#rich people names

[fated-mates]

It’s a Jen week this week! We’re reading Bet Me this week, the book many people put right on the top of Best Contemporary Romance lists — one of Jen’s favorite books and a book Sarah liked to tell people she loved but has now discovered she’d never actually read. Minerva and Cal are absolutely terrific, as is this book, and we’re having a rollicking conversation about fat rep, about friendships in romance, about food (Sarah’s love language), about shoes, and about why grown people at little league games are a weird thing.

S02.36: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie: I wanna mash their faces together. (5/13/20)

[mycological-mariner]

First day of Pride and I just want to shine a light on all the trans people who are unable to transition, especially those who aren’t fresh faced university grads. Those who don’t live in a supportive or even just accepting home or community. Those who aren’t well off, those who aren’t good at or popular enough to crowd fund. Those who can’t afford transitioning. Those who can’t even transition socially or need to stay in the closet for your safety. Those who rely on benefits or unforgiving jobs to just pay the bills. Having to hear day in and day out you’re just GNC, that your pre-transition body is “ugly” and the ways you can express your gender are “cringe.” Every trans person who’s been told they aren’t “trying hard enough”. Those trans people who won’t even get to imagine transitioning for years.

I see you. I love you. You’re so undervalued and under appreciated in a world where being a white, well off 20 year old on HRT and getting surgery is more common to see than people who work full time and just don’t have that privilege. It sucks, so much. But you are loved and you are seen.

Happy Pride Month to trans people who aren’t where they want to be. The world is better with you in it. We all need each other.

[fayevalcntine]

The whole framing of Lestat as the sole symbol of patriarchy that fandom is so desperate to put him in doesn't work unless you deliberately ignore how he was also a victim of rape and abuse before he was turned. People want him to be fit into this strict role of "father figure/violent husband/perpetrator" that is only that and not even a whole person, and in doing so they need to push aside the fact that despite being his family's provider, he was also pushed into that role when his father forbid him from joining a monastery or gaining an education that he wanted. Lestat wanted to run away with a theater group as a kid, and actually managed to do so once Gabrielle gave him her blessing and monetary support in order to go to Paris. He didn't always want to be the provider, he was forced into that role and became despondent when he thought he would never get a chance to leave his home.

His new life prior to being turned is pretty much the antithesis to the whole "Lestat is a manly man who would sooner throw up than be compared to a woman" spiel: he lived with another man in Paris while also being an actor, having left his family and "responsibility" to them. The only family member he was ever close to was his mother, all the other male members shunned or ridiculed him. Add onto that the fact that his turning firmly placed him within the role of the damsel/victim: he's kidnapped from his bed by a stranger, taken into a tower and left to rot while being fed on for a week, before then being raped and violently turned all while never even being asked if he would consent to it in any normal circumstance. But you of course have to ignore all of this if you want him to only represent the aggressor/patriarch while Louis is the helpless unhappy matriarch of the family.

My issue isn't that I think Louis isn't a victim, it's that it's not unrealistic for Lestat to be an aggressor/abuser while also displaying traits that aren't regularly assigned to stereotypical depictions of male characters. He's abusive to Claudia while also having been a victim of abuse from his own family. He's not a good maker/teacher, but he also didn't even have one when he was turned. He's the provider/attempted protector of the family and seemed to like being that, while also having run away from his own family prior to this to act in a theater in Paris. He's a rich white man while also being obviously effeminate in public spaces, even to Tom's own bigoted humor.

Like Louis' own complicated story with being his family's benefactor and provider, you can't firmly place Lestat as being one thing or another in terms of gender ideals without deliberately ignoring parts about him that don't fit this. And I don't think it's an absolute necessity, when even in Louis' own story, Lestat isn't stripped of his effeminate mannerisms or behavior while also being the abusive maker/father/lover.

[just-sp-in-inginthevoid]

Mikey & South's Parallels

@chaoticdelinqueerwithglitter, get your bingo card ready ;p

- They both had ill mother who couldn't raise/take care of them

-Absent father. We don't know where South's is and Mikey's dad is dead

- bc of that, raised by someone else

- Mikey has a Japanese mother and a not-completely Japanese dad | Not sure about South's parents but his mother has light hair so it is likely that she's Brazilian, at least partially and his father is Japanese (+ South's family name is Japanese so it's likely it is his father's)

-> (South was born in Japan it seems ("Minami was a foreign child", chapter 227), so perhaps he did know Japanese as a child (perhaps lost it with time tho) and we can only speculate about how and why he came to Brazil with his mom and why they ended up in a favela)

- Mikey is called that: Mikey. And Manjiro by only very few people - South is called South, and Minami by no one in canon -> both being English name

- After losing both of their parents (& Dino in South's case), they go live with their grandparent(s)

- can bond over and understand each other's dark impulse in a way nobody else can

- childish (they deserve to be)

- Mikey kept his old blanket from his childhood - South has dinosaur plushies (metaphorically having Dino keep an eye on him) (I promise they're dinosaurs. They must be. That's how I see them.)

- Both lost paternal figure at 12 y/o bc of the dark impulses (Dino died by South's own hands, I agree that the presence of the dark impulse here is debatable - Shinchiro died bc of the curse influencing Kazutora)

- Mikey was supposed to inherit BD - South took over Dino's gang

- Mikey got Shinichiro's bike & bedroom after his death - South took Dino's jewelry and got a tattoo similar to Dino's

- HYPNOTIC EYES. Mikey's abyssal eyes suck your soul in and South's are just... Well first, too many with his tattoos, and second they look like he has eyes inside of his eyes (and circles inside circles inside circles inside circles... are the most basic form of hypnotic image)

- Have their hair tied up in past-present time/the first time we meet them

- Mikey is the second smallest man character in TR (so close to first place!) - South is the tallest man character in TR (and just the tallest period)

- Their image color (red & green) are complementary colors

Dino and Shinichiro:

- The one taking on the responsibility to take care of the ill mother (the hospital calls Shinichiro and not grandpa Sano when Mama Sano's condition got worse)

- Showed the delinquent way to them (different way tho: Mikey has witnessed the funny & entertaining, playful and 'relaxed' side of it - South had the right to experience violence from the start)

+ Shinichiro showed it to Mikey because he had a great experience with it and wanted his baby brother to be as happy as he was - We can only speculate why Dino wanted South by his side

- Shinichiro is Mikey's brother but we don't know why Dino started to take care of South and his mom

- Death was karmic: literally for Shin since he died by the curse he himself created the same way he killed to get time leaper powers, and for Dino it's more bc he asked for it with how he raised South

- Shinichiro is the only one (from what we know) who keeps calling Mikey Manjiro no matter the years vs Dino was the one to change Minami's name to South

- Ruined Mikey's life by traumatizing him with the curse and its consequences (of course, didn't mean to) - Ruined South's life by traumatizing him with.. making him kill people and all

- Both wear a chain around their neck

[londonfoginacup]

.

[bruciemilf]

Positively bonkers for a spoiled brat, 20 something Bruce being booted to farmer Clark Kent to "make an honest boy" out of him

Luckily, Thomas' old college friend, John Kent, thinks his boy might help Brucie Wayne just fine. (He's totally not playing matchmaker, nossir

After those horrible rumours he spread about Local Saint (TM) and family friend Carmine Falcone, there was no way but down. " He's a crook, scheming, fake mobster trash and you KNOW that!"

" Bruce; It's one thing to be nasty. It's another to be nasty towards others." Thomas and Martha are at the end of their rope; Their baby is adorable, but they can't enable his behaviour more than they already have. " Now you're going to be nice and not DIFFICULT, so Alfred can stop chewing us out, okay?"

oh bruce is hot and fuming silently, but Thomas and Martha are long gone, their Corvette vanishing in Smallville's golden dust.

" Thanks for this." hissing like a disgruntled kitten, Bruce easily picks up his bags.

Clark hums, says he'll do good work around the stables with those arms after all, and Bruce raises an eyebrow. Snorts. " You're funny. It's good to know you're funny,"

and Clark IS smiling (and ofc the bastard has the prettiest most heart melting smile, too) but it inspires no humor.

"... You're serious."

" Like Mother's Day."

" Okay, this won't take long. So, how much? Papa didn't leave me enough, I only have like, a couple thousands on my card, but is that gonna buy your silence on me bailing out of here? I have a spa appointment in, -"

" I don't think the rats in the barn can do your nails, but we can try."

"...Rats?"

" You know, those things with long tails and big teeth?"

" Very funny," Bruce is DISTURBED. '' Well I can't go anywhere in half of what I brought. Shame."

Something about that glare tells him he should stop talking and Bruce isn't good at that, but he makes an effort.

He looks around; It's an adorable house really. Looks almost identical to one of those dollhouses he played with as a kid.

" Cute place. Really elegant for the budget. But where are you gonna stay?"

Clark is amused; Albeit a little, but amused none the less. " There's a nice shoe box around here. I'm sure I'll fit there if I'm stubborn enough."

" ... No way."

" Yes way."

" But - but, there's only ONE shower?! Only one bathroom? I can't live like this!"

Clark shrugs his ridiculously toned shoulders and points to the barn, " Your second option isn't looking too hot, darlin'. " Then leaves Bruce alone, a blushing mess of satin shirt and muddied shoes.

He screams, " I HATE YOU!" To the trail of tires that left him in that horrible place before driving off back to Gotham, to their sweet Rosé and designer clothes and his beloved Alfred. Only for a few minutes. " ... I didn't mean that!"

At least the ducklings are cute. He fails at most chores, but he plays with them and tries to sneak them into the house, " Because it IS cold for them, CLARK!"

[nashvillethotchicken]

I wish there were more black people who were into iwtv so I can talk about how Louis's class and race interests intersected

[vicsy]

a 1.4k Strollonso ficlet in this trying time. some slightly tenderhorny introspection, really.

It’s in the way every living soul keeps patronizing him. 

It’s in the way, when Sebastian says his heartfelt goodbyes at the end of the season party, he clasps Lance’s shoulder and bids him good luck for the year to come. It has nothing to do with him driving; it’s about who he’ll be driving with. 

It’s in the way his father never gave him the talk but when Fernando Alonso gets signed to Aston Martin, Lawrence sits him down and they talk for an hour or two, touching on the entire history of the F1 that Lance knows already, for the love of god, and he’s pretty miserable by the time his dad sings praises to Fernando’s skills, underlining his holy like importance to the team. 

It’s in the way he can’t fucking log on twitter in the off-season without being hit by a barrage of insanity and, frankly, poorly made memes created to feed a certain narrative while Lance hasn’t even met Fernando in the role of his new teammate, even though they’ve shared the grid for years. 

Lance doesn’t really care; that is, basically, his whole brand and he lives the good life, untethered and unbothered, surrounded by wealth, love, a particular thrill.

And yet. 

Fernando Alonso is a perpetual wildcard and Lance builds his attitude around this little image, prepared for some sort of psychological warfare but it never happens. Fernando is in his space every day — testing, meetings, strategy planning; once at a get-along dinner his father planned. Lance should be bored and bitching his way out but he’s stuck with this enigma of a man, sitting in front of him, sharing a meal and some wine while Lawrence explains the unexplainable things the team did to the car. 

His mind wanders to the reasons he’ll be brushed off this season, just a young brat racing alongside a living legend again but then Fernando raises a toast and Lance’s name falls off his lips with that lilting accent and– 

It’s the wine or something in the air or a shell inside his chest that cracks open to let a little light in, all while Fernando talks, spilling niceties and compliments, and that image Lance built somewhat falls apart. 

Maybe it’s because Fernando hasn’t run him off the track yet or glared at him in a way some people that have been around long enough call a death stare; maybe Lance hasn’t spent enough time in his company to earn a reputation, to become a part of the feud that’ll go down in history. So many teams, he knows, have fallen by the wayside over less. 

Oh, but it’s such a good play because Fernando has eyes only for him like the rest don’t exist, and Lance finds himself caught like a fly in a glue trap, an object of his sole undivided attention, and Esteban fucking warned him profusely, that’s how Fernando operates. Lures you into a manic little game only he can win. 

And all those precautions are mushed together in Lance‘s brain, he knows, he knows but Fernando’s usual sharpness doesn’t cut him into bits and pieces, the lack of malice he was preparing to meet like an unwanted guest non-existent in the space between them, in the constant close proximity. It’s confusing and Lance is a shit actor. He can’t bring himself to feign ignorance or pretend to put on the face of someone he’s not. 

The picture everyone paints of Fernando is skewed, so when Lance catches a glimpse of his true colors, all of his plans to stick it to the man burst at the seams, crumbling like a house of cards. 

For all of Lance’s naivety, for how easily he follows down that narrow path, it’s a rush no money can buy. A touch here, a not-so-friendly pat there, a show of teeth in a smile that is lethal and Lance knows Fernando wants a taste, craves to do so much more, something unspeakable, something that could turn into the nastiest paddock gossip to this day but it’s exhilarating — knowing he does that to a man by simply existing. Knows that, maybe, he wants it, too. 

And it doesn’t take them long to fall into the bed together or, rather, it’s Lance who falls, perhaps for some elaborate scheme Fernando is running on him because who is he if not a villain with a plan for mayhem. 

And yet. 

It’s in the way Fernando softly kisses both his wrists, carefully thumbs at the bandages, smoothing them with furrowed brow, and Lance feels like he might get shattered by that fondness reserved just for him. 

It’s in the way he makes a face at another flock of reporters, forever annoyed by the implications they keep oh so implicit, but a private smile tugs at the corners of his lips the moment Fernando appears behind him, a palm splayed wide on the small of his back, his own smile shark-like when he says how great Lance is doing, how the team is proud of the work he puts in. 

It’s in the way he feels more than an heir to the old money, more than his privilege and some character quirks that label him as spoiled when they are alone, Lance’s long legs pillowed in Fernando’s lap and the lights are dimmed with just a TV on. He makes a dumb joke, fighting a flutter in his chest, and Fernando laughs unabashedly, swatting his thigh while all the jostling causes his phone to slip between the couch cushions, the old race reruns playing out muted in the background. 

And every time Fernando pushes into him unhurriedly, surrounded by the faceless hotel room walls, it washes away everything Lance is constantly bottling down inside; the little flame burns brighter with each languid thrust, with a hand between his shoulder blades, with a kiss placed at the back of his neck. Fernando holds him through it insanely close as Lance pants into the pristine white sheets, wet from stray tears and come, patches soaked through under his trembling knees. 

And every time Fernando gets rough with him, hand coming down hard on his reddened ass because Lance had been in a mood, riling Fernando up, giving as good as he gets, to the point where he ends up bent in half, cock straining and weeping from each slap, each word reaching his ears seeped in unearthly lust. The breakneck speed of a racing car doesn’t quite match the adrenaline hit, doesn’t reduce Lance to whimpers and croaky moans, doesn’t push him to the edge of begging. 

And every time Fernando spends what feels like hours cleaning him up and licking traces of his orgasm off Lance’s skin before plopping down next to him, sweaty and out of breath, sucking a mark into his neck, Lance feels like his floating, finally out of his head. Fernando teases him with a twinkle in his eyes, forever kind where he looks at him, and Lance playfully bites his shoulder in return, then smiles into the pillow before sleep claims him, a heavy arm thrown over his waist, grounding him. 

And it’s Fernando, Fernando, Fernando — every time, all the time, and Lance finds himself suddenly caring, wanting, feeling like he doesn’t wish for it to end, ever. Like losing at this game they play is worth having a life inside a life; something real and fragile and raw encapsulated between who they both are to the outside world. 

And yet. 

It spins out of control like a car on a wet track, rules to the game Lance never bothered to learn forgotten and discarded, but he knows, among the sound of the engine running, the buzzing lamp in the meeting room, or the commotion just before a race. He knows, somewhere among all the sneaking around, stealing time together under the guise of team building, the false pretense got stripped away from Fernando’s actions. Lance knows, dares to look past the man behind a legacy, past a villainous haze. 

It’s in the way Lance knows they’ve abandoned the chase, the thrill, or it left them without as much as a warning. 

It’s in the way Lance seeks Fernando out with his eyes only to find him already staring at him, reading his features like an open book, his heart beating out of sync.

It’s in the way there is no turning back but Lance only looks forward and Fernando is holding his hand over the car console, squeezing his knee under the table at dinner while no one is looking, embracing him from behind with a kiss to his bare shoulder blade while the ribbons of morning light stream through the kitchen window. 

It just leaves Lance wondering. 

How can someone love so loud, so deafening, without a single word. 

[is-the-owl-video-cute]

I strongly agree that there are world events that deserve much more news coverage and resources than the Titan because frankly it should’ve been immediately assumed they were dead when sonar couldn’t find them and communication was lost.

However, I don’t necessarily think it’s fair to compare the EU coast guard and the US and Canada's various first response teams that responded to the Titan. Because they’re separate entities.

Do I think people should care more about the refugee ship that capsized due to alleged incompetence of the coast guard? Yes. I do. And I hope more survivors can be found because that was a genuine tragedy.

Do I think that it should be getting the same kind of attention as the Titan? Not really. Because people are just memeing on the Titan, and the average tumblr user has around $0.20 to their name and maybe 400 followers so this isn’t a very good platform for getting meaningful help for those affected by that situation.

This isn’t even a “you can care about two things at once” situation, because again with the Titan you should be very amused by 4/5 of those deaths whereas there’s nothing funny about what happened to that fishing ship. These are very different niches in cultural awareness and your ire should be towards media companies over random people on social media.

[pastelwhile-art]

Cause

Cause he doesn't eat any dishes in the game

No text version under cut

[im-not-buying-it-ether]

I need Billy to get Clark Kent-ed in a fic and sent to cover a Wayne gala

Billy and Bruce meet, names are exchanged, and Bruce worries if this kid is doing okay and if there’s a father position open. Billy is there for some Wayne-Sivana partnership with Magnificus, asking a lot of well informed questions and acting like a little cherub.

Them bad guys break in, one has a gun to Billy’s head and Billy, in true street kid fashion and with the experience from his last 57 kidnapping attempts; bites the hand over his mouth, throws the guy whose twice his size over himself and twists his arm, and dismantles the gun before Batman swoops in and saves the rest of the day.

Batman checks on him, asking if he’s okay, and Billy drops the good kid act and straight up tells him to piss off because he’s not getting adopted by a furry man-child who lives a state away from his hometown

Any Robin or sidekick that was there just cheers the kid on from the roof top screaming “DODGED THAT BULLET!” after having spent the whole gala trying to keep them apart before Bruce could bust out the adoption papers

[tinylilvalery]

What y'all didn't understand about Bitey was that it wasn't this moment where Tomshiv suddenly became equal and safe to be themselves both truly. It was entirely on Shiv's terms. They only play Bitey because Shiv initiates it and tells Tom to bite her hard.

Listen, Tom got Shiv the Scorpion. I love you. You kill me. I kill you. Yeah Tom started to think maybe Shiv could love him as he loves her: in his entirety and not just the nice parts.

And then Shiv punishes him by shitting on his reputation at a party they're throwing together as payback by spreading rumour he's gonna be fired,,, all cos she didn't like the scorpion, and furthermore the idea of you kill me I kill you, we stab each other, we both get to bite each other, we both get to hurt each other - not just you hurting me, we're both scorpions, we're both equal, you sting me and I sting you. We're equal.

But they're not and they never will be. Cos Shiv loves like her father does: an owner that kicks a loyal dog to see how quickly it returns. Cos Shiv expects Tom to love it when she hurts him, but it's not allowed for him to hurt her back, to sting her back, to bite her back. Cos it's not about equality in a relationship for her, sorry, it's about playing with power dynamics for her in a fetishistic way. It's exciting for her when Tom bit back because ultimately she told him to and moreso could stop it at any time. It's only allowed under her circumstances - of which she's still in power always. She'd never allow Tom to be equal to her truly.

[myreygn]

modern au dad askeladd except he's not an actual dad but this random kid shows up to his house every day and tries to have beef over the closed food store askeladd bought and turned into an antiquarian store. turns out the food store used to be run by the kid's father until he passed away which is very sad of course but also askeladd is not gonna cooperate with some brat that borderline harasses him day by day. only that he can't call the cops because he kinda has a turbulent past and if they find out he's filling his store with stolen goods it's gonna become a huge problem. and note to destiny, the stupid kid finding out is not that great either because now he has to hear it out if he doesn't wanna go to prison and also he should probably learn the demon child's name while he's at it. shenanigans ensue.

[nashvillethotchicken]

Ldpdl need some friends he ain't fuckin or kin with and bad. Like real bad

[luminarai]

You know when you read a piece of fiction - book, short story, fanfic, what have you - and there’s just one tiny detail that just takes you completely out of the story?

I just read a passage in a piece of original fiction where the main character hugs a friend and tells us she smells like the ‘delicate rose and jasmine of her familiar Chanel No 5’ and my brain just screeched to a halt. Tell me you googled ‘famous fancy perfume’ and picked the first two scent notes you saw without telling me. Many things can be said about that particular fragrance I don’t think anybody with a working nose would describe it as ‘delicate florals’.

[bestmutt]

WAIT THIS IS FUN which other terrible shitty rich people do you wanna absolutely beat the shit out of and then send to the wildlife we should make a list

FHDSJFDS HMM LETS SEE.

JEFF BEZOS (FUCK AMAZON)

TIM COOK (CEO OF APPLE. WHY DO THERE GOTTA BE A NEW IPHONE EVERY YEAR... WE DONT NEED THAT MANY PHONES.... THEY ALL SUCK AND SHIT AND EXPLODE STOP MAKING SHITTY PHONES)

BILL GATES (MICROSOFT SUCKS)

SUNDAR PICHAI (GOOGLE SUCKS)

NEAL MOHAN (CEO OF YOUTUBE. FUCK YOU FOR THAT ANTI AD BLOCKER BULLSHIT. I HATE YOU I HATE YOU)