#of grace aka speaking to god

[shiningstages]

rereading marionette stars' observatory epilogue makes me want to add tikoh back to my muse list, but that's. so much. and cupitan.............but that's also so much.

[florencewellch]

YOU CAN GET HIGH ON A FIRST KISS. YOU GET BY ON SWEET TEA AND GOD'S GRACES. YOU CAN LOVE LIKE A SINNER, LOSE LIKE A WINNER. NOTHING IS SHATTERPROOF. YOU CAN CRASH AND BURN AND COME BACK SOMEONE NEW. AND THATS WHAT I LEARNED FROM YOU

[c0mbatchameleon]

@jegulus-microfic March 12, prompt: retire, words: 953

Aka optometrist reg au (part 1? maybe) loosely based off of this post

James is having trouble breathing.

The problem is, he can’t quite remember how to do it right now. His brain, rather impressively, emptied of all of its contents the moment the optometrist opened the door.

Right off the bat, the man had been straight to business; swift stride into the room, eyes glued to the clipboard in hand, a curt “hello” and introduction before he sat down and uncapped a pen with his goddamn teeth. James could only stare dumbly, mouth agape as he stumbled over half-sentient responses to the all routine eye exam questions (“See okay with your current prescription?” A black curl falling over the doctor’s otherwise perfectly framed face, cheekbones carved by the sea, like stones.

“Uh huh.”

“Taking any current medications?” Beautiful silver-blade eyes meeting his expectantly.

“Uh-“ James coughing and clearing his throat, “no. No medications.”)

Now, he's at least regained his ability to form sentences. But as James watches the doctor fiddling with machinery, silver rings glinting in harsh, sterile lighting, he is finding immense difficulty in breathing like a normal human being.

“So,” James begins, leaning to rest his elbow on the table and swelling his chest ever-so-slightly. He does his best to smooth out his voice as he speaks, going for casual with just a sprinkling of something sultry. “Dr. Black, did you say it was?” He may not be able to fully function but God help him if he can’t still flirt.

The doctor's eyes flick up for only a split second, but James counts it as a win. “That’s correct.” He maneuvers what looks like an avant-garde torture contraption towards where James is sitting. “Rest your chin on the platform.”

James does as he’s told, holding back from an absurd urge to respond with a Yes, sir. He's definitely not conjuring a medley of alternate scenarios in his head in which Dr. Black orders him around. “And what might your first name be?”

“It might be of no relevance to the matter at hand, Mr. Potter.”

“Call me James, please.”

Regulus sits on the other side of the torture-machine and begins turning dials. “You should see a red X on the right side, James,” he replies flatly. Still, the sound of his name on the man’s tongue is fucking intoxicating. It's echoing around his skull--James James James JamesJamesJames--he wants to hear it a million more times, every minute of every day until his last.

James usually hates these appointments. Hates the big machines he has to stick his face in, blowing air and shining bright lights in his eyes. Hates that stupid picture of the house that they make him look at a million times over while some old man who looks just about ready to retire asks “One or two?”

But Dr. Black is not some old man.

He’s new—James has been coming here for years and has certainly never been graced with the sight of this angel-fallen-to-earth before. He's young, too; despite the way he carries the poise of a man with years of experience under his belt, cool and confident and collected, there’s no way Dr. Black is old enough to be more than a couple years out of school. All sharp edges and smooth skin.

And god, his skin. It looks impossibly soft, stretched over slender hands and freckled cheeks, strong nose and cut jaw. As James runs his eyes hungrily over the landscapes of peach-pale skin--hills and valleys spanning the doctor's face and neck and fingers and knuckles--he considers how easy it would be to reach out and touch it, find out for himself if it's really as smooth as it looks.

“James,” Dr. Black's voice cuts sharp through his fantasy, one brow raised where he's clearly caught James drooling over him. “Please look into the eyepiece.”

It’s not like James can help it. He’s a bit entranced by the way the doctor maintains such a stoic expression, posture rigid and cold eyes unwavering, especially now. It’s all the beauty of a pointed blade, glittering in the sunlight, begging to draw blood.

But James doesn’t miss the light blush now in full bloom across the man’s cheeks. Silver-clad fingers have begun tapping a sporadic pattern on the table as storm cloud eyes sweep down and back up James' face, quick as a flash of lightning, and isn’t that just curious? Suddenly, James wants to know what it would take to get that stone-cold cast to crack.

He shoots back a sly grin. “Sure thing, nameless doctor.” He looks into the contraption. “Oh would you look at that. A red X.”

The doctor lets out a muted sigh. He fidgets some more with the dials and buttons on the other side of the machine as James watches the X shift in and out of focus. He breaks the silence only when it's stretched for just a moment too long. “My name is Regulus. There’s gonna be a bright flash now.”

Immediately, a blinding white light flashes directly into his eye, burning a goddamn hole into his field of vision. He swears he can see the inside of his pupil for a moment.

But James doesn't care. Once the shock subsides, he finds himself grinning ear-to-ear.

Now we're getting somewhere.

He looks back up from the eyepiece to where the doctor, Regulus, is still intently focused on the computer and equipment. Evading James' gaze. Cheeks still pink.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Regulus.”

[angel4astraea]

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴'𝑺 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬 & 𝑨𝑭𝑭𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺

alhaitham as a partner might be the most confusing thing ever. .

♡ meeting the scholar and scribe of the akademiya wound be purely be for business at first. he's not the type to linger at cafes alone or for leisure often, same with any public place; he'd rather be working, at home where he can read or doing gods know what.

♡ alhaitham isn't known for his affection or anything remotely vulnerable, that's more kaveh's thing. for him, it was his wits and stone faced expression he wears everyday without a moment to breathe. most people i assume wouldn't try to flirt or touch up on him because he'd brush it off or tell the person off.

♡ however, after meeting quite a few times, i believe he'd be open to discussing things in the evenings at a cafe he's specifically used to. anything unknown will feel unsteady and cause him to have cold feet and tight lips. drinking is off the table alongside that, he'd rather keep his brain intact when speaking to a colleague or potential business partner.

♡ i believe that if you're more of an outgoing person like kaveh, he's only going to keep you at an arm's length away. he can't handle overbearing emotions, from what i believe. however if you're like him: composed, logical and possibly having ambitions that are reachable, he's more inclined to allow you into his mind when thinking.

♡ if you do manage to get on his good graces, aka having a good level of trust and reliance for when he needs intel, physical support or general knowledge on topics he hasn't quite covered, that's the beginning of his curiosity about you. he'll observe your actions, sayings and common habits. another thing is that he'll subtly note things he's learnt about you from others mentally. had a rough time with soandso? count yourself lucky because that person will scramble off when they get a whiff of you. somehow, alhaitham knows things better than you . . still.

♡ once he starts watching, he doesn't stop. he keeps a sharp eye on you like an eagle. even if you can protect yourself efficiently, he still feels the need to be on standby. it's almost like he's a shadow himself, lingering here and there where he predicts you'll be. alhaitham does dryly admit to this after a serious occurance happens (which includes eremites and the outskirts of sumeru city). though you might find it unsettling or nerve wracking, he finds his deeds endearing. he wants to make sure you're secure, protected and under his broad wing.

♡ though, if you get past that, he acknowledges that his feelings towards your are actually more than business partners or even friends. he isn't sheepish or anything alike, he states his mind clearly like usual with that monotonous voice. he'll sit you down and state the facts, the possible emotions he had pinpointed in his chest. following that, he'd ask you questions. was this okay? were you interested in this pathway? were you scared?

♡ he leaves the decision up to you, giving you enough space to comprehend what just happened. yeah, you could go off to kaveh and ask if he was genuine but of course, alhaitham would be in the house probably. so, you invite the blond to the usual cafe to get some more details. it's almost like an interrogation of the sort; asking kaveh about how alhaitham works, the deeper meanings between his words and so forth. to which, the blond reveals so much more about the attractive man.

♡ depending on how long you take, he'll keep the meetings relatively normal. alhaitham isn't one to be affectionate, as mentioned above so, doing it with someone he just dropped a huge bomb on? hell no. he might keep some distance though just in case of rejection. he's never had a partner, let alone someone he let in so easily in his eyes. it's an unknown territory he can't go in alone. . especially without you.

♡ if you do start dating the scribe, he'll take you out on formal dates at first. his income leaves him a comfortable amount of room to give you luxury. he's tense about it though, he doesn't know what to do and definitely doesn't want to be caught asking someone about how to love someone. he's figuring it out, be patient.

♡ he keeps this under wraps until you're both comfortable telling others. that could be a couple months up to a year at best. alhaitham isn't one for gossip flying around him about his own life. if he wants to keep it out of sight, he implies demands it to others who suspect something is happening.

♡ when you two come out to your friends, i 100% bet kaveh will be ecstatic, tighnari, collei & nahida will be so proud of him, and cyno will def make puns related to this occasion. but overall, everyone is content with the good match.

♡ after a while, he relaxes with the 'proper' dates and does more casual things. he feel comfortable enough going on walks with you, having nice meals outside, visiting all around sumeru and generally doing more lighthearted activities. one thing i believe he'd love to do is read you his books, petting your hair. it's unusual for others to comprehend what he's saying, especially since it's an advanced literature. but when he hears your soft breathing after falling asleep, i think he'd be the most content.

♡ he wouldn't think of starting a family with you until after the two year point. since it's his first relationship, he probably wouldn't want to rush anything. however, he knows he can support you and whatever children you two have/adopt financially. emotionally however, he might need more time to learn how to give affection to a person so small and without the years of being alive to grasp a basic idea of emotions.

♡ though, he wouldn't mind having a child or two. having too many scares him tbh. he doubts his own skills when it comes to human connection. but if you were to guide him gently and with practice, he'd become accustomed to it. . behind doors of course. he wouldn't bring up the topic itself until you two are past the two year point and are engaged.

♡ when it comes to being engaged, he'd ask after two years and give some thought into it. even though he isn't the sappiest person alive (like kaveh), he'd try his best to make it a night to remember. he'd plan everything and dedicate it to you. depending on which nation you're from originally, he'd add in some cultural things from your family.

♡ engagement would last a year-ish to two. he likes to make sure that this is the person he's binded to forever. when he figures it out, he makes sure the wedding has both cultures involved--which of course makes it lavish.

♡ when y'all are comfortable after the wedding, he'd be open to children. if you can't have children for whatever reason, alhaitham would bring up the topic of adoption. there are definitely orphans that need homes and it would pay off to see you smile, in his opinion.

♡ moving onto the bedroom topic. .

♡ i don't think he's a beast, he's more likely to be closed off to the idea of physical intimacy until he has faith that it's a safe space. yeah he can be cocky if he catches you taking in an eye full but that's about it until his first time.

♡ prob not all that kinky tbh. he might be a top and/or a power bottom. he's okay with you taking the reins when he's tired but that's rare.

♡ office sex. yea. especially when he's acting grand sage. dude is probably so stressed that he can't come home at a normal time to see you.

♡ speaking of, you two might've been caught a few times in office while going at it. some people are scared to enter or go near his office because it. most know to at least knock twice and call out his name to see if it's fine to come in but some don't.

♡ in conclusion, confusing man but good morals!

[sparrowsupportgroup]

religious symbolism with both ais and leander -

Basically these two fucking weirdos, Ais and Leander, are like God in their own way. They anoint “sinners”(the sinners being people drinking from the Seaspring, joining the Groupmind vs. the people joining Leander’s Bloodhounds) through “blood offerings”(aka drinking from the Seaspring or craving your name into wood and joining the Bloodhounds)

Both Ais’s and Leander’s concepts having references to blood is interesting because blood is symbolically seen as LIFE. By taking an blood oath(Leander) or drinking blood(Ais), you’re essentially absorbing a new life within you; when you take the blood offering, you’re being purified and made anew

Interpretation of blood offerings from The Old Testament - From the perspective of Christianity that everyone is a “sinner,” the forsaken people that drink from Ais’s Seaspring and the lost people who join Leander’s Bloodhounds are like sinners who take the blood (aka the life) of the victim, which is the source of atonement that said sinner is looking for, in hopes of finally achieving a holy union with God

Both can change lives like a God would, they both have religious connotations - Leander’s whole design/lore touches on his powerful magic, Christianity, God, the Virgin Mary, and priesthood. The fact his cult gang is called Bloodhounds is so interesting because God was frequently called The Hound Of Heaven by Puritans because God will relentlessly pursue an fleeing lost soul in order to force them into accepting His Divine Love and Grace. This is similar to how Leander slowly wore down the bartender and got her to crave her name in wood and join the Bloodhounds and his slow yet persistent wearing down of Mhin

The religious symbolism is more subtle with Ais but it’s there - joining the Groupmind is preceded by drinking from the Seaspring for a “miracle” guided by Ais, in which the drinker’s trauma and identity is washed away, similar to how one’s sins is washed away during a baptism, how Ais calls MC Sparrow and biblically, sparrows represent God's love and care for His creation, as well as the importance of humility and trust in God's provision/plus there’s this gospel song “His Eye On The Sparrow”(heavy eye imagery with Ais)/his “blood in water” concept makes me think of how drinking blood of Christ in Christianity signifies His human body and death and eventual resurrection, and the heavy blood-and-water imagery in the Bible that speaks of both the purification powers of water and the sacred price of blood that represents Christ’s martyrdom is similar to Ais being able grant the forsaken a miracle(cleansing power of the Seaspring) but it comes with a terrible sacrifice(losing your sanity/identity and being in a Groupmind). Ais is a martyr in the sense that he’s a host for Ocudeus and is responsible for “curing” the people that come to him for help

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Here for your daily dose of heartbreaking: some Grishaverse folks as sad song lyrics

Kanej: “The past is a presence, The future is pretend. And the present is a pastor, trying to make it all make sense. Will I ever leave this place? This world that I am trying to break? The mind is such a funny space, with all these spectres centre stage” - Three Spectres by J. Maya (aka the most Kanej coded song I have heard in my entire life, it’s absolutely beautiful)

Helnik: “Because brick by brick you built us, and I filled in the cracks, nothing quite prepared you for when they don’t come back. I wish I’d done things different, I wish that I’d been brave, I wish I’d known these stones were something I could save” - Ruin by The Amazing Devil

Inej: “When I decided to wage holy war, it looked very much like staring at my bedroom floor but oh god you’re going to get it, you’ll be sorry that you messed with me. And I know I may not look like much, just another screaming speck of dust, but oh god you’re going to get it, you’ll be sorry that you messed with us” - Girls Against God by Florence + the Machine

Zoya: “And I stare, at the soldiers before me. All my blossoms, waiting to fall. And I walk, and I walk, and I walk, and I walk - Knowing every last one of them is painted in light as I make myself aquatinted with the Saint of never getting it right” - Blossoms by The Amazing Devil (aka the most Zoya of the Garden song you have ever heard, tears-worthy)

Nina: “I saw a piece of heaven waiting for me, And I was running far away would I run off the world some day? Nobody knows, nobody knows, and I was dancing in the rain and I felt alive and I can’t complain - But, no take me home. Take me home where I belong, I can’t take it anymore” - Runaway, AURORA

Kaz: “‘Cause I’ve been here, so many times before, don’t you think I look pretty curled up on this bathroom floor? Where you see weakness, I see wit, sometimes I fall to piece just to see what bits of me don’t fit. And when I stand, oh those folks will run, and tell the tales of what I’ve become. And they’ll speak of me, oh I’m whispered tones, and say my name like it shakes their bones” - The Old Witch Sleep and the Good Man Grace by The Amazing Devil

[eddieisashifter]

MEET ME IN MY PJO DR

NAME - Azrael Edmund "Eddie" Crowley

AGE - 14 yrs (as of TLT)

GENDER - Non-binary (he/they)

GODLY PARENT - Thanatos (Cabin 15 is shared between Hypnos and Thanatos)

ABILITIES: Umbrakinesis (including manipulating shadow energy, shadow travel, cloaking, and the ability to summon wings), Life force manipulation via touch (aka draining and refilling the life force of living things) minor medium abilities (speaking with and seeing spirits of the dead), minor dreamwalking

BEST FRIENDS: Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson (<3), Nico di Angelo, Clarisse La Rue, Thalia Grace

Firm believer in the "fuck the rules, fuck the gods" philosophy

^faceclaim

"We're kids expected to be heroes, gods of our time."

Backstory: Being a child of Thanatos comes with a certain stigma. People look at you like you the harbinger of the apocalypse. You could sulk and be moody about how no one understands you, or you could actually do something about it. Dismantling stereotypes takes one step, and the rest will come in time. For now? I do my best to help unclaimed kids find their place at Camp. I help those who aren't taken seriously because their parent is a minor god find their voice.

People are still scared of me sometimes, and I get it. People are scared of the unknown, and death is the biggest unknown in mortal life. But, I'm dismantling stereotypes one person at a time. Not just for my benefit, but for all demigods at Camp Half-Blood.

Magical Weapon

Ειρηνευτής (Eirineftís) - "Peace Bringer", Stygian Iron, rotate ring 360 degrees to turn it into scythe mode

Power Visuals

[specializationisforinsects]

On Names, Meaning, and Self-Determination

aka ✨✨I woke up wondering about the significance of the name Anthony at three am and I'm now certifiably insane ✨✨

Good Omens is undeniably a queer allegory, and also at the heart a story about self-determination and free will. I think I’ve discovered something related to these two things that I haven’t heard anyone talk about, and it’s making me loco.

Choosing one’s own name is a very queer (often trans but more broadly queer) action; a way to assert and affirm one’s identity, often in opposition to a power structure that existed in a previous iteration of one’s life - our hero does this several times. Let’s take a closer look:

(Disclaimer: I’m using he/him for Crowley here for clarity and because the show and book often do.)

Starmaker [???] -> Crawly

We get to see Angel!Crowley, popularly called the Starmaker, in the opening shots of season two. Whatever the Starmaker's name was, he's insistent at several times throughout history that that is no longer him:

"I knew the angel you were." / "The angel you knew is not me." "You were an angel once." / "That was a very long time ago."

I love that the narrative never tells us what Angel!Crowley's name is - and I hope it bears out in season three. That's not him, and quite clearly he doesn't want to be (mistaken for) that angel ever again.

When we see him again, (chronologically) Crawly is now fallen from grace, a serpent demon, introducing himself to Aziraphale on the wall of the Garden of Eden after all that business with the apple. This is pretty clearly a callback to Genesis 3:14:

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

(Even though...chronologically...I think he had that name before tempting Eve.)

Crawly -> Crowley

In Golgotha, he cites Crawly as "too...squirming at your feet-ish" which again is not him (except for some *cough* situations into which I will not delve here) anyway

The shift from Crawly to Crowley is a subtle one, just a few letters. It speaks to me of a quiet rebellion against Hell, not changing so much that it attracts a lot of attention, but nevertheless rejecting the role Hell has cast him in.

[sorry my gifs suck so bad. It's quicker to grab a snippet than find someone else's better gifs.]

Aziraphale is surprised by this, but not unpleasantly so.

Crowley is making it clear he will only go along with Hell as far as he can. He doesn’t use their name for him, he’s not fully on their side. He still sees himself as a demon (unforgivable) but he’s taken some of his power and agency back. He won’t go blindly along with either Heaven or Hell, he’s asserting his independence.

(I don't know much about the meaning of this name, other than the fact that it's an Irish surname. Doubtless, there's some connection to Aleister Crowley. It's also apparently a maritime logistics company that will "Build and Operate the First Fully Electric U.S. Tugboat". Good for them!

It also reminds me of crows. I have a soft spot for bad boys who model their image after corvids as a defense mechanism.)

Anyway, part II. This brings us to the part that I woke up at three am thinking about.

Crowley, Anthony J.

"The famous Mr. Crowley!"

Here's what we’ve (fandom) spent a lot of time focusing on:

“What's the J for?” / “Just a J, really.”

Here's what I propose we focus on instead:

“Antony?” / “You don’t like it?” / “I didn’t say that! I’ll get used to it.”

Anthony. Why Anthony?

Anthony's not a name that appears in the Bible, but there are a few historical Anthonys we may know…

Marc Antony

(Most of this is pulled directly from wikipedia.)

Marc Antony was one of the Second Triumverate, a group of three men who ruled Rome after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Politically there were a lot of power struggles between them, and Antony married the sister of one of the other men (Octavian) in the triumvirate, as a kind of peacekeeping political move. However, Antony’s territory included Egypt and the young queen Cleopatra.

There were a lot of wars and sieges - I’m not gonna pretend I understand it, but basically Antony was hanging out in Egypt with Cleopatra and Octavian consolidated power in Rome, and started a smear campaign against Antony.

He argued that Antony was a man of low morals to have left his faithful wife abandoned in Rome with the children to be with the promiscuous queen of Egypt. Antony was accused of everything, but most of all, of "going native", an unforgivable crime to the proud Romans. Several times, Antony was summoned to Rome, but remained in Alexandria with Cleopatra.

Going native?? Where have we heard that before?

Octavian and other Roman Senators believed that turning the hostilities towards Cleopatra as the villain would gather the most support from Romans for war. […] Octavian's publication of [Antony’s will (alleged)] which named Antony and Cleopatra's children as heirs and directed his burial in Alexandria, was used as a political weapon in Rome to declare war against Cleopatra and Egypt as a whole. Octavian, now close to absolute power, invaded Egypt in August, 30 BC. With no other refuge to escape to, Antony stabbed himself with his sword in the mistaken belief that Cleopatra had already done so. When he found out that Cleopatra was still alive, his friends brought him to Cleopatra's monument in which she was hiding, and he died in her arms.

Oof. Choosing their own side under pain of death.

St. Anthony of Padua

Okay I’m not religious, and I'm tired of spending time on catholic websites but here are a few bullet points I found to make me scream

Saint Anthony is known in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil as a marriage saint, because legends exist of him reconciling couples.

Saint Anthony of Padua is known as the patron saint of lovers, often prayed to for meeting one's soulmate or finding lost love.

Pope Leon XII referred to him as “the saint of the world.”

Anthony

We don’t learn about the name “Anthony” until 1941, meaning that Crowley chose it for himself sometime after 1862 and before 1941. During a period of separation from Aziraphale after one of their bitterest arguments, he picks a human name for himself.

So, finally (jk this was first, but…)

I looked up the meaning of the name Anthony and (allegedly) it means “highly praiseworthy” or “priceless one”.

Take a minute.

The implications of this being a name he’s chosen for HIMSELF??

That maybe he hopes Aziraphale will call him??

That, to my knowledge in the show, Aziraphale hasn’t called him??

In conclusion

(I made myself crazy with this, please scream with me a little bit? I gotta go take a shower and wash the catholic websites off.)

[tranquilpetrichor]

twister

synopsis: what begins as a lighthearted game of twister leads to you finally admitting your feelings for your dance friend.

cast: chen kuanjui x gn!reader ft friend!ricky

genre: fluff

wc: 2k (2025)

warnings: descriptions of physical affection, there may be grammatical errors

a/n: please freaking save me i don't need more boys planet trainees wrecking my life.. anyways if the links to this on my masterlist are weird please let me know, i’m on vacation right now and can’t really do much stuff on my laptop.

taglist: @restlessmaknae

you place the box labeled twister on the floor and open it, your friend kuanjui beside you. he takes the mat and carefully lays it out. you get the spinner and fiddle with it for fun.

kuanjui's set out the mat and is stretching on it—a familiar sight to you over your years of friendship. while you used to gasp whenever you saw him casually go into the middle splits or do a backbend, it no longer fazed you. he simply had no bones.

staring at the mat with colored dots on it gives you nostalgia. "oh my god, i haven't played this in a while," you say, groaning. "please go easy on me."

he only laughs at you. "we're literally both dancers. if anything, i should make it really hard for you!"

you sigh, knowing that he’s almost never lost a game like this. "ugh no. if you're gonna be that way, you should buy me food after we play."

it’s a joke, but you wouldn’t mind food. and eating with him.

he points over in the distance to a guy (aka another idiot friend of yours) listening to music with airpods in. "ha, why don't you ask ricky then? he's the rich one, after all. oh, and speaking of which, we need someone to spin."

you glance over again. “i'll get him."

he smiles knowingly. “you mean you’ll go annoy him, right?”

“yep!”

since ricky’s facing away from the two of you, it's easy to sneak up on him and you make your way closer, finally closing in on his shoulders. after you tap him with your hands, he groans.

“what the hell? not this again.”

you start laughing, amused by ricky’s annoyance.

"dude, you've been on your phone enough. you wanna spin the wheel for me and kuan jui while we play twister?"

you can't miss the undeniable smirk that appears on ricky's face.

"alright, it's not like i have anything better to do," he begins to whisper, "except help two soon-to-be lovebirds out."

"hey! it's not like that," you hiss.

he only shrugs in response. "if you say so."

the two of you walk back, and you try to remain composed. “we have our spinner,” you say, gesturing to a still-smirking ricky.

"dude, quit it with that look," you mutter to ricky, and he just laughs at you.

kuanjui claps, a smile on his face. “let’s start! prepare to lose," he says with a glare that you know isn't malicious at all. you could even say it's adorable, although that's not something you should admit aloud.

you both go on opposite sides on the mat, and ricky spins the wheel.

"right hand on blue."

the two of you move accordingly. even with simple movements like this, kuanjui is graceful.

“right foot on red.”

it's easy so far, but in a few minutes, you know you're sure to struggle. sure enough, you do end up in a precarious position which could only be described as being a human pretzel. he’s reaching over you, like a cat taking a stretch.

"please do not crush my back," you say with a groan. "i don't know if i can handle that."

he protests. "i'm not going to crush your back! i am perfectly capable of holding myself up. if you fall, it's your fault."

"what? i won't fall..."

ricky interrupts. "good one, y/n. a little late on that.”

you glare at him as best as you possibly can from your position. "shut it."

kuanjui is clearly confused. "huh? is something wrong?”

you try to laugh it off. "never mind. he’s just being annoying again.”

there’s no time for him to question you, because ricky keeps talking. “alright, let’s continue! left foot on yellow!”

at this point, you understand why you wouldn't play this game with anyone you don't trust. there's no way you could do this with anyone else without feeling incredibly awkward.

"are you gonna give up?" kuanjui asks, and although you aren't looking at him in an attempt to focus on not trembling, you imagine a satisfied grin on his face.

you barely register ricky’s next command.

“right hand on green!”

no, now is not the time to get embarrassed. you absolutely knew what you were getting into, playing this damn game of all things. your heart definitely wasn’t racing. not at all.

you readjust your hand slightly. “nope. never.”

right about now, he’s probably pouting. “please? if you give up, i’ll buy you strawberry ice cream…”

hm, would you really choose food over your pride?

“aw damn, that’s tempting. but no. also, i’m sure you would do that for me anyways.”

his lack of a comeback tells you all you need to know.

“i feel like a third wheel,” you think you hear ricky mutter, before his speaking volume returns to normal. “alright, left hand on yellow!“

you strain to reach your hand behind you, but manage to get it on a circle. kuanjui’s face is now visible, and the two of you laugh at the absurdity of this whole game.

“i wonder how long we’ve been here,” you say.

ricky checks the time on his phone. “12 minutes, honestly that’s kinda impressive. but can someone please win already?"

“ah, now my wrist hurts. actually everything hurts,” kuanjui whines.

you smile. “you're such a big baby, despite being older than me by a few months.”

he hits you softly. “am not.”

a response leaves your mouth before you can tell your brain to stop saying whatever the hell it wants to. “you are, so stop being so cute.”

he scrunches his face in confusion, but then smiles slightly. "you think i’m what now?"

ah, shit. i definitely said too much.

well, might as well own what you had said. “cute, did you not hear me the first time?”

a slight blush appears on his face. “well, uh—“

ricky yells exasperatedly, “left foot on red!”

kuanjui moves first, slipping his foot behind your back. you try to find a red circle, but it’s a rather inconvenient move.

now you’re pretty much in the splits with your hands spread semi-far apart, and while it’s not the worst position to possibly be in, you’re kinda sore and can’t wait to rest.

“ah, is this what being a worm is like?” you joke.

“i don’t wanna be a worm, i wanna be something pretty,” kuanjui says.

you try to think of a suitable representative animal for him. “a butterfly is pretty.”

that seems to make him smile, and you feel like you've done your job for the day.

at some point, your strength gives out and you drop to the mat, beads of sweat cascading down your face. you're panting heavily.

kuanjui lifts himself out of the weird backbend position he's in with relative ease. how he's not too tired to do that, you're not sure.

"yes! i win!" he says with a fist pump.

you dramatically sigh, placing a hand on your chest. “i humbly accept this fatal defeat. you have kicked my ass once again.”

he giggles. "i'm sorry, i'll make it up somehow."

you pout. "that's what i get, for playing twister against one of the most flexible dancers in our academy."

you try to get up, but he motions for you to stay on the mat. "i'll get water for all of us, be right back. you need to rest!”

ricky puts the spinner down after kuan jui’s left. “please. just kiss. please! you two are so flirty that it’s gross.”

you laugh at his show of pleading. well, at least he was being honest. “i mean, i might confess to him today. i don’t want it to be grand or anything, i just want to say it. now’s as good a time as any, right?”

ricky gives you a genuine smile, probably the first of the day.

“well, good luck. if anyone should be his partner, it’s you.”

he pauses, seeming serious for once, before continuing. “it seems like you guys have a lot of fun around each other. i remember meeting you during dance practice and you were so strict, i didn't think you had an unserious bone in your body!"

kuanjui's walking back, so you try to wrap up the conversation. "gee thanks, i can be fun. but i think some people really bring out different sides of you."

he gives a grateful ricky some ice water, then sets down another cup beside you. "i cut a lemon slice and put it on the side of yours, if you don't mind."

you take it, grateful for the sweet gesture. "thanks, i mentioned that i like that, but only once.”

he smiles, and even that simple action seems ethereal. “i remembered anyways.”

ricky seems more than eager to excuse himself from the conversation, citing “video games” as the reason to leave.

“but you always say that though,” kuanjui retorts.

the younger boy shrugs. “and it’s always true.”

“i’ll see you guys later, you should enjoy yourselves!” he adds with a wink.

that damn guy. but you’re not gonna complain about getting alone time with kuanjui.

you spend about a minute quietly playing with his hair, which you’re both used to. although you do it often, you usually do it when something’s on your mind and you need to focus on something else.

kuanjui traces mindless circles on the mat before deciding to break the silence that has settled between you two. “hey, y/n?”

“yes?”

“did you really mean it when you said i was cute?”

you smile, a little embarrassed. but of course, no going back now. “of course, i wouldn’t lie.”

"i didn't think you would, but it was a little unexpected," he says, laughing. "since when did you ever call people cute?"

you take a sip of water, feeling suddenly as if there was something stuck in your throat. "well, i don't call people cute, unless they're you," you say with a small giggle, averting your gaze afterwards.

you're surprised you can even continue to speak.

"and, i wanted to ask you on a date. i mean, you don't have to! i've liked you for a while now, but i didn't want to make anything awkward… even though it probably seems awkward coming from me anyways.”

there’s a relief you feel after your confession and a sense of nervous anticipation. your hands need somewhere to be, so you reach for the cup.

kuanjui gasps and ruffles your hair affectionately. his eyes seem to sparkle.“oh, i’ve liked you too, and i’d love to go on a date. it’s just that i’m a little bit cowardly and probably wouldn’t have confessed first!”

“ha, believe me, i know.”

he seemed to have another moment of realization. “no wonder ricky seemed so annoyed! it’s like he was waiting for.. well, something.”

“watch what you say, he could come back any moment,” you whisper.

he goes along with your little joke and whispers back.

“what if i say he’s short and poor, old and ugly?”

“then he’ll definitely come back.”

the two of you burst into a fit of giggles. you take his hand, as if you need tangible proof that you’re here, experiencing this beautiful moment.

“do you mind if i kiss you on the cheek?”

jeez, why are you embarrassed? you’re usually physically affectionate with him anyways. still, it’s best to ask about things like kissing, you figure.

he shyly smiles. “go ahead.”

you give him a peck, which elicits more giggling from him, and there’s the lingering feeling of fluttering in your chest. he's definitely happy from the physical contact. as he lays down, he tugs your shirt, bringing you to the floor with him.

"i'm sleepy," he says through a yawn. "could you stay with me for a little?"

you're more than happy to oblige, and somehow, you end up with both of your arms wrapped around him, the twister mat still below you both.

as you settle into a comfortable position with kuanjui (perhaps the most comfortable you've been the whole day), you're thankful for playing that little game of twister, and for finally giving into your feelings.

[deathbyoctopi]

making a rec list so I don’t forget

It’s more or less a year since I got started in the Chinese series, and I want to share Opinions with y’all!! 😁😁

I’ll place them more or less in preference order, with tiers and whatnot, so of COURSE we have to start with:

GOD TIER (aka. The absolute best) 

The Untamed. Amazing. Can’t say much without rambling for six hours, so I’ll just say this was a wonderfully addictive thing to discover. Saw the series and donghua, read the manhua and the books, got me hearing some bits of the audiobook too and I’m going insane with the fanfics and fanart. Dead evil overlord resuscitates and meets childhood classmate, they solve mysteries and go on adventures together, which both isn’t and is an euphemism. 

---

DEMI-GOD TIER (because there’s really only one untamed):  

Heaven Official’s Blessing. Going with the books here, bc the gods immortal know when (If!) we’re getting a series of that one. But the story is interesting, the characters very likable, the main ship is downright adorable... And what little donghua we’ve got so far was delightful (praying for that one not to be discontinued, plzzz). Twink God with the worst luck imaginable meets piss-your-pants-scary Ghost King and they go on adventures together. Still an euphemism. 

The Dumb Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Another book/manhua rec, bc I’m looking just as forward to get the series, and who knows... This one has a base concept that comes straight from fanfic dreamland!!! In the best way possible, too! Reccomending this having read only 2 books so far, but it feels warranted. Evil overlord goes back in time to his youth and decides not to repeat the mistakes of his first life. The mistakes follow him, tho. Also, he’s so horny for his shizun, who he Hates™ very much. 

Word of honor. A series so bent on showing everything they can of the main characters relationship without showing it that it may have changed the gears in censorship ^^U I found the story a bit confusing, with a myriad sects and intrigues, but the character dynamics are so fascinating!!! (Speaking only for the series, haven’t read the book). Angsty repentant master spy with a Mysterious Past wants to go die in peace, but handsome leech with a Mysterious Past says otherwise. 

---

MUST TIER (Very recommendable! I’d force-feed all those to you if I knew where you live)

Blood of youth. A series (maybe a book and manhua, idk) about a dumbass young hero that wants to prove himself in the martial art world, a mysterious youth obsessed with money and a handsome (and also mysterious) monk with almost godlike powers entangled in a conspiracy that reaches deep in the Imperial palace... Engaging story and characters, particularly the supporting roles, because even though they’re not the focus, they’re memorable enough to feel relevant. 

Scum Villain Self-Saving System. Books (NEVER mind the very short, strangely paced digital art donghua) about a man transmigrated to the martial art world from a trash webnovel he loves to complain about. He’s the villain there, and doesn’t want to be for the life of him precisely because it will kill him unless he can get in the main character’s good graces. And he does that. All too well XD

Sleuth of the Ming dynasty. A series (is there a book? I’d like to read it) about an official of the Imperial Government who solves cases. No world-breaking powers, no flying swords, just very real crime and clues and palace intrigues (the Imperial family are recurring characters). The main two characters are an absolute delight: the Detective, who is brilliant and socially clumsy, and nevertheless manages to leech off the Soldier to the point that gets in his house and manages to get a lifelong loyalty out of him. 

Thousand autumns. There’s a donghua, which is as weird and uncanny as the svsss one, but since the books got recently translated I’m going more with those. Handsome Horrible Man Extraordinaire harasses, gaslights, bullies and almost kidnaps Pretty-Faced Frail Twink, and they end up invariably together. I can barely remember the story, something something Book Of Martial Arts Awesomeness that everyone and their mother wants, but that’s irrelevant. The story is worth it just because of those two idiots. 

---

OK TIER (Recommend if you’re bored and want something entertaining, but not life-changing)

Birth of the drama king. A half-serious, half-silly series about two warring sects that sic spies on each other. One might be too successful, almost getting attached to the other sect’s leader, because (presumably) they are long-lost brothers. The story is decent, but an absolute point on its favour is the (very handsome, if only a bit lackluster) role of Song Jiyang as doctor Yan. And the fact that he’s so serious, while being the Universe’s punchbag. Seriously, he gets hilariously abused in almost every episode. Love it.  

Till the end of the moon. A long, epic battle between good an evil with a romance so strong that can (well, ought to) defy destiny and the will of the gods. If it wasn’t for all the miscommunication!!!! >:3  This one was very difficult for me to place in this list, because what is good about this series is marvelous, and what is bad (boring or frustrating) is almost painful to sit through. Of the latter, the aforementioned lack of talking skills of these two endlessly suffering dumbasses and the epic battles, which do nothing for me, though might be great for other people. And the good things... if the whole series had been like the first ten or so episodes, this would be now in the demi-god tier. The premise!!! The execution!!!! The acting!!!!! Give me the whole early stage of Tantai Jin and Ye Xiwu’s marriage, up to that new year, and nothing else!!! After that, it’s a slow but sure decline.

Stick to the script. An extremely self-aware comedy sketch show with the transmigration premise and an almost surreal beat. The main point is of course Wang Haoxuan, but it also has good puns, quick humor and at least a couple scenes so absurd I had to laugh out loud. But the episodes are so short!!! I found that very distracting, they last only 2-3 minutes each. I enjoyed it MUCH MORE finding a compilation on youtube. It lasts 2 hours in total, so it’s very manageable like that :)

Be my cat. Another series with an absurd premise, and amusingly self-aware, but sweet and occasionally fun enough to be worth a watch. The plot is about a girl who receives from her cultivator brother (who’s gone missing) a sphere with a yao cat, that escapes and possesses the dying body of a young general. The resulting human-shaped cat forms a reluctant bond with her, and she enlists his help to find her brother and the other three lost animal spheres, with their respective yao that wreck havoc. 

Dance of the phoenix. A series about a young cultivator girl whose powers and memories are stolen, so she has to fend for herself while attracting an alarming number of suitors, old rivals and admirers. The plot is serviceable at best, and the characters not very interesting... but the effects are quite good, and damn my weakness, it has Wang Haoxuan too!! The ending was mightily confusing, tho. I have no idea what that was about.  

---

PASS TIER (Watching that wasn’t technically a mistake, but... ugh) 

Immortal Samsara. Yess, it’s well-made and well-acted, but the story is soooo slow!!! And soooooo boring!!!!! The character’s actions don’t make sense more often than not, she subtleties of their behaviour clashes with some very drastic and unreasonable course of action, the lack of communication in this one is downright painful to behold... Only the second third gets a bit interesting, the stakes are higher and the characters finally less stiff and more enjoyable, but bloody hell... It’s not worth it, not at all. 

[happyk44]

Jasico prompt:

Nico as a VA who does ASMR recordings and Jason is his devoted fan/follower who listens and comments on everything he posts.

His voice was just soothing. He naturally spoke soft like a summer breeze, but he was good with accents too. He could mimic to the best of them. Still, Jason much preferred Nico's natural speaking voice. It filled him with a gentle air that had him floating as he laid down and listened to the soothing sound of whatever script Nico was reciting. Sometimes Jason didn't even hear the words. Just let himself soak in the clouds of Nico's voice, only taking in the gentle sounds he spoke.

--

Nico had a fan. A very rabid fan. Not rabid as his volatile but just. Rabid as in there. Every post Nico made, he could be certain if he doubled back hours later that fan would have commented on it. Liked it.

If Nico put out a tip jar, that fan was usually one of the first to donate and always had such a heavy amount. It felt overwhelming the first few times - almost like he was going to owe this person something for all the attention they were pouring into him. Sometimes he hovered his finger over the block button.

But he never pressed it. Just backtracked and breathed.

This fan wasn't like the others. They didn't come storming into Nico's DMs demanding certain content. They didn't email him begging him to voice act some indie project they had going on for free. They didn't desperately scream for information on projects he was working on, information he couldn't give out, and then berate him wildly for refusing.

This person was just there. It was kind of like having a sugar daddy that just genuinely wanted you to be happy, instead of your pants down and ass up.

Nico settled at his desk. His equipment was still set up for later, but he ignored it, choosing to lift his laptop lid and sign into his computer. Copying the link Walt texted him earlier, he began to type out a new message to his followers - and any strangers who stumbled across his posts.

Hey guys, my friend Walt is kickstarting his first indie project. It will be a RPG pixel game based on Egyptian gods. You can find more information at the link below. If all goes well, I will be voice acting as the Narrator and a couple secret characters.

He flapped his wrist, willing the pain to disappear before he kept typing.

As a bonus incentive to help my friend fund this project, I will be offering a customized 30 minute ASMR recording of your choice to the person who donates the most to the campaign. Screenshot your donation and submit it through the contact form on my website. I will only be doing this upon completion of the funding period. If you withdraw your donation for whatever reason, your submission will be taken out of consideration.

He submitted the post with a link to Walt's project and sat back. For a minute, he contemplated. His rabid fan... They never did request anything, even when Nico opened the floor to suggestions. Other people did. Then some got frustrated or upset when he didn't do them.

But this fan always seemed eager to please. He wondered if he should text Walt to keep an eye out for their username. Even if they didn't submit their screenshot for consideration, they'd probably still donate a ridiculous amount of money to back the project. Just because Nico asked.

It was weird to have this kind of power over one person. Maybe sugar daddy wasn't the word for what they were. It was probably something else - Bianca would know.

But she'd also make fun of him for it somehow.

--

Jason wrung his wrists nervously. He had spent... Well, it was certainly a number that would have his step-mom calling him once she did her quarterly review of his trust fund account, but it was worth it for the "Hi, Jason Grace, you won a customized recording from Nico di Angelo, aka The Ghost King. Please send a script or concept over for him to develop and record for you."

Hazel sometimes featured in the background of Nico's videos. He said she was his sister, slash assistant, slash business manager, because he was "shit with money" and "would probably live in a cardboard box without her".

Jason had been kind of hoping that Nico would email him personally, but he didn't mind seeing Hazel's name at the bottom. She always seemed so pleasant. She had a nice voice too. Just... not as nice as Nico's.

His eyes flitted nervously to the time at the bottom of his computer screen. Just one more minute.

His request had been sort of... unorthodox. He knew most people would probably have something in mind. Either a fully blown script or an idea - just like Hazel had requested. And technically Jason did have an idea.

It just.

Wasn't what most people would think of.

His concept was just. A chat. A talk. He didn't want Nico to play some character or act in any which way. He just wanted to hear him talk about anything. His day. His life. His hobbies. The colour of sky. Anything.

As soon as he emailed that that was what he wanted, Hazel had sent back a quick, "Are you sure?" He responded with an enthusiastic "yes", and she'd replied back with some dates and times for a video conference. He didn't think that would matter. Since he just wanted to hear Nico talk, there wasn't much to discuss.

But he wasn't going to turn down a chance to meet him face-to-face.

Well, over video, but it would be different this time. Nico didn't really do "lives". People had asked and he just said he didn't like being actively seen. At least with his videos, they were passive. He didn't feel like he needed to keep an eye on the audience.

The clock struck 3pm and Jason immediately clicked the link Hazel had emailed over a few hours earlier. He would've clicked it as soon as she sent it but he didn't want to seem too eager for it.

It took a few seconds but Nico's face emerged on the other side. Jason resisted the urge to gape. Nico was always pretty - it was half the reason he picked up followers so fast. But in his videos, even in photos, there was always shadows, dim lighting, something to disguise him in mystery and darkness, to really sell his moniker as The Ghost King.

But now he was swathed in soft pastel lights. Instead of his usual hoodie, he wore a comfortable dark crewneck sweater with an embroidered skull on the chest. His hair was partially tied back, still a large volume of hair spilling out. What did Piper call that again? A half ponytail.

It pulled his bangs back, showcasing his warm brown eyes.

Jason swallowed dryly as Nico looked around calmly and said, "Hi, Jason! Can you hear me?"

Jason was about to fucking have a heart attack. "Yes," he said quickly.

Nico grinned and Jason's heart soared. The smile was a wicked thing - wider than it had ever been in any photo. Nico didn't really smile in his videos, focused on the things he was saying. But some photos captured a half smile, peaking out around shadows - more smirk than grin most of the time.

Here he seemed content, pleased. "That's great. So... Hazel said you just wanted to hear me talk? She said-" He paused and turned, picking up a black phone. "-anything that comes to mind is fine."

Jason nodded rapidly. Already his pulse was beating fast. Nico's voice was so angelic, even just saying regular words with no intent behind them. Why wouldn't he want to hear Nico talk

Nico cocked his head curiously. "You sure that's all you want? No character you want me to imitate or persona you'd like me to act as?"

"No," Jason croaked. His mouth was dry. "I just- I really your voice."

A pleasant rosy hue spread across Nico's cheeks. Jason stared before he remembered that staring for so long was unsettling to people and blinked away. Nico didn't seem all that bothered by it. Instead he was regarding Jason with a curious gaze and amused eyes.

"Okay, let me just start recording then..." His voice trailed off as he clicked away at the screen. "Okay! Um." His eyes flickered upwards. "Well, Walt surpassed his funding goals and he's starting reaching out to people who said they were interested in working on the project. I can't reveal too many details right now, but the development is going well so far." His focus turned back to Jason. "Are you sure there isn't anything you'd like me to say?"

"No." Jason fought the urge to lay his arms down on his desk, rest his chin on his arms, close his eyes, and listen intently. Nico might think he was falling asleep if he did that. Instead, he just reclined comfortably in his chair and adjusted his headphones. "You can just talk about whatever."

Thirty minutes of Nico's voice would be enough. Plus he'd get a free recording, and at the start Nico would be saying his name.

He'd replay that moment over and over again until he'd memorized the sound of his name in Nico's beautiful voice like a permanent brand in his ears.

Nico crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. "Okay. Let me know if you change your mind." He leaned in a little closer to the microphone. "Yesterday I went to the grocery store with my sister, Hazel. We were looking for garam masala. Hazel wanted to try this new recipe for butter chicken. I like it, but for some reason, I can never get the sauce to thicken properly. It's fine and good, but it is very liquid compared to what you get at a restaurant."

As Nico talked about his adventures with hunting down garam masala and frustratingly attempt to get the butter chicken sauce to thicken up, Jason soaked every word in like it was pouring rain on a long walk home. Every hitch of his breath, the change in tone, the softness, the roughness, the gravelly annoyance, the euphoric brightness - every iota of sound that he made plunged perfectly into Jason's ears, warm and soft like honey.

Desperately he didn't want it to end, but soon the clock flickered that thirty minutes had passed. It dragged on by a few more seconds, just to round out Jason's 30 minute recording, but then it was over.

He stiffened up as Nico trailed off then said, "Oh, time's up."

His heart sank into his chest. He didn't want it to be over. Wanted to hear Nico speak to him for as long as he could. "That was nice," he said instead.

He wouldn't whine. He was not owed Nico's time. Wasn't owed his presence. He won the time he won and he had the time he had.

That was enough.

"It was," Nico agreed brightly and Jason smiled. "You are a very easy audience, Jason."

Nico's laugh and the sound of Jason's name rolling of his tongue had him going warm. It spread hot through his chest and down into the pits of his belly.

"I'll send you the recording of this later today," Nico said. "It was nice to meet you, Jason." He waved and Jason waved back, hoping his hand wasn't moving too fast, that he didn't look too sad. "Bye."

"Bye," Jason echoed.

Nico vanished off the screen. Jason wilted and flattened his arms across the desk, one right over the other. He buried his chin between them, closing his eyes. Concentrating hard, he pulled the sound of Nico's voice saying his name and replayed it over and over again in his mind.

Maybe if he was lucky, Nico would do this again.

And he'd made sure that once more he was the highest bidder.

[emmellas]

a ramble on the bella baxterification of emma stone (or in other words, how emma & her career trajectory, with one stigma-challenging, bold, and progressive project after another- including 'poor things' !!- embodies the same values and spirit of her beloved cinematic heroine)

emma using her well-earned acclaim, status, and star-power to make her foray from more mainstream projects that are "safe" and "comforting" to what's shaping up to be a formidable assemblage of more delightfully transgressive (which unfortunately does include TRULY progressive pieces that depict society honestly rather than romanticizing things to pander to audiences, which is sure to bring discomfort and even anger in those who do not want to see extant, unjust power dynamics and systems challenged) pieces that not only attest to her ever-growing prowess as an actress and producer but to boldly progressive views she's willing to (and has) risk her public image and good graces in the industry to stand tend toes behind sure has been beautiful to watch.

she's talked about how inspiring it is to have played a character who stood for justice no matter what society did and has expressed that she wants to live like bella and i just wonder if she realizes that this is exactly what she's doing right now.

i say this following rumblings about 'kinds of kindness' being another "divisive" piece sure to "piss people off." as i said, real progressivism is always guaranteed to piss people off and i LOVE to see it.

i've stated it in another post but people often confuse her lack of verbal statements on social issues as her being apolitical but she actually has severe GAD and talked about speaking on said subjects and mistakes she's made in the past related to them being a deeply engrained trigger that developed out of a fear of making further mistakes but it's obvious that her making such provocative (/POS !!) pieces like the curse that truly educate on and condemn myriad systems of oppression, even going so far as to insist her character, whitney, be characterized in the evil way we know her to be in spite of ramifications to her public image she was made aware of at the time, show her willingness to make sacrifices to her career in the name of doing what is right.

christopher nolan, in a panel he moderated about the curse, asked regarding emma's involvement in the polarizing and unprecedented show, "how on god's earth did you convince her to do that?" "that," of course, referring to her pander-free, harsh, and damning portrayal of whitney and all that she represents (performative white liberalism aka PWL), whom he described as "monstrous," knowing how such a character could be projected onto her as it and how such an unapologetic critique of performative white liberalism wouldn't bode well in an industry and society quite full of them. by the way, she firmly called the phenomenon of PWL a "modern affliction" during a panel she herself attended. anyway, nathan and benny replied that it was in fact her who "insisted" whitney be portrayed this way even after they'd offered/suggested she tone things down in the interest of her public image.

here's the link to the panel i refer to:

https://x.com/nafss_1998/status/1750957230399365225?s=46

in any case, i cannot wait for KOK and for everything else to come from the acting and producing phenom that is emma stone. she'll have her third oscar before she's 40 and if the academy can manage to look past the anthology format, what seems to be controversial subject matter, and whatever other factors that should have nothing to do with one's performance (again, emma's choices are showing she's not doing things for awards and popularity but because she has a passion for them), it just might happen next year as she also seems to follow a "let's outdo every prior performance" kind of trajectory with her work meaning bella baxter, inimitable and magnificent of a performance as it was that was more-than-deserving of the oscar, is sure to be outdone. in fact, i'd argue her turn as whitney siegel in the curse has already done so and i hope to see that recognized accordingly with her first emmy this year.

in conclusion, LET'S GO EMMA !!

[il-predestinato]

I am very curious about "A Modern Fairytale in Five Parts (aka. Once Upon a Time in Monte Carlo)" :))))) <3

Oh yes, the fairytale AU I've been struggling with for 1.5 years. 😅

title: Once Upon a Time in Monte Carlo

summary: A retelling of the very cursed 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. In which there is a prince in distress (Charles), an evil witch (Christian), a poisoned apple banana, a countdown rose in a jar, a bunch of suitors (the entire grid), and a desperate search for True Love's Kiss. 5+1, Charles/Max with a tiny bit of Charles/Everyone.

I shared an excerpt from it before, so you can read that first for a little more context. 😁

Another excerpt (from "Chapter 2: LANDO NORRIS"):

He gets a bloody podium. He’s on the podium with two of his closest friends. Except the podium celebrations have as much cheer as a funeral procession. The bottles of champagne remain untouched; neither Max nor Carlos could muster the enthusiasm to spray their bottles. He spied Max handing off his bottle to Christian Horner, who could not have looked more smug.

Lando wouldn’t put it past the guy to be responsible for Valtteri’s wheel nut failing to come off during the pit stop. (Both Zak and Andreas privately voiced their suspicions about the so-called “Witch King of Red Bull” … all right, maybe the nicknames were a little overboard, but Christian is still a right bastard.) The weekend could not have gone more perfectly for Red Bull.

Not that it seemed to matter to Max, who looked like he was ready to dart away the moment he entered parc fermé. Lando suspects he would have if they didn’t have obligatory post-race interviews. And even with that, there was scarcely a question that didn’t revolve around Charles.

At the end of it all, Lando is frankly exhausted. At this point, he’ll settle for a quiet dinner and getting his ass kicked at FIFA by Carlos.

Lando catches up with Carlos outside the Ferrari garage (and God, this place is depressing… one would think someone died in that garage). The Spaniard is in the middle of a sizeable gathering of F1 drivers - Max is there, along with Pierre, George, Seb, Gio, and Daniel.

“What do you mean that you also tried?” hisses Max, folding his arms at Pierre.

The Frenchman throws his former teammate a withering look that seems to question his intelligence at the same time. “Exactly what I mean, Max. He’s my best friend! I had to try.”

“You mean you kissed him?” adds Daniel helpfully.

Max sputters with a half cough, half choke. Daniel thumps his back vigorously, while Pierre graces both of them with an exaggerated sigh. “Merci, Sherlock, for clarifying.”

“Why would you do that?” Lando blurts out, joining the crowd.

Pierre looks at them like they were all lacking in wits. “His love interests are not exactement limited to women.” A bunch of goldfish expressions stare back at him; Pierre sighs again. “Really, guys, it’s 2021.”

A moment later, they’re all talking at once and talking over each other.

“Well, this really changes the game -”

“A much bigger pool -”

“Do you think he has a secret male lover -”

“Could still be a woman, you know -”

“Holy crap, do we all have to kiss him?”

“Try not to sound so eager, Dan -”

“Fuck, I’d do it without the curse -”

“Jesus, DAN!”

Lando clears his throat loudly. “If Pierre couldn’t wake him up, why would any of you guys succeed? He’s the closest to Charles. If it’s any of us, it would be Pierre.”

Carlos tilts his head thoughtfully. “Charles and Pierre are more like brothers. I think true love’s kiss is meant in - ah, how do you say it - the more biblical sense?”

“Romantic,” corrects Dan. “More face-sucking than air kisses, more naked grinding than soft cuddles, more deep throat -”

“I think we get it,” interrupts Seb, and Lando has never been more grateful to the former Ferrari driver.

Then Max, who had been rather morosely silent amongst all the clamour, speaks up for the first time. “Maybe… maybe it doesn’t hurt to try. It - it couldn’t hurt if there’s a chance of waking him?”

“I agree with Max,” Carlos pipes up, and Lando feels a twist of dread gnawing in his stomach. “He spends so much time on the road, in the paddock, with the team, and with all of us. What if it’s one of us?”

George shrugs. “I don’t suppose it would hurt to try.” He grins at Daniel. “There are worse things than kissing Charles.”

[sailorsolar12]

The group meeting Phoenix’s twin sister and she’s a chef or maybe a professional sister. Immediately Hangman is like 😍 and Phoenix is like 🔪🔪

Oh my god! Why did I totally laugh at this for a solid ten minutes straight? Hehe okay let's do this...be warned reader insert is not my specialty. I will try my best.

Title: Don't Leave me Hangin'

Rating: T+

Pairing: Hangman x TraceReader, Phoenix x TraceReader (SIbling)

Words: 791

Summary: As the twin sister of Lt. Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, you gravitated towards the kitchen instead of the sky like Nat. When Nat gets called back to Top Gun, you are opening your second restaurant in Fightertown U.S.A. However, once you meet the pilots your sister will be training with, can you resist the urge to be left hanging by a certain Lt. Jake Seresin?

A/N: Also, sorry for the late post. Work is crazy and hellish right now. I also might make a part 2.

You had fallen in love with cooking at a young age. While your sister - Natasha - fantasized about flying planes and fighter jets, you were in the kitchen with your grandmother and mother learning the ins and outs of cooking. Now here you were years later, your sister was a Top Gun Graduate, and you had just opened your second restaurant in Miramar, CA aka Fightertown, U.S.A. while your first one was in the heart of Los Angeles.

You had gotten wind of your sister being called back to Top Gun for some kind of mission. You didn't know what kind, but you knew you were going to make sure to have her and all the other pilots come to your restaurant for a celebration. You hadn't told Natasha you were opening a second restaurant, so surprising her sister on her first night in town at the popular Navy bar The Hard Deck was the perfect surprise that would bring about chaos and shenanigans. Smiling, you got out of your simple car and looked at the bar with determination. However, the voice from the truck next to you made you blink as you realized that this man knew your sister.

"Phoenix? I haven't seen you with your hair down in a long time," the man said. He had aviators on with an open Hawaiian shirt.

A smirk that was exactly like one your sister would give graced your lips as you accepted the hug the man offered. "I needed the change even if for one night, Rooster." You had recognized the man from photos your sister had sent you and hoped that he wouldn't realize that you were not Natasha. She walked in with Rooster and watched as the pilot blinked seeing your identical twin sister who was dressed in her uniform. Your smirk turned into a full blown grin as Nat hugged Rooster before going wide eyed while seeing you. "Natasha," you greeted lghtly.

"(Y/N)! What? When did you get here?!" Natasha exclaimed completely forgetting her friends and fellow pilots who looked on in utter confusion at seeing two Natashas. The pilot was excited to see her sister but also knew that Hangman would flirt so much with her.

"I have friends in high places so to speak, so i knew you were gonna be here. It did work out though because I officially have my grand opening tomorrow," you answered simply making Natasha go wide eyed in shock.

"Hold on what is going on here?" Rooster asked, completely baffled at the sight before him. He glanced at Hangman who wouldn't look away from Phoenix's supposed twin sister.

"Guys, this is my twin sister, (Y/N) Trace. (Y/N), these are Rooster, Fritz, Coyote, Bob, Halo, Omaha, Harvard, Yale, Fanboy, Payback, and Bagman," Natasha introduced the pilots that had been called back to Top Gun.

"Hangman," Hangman corrected Phoenix with a slightly flirtatious smirk towards (Y/N). He lightly took the hand that she held out to him for him to shake and gave a playful wink as he shook it. The pilot took it as a win when he saw (Y/N) blush faintly and try to hide her flushed cheeks from him. Jake backed up slightly holding his now free hand up in surrender as Phoenix glared and seemed to become an overprotective mama bear with her sister. "But you can call me Jake, beautiful," he said to (Y/N) dodging the whack from the pool stick that seemed to appear magically in Natasha's hands.

(Y/N). bit her lip lightly trying not to be flushed and amused at the situation that was unfolding before you. Natasha had always been very overprotective as they grew up. Now though, (Y/N) did find Hangman quite attractive and didn't want to tell her sister that you weren't as innocent as Natasha thought you were. "Nat, it's okay. Really. He's a flirt and knows he can get into most girls' pants," (Y/N) said with an equally sarcastic smirk at the blonde pilot.

The night continued on with (Y/N) having fun with your sister and her coworkers. Throughout the night, you couldn't stop stealing glances at Hangman - or Jake as you decided to call him - without your sister looking. When Rooster unplugged the Jukebox and began playing piano with almost all the pilots by him, you elected to stay behind and actually challenge Jake to a game of pool...which you ended up winning. By the end of the night, (Y/N) left The Hard Deck with Jake's number in her phone, a date planned for three days later, and the picture of Natasha beating Jake again with a pool stick for trying to "steal her sister away."

[aegor-bamfsteel]

Why do you think there weren’t any new Dornish houses formed during Nymeria’s conquest that were purely Rhoynar in origin?

"We are in part, Your Grace. Nymeria's blood is in me, along with that of Mors Martell, the Dornish lord she married. On the day they wed, Nymeria fired her ships, so her people would understand that there could be no going back. Most were glad to see those flames, for their voyagings had been long and terrible before they came to Dorne, and many and more had been lost to storm, disease, and slavery. There were a few who mourned, however. They did not love this dry red land or its seven-faced god, so they clung to their old ways, hammered boats together from the hulks of the burned ships, and became the orphans of the Greenblood. The Mother in their songs is not our Mother, but Mother Rhoyne, whose waters nourished them from the dawn of days." —AFFC The Queenmaker Standing apart from the rest of the Dornish—salty or sandy or stony alike—are the orphans of the Greenblood, who wept when Nymeria burned their ships. From their ruins they made their poleboats, to ply the Greenblood and dream of the day that they could return to Mother Rhoyne. Of pure Rhoynish blood, they still speak their tongue amongst themselves, it is said—though in secret after the three successors of Nymeria's grandson, Prince Mors II, attempted to forbid it. —TWOIAF on Dorne

Nymeria and her followers assimilated into Andal culture for the most part, adopting their language and religion (though not their succession laws); while she did become a conqueror, she did so alongside her Dornish husbands, and so did many of the refugees. Establishing a purely Rhoynar noble house in Dorne would’ve taken away land from the indigenous population to people with no political power. Better to just marry a Rhoynar to a Andal lord with an actual blood claim to that land.

Secondly, is that the Greenblood Orphans—aka the only people in Dorne of pure Rhoynish descent—have famously refused to assimilate into this Andal culture even despite persecution, keeping their language in secret, their animistic religion over the Seven, and marrying each other. They don’t view Dorne as their home (hence their sorrow at the ships burning) nor call themselves Dornish. Rather, their home is on the Rhoyne, and they hope one day it’s safe enough to return there (though some like Ysilla and Yandry have already returned). Agreeing to own Dornish land, give up their language, adopt the Andal customs of knighthood, would be assimilating, which they’ve fought hard to resist. It makes sense why no new purely Rhoynar noble houses would arise; though obviously there’s pure Rhoynar families around in Dorne with the Greenblood Orphans, they’re considered without real power and take menial jobs (parallels to other marginalized ethnic diaspora groups in Europe, such as the Jewish and Rroma people, seem apparent at least to me).

[josnhoes]

I just wanted to say I LOVE YOUR HADES SELF AWARE AU!!! I would love to know what would happen after your drabble- AKA: how good would the house of hades treat their new guest? Specially considering how important they percieve them to be?

The house of hades is in an uproar. Now that you are here with them they had to put their best foot forward. Both Olympus and The House of hades have dedicated wings untouched by any aside for cleaning designed to be your homes when you finally joined the gods.

Hades is smug for so long because you chose *his* home, *his* son as your favored, and you accepted his hospitality. Though you have to do your best to keep people on track at first. Everyone wants to stop and stare or throw themselves at you begging for a smidgen of your endless love.

You are worshiped, doted on, and denied nothing no matter how trivial the request. Though it was a bit of a fight to convince people to call you by name rather then a title like The First God or Your Grace. But you are seen as all powerful, yet filled with mercy and kindness.

There is a hidden whisper amoung all the house as to why you seemed so much weaker now. A theory that after the Titans spawned into existence they locked you away, and freeing yourself from such a powerful prison to come to the house had used all of your power so your body was recovering. Much like Nyx had to do when she saved the prince's life. So now everyone is very protective. Zagreus has gone from doing runs often to only when you push, as he wants to be your gaurd first and foremost.

Thanatos has yet to approach feeling a strange emotion he can't place at the idea of being rejected by you for the nature of his power. Surely you wouldn't rebuke him for being death right? That emotion he is having he can't place, is fear but he refuses to accept that.

Nyx bounces between worshiping and mothering you.

Hypnos takes it upon himself to tuck you in every time you go to sleep using his powers to give you the best of sleep. No he doesn't care you are an adult a God older then even chaos, this is how he shows his appreciation.

Hades buys or provides you with anything you ask, what he can't get he actually reaches out to his brothers about.

Persephone has buckled down on her gardening trying to find or create produce that she can give you to appease any cravings you may have.

Achilles doesn't approach he waits for you to speak to him first. It's not out of arrogance but respect. You are higher then the gods he'd be a fool to risk insulting you. He scarcely believes you are real he'd heard tales but he thought you a myth. Treat him kindly and he may begin to approach you.

They aren't part of the main house but Asterius and Thesus both come to worship. Well the bull does anyway, Theseus comes to ask you to give him your blessing so he may call upon you in battle. If you refuse well he'll have to win your approval first then!