Bakugou. Sero was at least a head taller than him, although what Bakugou lacked in height he made up in muscle.That much was evident with the way the black button up shirt clung to his form. But, even with that Bakugou could tell Sero was not someone to be taken lightly. 

“You know as well as I do that the old man would rather chop off his finger then leave me without a babysitter.” You said with a roll of your eyes. “This is Bakugou. Bakugou, this is Sero. Don't let that dumb lazy grin and his lanky limbs fool you, he’s more trouble than he looks.” You said playfully shoving Sero.

Bakugou grunted in response and shoved his hands in his pockets. You snickered and made your way down the hall towards one of the smaller meeting rooms in the house. Bakugou couldn’t help but be enraptured in the way you walked as if you owned the world. Head held high with a grin that dripped confidence. 

The man that stood in front of you chewed worriedly at his lip and did everything in his power to . He was so unbelievably scared that you could practically smell it, and he had every reason to be. He had just been quite literally dragged into a meeting with the boss's child for no apparent reason. A sickly sweet smile on your face as you sliced through the tension in the room. 

“Tell me, do you know why you're here?” Your voice somehow managed to be just the right mix of delicate and serious. The man in front of you shook his head no almost enthusiastically. 

“You're a grown man, not a child. Use your words like the man you supposedly are.” Sero chided coldly. 

“N-no. no, I don’t know why I’m here” the man managed to stutter out. He seemed more intimidated by Sero then he was of you. His first big mistake. 

“Actually. I think you do have some idea as to why you're here. Yosetsu Awase. Aged 24. You work with Hizashi in cleanup right? You used to work with Yagi before that though. Ever figured out why you were switched?”  

“No. Just told me I’d be switched over to a different part of the family. When your superior tells you something you don’t really argue or press for answers. You just do what you’re supposed to. He says jump and I say how high” 

“Smart man.” Sero said, a look of disinterest on his face. He never seemed to enjoy the more peaceful parts of interrogations. 

“Then let me educate you. Yagi had a feeling you might be running your mouth to someone. So we put you with Hizashi so he could feed you wrong information.” 

The look on the man's face dropped. How could you of all people know? How did you find out? Well that didn’t matter now did it. What mattered now was the fact that he probably wasn’t going to make it out of this room alive. The look of complete and utter fear that took over his expression scratched some deep and sadistic part of your soul. Sometimes you really did love this job. 

“You see at first we weren't so sure. I mean. You’ve been with us for a year so I thought I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.”

You approached him slow and steady. The room in complete quiet except for your footsteps. You watched him intensely. Your gaze hungry and predatory, then he did what any smart man would do. He attempted to make it to the door. But it would seem that he’d forgot just who he had worked for. He didn’t get more than a few feet before Sero had his tape wrapped around his ankle. He tripped and landed face first and you swore you heard the crunch of a broken nose. Sero tugged him back in your direction as the man attempted to scramble away. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Just- just- the money was good and all I had to do was feed them some info. It was nothing big, just, .. just things I had heard around the base.” He stammered and stutterd at his futile attempts to reason with you. Nails attempting to dig into the tile floor to keep distance between you. Sero gave a hefty tug and the man ended up at your feet. You nudged him over onto his back with your foot and looked down at him. Something sick and sadistic. You placed your foot on his chest and shifted your weight onto it. Awase let out a pained breath as he looked up at you. 

“You know, I’ve never been very fond of pigs.” You said gradually applying more and more pressure to his chest. His eyes bugged out big and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the sight. 

“But little piggy before you meet your maker. Why don't you do what pigs do best and squeal for me. Tell me the truth, who were you talking to and what did you tell them.” You said the last part through gritted teeth. Voice dripping venom. 

Bakugo, who had been watching the entire scene unfold from next to your chair, caught a glimpse as your eyes glowed the same way they had in the car when you used your quirk on him. He suppressed a shiver down his spine. “So this is what the boss's kid is like.” 

You watched as Awase’s eyes clouded over and moved your foot off his chest. He took a gasping breath and then stared at you blankly. In this state he wasn’t going to do anything but speak. His voice left his lips with a monotonous drawl. 

“House of diamonds. I was talking to one of the mercenaries they keep on payroll. It was good and easy money. They just wanted some info, asked me what we had in the works and if our territory was still being heavily regulated. Something about wanting to cripple the family from the inside. Wanted to know if there was anything heavy planned to be moved sometime soon.”

“Who was the informant you were talking to, and when are you supposed to meet them next.” You said through gritted teeth.

“Denki Kaminari. That's who it was. Next meeting is supposed to be in 2 days. At this hole in the wall lounge on neutral territory called the dealer's hand. They have a code you gotta tell the bartender. It’s the only way they’ll lead you to the meeting room. No weapons allowed through the door and they keep quirk nullifiers in the walls .”

“I think I’ve heard enough for now.” You said letting your quirk lose hold on the poor soul in front of you. The haze faded from his eyes.  “Sero take him to Midnight and get that code out of him. I give the two of you free rein on what to do. Just make sure you have Hisashi cleanup whatever mess the two of you make.”

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[lovelyirony]

Idea: Steve and Nat set Bucky and Tony on a blind date. They just didn’t know Bucky and Tony had broken up/divorced the year before.

Tony hadn’t told anybody about Bucky. Or he had, but never by name. 

Bucky Barnes had met him about two years earlier at a boring party, and he had completely swept him off his feet. He was interesting, he could match him wit for wit, and they both liked greasy diner breakfasts at seven in the morning with a newspaper crossword puzzle to solve. 

It had been a quiet relationship. Tony never liked his serious relationships publicized, and he never wanted his partner to feel pressured into doing anything they didn’t want to. Bucky was an intensely private person. 

They had broken up because Bucky had had to travel for work and didn’t like long distance. 

“I can fly to be with you,” Tony had said, voice aching to say please stay, please. 

It hadn’t been easy. 

But he had let Bucky go without trying to look too sorrowful. 

“Check in when you come back to New York,” Tony had said with a placid smile and the lie coming through his teeth because when you break up with somebody like the way they are doing it, you don’t check in when you’re back. 

You leave and maybe you see each other or you get too drunk and send a “Happy New Year, I miss you” text, but you don’t come back. You don’t. 

And Tony knows that Bucky will find someone better. 

Everybody has. 

Everybody. 

-

Bucky doesn’t tell anybody about Tony. He doesn’t want to make any trouble and he doesn’t want any news outlet to find out. He doesn’t want to invade Tony’s privacy and Nat would kick his ass if she found out that he broke up with Tony over the reason of “long distance.” 

It was a valid reason for a break-up, just not...not for Bucky. Not when he had been on Special Ops with Natasha and been away from her for months, sending coded messages whenever he could. 

Steve...he was an optimist about romance. Make it work however you can. He didn’t like giving up. 

He’s not ready to date again. 

But Steve and Nat, apparently, have been plotting. 

“Come on, you never date anymore,” Nat says. “How long has it been...eight years since your last thing? More?” 

“No,” Bucky says, thinking stupidly about how Tony’s hand felt in his across the diner table. “I don’t need to be dating. Let’s just focus on the work at hand.” 

“Too bad,” Steve says. “I have a friend who would work out great with you. He’s outgoing where you’re shy, and you both have a good sense of humor. I think you’ll hit it off!” 

“You already told him I’d be there, didn’t you?” Bucky deadpans. 

“Yup!” Natasha says. “Wear your nice blue shirt, that’s his favorite color.” 

Tony’s favorite color was blue. It was surprising. He always had red and gold and yellow in his wardrobe, interspersed throughout. But blue...that was his favorite. 

He shakes his head out of those thoughts. 

-

Tony is only doing this because he owes a favor to Steve for covering for him when Bruce asked who ate the last slice of pizza the last employee-appreciation day they had. (It’s a big favor.) 

“You’re gonna like this guy,” Steve had told him. “My friend’s a nice guy, wicked sense of humor.” 

He likes humor. Bucky’s pretty funny when he wants to be, and-

He needs to stop thinking of him. 

He wears a red shirt and jeans and he feels anxious for this. Maybe it’ll be fine. He has a feeling he’s too hung up. 

-

Bucky gets to the restaurant first. He’s sitting alone at a table for two, reserved behind a little divider wall, and he’s waiting for his date. 

“Hi, you must be James, I’m-” 

Bucky’s eyes snap up. He knows that voice. 

“Tony.” 

The voice is watery, eyes blinking rapidly. 

“Oh god, I must have...I must have the wrong table,” he stammers, knowing damn well he doesn’t. “I didn’t know you were back.” 

“About a month ago,” Bucky answers quietly. 

“You didn’t say anything.” 

“Didn’t think you’d want to hear about it.” 

“Good call,” Tony says quietly. “How was...how was the job?” 

“Fine,” Bucky says. “Standard procedure, in and out with minimal complications.” 

“Good to hear,” Tony says. “I’m. Um. Going to leave.” 

He does. He turns on his heel and Bucky feels like he should say something, say come back, grab on, but he can’t. 

He won’t. 

[starpunchsoup]

top 5 glee eps? :)

quick confession before i actually answer this: i actually have a little notecard written with all of my favorite episodes (or ones that just make me really happy i guess) and it’s color coded and it’s a little embarassing just how hard i went on that

ANYWAY LMFAO

5) Blame It On The Alcohol - listen. this episode has a lot of problems. not a huge fan of kurt being defensively biphobic (although it’s not a deal breaker for me - a lot of people REALLY hate that scene and it ruined kurt for them which i can sort of understand but i don’t think it was a huge deal) and. god i kinda hate will’s plot line in this episode LMFAO. the voicemail always makes me die a little bit. HOWEVER - this episode is FUNNY AS HELL. ‘why don’t you crack open a fourloko, count boozy von drunk a ton’ is always a one hit KO for me. sue pushing the aural intensity coach down the stairs is so fucking funny. this episode is honestly mid tier at best, but idk. i think it’s funny and i love seeing kurt pine and the music was super fun and this episode just makes me smile (and i love beiste being there for will!!! i wish beiste would’ve been will’s best person at his wedding instead of finn tbh 👀)

4) The Power of Madonna - this episode is so good!!! i feel like some of the more musical themed episodes fall a little flat on plot, but i adore the plot of this one. and there are some super iconic lines from this one (my growing feminism will slice you in half like a righteous blade of equality! mercedes is black, i’m gay - we make culture). and jesse st james???? like admittedly sometimes he gets on my nerves but he’s actually so genuine in this episode, it’s clear he actually cares about rachel by this point. “come out so we can talk. or at least sing about it.” like yes he’s also a dramatic theatre nerd but that’s always how rachel gets her feelings out so offering to sing about it (i think, at least) is so sweet. also i mean. it’s MADONNA. the music is PHENOMENAL. listening to 4 Minutes genuinely makes me feel like the gina linetti headphones meme. express yourself is so fun and cute. THE VOGUE RECREATION IS SO GOOD AND ICONIC. definitely a comfort episode for me

3) New New York - this episode is a favorite partially because the first time i saw it, i was hanging out with an old friend of mine and while i don’t talk to her at all anymore, whenever i watch this episode i remember being in her room and petting her cat and it was a very good time! but also this is just such a solid episode top to bottom. we see rachel enter queen diva mode yet again, but this time it’s artie who helps her wake up from it which i think was smart and helped make the NYC friend circle feel a little bit more cohesive. also the klaine content! the blam content! the kelliott content! glitter rock vampire!!!!! mercedes showing up at the end!! what’s not to love

2) Never Been Kissed - listen i’m aware i’m a klaine stan first and foremost but that’s actually not the main reason why this is ranked so high. genuinely, it’s the music. this is the ONLY boys vs girls mashup episode where i feel like both teams fucking KILLED IT. every time i watch this episode, i change who i think won. and i know a lot of people hate the original ‘teenage dream’ because yes it is kind of overproduced and it is annoying when the music shows blaine singing two lines at the same time. however - i do not care, that song is so fucking good imo. i really hate the acoustic version in s4 just because it sounds so sad, the context really makes it hard for me to listen to. but blaine singing teenage dream the first time him and kurt meet………poetic cinema!!! i hate the beiste plot point because a. it’s just kind of uncomfortable but b. beiste always deserved better!!!! sometimes i forget that the main plot point IS everyone thinking about beiste because genuinely the music is the main highlight of the ep and i try not to think about how disrespectful that was to one of my fav mckinley faculty members ever

1) Original Song - this will never not be my favorite episode. this episode has EVERYTHING. it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s romantic, it’s awkward, this episode is honestly peak glee to me. season two is probably my favorite season because of that, i feel like the whole season did a very good job of staying in its lane and i love that. i love the sadness of pavarotti dying and santana feeling rejected by brittany, to the absolute hilarity of ‘only child’ and ‘trouty mouth’. i love how this episode flat out has quinn saying “rachel deserved better than to live in lima being stuck by finns side, i’ll take that bullet for her so she can go be a star.” and honestly “get it right” is one of my favorite glee songs ever. when rachel sings “so finally someone will see/how much i care” i literally get goosebumps every single fucking time. also i love how “loser like me” was more of a love song to kurt than it was a ‘fuck you’ to sue? like “i’ll get you back when i’m your boss” i headcanon was written by puck because he always admired how kurt knew he was destined for greater things than being tossed into dumpsters. the girls are wearing doc martens which kurt wears all the time!!! can you imagine the ND girls going thrifting to try and find shoes so they can support their bestie from the stage 🥺🥺 and that’s why kurt is the first person to jump to his feet and dance along!!! they’re all besties!!!! like deadass klaine getting together isn’t even a top three moment from this episode for me, which should tell you a lot considering how much i love those two. also MCR gets mentioned a bunch??? like i have never listened to their cover of ‘sing’ in its entirety because it kills me inside - i genuinely love my chemical romance a lot. so whenever they get mentioned i always kind of giggle about it lmfao

i’m sorry this was a whole ass essay but thank you so much for asking anon!!!! 💞

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