#stick with your thing for a while and engage with it deeply

[stackthedeck]

the dd fanfic writers slowly fading is SO SAD to watch. like in january i used to refresh the mattfoggy tag on ao3 like 3 times a day and there would be several new fics every time, now there’s only like 1 fic every two days :(

I KNOW RIGHT!! I watched season 1 of Daredevil when it first came out but dropped off between seasons because there were other marvel things I was more interested in but the fact is that the fandom was active for way longer back then! Even though there was a "Daredevil Renaissance" it was incredibly short-lived and it sucks

actually, I've had this rant prepared for a long time so I'm sorry anon but I'm going to take your ask and run with it. So one of the bigger topics of discussion in fan studies is the shelf life of fandoms. Generally speaking, the fandoms that last the longest are serialized works. The best examples are tv shows: star trek, superwholock, x-files, etc. Why is this? the generally accepted answer is that there is a perfect balance of content and no content. You watch the episode and then you think about it for a week until the next one airs and the cycle repeats. You go see a movie, you'll think about it for a week maybe watch it again but eventually, you run out of things to think about. The formula for fandom is frustration+passion, enough time without content is going to increase frustration and diminish passion. This is why Harry Potter still has a thriving fanbase, the books were a series and the movies were a series, there's a lot of passion in the potential and the nostalgia and a fuck ton of frustration. So now that tv is less serialization and more binging, there's way too much content with no time to process it, audiences can find neither frustration nor passion, they simply binge.

okay but Daredevil was originally released as a binging series why did the fandom have such a short shelf life the second time around? Well for one, it's a good show and there was a lot of time between seasons. but two, the original fanbase probably watched marvel movies but they didn't have the mcu mindset yet. The mcu is serialized, it releases things with enough time between to process it but not so much time that you forget it exists, this should be the perfect Petri dish for fandom, right? My working theory is that the mcu is trying to have the best of both worlds with transformative and affirmational fans. There's plenty of merch to collect and trivia to memorize, but there are also lots of character moments and missing scenes to expand on in fic. I mean they even try to queerbait fans, they don't do it well, but they try. The mcu is trying to create the fandom of tv shows and movie franchises and they have, but the fandom model they really should be replicating is comics. Comics fans usually just have their one character or team and then are loosely aware of other things happening in the larger universe for whenever there's a company-wide event (which use to be few and far between but that's a different rant). Because comics are serialized and the big favorite characters were always going to have a book, transformative comic fans were small but consistent. But because the mcu are movie adaptations, they simply can't function like comic fandom. If you're watching the mcu, your fav may show up in a movie for a minute and that'll jump-start the fandom, but it doesn't change the fact that they haven't had a story or development since their last thing.

The mcu is huge, but it is migratory within itself (a largely unique and unstudied phenomenon in fan studies). Mcu fans engage with the mcu like it's a tv show, always waiting for the next episode or season, but because they're really so unconnected, so are the fan works. (this is not a dig at phase 4, this is a dig at the mcu as a whole because it can't tell a complete story like a tv show or film franchise without having one director and a start and an END point. It wants to be a film franchise and a comic book run, but it can't be both.) There's too much content demand of the audience and it's weird that it's all connected. It's weird that I have to watch the iron man movies to understand what's going on in the spider-man movies, that's not how it is in the comics, you just read the spider-man comics and maybe Tony Stark shows up and there will be a little foot note directing you towards the important iron man issues, but you frankly don't need to read them. There's too much content and fans can't possibly be invested in all of it. It's like if you were watching Supernatural and after season 3 we had to watch a prequel about Cas and it's only until two season of that, that Dean gets brought back, you probably wouldn't remember why you cared about Dean in the first place. Like audiences can only reasonably be invested in a team of 3 to 7 heroes, you could maybe push it to 9 or 10, but frankly, 5 is the sweet spot. Having over a dozen heroes that all have dynamics and stories is too much for me as a fan to keep up with and frankly it's too much for directors and writers to keep up with. There's so much happening all the time and there are wildly conflicting tones and fans are expected to not only watch it but remember it!

The Daredevil renaissance was over the minute the thor love and thunder trailer dropped because mcu fans are not behaving like comic book fans—picking and choosing a fav to stick with—but like tv fans. Mcu stans are fans of marvel movies first and their fav second. But like if you're a Daredevil fan—someone who likes gritty street-level heroes that are very grounding in personal drama—I wouldn't recommend high-concept sci-fi like thor or wandavison, I'd maybe tell you to watch falcon and the winter soldier, spy movies are kinda like detective crime thrillers, but there's nothing to keep you engaged with everything at least not in a transformative way. Like this method of producing content is great for people that want to watch movies once or twice and move on, but if you're someone that likes analysis and creation, you going to get burned out fast.

the problem is that there is too much content and not enough at the same time. The release schedule for phases five and six is terrifying, that's way too many movies at once. Even if by some miracle they are all high quality in every aspect, fans will not have enough time to thoughtfully think about it, discuss it, make fan works, and make decide what they want next, etc because the next thing will already be there. Like it's not marvel's job to cultivate a fandom, they want as much money as possible so more projects mean more ticket sales because people aren't seeing these movies twice in theaters. It's a cash cow and a terrible way to make art and it's disrespectful to the comics and all the creatives involved in the project. But hey that's capitalism baby. If you are really taken with a movie or show and you want to make a fan work for it, you'll have to do it fast for people to see it because they're only checking the tag for a week max. On the other hand, there's not enough content. There is a huge Moon Knight fan base and they're probably not going to get more content till phase seven. The show was good, but not cult classic good, no one will be around to watch the next season unless they give Moon Knight a cameo in one of the next movies. But at some point that gimmick is going to get old especially if it's like the Matt Murdock cameo in no way home because like...he didn't do anything, he wasn't important to the plot, there's nothing new to work with here.

like listen, Matt's going to get some more fics once She-Hulk airs and once Echo airs and he gets his own show, and freshmen year happens. Wait a second we're back at the too much content problem. All these projects are happening at the same time people are going to have so much Matt, but unless he's got a compelling story that runs through all those shows and changes him as a character, he's just another set piece no different than the glowing sky beam. All these projects have different writers and directors, mcu matt won't be Netflix matt (like god come on, that "I'm a really good lawyer" line was fun at the moment but when has matt ever said something like that in the show?) Comic fans understand that your fav is going to go do a team-up with another character and it's probably going to be out of character because it's a different author, hell sometimes your fav just has a terrible run and you IGNORE IT. You pick and choose canon with comic fandom especially when you're writing fic and you only want the storylines that respect the character and tell meaningful stories. Mcu fans haven't figured out how to do that because they have to watch everything and like everything or otherwise they've waste years of their life on this franchise. And it's like...yeah you have, these movies are military ads with a CGI coat of paint, but like sometimes a bad movie is just a bad movie and you either write a fix-it fic or you ignore it. Disrespectfully I ignore the entire comic civil war arc because I hate it and it's boring and spits in the face of a lot of growth and characterization (also Nick Fury makes Susan and Johnny Storm go undercover as husband and wife and it's like what the fuck marvel)

and so yeah. Bascially my point is that the mcu is trying to be both a comic franchise and a movie franchise but it is impossible with the constraints of the mediums and they should just commit to making good content even if it means that there's less of it. They need to find a way to assure fans that not everything needs to connect in a big cosmic plan, but it can still connect in a shared universe that feels lived in. Like I don't need Ms. Marvel to team up with Thor and Jessica Jones to fight Galaticus. like just let there be different levels of heroes and fans should just pick their favorite and stick with that. This as much content as fast as possible model may be good for making money in the short term but this will likely exhaust fans, affirmative and transformative alike, and will probably mean an unresponsive fan base in the future and this will result in fewer fans that they have to squeeze more and more money out of with no new fans coming in because you have to watch almost two decades of content (oh wow they're closer to the comic industry than I thought lmao)

yeah these fandoms have an incredibly short shelf life because Marvel doesn't take risks with their storytelling, there is no frustration or passion, only bright colors and flashing lights. Fans don't have time to develop complete thoughts about a work that goes past "I liked it" or "I didn't like it" much less develop their own creative work in response to it. the reason the Daredevil renaissance was so fun was that not only were people discovering this character for the first time, they were going back to old fanworks as well as making their own. Read old fanworks more often, I promise they're still good. That original Daredevil fanbase had lots of content stretched out for a long period of time, they had time to sit with it and think about it and analyze and create about it. But the mcu fanbase does not allow that because there's always the shiny new toy and as a fan creative, it's discouraging knowing that if I just got this fic out a month earlier people would have cared. So you stop posting because suddenly there's no passion, only frustration.

[nonotnolan]

Jock Cock, Part 2

Check out Part 1 here.

"Excuse me, Professor Jones?" I wasn't expecting to be recognized out in public, but I did live in town, and it wasn't unheard of for a few of my more friendly students to engage in small talk if they happened to see me out grocery shopping or what have you. I'm usually too introverted to develop deep bonds with students, especially over a trivial intro course, but some people just want to be social.

"Please, just Mr. Jones. Or Kevin. I'm a teaching assistant, not a… Jared?" I certainly wasn't expecting a member of the basketball team greeting me out in public. "Do I… I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting to be recognized. I don't think you've ever been enrolled in one of my classes?"

He smiled at me, letting his bags drop to the ground. "Well, we've crossed paths before, I just didn't make much of an impression on you. I don't take it personally, I was a pretty non-descript guy." The thought of Jared ever blending into a crowd was… ridiculous, to say the least. My skepticism must have shown up on my face, because he started laughing at me. "The real me, not Jared. I'm the same guy who swapped with Adam last month."

I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks as I recalled that night. He dumped three different loads in my ass once he was no longer my student. It was one of the most risky hookups I have ever had, but that made it all the more exciting. Especially since the man inside of Adam's body clearly had experience. Most guys with a fuck stick over seven inches were terrible in bed, but he was diligent about both foreplay and aftercare. Snuggling against a tight chest of rippling muscles, breathing deeply the manly aroma of his musky pits, gazing deeply into his eyes as his fingers ran through my hair… I didn't even realize I was daydreaming until I felt the strain of my cock against my boxer briefs.

"You wanna do it again?" he said, whispering softly. "Jared hired me to take care of Summer School exams for him. I've still got two more days inside of this body, and I'd love to see you again. That razor sharp mind of yours is just… the fucking sexiest thing about you, Kev. I want to be near you, I want to pull you in close and hold you tight." The stranger's hand slid down to his crotch and cupped his junk. "And I want to rail you with this jock cock until you scream."

I started to fidget with my suit jacket. "Jared... Adam... whoever it is that you are... look, it was risky enough when you were in the body of someone who graduated. Jared is... what, a junior? He's barely 21. And he's still a student"

"But he's not your student," countered the stranger. "I looked up the university policy. It only matters if there is a conflict of interest, like student and teacher. And age means nothing as long as the body is legal, which it is. Besides, you're... what, mid 30s? A bit older? That's nothing for hookup culture."

As always, the man had a point. Was he always this confident, or was that a side effect of wearing a jock's skin? "I mean, you're right, I just... I'm not a big fan of hookup culture. I know we had that night when you were Adam, but... I'd much rather go on a date and get to know you first. And I can't help but feel guilty that these athletes don't know you're having sex in their bodies, so that plus the hookup guilt is... it's a bit much for me. I really should say no. It's not personal."

Jared, the man inside of Jared, just smiled at me. "I don't know what sort of operation you think I'm running, but I make them all sign contracts that outline everything I'm allowed to do while I'm inside in their body, sex included. So if you don't want a hookup, I guess I'll just have to hang out a bit before we fuck. Why don't you come back to my place? We can hang out at the pool before we head upstairs."

"Pretty nice apartment complex, right? Jared's parents are loaded." He smiled at me as I glanced around the property. I knew the buildings in this part of town were incredibly expensive, but I didn't realize just how extravagant they were.

My eyes were drawn to the water droplets running down his muscular pecs. "Well, honestly, I assumed it was due to his status as a star athlete," I said, trying to keep my eyes focused on his face.

He shook his head. "Nah, they barely get paid anything, and the regulations around it are pretty bullshit. The scholarships cover the classes, but anything else is a crapshoot. Most of the athletes I hop into, I have them pay me by giving me extra time in their body. I don't think I could ever develop all this," he gestured at his chest for emphasis, "on my own. Being a jock is a lot of hard work and dedication, but borrowing it? Much easier. I love being able to borrow bodies like this, and doing their schoolwork is a breeze. It's a pretty sweet gig for someone like me."

"It sounds like you're being a bit hard on yourself, Mr...?"

The man in Jared's body shrugged. "Call me Mike, if you want. Or you can call me Fuck. That's what you'll be screaming later, when I'm balls deep in that ass of yours." It was one of the dumbest lines I'd heard, but the delivery was aided by the absolute stud who said it. "Come on, let's head upstairs. If you want a date, we can have coffee between rounds."

"You are going to be the death of me," I said, panting for breath. I could feel the sweat dripping down my thighs-- among other fluids, given that I'd already taken two loads from Mike's current body. I was falling for him, hard. "Okay, I have to be awkward. You clearly have a crush on me if you're trying to find me when you're in these hot bodies. But if you're not going to let me return the favor… where do you see this going?"

He just started laughing. "Why does it have to go anywhere? We're just two gay guys enjoying a series of casual hookups. It happens all the time."

I rolled off of the mattress and walked over to where I had tossed off most of my clothes. "Because I want it to go somewhere, Jar-- Mike. I don't want to have a series of casual hookups. I know a lot of guys are fine with that sort of culture, but… I'm not. I need more than this."

"Whoa, hey…" He came up behind me and pulled me close, and I could feel the warmth of his body. "Kevin. My guy. You don't even know what I look like. Are you in love with me, the idea of me, or the jock cock that I can provide to you?" He started grinding his growing erection against my bare ass for emphasis-- God, of course Jared's body was already prepared for round three. "I promise you, a relationship will never live up to your dreams. Don't ruin a good thing by trying to get even more. Just sit back and enjoy the dick, for as long as I can supply it."

I brushed his arm off my shoulder and stepped further away. "I can't… Mike, I'm not going to settle for 'good enough' in matters of love. And if that means ruining a good thing to chase what I want… what I need? That's what I'm going to do." I kept waiting for him to say something as I started getting dressed, but he just stared at me with his arms crossed.

He followed me out of the apartment, though he remained silent as he walked behind me. I guess he thought I would realize that his dick was too good to leave, and he had been right all along? I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. We were both too stubborn to admit defeat.

"I'll… see you around in some other college stud, I guess."

[lakesbian]

i have had like 10 friends rec worm to me but nobody’s given me a good like, gist of its vibe and what its abt because ‘its best blind’, could u please give a like brief summary and vibe check of it 😭 it’s so long i dont wanna try and invest that much time without knowing much abt it

so, worm is a 1.7 million word long webserial written in 2010. 1.7 million words seems like a lot, but it was also written over a relatively short period of time, which means the writing style is very easy to parse--the ideas aren't without complexity, but the language itself isn't intimidatingly dense. you can get through it at a very decent pace. i agree with your friends that there are vast portions of worm that hit best when you're unspoiled, but the thing is that worm is long enough that giving you the basic plot pitch is in no way spoilers for any of the things that i wouldn't want to see spoiled for someone. i'm actually kind of baffled they're not telling you Any Thing, because it is in my estimation one of the best books i've ever read, but it also Needs a briefing before you get into it for like five different reasons. which i will now provide. i swear to god this is brief by my standards it's just that i am very thorough

worm is a story about superheroes and supervillains, set in a world where superpowers are traumagenic--rather than appearing randomly or innately, some people gain powers after a traumatizing event happens to them. the protagonist is taylor hebert, a 15yo girl who has the power to control insects and desperately wants to be a superhero. and then accidentally finds herself scouted by a team of teenage villains instead. who's to say how she's going to react to all that!

one of the most compelling things about worm is that the superpowers in it serve as visceral, hyper-literal metaphors for the trauma and traumatized coping mechanisms of the characters with those powers. each power is incredibly specific and thematically relevant to the person who has it, and it's incredibly interesting and evocative. it feels so natural and well-done that it comes off like how superpowers are just meant to be written.

the fact that superpowers stem from trauma also means that worm is fundamentally a narrative about trauma. specifically, about traumatized teenagers and the relationships they form as they cling together while struggling through growing up traumatized & mutually coping with an increasingly intriguing, intense, and far-reaching escalating plot. worm's depictions of trauma + mental illness--including unpalatable trauma responses, including traumatized characters who are allowed to be complicated and nuanced and messy while still receiving narrative respect--are deeply real-feeling and impactful, and they're placed in the context of a well-spun + engaging story.

i really do have to stress how excellent the character writing is. worm is fully deserving of being as long as it is. over the course of 1.7 million words of character development, the average reader's reaction to the main characters goes from "sorta interesting" to "okay, i want to see where this goes" to "augh...really likable" to "i am now on hands and knees crying and these characters are going to stick around in my brain forever." wildbow has incredible talent for efficiently conveying complicated, real-feeling, and viscerally evocative characterization. many of the interlude chapters (chapters written from the perspective of different characters other than taylor) are so interesting, fleshed-out, and emotionally affecting that they make you wish you could read an entire novel about just the side character being featured. with that level of characterization for just the side cast, it's not surprising that taylor (& co) are genuinely just downright iconic. and i do not say that lightly--taylor is truly one of the best-written protagonists i've seen in anything. ever.

the other main pitch-point for worm is that it's a fascinating deconstruction/reconstruction/examination of the conceits of the superhero genre. it answers the question of--what would the world have to be like, for people with superpowers to act the way they do in classic cape media? and it does this well enough that it's interesting even if you have only a passing familiarity with cape media. i am not a big superhero media fan, but worm addresses virtually every aspect of cape media that was under the sun around 2010 in a way that's so interesting i still find it incredibly engaging. the approach it takes makes the narrative very accessible even to people who aren't usually cape media fans.

and speaking of the narrative: the end of the story is coherent and satisfying and deeply thematically resonant*. the way worm follows through on all of its main mysteries & plot threads is excellent. you don't have to worry about getting thru 1.7 million words and being dissatisfied by the author shitting the bed at the end, or anything like that. he does an amazing job of weaving together plot events in a way that makes each successive one feel rationally, thematically, and emotionally connected to what came before. there's really only one part where i feel the story stumbles a bit, but i think it was the best option he had for the narrative, and it's by no means a dealbreaker. it's in fact really impressive how cohesive and satisfying worm is for such a long webserial released over such a brief period of time.

*this is subjective ive seen some people who didnt love it but ive never seen anyone who downright Hated it who didnt also demonstrate egregious misunderstanding of literally everything worm is about. so thats a good sign

as for the downsides of worm/things that might put you off:

there is a very long list of trigger warnings for it. if you have any trigger warnings you want you should ask your friends to let you know about the relevant parts, because the fact that it's About Trauma (& about typical cape media circumstances presented very seriously) means that traumatic and violent things & their realistic aftermath are constantly happening and/or being discussed. i would not classify worm as needlessly dark or spiteful to the audience by any means, but it is intense and covers a lot of heavy topics. i do assume if your friends are all recommending it to you, they think none of the material would be too much for you, though!

worm was written in 2010 by a white cishet guy from canada. it's typical levels of 2010-era bigoted, it has a deeply lesbophobic stereotype character, it has some atrociously racist stereotype characters, the author really hates addicts, It's Got Blind Spots. i think worm is generally fully worth reading despite these, but very fair warning that it can get bad. i think what exacerbates this is that worm is generally extremely nuanced & sympathetic regarding ideas such as "crime is a result of systematic circumstance vs people just being inherently evil" and "mentally ill people who are traumatized in unpalatable ways are still deserving of fundamental respect as human beings" and so on and so forth, so it's extra noticeable and insufferable when you get to a topic the author has unexamined biases on and all that nuance drops out. the worst part is that a lot of this is most concentrated in the early arcs, so you have to get through them without being super attached to any of the characters yet. it is worth it though.

worm like. Does have a central straight relationship in it. and it's a very well written straight relationship for the most part and i like it quite a lot. but worm also passes the bechdel test with such flying colors that it enters 'unintentionally homoerotic' territory. which means a lot of people were shipping the main character ms taylor hebert with her female friends while the story was being released. which caused the author to get so mad he 1. posted a word of god to a forum loudly insisting that all of the girls are straight and 2. inserted a few deeply awkward and obvious and out of character scenes where he finds an excuse for the girls to more or less turn to the camera and go "i'm not gay, btw. this is platonic." This is fucking insufferable, and will piss you off immensely, but then you will get to any of the number of deeply emotionally affecting scenes between them, and at that point you will be too busy sniffling piteously and perhaps crytyping an analysis post on tumblr to be mad about all that other shit. also they're only a couple tiny portions out of an entire overall fantastic novel

overall: if those points don't sound like dealbreakers (i hope they aren't they're really massively outstripped by the amount of devastatingly good moments in worm, worm still has a thriving fandom over a decade later for a reason), you should absolutely give it a shot and see what you think. my final note is that you have to read up until the end of arc 8 to really see where what makes worm Worm kicks in, so aim for at least there to see how you feel about it if you're just thinking about dipping your toes in vs fully committing. i hope that was helpful and not too long :)

oh and don't go in the comments section on wordpress if you don't want spoilers. or anywhere else in the fandom at all. you will be spoiled. quite possibly for things you could not even have imagined were topics to be spoiled on.

[brujahinaskirt]

Just some lil' thangs you might not notice about the level of detail RDR2 puts into Arthur's interactions with horses if you aren't personally experienced with horses:

[Sorry if this has been done! I couldn't find a post like it in recent tumblr history, and hope I can at least add some thoughts that haven't been analyzed to death already!]

(First, a note about me: I was raised on a quarter horse ranch and trained by a cadre of old-school cowboys in the Western tradition. Some of them were excellent teachers and some of them were crabby-faced bastards who thought "horsemanship" = engaging in a constant war with your horse... which gives me a little insight into positive and negative horsemanship styles on display in RDR2.)

(Second, thanks to fellow horsegirl @mangocats for helping me compile this list!)

(Third, a simple note to say that although I playfully use the term "horsegirl" in this post, the notes here apply to any gender. Same goes for the use of terms like "horsemen," which is not commonly used in the Western equestrian world to indicate a rider's real gender.)

Now, without further ado:

Press X to Calm. Arthur uses a tried-and-true low-stress, gradual escalation method of approaching and calming a spooked horse that begins with establishing physical contact with one hand and slowly increasing contact until the horse is fully calm and is once more amenable to human direction & commands. This is usually a preferable method to getting a frightened horse under control imo, but it's a "soft hand" method, and not something you always see in machismo-loaded equestrian circles. I've written about this a little in another meta post, so I won't get too deeply into it here.

Overall Horsemanship Style. You'll notice that while he does occasionally drive them hard in emergencies such as escaping the law or chasing a train, Arthur never "forces" his horses to comply with commands; in other words, he doesn't use his strength to try and bully a horse into doing something, like crossing a river, or physically punish a horse to "desensitize" it. "Forcing" horses to do things using tack designed to create discomfort or using raw bodily intimidation + fear & pain-motivated negative reinforcement is a tragically common tradition in old-school Western riding (and still advocated by some popular TV equestrians whom I think are straight-up animal abusers... if you know you know). It's dismal, but for a lot of the cowboys I know/knew, when a horse isn't obeying, you need to "show it who's boss." Arthur never approaches animals this way. By contrast, especially for the time period, he is exceedingly patient with horses and animals in general. We can even see this in his dialogue to wild horses; when they gradually calm down after the initial "breaking in" process, Arthur usually says something companionable like, "See, we're friends now."

And a sub-point on that: Horsemanship Temperament. Arthur never gets mad at or yells at his horse. Even when he gets chucked to the ground, he'll yell DAMN, THAT HURT, and then it's back to trying to calm the spooked horse. Which is exactly the right attitude to have. (Though if you've never been hurled face-first into a pile of sun-baked manure because your horse saw, idk, a twig on the road, you might not appreciate how even-tempered a character Arthur is for never succumbing to the temptation to yell, "COME ONNNN GIVE ME A BREAK IT'S A STICK YOU SILLY BITCH!")

Horse responsiveness. The horse emotional cues in this game are incredible, from their reactions to other animals and weather events to their reactions to Arthur. You can see the horse's neck muscles tense and relax when being calmed, their eyes changing in size, their head drop and raise in response to the reins, and their annoyance seeping through with stomps and pinned ears well before they start to spook. When Arthur speaks to his horses, you can even see a subtle ear flick backwards as they listen to him. When he gives certain commands (such as a mild squeeze of the knees to speed up a bit), a calm and attentive horse will often issue an affirmative snort; this is incredibly lifelike and essentially a "roger roger" between horse and rider. I was also impressed that Arthur uses his thighs and his knees to cue his horse more than his heels. Usually you just see the dramatic heel cues in in video games, but in real life, a rider gently but firmly squeezes their knees/thighs far more often than laying into their horse with boot heels, which is a fabulous way to get sent to the moon. One thing I would have liked to see is more riderless idle horse animations. Lazy or bored horses do a very classic pose where they rest their weight on one side, cock a hip out, and jauntily kick a back hoof up. It would have been right at home at the hitching posts in RDR2, and the horses are otherwise so lifelike, I find myself missing this little pose.

Historical bits. As players, we don't have much choice with this, since Rockstar matched bits to saddles rather than letting us customize them. With that disclaimer out of the way: Arthur uses a wide range of bits, some of them much harsher than others, designed to offer more control over a difficult horse's head through pressure points within the mouth. This is historically sound and far from obsolete in modern horsemanship, though I would certainly avoid using some of the harsher bits in RDR2 on my horses to avoid hurting them accidentally. That said, it's important to note that "harsh" control bits (like those wickedly straight-shanked bits you see with some of the cooler saddle styles) aren't instantly or automatically painful. While many of us modern horsegirls may frown upon the just-for-the-hell-of-it use of many styles of old-school, Wild West bit, in the hands of an experienced horseman with a good sense of appropriate rein pressure (which we can assume Arthur is), even a curb bit should not be a tool of pain. In the hands of a novice, however, some of those bits would absolutely hurt a poor horse's mouth and are typically reserved for troublesome (potentially dangerous) animals who may need to be curtailed quickly. I'm assuming Rockstar chose them for style more than characterization... but I do wince when I see those hard stops with the straight shanks, every time.

Horsetalk. We all know Arthur baby talks horses, and that his babble to his horse increases in affection with bonding level and varies a little depending on the horse's sex. But he also does something peculiar and frankly delightful with his vocal modulation on certain horse chatter lines. In those moments where he seems to go a little vibrato, warbling his voice as he talks ("waiaiaiaiaiaiaiat! come bahahahahack!" he calls after a fleeing mustang), Arthur is actually mimicking calming/positive horse sounds (usually a friendly nicker or a greeting whinny) in an attempt to communicate in horse language. While I think a TON of horsegirls have secretly nickered at our horses when no one else is around the stable, making horse noises at your horse is not a "traditional" training technique, and imo is something other gang members would definitely make fun of him for. It is also very adorable. I wanted to add that while horses are excellent at noise commands (like whistles, clucks, kisses, etc.), they usually aren't very good at identifying spoken word commands, including their own names. Therefore, the majority of the talking Arthur does to his horse is just free companionable chatter, much like we babble to our house pets. The command is in the cluck, the leg pressure, the yah, the rein slap; it's not the spoken, "Come on, girl, here we go!" That's just Arthur being a horsegirl.

Saddle checks. If you pay close attention, in cutscenes and in the map, Arthur will occasionally reach down and test various pieces of his saddle. This is particularly true with checking the cinches (those big straps that loop behind the front legs and under the belly), which good riders often do, as saddles can adjust during a ride. Straps that are too tight or too loose will cause a horse discomfort, since they change the way the saddle rests upon them and distributes the rider's weight. You can even watch the saddle shift when Arthur mounts and dismounts, reflecting the changed distribution in weight! This honestly floored me the first time I saw it. Rockstar really consulted people who know their stuff.

Bad Habits. IMO, Arthur's a little slouch-backed in the saddle. This is noticeably worse if he's hungry or sleepy, but even well-fed and rested, his shoulders drop and curve out his spine more than is ideal. This won't hurt his horse, but it will come back to bite him directly in the lower back as he ages, and I argue it's probably biting him in the ass a little now. (More on that below.) Arthur's "behind the horse" etiquette isn't particularly lifelike. In RDR2 (as in life), sometimes idling or benignly messing around behind a horse will cause them to randomly kick, and any equestrian knows not to hang out aimlessly in the kick zone. IRL, if you're about to walk close behind a horse, it's good etiquette to reach out and gently lay a hand on a horse's hip to let them know you're going to pass behind them before you step into the kick zone. I would have liked to see an animation for this, but I'd guess this would have been a real pain to animate without "locking" Arthur in place (as with the petting and brushing animations), so I can't really count this against him in good conscience. He also holds his reins in a full fist rather than between the appropriate fingers. This is a novice mistake, but I'm guessing this is an animation choice more than a characterization one, because I can't imagine getting those wobbly rein physics to rest perfectly between a model's wee little fingers. Which brings us to...

Reins. Arthur keeps a pretty tight (though not oppressive) grip on the reins when he has a horse in motion, facilitating quick communication from rider to horse and increased emotional response from the horse, and he tends to use both reins when he isn't holding something else. This increases control and often allows for clearer communication between horse and rider in comparison to the laxer "rein knot" one-handed Western style. More on that point: Arthur sometimes holds the reins in one hand. This is not lazy horsemanship, but rather a mainstay of the Western riding tradition; holding the reins in one hand allows for a rider to keep one hand free for whatever they might need... usually rope/weapons. Using two hands, one rein in each, does deliver much more refined control (especially with a nervous or inexperienced horse), which is why you often see Arthur switch between one- and two-handed riding. Rockstar also makes the clever choice to make reins “stretchy” so they move with the neck and simulate rider give and restraint, rather than having them just flop around at a static length. This makes reining feel a lot more dynamic and responsive, in my opinion.

Bareback vs. Saddle: To Rockstar's credit, riders' carriage when bareback is entirely different from the saddle carriage animations, and displays a lower center of gravity.

This note is a bummer, but it is, I feel, an important one to know. Arthur is WAY TOO BIG to ride a significant number of horses in the game. Horses are not bikes or cars. In real life, it's extremely important to consider a rider's weight and height and general carriage when matching them with a horse, especially for long-distance rides... and unfortunately, Arthur is prohibitively huge. If I saw a man Arthur's size astride that teeny little Morgan, boots tips damn near dragging, I'd give him a piece of my damn mind. That said, it's just a video game, so if you love that white Arabian or that sweet little Morgan, ride without shame; you are not hurting a pixel horse! But if you're into max realism or a horse an experienced rider like Arthur might conceivably choose for himself, go for something larger, leggier, and stronger. Though Rockstar fictionalized their breeds a little bit, I think one of their taller well-balanced styles like the Dutch warmblood, standardbred, Hungarian, Andalusian, or even one of those svelte Americanized Belgians suits Arthur much more comfortably. Online's Kladruber would also be an excellent choice for Arthur. (Ain't nobody saying SHIT to Arthur Morgan on a heavy breed like a Shire, though they aren't well suited for everyday long-distance all-terrain riding, and I feel sympathy pains about that leg spread just thinking about it. Speaking of...)

Real talk about Arthur's "swagger": Though I'm 100% sure it's a dominance thing for some crusty ol' cowboys, most equestrians don't saunter around Like That TM because they are listening to Rod Stewart croon If You Want My Body And You Think I'm Sexy at all times. That "swagger" is just... well... to be blunt, it's sort of what happens to your gait after you spend all day with your legs straddling a big animal moving on rough terrain. Hang out with some adults who have ridden horses daily since they were wee beans and they'll tell you allllll about what it can do to your posture. Contrary to cowboy jokes, it's not so much about being bowlegged (which is massively exaggerated as it pertains to horseback riding) as it is about lowering one's center of gravity to compensate for things like muscle strain, spinal compression, and lower back pain. Due to the high impact nature of riding, many career horsepeople develop chronic back problems and "swaggers," and for some it's eventually more comfortable to ride than to walk. Not saying you can't hc an Arthur who struts his stuff, of course! Just saying that, for those of you who might struggle to reconcile Arthur's blisteringly low self-esteem in his physical appearance with his "swagger," here's a horse world answer.

Knights Templar'ing it. This is another bummer for a ton of cute fanfic scenes, but riding two-to-a saddle is really not good for a horse. It's not just about raw weight, but about the distribution of that weight and where the pressure rests on a horse's back/organs. A bean like Little Jack sitting right in Arthur's lap isn't going to add too much stress to a horse big enough to carry a tanky dude like Arthur comfortably, but a whole second adult sitting behind a saddle is a very different story. Imagine the difference between carrying someone piggyback versus having someone stand on your spine! It's all about the position. Larger breeds can tolerate riding double for a while, but it should not be done for long distances, and it definitely should not be done if a rider expects to need heavy exertion from the horse. Adults riding double doesn't happen too often in RDR2 (usually just during an emergency), so this isn't a critique of Rockstar or Arthur; it's more so a helpful realism note for fanworks. An experienced horsegirl like Arthur is sure not to ride double casually. Pro-tip: If you want someone to teach your (non-bean-sized) OC how to ride a horse, consider having the teacher controlling the horse from the ground via a lead/lunge line while your OC sits in the saddle.

Oof, that smarts... When Arthur picks up hay bales with short sleeves on/bare hands, he makes a soundless "OOF OOOH EEEE OUCH" face. The first time I saw this, I absolutely lost it with glee. Anyone who has moved hay (or straw; they're different!) with bare arms knows how prickly and scratchy and itchy it is, and it's loving little touches like this that make RDR2's horses feel so darn real.

That's all I can think of for now! I hope this list was at least somewhat helpful, even if it's far from an all-encompassing resource on horsey stuff in RDR2. Happy riding, meatverse horsegirls & virtual horsegirls, and remember to always thank your horse :)

[miercoooles]

Only for You

Summary: You have never seen him remove his mask, not even when Luke took Grogu away.

Pairing: Din Djarin x Former Jedi GN!Reader, Luke Skywalker x Platonic!Reader (kinda?)

Word Count: 4.2k

Warnings: Season 2 spoilers, Angst (it took a turn, ig), talks about past trauma, no use of y/n, cursing, fluff maybe?, and ofc awfully written

A/N: I don’t know if anyone has written something like this, it’s more of a self-indulgent fic just because. I made this to be fluff, idk how that turned out ;-; Also please be nice, this is my first ever Mando fic.

Comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated!

Din Djarin or better known as “the Mandalorian” for others, was a man of few words. When he first stumbled upon you on a mission, he didn’t even bother to bat an eye. It was because of the little green foundling, Grogu, who took interest and became immediately fond of you, that forced the bounty hunter to take you aboard the Razor Crest.

During the first six months you have spent with him, your relationship with Mando remained stagnant and purely professional. He only saw you as a colleague, someone who can help him accomplish tasks quicker, and take Grogu off his hands when he has something important to do or so that was what you thought. Although, you can’t say the same for yourself because you were attracted to the masked man, whom you have never even seen the face of. 

Today was no different when he asked you to accompany him in collecting supplies and resources as it was running low. As you were about to leave the ship and follow him, Grogu swaddled to you and embraced your leg, not letting you go. “Me and Mando will just go out and gather supplies, little one.” You explained to him, crouching down and carrying him back to his makeshift cradle. Grogu whined, shaking his head in protest and reaching his arms back for you to carry him back. 

“I can’t, little one. Don’t worry, we’ll be quick.” You assured him, caressing his head. Once he made a satisfied grumble, you let go of him and gave him one more wave before rushing outside the ship. 

“You clearly took your time.” Din stated, and you didn’t have to see his face to know that he was annoyed.

You rolled your eyes at him walking past him, your shoulders brushing against his beskar. “Well you can’t really blame me, can you? Little Grogu didn’t want to let go of me.”, you retorted, shrugging and looking over your shoulder prior to sticking your tongue out like a child.

You heard him grumble something about him being the one who saved Grogu but is more attached to you, which made you laugh.

A few months later, you can safely say that your relationship with the head of the ship improved. He started engaging in conversations with you more often, joined in your daily activities a.k.a. playing with Grogu, and even taught you his native language, Mando’a, and trained you self-defence in case he wasn’t on the Crest.

Be that as it may, you’re unsafe to say that the relationship you have developed with the Mandalorian caused your little crush on him to bloom into something more treacherous. There were often times where you found yourself thinking and daydreaming about him as well as imagining how he looks without his helmet on to the point where you get too distracted doing your routines. 

A year has passed since Grogu went with Luke to train and ever since then, things between you and the bounty hunter have changed. He grew distant and cold towards you as if the friendship you have established has turned into nothing but dust, and it left you confused as you returned to the first step. But you missed the little goblin whomst you had created a bond with, and you missed the relationship you’ve previously had with the Mandalorian.

You sat on the co-captain’s chair in the cockpit, staring in the distance as your mind aimlessly wandered in your thoughts while you waited for the bounty hunter to return from his current mission. You spun your chair as you replayed that night the Jedi ransacked the ship.

Just as Djarin rescued Grogu, another alarm rang through the cruiser when a X-wing fighter flew past it. You were so engrossed by the ship landing on the dock that you did not notice Grogu appear on your lap and watched along with you. Silence loomed across the room, as a hooded figure dismounted the ship. The moment you saw the green lightsaber flash from the mystery man’s hand, you felt as if a bucket of ice water fell on you.

Grogu seemed to have noticed your change in demeanour that he made concerned, little gurgling noises that pulled you out of your thoughts. You looked at him and caressed his head, giving him a small smile to assure him you’re alright. 

As Gideon saw the commotion bother the crowd, he took his chance, pulling out his blaster and shooting Kryze, pummeling her to the floor. He then turned around to aim at you and Grogu, but Mando was quick to act and jumped in front of you as you shielded Grogu. 

Opening your eyes, you saw Gideon knocked out on the ground and Grogu reaching his hands up to the monitor wherein the not so mysterious man (to you anyway) just finished the dark troopers. You heard Djarin command someone to open the doors, but you were too fixated on the man walking towards it that you did not hear who. 

Once the door is open, the man removes his hood revealing his face. No one said a word as his eyes travelled and studied each person in the room, definitely searching for someone. When you met his gaze, he looked at you with familiarity, making you look away. 

“I am Luke Skywalker”, he introduced himself. You discreetly rolled your eyes at the mention of his name. 

“Are you a Jedi?” Din asked, to which Skywalker answered and confirmed. You turned your chair so your back is facing him, Grogu, on the other hand, peeked at the side of the chair, interested in the man. 

You heard Luke call onto Grogu, you looked down at the foundling who hasn’t moved an inch. “He doesn’t want to go with you.” The masked man said, stepping forward. Luke went on explaining that Grogu was asking for Mando’s permission to allow him and that the Jedi will do his best to protect the Child with his life and train him which made you scoff. 

You did not have to look to know that the bounty hunter was reluctant in letting Grogu go, but you both knew that was what he was meant to do. So when you heard his footsteps coming towards you, you faced him and handed him the Child. 

“Go on, little one. That’s who you belong with, he’s one of your kind. I’ll see you again, I promise.” Mando assured the little one, but you knew that he was also assuring himself that they will be reunited again.

You watched them intently as the Child held up his hand to touch the beskar helmet of Djarin. You heard about Djarin and his affiliations with The Children of the Watch. You also know that group teaches its foundlings that they should never reveal their identity to the presence of another living being. So when you saw him clutch the material that covered his identity, you turned your chair away from him, respecting the belief of the group he is in.

You felt trinkets of water on your cheeks as you heard Mando usher the Child to go with Luke.  Once you heard your partner put his helmet back on, you assumed that the Jedi master already left, and you huffed out the breath you didn’t know you were holding, thinking you were finally safe. Or that’s what you thought…

“I see you’ve joined the other side,” the blonde spoke up, proving your assumptions wrong and making you inhale sharply as he was clearly talking about you.

You felt everyone’s eyes fall on you, but you were particular about only one. You felt Djarin’s eyes drill holes at you with curiosity through his helmet, and he did not have to remove it for you to figure out that he was baffled about what was unfolding in front of him.

You spun your chair once more to face him, glaring at him and crossing your arms. “So? What is it to you?”, you retorted sassily.

“Ah, still the same old you. It’s nothing really,  I just never expected it, especially with you.” He taunted.

“Oh really? I would beg to differ.” You protested, quirking your eyebrow and leaning forward. “Or have you already forgotten what you did to me?”

Luke stayed quiet for a moment, speechless that you remembered what happened years ago. “You know I never meant for that to happen.” 

What he said infuriated you, but you closed your eyes and took a deep breath, fisting your hand. “I never left you on purpose. I was needed elsewhere. I had a duty. And if I had let you know, would you have let me go? I don’t think so because you wouldn’t have understood anything since what do you know about duty and responsibilities, huh?” He continued, raising his voice as he defended his previous actions.

That stunned you, but he was right. You had no sense of duty as you were a young, reckless, and carefree person. You had no care for your responsibilities. You wanted your life to be filled with fun and joy, not with stress and worry. You had potential with the Force even Kenobi foresaw that, and had you taken your training seriously, your skills would be equalling Luke on a par or duel, maybe even bested him. But you had let your childishness win. Yet he had no right whatsoever to talk to you like that, like he knew what happened to you. 

You stood up from where you were seated and started striding towards him, forgetting the existence of the others. “How dare you speak to me that way, Luke Skywalker. Do you have any idea of what I went through the moment you left? NO! You have no idea what hell I have experienced and encountered when you abandoned me. You have no idea about the pains and sacrifices I made in order to get back up again. You have no clue how long it took me to fix and find myself once more. I waited for years Luke, years thinking you would return for me but no, you never did. I felt like I had no purpose anymore, but thanks to them…”, You argued, looking at Din Djarin before continuing. “I found it again. Without them, I would probably still be wandering the outskirts of wherever. I was saved by them, by Grogu and Djarin.” 

Once you were face to face with him, you pointed your finger at him, stopping the urge to slap him, “You have not one shittiest hint of what I have been through, so you have no right to talk to me like that. You were the only one I had, you were my best friend, yet it seemed so easy for you to leave me. I only wished you told me, then maybe it would have been easier for me.” You whisper-shouted, your lips quivering as you held back your tears and softly punched his shoulders, avoiding to hurt the Child.

You felt yourself become light-headed from all the emotions that you let out. The last thing you felt was strong, cold arms catching you before your vision turned dark and passed out. 

When you woke up, you looked over to the side hoping to see the man you were completely infatuated with, instead you were disappointed when you were met by Bo Katan.  When she saw you open your eyes, she immediately told you that Grogu went with Luke to become his apprentice. You scrambled on your feet, Kryze behind you as you searched the whole ship looking for any signs of Grogu, but there was none. And that broke you even more as you never got to say goodbye.

An hour or so has passed by and you were still deep in thought not hearing the bounty hunter return from his assignment. He removed his armour, leaving his helmet on as he went to look for you in the ship. When he found you, he saw you lost in thought, your chin placed on your palm. He let out a sigh, leaning against the doorframe and watched your reflection on the window.

Before he left, he told you that he was going out to complete a mission he accepted, the truth was he went to see Ahsoka. The confrontation that happened between you and the Jedi bothered and confused him. He thought that the connection you both had meant you trusted him enough to tell him those kinds of things, apparently he was wrong and expected too much that he ended up getting hurt in the process. 

The feelings he had towards you puzzled him, and he wondered if there was a chance that you felt the same towards him. But seeing how you and Luke fought, he gave that thought up and started distancing himself to lessen the pain. He knew what he was doing affected you both badly, but he thought it was for the best.

And although he believes that what happened that night doesn’t hurt him anymore, he knows deep inside that he’s only lying to himself, especially because it was the night where he had to let go of his ‘kid’. But what wounded him more than it should was that it was Baby Grogu that bridged him to you. During your first encounter, he only saw you as a burden. But the immediate close proximity you have made with the Child, allowed him to give you the benefit of the doubt and accepted you anyway. 

He stayed distant, watching you and Grogu interact and play while he worked or rested. In those moments, he felt his cold heart warm up to you, thinking that maybe it would not be so bad to make a bond with you. Afterall, you’ve known each other for how many months already. 

So in a few months, he joined you whenever he had nothing to do, helping you in taking care of Grogu or just spending time with you and getting to know you better. As you got together frequently, his feelings evolved. Being with you made him at ease, made him feel he was safe. You welcomed him with open arms and open heart, not once making him feel uncomfortable or judged. He trusted you and became most vulnerable only to you, the first he has done in a while. But the thing about you that he cannot fathom was that there was something about being around your presence that he could not keep away from even just for a second. 

And after everything, after seeing and learning about the things you kept secret from him, all he gravely wanted to do was pull you closer to his embrace and comfort you. He wishes to be there for you as you let the walls you built for years break. He craves to be the person who you will look for and run to when you need someone like how he is to you. He longs to be the person whom you would be comfortable to show the real you without any filters. He aches to be the one to put and protect that beautiful smile and laugh of yours. And he yearns to hold you, to have you in his arms, to shower you with kisses, to tell you what he truly feels about you, to wake up beside you, and to be able to call you his best friend and lover. 

That was the main reason why he visited Ahsoka because he had no clue about what he felt and how to express it. When the former Jedi master confronted him and told him bluntly that what he felt was love, he instantly denied that idea until she asked him a series of questions about you. And when he realised it, he promptly stood up and thanked her before sprinting as fast as his legs could back to the ship.

Which brings him to now, still watching you. He observed you quietly, wondering what it was that put you deep in thought. He loves it whenever you use that wonderful brain of yours because you have an adorable habit of scrunching your eyebrows together and pouting your lips. 

The moment he saw a teardrop fall from your cheek, he felt his heart shatter. Maybe he doesn’t know the reason but he wasn’t completely heartless. His legs quietly carried him to you, sitting down beside you and wiping your tear stained cheeks, startling you.

You withdrew yourself from his touch, frantically looking elsewhere as you felt his eyes scan, possibly trying to figure out what you were thinking. “Hey Mando! Since when did you get back?” You asked nervously, your fingers fidgeting and legs bouncing.

He hummed before sitting on his respective chair and facing you. “Just a while back. Can I ask you something?” He queried, his voice heavy due to the modulation of his helmet. “You don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”, he continued, checking your body language to see if you were okay with it. You squirmed in your seat, feeling seen by him before nodding, eyes still averted from him, “Ask away, amigo.”

“Why have you never told me?” You looked at him, your eyebrows knitting together, “Never told you what exactly?” Although you can’t see him do it, he rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrow at you. “I mean, why have you never told me that you were a Jedi warrior? I thought that maybe by that time before that Luke guy appeared, we already earned each other’s trust.”

The question took you by surprise, not that you weren’t expecting him to ask, you just didn’t think he would ask you now since it has been a year already. For the first time, you understood why he pushed you away, he felt like you had not trusted him enough to not give him this information that it hurt him. 

You finally found the courage to look at him, and you have no idea what he’s thinking or what his expression is behind his mask, making you more jittery. 

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, sighing it out before opening them once more to look at him. “I presumed that I did not have to remember that chapter of my life once I joined your journey. I never expected Luke to appear out of nowhere and bring that part of my life up. As for never telling you, I did not want to share to you the burden of guilt I carry. You have so much on your shoulders already, that it felt right to just never let you know as I have left it. Maybe also because I was scared that your perception of me would differ when you find out. ”

Your sight dropped to your lap, your thumbs playing with one another, and your whole body trembled as you finished. You couldn’t look at him now, you felt vulnerable as you held back your tears. There was nothing but deafening silence and it scared you because the thoughts in your head are saying that he sees you differently and more disgusting now than ever. But those thoughts evaporated the moment he placed his right hand on yours, caressing it while his left hand softly cupped your chin and moved it up so he could see your face. 

His left hand continued moving, stroking your cheeks with his knuckles. You released a relieved sigh as you leaned into his touch. “Darling, I would never look at you differently just because our races hated each other. And I’m sorry if I ever hurt you by distancing myself away. It just felt…” 

You pulled your right hand away and placed it on his helmet, gesturing for him to stop. “You don’t have to explain, okay? I should have told you because we made a promise that there should be no secrets between us.” 

It was now your turn to place your hand on the cheeks of his cold headgear, running the pad of your thumb against the cold surface. He broke away from your touch, withdrawing his hands from you and moving it towards the end of his helmet. That was when it hit you he was going to take it off for you, but before he could you stopped him. 

“Wait, what are you trying to do?”

“Well before you stopped me, I was going to remove my helmet.” He quipped, making you giggle. 

“No I knew that, you idiot. I meant why are you doing it? Don’t you have some sort of belief that you shouldn’t show your face to others?” You asked innocently, tilting your head out of curiosity. Din chuckled at the thought of you being dense. 

“We did say there should be no secrets between us, right?.”

“Right, but doesn’t mean you have to do that especially if you feel like you’re being forced to. And you already went against that vow when you removed it for Grogu, I don’t want you to do the same just for me.” He laughed at your explanation, the modulation of his voice vibrating to your spine, making you shudder. 

“For a genius, you can be the densest person. I already broke the oath for Grogu, so it doesn’t really matter anymore. But even before that, if you had asked me to show myself to you, I would have taken the chance and done it anyway.” 

What he professed dumbfounded you. “I? You? Wha? Why?”, was the only thing you managed to articulate, smart right?

“Because…”, he trailed off. “Because you are worth breaking the commitment I made to The Tribe. You are the first thing I think of when I wake up, and my last thought before I go to bed, you smile at me in my dreams. And only for you, I would risk everything even if it meant getting outcasted by my race since you mean everything to me and I love you beyond the galaxies and more.”

With that he removed the last piece of beskar armour he had on, placing it on his lap and officially revealing his identity to you. Your mind still not comprehending what he said, added with the fact he showed his face to you, had you feeling hundreds and thousands of swirling emotions.

Concerned at your stillness, he asked, “Am I that ugly?” pulling you out of your thoughts. 

Blinking your eyes, it hit you that he was there without the headpiece. “Oh my Gooooood!” You exclaimed, astonished by how good he looks.

“Is that a good thing?”, he asked once more, scratching the back of his nape. You nodded your head vigorously. You stared at his features, remembering every detail, in case you’ll never see it again. 

He has tousled brown hair from removing his helmet. His eyes were a twinkling chocolate brown doe orbs that seemed to hypnotise you as you stared into it. He had soft and pale red lips. Topping off his features was a peppered stubble that scattered on his jaw and a moustache that made him look more serious and mature. 

You timidly move your hand to his cheek, afraid that in a blink of an eye, you will wake up and everything you saw  was a dream and t’was too good to be true. He softly gripped your wrist, eagerly placing your palm on his cheeks, making you wheeze at his impatience. 

Once your skins’ touch, you stroked his cheeks, feeling the roughness of his stubble underneath your palm. When you made eye contact, you gave him a soft smile. And it didn’t go unnoticed that his eyes flickered to your lips for a moment.

“Would you mind if I kissed you?” He asked with no shame, taking you off guard and making you choke on your own saliva. You smacked him in the chest, and he just raised his eyebrow.

“So can I?” You pretended to think for a moment before nodding. “I need verbal consent, darling.” He drawled, leaning forward and boring his eyes into yours. You cannot deny that letting his gentleness lead him gave you butterflies, once more falling head over heels in love with the tin man.

“Yes Din, kiss me please.” You begged, and in one swift motion, he leaned towards you and pressed his lips against yours. 

You had thoughts that the kiss you two would share would be heavenly, but you had not expected it to be this good. His lips were soft and light like feathers against yours. His hand held the side of your neck, the pad of his thumb grazing your jaw, while the other found itself on your thighs as he gave it a comforting and reassuring squeeze, resulting in a satisfactory sigh coming from you. 

You felt him smile through the kiss before pulling away to catch his breath, making you whine at the loss of contact.

He placed his forehead on yours, piercing into your orbs before mumbling, “Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, my mesh'la cyar’ika**” against your lips.

“I love you too, Din.”, placing one more kiss on his lips.

Note: Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, my mesh'la cyar’ika** - I love you, my beautiful darling.

[misshoneyimhome]

William + possessive, like you're relationship is private, and somebody hits on you (i.e past teammate). You know how possessive he can be, and that still translates to the bedroom. When he knows you're his, you cannot help but feel turned on by his possessiveness.

Darling, absolutely! The possessive!Willy is incredibly hot 😉

I'm really sorry I was meant to share this yesterday, but, erm… I ended up getting a bit drunk at a Christmas party 🙈 So, it's not properly edited, but I hope it's still a good read 🫢

Warnings; 18+ smut; oral sex (m recieving); unprotected sex (p in v);

・✶ ｡ﾟ

Willy Doesn't Share... ⚡️

Five minutes into the third period, the Scotiabank Arena was filled with a mix of tension and excitement. The Leafs were up against the Hurricanes, and though the Canes had taken the lead from the beginning, during the second period, Jarnkrok levelled the score, setting the stage for an exhilarating third period.

And just then, as the Hurricanes seeming to dominate, Tavares showcased his skill with a remarkable wrist shot, slipping the puck past Frederik Andersen. The Canes tried hard to retaliate, but in the 16th minute, your boyfriend William Nylander made sure to settle the score with a solid backhand shot, sealing the game at 3-1.

William fucking Nylander, the guy who had captured your heart months ago and had no plans of returning it to you.

You and William had been together for some time now, and while both of you were certain about your relationship, William preferred to keep things low-key, especially in the public eye.

Sure, his teammates had swiftly picked up on the change in his usual playful behaviour to a more serious and composed attitude, particularly when it came to relationships. Despite his naturally calm and easygoing demeanour, his jokes about serious commitments and marriage had significantly toned down, and his shift hadn't escaped notice.

Moreover, it was evident to everyone that you held a special place in William's life. He'd stick around you like a devoted puppy when mingling with other partners after a game, and he'd draw you close when engaging in conversations—especially with other men.

And you weren't bothered by his behaviour at all. Though initially, when he first expressed his wish to keep your relationship private, it puzzled you a bit. Yet, knowing that he still openly talked about you to his closest friends and family, you understood that he wasn't ashamed of you. He simply preferred not to have the public meddling in his personal life.

So, you respected his wishes and found solace in the straightforwardness of your relationship.

**

As the final buzzer echoed through the arena, the cheers and applause filled the air while the players gradually exited the ice, one by one.

And amidst the post-game atmosphere, the halls buzzed with lively conversations and laughter as friends and families relived the game's highlights and celebrated the victory. While William completed his media commitments, took a shower, and changed back into his post-game attire, you patiently waited for him.

After organising his gear and leaving the equipment for the staff, William emerged from the locker room, eager to catch a glimpse of your wonderful face.

Never had he imagined falling so deeply in love with someone. Despite his past casual flings and brief relationships in his younger years, settling down hadn't seemed likely. However, the moment he laid eyes on your captivating smile, he knew he was done for. Your playful and teasing nature had ignited something within him, and he was certain he had to make you his.

Yet, it was precisely your playful charm that made him want to keep you close. Although he adored that aspect of you and deep down knew you weren't actually flirting with others, he couldn't ignore the glimmers in other men's eyes when you engaged in conversation. Making him harbour conflicting feelings, both loving and resenting how effortlessly you connected with people.

Your attentive and empathetic nature endeared you to many, yet it occasionally sparked a hint of irritation in William—a feeling unfamiliar to him: jealousy.

And tonight, as he strode down the hall in search of you, his heart fluttered slightly at the sight of you engrossed in a heartfelt conversation with his former teammate, Freddie Andersen.

Knowing Freddie well, William could discern the subtle signs of desire and flirtation in the big redhead's body language and sparkling eyes. He knew that Freddie wasn't typically overtly outgoing, so these signals swiftly caught his attention, igniting a fire within him and stirring a sense of jealousy.

With determined strides, William approached, attempting to maintain composure while casually loosening his tie before greeting you with a solid kiss. He then glanced up at the tall goalie, offering a friendly nod and a casual "hey" before refocusing on you.

"Hey, monkey," you chuckled softly. "Ready to head out?" You flashed him a sweet smile, to which he eagerly nodded, bidding farewell to Freddie as you both prepared to leave.

The ride home was dead quiet. William remained completely silent, his brooding gaze fixed on the road, and you obviously sensed something was bothering him. You observed his eyes, firmly focused, and noticed his subtle facial expressions tightening with each breath.

Yet, you also understood him well enough not to prod at any potential issues, at least not in that moment.

William had always been a puzzle to you. Despite his outwardly calm demeanour, there were aspects of his personality that remained hidden from most people, one of them being his possessiveness.

Early in your relationship, he had shown signs of wanting to keep you close, especially in social situations. That was when you first glimpsed his more dominant side—a side that, truth be told, turned you on like nothing else. His possessiveness sparked something inside you, even though most of the time, you weren't actually consciously flirting. But William's intense gaze often suggested otherwise, and tonight, he wore those eyes.

Upon arriving at his condo, shedding shoes and coats, you both entered the living room in silence. And as you made your way to the kitchen, you couldn't contain your thoughts any longer. It was time to address the issue.

"Willy, you've got to stop doing that," you said softly, casually leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Do what?" he retorted tersely.

"Trying to push away any man I ever have a conversation with just because you get all jealous," you attempted to lighten the mood with a chuckle, but William's serious expression didn't waver.

"Y/n, you were flirting with Freddie," he insisted.

"I wasn't flirting!"

"Then what was that all about?" His voice grew louder.

"I was having a pleasant conversation with an interesting man," you explained firmly.

"Well, I think he had a little bit more than a pleasant conversation on his mind," William muttered, his words audible enough for you to catch every bit.

"Oh, come on, Willy… Freddie's a good guy, and you know it. Besides, why are you so angry? He doesn't even know we're together because you're the one keeping our relationship a secret,” you responded, trying to stay composed, yet sensing traces of frustration in your tone.

William simply let out a deep huff in response to your comment.

"Oh, a huff, what an answer," you retorted sarcastically, crossing your arms and shaking your head.

"Shit, y/n... he's a hockey player—everyone thinks he's such a good guy, but I know how hockey guys think," William exploded, clearly losing control of his emotions. His face tightened in anger, his eyes darkened, and his body tensed with veins pulsing visibly.

"He's seeing someone, Willy..."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't usually stop most hockey players..."

Your heart sank at his words.

"Well, that makes me a lot more comfortable about our relationship, then,” you snarked sarcastically, knowing you were likely adding fuel to the already raging fire within the Swede.

"That's not... I'm just saying how guys think."

"Well, maybe you should also think about what I think then. So what if he was flirting with me? It's not like I wanted to do anything with him," you defensively shot back, irritation prickling at your nerves due to his behaviour.

And it appeared your words struck a nerve with him too.

Without saying anything, William drew rather close, using his size and strength to pull you into a deep kiss. Instinctively, you tried to pull away; you didn't want to let him have his way so easily. But he persisted, forcefully kissing you again, his lips firmly pressing against yours as his arms held you in place, pressing you against the counter.

And you knew it was becoming increasingly difficult to resist him. His forceful actions only heightened your lust for him. So surrendering to his dominant touch, you responded with fervour, your hands finding their place on his neck as the sounds of passionate kissing filled the room.

William wasn't one for articulate words; his way of expressing love was far more physical, and he intended to demonstrate that fully.

Amidst the heated make-out session, his hands moved beneath your hips, lifting you effortlessly into his arms. You instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist as he carried you towards the bedroom.

Once there, almost throwing you onto the bed, a smug expression adorned his face as he removed his tie, his eyes locked intensely on yours. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned physique. Your gaze was fixed on his, a seductive smirk playing on your lips, your body yearning for his touch.

And William was well aware of your desires, but he had no intention of gratifying them so easily.

He unfastened his belt, slipped off his trousers, kicked away his socks and boxers, then confidently stood at the foot of the bed.

Meanwhile, you removed your jersey, along with the t-shirt underneath, before also getting rid of your trousers, leaving yourself in just a bra and knickers.

No words were exchanged in this heated moment, where the sexual tension filled the bedroom air. Only heavy breaths conveyed pure lust and desire between you both.

Seductively, you positioned yourself on all fours, facing your man, slowly crawling towards him, as your face came near his already hard cock.

This behaviour had both of you feeling excited and incredibly turned on.

William's eyes stayed fixed on you, and you gave him a cheeky smile before gently taking his cock into your mouth.

“Shit,” he breathed out as his sensitive member touched your warm mouth, and you gradually took him in, coating his length with your saliva.

William couldn't help but close his eyes slightly, leaning his head back, as you continued to pleasure him. His hand found you hair, as his hips moved slowly in sync with your motions, wanting to delve deeper into your mouth.

“So good baby,” he moaned as you stroked him where your mouth couldn't reach, before pulling back and releasing his manhood to catch your breath. You looked up seductively, teasingly licking your lips and lightly nibbling the tip of his shaft.

But William wasn't up for your teasing tonight. You had turned him on too much, and he needed to assert his dominance.

With his strength, he pushed you onto your back, before settling himself between your legs, and you couldn't help but smile at his dominant manner, although you knew you weren't supposed to show this much enjoyment, as it only fuelled his desire further.

Something that perhaps increased your need for him more, making your heat pool between your legs.

Then, firstly, he swiftly removed those dainty little knickers that blocked his path. Then, he located your entrance, slid in two fingers, just enough to make you squirm from his touch and stretch you a bit, preparing you for his length.

"Soaking wet for me, baby," he smirked, his voice rough, as his fingers moved in and out of your core, eliciting moans from you. "Does sucking me off get you this wet, huh?"

You couldn't respond, but your body spoke volumes on your behalf.

His fingers worked their magic, stimulating your inner walls as they became coated in your juices.

"Please, Willy," you almost whined, growing a bit impatient, which only seemed to satisfy him more.

Retracting his hand, he then positioned the tip of his length at your tight entrance before pushing all the way in, making you moan loudly.

"God, you're so tight for me, baby," William moaned into the curve of your neck before he began moving his hips. Your hands grasped the back of his shoulders, urging him closer to you.

His cock found every sensitive spot within you as he rocked his hips vigorously, not holding back, prompting you to cry out his name amidst several profanities.

You couldn't contain yourself, your breaths heavy, and your body completely surrendered to him as he continued his forceful thrusts.

"Oh god, Willy, I'm going to come,” you gasped, but it only spurred him on to increase his pace.

His skin slapped against yours, the tip of his cock reaching the deepest parts of your walls.

"Yes, baby, come for me," he groaned.

As you let your body arch, your nails dug into his shoulder's skin as your climax rushed over you.

And the tightening around his cock brought William closer to his own release.

He continued thrusting through your intense orgasm, slightly picking up the pace; it was rough and vigorous, yet filled with sheer pleasure.

“Ja, baby, du är min - bare min.”

And with a few more thrusts, he emptied himself entirely into your depths, coating your walls with his fluids.

Minutes passed as you both tried to catch your breath, gradually descending from your intense high, while William tried not to collapse onto you.

Gently, he withdrew and settled next to you, tenderly pulling you closer for a cuddle.

You gazed deeply into his beautiful blue eyes, sharing an intimate post-sex moment before he broke the silence.

"Maybe we should go public with our relationship…" His voice was soft and gentle as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Willy, it's fine if you're not ready," you gave him a sweet smile, but he simply shook his head.

"No, I don't like sharing, so I think it's time for everyone to know that you're mine."

[jellys-compendium]

V - SFW Alphabet

Rating: T

Cw: none A/n: Here are some SFW thoughts on our poetic, melancholic, and edgy boy, V. This was a lot of fun and I was happy to show him some love.

V - NSFW Alphabet

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

V is selective with whom he shows his affection, whether it be platonic or romantic. V is not overtly affectionate overall, but he does show care and concern for the people that he deeply treasures. How V shows his affection is also subtle, but at the same time can be a little dorky and poetic. Scribbling you little poems and sticking them in places for you to find later, gently wrapping his fingers around yours whenever the two of you are standing close, staying up late with you into the night just so he can spend more time talking with you. These are the ways V shows his affections.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

V is one of those quiet best friends that you don't really know everything about, but still share that deep sense of trust with. He is that kind of best friend that you could simultaneously share deep conversations with or sit with him in silence for hours without it feeling awkward. The two of you just enjoy being in each other's presence. As for how a friendship with V would start, I think it would spark either due to similar interests, or there is something about you that V just finds alluring.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

V does like to cuddle, although you wouldn't find this out well into the relationship. V adores the feeling of your warm skin against his and the softness of your embrace. When V is comfortable with you, he's not at all shy about cuddling, and he will happily wrap you in his arms and pull you close whenever you ask. V also loves it when you cuddle him back. To him, the soothing feeling of your hands gently stoking up and down his back is sweeter than any prose.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

I imagine that V has secret little fantasies about settling down. While he doesn't often get much time to think about it, whenever he sees you happily engaging in one of your domestic chores or hobbies, he always gets that little pang of longing in his heart. Some nights he dreams about stealing you away to a place where he can have you all to himself. A place where it can just be the two of you peacefully living together. When it comes to household chores, I'm going to be totally honest, V is not really the best at these things. He's often aloof when it comes to chores and the man can't cook to save his life.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

V would be heartbroken, but in the end I think he would be straightforward about it. I don't imagine him abandoning a partner without saying something. Likely, V would pull you aside to tell you that his feelings have changed and that he's ending things. However, if he's doing it to protect you, I can see the breakup being very teary and messy. V would be so torn, but his willpower is formidable and if he's set his mind on protecting you, then that's exactly what he's going to do.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Oh this man is committed. Once V realizes that he loves you, that's it. His body, heart, and soul are yours. Whether or not that means he will share his life with you in the traditional sense, is another thing. Being who he is, there are many obstacles in the way, but that won't stop V from adoring you, even if it's from afar. As for marriage, I think that V isn't particularly one to jump into such a thing right away. He probably would only do it to make you happy. To V, the feelings he harbors for you in his heart are far purer and more powerful a reflection of how much he treasures you. I have to say though, he would write the most beautiful and tear jerking wedding vows.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

V is a gentle soul, both physically and emotionally. His touches feel like the cool summer breeze, his kisses are like velvet, and his voice is like the morning sun trickling in through curtains. Emotionally, V is quite introspective and sensitive towards both you and himself. V always seems to have a sixth sense about how you're feeling and will comfort you however he can when you need it.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

V is not really the biggest fan of hugs (except those coming from you of course). I wouldn't say that he outright hates them, but he feels awkward and doesn't really know how to feel or respond whenever he receives them from others. V's hugs are very soft and gentle. He's not one to wrap you in a lung splitting bear hug. Instead, he elects to gingerly wrap his arms around you and pull you into a comfortable embrace.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Saying those three little words "I love you" out loud takes V a very, very long time. V knows he has fallen in love with you long ago, but funnily enough even though he is lover of words, he can't seem to ever find the right time to say it aloud. Instead, V tells you that he loves you through his poetry. The breathtaking verses he writes in which he so tenderly and carefully illustrates the depths of his love for you, speaks more than those three words ever could.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Jealousy is not an unknown beast to V. This man does have a tendency to get jealous of those who possess the qualities, relationships, or life he desires. However, being as introspective as V is, he does come to realize this about himself and so will strive to have it affect his actions as minimally as possible. If V were to ever get jealous over someone trying to steal your attention and/or affection from him, I can see V mostly being quiet about it. But that acidic bile will seep into his tone, the sharpness of his gaze, and the harshness of his words. Luckily, it usually only takes a comforting word from you to pull V out of it.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

V's kisses are as ever changing and moving as the clouds in the sky. Sometimes his kisses are soft and tender. Other times they are passionate and desperate. V's kisses are a mirror of the emotions in his heart, and while he can control his words and mannerisms for the most part, V finds he has a difficult time concealing how he really feels whenever he kisses you. That being said, V loves to kiss you. It's his favorite way of physically showing his affection towards you. With reverent lips V adorns your mouth, hands, throat, shoulders--every inch of you he can reach with worshipping kisses. As for where V likes to be kissed, he always melts whenever you kiss his cheek. There is just something so pure and loving about those kisses that makes his heart squeeze pleasantly in his chest.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

I'm going to be honest, I don't think that V is all that great around children. His solitary and more introverted nature makes him come across as standoffish and that doesn't always lend well to his interactions with young people. In addition, V can come across as unempathetic when a child is whining over something. However that being said, there is a rare breed of child that finds V's mysterious aura intriguing, and they will often seek him out just to talk with him or listen to him read. They are intrigued by him, and he in turn is intrigued by them. The way V's voice softens and the tiny little smile that pulls at his lips whenever he is around those particular little ones is one of the sweetest things you've ever seen.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

V is absolutely not a morning person. Rising with the dawn he does not. Typically, if you want to get V up in the early hours of the morning, you will have to roll him out of bed. That or bribe him with multitudes of kisses. If V had his way, he would spend every single day cuddling under the warm blankets with you until noon. The demons can wait.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

V's a night owl. He likes the quiet hours best, and finds the peaceful solitude of that time both inspiring and comforting. V enjoys spending nights relaxing with you. Lounging on the couch with you curled up in his arms as he reads you poetry. The nights he gets to spend with you like that are his favorites.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

V is guarded to a certain extent, but he also has a vulnerable side to him. V will keeps things about himself hidden at the start of any relationship he has, but once that bridge of trust has been built, he is surprisingly quick to open up. He genuinely wants to make meaningful connections with the people he cares about. In your relationship with him specifically, V started to open up to you once he realized that he could trust you with his feelings and fears.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

It takes effort to anger V...with a few exceptions. He maintains a cool calmness most of the time and he is very much of the "live and let live" mindset. However if finds himself facing something that reminds him of the trauma he has endured, or if you are harmed in anyway, V's anger erupts. With the help of his familiars, V will tear the target of his anger to pieces.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Ohohoho. Listen. V remembers every single little absolute minute detail about you. Is there something that you mentioned in the briefest of passings 7 months ago? He'll remember it like it was yesterday. V adores you, and he is diligent in committing to memory the little details and intricacies that make you, you.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

V doesn't have a specific moment that he considers a favourite over others, because he treasures every single moment with you. V knows that he's not long for this world in his current state, so he savours every glance, every word, every touch, and every second that he gets to spend with you.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very protective to say the least. V will put himself between you and harms way without a shred of doubt. The unfortunate thing is that V isn't exactly in the most ideal position to protect you from the powerful demonic threats that the two of you face. His body is decaying and he is vulnerable without the help of his familiars. This bothers him exceptionally. When it comes to himself being protected, V won't turn down help when he needs it. But he would be lying if he didn't say it burned him deep inside. In his heart, he feels he should be the one protecting you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

V likes to put in effort into his gestures of affection. While he is not one for grandiose displays, V does very much enjoy showering you with small little tokens of his love for you each and every day. Slipping a flower between the pages of the book you were reading, going on a date to a place with beautiful scenery for the two of you to admire, leaving little love notes and poems for you to find, dancing with you to the melody of a sonata. V loves you above all things and he wants to make you feel cherished and appreciated.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Unfortunately, V doesn't take very good care of himself. Lets be honest, his sleeping habits are terrible, he doesn't eat much or drink enough water, and he is continuously pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion. Thank goodness he at least bathes and is good in the hygiene department.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

I think V is vain to a certain extent. He does want to look good and charismatic (at least to your eyes). However, I should say that he's not so vain that V would sacrifice anything important for the sake of his looks.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Without a doubt. V is a sentimental man. If you were to ever leave, he would feel like a part of himself left with you. A part that V knows he'll never recover so long as he is without you.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Underneath the mysterious, edgy boy layer, V surprisingly has a dorky sense of humor. He often makes inside corny jokes with you and will reference them on occasion while in the company of others. V loves making you laugh with a private little joke the two of you share, and he is not in the least bit bothered with the confused glances the others send his way.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

I think that V is adverse to people who are extravagantly loud, brutish, and/or abrasive. People who have no moments of quiet, or who have no sense of appreciation for literature, music, and art. While V doesn't necessarily hate these personality types, he finds he doesn't have the energy to be around those kind of people for very long.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

As I indicated before, V has absolutely terrible sleeping habits. He typically doesn't sleep more than a few hours at a time, and when he does his sleep, he is quite restless. Nightmares are common, as is him jolting awake in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat. Since sharing a bed with you however, V has found that being able to feel the warmth of your body beside his has helped to ease his mind considerably. And even if he has a bad night, V will ask you to help him make up for it by dozing with you through the mornings.

sfw alphabet template

[differenteagletragedy]

Please tell us about Derek losing the MC in childbirth.

Derek had waited a very long time to be happy. And for a while, he was. Truly, deeply, incandescently happy.

He should have known it couldn't last.

When he first met you, all the way back when you were 13, he liked you almost immediately. Then when he got to know you, he developed a crush so intense that he thought his heart might implode. But he could never let himself believe that you might feel the same way.

Years were wasted, years that he looked back at now with an unbelievable bitterness. Thousands of days loving you from a distance, holding onto a belief that if one day he could be good enough for you to love him back, that you'd have the rest of your lives to spend together.

Which you did -- but your life was over much sooner than it should have been.

Derek thought about all of this on long, sleepless nights he spent up with the baby. The daughter that you held once and then never again.

Ten years after you first met, he had moved back to the area to try to get his life figured out, and then you came, as beautiful and kind as ever, and reminded him of a deal you'd made back then: that if you weren't married by now, then you'd simply marry each other.

He couldn't believe how it had played out, but you wanted to keep the deal. You'd loved him just as long as he'd loved you. And because you'd waited so long, things moved fast. A couple of months after you'd agreed to stick with the deal, he proposed for real, with a ring he'd bought before you were ever even dating. He'd always known, regardless of when he might pluck up the courage to ask, that you were the only one he'd ever want.

Not too long after the engagement, you became pregnant. It was quick, but wonderful. The happiest time of his life, without a doubt. He worked tirelessly and was able to buy a house for you, just outside the city, and he spent so much time fixing up a nursery. He'd barely slept those months, making sure everything was safe and lovely and perfect for when you brought the baby home.

But then there was a problem.

There were a few magical moments after your daughter had been born, but then you were bleeding, then you were bleeding more. It wouldn't stop. It was a scene from a nightmare, and he couldn't do anything to help. He couldn't fix it.

But what he could do, he reasoned, was be strong for his daughter. He could do that much.

When he took her home from the hospital alone, there had been a string of people ready and willing and desperate to help. His parents, your parents, his brothers, Cove, Cliff, Miranda and Terry ... they'd all stopped by to babysit, to take the baby for a while so he could rest, to just hold her for a little bit so he could take a moment, but he always refused.

He'd taken family leave from work, and he had money saved to get him by. He could handle it.

But one day, a perfectly ordinary day in this new normal of his, a few months after you'd gone, something snapped in him.

After weeks and weeks of pushing through, pushing everyone away, barely sleeping or eating or making any sort of move in accepting the loss, it happened. He was cleaning the bathroom while the baby slept in the next room, baby monitor turned up to full volume so he could hear her, and he felt a pain in his chest, a miserable sort of clenching that he'd never felt before.

It was so intense that he dropped his sponge and gripped the side of the bathtub, leaning over and breathing hard and fast. And then it felt like he couldn't breathe at all.

Tears started falling then -- he hadn't cried since it happened. He stayed there, crouched on the floor of the bathroom, letting out strangled sobs and gasps for air, whispering, "No, no, no," until he heard a soft knock on the door through the baby monitor.

He tried to get up, but he couldn't move. The pain in his chest only got worse, and even when he heard the door open and a familiar voice call out his name, he was frozen.

Soon, strong hands gripped his shoulders and turned him around. He fell the short distance to sit down fully on the floor and leaned against the wall, then looked up and saw Cove.

Derek tried his best to calm down then, but he couldn't. His mind raced, picturing you in your last moments, you at 13, you in his arms the first time he kissed you. All the moments you'd shared and all the ones you'd never get to experience.

All at once, Cove wrapped him in a crushing hug, pulling him close and pressing his head against his chest. It took a bit for Derek to hear him, but he told him, "You're ok. It's going to be ok."

The baby started crying.

Instinct took over, and Derek tried to push himself up, to push through whatever was happening to him, but Cove held him there.

"I've got to --"

"She's all right," Cove said. "You need to let someone take care of you."

That was something that Derek had struggled with his whole life, but as he sat there, practically writhing because he couldn't stand how much pain he was in, he didn't see that he had much of a choice.

Cove slipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Still holding onto Derek with one arm, he typed out a quick text then set it on the counter.

"I'll be right back," he told him, then left. When he came back, he had the baby in his arms, and he squeezed in to sit next to Derek on the floor.

They sat like that, Cove rocking your daughter and talking softly to soothe her, until Derek was finally able to breathe again. It was shaky and shallow, but it was something.

Soon after, he heard the door open again, then his parents, along with Nicolas, came into the bathroom too. Nicolas scrunched himself up to sit across from Derek and Cove, and his mother sat on the closed toilet seat. His father stood by the doorway.

"It's time," his mom said, leaning down to grab his hand.

"Time for what?" he heard himself ask.

"Time to let us be strong for you."

[brekwrites]

Wassup, I hear you like screaming about Solar from tSaMs, I am here to get my ear drums busted :D

I will gladly talk about Solar with you, I am somewhat new to tumblr (been here a while only started posting today) so I’m tryna engage with other artists and creators, and get my ass out of the corner.

I also really like your fan fictions! Keep up the good work :)

Hi!!!!

Yea I love Solar he's like. The guy ever. I could scream about a lot of Solar-related things, but at the current moment I'm thinking about how his relationships are with the other characters. This got long, so I'm sticking it under the cut.

Like, I wanna see more of him and Sun interacting and some sort of evidence that his feelings toward Sun are complicated by his grief surrounding his own Sun. I'd like to see some 'you're stuck in a body that's really similar to mine, I know how my own model works, let me help' solidarity between them as well.

I wanna see how his experiences with his own Moon affect his interactions with New Moon. I feel like he's remained calm in the face of quite a few of Moon's outbursts, which is interesting to me. Is he used to them? Is he freaking out a bit, but shutting down (bc that's totally a response he seems to have to stressful situations)? Is the time he spends with New Moon healing for him in a way that's similar to when Lunar spends time with him? I'd also love to see Moon provide some support and comfort for him, since it's been established he does the same for Moon. At the same time, there are times when he and Moon start to feed off of each other in a way that's not great, and I want to see more of that too.

I feel like it's been established that it was good for Lunar to spend time with Solar and that he sees him and Eclipse as definitively separate people now. Also, we know that Solar was lonely in his own universe and deeply hurt when he learned Lunar was gone. I wanna see a bit more of Solar's struggle with being one of the few good Eclipses, and I feel like that could be explored through his relationship with Lunar (if Lunar could focus on something other than his own issues for more than a few seconds). Does he feel like it's only a matter of time before he does something unforgivable? Is he constantly making an effort to prove that he's still good, still trustworthy, and it's still safe to keep him around? Is he ever afraid that if he slips up, even a little, they'll send him back to his dimension to be alone? We know a big part of Eclipse's issues stem from abandonment, and I feel like that definitely applies to Solar as well. I wanna see him sink his claws into his new family and refuse to let go because he feels like every good thing he has is taken from him eventually. I wanna see him be willing to fight to keep what he's worked so hard for.

It's really interesting for me to see Solar's interactions with Earth because she's such an open person, in contrast to the way he closes himself off. We know he was lonely in his old dimension, we know he's probably starved for approval and affection and kindness, but whenever Earth offers it he shies away. He admitted to feeling left out and wanting to spend more time with her and Lunar, but he was very blunt and matter-of-fact when he said it. Earth has tried to talk to him about his feelings, but he shut down and barely responded. But we know he wants to be more open and closer to her, because he agreed to learn to knit with her, agreed to make a new body for her, laughs and jokes with her, and hugged her back when she hugged him. He also looks up to her, which we saw in the recent ep where he tried to mediate between her and Lunar. It didn't go well, but that was his way of showing he cared about them both and wanted to help them work it out. Finally, I know they needed another person to play Frank in the Christmas episode, but Solar's hasty exit and comments about how he didn't know how to handle the interaction had me like GRRRRRR. YOU SHOULD EXPLORE THAT MORE DEEPLY MY GUY! And cry about it, maybe.

Also, with Eclipse coming back? I wanna see them talk more! I wanna see Solar be like, "I see right through you, actually. You're a sad, lonely, piece of shit. I know because that's how I feel, sometimes." I want Solar to see what he could have been and feel things about it. I want Eclipse to see what he could have been, what he could have had, and feel things about it.

Like idk it's just so fun to stick Solar together in a room with another character in literally any context. I like the canon concept of him joining the family, I like AUs where he gets together with Moon, and I also like AUs where he gets together with Sun. Fuck it, maybe I'll ship him with Eclipse too. Or Ruin. Or KC. I literally do not care as long as I get to put him in situations and see what he does. I want to study him like a little bug under a magnifying glass.

Anyways... I like Solar lmao. Thank you for sending me an ask! :)

[heich0e]

BACKGROUNDER - the one that got away!kuroo

note: hello!! if you're seeing this post, you probably clicked through from this fic, and if not... well that's ur own journey <3 this is a collection of posts from my #the one that got away!kuroo universe, which offer context to the main story but aren't strictly necessary—like... further readings, i guess. i contemplated how best to direct people here, and in order for you to most easily access this info, i settled for this post!! under the cut are all of the asks/text posts that ultimately culminated in the full fic, arranged in chronological order for your viewing convenience:

original text post: not to kill the vibe but kuroo tetsuro does give me big 'guy who isn't ready for marriage but then gets married to the first girlfriend he has after the two of you break up' energy for reasons i cannot quite put my finger on

> n to rub salt into the wound, you thought for sure you and kuroo would marry

you didn't think the breakup would stick. you always thought—or hoped, maybe—that the two of you would find your way back to each other when the time was right. but not even two years later (which feels so SOON, even though it isn't really) you see that he's engaged to a girl—a perfectly nice, normal girl, that you can't even bring yourself to hate because you know all too well what it's like to be in love with tetsuro. know what it's like to want a future with him. and you can't blame her for it, even if you resent her for being the one who gets it.

> after the wedding who do you go with? are you drunk out of your mind

you aren't invited. that stings. but you think it might have been worse if you did end up getting one of those beautiful, unnecessarily elaborate invitations in the mail. 

you run into kuroo a few months before the ceremony at a mutual friend's birthday party. end up talking. the wedding comes up accidentally more than anything—maybe someone else mentions it, maybe you ask, maybe he tells you like he's repenting for a sin he didn't commit—and he stumbles through an unbearably awkward explanation (that he doesn't even owe you) as to why you weren't invited. but you know even if he says it in nicer, easier to swallow words, gilded with white lies: it would be weird. it would be wrong. it wouldn't be fair to anyone. not to him, or to you, or to her.

you get drunk the night of the wedding and hook up with the guy you've been fucking for the past few months, who you're pretty sure doesn't even know what you do for work even though you've told him multiple times. all your friends are dressed up and celebrating, and you're throwing up in the hotel bathroom by 2am while the guy sleeps in the bed a room away—completely, blissfully unaware of what's happening on the other side of the wall, let alone at a glittering venue across town.

you envy him for it.

> does kuroo still love reader? does he love her?

he does still love reader AND love his fiance too. maybe in different ways. maybe his love for reader is like guilt. maybe his love for his soon-to-be wife is more like atonement. i don't think it took kuroo very long to realize what he did to you was, well, sort of cruel. i think he regrets it deeply and thinks about it often. in a fucked up sort of way it makes him better to his new partner, because he doesn't want to hurt someone like that again because of his own immaturity. it's unfortunate, but it's like she gets to reap all the benefits of the growth he experiences at your expense.

> Will it ever get better for you after kuroos wedding

of course it will. that's the really weird thing about heartbreak: life just keeps going. you feel like your heart has been cleaved out of your chest, but then you just... go to work. you do your laundry. you read a new book that becomes an all time favourite. you spend time with your friends and family. you go on dates. you learn all the lyrics to new songs. you celebrate holidays and birthdays. and one day you realize it's been years and you're in a totally different part of your life now, and the boy you thought would one day be holding your hand on your deathbed doesn't even know what the inside of your new apartment looks like. and you don't know what his looks like, either. and it's still sad, and hard sometimes, but all you can do is keep going. keep trying to find new happiness even if it's not the one you wanted. and hope that somewhere out there he has a new favourite book too. 

> think of Kai who was secretly pining for you during your relationship with Kuroo. Yet, he still doesn't have it in him to confess his feelings. So, he does the next best thing: he becomes your booty call. But when you slip during one of your hook-ups--when you moan Kuroo's name--he realizes it would never work out between the two of you. Your heart is so full of Kuroo that there's no room for him.

kuroo is so beloved by the people around him that i don't think there's a friend in his life who would EVER betray him like that—even if they did have feelings for you. even more than that, a lot of the friends that he introduced you to during your relationship (who you got close to) seem to grow distant after the breakup. even though it was his fault, really. even though you were their friend too. they just seem to naturally gravitate back to him, like belongings that are divvied up after a divorce. and there's no hard feelings. they don't dislike you, or even do it consciously, it just... happens.

you do definitely call out tetsuro's name when you're hooking up with other people though. it never ends well.

> sorry if u’ve already answered this but how long did kuroo and reader date?

they met in high school, and always had little crushes on each other but it never went anywhere. kuroo FINALLY confessed at graduation (he tried to be rly smooth like the shoujo protag he isn't and almost botched it) and they started dating at 18. they dated for a little over 5 years. broke up at 23. kuroo stayed single for a while before he started dating his (eventual) wife, and they got married at around 26. reader moved away from Tokyo when she was 28-29. and reader and kuroo are both in their mid-to-late 30s when the fic opens!!

[sephirothsplaything]

DNA| Sec.80 high power-chapter 6.1

A/N: Me when this is the shortest chapter i've ever written. Yes this is filler but I promise some of the stuff in here will be important later on.

also, young rhaella flashback with her mommy TT

Kings Landing, Aemond’s 12th name day, Pre the death of Lady Laena Velyeron.

“ I wish to ride with father!” A young Baela exclaimed. The family was preparing to set off towards King’s landing for Aemond Targayen’s twelfth name day.

Laena smiled fondly at her daughter. She glanced at her youngest, Rhaella. With her large, violet eyes and her silver curls piled into an updo on her head, the girl was only one and ten years of age.

“Would you like to ride on Caraxes, Rhaella?” Laena asked. Rhaella shook her head furiously. Her father’s red dragon was much too fast for her liking. Instead, she turned towards her mother’s own dragon, Vhagar.

Baela pulled Rhaena by Caraxes, sticking her tongue out to Rhaella childishly.

“Rhaena and I shall have all the fun!” Baela said. Rhaella clutched the wrapped gift in her hand, intended for her cousin Aemond.

“Baela, be nice.” Laena reminded. Daemon looked on at his children in amusement. He couldn’t understand where Rhaella’s quiet nature came from.

Daemon helped his two twins onto Caraxes, before hiking himself to mount. Rhaella watched the dragon take off into the sky in envy.

One day, she’d hope. One day she too will be in the skies.

“Come, my love, let us be off,” Laena said. Rhaella’s tiny brown hand brushed against Vhagar’s hardened scales. The mighty she-dragon allowed it, even softly chuffing at the action.

Laena picked up her daughter, mounting Vhagar. The dragon was slow to leave the ground as Laena tightened her grip on the reigns.

“Vhagar, sōvēs.” She said. Rhaella held onto her mother’s waist as the weight shifted and the dragon took to the sky.

“Are you excited to see your cousins, Rhaella?” Laena asked. Rhaella hummed thoughtfully. Her older cousin, Helaena, was three and ten years old and was always nice to her. Rhaella had been eager to speak with her again. She hated Aegon, his sleazy gazes made her want to hide.

“I took one of Father’s books, for Aemond,” Rhaella said. Laena couldn’t fight the smile. Daemon would be deeply annoyed at the discovery.

“I’m sure Aemond will appreciate it, dear,” Laena said.

After a while, the pair flew over Kings Landing. Laena landed Vhagar a ways away from the city. Laena jumped down from her dragon, helping Rhaella off as well.

Rhaella adjusted the blush-colored fabrics of her dress. The matching headband was off-centered due to the wind. Chuckling, Laena adjusted it on Rhaella’s head.

“There, and how pretty you look!” Laena gushed. She glanced at the book in her daughter’s hands with a playful smile.

“I’m sure Aemond will agree as well,” Laena said. Rhaella looked away from her mother bashfully. She was always saying things like that. Rhaella supposed her mother liked to jest.

Mother and daughter walk to the gates of the Red Keep. In the outer courts, the festivities had long since begun.

Rhaella could see her two sisters already in conversation with their cousins, Jace and Luke. 

“Laena, I see you’ve made it.” A voice rang. Princess Rhaenyra approached the two, smiling eagerly. Rhaella watched the two women embrace as she stood awkwardly to the side.

Pulling back from Laena, Rhaenyra smiled at the small girl by her side.

“ Aren’t you just a proper lady!” Rhaenyra said. Rhaella gave a shy smile to the princess.

Leaving the women to catch up, Rhaella walked over to the long table. Baela was engaged in a spirited conversation with Jace while Rhaena and Luke watched on.

“Where is Aemond?” Rhaella asked. She had noticed that the boy was nowhere to be seen, and on his name day no less.

“I don’t much care,” Baela said. Rhaella’s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. She had thought her sister would have the courtesy of being a little softer on this day.

Rhaella abandoned the group, wandering far from the party. The bright sun was beaming down on her face, temporarily obscuring her vision.

Then, she saw him. Propped up in front of a Weirwood tree, there sat Aemond.

Rhaella sighed out, glad her walking efforts we not in vain. She took a seat in the grass opposite to him.

Aemond glanced up in surprise. Rhaella and her quiet footsteps had startled him.

“I suppose everyone is missing me if they sent you here,” Aemond said. Rhaella toyed with the book’s wrapped parchment.

“ In truth, no one much cares,” Rhaella said, rather bluntly. Despite her tone, her eyes met his, clear with mirth. 

“I thought as much,” Aemond said, sullen look deepening. His attention was pulled to the present in the girls’ hands.

“What’s that?” Aemond asked. Rhaella passed the book to him.

“It’s for you,” Rhaella said. Aemond eagerly ripped apart the covering, revealing the book.

‘ Dragons and Histories’ 

“ Father will be cross with me for taking it, but we have plenty of others,” Rhaella said.

“Thank you, Rhaella,” Aemond said gratefully. Rhaella shrugged. She had read through the same book many times herself. She knew her cousin shared the same hunger to learn.

Scooting closer to him, Rhaella flipped to a page she knew well. Sketches of Balerion, the Black Dread filled the page. Among all the dragons, Rhaella favored him above all else. 

“Father told me he was named after the Old Valyrian God of death,” Rhaella said. Aemond looked at her in awe. His cousin always seemed to know much and more than he ever could. 

“I want a dragon like that,” Aemond said. He longed for something undeniable in power. Something that the realm would have no choice but to acknowledge.

“I think I would too.” Rhaella agreed. Aemond gave her a side glance.

“ Balerion was ridden by Aegon the Conqueror, he would be best suited for a man.” 

Rhaella scoffed at the absurdity of the comment. “ Princess Aerea rode him, you should know that if the maesters have taught you anything at all.” She said.

Aemond fell silent at Rhaella’s scolding. Rhaella’s eyes soften. Perhaps she had been too harsh, it was his name day after all.

“One day, you and I will fly all over the realm together,” Rhaella said. 

“I want to see the ruins of Old Valyria,” Aemond said. Rhaella pulled a face. Old Valyria was a dangerous place but she declined to add the fact in for Aemond’s sake.

“I’d much rather see Dorne,” Rhaella said. It was the only place their ancestors couldn’t overtake. Her curiosities regarding the place always bubbled over.

“Dorne, why?” Aemond asked. Rhaella closed the book, pushing it to the side.

“It’s warm and the women are fair,” Rhaella said. Aemond glanced at her in confusion.

“Perhaps I’d marry a Dornish prince as well. Rhaella added. Aemond grimaced. Why she would venture to Dorne for a husband? It was beyond him.

“They’re all right, you are quite strange,” Aemond said. Rolling her eyes, Rhaella stood up in a huff, dusting off her dress.

Aemond stood as well, placing the book under his arm. 

“I don’t much like being called that,” Rhaella said. The two began walking to the festivities. Rhaella was fixed on not missing the cake.

Suddenly, Rhaella halted in place, a sly smile dancing across her face. Turning to Aemond, she places a peck on his cheek, causing the boy to freeze.

A furious blush makes its way to Aemond’s cheek, much to Rhaella’s enjoyment.

“What was that for?” Aemond asked, fumbling his words.

Rhaella stared at him in bemusement. She turned to continue walking, Aemond quick on her heels. 

“You should cheer up, cousin,” Rhaella said.

“I’m here for you, after all.” 

[tobi-smp]

https://twitter.com/mackself_/status/1752500529849045230?t=w8C_e8xr0ADSDa3L-7djPw&s=19

Penny for your thoughts?

[Link]

my real answer: I'm extremely uninterested in getting into arguments with people set on demonizing traumatized mentally ill characters for being traumatized and mentally ill. particularly when it comes to wilburians and inniters having strange crimeboys takes and taking pot shots at each other.

neither side (speaking only to the extremists in each group of course) seems to want to hear that traumatized mentally ill people Will often hurt each other while also still loving and caring about each other. the messy symptoms for Their character flattened and excused and pasted over, while the messy symptoms of the other are amplified and taken out of context and demonized.

I especially feel like with wilbur in particular people are really sensitive about viewing anything he does and says in a negative light, because of how he was treated in the fanbase And because of how Much his story is centered around his suicide.

the nasty things he said To Tommy, whether that be during his spiral or in limbo or after his revival, are so often just. Smoothed Over. if not outright talked about like it's some gotcha that people use to vilify wilbur and not a pattern of behavior just as much as tommy's own aggressiveness.

people vilified tommy for being scared and angry at wilbur after his reintroduction to the point that there are people who genuinely fully believe that their limbo stream and tommy's obvious fear of wilbur after tommy's own revival was retconned.

to put it bluntly, I think there's a ton of projection happening on both sides, understandably so considering how deeply and beautifully these characters tackle mental health. but I think that projection mingled with the way that Other parts of the fandom mistreat these characters make this Extreme defensiveness that's just really not worth engaging with.

and that's not even considering how the mcyt community as a whole has a major problem with parasocial relationships taken too far. Especially during 2020-2021 when covid was at its height and people were really leaning onto Their Streamer to help them cope with the isolation.

that's not to say that parasocial relationships or projection are inherently Bad. I know full well that I do both without a shred of embarrassment about it. it's very famously why I still can't engage with boundless sands content without immediately bursting into tears a year later.

but a lot of people can't seem to untangle their very personal feelings about it from arguments about characterization or writing or meta. it's very important to them to absolve Their Good Friend from any guilt or wrongdoing and to stick up for them against the bad people that are hurting them, be that other characters or people online. Especially when "their good friend" is Also a stand in for themselves (whether they realize it or not).

and it's just not worth engaging with that, especially not in 2024. if someone needs to use wilbur to be kind to the part of themselves that's hurting then by all means, I'm certainly not throwing stones in glass houses.

but there's really nothing To Say to someone who fully believes that tommy needs to be held accountable for driving wilbur to suicide in pogtopia. I think that's an extremely uncharitable, unkind thing to believe. I think it's an Unfair thing to believe. but it kind of doesn't matter what I think. I doubt there's anything that I or anyone could say that would change someone's mind if they already believe this.

and for my money, I'll be content just not speaking to someone who thinks that way.

my first reaction: did I only get sent this because I said that tommy calling wilbur crazy during pogtopia while actively trying to take care of him and get him to not kill himself isn't the same thing as techno doing it while actively enabling wilbur's violent self destructive death spiral [Link]

[finding-arcadia]

😇✨️ Astrological Analysis of Blorbo

Oh, the Astrology of Derek Hale. I had an enlightening convo with @ar795 over on my Fandom blog @hellameyers about the Astrology of Teen Wolf characters. But we never did get to Derek.

In Teen Wolf canon, Derek Hale was born November 7th, 1988. There hasn't been anything in the show to contradict this, like there have been with other characters, so I will go by this as a guide. Since we don't have his birth time, there's some wiggle room for my own interpretation of his natal chart.

I'm going to stick to the main 6 placements here: sun, moon, rising, Mercury, Venus and Mars.

Your sun sign represents your identity, your work ethic, and what drives you. Derek is a Scorpio based on Canon, and this completely works for him. Strong Scorpio placements are known for having intense eyes, which Derek has, including those eyebrows. It's also a very intense and deeply emotional sign with the element of water, which points to emotions. And Scorpios are typically very guarded, extremely private, or careful about expressing themselves openly unless they feel safe, and they implicitly trust the person they share themselves with. They're also very sexual. And can be stubborn when it comes to their beliefs, which makes sense because Scorpio is a Fixed Sign.

Since we don't have a specific birth time, his Moon sign is up for interpretation. Since the moon changes signs every two days, it's possible the sign the moon is in can change in the middle of a day. This is part of why the birth time is important for accuracy. Anyway, Derek, based on the date and the potential moon signs, I've concluded he is a Libra moon. Your moon sign represents your emotions, how you feel deep down. Libra Moons care a great deal about other people. They're a good friend to have. Libra is represented by the scales, so they are about balance, and doing the right thing. They can be charming, intelligent, and funny, but they can also become moody and indecisive. Libra is ruled by Venus, so there is a definite romantic nature to Libra as well.

With no birth time, we cannot calculate a Rising or Ascendant sign, so I've taken the liberty of intuitively picking one for him. The Rising Sign represents how others see us, how we are perceived. I feel as if Derek might have more Scorpio energy than the average bear, and even before we see trauma mold and shape him into the stoic werewolf, we've seen him as the intense, romantic, charming bad boy type while engaging with Paige and Peter as a teenager. Even as an adult, he is seen or perceived as intimidating, alluring, and protective. So I believe he is a Scorpio Rising as well as a Sun.

While I personally see Derek's communication style as more Capricorn, straight-forward, economical, and to the point, the chart suggests his Mercury is in Scorpio. Which to me, just further proves that Derek contains multitudes. He's very deep, he feels things very deeply, but he is incredibly guarded with his speech. He only tells you what he thinks you need to know or what he can trust you with. Which if he doesn't trust you, means he tells you nothing. This falls very well into how his character is portrayed in the show.

His Venus, planet of love and romance, is in Libra. This works for him because with Venus being the ruling planet of Libra, he is very romantic, and falls in love very easily. In Teen Wolf, he has a track record of being easily manipulated by those he loves or cares for. He is blinded by love. He wants to see the best in people that he cares for, and can become a bit wishy-washy, or people pleasing. Which can lead to him missing glaring red flags.

And, his Mars is in Aries. Mars is the ruling planet of Aries. Mars represents passion, energy, action, anger, and sex. With the very heated and outspoken sign of Aries in Mars, he is very vocal about his displeasure, and his anger burns bright. Derek is impulsive, and instinctual. He is quick to anger, but can also be quick to let it go. Passionate, courageous, and aggressive.

I think this perfectly encapsulates the Sourwolf, my sweet angel baby. What do you think?

[pasta-in-the-pudding]

Hey guys! Sorry part 2 took me so long to get to, but it's here and this will be the last part of the mini series!

Part 1

Credit dividers go to saradika-graphics! Go follow them and support their work

Unconventional Royalties (Part 2)

Arriving at the castle with all the other carriages was surprisingly quick. You rode up to the bottom of the steps leading up to the main building, step out, and the carriage is sent off somewhere for the horses to rest and eat. You've never been to such a nice party before, especially not a royal one, so you're a bit lost on what to do or where to go. You follow the crowd up the steps and into the castle, where you find yourself in the ballroom. There are couples there dancing, food, drinks, but most of all, single people. This was a ball for the prince to find a partner after all.

You begin to feel insecure seeing all of the people there. Surely they could all see right through you, judging you for the cleaning person you were. You had no business being here you should leave. Or at least, you think you should until you see one of your step-sisters laughing while drinking some champagne. It is then you realize that you could finally get your revenge. You could take the prince for yourself, ruin everything they've ever dreamed of. And once you too are royalty, you'll make sure they know the pain you've felt over the years. It is then that the lights begin to dim, and a hush falls over the crowd of people. The prince and his father appear at the top of the steps, where his father gives a short speech about the reason everyone is gathered.

Once the speech is finished, there is an applaud given before the prince moves to go down the steps and seek out the first person he will dance with. You've never seen the prince before, barely even heard of him. However, he is very good looking. Long locs pulled back into a neat ponytail, a dashing suit, the only thing that sours him is his expression. He doesn't look like he wants to be here, really. He actually looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. But for the good of the royal family, he is here anyways. You see your sisters practically trample each other to get a chance to dance with the prince. The curtsy, he bows, and he quickly scoops one of them up in a dance, seemingly in a hurry to get it over with. There are a lot of people waiting for their chance to dance with him, so he can't afford being slow.

The dancing goes on for a few hours, before he finally reaches you. You (curtsy/bow) and he bows in response. He places a hand on your waist, and the other goes to interlock with your fingers. Your free hand goes to rest on his shoulder as you begin dancing. You realize this is your chance to steal his heart, so you begin to engage in conversation. "You don't want to be here" You point out. You swear you can almost see a smile on his lips. "Is it that obvious?" He is quiet for a moment. "Why would you dance with me if you know I don't want to marry you?" He asks. You smile, remembering your plan. You instead put on your sweetest face and giggle "Maybe I like making new friends". He chuckles and pulls away with a bow "Well maybe we could become friends....meet me at the fountain? After the party?" You look at him for a moment before nodding with a smile. "Alright. See you then."

You have no reason to stick around other than to talk to him, so you go straight out to the fountain outside of the castle. It is around 10 o'clock when you see him emerge, seemingly having slipped away while no one was looking and hoping he didn't get caught. When he sees you, he bows and sits next to you. You raise a brow and lean back onto your hands "You don't have to act all prissy, you know. It's just us" He seems to relax a little more, sighing deeply while he does so. "Yeah, I guess you're right"

You talk for hours, and before you know it, the midnight clock is ringing. You gasp and check the clock, just to be sure and when you see that it's true, you jump up and begin to gather yourself up. As you begin to run off, Jack catches your hand "wait! I don't even know your name yet!" You snatch your hand away and give him an apologetic look before running off, trying to catch your carriage as it runs off without you, desperate to get back to your house. You feel your shoe slip off behind you, but it is too late to turn back and get it, so you continue running.

The next day, you are awaken by the pounding of your stepmother's fist on your door. You slept in way too late. Your head is pounding as you get up, while she throws orders at you. All you seem to catch is "Prince....marriage.....found the one....all he has is a shoe..." You realize that she is talking about you! You drop your jaw and gasp, before asking hurriedly "How is he going to find them?" Your step mother raises her brow before sighing. "He's going to every house in the kingdom, checking to see if anyone matches the appearance of the person he wanted to marry, and if they do he will ask them to try on the shoe the person dropped on their way out, just to be sure it's them." You begin to smile "And by every house you mean....is he coming to our house too?" You had only had so little time to get to know the prince, but despite that you had begun to catch feelings for him. At first yes, your plan was just to marry him for the benefits, but it seems that in getting to know him, you realized just how much you have in common. He is also quite handsome, so that doesn't hurt either.

Your stepmother scoffs, pulling you out of your thoughts. "Of course, stupid child. I'd never let my daughters miss this opportunity" You smile to yourself and go about your chores with a light heart, knowing this is the last time you'd ever have to do them. You are the first to hear his carriage pull up and the horses whinny. Your sisters come rushing down the stairs, followed by your stepmother. She quickly greets the prince and his worker who holds the shoe. She presents her daughters, and they curtsy dramatically, making a show of bending as far down as they can. He quickly eyes over them and seeing that they don't look like you, he apologizes for intruding and begins to leave. Your sisters rush over to him, begging him to stay and just get to know them. That is when he sees you, staring at him, broom in hand. He gently pushes your sisters aside and walks over to you, staring at you for a moment before taking your hands in his own. "It's you." He says quietly.

Your step mother steps in and separates you two. "Oh, pay them no mind, your highness. They are just....a cleaner." She says, eyeing you angrily. Jack leans around her to look at you "But you won't mind if I test it, surely?" The worker walks over, ready to hand Jack the shoe. Knowing she has no other choice, your stepmother sighs and steps away, though she is confident you won't be a match. You pull up a chair and sit, allowing the worker to slide the shoe onto your foot and....it's a perfect match. Down to the last centimeter of where your ankle ends. Jack smiles and takes your hands in his again, pulling you close. Your sisters sneer and gasp, and your mother is enraged. "Surely, this is a coincident. I mean, is it really that rare for two people to look alike and have the same shoe size? They couldn't have even gone to the ball, they were busy here at home, cleaning."

Jack looks to you with furrowed brows, silently asking if this is true. You bring a finger up to where his forehead crinkles and smooth it down with your finger. "No need to act all prissy.....it's just us" You whisper with a smile. He grins wide, because now he knows without a shadow of a doubt that he's found his partner.

[gotmefeelingaway]

Hi I’ve started a new Fic there’s probably many in this style but I wanted to write my own. It’s kind of a rewrite of revenge of the sith, with the reader as padme instead. You can swap Y/N to padme if you prefer.

Anyway please enjoy. Would appreciate any feedback the below is only what I’ve written so far. Hope to continue this for fun. Any feedback is welcome. Part 1 is 866 words.

Warnings - Not sure there are any yet

There Is Good In Him

Precognition was no stranger to Anakin, often his dreams predicted the worst of fates. Tonight would no different.

He had just finished his mission, which had been rather successful. Anakin saved Chancellor Palpatine from the evil and only known Sith Lord Count Dooku and was on his way to becoming a master. He hoped he would be the youngest master to date considering he was the chosen one. His pride was always worn on his sleeve and he’d become especially cocky when he did things right. Obi-Wan had tried many times to help Anakin through his urges and feelings. With constant reminders of the ‘Jedi way’ It just didn’t ever seem to stick. Anakin was getting stronger, sure but his feelings were too intense. Between hurt, anger and dare I say it love. He needed to remember these things himself to be centred and balanced.

They had finally made it back to Coruscant. After hours of gruelling Jedi business, Anakin stood on the Jedi shuttle with a smile on his face. The grin of accomplishment. The shuttle soon reaches the Senate office building where Palpatine, R2, and Anakin step off. He turns on his heel to see that Obi-Wan was still standing in the doorway.

“Are you coming Master?” Anakin asks.

Obi-Wan and Anakin banter back and forth with Obi-Wan congratulating Anakin for being a hero and pushing for him to go bask in the glory and praise from the politicians. Anakin doesn’t take much sway as he goes to do just that. Obi-Wan heads to the council to report back the death of Dooku and the escape of General Grievous.

While Anakin walks the long hallway to the senate hall. He engages in conversation with Bail Organa. They were hashing over details contributing to this long war when he senses your presence. It was like something in the air was carrying your scent towards him. A gravitational pull colliding your atoms with one another. The Force was strong and it was with him. You looked to see him scanning the room. Bingo, he thought when his senses picked you up hiding behind a large column.

“Excuse me,” Anakin says to the senator.

He stands still for a second watching the senators move forward at a medium pace. That’s when he makes a beeline straight for you. His arms opened wide and embraced your body against him. His lips find yours and you are so relieved he is back and he is safe.

Your reunion is short-lived but you get just enough time to tell him the most wonderful news. He was cautious at first before an overwhelming response.

“Ani… I’m pregnant..” you announce.

“That’s … that’s wonderful.” He responds.

“What are we going to do?” You ask nerves appearing. You were careful to hide it this long. Saying it out loud made it so real.

“ We’re not going to worry about anything right now. Alright? This is a happy moment Y/N. The happiest moment of my life.” He says this sincerely and you know it to be true. He lifts a finger to your chin propping it up to kiss you deeply.

Once the kiss had broken Ani put his forehead to yours and looks you in the eyes.

“ I’ll see you later in the Apartment?” Anakin questions but it’s more like a statement.

You nod. Reaching for his hand the last touch just being a brush of your fingertips. He smiles that specific smile that is only meant for you and walks briskly onto the theatre.

Hours later.

The day was done and the sun had set. You and Anakin were at your apartment in your bed.

You were fast asleep one arm under the pillow and an arm cradling your small baby bump.

Anakin was also asleep. Dreaming or maybe the opposite of a dream. Doubt and guilt had begun seeping out of the inner cracks within his mind. Count Dookus's headless body haunts him in a scarily vivid image. Anakin couldn’t help but recall every second of the events that had transpired. Something wasn’t right. Dooku was quite the brave man. Yet he cowered under the heat of the laser blades beneath his neck, eyes fixed towards Palpatine as if he were awaiting a signal. His eyes widened when Palpatine had instructed Ani to ‘do it.’ Dooku’s head rolled across the floor. This was the start of all the manipulation…

Amongst the guilt-ridden Images were pictures of you. Your skin was flushed and tears rolled down your cheek you were screaming and in pain.

“Anakin, help me! Help, Anakin! Anakin I love you. I love you…” he heard you screaming for him.

In his head, it was so loud and the sound of the shrieks couldn’t be dampened. He awoke quickly in a cold sweat. Bolting up to see you asleep next to him your breathing peaceful and skin soft. He brushes your cheek before getting up and heading to the living room. It is there he begins to tear up and recall how he had the same kind of dreams when his mother was dying. He got angry. He couldn’t stop her death how was he going to stop yours?

End of part 1

[stevelieber]

Eleven ideas for enlivening a comics page.

Painters & songwriters can sometimes go from conception to completion in a single session, fueled by new-idea energy. Comics tend to take a lot longer. Some pages will just lay there, not engaging you. And if you're not engaged, the reader won't be either.

Let’s talk about ways to solve those problems from the picture-making side. Now, your goal should always be STORYTELLING. If the scene isn't interesting, the problem might be that there's nothing happening to engage the reader—no relevant conflict, no attempt to overcome an obstacle in pursuit of a goal. If it's the script that has problems, do the work there rather than just trying to obscure story problems with clever pictures.

So here goes. Treat these as options to deploy, like Wally Wood's "22 Panels that Always Work."

1. CONTRAST is always interesting. It can add humor and make elements in a panel comment on each other. Your shabby romantic lead never looks so worn down as when you show him next to a spotless butler in a tuxedo. Juxtapose opposites. Big vs. little. Warm color vs. cool. Dark vs. white. Curvy vs. angular. Plain vs. lavish. Young vs. old.

2. PROPS Build a scene around a single striking prop or detail of setting. It could be a gorgeous, exotic object, or something rough-hewn or oddly sized. Make it MEMORABLE. Ideally, this will tell the reader something about the character or setting it belongs to. Look at the mid-century illustrator Al Parker for some great uses of props. 

3. MOOD SWITCH  Life can be perverse. Funny moments at a funeral. Deeply sad incidents at a child's birthday party. Sometimes you can leave behind the dominant mood of a scene for a panel and insert something incongruous in there that, just for a moment, reminds the reader that this isn't a one-note world you're creating.

4. MOVEMENT Even in a static medium like comics, movement is a continual source of interest. When your characters have that important conversation, they can stretch, bend, twist, gesture. Let them fiddle with their glasses, rubs their hands together, reach to tie a shoe, wave away an insect. Movement does more than just make a page more lively. It can make characters more interesting.

5. APPROACH TO LAYOUT Been sticking to a grid? Maybe introducing unusual panel shapes, or a montage or poster-ish approach to a page will wake things up. Be careful with this one. You still want to control the order with which your reader receives information. Take extra care with how you guide the eye around the page. But for a lot of artists breaking free from the strict grid opens up a world of graphic possibilities. 

6. TAKE SOMETHING OUT You don't have to treat every panel like a window on a scene. Try vignetting the important stuff and letting the parts that aren't important fade into the white of the page. Early 20th century illustrators were brilliant at this. Here are some examples from Dean Cornwell. 

7. CHARACTER MOMENT Sometimes a character has to do something prosaic. Let's say… shopping for groceries. If you've got a page of your character shopping, find a way for them to do it that tells your reader exactly who this person is. Does she kick an apple into the cart like a hacky-sack? Does she pile the cart alarmingly high with junk food and whistle as she pushes it? Does she unknowingly knock over displays as she passes? Find a way to do it that's uniquely her.

8. PARALLEL STORY IN THE PICTURES Does the dialogue in the scene carry all the required information? Perk things up by running a parallel narrative. While the off-duty cops in your crime story have their big conversation at the diner counter in the foreground, maybe a new family in the background can be seated, get their baby into a high chair, place an order and struggle to get him to eat. Just be sure to stage it so that the reader doesn't forget that this is the cops' story. 

Your parallel story can comment on the main action. It can reinforce a theme. It can even be used as a slight-of-hand distraction from some important detail you're subtly planting for later on

9. MOMENT OF BEAUTY You want your reader to be paying attention to the story rather than what an impressive draftsman you are, but there are times when these goals reinforce each other. If you're in a place in the story where it's appropriate for the reader to stop and be impressed with how beautiful something or someone is, cut loose and let your drawing take center stage.

It signals to the reader that this moment or object is something of significance. And if you are stuck drawing a page with absolutely nothing to care about, it's a good idea to at least do some cool picture-making to provide a measure of value for your reader.

10. RESTATE THE RELATIONSHIP Your pictures can clarify the relationship between two things on your page. Does the boss have all the power? Let him blow smoke at his underling, or take a sandwich from him, take a bite and hand it back. Is Louise's crush on Janine unrequited? Show Janine looking anywhere but at Louise. If Michael is heartbroken that he didn't make the basketball team, put his brother's trophies where you can juxtapose their rigid poses of triumph with Michael's slouch of despair.

11. BUILD THE WORLD Do some research and show your reader something real and relevant to your story. As the brash young pilot and his older, wiser trainer cross the airfield talking about the mission, you can show all the fascinating things the ground crew have to do to get a plane ready to take off. And when the knight and squire catch fish in the river, showing real fishing techniques will make for engaging visual business.

...and that's that! Thanks for following along. I'd love to hear your own ideas about enlivening a page.