#otp: i want YOU to be proud of me

[emily-mooon]

Did a sketch of Jancy kissing in my Titanic AU

(Pose reference under cut)

[revedetendresse]

[thelovelybitten]

CHAPTER TWO OF DECKED THE HALLS IS OWWWTTTT

content warning: SA

please read at your own risk.

i promise it won't be this dark the whole book, just needed to create some plot u know

i didn't plan on this happening, but my mind said let there be pain ig

LOVE YOU STENDYNATION

[dragonsbone]

joey makes videos ✨ ↳ stacey adams + steve harrington

❝ maybe she could be the one. ❞

tag list 🧚🏻‍♂️: @zoyazenik @moirei @dio-nysvs @kiara-carrera @fleetwoodmcs @daisyjohvson @aaudace @jessiemieli @chlobenet @iron-parkr @elmunson @luucypevensie @princes-jasmine @julianblackthcrns @darkwolf76 @megdonnellys @delicateblackrose @bravelittleflower @lepetitchoux @fiercefray @misshiraeth98 @itsjustgracy @fragilestorm @notanannoyingfangirl @phoebestarks @ichorwithwine @darkling-er @starlightocs @lizziesxltzmxn @lovehermioneforever @stanshollaand @eddiemunscns

stacey’s taglist 🧚🏻‍♂️: @calpurniatypes​

[ want to be added/removed? click here! ]

[5sospenguinqueen]

Post Tension | Charles Leclerc x McLaren! Reader

Summary: Back in the same country, Charles realises that the most important thing isn't winning; it's that he was wrong.

Warnings: Swearing, female reader, Verstappen! Reader. Tooth-rotting fluff.

This is the final part!

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

Main Masterlist

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YourUserName just posted

liked by arthur_leclerc, kellypiquet and others

YourUserName something in the orange tells me we're not done

7,956 comments

User 1 excuse me, miss thing?!?!

User 2 not miss verstappen posting this on media day when charles and her were spotted in the background of each other's interviews

francisca.cgomes that silhoutte pic is serving 🔥

User 3 just me or does that bear have a ferrari hoodie on

User 4 he is not the love of your life. he is literally just a guy. hit him with your car

→ User 1 nah 'cause does anyone else think charles would run her off the track if she got ahead of him again

→ User 5 wtf that's his girlfriend? he wouldn't try and hurt her

→ User 6 he did push max in a puddle once

lilymhe @ alex_albon why don't you buy me this stuff

→ alex_albon because you don't support McLaren

→ YourUserName excuse me?!?! what is this betrayal

→ lilymhe @ YourUserName i can explain

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━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

User 7 mum and dad putting those cheating rumours to rest

User 8 y/n a stronger woman than me because i would've keyed his car for implying i was sleeping with my teammate

→ User 9 actually it was arthur who implied that

→ User 10 don't drag baby leclerc into this. he was fighting in the trenches alongside us for his otp

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scuderiaferrari just posted

liked by pierregasly, carlossainz55 and others

scuderiaferrari P4 and P8. A strong weekend for the tifosi 💪

tagged: charles_leclerc, carlossainz55

6,459 comments

User 9 i can't decide what i want to ride more

User 10 scoring some points in azerbaijan. well done, team

charles_leclerc why are you not posting the photos of me being #1 wag

→ YourUserName because this account doesn't post papaya, liefje

→ charles_leclerc no excuse

→ lilymhe because you are not #1 wag, clearly i am the only wag for @ YourUserName

→ charles_leclerc defamation

→ YourUserName @ lilymhe you tell 'em, bby

→ alex_albon i leave you alone for two seconds and you're stealing my girlfriend again

User 11 be still my beating heart

mclaren just posted

liked by charles_leclerc, georgerussell63 and others

mclaren P3 and P5. roll on the points for team papaya (ft mclaren's #1 wag)

tagged: YourUserName

7,321 comments

mclaren we apologise for interrupting your regularly scheduled papaya posts with a splash of red but you'll never guess who this racer was looking at to make him smile like that

→ maxverstappen1 sickening

→ charles_leclerc i am honoured to be awarded such a prestigious title by team mclaren

→ landonorris does this mean i can stop pretending to like y/n now?

→ charles_ leclerc @ landonorris no

→ YourUserName @ landonorris no. you're my emotional support pookie

User 11 so proud of our papayas. they did so good this weekend

User 12 i'd let y/n hit me with her car

liked by charles_leclerc

victoriaverstappen couldn't be prouder of you! 💕

maxverstappen1 just posted

liked by victoriaverstappen, kellypiquet and others

maxverstappen1 a disappointing dnf but very pleased for the less-famous verstappen 🧡

8,066 comments

redbullracing still made us proud. we'll come back stronger in france

kellypiquet well done y/n. p was cheering you on

→ YourUserName tell her i'm coming over for a pizza party soon! 🥰

YourUserName i swear he loves me really, guys

→ charles_leclerc well he threatened to run me off the track if i didn't fix things so i'd say he does

→ maxverstappen1 for legal reasons, this is a joke

→ YourUserName ah, so that's why you apologised. not because of your undying love for me

landonorris feel like that should say the more talented verstappen

liked by YourUserName, charles_leclerc

danielricciardo don't let this fool you. the man was close to tears when y/n was p1 with just one lap to go

→ danielricciardo and then cried when her tire burst

→ danielricciardo and then cried when she finished p3

→ maxverstappen1 i'll sue you for defemation

→ User13 the Grid seemed to have learned a new word this week

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

YourUserName just posted

liked by landonorris, maxverstappen1 and others

YourUserName ik houd van je

tagged: charles_leclerc

6,124 comments

charles_lecerlc je sais

→ YourUserName never going to let me forget that one, are you

→ charles_leclerc no

→ maxverstappen1 no

→ danielricciardo no

→ landonorris no

→ arthur_leclerc no

→ pierregasly no

→ victoriaverstappen no

→ lilymhe no

YourUserName how about everybody get off my dick

→ YourUserName my only friends here are the lovely ladies thirsting over my hot boyfriend with me

→ User 14 you tell 'em, honey

charles_leclerc just posted

liked by landonorris, redbullracing and others

charles_lecerlc as the people on twitter say, i would let y/n hit me with her car

8,593 comments

maxverstappen1 my eyes 🤮

→ charles_leclerc look away! i was going to block you for this

→ maxverstappen1 block me forever

YourUserName wow, not even a tag.

→ charles_leclerc everyone knows who you belong to, mon amour

→ YourUserName yeah, the guy who invented ice cream

→ landonorris @ charles_leclerc at least you know what to do if the racing thing doesn't work out

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Thank you for all the support shown on this series. I never expected such a response when I posted my silly little fic.

I've had so much fun making these. I have a few more ideas coming up but not loads so if you have any, please do request and I'll try my best to do them justice! <3

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Tag list: @mehrmonga @luvsforme @lemon-lav @missenclod @halleest @formula1mount @k4marina @evie-119 @letmeseeyougotowork @sleepybrokenmelle @eiaaasamantha @tinyhrry @janeholt3 @allywthsr @callsignwidow @raizelchrysanderoctavius @prudyhoo @valentinanappipage @leah-also-known-as-creatoronwp @delululeclerc @e-nonsense @scott-mccall-could-lift-mjolnir @butterfliesflyaroundmymind @bloodyymaryyy @kqliie @lifeless-firefly @woozarts @silverxxs-world @personwhoisther @eugene-emt-roe @anthonykatebridgerton @qualitygiantshoepsychic @entr4p3 @carpediem241108 @forevercaffeinated-lee @xyzstar @theendofthematerialgworl @geniusalpaca @chfiosr

[ghostfacd]

BEAUTIFUL BOY! — LUKE HUGHES

au masterlist

author’s note: i wrote this after waking up from my high nap LMAOO shh anyway listen to beautiful boy to enhance the experience ! this can be read as a stand alone but i recommend reading my au for context.

ynuser

liked by lhughes_06, jackhughes, kiellestapa and 462 others

ynuser my first baby. my entire world. rowden quintin hughes, you came into the world a 7 pound beautiful curly haired blonde baby. it felt like yesterday when i first held you close to me. thank you for making me a mother rowdy, happy 2nd birthday my beautiful boy.

view all comments

jackhughes please let me and quinny meet him!

↳ quinnhughes LITERALLY.

lhughes_06 happy birthday my special boy.

markestapa HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THEO’S BEST BUDDD

kiellestapa it seems like it was just yesterday when i saw you coming out the delivery room with rowdy. happy birthday rowden quintin hughes, you are so loved my boy.

↳ ynuser he loves his auntie so much 🥲🫶🫶

When it was Rowden’s second birthday, Luke decided he was finally going to let his brothers see his son. It was a mutual decision between him and his girlfriend, they knew how much Jack and Quinn wanted to see Rowdy.

Luke had regretted leaving Y/N that day back in London so he could pursue his hockey career at Umich. If he could travel back in time, he would’ve swallowed his dreams and stayed with her. But he couldn’t—so he was going to spend the rest of his life making it up to her and Rowden for being absent the first year of his life.

“Oh my god.” The voice of Jack breaks Luke out of his daze. He watches as his older brother picks up Rowden, who, despite being a very fussy kid when it came to strangers, smiled contently in his uncle’s hold. “Hi buddy!”

Luke could’ve sworn he saw tears in his brother’s eyes. Quinn, who was currently waiting his turn in the back, wiped his eyes with his sweater, not wanting to cry in front of his younger brothers.

“I cant believe you named him Rowden Quintin Hughes,” Quinn says, his face converted into a frown, only because he was on the verge of sobbing.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Y/N pats him on the back, giving him a comforting smile. “You and Jack have always been there for me back at Hogwarts. You two were like my older brothers. The least I could do is name Rowdy after you.”

“We love you Y/N,” Jack says, his lips wobbling. “Thank you for putting up with our brother.”

His words make the four of you laugh. Rowden, sensing your happiness, claps his hand, his smile ever so prominent. You give him a kiss on the cheek, glad your family was one again, and you knew Rowden would grow up very loved.

ynuser

liked by lhughes_06, quinnhughes and 770 others

ynuser also happy 1 year anniversary to my hot hockey boyfriend, lukey warren hughes. thank you for giving me a chance that day back at hogwarts when i asked you out after your quidditch game. we’ve been together for 4 years but you had to go pursue your dreams at umich, and i honestly couldn’t be more proud of where you’re at now. you’re one of the most stubborn, moody, and charming person i know. the best hockey and quidditch player, and most importantly, the best daddy to rowden. keep winning baby, go blue!! 💙

view all comments

lhughes_06 happy 1 year anniversary baby. i thank the gods everyday for sending you to me after my quidditch game. thank you for putting up with my mood swings and hotheaded self. love u and rowdy more than words can express.

↳ ynuser 🥹🥹

jackhughes okaaaay fine i admit you two are pretty cute..

kiellestapa MY OTP

quinnhughes

liked by jackhughes, lhughes_06, ynuser, and 2,432 others

quinnhughes uncle life is pretty cool.

view all comments

jackhughes pretty cool? SUPER cool.

jackhughes we love rowdy

↳ quinnhughes yes we do

ynuser rowdy loves his uncles!!

↳ lhughes_06 he likes me better.

lhughes_06

liked by ynuser, jackhughes, markestapa and 1,500 others

lhughes_06 the monster’s gone, he’s on the run, and your daddy’s here.

view all comments

ynuser beautiful boy.

markestapa best new dad

↳ lhughes_06 love ya buddy.

[foxyyaoguai]

The antis have been all over my posts in the last few days, so I wanted to share my experiences and write a guide on how to deal with them. 

First off: Our ships and character preferences are valid, no matter how hard some people try to demonize them. We are part of fandom and allowed to post about the things we enjoy, just like everyone else. Our fanfics, fanart, video edits, photo edits, etc. are all works of love and they deserve to exist and be explored by others. 

✨ Strategies for dealing with antis ✨

Don’t engage. I have checked the bios of all the antis that left comments under my posts, and the majority of them are minors. You don’t want to talk to minors in fandom spaces!! And a conversation based on logic or reason won’t be possible either. 

Delete their comments. Tumblr, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube allow you to delete comments, DO IT!! You created something with love and hateful comments have no place underneath it. Even if the comment just makes you uncomfortable and isn’t outright hateful, it is perfectly reasonable to delete it for your own sanity.

Block generously. Not only the people who target you specifically but also anyone who engages in character- or ship-bashing. People who do that for one ship will do it for other ships too and it’s extremely bad fandom etiquette. When you see a character or ship-bashing post, block everyone who liked it and then the poster.

Report people for harassment. The rules vary by site, but especially threats of violence should be reported. Also, if someone follows you to another social media site after you’ve blocked them, that is called block evading and you should report that too. 

When you see other people getting hateful comments underneath their posts, leave a nice comment to offset some of the negativity. Your being supportive can make the difference between this person never posting again and them being motivated to keep going. People are always welcome to send me links to a post that is getting targeted by antis and I’ll like it and leave a nice comment. 🥰

Don’t let the bad comments outshine the positive ones! Every time my post gets enough traction for antis to find it, it also gets lots of lovely reactions. Many people have told me that my content and recommendations made them ship my OTP, and that is the single thing that makes me happier than anything else. Take a screenshot and look at these kinds of comments when you feel down. This is the real reason you should keep posting. 

Most hate comments are exceptionally uncreative. It helps to laugh about it, preferably with a friend. ✨ Remember, you used your energy to create something and you should be proud of it!

When you see a creator you like, but they also display obnoxious behavior towards people who like other ships, characters, or dynamics, at the very least don’t give them a platform by sharing their posts. 

Stay safe. Don’t post personal information online. 

It’s completely valid to step away from social media for some time. Private your accounts, turn off notifications, do a canon reread, read some fanfics in peace. Whatever it takes to remind you why you love the things you love. 

Bonus Tip: Watch videos of cute animals to destress. Bunnies nose-booping each other can (and will) cure anti-induced anxiety. :)

✨ Platforms sorted by least to most toxic and my advice for using them ✨

1. Discord 

Discord is great because you can join servers specifically for your favorite characters and ships. If a server doesn’t already exist, consider setting one up! Pro tip: only invite people that have positively interacted with you in the past. A small server consisting of nice people is a lot more fun than a large server consisting of members that can’t get along or are only marginally interested in the topic. 

Fandom Discord servers have clear guidelines on what you can post. As long as you follow the rules, people have no grounds for calling you out. In my experience, moderators are quick to respond to harassment.  

When you join a server and you see they heavily restrict certain types of content, it is a red flag. Proceed with caution, even if you plan to only talk about “safe” characters and ships. 

2. Tumblr

I have rarely gotten hateful comments on Tumblr, and the few times I did they were easy to delete.  

A lot of the older fandom generations use Tumblr and they are more mature and accepting of all kinds of content.

3. Twitter

Twitter makes it easy to curate your own fandom experience. You can mute words you don’t like to see on your timeline, mute and block users, and most people have their ship preferences in their bio.

4. Instagram

My Instagram posts about Jadecest get a lot of positive interaction, even more than on Twitter. There are unpleasant comments once in a while, but they are easy to delete. 

Blocking a user will delete all their comments from your posts. 

5. YouTube

People who don’t like your ship will downvote your videos and downvotes lead to the algorithm not recommending your videos. 

I have gotten a few negative comments, but they are easy to delete. 

6. Reddit 

When you post in a fandom subreddit, everyone will see the post, independent of their ship preferences. 

There are a lot of minors on Reddit. 

You can’t delete comments.

Most fandom subreddits are poorly moderated. 

7. TikTok

I have gotten the most hate comments on TikTok. They can be filtered or deleted, but antis interacting with your video by leaving hate comments will lead to the algorithm recommending your content to even more antis. It can get very ugly. 

If you post on TikTok consider turning off comments, stitches, and video replies. You can also mark your content as 18+, so it won’t get recommended to minors. (Again, antis tend to be underage.)

Platforms are more toxic the more they show your content to people outside your bubble. Discord, Tumblr, and Twitter keep your content relatively well contained to your circle of friends. Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram heavily promote your content outside your bubble, which is good, because more people are going to see it, but also bad, because it reaches more antis. 

~~~

Antis are loud and obnoxious, but it’s important to remember that they are a minority. Ship and let ship still exists, especially among the people who have been in fandom spaces for more than just a few years. Don’t be afraid to post your content and express your love for your favorite characters and ships! I, for one, would love to see your creations, and many other people would love to see them too. 

What are your experiences and strategies for dealing with antis?

[formulacherry]

a carlando instagram au

(milestone edition)

liked by f1, carlossainz55 and others

landonorris 3 years! love you @carlossainz55

carlossainz55 Te amo 😘

liked by landonorris

fan1 i’m crying

fan2 HIS BACK?!!??!

lnfour couple goals!

fan3 my OTP 😭

liked by landonorris, carlosonoros and others

carlossainz55 Happy anniversary @landonorris. I love you 🥰

landonorris i love you more

carlossainz55 Impossible

fan1 IS THAT AN ENGAGEMENT RING ON LANDO????

scuderiaferrari Happy anniversary!

fan2 engagement ring? 👀

fan3 The bed photo omfg

liked by mclaren, landonorris and others

carlossainz55 My world champion 😘🧡 I am so proud of you for how far you have come!!

landonorris couldn’t have done it without you

liked by carlossainz55

f1 LANDOOOOOO

fan1 I’m crying

fan2 the last photo is so cute

mclaren That’s our boy 🥹

danielricciardo Yewwwwwww!!

liked by maxfewtrell, carlossainz55 and others

landonorris from strangers to teammates to friends to boyfriends and now husbands. i’m grateful for you every day. te amo ❤️

fan1 this is so beautiful

team_quadrant The husbands!

fan2 😭😭😭😭😭

fan3 I’m so happy

lewishamilton Congratulations you two! Blessed to have watched your love blossom over the years 🫶🏾

liked by landonorris, pierregasly and others

carlossainz55 Today I married my best friend. It was a long journey to get here but finally we made it. I love you mi Landito 😍

f1 We’re not crying, you are.

fan1 they’re the reason i believe in soulmates

charles_leclerc ❤️

fan2 I’m in tears I love them so much

fan3 OMFGDKDK CONFRATULAFIOJS!!!!!!

liked by carlossainz55, georgerussell63 and others

landonorris you were my first teammate in f1. you showed me the ropes. i know we’re spending the rest of our lives together but it’ll be weird not having you on the grid. congrats on your retirement baby, now you get to be my WAG 😁

fan1 i miss him already

carlossainz55 Thank you amor! Can not wait to be your arm candy 😎

fan2 no bc i can’t deal with him not being on the grid

fan3 Carlos hottest WAG #confirmed

scuderiaferrari Our smooth operator ❤️

liked by landonorris, scuderiaferrari and others

carlossainz55 I am so lucky to have watched you grow from a rookie, to a race winner and to a world champion. Congratulations on your retirement mi amor, I can not wait to see what the future holds for us ❤️

landonorris i love you

fan1 I DON’T WANT HIM TO GO

mclaren 🧡

fan2 all the best in the future lando!

fan3 🥺🥺🥺

liked by carlossainz55, lewishamilton and others

landonorris two becomes three 👶🏻 our baby girl was born at 4:55am on april 30th. she’s happy and healthy and we are absolutely in love!

fan1 omg 😭

danielricciardo I’m gonna corrupt this child

landonorris we know.

fan2 congratulations!!!!!

fan3 So cute! I wonder what her name is

f1 The newest member of the F1 family 🩷

liked by landonorris, fernandoalo_official and others

carlossainz55 Our little family is complete. Baby Norris-Sainz 30/04, 4:55am 🩷 Thank you to everyone for your good wishes!

fan1 she’s beautiful!!

charles_leclerc Tell her that her godfather loves her

carlossainz55 You are not her godfather

charles_leclerc @carlosainz55 ☹️

fan2 OMG she’s gorgeous!!!

fan3 girl dads confirmed

sebastianvettel Congratulations you two. Welcome to fatherhood! Seb x

liked by carlossainz55, carlosonoros and others

landonorris happy birthday to the best husband and daddy in the world 🫶🏼 we love you!

carlossainz55 Thank you mi vida, I love you both so much x

fan1 the best girl dad 🥺

danielricciardo Daddy

landonorris stop

fan2 The last photo omg

f1 Happy birthday @carlossainz55!

fan3 THEY’RE SO CUTE

[terapsina]

Ask game for people who like to ramble about their obsessions. So.

SEND ME A FANDOM (+ number) AND I WILL TELL YOU...

...the moment in the story that I started shipping my OTP from this world.

...my three favorite characters and why I love them so much.

...which scene I would like to erase from the universe and why.

...why you should choose to check out the world of this story and choose three gifs that should underline my point.

...the scene from it that lives in my head rent free.

...which is my favorite platonic or familial relationship in this world.

...how likely I am to follow the writers and directors from this project to their other ones and why.

...a quote from it that means a lot to me.

...which characters I think should have interacted more in canon.

...how many fics I've read that are set in it (approximately and making exaggerated guesstimates).

...what I think of the central character(s).

...what attracted me into checking it out.

...which canon or popular fanon relationship I can't stand or feel 'meh' about and why.

...if I think the largest majority of fics I crave for it are fix-its, nobody-dies-everybody-lives, fluffy fics of my OTP, pining fics for my OTP, or plot heavy Gen stories?

...which character I would choose for the chopping block if I knew the writers wanted to kill someone.

...which character's death would (or did) make me rage-quit.

...the world-building aspect of the story I have the greatest admiration for.

...the perfect number of books/seasons/movies needed to tell this story properly.

...one behind-the-scenes trivia fact I've learned somewhere and my thoughts on it.

...exactly how little or how much headspace this fandom takes up in my brain at any given point.

SEND ME A SHIP (+ number) AND I WILL TELL YOU...

...about my absolute favorite of their scenes and why I love it so much.

...why I do or don't ship them.

...if there's a scene involving them that makes me uncomfortable.

...how many other characters in my opinion see the chemistry of this couple before the couple itself does.

...the three most perfect OTP tags that I can come up with for them.

...what kind of AU fics I'm obsessed with reading about them (or would be if I could find one).

...the scene that I like to point to as proof that they're perfect for each other.

...if I'm most interested in fics about them that focus on fluff, angst, humor, smut or actual plot?

...what my ideal endgame for them is.

...rate the level of stupid they reach in their pining.

...how quickly I started shipping them when I got into the fandom.

...about three of the scenes that make me have feelings and (if available) find the gifs that underline my points.

...if I can watch them in relationships with other characters without feeling gutted.

...which tropes I think describe them the best.

...how I wish their story would go/would have gone.

...three of my fic recs for this ship. And (in the event that I've written something for them) one of my fics involving them that I'm most proud of.

...three of my favorite fanvids for this ship. And (in the event that I've created something for them) one of my videos involving them that I'm most proud of.

...three of my favorite fanart or edits for this ship. And (in the event that I've created something for them) one of my art or edits involving them that I'm most proud of.

...if this is a ship that's likely to take up room in my heart for years and decades to come or if they're the summer romance that will probably fade into the past with a fond memory.

...how and when they should get/should have gotten together.

SEND ME A CHARACTER (+ number) AND I WILL TELL YOU...

...why I love them, like them or hate them.

...how I would have chosen to change their story from canon.

...if I have an OTP for them.

...if I have NOTP for them.

...if I feel like the writers mistreat them or if the story would be better if they were taken down a peg.

...the scene that I think shows just how awesome they really are.

...the scene that I think adds depth to their character or the relationship this character has with someone.

...a headcanon I have about this character.

...which of their relationships I would have cultivated more if it were up to me (both romantic and platonic).

...if I liked them immediately or if took a while before I warmed up to their character. Alternatively, if I disliked them immediately or if they lost my trust as their story progressed.

...how well I actually understand them. Do they feel like a very vivid character to me or are they kind of bland and hard to get invested in?

...how likely I am to seek out (or write) fanfiction for them.

...how I'd do it if they had to be written out of the story.

...what I think they want more than anything else.

...what I think their role in the story is versus what I think it should be.

...my very shallowest of opinions on this character.

...how well they'd do if they got dropped in a horror movie.

...whether or not I would personally trust them to be my friend.

...a song that describes how I feel about this character.

...my queer headcanon for them. Unless they're canonically queer, in which case whether or not I think they're good representation or kinda badly explored.

[octuscle]

looooong loooooong time ago you gave away some magic suitcases. I'm looking for a timeout as a badboy maybe with a racial change cause my life is so straight: graduation last summer, wedding this summer and so on. I want an adventure!

Yes, I still have a suitcase from OTP. I couldn't assign it to anyone. The case was closed a long time ago… If I give you the suitcase, no one will notice.

There's not much in the case. A uniform. A few sports clothes. Protein powder. Energy drinks. All very neatly packed. Looks militarily neat. And even though the suitcase is from Romania, everything is obviously from Russia. At least that's what the flags and coats of arms on the uniform and the Cyrillic characters suggest… Actually, you would have expected something like this in a sports bag or an army backpack rather than a boring Samsonite suitcase. You can't really do anything with these things. But you wanted to go to the gym today anyway. Whatever's in the energy drink, you give it a try.

Shit, that's strong stuff. But you have the feeling that you could tear out trees. You go to the treadmill to warm up. You set the speed to 20 km/h. You wouldn't last a marathon at that speed. But 30 minutes is no problem. You're drenched in sweat. But now you're just getting started. You stand at the punching bag and punch and kick at it as if you've been practising Thai boxing since you were a child. And you have. Just like taekwondo and judo. You are a machine. A killer. Not just in the figurative sense. That's why you were dishonorably discharged from the army. The Serbian one, by the way. Not the Russian one. I admit, as an American you can confuse the flags and the language. Prokleti Amerikanci. Imperijalistički seronje! You spit at the thought of being mistaken for an American. Srbija Srbima. That's not just for decoration on your chest. It's your motto. And that of your comrades. Of course you would have liked to remain a proud member of the Serbian army. But in the end, you're better off with Srpska čast. They embody everything you stand for. Glory and honor for the Serbian people!

Of course you have to get married next summer. Bring good Serbian fighters into the world. But actually, women's asses are too soft for you. You'd rather fuck the asses of real men, well-trained fighters. Just like you are.

I found this awesome picture @zakucavanje. I would like to emphasize that I do not approve of paramilitary and separatist organizations. But I imagine their members to be similar. And the idea makes at least me horny.

[cinderella-ish]

My evolving thoughts on who Yuki should've ended up with, and fanfic's role in changing my mind

So, I want to talk about Yuki Sohma.

Yuki is the member of the main trio in Fruits Basket with whom I most identify. I have little in common with both Tohru and Kyo, and it took me several watches and read-throughs to start to understand their characters/arcs. (I love them, don't get me wrong! I just didn't fully appreciate the depth of their characters/arcs until maybe my third time through the series.)

Yuki, on the other hand, not only had many external qualities in common with me, but the way he grew mirrored some of the ways I changed in early adulthood. His arc felt true to my life, and so he was my favorite character from my first exposure to Fruits Basket.

When I started reading fanfic, I initially limited myself to canon compliant or limited canon-divergence fics, but eventually, I dipped my toes into some alternate pairings. Interestingly, while I truly can't see Tohru with anyone but Kyo, and I can only see Kyo with someone other than Tohru in very specific circumstances, Yuki seems to work with almost everyone he gets paired with. I mean, Yuki and Machi are my OTP, yet I have probably read (and bookmarked) every Yuki/Kakeru fic on Ao3, and some of the most beautiful fanfic I've ever read is Yuki/Kyo.

This confused me at first. Deeply. If Yuchi is my OTP, why do I devour every Yukeru and Yukyo fic?

Well, I think that's because Yuki's arc is, among other things, one where he rejects compulsory romance. This is made explicit in the Cinderella-ish story (why yes this is my favorite part of Fruits Basket, why do you ask?), where he quite literally rejects the role of the prince - the role that's been put onto him by others through the series. I think his arc would have been complete without him ending up with Machi, but there are things about their relationship that make his ending so much more satisfying. In stories where he ends up with Kakeru or Kyo, Machi almost always appears as an important friend for him. I think, for him, having strong bonds outside the Sohmas that he forged on his own was the point, rather than ending up in a relationship.

Anyway, with that out of the way, here are my thoughts on the five most common Yuki pairings on Ao3!

Yuki/Machi

Yes. I love them. 1000/10.

Okay, so the one criticism I have of Yuki/Machi is that Yuki is strongly gay-coded throughout the series, and it would've been awesome to see that play out in the way it was set up. I think that's a huge part of why I connected with Yuki - his arc definitely reminded me of my own experience coming to terms with my own queerness. For more on this, see this exceptional post by @yunsoh

But there are so many moments between them that make me swoon. The chalk scene, first and foremost. I used that scene to talk to my partner about how to support me when my OCD or ADHD is bad. Then there's scene where Yuki figures out why Machi destroys things, then asks to make footprints in the snow together (and tells her he's proud of her! and sees how hard she's worked!). The way he bought her Mogeta memorabilia or figured out she likes red or understood her intent when she chased him around the school to give him a flower and just ended up getting angry at him. The way he understood she bought Tohru a bath set because it's what she would want, just because Kakeru made a similar remark. The way he lit up when he saw Machi's trashed apartment - "the sea of despair."

And the way Machi understood and empathized with Yuki. The way he lit up and started laughing when she called him an airhead. The way she said it took someone like him to notice someone like her. The way she opened up to him and always sought him out. The way Kakeru shipped them. The way he knew she would miss him if he were to disappear, and the way being a support to her was something he needed for himself. The way she accepted him as he actually was, and not the way he thought he was supposed to be. The way she broke the door down with a chair when Yuki was trapped in the storage room. The way he teased her!

They've both been put in seemingly desirable positions within their families, yet those positions are responsible for so much of their pain and trauma. They get each other at a deep level. There's a mutuality to their relationship that Yuki desperately needed. I love them so much!

PS: if you also love Yuki/Machi, come find me on Ao3! I'll be posting some Yuchi content later this week!

Yuki/Kakeru

They have a fantastic and fun dynamic, and they are always touching each other. Kakeru is Yuki's confidant and someone who makes Yuki feel safe in being himself, flaws and all. They help each other grow - Yuki helps Kakeru be more empathetic, and Kakeru helps Yuki become more comfortable with himself. I think this pairing would have also been a satisfying end for Yuki, full stop. I love them, and I will read all your Yukeru fics, please and thank you. (Also, lots of Yukeru writers are just really good writers, so there are some gorgeous works for them.)

Yuki/Kyo

So, I didn't get why this ship was so popular at first, but then I was reminded that Yuki's first thought when he met Kyo was "pretty!" They both secretly admired each other, they're written as foils for each other, and there's a reason enemies to lovers is so popular (and it's called sexual tension).

There's a Yuki/Kyo fic that I'd credit with showing me what fanfic can really do - especially in the ways it expanded the universe, found its own way of handling the curse, and developed the relationship between the two boys in a way that also grew their characters. That fic is The Pursuit of Repeating History by @mistergrass

I do think that Yuki ending up with someone outside the Sohmas is more satisfying for his character arc than someone from the Sohma clan, but his relationship with Kyo is such a key part of his arc that this could be satisfying in its own right.

Yuki/Haru

I absolutely love the relationship these two have in canon. I love how Haru looks out for Yuki, and I love how he drives Yuki a bit crazy. I love how Haru tells Yuki the things he needs to hear, like that it's okay for him to focus on himself for a while, and I love how Yuki braves the Sohma estate to check on Haru. I also love the way Haru can read Yuki like a book.

Haru's words to Yuki about finding someone who will appreciate his fragility and kindness are always so touching. Haru is almost a mentor to Yuki, in a way, or a fairy godmother. (Or a long lost sister?) The fact that he was the one who got Yuki out of isolation at the hands of Akito, or that he was the one person who would check on him just speaks to the strength of his loyalty to Yuki.

I take Haru's statement of "Yuki was my first love" seriously, because he tells Yuki he is serious when Yuki warns him people will take him seriously when he says that. I know there's an argument to be made that Haru is just being his weird self, but that gives me and they were roommates vibes.

Unfortunately, most of the Yuki/Haru fics are dubcon with Dark Haru, which is not something I enjoy reading. What I'd really love to read is an AU where they're together in high school or later, or something that explores Haru's early feelings for Yuki, or just something that explores interesting sides of their characters that are brought out when they're together.

I don't think this would be a terribly satisfying end for Yuki, but I do really love their dynamic.

Yuki/Tohru

Okay, so, full disclosure: I was #teamyuki when I first watched Fruits Basket. Yet now, they're the only pairing on this list that I don't like. Why? Well, as I said above, Yuki's arc is much about rejecting this specific compulsory romance.

Compulsory how? Well, from the beginning, the series seems like it's setting up a love triangle, but kind of tells us (more and more explicitly as the series goes on) that things are not what they seem.

I think the series does a phenomenal job of making the reader/viewer complicit in placing this compulsory romance onto Yuki. A brief aside, making the reader/viewer complicit in the thing a story is criticizing is one of the most effective ways to criticize something, IMO, because it doesn't let the reader/viewer off the hook. We don't get to say, "Look at them, they're so foolish!" We're forced to examine our own expectations and acknowledge that we were made a fool of, too.

I totally got tingles at the spa scene (pictured above), even though upon rewatch, it's obvious how much of an act it is on Yuki's part, and how uncomfortable it makes Tohru. In fact, many of their most "romantic" moments, where the shojo bubbles appear and everything, are when Tohru is acting in an explicitly motherly way to Yuki, and he awkwardly tries to flirt because he's either misinterpreting his feelings or in denial about them.

I also thought his line, "that isn't what I want!" when he tells Kakeru about his true feelings for Tohru is one of the most powerful moments in the series. It's the moment he's finally letting go of being the Princely character and choosing to be himself, for himself, because he deserves to be known and accepted - something he'd never fully believed until that moment.

I think part of why I was initially #teamyuki was because I came to Fruits Basket through the anime first, where much of the development of his relationship with Machi was cut. Also, as I said above, I didn't really get the characters of Kyo and Tohru right away, and I think that prevented me from seeing the power of their romance. The True Form arc was a key moment that I truly didn't understand until several viewings/readings later.

So, all of that is why I don't care for this pairing. I get why people do, but I do feel it undermines Yuki's agency and his character arc. It's a pairing that makes me sad when I see it, as if this character I love has taken a step backward.

(Incidentally, I've been wanting to write a fic where the True Form arc plays out differently and Yuki takes longer to realize the nature of his feelings for Tohru. I truly wonder how he would've come to that understanding without witnessing her running after Kyo. Would he have tried dating her? Would it have been a total disaster?)

Other pairings and larger relationship structures

Out of the other pairings I found, the only one I'm genuinely curious about is Yuki with Saki Hanajima. I'll have to go read those fics. They are each the "cold" half of a "hot/cold" duo (the "hot" halves being Kyo and Arisa, who are basically the same person). I'm very curious what led people to pair them in the handful of fics about them!

(Interestingly, I think it's possible to read Saki and Arisa both as having a bit of sexual tension with Kyo, but not with Yuki.)

The others include Akito, Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure - all pairings that would have a noncon/dubcon element due to Yuki's age, and that's before you get into the specific traumas that these characters have inflicted on Yuki, or the inherent power dynamics between them, or the close familial relationship with Ayame, etc...

The trio relationships are all intriguing and full of possibility. Yuki/Tohru/Kyo? Obviously. Yuki/Kakeru/Kimi? Potential for lots of wackiness. Yuki/Kyo/Haru? Could be the next Mabudachi trio.

(No shade to anyone who enjoys fics with the pairings or tropes I don't like! This blogger believes in "don't like, don't read.")

[stevebabey]

Congrats on da followers dearest!!! How about a blurb? “I wouldn’t wanna fight you. You’re pretty feisty.” with you know who ;) tbh that entire 45 OTP list gives me bf Steve vibes, very well selected babe 😌

sanne honey thank u!!! i make keith such a villain lmao but plots gotta plot yanno - hope u love this, mwah mwah MWAH <33

You think, if you could, you might genuinely feed Keith to a demogorgan for all the nastiness he gives your boyfriend.

It’s disheartening to watch Steve leave the house in the morning, chest puffed out and smiles easy as you kiss him goodbye before you depart yourself — only for him to come back to you deflated, shoulders slumped and a smile nowhere in sight.

Steve comes to yours today, like you’d both agreed. He lets himself in the door and trudges up the stairs with such heavy feet you hear him coming despite your loud music. Reaching out, you swivel the dial on the radio. The music lowers, just as Steve knocks lightly on your bedroom door.

He’s sweet. You’re expecting him, but he’ll still knock.

“Come in if you’re handsome!” You call out, already beginning to smile, just ‘cos he’s here.

The door nudges open slowly. It’s a pitiful sight. Steve’s always been a pouter. His bottom lip is jutted out, clearly looking for sympathy. It’s good thing you adore coddling him.

Steve seems to perk up just a tad at the sight of you, stretched out on the bed, with a book between your hands. He beelines for it. When his legs reach the edge, he folds easily and flops onto the mattress facedown, then groans.

“Oh, Stevie,” you sigh, ditching your book in an instant. You reach out and card your fingers through his shaggy hair. It needs a cut, you think absentmindedly, as you comb through it. You wonder if he’ll let you— it’s an awful lot of trust.

You hold your tongue but he doesn’t speak up, which raises an alert within you. When there’s no long-winded bitch that he’s been holding in all day, you know it must’ve been rough today.

“Keith again?”

“Yeah.” The word is muffled against your comforter, all quiet. You barely hear it.

“Want me to fight him?” You ask, maybe only half joking. Fingers soothe along his scalp again, halting slightly when he digs his face out and turns it to see you. His cheek smushes against your sheets. His eyes are already brighter, the beginnings of a smile twitching at the ends of his mouth.

“Uh huh.” He says.

You mistake his genuineness for teasing and narrow your eyes, your hand in his hair stopping its movements all together. Steve lets out a grumble and his pout returns.

“You don’t think I could?” You raise your brows, voice light but enthused. “I would so win that fight. I can’t believe you don’t think I’d win that fight!”

Your distraction works wonders as Steve’s head pops up, amusement dancing on his features as he bats a hand to interrupt your spiel. “I didn’t say that!” He insists.

He props himself up on an elbow and blows a piece of stray hair back from his eyes. All signs of his dreariness begin to melt away the longer he’s with you.

“Even I wouldn’t wanna fight you,” He counters with a proud smile.

“You’re pretty fiesty.” He punctuates his words with a light jab to your ribs suddenly, making you yelp. You smack away his hand lightly but Steve’s already twisting it, covering your hand with his own, and tugging it towards him before you can blink.

“You vs. Keith? No-brainer.” He assures earnestly, grazing a kiss against your fingers. Damn him, he’s good. More than anything, you’re pleased that he’s feeling better. The better the mood Steve is in, the more kisses you seem to get. It’s a rule of thumb.

“Yeah, yeah, thank you,” You continue, still voicing the dramatic tone. “I’d just wave a bottle of shampoo in his direction and he’d just disintegrate entirely.”

You feel Steve’s breath against your fingers as he laughs, curling his grip a bit tighter. He pulls, urging you closer and you are in no mood to deny him. Wiggling over, you get close enough to feel the warmth emanating from him, to smell the musk of his cologne. Faintly, you can pick out your own shampoo scent. Little thief, you think to yourself lovingly.

His arms slither around you, warm and tan, and you hum happily at the closeness, letting him bundle you up. You press a quick kiss to his jaw, the easiest access but Steve chases your lips til he captures them. It’s sweet as syrup and gentle enough that you crave another — and another, and another. The radio plays love songs as you let him come home to you through a matter of touch.

join the celebration!

[autumnslance]

Year of the OTP - November 2023 - Missing Scars

(An unusual look at the "De-aging" prompt, perhaps, but Shadowbringers' resolution for the Scions sits with me. 980 words.)

The differences were so subtle, it was difficult to explain. Six years all told had passed, which was not many, but just enough.

In six years in the First, he had watched children and adolescents grow up—had watched Ryne grow up, most importantly. Yet now, looking out over the Toll, local children exactly as he remembered them played in the yards and through the streets of their small frontier town.

Animals too; six years could be quite some time for many a beloved pet or farm animal. In dangerous lands and uncertain areas, six years was an entire lifetime for many. Yet the same dogs and cats scampered through the Toll after their masters.

The external similarities, where he expected changes, were not the only ones, of course. He turned back to the hand mirror and inspected his eye once more.

After his misadventure in the Lifestream, and all that had followed in Coerthas, and then their participation in liberating Ala Mhigo, he just hadn’t taken the time to let it rest and heal. The best he had done, that he could do, for so long was to keep it covered and unused, or at least as little as possible. His depth perception had suffered, and even now he had to practice to get back to using both his eyes, instead of compensating for missing one.

His body’s enforced slumber, tended to by their excellent healing staff, had finally allowed the aetheric damage time to heal. He didn’t see so much as a wisp of aetheric underlay, there was no eye strain, no clouded vision. He had been concerned about that, returning from the First to his own body once again. But the damage was finally healed.

A few other aches and pains he thought he ought to have seemed to have vanished as well; he couldn’t be certain if it was due to the rest, or if their healer team had taken advantage of his soul’s absence to repair some old damages.

Not to mention missing scars; he knew when he had arrived in the First, his mental image of his Self had neglected a few minor ones, or those he did not see and think about often.

Aeryn had noticed. The first time they were together as lovers again, she had noted the differences in his scars; some missing, some new—to her anyroad, there in Norvrandt, and his misadventures over the years he had spent caring for Ryne while missing Aeryn.

He had not asked yet about the changes to his scars again now. The ones they had forgotten, the ones that were now missing—all the evidence of his time in that other realm. Scars were stories, and so he had always been proud of his. Evidence of times he had survived, his years of experiences.

Six years wiped away and lost forever.

He finished shaving, cleaning and packing away his kit, tossing the soapy water. “You look years younger, clean-shaven and with your hair cut” more than one person had told him, in more or less those words. He had, perhaps, let himself go a bit, after Dravania.

After the Antitower.

Aeryn had never minded the stubble and long hair, but Ryne had quietly bullied him into shaving and trimming up. And it had made him look more fitting to be her guardian in the First, rather than a rough wilderness scout.

He turned, and found Aeryn silently watching him now, arms crossed, leaning on the doorway as he stood on the small balcony. “The washroom not bright enough?” she asked.

He shrugged. “That, and I didn’t want to disturb you, sleepyhead.”

“As if I ever mind being woken by you,” she pouted.

“Oh, you mind. I simply know best how to distract you from your ire,” he teased.

She blushed, as he knew she would, tracing her finger down an old scar on his bare chest. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Fit as a fiddle—though we shall see if Krile agrees, and allows me to train with Radovan yet.”

“Just don’t overdo it, old man,” she joked.

“Oh, don’t you start that again,” he grumbled as she giggled. He frowned, looking down and away in thought. “I do keep forgetting how old I am now. I have to think about it.”

Her fingertip hooked under his chin, turning his gaze back to her lovely gray eyes. “Old enough,” she said gently, pulling him in for a kiss.

He hummed thoughtfully as they broke, leaning his forehead on hers. “There is some time before I’m due to see our healers,” he noted. “Perhaps a private demonstration of just how young and healthy I feel right now is in order.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she murmured, blush tinging her ears now. She traced another scar, still reacquainting herself with his reset appearance.

“That isn’t a no,” he pointed out, slipping his hand under her shirt to touch her skin, fingertips finding a scar that she had earned in the First, that she got to keep, having been there in both body and soul, only five physical years between them now instead of six. It wasn’t much time at all really, and yet—

His thoughts came to a stop as she pulled away, clasping his hand to draw him after her. Her face was very red now, the ease with which her blush appeared ever endearing. “It wasn’t, and there is time,” she said.

Five of those years had been spent missing her. There had been an underlying fear of growing old—worse, growing old without her.

But only a handful of moons had passed in the Source, those years he spent in the First reset, only the memories good and bad remaining. And here she yet was, here they both were, finding what had changed and what remained the same for all those years that had passed in no time at all.

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

Mischief has received a tag!

@soliloquent-stark Tagged me to do this thing!

rules: list the first line(s) of your last 10 (or however many you have) posted fics and see if there’s a pattern!

1. May: Part 5 of Frost & Forge-Fire: A Year of OTP 2023 Frostiron 12 Month Anthology of a Relationship

The first time Loki sent Tony flowers, he was off on a mission with Steve, Thor, and Natasha while the inventor stayed behind with the others to worry about their significant others.

2. A place where sinners fall in love

Loki stared at the wreckage around the entrance hall of the palace, vases and other statues overturned and shattered across the once clean and shining marble floor.

(Note: That is not the exact first line, but it's the first line that's not just Loki's inner thoughts.)

3. Dancing in my storm

“Is this something the Avengers can and, more importantly, will help us with?”

4. To be in love with the masterpiece

“Loki! Where’re you headed? The studio’s back that way,” Steve called out when he saw one of his friends booking it away from the art building. He was on his way to the art studio from the parking lot and caught the swish of a short black ponytail bouncing in the opposite direction.

(Note: Okay, you got me. It's more than just one line.)

5. Eden revives in the first kiss of love

When Logan woke up, it was to the caress of sunlight on his eyelids and the warm breath of a kiss on his lips.

6. Under blue moon, I saw you

“Oh sweet fucking Norns,” Loki exclaimed.

7. You are the ghost behind my eyes

Steve had returned all of the Infinity stones as per his last mission as Captain America.

8. Heartache to heartache, we stand

Thanos’ army arrived like a swarm, decimated the compound, and left the sky black as if they’d put out the sun.

9. Take me back to the night we met

Tony bent over his scratched and dented Iron Man helmet.

10. Half past four and shifting gear

“You hear about Loki?”

Holy crap! I have patterns! Ones that my college creative writing profs would be so proud of me for. At least in these 10 fics (and very likely the ones following those), I start my fics either with immediate action or dialogue (speaking = action). I do remember when I started writing back in the Middle Stone Ages that I thought I needed to always "set the scene," especially with long rolling descriptions so anyone reading could 'see' where they were. I think I still sometimes try to set the scene, but it was 'gently' recommended by two of the profs I admire the most to start with action, dialogue, and one of them especially loved starting a story In medias res, and with "Under blue moon, I saw you," that was the start I gave it.

Who'da thunk that at almost 51, I'd finally grasp all those things my favorite writing profs kept encouraging? Go me!

Anyone else pick up patterns I haven't mentioned (or noticed)?

Tagging: @scottxlogan @mcfiddlestan @endlesstwanted @kleenexwoman @kedreeva @mistressofmuses @song-witch @stormxpadme @securitybreach @loni4ever @chaoticgardenbread @holistic-alcoholic @renlybaratheon-tyrell and anyone else who wants to play!