#or does each poet think he is the last? does he really want to be?

[finelythreadedsky]

the aeneid as a post-apocalyptic poem, yes sure, the fall of troy is the end of a world, but what about the aeneid as a pre-apocalyptic poem???? vergil does all this ideological work setting up augustus as the telos toward which the entire arc of history bends and you can argue how he really feels about that but regardless, doesn't it mean that augustus is the end? that there is nothing beyond him, nothing after him? vergil poises himself as writing at the top of the world and there's nowhere else to go from there when that moment passes

[fictionalwh0ree]

the gang dating a stoner hcs

warnings: mentions weed and alcohol

a/n: as someone who's a lowkey stoner, i wrote this with the reader being someone who doesn't look like they'd be a stoner.

johnny cade

definitely doesn’t mind that you smoke

he’s maybe tried it once but never enough that he felt anything

one day he tries it with you

he immediately understands why you do it

johnny has a lot of issues and has a lot of baggage, smoking weed helps him calm down

you’re happy that it makes him happy

but that can also be dangerous

you worry about him getting hooked to the feeling, so you make sure he only ever does it with you

thankfully its illegal and since johnny is kind of skittish, he doesn’t go after it on his own

smoking with him is a mix of calm and paranoia

hes paranoid while you’re smoking

worrying about the smell, who’s around, your eyes, etc

but once its done, he’s calm

you spend many late nights just dozing off in each others arms after smoking

also many deep talks

overall, he’s grateful for you (and it) and he accepts your habits

dallas winston

he LOVES that you’re lowkey a stoner

there’s something about how you look when your eyes are all droopy and red that turns him onnnnn

(he also finds you being able to roll hot, idk why)

he definitely does it here and there

but he loves to smoke with you

on a rare night, you two will get crossed at bucks and will probably end up fucking

high sex is his favvvvv

he’ll take you to the drive-in after you smoke

those are probably the only times you’ll pay attention to a movie around him

he’s very rebellious so he doesn’t worry about you getting caught very often

he’ll even steal snacks for you

he lets you crash in his bed if you’re super slumped

you love cuddling with him if you’re high

something about the warmth and skin to skin just feels so much better

he definitely finds it funny when you’re high

he’ll laugh about you demolishing your food

he definitely laughs when you start sharing your high thoughts with him

and he finds it especially funny when you find something funny and can’t stop laughing

you’ve definitely been caught in some dumb ass situations where you look at each other and have to find a way to hold in the laughter

ponyboy curtis

definitely has never smoked

he knows its illegal, so he was definitely surprised to find out you do it

at first, you kept it separate from him

you know his brother would kill him if he tried

you didn’t smoke around him and were never really high around him

until one time you were headed home after a smoke session with your friends and you ran into him

he invited you to the drive- in with the gang

steve and dally could definitely tell

ponyboy could tell something was off but couldn’t pinpoint it

he bought you a popcorn and you couldn’t shut up about how much better it tasted

“has this popcorn always been this good?”

“it doesn’t taste any different than the last time we had it”

“are you sure?”

“are you okay”

dally definitely broke the news to him and it hit him quick

after that, pony started asking you questions about weed

“what does it feel like to be high?”

“does food actually taste better?”

“does it taste like a cigarette?”

you asked him if he wanted to try it one day so you waited until a day where his house was completely empty and smoked

after one hit, he was coughing like crazy

no amount of cigarettes could’ve prepared him for that

he couldn’t smoke very much because of the coughing but he got high and finally understood the food thing

tore apart any food available

he really loves to watch the sunset when he’s high

he thinks the colours and scenery are so much more detailed and pretty

he’s the type to turn into a poet when he’s high

but in the end the coughing was not worth it so he only does it very rarely (and only with you)

its a very special occasion when pony smokes, so you always make sure its a good experience and you do everything so darry will never find out

sodapop curtis

he’s definitely tried it before

he was not a fan

(he wasn’t inhaling it right so he never felt it and thought it was pointless)

he was very surprised when he found out you smoked

he always makes sure you’re careful with it

he takes extra care of you when you’re high

he makes sure you don’t have to talk to anyone

will take you to go get whatever you’re craving

he’s also a fan of the high eyes

he thinks its cute when you laugh at dumb things you wouldn’t usually find that funny

he’s very observant so he can definitely tell when you’re high and even if you’ve smoked at all

you taught him how to inhale

unfortunately he’s a bit of a paranoid high person so you don’t smoke with him

he always feels his senses heightened

this boy will hear a cop car coming from five blocks away and then panic as if you’re not sitting inside his house

however he is the type to EAT when he’s high

he’s like a bottomless pit

but hes also sodapop curtis so he’ll stay skinny anyway

darry curtis

darry definitely tried weed in high school

i mean he was on the football team

but he’s not a fan

too much risk not enough reward

so when it comes to dating a stoner

he’d probably rather not

but if he is

you just have to keep it separate

you don’t smoke around him and you’re never really high around him

he doesn’t mind the habit as long as you don’t let it affect your ambition

darry is a workaholic, he looks for a partner with drive

so as long as you smoking weed isn’t interfering with your job its fine

he would never date someone who is always high

he’s okay with it if its more of a couple days a week type thing

once you’ve been dating a while, he makes it clear that you can smoke and be high around him

because he’d rather you do it around him then alone or out on the streets

he thinks its cute when you’re high

he likes how you’re giggly

he’ll cook for you

and he likes how affectionate you get

he smoked with you ONCE

he, like sodapop, is the type to eat like there’s no tomorrow

after it was done, the entire gang unexpectedly showed up at his house

they could tell

darry’s eyes were practically bloodshot red

ponyboy took advantage of calm darry and got to stay out late

“get him high more often y/n”

they tried to keep their laughs to themselves but it didn’t work

two-bit especially could not contain himself around darry and couldn’t look at him without laughing

you definitely fucked after and the high sex was almost enough to get him to smoke again

but he could never EVER let the gang see him like that again

he only got high with you again after you learnt how to make edibles

two-bit matthews

two-bit loves that you smoked

funniest couple ever

you love smoking with and around him because he makes you laugh so hard

funny sober = super funny high

you two will laugh until you’re clutching your stomachs in pain

he’ll finish a whole chocolate cake high

two-bit is not a sit down and relax type of high person

there’s two potential reasons

a) he’s just like that

b) he’s always a little drunk so he just ends up slightly crossed

he’s super social and bounces off the walls

so sometimes you have to let him just go out with his friends

once he comes down from it all he’s super tired

you guys WILL take naps together

you’ll sleep from 11am-4pm

or you’ll go to bed at 2am and wake up at 1pm

it all depends but the two of you are heavy ass sleepers after smoking

the house could’ve blown up and neither of you would notice

steve randle

he has also tried smoking before, but never too much

he had basically forgotten it existed until you

he doesn’t like it when you smoke alone so if you’re not with friends, sometimes he’ll smoke with you

it actually helps him focus a lot

if he can work on a car high, he will

it becomes the only thing that matters

gets you dx discounts on snacks

he’s pretty quiet high so the two of you will often spend your time watching a move with his arm around your shoulder

he’s lowkey strict with it because he doesn’t want you to get caught

so he doesn’t let you smoke in very public places or in broad daylight unless you’re somewhere safe

doesn’t let you meet your dealer alone

he’s protective of you when you’re high because he thinks it makes you a bit more vulnerable

he’ll do all the talking

he doesn’t like people who spend their entire day high

he’s okay with it as long as you’re not a bum because of it

[justcallmesakira]

The reader looking so pretty at an event in the agency, co worker dazai can't help but stare at her :> make sum scenario :>

"I SEE YOUR PRETTY EYES AT MINE, MISTER~"

Sypnosis: Dazai just cant keep his eyes to himself when a colleuge of his is looking so darn pretty!

Dazai x fem! reader

Genre: suggestive, romance

Warnings: reader is sort of cheeky, suggestive as hell, implied alcoholism, author gave the reader on what attire shes wearing.

A/N FINALLY A REQUEST AFTER SO FUCKIN LONG

The agency had decided to hold another party in celebration of a huge deal which would help the agency .

And of course you were invited, almost everyone was. You decided to look extra pretty today because why not, not because of others but for yourself.

You had picked out a extravagant ebony coated frock which covered all the way up to your legs and ended with glistening white layers of laces.

The party was at 8 o clock, you had time plus what would you do getting there so early?

Gently tapping on the tubes of lipsticks you picked out a vermillion shade and smoothly applied the waxy substance on your lips. The colour suited the rose tied around your neck really well.

Finally adding some final touches you rushed out the door and walked along to the agency.

There were colourful lights and food everywhere, Atsushi teaching Kyouka how to make decorations, doctor Yosano taking a bit too much of wine, ranpo staring at powdered donuts... To think of it you remember him taking 5 of them sneakily one night and you wonder why hes so obsessed with them.

But one thing you could notice was a certain someones eyes on you... Dazai.

You walked up to atsushi and kyouka, talking to them and teaching them some tips and tricks to fit in with the agency.

You could feel at all times though, a certain pair of eyes glancing at you from time to time from the corner of the room.

"Excuse me, i will just fix my hair and come back" you politely end the conversation before walking towards the door and going outside.

Despite your heels clacking against the floor, you could feel another set of shoes following them.

"Dazai-san, may i know why i feel your eyes on my at all times?" you ask putting a perfect spot from the distance between your figure and the mans figure.

He chuckled.

"Bella, i must say your quite the smart one arent ya'?" osamu replies back with much cheekiness in his tone as yiu turned to him, he had a black tuxedo, a polished and refined one, it hugged his body quite tightly too.

You just sighed at his remark, he was a ladies man you knew but you have never seen the glint and love in his eyes on a girl ever before, it amde your stomach turn slightly in a good way, of course.

His teasing grin drops and turns into a more soothing smile as he walks over to you which makes you back towards the wall unsure whether to trsut him or not.

He lowers his head a bit to reach your face taking in all of it's features.

"Are you trying to woo me, dazai-san? It seems like it"

"Haaah, maybe. The thing is bella you just look so.." you expect him to give you some compliment like every boy does when they see a girl sitting pretty and all but instead he gently took a strand of your hair, took it to his lips and uttered every single quality and flaw about you, it was as if hes born to have a poets tongue with you being the muse.

"I just want to admire you all day, my darling. Its not lust nor a small crush, it isnt even close to love but something beyond the world and beyond the universe to attend to, i dont know i could drown in your eyes right now but i would prefer staring at them for an eternity as if its a gorgeous piece of art hung on a museum"

he said softly, oh god did this man made your heart drop down your stomach and melt into your intestines.

With each word he spoke through his charming voice, you could feel his breathe and hands going closer towards your sweating body and at last, he asked for your permission to which you only looked at him with a slight embroidery of embarrassment on your cheeks.

Dazai tenderly kissed your forehead but though it lasted short you wondered whether he tried to go for your lips instead because of the shift in his body.

"Oi, dazai and [Name] if your done with your cheesy af encounter than come back to the party! Presidents calling you two!"

Atlast after moments of intimate interaction which wasnt even intimate because of the silent yearn for something neither the two of you could preach. Both of you decided to go back to the party.

Later in the relationship you realised that your first kiss with this loverman was not the type of kiss those possessive men would do which would take your breathe away but more of a desperate one as if to reach out for something which one already got.

In the end nor dazai or you could just confess normally without making each other look like two pieces of magnificent artwork looking at each other.

A/N: i hate this more than dazai hates him self :(((((((( btw reader is wearing this dress

Divider crds! : @cafekitsune

Tags! : @inojuuy @silverbladexyz @atlasnessie @tsuunara @elizais @saelique @chuuyasboner @atzuhi @riiwrites @ruanais @biscuits-spooky-corner @rusmii

[secondcupforyou]

seventeen as horrible pick-up lines, a carat/valentine’s day special 🩷🩵

disclaimer, this is purely for entertainment purposes and does not reflect who seventeen are as people.

pairing! ot13 (separate) x gender neutral! reader

warnings! light swearing

word count! ~1k words total

author’s note! i found a list of horrible pick-up lines and couldn’t stop myself…

Seungcheol

“I can't taste my cherry lip gloss! Can you give it a try?”

“Huh? Like you want me to try it out?” you asked as you rummaged around your bag. You had been trying to find your phone to get directions for the restaurant you got reservations for. After you found it, you looked up to see Seungcheol’s pouty face. At that, you realised he was probably asking for something less explicit. “Oh, was that you asking to kiss me? You should have been more clear.”

Jeonghan

“Are you iron? Cause I don’t get enough of you.”

”Last time I checked, I wasn’t Iron Man, so I would check somewhere else.” you joked. However, you weren’t fully expecting the whining that would come after it. As you began to laugh at his reaction, Jeonghan’s complaining got louder. Through broken laughs, you tried to speak, “C’mon, I know you could do better than that.”

Joshua

“On a scale of 1 to America, how free are you this weekend?”

You looked up from your textbook as you heard Joshua’s voice. The two of you were supposed to be working on a project your professor had assigned you for the week. As you looked into his eyes, his small smile irked you just enough to complain: “Can’t you ask like a normal person? If you did, then maybe I would be free.”

Before he could respond, you began to work on the assignment once again.

Jun

“Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?”

You had lost track of the amount of times Jun had used different pick-up lines throughout the day. It started when you first saw each other today, and it hasn’t stopped since. While it was endearing for you, you could also see the annoyance building up from your friends. With a quick laugh, you leaned into his ear to whisper, “I would stop before one of them ends up punching you.”

Soonyoung

“This date is like a big bowl of Frosted Flakes. It’s grrrrrrrrreat!”

When Soonyoung said this to you, you couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe it was because of his complete seriousness as he looked you straight in the eyes, or maybe it was because of the silence that filled the room before. Either way, you weren’t expecting him to tell you a stupid pick-up line.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” you were finally able to ask as your laughs began to calm down.

Wonwoo

“Good thing I have a library card, because I'm checking you out.”

Maybe it was because you were at the library that this was so cheesy, but you don’t think it would change much. He quickly moved to continue browsing through the books on the shelves; however, you could see a hint of blush lie across his cheeks. It made you smile.

“Ya’ know,” you began, “if you didn’t read books, then this would have been more awkward.”

Jihoon

“To quote the poet Lee Woozi, ‘Even if my lips are dry, I need to say this, baby: I adore you.’”

“Did you just use your own song to try to pick me up?” you said as you attempted to close the door to his studio. You had just ran to get some snacks from the convenience store before the two of you worked on music for the night, so your hands were filled with snacks. After watching you struggle a bit with the door, Jihoon got out of his chair to close the door for you. You whispered a small ‘thanks’ before setting them down on the table.

Seokmin

“I thought happiness started with ‘h,’ but turns out it begins with ‘u.’”

“And my happiness begins with ‘seok’ and ends with ‘min,’” you laughed as you brought the cup of coffee to your lips. Looking up from your cup, you saw Seokmin’s bright smile at your joke; however, you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by it. “That joke was so awkward. I’m sorry.”

Mingyu

“Can I get your soccer jersey? I really want your name and number.”

At first, the line went over your head. One, you don’t play soccer. Two, Mingyu already had both your name and number. Three, why would Mingyu even use a pick-up line while talking to you? Though, the longer you took to respond, the more he began to pout.

As you watched him sulk, you came to the realisation quickly, “Oh, wait, that pick-up line was directed at me?”

Minghao

“Are you a parking ticket? Cause you've got fine written all over you.”

Minghao’s face was distraught, almost as if he was currently questioning his sanity. The sight of it was comedic. You slowly began to laugh at the situation, asking the question, “Who dared you to say that?”

Once you asked that, you could see the relief on his face.

Seungkwan

“If you're a fruit, you'd be a fine-apple.”

“Damn, does that mean it’s cannibalism for me to eat pineapples,” you said as you picked a bunch of bananas. You and Seungkwan had been shopping for your groceries for the week as you had just run out of cooking ingredients. After checking the quality of the bananas, you put them in the cart you were pushing around. “Good thing I like tangerines then.”

Vernon

“Did I tell you I'm filthy rich and my mother's dead?”

“Okay, yeah, that is pretty bad,” you admitted as you picked up a piece of chocolate. The two of you had been reading through lists of pick-up lines to try to find the worst one. At first, it started as a bit of a competition, but you had slowly lost the competitiveness of it. Scrolling through your phone, you tried to find one that was just as bad to beat Vernon’s. “What about this one…”

Chan

“Math is so confusing. It's always talking about x and y and never you and I.”

“I know that was a pick-up line, but I feel like using the variables ‘u’ and ‘i’ would make it worse, “ you said as you finished up the math problem in your textbook. Chan laughed as he grabbed a pencil sharpener from your pencil case. “No, like, seriously. Imagine writing them even just a little bit differently then, all of sudden, it is a 0 or a 1.”

mirajane’s rambles! i actually have no idea how i did this in a couple hours. my found this website where they were referring to pick-up lines as “rizz” lines, and i spiralled lmao. i had fun tho

happy valentine’s and carat day, everyone! <33

all likes/reblogs/comments are appreciated!

[drvscarlett]

THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT

Pierre Gasly x ex!reader

Summary: The 4 times that they break up and get back together and that 1 time they didn't.

The Tortured Drivers' Department series

A/N: im on a roll with updating the Tortured Drivers Department now that im nearly done with every reqs. I hope you enjoy this and let me know what you think or feel about this

Taglist. @tea-bobba @boiohboii @c-losur3 @haikyuen @stelena-klayley @stinkyjax @0710khj @jinimon-tr

"You're not Dylan Thomas, I'm not Patti Smith This ain't the Chelsea Hotel, we're modern idiots"

Pierre and Y/N are the type of people that is confusing to talk about. No one really knows the big deal between the two of them, are they friends or are they lovers? One minute everything is all good, they are about to go to the store and pick out rings then the next thing that you know they already broke up. What was constant was that they always find their way back to each other.

Maybe it’s the lifestyle that makes it work; Pierre is a famous F1 driver that travels the world most of the year while Y/N is a grand recluse of a writer that is trying to find her way to the market. They don’t need much time from each other, and they understand the busy structure of their work.

Maybe its also the fact that they have years of friendship backing them up that's why they were able to last long with each others antics. So, what happened to them?

I.

The first kind of break ups were pretty silly. It was usually something that could be fixed in a matter of hours or a day being away from each other. Its something very random and weird like this.

"Wait, so you are breaking up with me because you are writing?"Pierre was confused.

Pierre had been in relationships before but he has never once heard of someone wanting to break up with him because she has to meet a certain deadline.

He felt very whiplash by the whole situation because she was just kissing him and they were cuddling in bed in the morning. Now she wants to break up with him.

"Yes Pierre, I need to be in my most heartbroken self to write my best lines"Y/N confirms.

"So does this mean that once you finish this thing you are working on then we can get back together?"Pierre clarifies.

Y/N nods as she brings out her working laptop and a notebook.

"So should I say something mean or should I just leave you be to your senses?"Pierre wondered.

"Do you really wanna break up with me so badly?"Y/N had too much of Pierre's question

Pierre raised his hands in defeat.

"Okay then lets break up"

Pierre headed straight back to his room to allow Y/N to work on her things. He chuckles at himself with the weird antics of his girlfriend, (or should he say ex girlfriend) but he busies himself with some emails that he has from work.

It took Y/N two days before she comes crawling to their shared bed. Pierre was in a sleepy state when Y/N snuggled to his arms.

"Are you done?"Pierre wondered.

"Yeah,just passed my manuscript"Y/N agrees.

"Can I call you my girlfriend again?"

II.

Qualifying was extremely difficult today with Pierre taking p15. To make matters worse there was this pressing issue that Pierre might be axed from the team. It honestly frustrated him to the point that he was only doing sim work, training, and more training.

It worries Y/N a great deal especially when Pierre seems so out of it.

"Pierre c'mon get some rest" Y/N begged.

It was already 2 in the morning and there was still a race tomorrow but he insisted on hitting the gyms to train.

"You are going to be exhausted later during the race if you keep doing this"Y/N reminds.

"I don't care, I have to work hard"

"Pierre please listen to me"

"You're the one who is not listening to me"Pierre snaps "Don't you realize that I have the possibility to lose everything that I have worked hard for if they cut me off the team."

Y/N was in shock with the sudden outburst and if Pierre was in his usual self then he would have immediately apologized for raising his tone. But Pierre was far from thinking clearly.

"Pierre that was not nice"

"Nothing is ever nice in this world"scoffs Pierre.

"Look I'm just trying to help you he-"

"You know what, why not just break up with me so I can focus on my thing without anyone nagging" Pierre suggested.

She could feel the tears prickling her eyes and threatening to fall. But her mother did not raise her cry over a stupid boy like this.

"You're really going there huh" Y/N said "See if I care"

With a slam of the door, Y/N was gone and Pierre felt even more antsy than ever. It wasn't the fact that he has a messed up weekend but he has the possibility of messing up a good relationship because of his blind rage.

In a couple of hours despite Y/N implying that she didn't care, she was at the race patiently waiting for the lights to go out. It was difficult for her to just leave Pierre especially when he is in this state of mind.

But of course, Y/N's pride was something that she holds dear that is why she didn't show up to Pierre's garage. It is kind of weird to see the crowd of yellow and black colors but Y/N was so glad that she has Isa by her side to join her during the race.

"Never gets easier to let him go for races huh"Y/N comments as she watched Isa putting on Carlos' helmet.

"Well, I'm sure he tries his best to be careful on the track" Isa smiled.

"Why aren't you giving any pre-race goodluck kisses to Pierre? He might need it" Carlos suggested.

Y/N could just roll her eyes, Pierre wasn't superstitious like that.

"Okay laugh all you want but don't make me say I told you so if he gets involved in an accident"Carlos warns.

"Don't mind Carlos, he is just joking"Isa shrugs it off.

"But Isa, its true remember when-"

"Stop stressing Y/N out Carlos, go race and be safe"

"Aye aye"

Y/N watched the playful interaction before the couple parted ways. The scene struck a chord in her heart because she knew that she could never act that way with Pierre. Their whole relationship was a secret that only the grid knows Y/N is off limits. But outside the grid, no one knows about it. Fans equate them as close friends but never more than that.

"What's on your mind honey?"Isa asked

"Nothing Isa, I'm okay"

Y/N showed a weak smile and Isa was hesitant to press things but she just let friend be.

"Look the race is starting"Y/N diverts.

The sound of the engines filled the air and off the cars go. Y/N watched as everyone gets off with a decent start, she could only hope that there was no incident today especially for Pierre's sake.

Everything happened all of a sudden as white smoke filled the air and a loud collision was heard. The cameras were quick to pan to the accident and the two girls clutched each other's hands as the smoke clears.

"It's Nico, its not Carlos" someone from the garage reassured Isa and the girl could feel a sigh of relief.

However, the same cannot be said to Y/N as the frustrated team radio of Pierre can be heard and the familiar livery was seen in the middle of the wreck.

Any amount of pride or memory of what he said last night was suddenly thrown out of the window. She just wants to know how he is or if he is safe from that tragic collision.

"Y/N, they're going to check on Nico" Isa pointed out to some Renault people "You should probably go since Pierre would be there too"

Y/N was about to deny that she didn't want to see him but Isa had a stern look on her face.

"Just go honey"

And she comes running to the medical bay to look for the injured man. She was a bit thankful that precautions have been made in this sports that allowed drivers to walk away from such accident without major damages.

Maybe, a bruised ego is their biggest worry now.

"Y/N"Pierre was confused to see her.

Maybe the damage has been far more worse than he imagined because he was now seeing things. As far as he could recall, Y/N was not around when the race started. So how is she here?

"God, you scared me P"Y/N wrapped him in a hug.

Pierre was a little bit sore from the crash but there was this instant warm feeling knowing that Y/N didn't abandon him. Even if he was really moody and too shitty, Y/N was still there for him.

He remembers how terrible it was being in that car and thinking that the last memory he shared with Y/N is a bad one. He didn't feel great at all so he held her as if its his second chance.

"I didn't mean what I said last night"Pierre whispered "I'm really sorry for hurting your feelings. I wasn't thinking straight and there is just a lot of pressure-"

"It's okay, I know Pierre"Y/N consoles "I won't be leaving you anytime soon"

A chaste kiss was shared between the two of them, a symbol that they have reunited once more.

III.

The third time they broke up was when Pierre asked her hand for marriage and she didn't say anything.

After being constantly invited to weddings, Pierre is bound to pick up some courage to ask Y/N out. He developed this dream that he wants a life with Y/N and he is ready to take it to the next level. Knowing Y/N, he picked the right size and the perfect ring. He also knows her dream proposal place which is somewhere with a view of the city.

He had everything planned out perfectly so imagine his surprise when she answers.

"Pierre, I can't do this" Y/N dropped the bomb.

"What? Why?"

Y/N felt like an extreme asshole because everything was perfect. Any girl would say yes to this prime opportunity of marrying their childhood bestfriend but Y/N sees through things.

"Pierre we aren't even official to the public and now you want to escalate it to marriage" Y/N reasons.

"So that's it, you don't want to marry me because I can't call you mine in public?"

"It's not just that" Y/N sighs "but our careers are just taking off and we haven't talked about our relationship yet and suddenly were going to go to marriage"

What Y/N saying was valid but Pierre was not listening to any of it. He felt very crushed and he could not think straight at the moment.

"Let's just break up if you can't see a future with me"

"Pierre, you know that's not what I meant"

"Then tell me how would you feel if the person you truly loved didn't want to marry you"Pierre roared.

It was a devastating scene between the two of them. How Y/N wished that she could undo what she said a few minutes ago but she knows that she only means well. A rushed marriage will also lead to rush separation and she will not put herself to that.

"Let's break up then, I think its best if we go our seperate ways for the time being"Pierre concludes.

It took them three long weeks before they got back together. It was due to an intervention by Charles that allowed them to speak again and talk their differences. Pierre has been more understanding now and heard Y/N's point out.

They got back together but it felt like there is a huge crack that took a heavy blow with their relationship.

IV.

Y/N had a terrible day at work with her manuscript being asked to be revised by her publisher. All she needs was a good rest and possibly some cuddles with Pierre. She prays as she twist the doorknob that Pierre was not in his one of his moods.

"Mon amour"Pierre called out "I was waiting for you"

Pierre can cook but it doesn't mean that he does it often. It was a good surprise for Y/N to see the dinner table set with all of her favorite dishes and an array of fresh flowers in a bouquet. She eyes the man warily as she takes a seat

"I didn't miss any important dates, didn't I?" Y/N asked.

"Is it bad that I wanted to do something special for you?"

In other days, she would want to argue about it but for today she didn't want to do any of that. She had no energy to question Pierre's weird behavior and she just wants to enjoy the dinner with him.

It was a lovely dinner but Y/N knows that Pierre was hiding something from her. As she was putting away the plates, she knew that she had to get an answer or she may fall asleep overthinking things.

"What is going on P, I'm actually scared you did something stupid that's why you are buttering me up so much"

Pierre lets out a heavy sigh, they knew each other too well that they can't really keep a secret with each other.

"My PR talked to me today and they wanted to announce a relationship to help my whole image"Pierre confesses.

Articles are very easy to miss but as a writer, Y/N knows how a different usage of an article changes the meaning of the sentence. Pierre used "a" rather than "the" which means he is not referring to their relationship.

"Who is it?"Y/N wondered

"She's a model, her name is Caterina" Pierre explained.

There was a heavy silence in the room as Y/N dried out the dishes. She knew that this was all because she was not very marketable due to her timid personality. She was not even famous for her books so that's another reason. Bottom line, they can't announce her because she seems very different from Pierre and she is not the WAG material.

"How long?"

Y/N was used to this kind of treatment. She felt like she accepted this as long as she can get to keep Pierre at the end of this whole thing. People would think she is crazy but love makes people do crazy things.

"Just 6 months and its over"Pierre answered.

It was also very difficult for Pierre's end. He have tried to lobby that he wanted to announce his relationship with Y/N but he is held by a contract. If he decides to deviate then he might lose his seat.

He knows how difficult it was to ask her for this but he had no choice.

"I'll get packing then and I'll move out in the next few days"Y/N mumbles.

Pierre stopped her for leaving and held her tightly. She instantly melts in his hold and she easily reminds herself why she puts up with all of this.

"I love you, don't you forget that"

The world moved with Caterina being announced as Pierre's girlfriend. However, they didn't know that after 6 months then Pierre is back to Y/N's arms. It was always Y/N and Pierre even if the world can't see it.

V.

It started with a normal dinner reservation.

Y/N has been promised by Pierre that he will take her out for dinner. They both understand that the past few weeks has been tiring for the two of them with the stress of racing, writing, and personal issues. The dinner is a nice way to reconnect with each other.

However, here she was already an hour waiting for Pierre to show up.

The hour goes from two to three and by the fourth hour, she decided that she will just go home. She have felt upset with Pierre before but this was a different kind of upset. It's not something to be fixed by flowers, vacations, or any of those stupid letters he does.

She reaches their shared apartment and started packing her stuffs. Her mind was already made up and this time it was going to last. The relationship was doomed to failure anyways.

And just before she finished packing, Pierre stumbles in.

"Y/N, do you have a schedule tonight?"Pierre asked.

He was met with silence as the writer ignores him.

"Oh c'mon what did I do wrong this time?"Pierre complains "Sit and talk with me Y/N"

Pierre could only stop Y/N by bringing all her packed clothes out of her suitcase. Something that heavily irritated Y/N, which caused her to finally speak.

"Can you just let me pack in peace"Y/N begged.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong"Pierre stops "Do you have a flight somewhere? Maybe I could drive you"

"You don't have to drive me Pierre"

"Then what's going on, I arrive here and you are fuming there-"

"You made me fucking wait four hours"Y/N snapped.

Pierre racked his brains for anything that he missed and he suddenly remembered how he reserved dinner with her. He felt like all the color drained on his face.

"Don't do this, I'll make it up to you Y/N" there was a desperation in Pierre's voice.

"I can't, we can't keep doing this P"Y/N admits it "We keep on breaking up and then making up then we act like this is a healthy relationship. We can't do this"

Strong arms wrapped around Y/N's waist and she could feel the wetness on her shoulders as Pierre buried his face there. It was proving more and more difficult for Y/N to leave him.

"I have to do this P, for you and for me"she remains firm.

"Tell me you don't love me"Pierre refuses to let go.

And Y/N cannot admit that because she knows she will always love Pierre. But she was scared that in loving Pierre so much then she may not have any love left for herself. She doesn't know what to do if she loses Pierre so its best if she will be the one to let go of him first.

"I'm sorry Pierre"

With a heavy heart, she removes the him away from her. She picks up her bags and closes the door. She left without taking a look back at the man she has loved from childhood till now because she knows that the moment she sees him then all form of control she has will evaporate.

And everything was two years ago. Here is Y/N with her third best-selling novel book signing tour. Sometimes she likes to think that she lost Pierre to be able to write the books that made her extremely famous. Most of the times, she wishes it never happened because she would rather have Pierre than these best selling novels.

It was her first time in Europe for work. She was often here to watch and support Pierre from the sideline. She never thought that she will be back in Europe so loved and so adored.

But it seems like destiny has a way of messing things up.

"Hi! What's your name?"she greets the woman in front of her.

Even though it has been a long day, she managed to master the art of keeping a perfect smile. She understands how the fans have been waiting in line for so long and she has to give them the best experience as she signs their book.

"My name is Kika, I'm a huge fan of yours" the woman introduced.

Y/N looked up to take a look at her. Kika had a dazzling smile and has this certain aura that exudes her charmingness. Y/N felt that she should be the one asking for Kika's signature because she looks like a stunning goddess.

"I really love the way you write things and I used to read it with my boyfriend when he is not racing"Kika narrates.

Racing, its been a while since Y/N heard that. She completely cuts off that certain topic ever since she left Pierre.

"Oh that sounds like a fantastic way to bond as a couple"Y/N agrees

"Yeah and actually my boyfriend told me that he knows you. I was actually wondering if he is joking but I figured that maybe he is"

There was this sinking feeling in her heart but Y/N would like to think that she made some friends in the F1 grid so this may be their girlfriend. Or maybe her boyfriend is bluffing.

"He races? In what kind of race"Y/N asked,she was careful.

"Oh he does Formula 1, his name is-"

"Kika mon amour"

Y/N didn't have to hear the voice twice to know who that voice belongs to. She knows that voice very well and she couldn't believe her rotten luck.

"Pierre, we were just talking about you"Kika embraces Pierre.

Pierre was shifting nervously and Y/N suddenly realized that Kika doesn't know anything about the shared history between the two of them.

"Oh so you are Pierre's new girl" Y/N knew how to act "I'm so pleased to meet you and yes I know Pierre from childhood"

"See mon amour, I was not lying"Pierre teased.

"So you do know her, we should definitely set up a lunch or dinner together"Kika exclaimed "I can't believe that my favorite author is your childhood friend"

She has that bright and genuine smile on her face. It was that certain genuineness that Y/N makes her heart crack. Why did she have to be so sweet and kind, its so difficult to fault her of anything.

"Y/N is one of the best authors, I know" Pierre proudly states "She has a way of tugging hearts"

"Indeed she has, I remember that when I first started reading one of your series I was so hooked and I wanted to pattern my dream partner to how you write the character of.."Kika babbles.

And everything felt like fading in the background. But Y/N didn't miss how Pierre was looking at Kika so lovingly and so endearing while Kika was rambling excitedly. The heart that was once healed was getting torn up once more because of what's happening in front of her.

[fallen-angel-adam-frankenstein]

Thinking about how the Big Four of dark academia really feels like the Big Three of dark academia that a last-minute addition was added onto, not because it’s any less a part of and representative of the aesthetic but because its mood and message differs so greatly from the other three - that last-minute addition being Dead Poets Society. Hear me out as I rant about character types, classism, doing it for the aesthetic, themes, tones, and substance abuse (and, obviously, spoiler warnings for Dead Poets Society, The Secret History, If We Were Villains, and Kill Your Darlings):

Firstly, I want to draw comparisons between who I consider to be the protagonists of each story, focusing a lot on how I feel that each of them has a barrier between himself and another group of people within the story. Starting with the one that I relate to the most and progressing in no organisational order after that, we have from The Secret History Richard Papen, an English major who came from an impoverished old town in California to the lovely little college in Hampden, Vermont on account of loads and loads of scholarships. Fascinated and a bit infatuated with the Greek class, he is able through partly his own talent but mostly dumb luck to join their ranks, only to find out that the people he admired and romanticised are all a bunch of classist, selfish, rich addicts. Desperately wanting to be a part of this group, Richard has to break the financial barrier (as well as the seclusion engineered by Julian) between him and them in order to get in with the “cool kids.” However, this doesn’t work out for him at the end, as he doesn’t even get invited to their bacchanal or Bunny’s murder and yet has to suffer for the fallout of both events. It’s made clear that this is not the kind of life you want to live, and Richard even returns to California after the main body of the book concludes. Allen Ginsberg of Kill Your Darlings is confronted with a similar barrier, although his is less financial (he’s well-off enough to make it to college without scholarships) and more the sort of subcultural difference between the life he left at home and how Lu and his friends live. Just like Richard, he risks and loses it all to gain the affection of this new group, who, just like in TSH, leave him high and dry in the end. Oliver Marks also risks it all for his group in If We Were Villains, although they don’t necessarily abandon him in the same sense and really he alienates himself by taking the fall for Richard (Stirling)’s death. His barrier is also mainly financial, as he ends up having to pay for Dellecher through scholarships and a work-study deal, something which you can tell he is ashamed about (hmm classicism -_-) as he tries to hide it from the rest of the group, who can all afford the school on their own (or their families can). Since this story differs from the rest because it starts off with Oliver already a part of the tightly-knit group, you can’t really talk about him vying for approval as in TSH or Kill Your Darlings, but the sense of him being a part of a slightly different world is still there. Meanwhile, you don’t get this same sense in DPS. I maintain that Neil is the central figure in DPS, but for the sake of this let’s look at Todd, who does have to make his way into the group after it was already formed. Todd’s barrier is not financial but all in his own head: his social anxiety and awkwardness prevents him from initiating a relationship with any of the other Dead Poets. Because he has this different kind of barrier, it’s easier for him to overcome it, and it turns out well for him in the end, while it doesn’t for the protagonists of the other three stories.

Besides that, the other characters also play a role in how DPS feels separate from the other three. All four dark academia stories are about rich kids at their core, but DPS is the only one that doesn’t feel like it’s about rich kids. Why is that? I think it’s because of how they chose to present the characters. In TSH, the whole main cast, essentially, sucks - Henry is full of it, Bunny has all sorts of problems, Charles is an abusive drunkard, not to mention his incestuous relationship with Camilla, and Francis knows about this relationship and is fine with it, even being fine to casually fuck Charles on top of it (and he’s classist as fuck, but that’s a discussion for a later date). You might think, “oh, but Richard isn’t too bad” - yeah, but he did let them all get away with not one but two murders and was only worried about Charles abusing and fucking Camilla because he felt attraction to Camilla himself, so. Anyway, my point is that everyone in the Greek class is either a rich asshole or wants to be like the rich assholes, so that’s not good. There’s a similar thing in Kill Your Darlings where they’re all addicts and alcoholics and people who generally don’t give a fuck about how other people react to their drama and fun times, and you can see how Lu even uses David and later Allen and then throws them both away casually. Yeah, they have a cool vision of revolutionising poetry, but they’re not really characters that one can necessarily relate to, because they’re all just too caught up in themselves. IWWV, too - you don’t see this as much, but it comes out a bit when Oliver hides in shame the fact that he has to work to pay for school. While IWWV has a cast of characters that I can relate to and like the most out of the three I’ve talked about so far, there’s still a little bit of disconnect, an unattainability about them, and it’s clear that they’re all deeply fucked: Richard, before he died, was an abusive asshole, James killed Richard and then not only started mirroring him a bit when he hurt Oliver but then let Oliver while away ten years of his life in prison for Richard’s death (and either killed himself or faked his death), Alexander got even worse into drugs and then presumably got clean but man did he have PTSD from that school year, Meredith is surrounded by men lusting after her and feels lonely, Wren also has PTSD from that school year, and Filippa . . . got into a relationship with her teacher and we don’t talk about this? So while they’re three-dimensional, engaging, and entertaining, they’re all still just plain messed up. However, the Dead Poets aren’t like this. Obviously, there’s Neil’s suicide, but that’s different - it’s not messed up because he was already messed up, it’s messed up because the authority figures in his life (excluding Keating) messed him up themselves, breaking his spirit with the pressure they put on him and with the criticism of his passion. But to the point, in the sense of the characterisation of the main cast, DPS feels different from the other three because the Dead Poets are three-dimensional, engaging, entertaining, and even likeable in a way that the characters from the other three are not. And they’re all rich enough to attend a very well-to-do private boarding school, but they’re not stuck-up and classist, in fact hardly ever bringing up matters of money and even making fun of the Danburrys a bit. They feel more accessible than any other group does, which is what I respect about them.

And last but not least, the message. As far as the moods/tones and themes of the Big Four go, DPS is the only one with any sort of hope at the ending, and the only one with a “true” aesthetic for the characters to chase. The three of the dark academia Big Four all focus on taking something too far and it going horribly wrong - the Greek class gets so into studying the Classics that they have a bacchanal and kill a man and then kill a man to prevent him from telling someone that they killed a man, which leads to yet another man dead and the rest of them unhappy; the Dellecher fourth-years get so into Shakespeare and the roles they play/their typecasts that Richard ends up dead, Oliver ends up in prison, James ends up either dead or faking his death, and everyone else suffers like I mentioned earlier; and in Kill Your Darlings, David ends up dead, Lu ends up in prison, and Allen ends up expelled. TSH has a very bleak epilogue - Richard is confused and yearning, Charles is still drunk and who-knows-where cut off from the rest of them, Camilla has her dying grandmother to worry about, Henry and Bunny are dead, and Francis is forcing himself to marry a woman he doesn’t even like as a person, let alone not being physically attracted to her whole-ass gender, because he would rather make himself miserable than be cut off from the financial support of his family. Donna Tartt leaves us with a depressing, unsatisfying ending - which is all part of the theme, but I’ll get to its relation to DPS later. All in all, TSH’s tone is a very dark one, and its message to not let yourself get so caught up in the aesthetic that you let yourself fall/sacrifice your morals (and also not to idolise rich assholes because they can and will use you and ruin your life), while relevant and important, is far from inspiring or uplifting. Similarly, they go too far in IWWV, pursuing Shakespeare until it fucks them all up, and it has a similar theme to TSH. Its ending, while I like it better than TSH’s, is still quite pessimistic; there’s a little glimmer of possibility there, but not really all that much, and you get the sense that things are never going to fix themselves. In Kill Your Darlings, too, Lu and Allen get so caught up in the New Vision that they let the rest of their lives fall apart around them, and the ending is a bit confused and “meh.” DPS, however, has a lot of hope in its ending. Yes, Neil’s death was sad, and so was Keating taking the fall for it, but despite that, Keating is able to walk out of that classroom with a smile on his face; the ending isn’t entirely sad, it’s bittersweet. DPS’s message is all about carpe diem, seize the day, make your lives extraordinary, and they all presumably go on to do that (except Neil, who died because he was unable to do that). While the aesthetic the characters chase in TSH sort of hinges on their rich assholery, the aesthetic the characters chase in IWWV more or less depends on their isolation and general fucked-up-ness, and the aesthetic the characters chase in Kill Your Darlings is pretty much based on substance abuse and not giving a fuck, all of which lead to their lives being ruined on varying levels, the aesthetic the characters chase in DPS not only doesn’t really ruin their lives and also seems to be much more attainable in a tangible way. While Keating loses his job, he’s able to walk out of the classroom with a smile on his face because he knows that he did what he came there to do - he inspired his students to live life to the fullest and think for/be true to themselves, which is actually a quite healthy aesthetic to strive for, especially compared to the other ones I’ve talked about. The ending of DPS isn’t entirely happy, but there’s so much hope in it, something which the other three lack, and because of that, it feels separate from them.

Anyway yeah. I’m not going to write a big ol’ conclusion because I’ve already taken up so much space, but yeah. Thanks for coming to my TEDTalk lol.

[notyourmajesty]

Alex and Henry's Texts: A Progression in Proximity

I've been thinking on and off about how the film chronicles subtle changes in Alex and Henry's bond in the time between the end of the "damage control" and the New Year's party, finally leading into the kiss. Not so much about the texts and calls themselves, which I already found adorable on my first watch. More on how Henry becomes more and more prominent, more and more visible and tangible, in Alex's thoughts each time they talk. More on how the film worked out the transitions for each sequence.

The early texts ("having a wank", "inbreeding", "we were ever so careful, dear") are featured prominently on the screen, no sound besides that of a text notification. You see cute, fun gifs, memes and the occasional (mpreg!) article link, but at this point they're just tiptoeing into this tentative friendship, and learning about each other.

Henry's texts start out as a mere part of Alex's day at this point; he reacts, texts him back and moves on with his day. And even that changes quite quickly - he's amused enough by Henry's "we were so careful" joke that he forgets where he is and laughs out loud in a classroom full of people.

The transition then moves onto voice. Not only do we see the texts on the screen, but this time we hear them in their own voices.

Boring Tie

We hear Henry heighten his voice a little when he says "grey is a colour, thank you". We hear Henry's amusement when he asks about Alex "pranking" him with campaign t-shirts.

The "boring tie" exchange also marks the first time we see Henry (not the image, but the person) during the texting exchange. He is static, unmoving, in the periphery of Alex's vision, disappearing as his security detail runs past the bench Henry is sitting on.

Henry may not be the center of attention in this sequence, but Alex is familiar enough, and comfortable enough that he can easily visualize Henry. The way he sits, the way he talks, the way he peruses a book.

We hear their voices overlap as they discuss favourite authors and books, while a classmate shows Alex a meme about their "bromance" (I have some ideas about those literary references in particular, but maybe I'll keep that for another post*).

Byron

You also have the "Byron" sequence, which is a continuation of the favourite authors one, and highlights a marked shift from the "Boring Tie" one. Boring Tie shows movement from Alex, with Henry sitting stationary, in one place, on the bench.

Byron has Henry moving around in Alex's space. Still at the periphery of Alex's vision, but ever-present and slowly taking up more and more space in his head.

(I'm not saying anything about the poet being Byron and the movie Nora and Alex are watching being "Some Like It Hot" right now. I'm still in the middle of my second read of the book and I want to note down all the references I saw there too. The dialogue "well, nobody's perfect!" from SLIH's last scene is currently ringing in my head).

Parenthesis

In a lot of ways the Parenthesis sequence is the perfect segue to the New Year's party, because it strongly implies a level of intimacy that was only hinted at in the previous texts (the book itself has Alex envision him and Henry as lying on the opposite sides of their own beds, like brackets, in this scene).

Henry first features in this sequence as a tinny, distant voice 3700 miles away, but his voice and his presence now comes so easily to him (with a butterfly transition!! Butterflies in the stomach anyone?) that it is almost as if he is in the room, comfortably settled in Alex's private space, so close that Alex can almost touch him. And they really do look like parantheses at the end of that scene!

Henry's presence is intimate and tangible (we even see the jaffa cakes he's snacking on while watching Bake Off), and his voice comes to Alex as if they were in the same room together.

Only when they playfully argue over who should cut the call first, does Henry's voice change back to the tinny quality of a voice over cellphone...reminding them both of the distance between them.

And that last, super-soft look Alex gives as he switches off the phone with a "goodnight"! My heart!!

--

In a lot of ways, I think that while Alex himself is clueless about his own feelings, it's pretty obvious to us, the viewer, the "rope" that is pulling him towards Henry is already making an appearance here.

* Henry's Book Recommendations:

Zadie Smith (probably her entire bibliography)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Alex's Book Recommendations:

Another Country by James Baldwin

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

(My (tentative) theory for now is that the books explore themes that are important to both of them and that get touched on in the movie. I know the book goes into more detail with literature and history, esp during the email exchanges, but I've only read the book twice)

[techtainia-makes-things]

I love your Mtmte Megatron x reader stories, and I re-read them a bunch of times because they are so good! And I yearn for more soft Megs. You write him so well.

If you're up for a little request- how about their first kiss? Like, how does it happen? Who started it? Do they talk about their feelings after that or pretend it never happened?

You have no idea how much I love writing some soft Megatron. Something about poets and pining just does it for me (so much so that MTMTE Megatron x reader fic was what finally convinced me to read MTMTE). Feel free to ask for a sequel, because I already have ideas.

I personally don’t think that Megatron would initiate anything unless he thought it was his last chance, like with my DOTL fic. That being said…

—

Another long day, and another even longer meeting. You checked your watch and sighed: it had only been an hour, and Ultra Magnus clearly wasn’t planing on stopping any time soon. You don’t even notice when you had pressed your face into the palm of your hand, squishing your cheek in the way that some of the less respectful mechs would coo over you for. 

You exhale, amused at the thought as a brief memory moves your thoughts away from the meeting. You remembered the look on Megatron’s face the first time he had seen it happen, the exact way his optics narrowed, and a more prominent frown that usual set across his face. The way he shot the bots a sharp comment: “Shouldn’t you all be working instead of tempting an intergalactic incident?” 

You just couldn’t help but smile into your hand, your pointer finger resting over your lip. He picked you up after that, and let you sit on his shoulder for the rest of the day. You had watched the way that his optics hilighted the bridge of his nose and the edges of his helmet, the slight quirk of his lip whenever you shifted to lean into him just a little bit more.

“It’s warm,” you lie to yourself, “He just has nice warm neck cabling.” You suppress a chuckle and shoot him a look.

He was looking back at you with the same softness that he used when he thought you wouldn’t notice. You always did. It was a nice feeling, it was nice to be appreciated. There definitely wasn’t any feelings attached. Definitely. Absolutely no chance that you enjoy how he guards your honor. No way. 

You glance at him again. He’s still looking at you with a look as soft as scarlet rose petals. He writes something down, probably notes. You never know though, he could be composing a new poem about his light in the dark, his little rose…

Fu-

“And that concludes todays meeting.”

You jump in your seat. Your eyes snap to Ultra Magnus. You straighten your back and take a moment to clear your throat. “Yes, of course Sir.” You glance around his face, taking a moment before you manage to meet his eyes. 

He raises a brow ridge at you, but says nothing. Maybe he would have if he had the time, but Megatron had already offered you his hand to step on. You smiled at him in thanks. The red reflected on his cheeks brightened. Your face was warm.

Megatron left the room with steps that echoed through the hall. He held you close to his chest, against his Autobot insignia. If you really wanted to, you could reach up and cup his cheeks in your hands, taking in the way that the cold metal would absorb your body heat.

His optics widened. His stride stalled. It was just the two of you, staring into each other’s eyes, lost in a moment.

You don’t notice when you press your lips to his, perfectly satisfied to ignore the size difference. You let your eyes flutter closed as you melt into his touch.

He’s stiff, unable to move until after you pull away with your hands still on your cheeks. You shrink back.

He shrinks down so that he had to hold you atop of his forearm as the other servo guided you back to his lips. He matched your passion, maybe even doubled it with a touch of desperation as he held you close. His nose pressed into your cheek, his optics dimming before going offline all together.

The second kiss lasted a bit longer, and in those extra seconds you could taste every ounce of all of the sweet words he had ever written for you, only to hide them away in the depths of his collection of personal datapads.

You could feel his hand tremble against your scalp as he let you lean back and away from him. His optics were frantic, but held no regret. They never held any regret when it came to you and him.

He glanced to the side, and took a moment to clear his throat. “Forget-“

“No,” you said with a firmness that Megatron decided was quite becoming of you. “Let’s talk about this over drinks, shall we? My treat.” You smile at him with eyes as soft as pink rose petals scattered across the ground.

You swear you can see as his walls as they came crumbling down reflected in his red optics. Red optics that were so easy on the eyes. Red optics that you had come to adore. 

“Let’s.”

[fangirleaconmigo]

Geralt x Dandelion. They discuss Geralt’s age, tease each other, and flirt in a way unseemly for men of a certain age.

(I used Dandelion instead of Jaskier because I was possessed by the voice of book boy, but you can imagine whichever one you like)

Geralt gazed out over the valley. “It used to be marshland here. All swamps.” He pointed to the western horizon. “They didn’t build that temple until they ran out of space in the city center.”

Dandelion snorted.

“What?” Geralt cut his eyes at him, suspicious.

The poet squinted at the temple on the horizon. “Nothing. You just really are a little old man, aren’t you? A real grandpa, seeing everything around him as it used to be.”

Geralt smirked. “I am. I am very old, poet. Does that disturb you?”

Dandelion knew what he was thinking, but was too polite to say.

It didn’t seem to disturb you last night.

Dandelion figured he may as well say it for the both of them. He winked at Geralt, causing the witcher to roll his eyes. “Oh, here we go.”

The troubadour was not dissuaded. “Certainly, your advanced age did not disturb me last night when I was choking on your cock.”

Geralt hummed, smothering a smile. “You are appalling.”

“I merely spoke what you were thinking, witcher.” Dandelion let his hand come to rest comfortably on Geralt’s backside and gave it a squeeze.

Geralt would not yet honor him with a look. He maintained his gaze into the distance. “Would you still be pawing at me if I looked my age, Master Dandelion?”

“Oh, Geralt.” Dandelion draped himself over Geralt’s back, sighing in contentment as his chin came to rest on the big man’s shoulder. “You are gorgeous, I won’t deny it.” He kissed Geralt’s neck. Geralt pretended he did not notice it, but he hoped Dandelion would continue.

“But I am afraid,” Dandelion continued, as he snaked his arms around Geralt’s waist, “your noble character and sour brooding would have seduced me no matter your outer appearance.” He nipped at Geralt’s ear. This time Geralt sighed and let his head fall backwards, leaning comfortably onto his lover’s blonde tresses.

“Is that so?”

“Indeed it is. In fact, it is a good thing you look young, or I would have already been arrested and thrown in the stocks for grandpa fucking.”

It was Geralt’s turn to snort contemptuously.

“You would not.”

“I would. I would suck the freckles off your sagging, wrinkled-“

“No I mean,” Geralt laughed. “That’s not illegal. To fuck a grandpa.”

“It is so. I’d be on notices.” Dandelion swept his arm expansively to present an imaginary notice. “Master Dandelion. Wanted for disturbing the tranquility of the golden years of our local Witcher elder.”

Geralt reached back, lazily playing with Dandelion’s hair.

“You speak as though you are a young thing, yet I have heard that the students are calling you father Dandelion in private these days. You are a wise mentor figure to them.”

Dandelion scoffed. “They want me to be their papas alright.”

Geralt grimaced. “You are disgusting.”

“My darling,” teased Dandelion, “of the two of us, you are the father, if only because you behave as a priest would. Oh forgive me father, for my profanities.”

“I’ll forgive you your dirty mouth if you can put it to better use.”

Dandelion pulled away, turning Geralt to face him. Eyes glinting in amusement and face filled with fondness, he cradled Geralt’s face. Then he pushed up onto his toes and kissed him.

“Here?” Murmured Geralt into his lips. “There are people down in that valley.”

Dandelion reached for the ties of Geralt’s trousers. “Just close your eyes and pretend it’s swampland.”

[mrooops]

ok guys, no jokes, but what the fuck?

i want to touch a really really serious topic in pink floyd fandom rn and i want you all to listen to me at least once. i would really appreciate it if you spread this information. thank you

if you're the type of person who writes "well, waters is still better than gilmour", then just please unfollow me forever the fuck out

but it's ok i'll explain you why

well, a little backstory

while many believe that roger's political views are now quite correct, i want to remind you that he supports an aggressive invasion of the country where i live (Ukraine). if you are still interested, then yes, the war in Ukraine is still going on even if in the west now no one wants to pay attention to it anymore. for your understanding, on average we have 100 air raids in the city per month, at least once a week i definitely hear explosions and, yeah, i don’t live in a hot spot. and this guy just goes out and does an interview where he openly says that he supports the aggressor country. yeah, that's right, he was also allowed to speak at the UN council, where he said that the conflict was provoked. very smart. the same guy who said a couple of days before the war that those who believe that it will start are “out of their minds”

ok ok, but how does this relate to gilmour?

very simple. his daughter-in-law is Ukrainian. and her mother lived in a city that was one of the first to be attacked by the russian army. if you have never seen footage from Kharkiv in the first days of the war, then believe me, it was a terrible sight, people tried to help each other as best they could

and it is still going on

i don’t think it's cool to talk shit about one person who supports israel but then turn a blind eye to how another openly says that Taiwan should belong to china and Ukraine to russia and say "well, he is based", "he's better than gilmour"

if you have any other information about gilmour, you can share it with me.

i know you all really like young waters and i see a lot of positive things in him too, but i really can't stand the fact that now people only really look at how he feels about Palestine, even if i see a lot of articles and posts from adults, who say his support for Palestine is also twofold. don't wanna say anything bad about that because i haven’t studied this topic, but i think you can google them yourself, they always just come up

don't get me wrong, i'm not stopping you from sending pictures of him or drawing him, i'm just asking you not to write that he's better than someone else at something when he's not

oh yeah and one last thing...

if you are a supporter of communism, then get the fuck out too, because communism led to the fact that in the 60s in my country they killed almost all the poets who did not write something in support of the state. in history they were persecuted and killed because they wrote in their native language and mentioned Ukrainian culture. communism led to three great famines in our country, when people had so little to eat that they resorted to cannibalism. it's very scary, but it's true. this is what the government has led to when it wants to bring communism to life

communism is not a cool thing. it's cool in words, not on practice, read history

thank you for your attention

[sirenjose]

Victor Analysis + Analysis of the 2022 Autumn Letter Event

(Reposting another older analysis I did back when the Autumn Letter Event 2022 was still going on. This originally started as just an analysis of the event, but turned into an analysis of Victor and his backstory as well.)

When Victor was 5, his mother took Victor and they traveled a long distance. On an autumn day, Victor's mother left him to be instead raised by his uncle. This may have been the last time he ever saw her, as Victor can’t even recall what she looked like.

Victor's mom taught Victor what good and bad lies were. Since when Victor explains what a broken promise by using the example "telling you they'll be back soon, this place is your home, or they'll contact you again", it's possible this is what Victor's mother did to Victor.

She promised they'd return home soon before traveling far away, then when handing him to his uncle she says this is his new home and promises to contact him again, but likely never does from how little Victor says about her and how he emphasizes he’s never received letters from anyone.

Victor's mother taught him what good and bad lies were, and then does exactly that to him. That's probably why she did it. She probably knew what she was about to do, but did it anyways, though we don't know why.

It's confirmed that she never comes back for him as Victor says he was "raised by my uncle" on day 6. As Victor is sent off to boarding school, it could imply his uncle didn't want to raise Victor either.

Considering Victor's belief "nothing is yours when you live under someone's roof", Victor likely learned this as a result of whatever his uncle's personality was, implying he may not have been the best (he was potentially quite strict).

While at boarding school, Victor is once again left alone, just like how his mother and uncle did.

It seems he didn't really have any friends. Instead, he listened to his schoolmates talking to each other at night while looking out an open window at the different seasons.

The lamp's description is "'Victor, it's lights out! Stop reading meaningless fairy tales!' They kept saying that in school".

Seems Victor tried to escape reality by diving into the worlds written in stories (and into other people's stories via letters), especially fantasy ones.

He likely did this because of how different (and potentially better) those worlds seemed than his current one. It also fits with how well Victor is at reading between the lines and reading other people's emotions (as day 2 describes).

Victor left boarding school when he was 15. His schoolmates promised they'd keep in touch, but they never did, which may parallel what happened with his mother.

Considering the mention he was 15 when he left boarding school, this may connect to Victor's harmonica, which in the event has the title "Gift for a 15-Year-Old" + the description "this was the only gift she ever gave me".

We know that this harmonica came from a female, meaning it couldn't have come from the policeman who owned Wick, especially as Victor hasn't even met him yet (Victor only just met Wick).

The in-game description for Victor's harmonica as the S-tier accessory is "Victor didn't think that this present from his poet friend would be the last testament of their last meeting."

The only female Victor's mentioned so far has been his mother. It's possible she still occasionally visited or contacted him somehow, and maybe she gave this as a gift for him finishing school, but the earlier example when explaining a broken promise makes me not sure.

Victor also did say he’s never received letters from anyone. Then there's Victor describing the person as a "poet friend" and I'm not sure he'd refer to his "mother" as a "friend", though it could be because of the lack of intimacy due to his mother leaving and not raising him.

It could've come from someone Victor knew at school, but as Victor talks about not having anyone to send letters to + how alone he describes himself as at school, I'm not sure about this option either.

The only other option is it's from someone we haven't been introduced to yet.

What we do know about the harmonica is it's incredibly important to him, to the point it's the only item he wishes to be buried with when he dies (on Day 6).

There's also how the harmonica in the event starts with "Have you tried playing the harmonica by a river in autumn?"

This should tie to Victor describing the day his mother left him. Regarding this, he says "We crossed the bridge over the river, and then she let go of my hand and just waited by the bridge. Then my uncle took me... And she left."

Finally, Victor on Day 6 says he likes playing Greensleeves on his harmonica. Some claim this song was written by King Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn, who rejected Henry's advances, or Lady Greensleeves (who the song is about) may have been a prostitute, though both are likely false.

In the song, the author says Greensleeves "was all my joy" but "alas, my love, ye do me wrong / to cast me off discourteously", adding "I have been ready at your hand / to grant whatever you would crave".

The next parts of the song describe what the singer tried to do to gain the lady's affections, but "thou couldst desire no earthly thing" and "yet thou wouldst not love me". He comments on how much he spent/did for her yet she still won't love him.

He prays that she'll see his "constancy" and "yet that once before I die / thou wilt vouchsafe to love me", before saying "farewell".

This song first appeared in 1580 (after Henry had died in 1547). The mention of "lady" may imply she could've been nobility (so not a prostitute)

The writer gives the lady multiple gifts, potentially trying to show how rich he is, but fails to get her to love him though she does keep the gifts.

During the renaissance, besides meanings that imply prostitution, green could also symbolize love and joy, youth, and chastity.

Greensleeves may have originally been a poem that was set to music, which could tie to Victor getting his harmonica from a "poet friend". If he was told to play the song while by a river in autumn, it's possible this friend was trying to help cheer Victor up when he was depressed thinking about his mother leaving him.

Considering the lyrics of the song, it's possible Victor felt similarly in the song. Doing everything he could to gain someone's love, but continuing to fail no matter what he did, but he still refuses to stop loving the person.

Though if it was the mother who sent it, it's possible it was her way of apologizing? Maybe that could also fit with, if his mother left when he was 5, he remembers her enough to talk about but not remember her face, why this could be the "only gift" he got from her.

It's possible, rather than abandoning Victor, Victor's mom had to leave Victor so he could attend boarding school. There was a law in 1870 (which fits the time period of the game) that made it mandatory for all kids between ages 5-10 to attend school.

Considering Victor was 5 when he left his mom and 15 when he left school, he would've been at boarding school for 10 years, which apparently is a possible amount of time for kids to stay at boarding school for. Maybe the harmonica was a gift, and maybe she sent Victor poems while he was going to school, but maybe she died soon after he left school and not long after giving him the harmonica. Maybe she gave it the harmonica to him so he wouldn't miss her. Maybe the last time her saw his mother was the day he got the harmonica from her.

Or again, maybe someone else gave it to him.

I'm not quite sure either way. I feel like I'm missing a little bit of info to really put all the pieces together to be completely sure. So for now, I can only throw out all the potential theories.

In any case, after school Victor began working for a post office, which is where the event takes place. It also matches with Victor's 1st deduction that talks about Victor becoming a postman.

Victor met Wick for the 1st time on day 1, where Wick says his "master just lost a letter! That's what I'm here for".

It seems to be while Victor is talking to Wick he gets the idea to write letters to himself. He comments during day 1, after Wick asks if he has anyone to write to, Victor says he doesnt have anyone to send them to, and he doesn't have anyone who's ever sent him letters either.

On Day 6, Wick tells Victor he should “keep these letters for yourself”, which likely refers to the letters Victor is looking at right now, which are letters Victor is unable to send due to smudged addresses, incorrect sender info, and so on.

Maybe it’s soon after this Victor gets the idea to do something similar by writing to himself. This could connect with Victor’s 1st letter, which is by Victor written for Wick (as well as some of victor’s deductions which are described as letters he wrote to himself).

Victor talking to Wick (like Wick can actually converse with him) also fits really nicely with Victor’s 1st letter, considering Victor is sending a letter to Wick and at the end of the letter, there is a reply from Wick to Victor (in morse code).

It's not until day 7 that we see this letter Wick was looking for. It is a letter from someone asking Wick's owner, the policeman (as it mentions a "measly salary" at a "police station" + we know Wick's owner was a policeman), to help them by passing goods and obeying "Big Daddy".

At the end of the letter, the author of the letter mentions also needing a "mute to pass a message". This should match with Victor's 2nd deduction, which has a very similar line: "Find a mute who can speak. That's someone who can keep a secret".

Based on the title of this deduction and line right after it "Nickname: 'Big Daddy' never called me by my name. He only calls me 'Postman', just like how everyone calls him 'Big Daddy'", seems it's soon after this event that Victor begins working for Big Daddy by sending messages and helping the policeman ship the "goods" the policeman was asked to send by Big Daddy's group. This is likely the "list of supplies for the transaction" and "addresses" referenced in Victor's deduction 3.

As Luchino's 1st letter references a "crime syndicate" linked to Lakeside Village, this may be Big Daddy's group ("Big Daddy" may be Miles' father, Mr. Donnelly, who Eugene Hayward, Margaretha's uncle, works for and was talking to when ordered to move Michiko's body).

The title of Victor's deduction 3 is "Curiosity", with the line right after it being "He said if something happens, he will ask Wick to give this letter to me for delivery." Considering the policeman was told to "find a mute" and Victor helped Wick, the policeman's dog, who probably showed the policeman he liked Victor, this would explain why the policeman would likely trust Victor enough with his dog and tell him he'd send him a letter with Wick if something happened to him (the policeman).

The money the policeman and Victor received in exchange for helping Big Daddy should be the same money referenced in Victor's deduction 4, which also states Wick would receive letters for the policeman when the policeman wasn't there to receive them himself.

The reason Big Daddy wanted a mute is hinted at in Victor's deduction 5, as people were "asking about the identity of 'Big Daddy'". Those who delivered messages before Victor likely died due to talkin, which explains why Big Daddy wanted a "mute" to deliver messages this time.

Then there’s Victor’s deduction 6, where he witnessed the policeman “beating up a hooligan”.

This seems to be a turning point for Victor.

It’s not explained why the policeman was beating them up, but considering deduction 8 is a note likely from the policeman who is starting to go against Big Daddy, as he doesn’t want to do “more” and wants them to stop using Victor, and considering back in deduction 3 the policeman thought something might happen to him and promises to send Wick with a letter to Victor if something does happen, I wonder if the “hooligan” was 1 of Big Daddy’s “gang”. This fits with the summary for Victor’s deduction 2 in his character relations page stating he “became the witness in a fight between a police officer and a gangster, and thus lost the trust of ‘Big Daddy’”.

Victor’s deduction 7 is him realizing he’s a just a "tool" and wants his own secret. I wonder if the policeman had been trying to protect Victor . Maybe he wanted Victor to get out, and that's why he wanted Big Daddy to send someone else instead of Victor.

It’s after this fight Big Daddy stops trusting Victor and “won’t let me deliver letters for him anymore”. It’s possible this was because the policeman stopped working for Big Daddy and so the Victor didn't have to do the same things he did before with the policeman as a result.

The policeman going against Big Daddy is reflected in the title and line for Victor’s deduction 8 “Business: the envelopes delivered here are getting thicker, yet the parcels being sent back are getting smaller”. Big Daddy wanted the policeman to do more, but the policeman decided he didn’t like what he was doing anymore. Big Daddy wants the policeman to ship more goods, but the policeman is refusing. He likely tried to speak out or do something potentially to get Big Daddy arrested.

As a result for going against Big Daddy, the policeman is killed. The fire was likely purposefully set to hide any evidence. Victor tried to save the policeman, but failed, only succeeding in rescuing Wick.

We know the policeman promised to send Wick with a letter if something happened to him, which likely contained everything about Big Daddy and other important secrets of the gang.

These were likely the evidence the police probably wanted to use to get Big Daddy caught, but failed to use before he was killed. This could also explain why the title for deduction 9 is “Possession: I hold my own secret now”.

In deduction 10, the title is “Hesitation: Should I remind him? Will he question me? Is there a chance to get that letter still?”.

I’m not sure what Victor means by “remind him”.

It’s possible Victor tried to ask something of Big Daddy, possibly to be let go or something. Or maybe he asked to keep Wick (especially if Wick had the letter from the policeman). The “letter” he still wants should be the letter the policeman wanted to send Victor.

As the rest of the deduction is labeled “monitoring record” and describes the gang watching him + willing to kill him if he talks, he either had to be careful to retrieve the letter, or maybe he wanted to use that letter against Big Daddy but had to be careful how he did it.

As Victor has skins like Paperboy (COA 5) where he’s using the newspaper to oppose Metropolis/Eternal Aurora, the idea Victor wanted to use the secrets from the policeman against Big Daddy makes sense. It'd also explain why the gang were worried and felt the need to watch Victor.

The last deduction should tie with the summary for the 3rd deduction in Victor’s character relations page, which states he was “involved in a police corruption case. His life was even threatened”.

As the title for deduction 11 is “lost letter” + “I’m still the Postman, but I’ve lost the Bronze Bell”, and how Victor during the event still describes having the “bronze bell” rung, I wonder if this deduction implies he was forced to leave working for the post office (bronze bell like that on a door to the post office to signify when someone entered to have a letter sent?).

If Victor did try to release the truth about Big Daddy like his skins (ex: Paperboy from COA 5) imply, that could explain why there was a “case” about “police corruption”, as in the kind you’d find in a judicial court.

Deduction 11 is a note “Don't say anything. You stick out like a sore thumb. We won't mind burning that dog again”. The meaning could be the gang/Big Daddy didn’t want Victor to say anything in court about them, and that would explain why they'd threaten “burning that dog again”, as the gang went from threatening to burn the dog to threatening his life was because he did talk out about the gang. It’s also possible he didn’t say anything, and that’s why Victor’s last deduction still uses the “nickname” Big Daddy and the gang call him, aka “Postman”.

Whatever happens, it’s around then that Victor receives the invitation from the manor. Victor is happy to finally receive a letter from someone else, and is more than happy to go.

[extraordinarilyextreme]

Hello! May I ask you a question regarding MLC?

On ep 38, we see the wedding chamber is named "雨伏風關", and upon seeing the subs "Never ending Winds and Rain", my mind inevitably went to clouds and rain which is, ahem. I wouldn't put it past Jiao jie tbh to name her wedding room Never Ending S** but turned out It's actually a reference to a Du Fu poem https://baike.baidu.hk/item/闌風伏雨/4666705

And the characters are in reverse??? I do not have nearly as enough knowledge in Chinese language to parse out what this means.

Is it a normal idea to name a wedding room Stormy Times to begin with?

Or does it have a different implications when the characters are reversed?

Thank you so much for any brainstorming you can offer, much love! ��🥺

hello my friend,

going to be perfectly honest; i did not pay much attention to the names of each of the locations while watching this show. however, i'm willing to bet that the characters on the plaque of the wedding chamber aren't in reverse - it's just that chinese historically is read from right-to-left instead. so it's still 阑风伏雨 as per the line from the poem.

to my knowledge, 阑风伏雨 is typically used as an idiom these days - and indeed it would translate to "the unending wind and rain." it seems it once specifically referred to "the wind and rain during autumn and summer."

as per that baidu page u linked, it seems its equivalent (阑风长雨) came from Tang dynasty poet Du Fu's 《秋雨叹三首》 (Three Laments About the Autumn Rain), and specifically the second part:

阑风长雨秋纷纷，四海八荒同一云。 去马来牛不复辨，浊泾清渭何当分？ 禾头生耳黍穗黑，农夫田妇无消息。 城中斗米换衾裯，相许宁论两相值？

apparently it was written during a year when it rained for more than 60 days - pretty dire times! people didn't have food to eat, the heavy rain destroyed their homes, the crops failed and couldn't be harvested... and then the chancellor/prime minister(?) Yang Guozhong happened to find some seedlings that had survived and were growing well, so he proclaimed to the emperor: “雨虽多，不害稼也。” (Despite the heavy rain, the crops are not harmed.)

so...... i'm kind of blanking on how that fits into the context presented in LHL. @ruiconteur & @difeisheng, any thoughts?

BUT another search showed me that the specific character-for-character phrase is also used in Qing dynasty poet Nalan Xingde's 《菩萨蛮·阑风伏雨催寒食》 (The Endless Wind and Rain Ushers in the Hanshi Festival):

阑风伏雨催寒食，樱桃一夜花狼藉。刚与病相宜，锁窗薰绣衣。 The endless wind and rain ushered in the Hanshi Festival; Overnight, the cherry blossoms were scattered into disarray. Such a scene was most fitting: recently ill, I was reminded of the springtime of my youth - that which had gone and could never return. After locking my windows, it was time now that I dried my embroidered robes by the brazier. 画眉烦女伴，央及流莺唤。半晌试开奁，娇多直自嫌。 In my husband's absence, I could only trouble my female friend to draw my eyebrows. But she was not around either, so I had to ask my maid Ying to call for her. When she arrived at last, I was so afraid of seeing my sickly complexion in the mirror that I hesitated for a long while before daring to open the trousseau. Yet to my surprise, I appeared delicate and lovely - I was happy for a moment, then wondered for whom I was dressing up as my husband was not here to see it. At once, embarrassed, I resented my own beauty.

that is SUCH a rough translation; let me know if you want me to clean it up in the future.

typically (given the wuxia context/general historical framing) i'd assume the Tang dynasty poem is the one they're referencing, but i feel like the later Qing dynasty one fits more here with respect to JLQ?

to sum it up: i don't really know why the wedding chamber is called that either. tbh it just sounds like an elegant literary name. (are clouds and rain a euphemism that i'm not aware of?? lol i really did not think in that direction at all) anyway i hope this was at least a little bit interesting <3

[adarkroomandawallflower]

Love love love your writing! Do you have any hcs on activities that Data enjoys doing in the holodeck? (besides what we see on TNG)

I'm so glad you enjoy my writing, and thank you so much for dropping this into my inbox!

To be honest, I didn't really think about this before, mostly because the show gave us a decent amount of insight into the kinds of activities Data does in the holodeck. However, now that you mention it, I think there are actually a lot of things we could have (or if I may be so bold to declare, should have) seen Data do in the holodeck. I feel like the show touched on the sort of "obvious" activities he'd do, but not exactly his more hobby-esque/personal activities.

Anyway, long story short, I do have some headcanons about this for you! I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to add on, if you have any more ideas or if you feel I left something out 😊

I think Data would have 3 types of holodeck programs: ones for him to practice his skills and hobbies, ones that he does with his friends, and ones that are a bit more personal and private.

The most obvious hobby-esque programs would be those for practicing plays he would later perform for the other crew members. However, I think he would also have programs for his poetry. I think his cadence and tone when he verbally shared his poetry indicates that he practiced verbal reading before. I believe he developed a program with some poets that he wanted to emulate, and he practiced writing and reading poetry aloud with them.

The same goes for his instrument playing. Although he had all the information about every single instrument, musician, and how to play them in his data banks, I think he still would have needed to actually see someone play an instrument to fully understand how to play it himself. So, I think he definitely would have needed to make a few programs of the best musicians for each instrument he wanted to play.

I think he'd also do this with painting, and his favorite painters.

Honestly, I'm surprised TNG never had Data paint a "live" scene in the holodeck because he definitely would do that!

I think he loves nature, so he'd probably have several nature programs to paint. Things like an ocean/beach, a forest, a desert, etc.

I also thought it was kind of odd that Data did all his hobbies in his quarters. Even though he can't exactly get distracted, I feel like everyone always needs him/lowkey interrupts him, even (read: especially) when he's off duty. I think at some point, he'd realize that sometimes, he'd want to do his recreational activities uninterrupted, and that's when he'd create holodeck programs that he can have a little bit more peace and freedom in.

For the holodeck programs for his friends, I think he'd also have at least one program per each of his friends, that he individually does together with them.

For Geordi, we saw that they solved Holmes mysteries together. I couldn't really think of any other activities they might do together, so I'm going to say that this is their main one.

They might change it up a bit and solve other mysteries together, but that's all I can really see them doing together in the holodeck.

Because Data is well-revered in the Klingon empire for his strength, and I'm sure Worf also admires this about him, I think Data would have some type of fighting program that he does with Worf.

I don't think he'd participate in the fighting program Worf did with K'ehleyr (I feel like it's a bit too violent for Data's taste), but I think he does like the teamwork aspect of it, so he'd probably construct a program that involved them fighting enemies together.

Every once in a while, usually when Worf is in a really bad mood, he'll want to do some hand-to-hand combat with Data to blow off steam, so Data might try to incorporate that into the program, as well (i.e. maybe the last level is they have to fight each other, as only one can win the game).

Also, I just want to say that it's a CRIME we didn't have more Worf and Data friend interactions. I'm not sure why they made Worf sort of apprehensive and not very friendly with Data because I personally think they are great friends and get along well!

For Riker, I think Data would have a program of a little jazz bar where they'd play together.

Riker, of course, would play his beloved trombone, and I think Data would love playing the clarinet or the harmonica.

They'd be their own little duo, and call themselves The Lady Killers (per Riker's suggestion).

They'd invite the other crew members every once in a while to the program to come watch them play.

Data would also have that classic hat and a pair of those classic sunglasses lots of jazz musicians wear that he'd have on when he played.

For Picard's designated program, I think it would be the same as the theatrical programs Data did with him in the show, except instead of doing them for Picard and asking his opinions on his performances, they'd perform together and provide critiques/advice for each other.

Most of them are Shakespeare plays, of course, and the programs would be an equal mix of both Picard's and Data's favorite ones.

Personally, I think Data's favorite Shakespeare plays would be The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest (I will spare you all from my in-depth analysis of why I think he'd enjoy these in particular because this post is already too long 😅)

For Beverly, I think Data would have a dancing program. Although she doesn't want to be known as "The Dancing Doctor" again, I think she still loves and sometimes even misses dancing. So, I think Data would try to remedy this dilemma by making a program for them, in which she can teach him new dances, and they can both learn new dances together.

She's very touched by this, and is always happy to dance with him and/or teach him a new dance!

I think Data's favorite dances would be ballet (it's a great way for him to practice his strength and balance) and the tango (he loves the fast pace and I feel like the moves are bit stiffer than other dances, which would work in his favor).

I think this could also technically be considered as one of Data's private and personal programs, since Beverly likely would prefer if he didn't tell others about it.

For Deanna, I feel like she's always wanted to have her very own proper tea party. So, I think he'd make a program for her so they could have a little tea party together!

The first time they tried out the program, Data had misunderstood that she wanted a child's tea party, so everything in the program was very small.

Additionally, she showed up dressed in regal clothes (including a fancy feathered hat), while he showed up in big goofy sunglasses and a pink, sparkly feather boa.

After she laughed for a good 10 minutes, leaving the poor baby so confused, she explained that she had wanted an English-esque, adult tea party. He adjusted the program and his wardrobe accordingly (but she insisted he keep the boa and sunglasses).

Riker also sometimes joins them in this program (he's also a big fan of the boa and sunglasses).

I have to point out that it was also a crime that Data and Deanna's friendship wasn't developed more in the show. I think they both have equal amounts of intrigue and curiosity for one another. Data would want to learn so much about human emotions and behavior from her, and she wants to learn more about his emotions and how she can help him realize they're real and valid. As a result, I think they'd be very good friends.

For Spot, Data would have a "feline enrichment" program, consisting of a large pond with lots of koi fish, trees with lots of birds, and tall grass/shrubbery with insects for her to play with and chase.

He'd take her to this program at least once a week, to help her get her excess energy (and anger) out.

She absolutely LOVES it, and he accidentally Pavlov-ed her because whenever he brings out her leash and harness, she knows exactly where they're going. This leads to her meowing very loudly and excitedly, and aggressively rubbing against his legs.

Lastly, for his more personal and private programs, I think they'd be programs that are for his eyes/participation only, and he wouldn't share them with anyone else.

Despite his stoicism, I think Lal's death really had an effect on him, and he'd make a hologram of her in the holodeck to help cope with the loss.

Whenever he especially "misses" her, like when he rescued another child/orphan or spent his day around children, he'd go to the holodeck to see her afterwards.

I think this program would just be a replicate of his quarters, and he'd mostly just sit and talk with her.

Sometimes he'll do activities with her, like teaching her to play an instrument or make art.

This program he would especially keep to himself, and wouldn't talk about or show it to anyone.

The only person I can think of him maybe showing it to would be his significant other, if it ever got to the point in their relationship where he'd want them to meet Lal.

Otherwise though, it's his little secret.

I think he'd also have a private program with a hologram of Noonien in it.

I think he partially blames himself for his father's death, and he barely got to know him or ask him everything he wanted to ask, so I think that would be the main purpose of this program.

He just wants some closure and a better understanding of himself, as well as his father, and I think this is the way he'd seek both of those things.

He wouldn't show this program to anyone either, except maybe his significant other, if their relationship progressed that far.

[heliads]

platonic!aragorn x reader? i requested a bunch of these a while ago and i just adore how you write him. perhaps something in rivendell where the reader is overworking themselves because their productivity is really low so they work longer (bonus points if reader is a writer) and aragorn gets them to relax. ooh and sibling-style banter pls!!!

bonus points?? i didn't realize i was getting points at all this is fantastic

masterlist

Spring is a soothing time, it always has been. Winter is dark and dangerous; the sun sets early and tempers snap quickly, even amongst the elves. Those who claim to only proffer peace can lose it faster than you think. Grey skies spell trouble, early frost kills each and every bloom that thinks itself tenacious enough to come out before its time.

Every winter you think the cold will never end, that warmth and light will stay dead forever. Every spring, you are reminded of the one truth in this world that everyone seems to forget:  it will get better from here on out. There will, at some point, be a surrender of darkness, and you will heal. We all will, and we will do it together.

You are remembering that now as you walk through the gardens of Rivendell. Stormy nights made the stone and wood structures look cold with gloom, but with the way the sun shines upon them now, you would think yourself in a wholly different place. This is your home, it has been for the last ten years. You were not an elf born, but you came to their city and they welcomed you anyway. Swords can only do so much good. Sometimes poets and scholars are more necessary than guards.

So you found a place tucked away in glen thickets and stone walkways, so you learned to pursue your craft of words and thoughts until a foreign place felt like home and accepted you as one of its own. No life is easy, not while monsters like orcs and trolls still roam the uncharted territories in between cities, but Rivendell is a peaceful life, and it does good by you.

If you cannot find strife in the danger of fighting for your life, however, you will make it yourself. Resting is a difficult thing, even though it shouldn’t be that way. If you rest too long, you start to think, and if you think, you start to realize that you are technically an outsider here, not born within the stone spirals of Rivendell but of some other place, and that means you must prove that you deserve to stay here for longer. Those who stay must have meaning. What, then, could possibly be yours?

You’re a writer, then. Fine. Could your writing compare to those around you? Even the least of the elves still have centuries on you, so much time to hone their craft. By comparison, your scribblings must look juvenile at best. You’re trying, sure, but effort can only get you so far.

You’ll have to catch up on time, then. That’s doable. It should be, at least. You pour hours into the study of manuscripts and texts in the library, force your quill to paper so many times you think you might as well never lift it up. You may not have time as your virtue, but you can force it to work for you anyway.

The problem is getting your brain to cooperate half as well as your hands. Your pattern of frantic writing starts to wear away from you as you attempt to keep up the pattern from dawn until dusk day after day after day. It is exhausting work, but it shouldn’t be– isn’t this writing, what you decided you wanted to do forever? If you were truly gifted at it, this wouldn’t take so much effort, and it certainly wouldn’t drain you the way that it does. Maybe that is another failing, one more thing that separates you from the elves.

You hadn’t realized others were aware of your inner strife until you got a visitor one month after winter ended. He comes with bloodied hands washed clean, armor placed in an unlocked box for quick access, sword still within reach. Peace does not come easily to him either, son of the North, but it does not come easily to anyone. Aragorn might disguise his torment better than you, though. Or so he pretends.

You were not aware that he was stopping by. Perhaps you should have known, if you had spent more time outside of your study instead of unsuccessfully trying to burn through the latest chapter in your work. Regardless of what you could have learned, the result is the same:  your old friend stands in the doorway, shaking his head with mock solemnity even as he fails to hide a grin.

“Y/N, friend, have you ever been able to let yourself enjoy your time here, or must you always suffer yourself to your pages?”

You stand up with a smile and walk over to greet him. “Aragorn, how lovely to see you. What brings you this way?”

He lifts a shoulder. “Tracking business. There are rumors I don’t like about goings-on near Mount Doom, but that’s neither here nor there. Also, I heard that you weren’t doing as well as I would care to imagine.”

You stifle a groan. “You’ve been in contact with Arwen, haven’t you? Tell her she has nothing to worry about.”

“I would if I believed I wasn’t telling her lies,” Aragorn muses, “you seem too tired, my friend. Your brow is lined, your eyes are weary. What is the meaning of this?”

He does not say it angrily, or in any demand for information, just a concern for his friend. It is this and this alone that finally convinces you to open up.

“I need to do it,” you tell him at last, “I need results. I need pages of writing to make up for the fact that I lack the experience of the elves. I may be tired, but I feel like I have to prove that I deserve to be here.”

Aragorn shakes his head, looking surprised. “That cannot be. Who has told you that a person cannot merely live and have that be enough? Not every task must be proven right or proven useful, Y/N. You do not have to outwrite the elves, that truly is impossible. You are here to follow your own path, not theirs.”

You sigh. “It is difficult to not compare my writing with theirs when we live in the same place.”

“I remember that,” Aragorn says thoughtfully, “growing up and learning the way of the sword from elves with many decades already more than me was challenging, but it teaches you things that you would not know from mankind. Do not let them affect you, Y/N, intentionally or not. Only do what you wish to do. That is why you are here, not to do what they can but what you can. That way, they can learn from you as well.”

You run a tired hand across your face. “So you really came all this way to tell me to relax?”

His face splits in a familiar grin. “I figured you would need some advice. Besides, it truly is good to see you. It has been too long since we last spoke.”

You agree with that. “That means you could visit more often, you know, instead of tracking random animals through the wilderness.”

He frowns with pretend indignation. “My tasks are more important than that.”

“I wouldn’t know,” you tease, “you never visit long enough to tell me. And when you are here, you spend all your time following a certain Elf-maiden around. It makes for difficult conversation.”

He laughs. “You’re impossible.”

“Of course I am,” you say gleefully, “that’s why we’re friends. Thank you, though, for your words. I do appreciate them.”

“They are true,” he reminds you, “it is okay to rest. It always will be.”

It is a good message, this. Hard to remember and even harder to practice, but still good. You will try to apply its power in the days to come.

lotr tag list: @rogueanschel, @retvenkos, @gods-fools-heroes

[bowtiepastabitch]

Y'all remember this post about bratty Aziraphale?

I started a fic last week but idk if I have it in me to write actual smut right now, so have the intro as a suggestive ficlet instead:

He’s not sure where it started.

Crowley had certainly never wanted to do him harm, in all their years dancing around each other, but oh did he have a penchant for the dramatic. And if that drama involved shoving Aziraphale rather threateningly into walls and tables and such, commingling their breath and quickening the angel’s pulse, well, he wasn’t about to complain.

He’d first noticed his corporation’s, err, response in Rome.

It had been a rather delightful day outside, the kind that poets could prattle on about for hours without cease, but even more lovely by far had been his lunch with Crowley. The oysters had been incredible, of course, but he’d missed Crowley in the years since the crucifixion, even if he was a bit tetchy at the moment. The demon had been irked about something all day, and Aziraphale was determined to find out what. So after their meal, he’d suggested they take a walk. No one could be angry about going on a walk on such a sunny day. Well, nearly no one.

“What’ss the point in dragging me all the way out here anyway, angel?”

“Oh, no point at all, my dear. Just fancied a stroll. Good stretch of the legs.”

“Uh huh, yeah. I believe that.”

Aziraphale smiled.

“Not everything has to have ulterior motives, you know.”

“Course it does. I’m not an idiot.”

“Oh calm down, I never said-”

All of a sudden there is a hand at his neck and his breath is cut short as his body slams against the stone wall behind him. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough for him to release what air was left in his lungs with a surprised gasp. Two of Crowley’s fingers curl up around his jaw, forcing his head up and leaving his throat exposed, and his golden eyes seem to burn.

“Don’t. Tell me. To calm down.” His voice is low and taut, with the slightest hum of a growl, and Aziraphale’s skin prickles.

The rough-hewn stone digs into the small of his back, and Crowley’s body is so close he can feel the demon’s exhale tingling on his lips. Despite the warmth of the day, the hand is cool against the naked skin of his throat, and he can feel his heart beating erratically under the press of his thumb. He wonders if Crowley can feel it too, if he’s counting out the frantic pulse. He takes a shuddering breath.

“Crowley, I don’t think this is necessary.”

Good. His voice sounds much more composed than he feels, though he can’t put a name to exactly what he’s feeling. Crowley hisses in response but pulls his hand away, and Aziraphale stumbles forward slightly. The world seems unsteady and his knees wobble ever so slightly, but he tamps down on the feeling and looks the demon resolutely in the eye.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you really needn’t…”

“S’nothing, angel. Nothing for you to worry about, anyway.”

He turns then, and stalks off, hips swaying ever so slightly as he goes. Not that Aziraphale is looking. A strange but oddly familiar warmth is settled at his core, and though he feels thoroughly shaken up and still a bit worried, it doesn’t feel altogether bad. He touches his throat softly, the phantom of pressure remaining, and surprises himself with a stifled moan. That’s new.

(Hi, authors note popping in to say I've written a lot of emotions but lust is NOT one of them. If this sucks, I'm sorry.)

[quicksilverdrabbles]

Xelzaz: *showing Morana how to reanimate a dead body* Now focus the Raise Zombie spell over where the body's heart would be, and envision it as something you are enforcing your will over. Think of it less like conjuring and Atronach and more like summoning a Daedra or Dremora.

Kaidan: I'd really rather not have another Necromancer in this group.

Morana: *hands shaking as she casts the spell, the dead bandit rising to his feet and slumping over in a daze* I did it!

Xelzaz: Very good. You don't need to practice Necromancy as a skillset if it makes you uncomfortable, but it's a good thing to know in a pinch if you find yourself alone and having killed at least one enemy.

Lucien: Why is it that you know Necromancy anyways, Xelzaz? I thought it was outlawed in Morrowind.

Xelzaz: Reanimation of other Dunmer in Morrowind is illegal, yes. However, animals are more commonly used for Necromancy. And other races, though less common, and much more frowned upon in certain cities. This isn't necessarily considered Necromancy, but Conjuration magic is sometimes used in cultural rituals, with express consent of the deceased. I don't practice these rituals myself, as it is more of a Dunmer tradition.

Taliesin: Consent of the deceased?? You have to ask them if you can have your way with their dead body before they die?

Kaidan: Don't- Don't say it like that, Gods-

Taliesin: How else would you want me to put it???

Morana: It's an ancestral ritual.

Xelzaz: You remember?

Morana: ... Vaguely. I remember when I was a young child, a Velothi Champion was killed in battle, and his last conversation with our Wise Woman before the fight was a request for his soul to be bound to this realm so he could continue to protect his tribe.

Inigo: He must have cared very deeply for his people.

Morana: Enough to brave the Mortal Chill for all eternity.

Kaidan: The Mortal Chill?

Morana: Once a mortal dies, Nirn is no longer their spirit's home. To stay here in the afterlife is a duty carried out by obligation, for the living realm only brings pain and loss.

Lucien: That's a surprisingly specific thing to recall, Morana. Do you think you may be starting to remember your life before the Healers?

Morana: It helps having someone like Xel around. I'd rather not go back to Morrowind myself right now, but getting to learn about Dunmeri history and culture clears some of the fog in my mind.

Xelzaz: I should see if we can pick up some volumes of the 36 Lessons of Vivec at any point. They tell the tale of the early era of Morrowind, and legends of the Hortator, and the Warrior-Poet, among other things.

Lucien: *leaning in close to Inigo* He never answered my question.

Inigo: Yes, I noticed.

Morana: I remember we often kept to ourselves as a tribe. Outsiders were regarded with suspicion, sometimes hostility...

Xelzaz: Yes, some Ashlander tribes can be rather hostile to outsiders.

Morana: ... But, whenever an outsider does a good deed in the eyes of the tribe, they become Clanfriend. *frowns, staring down at her hands consideringly* Clanfriend... *sweeps her hand to point at each member of the team* All of you.

Kaidan: Clanfriend?

Taliesin: *quietly* Did we just get friendzoned?

Morana: ... That doesn't feel right, though. You are not Outsiders.. More like... *huffs, looking frustrated* ... Tribe. Clan... Family?

Inigo: You see us as your family?

Morana: ... Should I not?

Lucien: *lip trembling, looking overly emotional*

Taliesin: Don't tell me you're about to cry.

Lucien: *sniffling* N-No.

Kaidan: Hah. You big sap. *pats Lucien on the shoulder as he passes, wrapping an arm around Morana's shoulders gently* We're glad to be your family, starlight.

Taliesin: Probably the most dysfunctional family in Tamriel, though.

Inigo: *laughs, nudging Taliesin* Would you rather have an extremely boring family that never has any fun?

Taliesin: ... No, probably not.