#so... That's why I'm feeling compelled to talk and talk and talk in the tags

[hecatesbroom]

I hope you don't mind the influx of GG/Dorothy asks you've gotten because I really love your takes and your fics really touch upon a more vulnerable part of Dorothy that I feel was rarely fully explored but was very much present. I was watching recently an ep where Dorothy says she thought her father didn't like her or love her and Sophia cracked that he always talked her up ... to try and sell her to gypsies. Dorothy says "do you know how much that hurts me when you say things like that?". It's one of those lines that's never really followed up on or given a big moment but it stays with me.

Not at all!! I love hearing from you! <3 (and if you ever feel up to it, feel free to send me a dm as well! I'd love to hear more of your thoughts!)

Thank you so much :') I started writing Golden Girls fics precisely for that reason: Dorothy's vulnerability is left so underexplored in the show, even in the moments that (in my opinion, anyway!) presented the perfect opportunity to delve a little deeper into her feelings. I had to give her a moment to shine haha.

That line is the perfect example of what I'm talking about, actually! They throw in those really poignant lines or moments (or even just looks, at times) that hint at so much going on beneath the surface, but it's never expanded on. The only emotional moments she does get, that are fully followed up on, are those relating to Stan -- and even there I feel like a lot is glossed over (often by Dorothy herself, first and foremost).

I could probably write an essay on this but I'll spare you, but I think Sophia's often treated much the same -- if slightly differently -- in the show! And I mean, considering she raised Dorothy, I'm pretty sure she inadvertently ended up teaching Dorothy that covering up your vulnerability is the only way to deal with it. Sophia covers her feelings with quips and jokes, Dorothy does it through dismissal.

And because both of their methods for covering up are very convenient for a sitcom (I can drag Blanche into this as well, by the way. But I promised not to write an essay) it's *so easy* for the narrative to just. go along with their own dismissal of their feelings. Have Sophia distract from her feelings with a funny joke, and the audience is on the floor. Have Dorothy dismiss her feelings with a Look, and there's another opening for someone else to keep up the pace and move the scene along into lighter territory.

[yeonban]

When  Pessoa  said  “There’s  a  thin  sheet  of  glass  between  me  and  life.  However  clearly  I  see  and  understand  life,  I  can’t  touch  it”...........  Shal  felt  that

[dearestmui]

Hi! It's anon, so uh this is my first time making a request so I'm sorry if it doesnt make any sense

Anyways it's gonna be muichiro x gn!reader or fem!reader(whatever you prefer) so it can be a short fic or long fic it's your choice, I haven't seen anybody request this but can you do one where muichiro and reader are in a secret relationship? But muichiro forgets no matter how many attempts reader says that the relationship should be kept a secret and at a celebration or birthday muichiro accidentally blurts out that the reader and him are dating? How would everyone react would they be shocked? Neutral? Anyways my request isn't really that interesting so I'm not expecting you to pick this! But if you do thanks<3

SECRET RELATIONSHIP

summary: how would everyone react to muichiro outing your secret relationship? cw: none just fluff and very slight angst pairing: Muichiro x reader adittional tags: manga spoiler free, muichiro before ssv. word count: 1407

When you and Muichiro started dating, you asked to keep the relationship secret. He didn't go against the idea, it's not like he was planning to tell anyone anyway. You were someone who Muichiro could never forget, however what he did forget is that your relationship was supposed to be a secret. It's not like he did care about who knew or not, it was nobody's business. But what he did care about was you, so he wanted to respect your wishes.

There were times where other people would hit on you, and in that moment Muichiro felt compelled to step in. How can people come up to you and flirt shamelessly like that? Don't they know that you're taken? Oh right.

When it was a demon slayer, he'd glare at them until they took the hint, not saying anything.

If it was a local from a village when you two are on a mission, then he'd tell them bluntly. You don't know them, so who cares. When you think he'd go too far, or risk your relationship being revealed, you'd nudge him with your elbow and glare at him. To that he replies with the softening of his features followed by a sigh.

At some point, when he was alone he started to wonder why the relationship had to be kept a secret. Should he not be able to express his love for you despite the public's opinion? He wanted demon slayers to stay away from you, and most importantly he wanted to be able to show simple gestures such as kissing your cheek. The most he could do was hold your hand in public, since you two were young no one thought much of it. For the first time(or so he thinks), he felt pure love and adoration for someone else. Is it wrong for him to want to express his innocent teenage love?

Of course, he forgot all those thoughts the next day.

There was a small celebration held by Mitsuri for her birthday, everyone she knew was invited. And god, she knew a lot of people. Muichiro would've forgot to come if it wasn't for you dragging him.

At the celebration, you wore such a cute outfit, maybe a little too cute. Muichiro felt an unknown flutter in his stomach, though he struggles to identify what he's feeling, he knows that his stomach feels tingly when he sees you. But this time it was more intense than ever. So, he subconsciously got a little too close to you — reaching to rest his hand around your waist. Which, unfortunately for him, you responded by moving away. He frowned at this.

"Muichiro, you shouldn't get too close, remember? People will find out we're dating." You whispered to him.

"....Sorry. You look pretty." He whispered back, making you blush.

Later, you and Muichiro were sitting at table with the hashira and the kamaboko squad. Everyone was having fun talking to eachother. You'd think that Muichiro would feel overwhelmed by the amount of people and loud noise, but he didn't mind it — considering the fact he finds Rengoku's loudness comforting. He wasn't really paying attention to the conversation, until Mitsuri, the Love Hashira, started to ask questions about you and Muichiro.

Of course, being the Lova pillar, Mitsuri has noticed how close you two were. She was a little dense though, not realizing you two were actually in love, she was just curious about it. The conversation snapped Muichiro back to reality.

"Say, you two are really close!! Are you dating?" Mitsuri asked excitedly. The thought of you and Muichiro dating made her heart burst! Young love, so cute!!

However, you who wanted to keep your relationship a secret, was about to decline that claim until-

"Yes, we are." Muichiro muttered on instinct.

Your eyes widened and a blush crept onto your face. While Mitsuri's smile widened.

"Muichiro!" You scream whispered at him, panicking and looking around not knowing what to do.

The others looked at you in shock, well instead of Inosuke who continued eating despite being confused on why everyone went silent.

"What? Oh, right." Muichiro looked at you confused, until he remembered the he just outed your relationship to everyone.

Needless to say, everyone was shocked that Muichiro, the Hashira who basically fuctioned like an emotionless puppet was dating someone. But his colleagues were happy for him, except for Giyuu and Obanai who didn't seem to have a reaction.

Rengoku was beyond happy, he's always been concerned about the younger pillar and took it upon himself to take care of him. He loudly congratulated you both on your relationship, which of course just outed your whole relationship to everyone at the party. Shinobu kept her soft smile and clapped, thinking it was adorable and also happy for you and the young pillar. Tengen was beyond shocked, and offered to give relationship advice to his colleague. Sanemi, also barely showed a reaction. A little shocked, sure. But he also felt a little concerned. Dating as demon slayers could be really hurtful. If one of you died during a mission, then what? He knew this from experience. He didn't say anything. He tried convincing himself he didn't care, but of course, he was too kind so subconsciously he'd start looking out for the both of you more. Someone who already knew about the relationship was Gyomei, who simply let out a smile and congratulated the two of you then let out a prayer for the safety and happiness to the future of your relationship. Mitsuri, who was showing the most reaction, was squirming and jumping the whole time, as if she had been proposed to.

Someone who didn't react so positively though was Zenitsu, his eyes were filled with scorn, almost shedding tears of jealousy towards the newly outted couple. How can someone like Muichiro score before him??? He let his jealousy be known; Tanjiro who was sitting next to him had to knock him out to not make the two of you uncomfortable. Speaking of Tanjiro, he felt relieved about Muichiro finding someone he loved. Yes, he'd definitely buy you and Muichiro a congratulation gift.

If you were to be overwhelmed by everyone's reaction, Muichiro would've taken notice of this and gladly take your hand then take you away to a quieter place. Though the people at the table would be confused seeing Muichiro drag you away.

As for the aftermath, Muichiro was so used to not showing any affection in public that he forgot that your relationship is NOT secret anymore... But, he definitely felt more comfortable to be able to be affectionate towards you.

Do not repost

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

hi hi!! saw the list of wips and was curious about the keegan ones :3c

also pls don’t put me in the basement i have finals next week and like three pieces i gotta work on!!!! and ig the petri dishes gotta be in the right conditions

no, no finals. only basement. mine now. <3

keegan number 1 for the wip ask game: soulmate keegan-- takes place during the mission "clockwork," for the cod: ghosts enjoyers!

It burns where he's gripping you. Sears your neck at the throat. It hurts so bad you white out for a moment. The man's arm tightens across your shoulders, pinning you to his chest, and you grab his forearm. He hisses in pain. Instantly, you both know what just happened: he soulmarked you; and you, him. He burned his handprint into your throat--the first place he touched you. You burned yours into his arm--singeing him through your gloves and through his disguise. Keegan knew his soulmate probably existed in the world somewhere, but never thought much about what it would be like to know her—if he ever had the chance at all. Still, finding his soulmate here and now--a Federation soldier in a Federation base, of all things--triggers an instinct in his mind that compels him to keep her from harm. That instinct wars with the need to carry out the mission at all costs. But his grip doesn't lessen. Instead, he tightens his arm around you, trying to keep a cool head. He drags you past his teammates--Logan, Hesh, and Merrick--and into an adjacent empty room. You can barely see anything, but you hear shouting and the exchange of gunfire. You struggle against his hold. "Let go of me!" "I'm not gonna let go." He shifts his grip to pry your head back, exposing the glowing soulmark formed at the base of your neck. His breath falls over the mark, and it glows hotter. Neither of you can ignore this. You're his soulmate. But here? Now? You're supposed to be an enemy; you're part of the Federation. He's not even supposed to let you live. But he's definitely not gonna let you die.

and keegan number 2: keegan in the cold-- with medic!reader. warning: keegan is mean.

"Why would you say that?" "Because I want you to understand who you are," Keegan hisses. "You can't handle using a gun because you're scared. You can't tell Hesh how you feel because you know he'd reject you. You'd be dead if I hadn't pulled you to safety. You're nothing without me. You're pathetic." You keep your mouth shut until the sting from his words fades. What he's saying isn't true. He's pissed and looking for control wherever he can get it because that's the kind of bastard he is. You will your voice to soften from anger into condescension. "Do you want that to be true, Keegan? Would it feed your ego?" "What I want is for you to admit that I was right," Keegan retorts, his tone growing more aggressive as you refuse to rise to the bait. "Admit that you rely on me. That without me, you'd be dead. That you're weak and pathetic and need me to be your shield. It's the truth, isn't it? Say it." "It sounds like you want it to be true." ”It sounds like you're avoiding the question.” "You want me to tell you I'm worthless?" “I want you to tell me I'm right." He leans closer, invading your personal space. "I want you to show me some gratitude for saving your life. Maybe treat me better than the dirt on the bottom of your fucking shoes." That takes you genuinely by surprise. Anger still simmers in your gut. But you tamp it down. You keep your head cool and your voice even. "Thank you, Keegan, once again," you bite out, "for saving my pathetic life. Happy?"  "Thank you isn't good enough," Keegan growls, his tone dangerously low. "Keep talking."

wip ask game / more Keegan / masterlist tag

[riacte]

Space Opera AU dashboard simulator 2 (but there's plot if you squint) (probably worse than its predecessor)

🚀 renthepilot

HAPPY BITRHDAY TO ME!! I TURN 7!!! :D :D :D <3 <3 <3 RD

❤️ falsewell

Happy 7th birthday Ren! :)

🚀 renthepilot

Thank u FalsE!!!!!! :DDDDDD >.< RD

🍵 cinnamontea Follow

... Why is my 17yo ET1blr mutual talking to a 7yo on Sunblr. I came here for analysis posts but apparently she's babysitting her cousin or perhaps a strangely intelligent dog??

❤️ falsewell

I mean, I would be worried if a 7yo was piloting the glider I race in 🤨

🍵 cinnamontea Follow

WDYM THAT GUY IS YOUR RACE PARTNER? OMFG I AM SO SORRY

🍀 et1vision Follow

Chat do you remember when we found RK and QoH's Sunblr accounts from when they weren't famous and were just two kids in illegal races. Because it was hysterical. Hands up if you thought falsewell was someone's canon url and not QoH herself.

🪓 handoftheking

That interaction was pretty cute to be honest. Ren's still 7 the last I checked.

🪸 hoes4redking Follow

[deep sigh] littlewood at the scene of the crime as always

#WHYYYYYYY is he chronically online #he needs to be stopped and locked up #i bet he scrolls through the treebark tag every day #he knows Too Much #do you think he brings up sunblr during dinner #and etho and bigb look at him like hes insane

7,207 notes

🔥 yaoihell Follow

save me queen of hearts

🔥 yaoihell Follow

queen of hearts

🔥 yaoihell Follow

queen of hearts save me

🏐 apollos-dodgeball 🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀 Follow

Congratulations on the prophecy!

[Beep boop, this is a gimmick blog!]

🔥 yaoihell Follow

what the actual fuck.

🌼 fast-and-bifurious Follow

i think i hauve the plague

47,981 notes

🫐 toxicblueberry Follow

hi babes the demons in my head won so new fic!!

i'm your biggest fan, i'll follow you until you love me, pa-pa paparazzi

pairing: the red king x blue stalker (they/them) (exterra 1 rpf)

summary: why are you as a bounty hunter so intent on hunting ren down? what do you want to do with him? pin him against a wall and kiss him until he's breathless and melting like putty in your hands?

word count: 10.1k

tags: enemies to lovers, angst, hurt no comfort, whump, ust, no actual smut, making out, blood, slight knifeplay, submissive rk, open ending

Keep reading

🏹 queenofheartsfanclub Follow

Listen, I don't do RPF, I can handle Treebark (because I have eyes), but this is crossing a line. Especially after the accusations by RK. I think his evidence is pretty compelling.

🫐 toxicblueberry Follow

dead dove do not eat. i am aware this is a fucked up dynamic but it's fictional. it's not like the real blue stalker has a toxic codependent attraction to the guy they're assigned to kill (btw i mained qoh so i completely understand where you're coming from)

🫐 toxicblueberry Follow

oh.

🏹 queenofheartsfanclub Follow

hey

so do you wanna kiss before the haters get to you?

🫐 toxicblueberry Follow

of course. can we get married

#love can be found on the battlefield in more ways than one #fave post #annoying treebark fans fuck off!!!!!!

1109 notes

🌹 fyeahroseduo Follow

Coming out as a falsedog shipper is harder than coming out as gay

🦇 starshipspachelbel Follow

TEN YEARS????

Time is not real

🌃 nightpatrols Follow

I had vivid flashbacks. I feel faint. This post caused so much drama omfg. I need a treebark equivalent on my desk by 8am sharp next morning

🪓 handoftheking

Coming out as a Treebark shipper is harder than coming out as bi

🌃 nightpatrols Follow

WHAT THE FUFHUBFBFUOUOFFUCK

#HES IN OUR WALLS #HE STARTED THE SHIP #this is gonna sweep the next unhinged moment poll #??!?1!?!???!?!?! #HATE THIS LUMIAN GLOWY ASS #btw for non et1 mutuals: this man is literally bi #yeah hes really gay for his pilot. yeah we all know #theyre always holding hands and shit #edit: DID HE REBLOG THIS AT 7:30AM #IDK HOW PLANETZONES CONVERSATION WORKS #*conversion #listen i failed school 2 years in a row ok 😭

19,626 notes

🎵 daily-music Follow

Music video of the day is: R8cer Boi by Avril Lavigne!

🎵 daily-music Follow

who the fuck is renn dog

🎵 daily-music Follow

who has little wood

🎵 daily-music Follow

why are y'alls twink racers larping as royals from medieval era planet earth

🎵 daily-music Follow

sorry for calling the queen of hearts a twink. im sorry women

#im so done with yalls bullshit #who are these people #why do they show up in my tags

898 notes

[enduringmoth]

thoughts on marvin's abuse, care's existence and paul's transness

taking a break from my usual bg3 posting to talk a little bit about my newer hyperfixation through the lens of queer allegory

necessary author's note: i am an afab transmasculine nonbinary person. obviously, while i do believe my transness does lend my opinion authenticity, at the same time, being trans myself does not mean i can't be transphobic -- so if any of the contents of this post set off alarm bells, please tell me.

trigger & content warnings: child abuse, kidnapping, torture, general petscop badness. obvious spoilers for petscop in its entirety, as well as references to the recent youtube deepdive by nexpo.

TL;DR -- perpetuating the idea that someone can force someone else to be a different gender than they are is harmful to trans people. however, all things involve considerable nuance. to pretend that marvin's actions could not have influenced paul's sense of self in the slightest discredits paul's lived experiences, and i believe a more trauma-informed dialogue about paul could be worth exploring as a community.

my preferred theory explaining petscop is that marvin tried to make care more like lina through abuse and "failed". after this, care would eventually end up in lina's home, and transition to paul.

(simply to make all of this less confusing, i'm going to call paul pretransition "care", though i will avoid pronouns. this is not me trying to invalidate paul, it's just so i don't have to keep saying "paul before he transitioned" or similar phrases.)

it is not a result of marvin's "failure" that care transitioned to paul. but i do believe there is a link between paul's perceptions of self and the trauma he endured pretransition -- and discussing these things gives us a deeper understanding of paul and his history.

obviously there is no "canon" answer to petscop. but im seeing this theory discussed a lot within the tags, and i personally agree with it -- i just feel some of those who are saying we cannot consider marvin's actions are not necessarily accurate, either.

what i am positing is that while marvin certainly did not make paul trans and i would never claim that he did, we understand that marvin's abuse of care -- his cruelty towards care, his warping of care's perception of appearance and self-worth -- is certainly a factor in how paul must see himself.

marvin's treatment of care was poor enough that paul struggles to recall that time of his life. he thinks they are different people -- and in a way, they certainly are (and i've seen DID theories for them which i also enjoy because of this) -- and has clearly repressed what it meant to be marvin's child.

marvin locked care in a basement for six months. that is no small amount of time, and it likely had no small amount of affect on paul. we can assume based on the implications of some school scenes that marvin was trying to convince care to be more like lina during this time. care escaped, and returned home -- though eventually, we know from belle's dialogue that paul would find his way to lina.

"do you remember the day you were born?"

paul's "birth" occurred after marvin's abuse, and though it was not a result of it, there is something almost poetic about following the thread of paul's life from care to his authentic self that plays as a foil to the heinous rebirthing practiced by marvin and rainer.

contrasted with what happened to belle (and seemingly others), paul chose (a form of) rebirth -- transition. marvin tried to make lina be reborn through care. instead, care resisted -- and he would eventually become paul, and that strikes me as so narratively compelling. it's not to spite marvin and please don't think i'm saying that, as care was naturally always paul -- it is simply self-discovery at its most raw and beautiful, and i love it.

the above is why i love petscop as a queer allegory. taking ownership of one's future and selfhood, even when others are trying to tell you who to be.

and that's why i think saying marvin made his afab child transition in rejection of martin's quest for lina -- or that marvin tried to make his amab child transition to care/lina, as nexpo posited -- is so wrong, and harmful.

yet, paul's trauma is real. it happened. and it's a part of him that should be able to be discussed for what it is.

as someone with extensive trauma history, i can tell you that my gender expression and personal identity are in some way connected to pieces of trauma, because those pieces are part of me. i am not trans because of my trauma, but my gender and my trauma are parts of me at the same time -- i am not each of my pieces, but a sum of my whole.

the point i'm trying to make here is that while i think nexpo genuinely missed the mark here with this whole "care never existed, marvin tried to make paul a girl" thing, i do think there needs to be room for a trauma-informed discussion around paul.

i hope that all made sense. if any of this is harmful/transphobic, please let me know. i genuinely love this game and i think it's so fascinating to discuss. /gen

[inchidentally]

this is so embarrassing but I got rly into the horoscope stuff about landoscar and wrote a giant thing about it all

unlike Lando I wasn't that knowledgeable about astrology before this, just the basics. so I took from a bunch of different sources.

if someone sees this and knows astrology pls add onto it bc it's really fascinating (also I'm new to fandom so if someone already did this I'm sorry I haven't seen it yet)

Oscar is an Aries and Lando of course Scorpio.

Both are signs that can have a tendency toward complications in any of their relationships mainly because of their ambition. But as we'll see they themselves bond over ambition.

They represent the beginning and end of the astrological cycle (Aries is the start, Scorpio is the end). So not only complimentary but also very powerful within their signs.

In terms of modalities, Oscar's Aries is a Cardinal Fire sign and Lando's Scorpio is a Fixed Scorpio. Aries starts things and Scorpio sees them through. I read this as Lando saying that Oscar will challenge him a lot more and push him - I always saw this as Lando seeing a fresh start to his own career.

Updated to add: Oscar's moon is in Virgo which is actually a huge clicking point for him and Lando in terms of creativity/inspiration and being perfectionists. it backs up completely how they both say their input about the car is extremely similar. but also it fits with Lando being the type of creative who creates, and Oscar being a creative who consumes. Oscar's most recent viewing included Sex Education, Killing Eve and compelling documentaries so the boy isn't just throwing on any old crap to pass the time he's watching stuff that love has been put into. and of course Lando's turned his entire life into creative content.

Aries is a Fire sign and Scorpio is Water which I've already turned into a tag for them because I really like that.

Aries birthstone is Diamond and gemstone is Bloodstone. Scorpio's birthstone is Topaz and gemstone is Citrine. I wish I knew more to find out if that's significant.

Both are ruled by Mars and respect each other's ambitions.

They can take turns in cheering the other on from the sidelines but also motivate the other to be the best versions of themselves.

Aries and Scorpio are both made to be the center of things and be magnetic to others. Aries does this by being confident and stubborn while Scorpio is seductive and bossy. And wow if that doesn't describe some of the best and more 'challenging' aspects of their racing careers.

Aries is a born leader and Scorpio is a natural center of attention.

Scorpio will triumph in pursuing Aries and Aries will be "powerless to resist" BUT Scorpio will dive in really fast and risk their heart more. That's okay because once Aries has been won over they love to offer reassurance and attention to Scorpio. Kind of how we couldn't get a read on Oscar and were worried Lando wouldn't get his energy returned to him but after a few months we realized Oscar was really eager to work with Lando and was just nervous about him and McLaren/F1 etc.

When they clash it can be intense but they can also have an unbreakable, blind trust in each other that lets them reconcile without any resentment. They can also reconcile extremely quickly.

Seriously, trust between the two signs is until death to us part. Which for friends/teammates explains why they've already had to undergo a lot of competition between them but they only seem to get closer and more comfortable with each other.

Aries can help Scorpio get out of their own head and overcome insecurities by their (Aries) positive ambitious nature! I love that one.

Verbal communication is their weakest point because Scorpio is complex and frightened of opening up and Aries is straightforward and doesn't like to get lost in their own head. But honestly for teammates or friends I feel like it's better that they trust each other and it doesn't matter that they can't talk for hours on end like Lando does with Carlos. Especially since Lando said it was kind of a benefit being on separate teams to a friend like Carlos because the competition wasn't something they necessarily enjoyed. And we all know how that went with Daniel. Way better not being on the same team.

It's also for the best for Oscar and Lando because they're both averse to showing their hand emotionally too much and it could lead to a lot of miscommunication. Scorpio is scared of getting hurt and Aries is scared of being misunderstood.

The fact that they both value bravery and faithfulness is probably why they don't need much communication to be honest. They both respond to acts/demonstrations of trust more than expression through words. Again why their relationship has grown each time they face challenging races.

They're also compatibly healthy in that Scorpio finds bravery in facing their fears but Aries finds bravery in tackling a new challenge. So after a tough race when Lando finishes hiding away and licking his wounds he has Oscar there all ready to start the next race with a clean slate.

Funnily enough, Aries brings warmth and light to Scorpio and motivates Scorpio to let go of insecurities which is… really really sweet?? A lot of places describe Scorpio (esp early Nov) as being like an elusive intriguing moonbeam type person with Aries as a confident steady sunshine.

What I find most interesting is that at first glance their personalities seem at odds with their signs buttt after obsessing over them a solid what, 7 months or more? I think the fact that Aries/Oscar is genuinely much more socially confident and comfortable in new life situations fits in with how he is happy to travel around the world alone and board away from family and decide his own fate in F1 fits that perfectly. Whereas Lando socially always leans into another person to help him navigate public speaking or making content etc and his social battery tends to drain pretty fast around people he's not simpatico with which fits with Scorpios often seeming aloof and standoffish (press and fans misinterpreting this as Lando being a brat).

Apparently the thing they're best at doing together is sex sssooooo let's translate that into "pushing each other harder on the track" alsgfjsafj

ship/fic-centric stuff

They will ALWAYS fuck fast and fuck furious. Very little time will elapse between meeting and fuckening.

Romantic love will often only form after sexual gratification because Scorpio/Aries sex is apparently the best there is !! (crazy wild and never get enough etc) But when the romantic love is created it's intense and permanent.

They both have a hard line on infidelity within their relationship (Aries/Scorpio) and they would never cheat on each other. With other signs etc is more vague. If the bond isn't strong or the passion fades then they might cheat on other people - just never on each other. But if their other partners cheat on them then it's good night jim kite broken up/divorced/shipping the box of belongings with no note attached.

Apparently Scorpio will straight up be a freak in bed and Aries will love keeping up with them. Lando will want to do EVERYthing and Oscar will be ready to do anything for him.

Not that it's applicable outside traditional gender norms but in Scorpio/Aries relationships, Scorpio is always assigned distinctly feminine and Aries distinctly masculine. Again, gross in a cishet sense but if you're a believer in masculine and feminine energies then that's generally how they would fall.

Both signs are extremely possessive and it bonds them together so well because Scorpio needs to feel constant reassurance that the fire is still alive and Aries will always provide and be rock solid reliable. So a really easy form of conflict would be to have one of them unable to hide jealousy of either the other's partner or close friend. Apparently Lando would lash out and show spite whereas Oscar would sulk and openly glare.

Honestly so much of this was about intimacy and bonding through hot scorching risk-taking sex soooo I think the sky is the limit when it comes to how wild they would get real fast. Think Oscar crowding Lando a lot or making him do something exhibitionist and Lando getting frisky in inappropriate places or producing a heinous variety of erotic game play.

yea please add to this if you know anything else apparently I can't get enough of it

[littlewestern]

I must inquire about your feelings on douglas and oliver 👀

(Tags by @mean-scarlet-deceiver)

Absolutely! These tags are fantastic, and I think this is a great time to talk about a phenomenon I've noticed in certain fandoms. I don't have a word for it yet, but something that can happen, especially in cases like this where a ship is sort of a foregone conclusion (either for lack of options for the characters or - in this case - because there's one really compelling point of shared development), is that it can often feel like we are *supposed* to ship something, and that there aren't any other options.

I think 10x11 is absolutely one of those ships, and I can totally understand why it might not work for some the same way it does for others. It's easy to fall into the trap of complacency or to feel like there's not actually anything there and the rest of the fandom is just shipping cardboard cutouts. And because everyone treats the ship as default, there's no one out here really up on their soapbox for it or making any groundbreaking content. It runs the risk of feeling stale.

Luckily, I'm here, and I do this shit for free. In point of fact, you couldn't pay me to stop. So let me make the case. Hopefully by the end of this we'll all come away with a better understanding of the characters, their relationship, and ourselves. (I like to aim high.)

So there are a few major pitfalls that this ship can succumb to right out of the gate that I think can frequently make this a harder sell as a romance specifically:

First, the rescue. The foundational text. Everyone loves Escape!, and for good reason. It's an extremely rich vein to mine for drama and feelings and having these characters bond in a way that feels complex and authentic and real... And it also can make a relationship founded on romantic love between them feel compulsory on the part of Oliver. This is not at all cool or fun or sexy or even really in-character, and I expect it's one of the reasons this ship can be hard to work with at times. To put them in a romantic context without any kind of examination of what is desired vs. what is owed feels rushed and disingenuous to me. If your only reason for shipping Oliver and Douglas is that one of them saved the others' life - full stop, no further examination required - this ship is going to be quite boring and a little iffy besides. This is a fantastic foundation, but it can't be the only thing holding them together, or else you've just reinvented the booktok romance novel.

The second pitfall is one that isn't the fandom's fault but is definitely worsened by years of fandom dilution: Oliver lacks a lot of direct and explicit characterization as a result of showing up late to the RWS party. He has this great origin story, fucks up once, gets a few funny scenes, and then about drops off the page. This leave shippers in a bit of a predicament, because really compelling character romance needs really compelling characters in the first place. Oliver has such a great backstory and that immediate bond we talked about with another well-developed character who also has a great backstory. It feels like it should be very easy to make this work, but it just... doesn't. Because Oliver in-canon is often a role-fill character. He's great, but no one (least of all the later season TVS writers) can seem to agree what his personality actually is, so he ends up being written to slot wherever he's needed or to achieve a specific narrative beat. The resultant 10x11 content which is informed by this feels flat and boring because if the only goal is for them to end up together, you simply have to write that happening and it occurs. Fandom Oliver often has no desires or wants outside of getting together with Douglas, his knight in shining paintwork, and it makes for dry reading.

So how do we reconcile this? What can we do with this information to make it work in favor of our desired outcome instead of as a hindrance to it? How do we use the facts to enhance our fiction?

The first key is remembering that Oliver is actually a little badass who, for 95% of his time on the run, did not actually need any help. The only reason he got to the point at which Douglas could come rescue him was because he fled under his own power from the southern part of the country all the way up to Barrow. His journey only ended there because they ran out of coal, which probably wouldn't have happened if Oliver hadn't also elected to take a coach and an unrelated break van along with him. Because, again, he's a badass. When the big engines say that Oliver has "resource and sagacity", they're absolutely correct. There's material to work with here, we just need to spin it out.

So let's start there. Let's give Oliver that plucky spark back, and have him be a wee bit peppery as a treat. A guy doesn't outrun packs of rabid diesels only to come out the other side a meek and obedient little bore. Let's really lean into his loyalty and bravery too, since an engine willing to risk his own life to save the lives of some lowly rolling stock must be both. And finally, let's also have him really appreciate that second chance he's been given! My favorite Oliver characterization is one that swings at every wild pitch just for the joy of feeling and moving and being alive.

What Douglas has given him isn't a debt, it is a gift, and paying him back doesn't mean feeling like he owes him anything, it means hitting the rails every day with as much enthusiasm and excitement and verve as a little engine possibly can. I like an Oliver that works hard and plays hard and - crucially to the relationship in question - I think Douglas likes this too. Here's a pair of guys who are both brave, loyal, adventurous, quick-thinking, generous, and god damned happy to be alive. Their experiences in Escape! shouldn't make them rescuer/rescuee, it should make them some of the only guys on the railway who know what it's like to look death in the face and laugh. They're equals, and more importantly, friends.

And maybe I buried the lede a little bit there, but I think this really is the crux of it. To me, this relationship is one that starts as a very long, very close friendship with that little bit of extra complexity always simmering below the surface and the little bit of weirdness of falling in love with the guy who saved your life isn't something that should be swept under the rug, it should be an active part of the core relationship conflict.

Oliver looks at Douglas and thinks: He's my best friend. I love him. He saved my life. I don't know whether that last thing is influencing the other two and I'm worried that trying to find out will ruin everything.

and Douglas looks at Oliver and thinks: He's my best friend. I love him. I saved his life. But I don't want him to think he owes me anything just because I did.

So Douglas is waiting on Oliver, and Oliver is waiting on his complicated feelings to resolve themselves. In the meantime, in Ray world, I like to imagine them carrying on a very raucous and boisterous friendship/working relationship involving a lot of pranks and good-natured ribbing, because I think the Little Western being the most efficient branch line while also being the one comprised nearly entirely of chucklefucks is hilarious.

I also like the idea that during all of this, Oliver is constantly going through romantic partners because, again, just happy to be alive here! But also because maybe if he finds the right engine those sticky feelings he has towards his bestie will go away. And all the while Douglas looks on and smiles and plays his cards very close to the chest.

Maybe even gets himself a girlfriend in the meantime.

I have this whole arc plotted out for a story I will never write where Douglas and Emily become an item and everyone else loses their minds because oohh it's just so cute and they look so great together.

Very suddenly Douglas has a girlfriend and also very suddenly Oliver does not have a best friend anymore. And (much to Oliver’s surprise) he’s kinda upset about it!

At first he thinks it has to be jealousy, because like... On one hand, he’s over the moon for Douglas. Douglas seems happier now, quicker to laugh and more easygoing (not that he wasn’t always). But on the other hand, they’re not hanging out as often anymore and it’s not really fair that Douglas lands the perfect partner on what is ostensibly his first attempt when Oliver’s been trying and failing at it for so long. He writes it off as him being jealous of Douglas and tries to put it out of his mind.

Except he sees them together, and he sees how happy Douglas is in-person and how Emily is nice enough but all wrong for him. For one thing, she’s the *safety* engine, which– ha! Douglas? Not the most risk-averse engine to ever grace Sir Topham Hatt’s Railway. For another thing, she’s not willing to go on any of Douglas’s more adventurous errands. Too, her more staid nature doesn’t seem to be rubbing off on Douglas at all, so it’s a source of friction in their relationship. Oliver delights a little bit at that, and goes out of his way to tell Douglas he’d be happy to see how fast they can get the goods train to the harbor, speed limits be damned, just because Emily won't like it.

When Oliver explains this to Mavis later (the third time they’ve rehashed this subject this week) she pauses to fix Ollie with a Look.

“Are you sure you’re not jealous of *Emily*?”

“That’s ridiculous,” Oliver scoffs, dismissing it before the words have really sunk in. “If I were jealous of… of her, I’d– I’d be–”

And then the other shoe drops.

“Oh.” “Mhmm.” “Oh no.” “MmHMM.”

Oliver has fucked another of his relationships, the only one that actually mattered in his estimation. And now he’s stuck, because this is the happiest Oliver’s ever seen his best friend. And a real best friend wouldn’t try to sabotage that just because he was too stupid to see what was plainly obvious to everyone. No, he has to be cool about this, and it’s going to nearly kill him.

But hey, look who else in the yard is single and pining over a Caledonian engine. You wanna have a Great Western Time about it?

Again, because I am a sucker for true romance, this sorts itself out in time. Douglas and Emily realize they're not actually that great a fit for one another, Oliver and Duck get as much out of their time together as they like before moving on, and Douglas and Oliver get to have a long overdue conversation about what they mean to each other - no jokes, no bullshit. I'm sure it would all be very cute and romantic, if I were the type to write that sort of thing.

In the meantime, I hope I've at least made a case for why this ship tickles me and where I think everyone can improve in their writing of it. Thanks for the ask, sorry it was so long!

[ruegarding]

Hey, quick question if you don't mind me asking, what were your thoughts on Chalice of the Gods?

overall, i wish rick stopped at toa like he said he was going to. the more rick adds, the more the world-building suffers as a result. that being said, i didn't completely hate cotg like i thought i would. there's a few good moments, but, in general, it reads like a cash-grab.

let's start with the good. percy has some of the most in-character moments he's had in the universe since pjo.

percy's confrontation w geras was so good that i actually wish this was part of percy's character arc in hoo. percy spent almost all of pjo knowing he was going to die—he saw the fates cut the string in tlt and in som he put together what the prophecy meant: he was going to die either at or before 16. and this is exactly why this confrontation works and why i think it's better than new rome. new rome can protect a demigod from monsters, not from fate. percy wasn't scared of monsters. if he was, he would've stayed at chb year-round.

and i really like that geras was willing to entertain percy bc he had turned down godhood. like the first time percy ever thinks abt immortality seriously (in botl) this is what he has to say:

so immortality is fundamentally at odds w percy's character bc he defines himself so thoroughly w the ppl he loves. and this is exactly what allows him to get through to geras! it's such a good exploration of percy's character and the future he's now able to consider.

similarly, this section

is more in-character than almost all of hoo. this is a prime example of how percy's loyalty works and addresses how it's misconstrued in fandom. percy has a desire for freedom, and that desire informs how he respects ppl. percy's loyalty isn't a possessive "i won't let you do this" bc he will, he will always let someone make their own choice at the end of the day bc it's what he would want. and this was actually established in tlt, when sally says "you're enough like me to understand" and asks percy to let her save herself. so percy lets bianca fight talus, he lets nico walk away, he gives luke the knife, he lets ganymede choose his own story, even when he disagrees w it. and this is why percy's arc in hoo sucked! rick tried to give percy the typical hero complex, but it's contradictory w percy's character. so when i saw this passage i was so relieved. i thought this part of percy died w pjo.

also, to talk abt someone other than percy, this moment

is good. i love this abt annabeth.

and grover saying the hardest thing is sitting by and not being able to do anything. bc grover is usually in a support role and he wasn't there at all in hoo. i also like that percy is confronted w the fact that he's not expendable. thumbs up from me.

the bad...i'm just going to keep short bullet points.

what even is this plot

it doesn't work as part of pjo and yet it's marketed as the sixth book in the series

why is zeus a disney villain. i hate everything abt it

the inconsistencies...annabeth's cap...why are we continuing to treat percy like he's disinterested in learning??? also. what do you mean you're not allowed at camp after you turn 18? WHAT DO YOU MEAN????? this was not a thing. and wasn't rhea in hiding or something?? now she's casually having brunch?

there's too much "percy is the stupid bf and annabeth is the competent gf who takes care of him." i hated every second of this. also annabeth is disabled. her being intelligent does not remove her disability. she struggles.

i rbed that post abt disaster cook annabeth and good cook percy and i stand by that.

the power monologue makes no damn sense (and another addition by op in the tags)

no seriously i'm begging someone to have a real conversation and understand percy is terrified of how powerful he is. i've been waiting for this since botl. WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN 2008 BTW

i'm not a huge estelle or paul fan. like they're fine they're just not compelling.

the only time i feel sally and percy have the same connection as they had in tlt is when they're alone. this is a problem i've had for a while, but cotg does not fix it. when paul and annabeth are in the equation, it feels like percy is the outsider.

in summary, cotg is like a fanfic i would leave kudos for being a good percy character study despite having questionable moments. except it's canon. and these questionable things affect the world-building.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Hello Muffin and Vinelle! I have a question. How do you go about writing your dialogues? Is there a way to practice? I always struggle with that aspect of my writing and have no clue how to improve. Cheers!

Interesting question, anon, and I hope I can be at least a little helpful. As it is, I love dialogue, often my favorite part of writing.

Here's a few things I think of with dialogue.

Think About How People Talk

Think about plays, movies, and remember that while the characters see, think, and feel things what they hear is what the other person is saying. If they're participating in a conversation then they're responding to that conversation, to what another person said, how they said it, and not what they thought/things the character doesn't know.

People also speak differently than prose is written. They stumble over words, forget what they're saying. People speak in contractions unless they're a fucking asshole. People don't tend to monologue or if they do it better be a big moment/they're just weird like that.

Basically, when you're writing dialogue, keep in mind how people actually talk and the fact that in speaking with one another. Try to picture yourself sitting in the audience for a play or the set of a film, and you're watching the characters interact and following the flow of the conversation.

The conversation, whatever it is, should both sound correct (like what people would say) and make sense in that character A is believably responding to character B.

Think About How Characters Talk

How we speak is informed by who we are, where we are, and where we came from, this is true of everyone. The way a character speaks reveals not only their background but also in some cases who they want to be/what they're trying to accomplish.

And every character should have a distinctive voice that's informed by this.

Ideally, you should be able to follow a conversation of who is saying what if you had no speech tags and no descriptors. If you put the dialogue of Character A conversing with Character B you should be able to tell which is which.

Similarly, think about how they're saying something and why. Are they trying to impress someone? Are they putting on airs? Are they doing the opposite to fit in? Are they uncomfortable or at ease with their situation? Are they educated? Is English a second language?

A character should have a certain sound and you should know them well enough to know not only what they think like but what they speak like and if they're dialogue is sounding wrong in that it might be what they would say but now how they would say it.

Write What You Need, Not What You Want

Sometimes, it's very tempting as an author to just have the character say whatever you want to get across to the audience, or something they want another character to hear, because you don't know how else to do it.

It's tempting but don't fall into that trap.

Don't write what you want, what your point is, but write what the characters would say and try to find some other way to make that point or else let the point show in the subtext.

No character (well, unless it's a beautiful hilarious scene where someone's very drunk and sad) will ever say, "I love you, but I'm too damaged to say it properly because I'm a poor little meow meow!" You have to commit to what they'd actually say, even if it'd be much easier and you'd get to the 'fun' part if they just said what you wanted.

Think About What Works/What You Like

Be critical of your own work but also look to others for example. Was there dialogue somewhere you liked. If so, why? What was good about it? Why was it compelling?

I could throw out various authors here but off the top of my head I'm going to throw Hemmingway into the audience and particularly "The Hills Like White Elephants" in that it's a very believable compelling conversation between two characters we don't know but without either character telling us much information we somehow know exactly what the fuck is going on.

And Of Course... Practice

Keep writing, never settle, and improvement will be yours.

Any advice @therealvinelle?

[evilwickedme]

Tell me more about the significance of Good Guy™ Superman.

Ok I'm typing this all up a second time, a couple of days later, because the first time I typed it all I did it perfectly but it was on my laptop and the hellsite fuckin goofed and it's all gone now so that made me sad. I can't promise to hit all the points I wanted to hit but I'll do my best

We gotta start by clarifying that in the tags that triggered this ask I did specifically say that clark/kal-el/superman being a Good Boy is important to me. I note this because while I have very good justifications for why it's important to me that he's a Good Person™, I acknowledge that this is one of those cases where the facts may back me up, but it genuinely just comes down to matters of individual taste.

So, like, big picture here: superman is Moses. I've talked about this before, you've read about this before, this is more fact than opinion. The parallels are obvious, and loud, and obnoxiously repeated in online spaces just as much as in books such as up, up and oy vey (this is not a recommendation, just pointing out that it's universally acknowledged pretty much everywhere). I'm not going to waste my breath trying to convince you of this fact. Superman is Moses. Moses is, in Judaism, possibly the holiest man to ever live. The first in the prophets. As many of you may recall, in my lecture on Jewish superheros, I argued that Jewish ideas of prophecy found their way into the modern Jewish stories being told by the comic book authors creating the very first superheroes - the very first superhero, of course, being superman.

One noteworthy thing about prophecy as described by Maimonides? The most basic component of prophecy isn't actually talking to god or receiving holy visions, it's actually just... Doing good. Good™. Good as an action, good as an innate need, good for the people around you and the people of the whole world. Moses showed this tendency as a young man - privileged, raised in the house of the pharaoh, he couldn't stand seeing any man get beaten, even if he was a slave. He loses his home over this, the family who raised him. He sees a man getting unjustly punished, and he kills the oppressor over it. And when he goes out again the next day and sees two Hebrews fighting, he tries to stop this as well (Exodus 2). Moses is our holiest prophet; before he ever even acknowledges God's existence, he feels the need to do good and prevent evil; superman is Moses; superman must follow a similar path of goodness as an innate need followed by action.

That's all big picture stuff, though. There's the smaller stuff, too. Not my bigger analysis of comic book heroes and the ideas of prophecy in Maimonides' writing, because honestly that's just... A lot. When it comes down to it, it is so much more satisfying to me that Superman is a person.

He's the first superhero, right? And he's got this insane level of power not really often seen since. Any person who attempts to defeat him needs to use a mix of his one singular weakness and genuine cunning, because there's really no brute forcing your way passed fucking superman. So yeah, you could tell a story like that of the Boys (although I didn't make it past episode 3 of that, my apologies). You could tell a cynical story where terrible people do terrible things and it all gets waved away. But the boys isn't really a story about people who happen to get powers - it's a story about people who have power, positions of authority, government officials and the like, not just superpowers.

That's not Clark Kent's story. Clark Kent is an illegal immigrant who was raised by good people in secrecy. He's handed superpowers, yes, but very rarely power - he's a journalist with farmboy training, and his greatest nemesis is a billionaire who becomes the fucking president of the united states. He fought Hitler in WWII, did you know that? He represents good because it makes for a compelling story. The underdog who's secretly not an underdog at all, choosing every day to fight evil and represent truth (being a reporter is vital to both of these, in case you're wondering). Yeah, he's a bit of a shit dad to Connor, but him not being a perfect person doesn't make him not a good one, especially since - again - in my definition of good, goodness is an action, and one you constantly have to perform and perfect and adapt to changing times.

Going back to Judaism - in Jewish tradition, we all have the force of evil and the force of good inside of us (yetzer hara and yetzer hatov). The word yetzer comes from the same root as the word for creation - we are capable of creating evil and creating good. Superman represents hope and justice because he chooses every day to create good.

And that, in a nutshell, is why it is so important to me that Kal El-Clark Kent-Superman is a Good Guy. Because he can be.

[otomes-and-tears]

Hello,I hope you had a good day! I have an OL2 request if that's alright!!

In step 2,with Qiu,GN-Reader,Best Friend status with both Qiu and Tamarack and Qiu is just pining over their best friend,MC. How would Qiu realize their crush on MC? How would they act around MC who shows their love thru physical affection towards their neighbors?

Basically what im asking is 'the brooding,pining one x the oblivious,affectionate one' but it's with Qiu and MC :D!! (A LIL SIDE NOTE/ASK ADDITION : Maybe MC is also insecure abt themselves,thinking that they're not that lovable or smth,maybe cuz of their looks if u know what I mean?? THANKS FOR WRITING FOR OL2 BTW IT MEANS A LOTTT <3)

(side note 2 : sorry if this isn't that understandable,english isn't my first language 🙇‍♀️)

♦ Qiu having a crush on a physically affectionate and oblivious GN!MC ♦

► tags and warnings: -

► words: 861

► A/N: Please don't apologise! Your english is great, anon ♡ I'm also not a native English speaker!

► Masterlist

I think they’ve always been aware that MC was different from their other friends;

As a kid, they remember other friends complaining about Qiu’s giving MC special treatment, and as someone preoccupied with fairness it used to annoy them to no end;

Because they knew it was true, they just didn’t understand why they felt so compelled to treat them this way;

As they grew up and the idea of romantic love became a less threatening, more concrete concept, it didn’t take them too long to piece it together;

MC was always there for Qiu, always ready to show them support and kindness and to look out for them, when Qiu was used to other people relying on them to be like that;

They’d watch them laughing at something Tamarack said and would just feel this… warmth in their chest;

Like this was something they’d need to protect;

The world could be a cruel place, but MC’s kindness and their laughter was the one thing Qiu wanted to preserve;

I don’t think Qiu had this grand moment of realisation;

It happened one night, right at the beginning of autumn, when the leaves started falling and the nights grew colder;

They both agreed to meet in Qiu’s backyard in the early hours of the evening to look at the stars through a telescope together;

Mc managed to bring their favourite tea in a thermos, and gave Qiu the biggest hug once they saw them;

They were just… so happy. Being awake at odd hours of the night trying not to be too loud to not wake Qiu’s parents from their slumber;

Watching the stars and talking about mythology;

Mc started rambling about something they had read and stopped in the middle of it, apologizing about speaking too much;

And Qiu found that they didn’t mind it;

Not only that, they welcomed it. They loved how passionate MC was, how happy and comfortable they had been all night;

Qiu didn’t want them to stop at all, and they realized that they wanted to be the person that MC went to when they wanted to talk about these things;

Well… when people described love it always seemed so overwhelming, and in some aspects it was;

But it mostly just felt right;

Their name is Qiu, their friends call them Autumn, and they are in love with MC;

It’s been a part of them for a long time, and was just nice to finally understand that part of themselves;

Not too much changed after that, only that perhaps their affection and special treatment became more blatant;

In their teens, MC is one of the few people Qiu can stand to be around, and after they’ve realised their feelings they started relying on MC a bit more;

Because Qiu trusts them with that!;

Honestly? MC’s affection is one of the things that keep Qiu going;

MC, despite their obliviousness, ends up noticing and making sure to support them whenever he needs it most;

When Qiu is having a bad day MC will just… Wrap them in a hug and stay there for as long as Qiu needs;

If MC noticed how fast Qiu’s heart beats when they hug, they never mention it;

There are also more subtle types of affection;

Like linking their arms together while walking, grabbing their hand to lead them somewhere or just leaning against Qiu when they’re tired;

Even with all their angst, MC’s affection is always a sure way to soften them;

Qiu will often pinch their cheeks or pat them on the head and lightly tease them for being touchy;

I’m pretty sure Qiu’s love language is acts of service, but knowing how important physical affection is to the MC, Qiu will make sure to initiate it too;

Honestly, I don’t see Qiu as a very jealous person, and knowing Tamarack for years and being close to her, I don’t think that they’re jealous about MC showing her affection too;

Instead, it makes them happy that MC is surrounded by good people that care about them as much as Qiu does;

Tamarack ends up noticing their crush eventually;

I mean… I’m sure everyone knows about it except MC themselves;

And even if she seems a little too invested in it and will sometimes give Qiu a hard time about it in private, she’s very supportive;

And it means a lot to them to have MC’s other best friend support them like that;

In regards to MC being insecure… Qiu doesn’t get it at all;

How can someone that amazing be insecure about themselves? How can they worry about not being loveable enough, not interesting enough? Not beautiful enough?;

And they’re fucking pissed at anyone who would ever make MC feel that way;

MC is a person that Qiu cares about deeply, even if they’re colder at that age, there’s no way they just let them think so little of themselves if they can help it;

So… MC is one of the few people that Qiu will make a big effort with;

They make sure MC knows how special they are, and how beautiful of a person both inside and out!

[cinnamontoastcrunch-15]

This was supposed to be for today's @wolfstarmicrofic prompt: candles, but it's now 1,801 words, so I'm just going to post it as a oneshot and upload it to ao3 instead (because it's absolutely NOT micro lmao)

Just to establish this now: this is a Talk to Me AU

Remus Lupin offers to go first.

"I'll do it."

Sirius hasn't met the bloke in his life, having tagged along with Lily, but he's not complaining. Anyone with the balls to try out the hand is fine in his books.

The hand is already stationed at the small coffee table, Remus walking calmly over to the seat pulled up in front of it and dropping down onto it. Sirius smiles for a moment, rooting through his bag and pulling out one of his white candles. He drops it on his desk and lets Peter light it.

"Candles?" Remus asks disbelievingly, Peter just nodding.

"Light the candle to open the door, blow it out to close it."

"Lift your arms," he says when he sees James behind Remus, belt in hand. Remus obeys quickly, glancing up as James lowers the belt around him and the chair, tightening it around his waist.

"Mm, kinky," Remus mutters under his breath, and Sirius snorts, entertained. Something is telling him this possession is going to be great. James yanks the belt tighter, making Remus flinch. "Fucking hell, mate."

"It has to be tight," James explains, taking a step back. Sirius moves to sit with him. James sits on the sofa, Sirius sitting on the floor in front of him. "Trust me."

"Right, once we've started the clock, it can't run for more than ninety seconds," Sirius calls to the room, the same spiel he says every time.

"Why? What happens after ninety seconds?" Lily, Remus' friend, pipes up. Sirius meets Lily's eyes with what he hopes appears as a menacing smile.

"They'll want to stay." As he explains, he lets his eyes land on Remus', maybe rattle him up a little before he starts. Remus meets his eyes unblinkingly, throwing Sirius a little bit. Nobody has been this... blase before.

"And if you die while they're in you," James interjects at the realisation that Sirius is too busy watching this man, "then they'll have you forever."

The rest of the party start muttering, gossiping. Remus rolls his eyes, and Sirius decides it's time to stop fucking around and just get on with it. Time to freak this bloody kid out, stop him from seeming so mysterious.

"Okay, enough stalling, let's go!" Sirius claps once, commanding the attention of the room. Everyone falls silent as a few people start pulling out their phones to film. "You ready Lupin?" Remus nods. "Alright. Put your hand on it. Like, holding it." Remus complies, reaching out and fitting his hand to the white ceramic mould. For a moment, Sirius observes his hand in the embalmed one, his thumb cutting through some of the scribbled writing.

He's not even shaking.

"Now," he continues quickly. He won't be so relaxed in a second. "Say 'talk to me'." Remus chuckles a little disbelievingly, eyes not breaking contact with Sirius' as he speaks.

"Talk to me." Ignoring the tug in his stomach, he watches as Remus turns his head and he jumps a mile.

Fucking finally.

His hand immediately flies backwards, his whole body rejecting whatever he's just seen. Sirius starts laughing before he can think, enjoying the first time reaction and recalling his own. Honestly? He was shitting himself too, but nobody needs to know that.

"Oh my god," Remus says, voice suddenly shaky and eyes darting everywhere. "Who the fuck- who the fuck was that?" He turns to Sirius, as if expecting an answer. Sirius is a little busy laughing, hitting James' leg once. "Who the hell was that?!" Remus asks again, louder, finally compelling Sirius to answer. He shrugs first.

"No clue, it's different every time." He dissolves into further laughter, dropping his head for a moment, before pushing on. Yeah, Remus is freaked out, but Sirius knows he isn't going to stop there, he can feel it. "You didn't do everything, though. You need to say 'I let you in', otherwise this is all pointless," he says pointedly, forcing himself to swallow his entertainment and get through the end of the prep.

Remus can do it. He knows he can.

"Hold on, wait, I'm-"

"Just do it!" James exclaims. "Do it, do it, do it..."

Fuck yes. Sirius joins into the chant immediately, watching as everyone around him joins in. Well, everyone apart from Lily, who looks like she wants to go and drag Remus from the party. Remus glances at everybody watching him, before turning and looking straight at Sirius. Something in him seems to shift, turning back to the hand, pressing his lips into a thin line and slowly reaching out.

Ah, there's the shaking.

He clasps the hand, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, alright!" He shouts, eyes screwing shut. "Okay, fine. Okay." Sirius starts willing him to do it in his head.

Go on, you've got this.

Talk to me.

"Talk to me." He opens his eyes and immediately glances away. Sirius bites back another laugh, checking to see that he hasn't broken contact with the hand.

If anything, he's just gripping it tighter.

"Go on, say the next part." Sirius inches himself slightly closer, pulling out and unlocking his phone, ready to time it.

"I- I can't look at it!" Remus is still looking away, Sirius praying for him to just say it.

"You don't have to look at it, okay? Just say it. 'I let you in'."

"I- I can't-"

"Say it!" Sirius shouts, watching him carefully. He can do it. He needs to do it.

Come on, Remus.

After taking a deep, stabilising breath, Sirius starting to think that he's going to give up, his eyes focus on a space.

Staring the spirit down.

He's such a fucking badass.

"I let you in."

Remus is immediately thrown backwards, neck flying back until his head is facing the ceiling. He exhales once and James stands, tapping Sirius' shoulder once before he moves forwards.

"Timer?" He asks, before walking over to Remus.

"I've got it," he answers, starting it as Remus' pupils dilate, eyes suddenly an inky black, no white visible.

James clicks twice, drawing the newly possessed Remus Lupin from his haze. They blink, eyes flicking to James and head starting to tilt down. Sirius smiles to himself. His face is flushed, neck covered in red lines.

Okay, strangled.

A laugh bubbles out of Remus' body, Sirius glancing down at the timer.

75 seconds left.

Sirius smiles as he watches the others at the party laughing along with the spirit. The laugh grows more maniacal by the second, until it stops abruptly, Remus' body pulling back as they choke slightly, breath stopping in their throat. He loves these ones, they're always the most interesting.

Remus' head whips straight to Sirius, tilting to the side once.

"Someone's following you," their voice is croaky, fried, and Sirius doesn't flinch.

"Really? They hot?" He asks casually. James snorts, the spirit turning and swinging for him with their free hand. Sirius cackles at that, enjoying watching his brother leap backwards with a swear. "Oh, not your biggest fan, 'ey?"

Remus' body coughs once, the spirit turning their attention elsewhere. God, this one doesn't have the best attention span, does it? He glances quickly at his phone to make sure they're making good time, before enjoying the show. The spirit leans forward and makes a biting action at Hestia, who's eyebrows raise, nervousness leaking onto her face. It doesn't last too long, though, as they make their way to Lily.

"She doesn't like you." Their eyes flick just above Lily's shoulder, behind her, and Lily looks behind her for a moment, concerned. The moment she does, every drawer and cupboard on James and Sirius' cabinet opens and slams shut, the whole cabinet yanked forward.

Holy fucking shit, this is amazing.

Sirius looks back at the phone.

"83 seconds, James, take the hand back!" Sirius calls confidently, as Lily turns back to Remus, her anxiety clear, as the spirit keep drawling about something to do with death.

"Right, come on, you've had enough time here." He reaches out to take the hand. However, the moment he goes to pull it away, Remus' free hand flies out and snatches the embalmed hand back, sending shock rippling through Sirius.

That's never happened before.

It doesn't matter, they still has five seconds. It'll be fine.

James reaches back, grabs the embalmed hand with both of his own and yanks it. The spirit just won't let go, though, their grip somehow overwhelming James'.

"Bollocks. James?!" Sirius hisses, watching the clock run as the spirit starts a chant of its own.

"Run, run, run, run," they keep going, eyes wide and burning into Lily's as the light above them flickers and bursts. Sirius covers his eyes as Peter joins James in trying to free Remus of the hand. Nothing's working, the clock just keeps going.

"James, ninety seconds, fucking get on with it!" Sirius shouts, ignoring the clamouring from everyone else and focusing on Remus. He's still shouting 'run', the lights are off, and it's been 96 fucking seconds.

"I know, okay?! I fucking know!" He groans as he and Peter try to wrestle the hand away.

Fuck it, something needs to be done.

Sirius abandons the phone, ignoring the shards from the light bulb as he surges forward and over to Remus' arm. Without thinking, he shoves his own hand between Remus' palm and the embalmed hand's palm, gripping the fingers of the embalmed hand and wrenching it away from Remus. A scream escapes him as the hand finally falls, tumbling across the carpeted floor. Peter moves quickly, dropping down to the coffee table and blowing out the candle to shut the door.

It might not make a fucking difference though, they've never done this before.

Sirius has fallen in his aggressiveness in pulling the hand away. He runs an anxious hand through his hair and immediately pushing himself up and over to Remus.

Remus has fallen forward, breathing heavily, and Sirius needs to know he's okay.

"Hey, Remus? You alright?" He murmurs gently. One of his hands goes to Remus' lower arm, the other pushing his hair back as he realises that Remus is sweating from the exertion. "We went a bit over. Remus?" Remus glances up, eyes meeting Sirius'.

Okay, he's definitely conscious.

"That was..." he looks away for a moment, Sirius pulling his hand away from Remus' head as he does that, eyebrows knitting together as he tries to figure out what Remus is going to say. "Amazing."

A relieved, overjoyed smile immediately finds its way onto Sirius' face, applauding as he stands.

"Fuck yeah! That was the best one yet!" He calls happily, turning and clapping Remus' shoulder, who's laughing along with him as James takes the belt off.

Remus Lupin.

How the hell had Sirius never heard of Remus Lupin?