#the only relationship they have is the constant telling the audience that they share a “bond” or whatever

[nightzombie]

fascinated by the fact that no one gives two shits about deananna and deanamara. we watched it grace our screens and all went k whatever.

[adragonprinceswhore]

Rumours

Aemond Targaryen x (Ex)wife

Chapter IV: Never Going Back Again 🎼 Masterlist

Summary: Aemond answers your performance of 'Dreams' by singing yet another newly composed song during rehearsal. This time, you can't contain the rage he elicits within you.

Warnings: 18+, AFAB reader, she/her pronouns, angst, smut, hatesex, rough sex, oral (m. receiving), spanking, pussy slapping, fingering, P in V, choking, degradation, manhandling

Word count: 4880 A/N: Thank you always to my love Justine, @theoneeyedprince for helping me by having a look at the edited version 🩵

Bringing Aemond’s old hoodie on tour feels like harbouring a shameful secret.

You’d felt weak enough when you spontaneously brought it with you when you moved out of your shared flat. And when you realised it was the only thing that could make you fall asleep any time anxiety weighed heavy on your chest.

So when you packed your suitcases to tour the Seven Kingdoms, you knew that you wouldn’t be able to leave it behind. But the shame of still needing it; still needing the memory of him, resulted in you storing it away somewhere no one would see it, least of all yourself. 

Until you sought it out. 

You wake up still curled on the side of the large bed, Aemond’s scent encompassing you.

How long will his smell linger on the fabric?

Soon, it’d disappear and you’d have no trace of him left. 

You reach Winterfell the next day. Luckily, you’re allowed a small break before the next performance, leaving you some time to explore the city and rehearse with the band. 

You spend your day sightseeing in the capital of the North; grabbing coffee with Helaena and window shopping around the bustling city centre. 

Despite the quick friendship you had established after joining the band, your relationship with Helaena has become greatly strained following your separation from Aemond. 

You know she hates the tension and the fighting. She has a habit of closing off and retreating whenever she feels uncomfortable, and having two band members in an infected conflict is not something she finds easy to navigate. You still love her like a sister, and you know Aemond holds her dear as well, so you try to spare her from it all, even if your attempts aren’t always successful. 

“We’ll be late for the rehearsal if we don’t leave soon”, you tell her as she’s eyeing a pair of sparkly firefly hair clips. She nods absentmindedly in response and picks up the clips, 

“I know, I know. Let me just get these”, she answers with a smile, heading towards the register.  

Helaena pays for the newest addition to her endless collection of insect trinkets, and you leave for the venue you’ll be performing at in two days; Winterfell Arena. 

This is going to be your biggest show yet. 

When your management booked the arena you were scared of not selling enough tickets to justify such a large space. But you’d been pleasantly surprised by the interest shown in the North. The last tickets had just sold, and it would be your largest audience to date. 

Entering the arena, you’re taken aback by its sheer size. You can’t believe you’ll be performing in a place like this, and to a sold-out crowd. You’re suddenly hit with an overwhelming sense of nauseating anxiety. Will you be able to give them a worthy show? 

Will you be good enough? 

The constant self doubt that plagues your mind had been easier to handle when Aemond was by your side. He’d always been your biggest supporter; chasing away all your inner demons with his reassurance. 

He always made you feel better. 

Now, you were left alone and with nothing but doubt keeping you company. You miss having someone to soothe you by your side. 

Miss having someone to confide in. 

To rely on. 

The stage’s larger than any you’d ever been on before. You try to shake the nerves taking over you, but it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by the size of the hall. It’s intimidatingly large. 

You and Helaena begin to set up and prepare for tonight’s rehearsal, and Jace, Erryk and Aemond drop in one by one to join. You’d expected the latter to have his usual gorgeous companion on his arm, but he surprises you by showing up alone, five minutes after the time you’d all agreed upon and without saying a word. 

It isn’t like him to show up late, and you can feel the stress radiating from him, though he stays quiet. 

You know he’s been working on yet another song for the new album, and today he mentioned in the group chat that he’d like to play it for you during rehearsal. 

He’d sent you the name; ‘Never Going Back Again’. 

Is it about his relationship with his grandfather?

When Aemond told Otto Hightower that he wanted to quit working for him at Oldtown Solicitors in order to fully focus on his music career, his grandfather had nearly cut all ties to him. 

In a particularly weak moment, he’d even given you a call, insinuating that you were a bad influence on his grandson,

“I let him entertain this silly band for the sake of Helaena and Aegon! I even let him do a minor in history at the university I financed. And yet, he meets you and suddenly wants to give that all up to record an album? Talk some sense into him, won’t you?” 

Aemond had been furious when you told him about the call from Otto, making it clear to his grandfather that he’d never go back to working with him or in property law. He’d been prepped and groomed since birth; the perfect heir to carry on the Hightower legacy. Not as flaky or unreliable as his older siblings. Always the dutiful son. 

Aemond moves across the stage to grab his bag, pulls out a water bottle and places a tablet on his tongue.  

You realise he must’ve been late due to the pain of his eye injury flaring up again. Despite his recent awful behaviour, you can’t help but feel bad for him. 

When you first started dating, you’d been scared of asking about his eye. Evidently, it was a sore subject, and you didn't want to pry. Eventually, he told you about the car accident he was in when he was 10. 

He’d been in the backseat of the family's car with his nephews, engaging in a petty fight. As the driver tried to de-escalate the situation in the back, he lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into a large tree by the side of the road. 

The only casualty from the crash was Aemond’s left eye. A piece of metal from the car had come loose during the crash and flung back through the window, creating a scar going from his forehead down to his cheek; robbing him of his vision and permanently causing him pain. 

When you started dating, you made sure to learn his routine and preferences, to make it easier and less unbearable for him when the nerve damage caused intense pain to shoot through his head. 

You still remember. 

He likes the room cool. He always lies on top of the duvet on his back, letting the chill air sooth his aching skin. Unless you’re there. Then he used to lie on his stomach next to you; one armed wrapped around your waist and his head on your chest. You’d thread your fingers through his silky hair with the softest of touches, stroking his head until the pain killers drag him into slumber. 

It had been in one of those moments that he’d first told you he loves you. 

You look over at Aemond as he makes his way towards his guitar, picking it up and experimentally playing a few chords to check the volume. 

Did he manage the pain by himself now? 

Or did he lay his head on Alys’ chest, hugging her? 

Does she run her fingers through his hair? 

Does she let them trace the outlines of the beautiful sharpness of his face? 

Over his cupid's bow, nose bridge, cheekbones?

Does he lay his head on her chest, letting the drum of her heart lull him to sleep? 

Does he allow her to come as close?

You go through the set list, discussing the order of both your older and newer songs. 

Jace, Helaena and Erryk all praise your performance of Dreams, asking you to perform it each night moving forward. 

Helaena, standing next to her brother, leans towards him and mumbles, “Your back-up vocals really make the chorus shine”, while offering him a gentle smile. 

Aemond replies with a hum and moves to stand by one of the microphones with his guitar in hand. His usual stoic yet quietly commanding self returns when he starts to play without any explanation or introduction, fingers plucking the strings with precision. He sings, 

‘She broke down and let me in’ 

During recording, you’d briefly glanced at the words in the recording studio, huffing a laugh at his audacity. They definitely sting more on stage. Your face turns hot and you can’t decipher if it’s from humiliation or anger. Maybe both. 

He really is a dick. 

‘Made me see where I’ve been’

‘Been down one time’

‘Been down two times’ 

‘Never going back again’ 

Any sympathy you’d felt for him; any longing you’d felt for him, vanishes as he sings. Another song about you, this time in the form of the final nail in the coffin that is your marriage. 

And he had the nerve to ask you not to perform Dreams anymore? 

‘You don’t know what it means to win’

‘Come ‘round and see me again’ 

Back at the hotel room, rage makes your entire body feel hot and restless. 

How fucking dare he? 

Never going back again? 

First, he’d sung about how you broke his heart and now, he paints you like you’re the plague; like a sickness to avoid. 

All you want to do is call Alysanne and spew out all the pent up emotions storming inside of you. 

You place your phone on the nightstand and roughly shove the charger inside, fingers tapping furiously to call Alysanne.

She doesn’t answer and you call her again. Still no answer. 

You’re so restless you can’t sit down, irritation making your skin feel hot and hands tingly. 

What if you asked him to not play the song? That’s what he’d asked of you. 

Unable to stay still, you grab your key card and shove your feet into a pair of white hotel slippers, heading down to where you know Aemond’s hotel room is. 

You reach the door and knock on it firmly while your feet shuffle from side to side impatiently. 

You're not sure what you’ll tell him, the rage inside guiding you instead of your senses. 

Aemond opens the door, face unreadable and eyebrows raised in question at your sudden visit. He’s clad in nothing but a pair of green joggers and your gaze briefly flickers down to take in his shirtless stature. 

“Really? Never going back?”, you question and move in closer. The heavy hotel door shut behind you, and suddenly it’s only the two of you, in his room. 

He neither answers nor moves, and you’re standing so close that your clothed chest bumps into his naked one. You crane your neck to look into his eyes. His stern demeanour doesn’t quite reach them, gaze softer than you’d imagined. 

Anger still guides you, and a pathetically spiteful idea prompts you to slowly kneel before him, still standing impossibly close and eyes never straying away from his.

“Not even if I do this?”

Your face is level with his crotch as you look up at him. He’s always loved this sight; you at his mercy. But not now. Now he’s at yours. 

You slowly lean forward and press your lips against the exposed skin of his torso, fleetingly kissing him right by his happy trail, just above the hem of his trousers. 

You’ve missed the soft smoothness of his flesh; a tender veil over the hard muscles hiding underneath. So contradictingly beautiful. 

Aemond stays unmoving, eyes staring at you with a scorching intensity. You know he won’t stop you. If he didn’t want this, he’d have let you know by now. 

So you press another kiss right under his navel, and feel sickly delighted by the barely-there shiver vibrating from him. 

Slowly, and with light kisses to his stomach, you reach for the hem of his joggers, letting your hands softly pull down the fabric and reveal his manhood. He’s already half hard, and you have to bite back a smile. 

Never going back again? Yeah right. 

Your eyes never leave his as your delicate kisses trail downward, towards his cock, yet never making direct contact with it. 

His face still is as impassive as always, but he’s now grown so hard his tip is leaking precum, fuelling your actions. 

You haven’t been this close to him in months and it almost feels intoxicating; his smell encircling you. 

You want to see him lose control; you need to see him lose control. Need to hear him beg for you. 

Plead for you. 

Come for you. 

You squeeze your things together at the thought, arousal making an ache drum between your legs. It’s an addictive thought; imagining him pleading for you. Begging for you. Needing you. 

You want him to want you. 

He still hasn’t moved, or said anything. You take his silence as an invitation to continue. 

Want him to want you. 

Still locking eyes, you slowly graze your lips over his skin until your mouth is by the base of his cock. You know he won’t give you the satisfaction of letting you in on what he’s feeling, but that’s alright. 

You’ll force it out of him. 

Your hand travels up his leg and moves to grip his cock, now so hard it’s aching to be touched. You work in long, firm strokes, just the way he likes. 

The staring contest continues. You know his stoic appearance is meant to frighten you, but you know him too well. You can see the cracks appearing already. 

Eager to push him further, you slowly open your mouth and let your tongue out, gently swiping it over his leaking tip to collect the glistening beads of precum. You feel the proof of his arousal on your tongue, and you see his gaze flicker down to observe it in your mouth as you unhurriedly close your mouth and swallow. 

He stays silent, but you see his jaw twitch. 

He likes it. 

Growing bolder, you move your lips back to the tip of his cock, kissing it in a far too innocent manner before wrapping your lips around him and sucking firmly.

In the briefest of moments, his eyebrows knit together and he closes his eyes.

The satisfaction you feel at his clear arousal goes straight to the thrumming between your legs, and you briefly squeeze your thighs together. You move your mouth lower, placing feather-light kisses down his length before gently swiping your tongue over his balls. 

You can hear the restraint in each laboured breath he huffs through his nose. 

Your soft lips envelop one of his balls, and your hands continue to stroke his length. You know he loves this; loves when you get down on your knees and worship him. 

You let your tongue massage every inch as it rests in your mouth, and when you let out a moan, pure theatrics to make him succumb to you, Aemond’s jaw goes slack and his lips part uncontrollably. 

Just a little further and you’ll break him. 

You’ll win. 

Perhaps the look in your eyes let him in on your scheme. 

Perhaps he’s too close to continue. 

But when he grabs you by the hair and yanks you off of him, it takes you by surprise. 

“About to cum, baby?”, you mockingly ask.  

He clicks his tongue and grabs your forearms to pull you up so you're standing in front of him again. 

Still not saying a word, he tries so hard to appear stoic, but you can see the storm brewing within him. A sudden push to your shoulders causes you to stumble backward and land on Aemond's soft hotel bed. 

“Let’s see how fucking wet you get from sucking off the man you hate”

His voice is both calm and taunting at once. His hands come up to the sides of your leggings, pulling them down with force, taking your underwear with them.

You know you’re wet, but you really don’t want him to know that. 

You don’t want to give him the satisfaction. 

You try to press your legs together, but one of his large hands finds its place on your mound and cups it perfectly as one of his fingers slides down between your folds to meet the silky wetness there. The fact that his hand seems to fit against you perfectly, like two puzzle pieces, amplifies your desire. And rage. 

“Having my balls in your mouth made you that wet, huh? Still so dirty, baby”, he teases, emphasis on the pet name to match your previous mock. 

You let out a yelp as his hand briefly leaves you to land a quick smack on your exposed clit. His cocksure expression flashes by before he grabs your hips again to place you on your stomach, bare ass receiving a smack as well. 

He works quickly, sitting down next to you on the bed and pulling you towards him. He places your middle on his lap, and lets his hand come down to land another smack on your asscheek. 

His hand stays on your soft skin, lingering a bit longer than you’d anticipated, before travelling down between your thighs to meet your neglected centre. 

“You like that too, don’t you?”, he asks as he catches your clit between his fingers and press harshly. 

It stings. 

It feels good. 

You press your lips together to prevent any sounds from escaping, racking your brain for a way to gain back control. 

Aemond’s fingers begin to draw firm circles and your mind starts to feel foggy from want. Without thinking, your hips begin to move in tandem with his fingers. He chuckles. 

“I know you inside out”, he triumphs, but as you move your hips, you can feel how achingly hard he is beneath you. 

You know him too. 

You pull away from his lap, sitting back on your haunches on the bed, and remove your cardigan, then your tank top, and finally your bra. 

You manage to startle Aemond by your sudden move, and you seize your chance at dominance by placing both hands on his shoulders and pushing him down, so he lies on his back on the plush, white sheets of the hotel bed. 

You straddle him, and move one hand down to pull down his sweatpants once again. Revealing his cock, you encircle him softly before placing his length between your folds, dragging your wetness all over him. You bite back a moan as his cock pushes on your clit again and again, hips move back and forward. 

Aemond seems lost for words as well, undoubtedly enjoying you moving against him. 

His seeing eye flickers wildly to take in your naked body, damaged eye not able to keep up with the rapid movements. His cheeks and the tips of his ears are pink. You momentarily feel mesmerised by his beauty. 

The realisation that you’ve missed seeing him like this, missed being with him like this, pierces your heart painfully and your hips still. 

You don’t want to think about the sadness inside. You want to break him. Like he broke you. 

Up until now, it’s been a constant fight for dominance; a never-ending back and forth. But you got him now.

“Beg me to fuck you”, you command, voice slightly out of breath. Aemond’s eyes are fixed on your heaving, naked chest.  

“What?”, he questions, like he doesn’t understand what you’re asking.

“Beg”, you repeat, voice more demanding as your breathing calms, 

“Beg me to fuck you, Aemond”

Though confusion had briefly flashed over his face, it’s now set in fury. 

His eyes narrow.

Without answering you, he places one hand on your shoulder and another on your waist, manhandling your body down on his cock in one swift motion. The sudden intrusion makes you gasp, much to Aemond’s satisfaction. He grins victoriously. 

Fuck, it’s been so long. 

He begins bucking up into you in an instance. The firm hold he has on your body feels bruising, and his fingers dig into your flesh meanly so that you won’t move. 

He angles his hips, and each stroke touches your sweet spot. You bite down on your lip to hinder the moans that are fighting to escape. He’s essentially fucking you on his cock, and it feels so good you can’t think clearly anymore. 

“Come on, I know you can’t keep quiet”

He pushes your body down harder, bucking his hips up faster. You can’t help but move with him, it feels so fucking good. 

You’re still not going to come. You’re not going to give him the satisfaction. He’s gonna come. 

You clench down on his length each time he slides in and you see the tension in his jaw; the vein bulging out at the side of his neck. 

Maybe if you push him just a little bit further? 

“Oh, Aemond”, you moan as you throw your head back, tightening your muscles again, gripping him like a vice. 

He’s always loved getting praised. 

The hand he’d placed on your shoulder moves to your throat, engulfing the entirety of it. His fingers press down on the sides, 

“Shut up” 

His grip tightens. The movement of your hips begin to falter as the restricted blood flow to your head amplifies your pleasure. You bite your lip harder not to moan. 

He knows exactly how to get you. 

He continues to fuck up into your dripping cunt, ignoring your change in pace. Each stroke of his cock within your walls feels like pure ecstasy; like sparks of sheer pleasure shooting through your body. 

His expression is infuriatingly smug and you realise you must look completely blissed out as he uses your body. 

You feel the familiar tightening in your lower stomach, the sign that your peak is approaching rapidly. 

No no no, he can’t win! 

You pull away from the grip he has on you, abruptly getting off him, internally mourning the pleasure you rob yourself of. 

He needs to come. He needs to break first. 

You sit next to where he’s lying on his back, hand moving down so that you can work his length again. 

Aemond catches on to your scheme quickly and uses his strength to push you away, manhandling you so your face’s down in the mattress and ass exposed. 

He pulls on one cheek, admiring your wet and wanting centre. When he shoves back inside with an exaggerated tut, you can’t take it anymore; the pleasure’s just too much.

His touch feels too good, no matter how harsh it is. 

You try to push your face as far as possible into the bed, hoping Aemond can’t hear the moans you can’t contain any longer. 

The loud smacks of his hips against your backside and the lewd, wet sounds coming from your cunt fill the room. 

It’s so aggressively erotic. 

One of his hands finds your clit and as he starts massaging it with vigour, his other hand moves towards your head. 

He grabs a fistful of your hair and pulls your head back so you are facing him. The grip hurts; like a thousand little needles assaulting your scalp. 

“You’re gonna come, I know it. Don’t you fucking dare not look me in the eye when you do”

You’re stuck in his painful grip, yet your orgasm’s racing towards you, making you clench down on his length and moan louder and louder, no longer able to hide the effect he has on you. 

The hand in your hair moves down to grab your breast roughly, nipple pinched between his fingers. You find it hard to keep your body up as pleasure makes it feel like you're floating, but Aemond’s arms around you makes it impossible for you to move. His face moves to press against yours; cheek to cheek, 

“When you sing your silly little songs about what a player I am, remember that no one else can make you feel as good as I do”

And you’re gone. The orgasm hits you so hard you almost black out. It makes your entire body jerk uncontrollably, and if Aemond hadn’t been holding you, you’d be on the floor. 

He keeps fucking your through your orgasm, breathing heavily and grunting at the intense way your walls contract around him. 

As the movements of his hips turn sloppy and frantic, you feel his face move to press between your shoulder blades, arms still holding you tightly, like he’s hugging you from behind. 

Or trying to crush you. 

You can’t decide which. 

You stay like that for a few moments. The room is quiet, save for your shared heavy breathing. You’re suddenly aware of the close proximity between the two of you and feel too exposed, regret storming inside you like in icy waves.  

Shit, what have you done?

Aemond loosens his grip around you and lowers you down on the bed much gentler than how he’d touched you before. 

You stay on your stomach, burying your face in the bed as you feel Aemond shuffle behind you, softly tracing a hand down your back before getting up and making his way towards the adjacent bathroom. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. 

Hearing him turn on the faucet, you quickly get up from the bed. 

You have to get out before he comes back. 

You frantically look for your clothes, scattered all over the hotel room floor. Trying to be as quick as you can be feels impossible when your legs still feel far wobbly, and your mind way too fuzzy, to cooperate.  

You hear Aemond turn off the faucet as you pull on your leggings and underwear. You can’t find your bra, and you don’t even bother looking for it before pulling on your tank top and cardigan hurriedly. 

You just need to get away. 

Away from Aemond. 

You step into your slippers and dart out the front door as you hear him emerge from the bathroom. 

Not patient enough to wait for the elevator, you head towards the emergency exit and climb the two stories up to your room. 

As soon as you're inside, you toss the hotel card key on the desk by the window and throw yourself on the bed, body jolting from the force. 

You want to cry. 

You want to scream. 

You want to go to sleep and realise this was all just a fucked up dream. 

You reach for your phone on the nightstand, now fully charged and with a few messages from Alysanne, asking you how you are and if you’d gone to the cafe she’d recommended by Winterfell Central Station. 

You press her name and the small telephone icon, hoping she’ll pick up. 

“Hi honey, you okay?”, she answers, voice evidently concerned from your sudden call. 

You usually stick to texting, or pre-scheduled face-time dates. 

“I fucked up”, you say, barely above a whisper. You hope that she’ll know what happened without you actually having to say the words. You don’t want to speak it into existence. 

“Did you kill him?”, she jokes and you let out a hollow laugh. 

“Worse”, you say, and Alysanne sighs on the other end.

“Was it good?”, she asks after a long pause, making you let out another snort. 

“What do I do now, Aly? I was just going to push him a little and now-”

“That’s your problem. You always want to get a reaction out of him. What happened to just focusing on yourself?”

Her words feel patronising, like you’re being scolded by your parents. Yet you know she is right. You stay silent and mentally search for a reply; any excuse for your behaviour. 

“Yeah”, you sigh in resignation. 

You know you fucked up; that you’ve acted childish and petty. Still, the satisfied afterglow of experiencing the best orgasm you’ve had in months leaves you feeling a bit less anxious. 

Alysanne tries to distract you by asking about Winterfell, the tour, and what you’re planning on wearing for the big show tomorrow. 

It feels good to talk to a friend without holding anything back. Even if you appreciate Helaena’s company immensely, you know she’s being pulled between you and Aemond, and you’d rather not add to her suffering. 

As Aly tells you about the guy she went on a date with last night, your phone buzzes. 

You briefly glance at your screen, ready to swipe the notification away, when you notice it’s an email from your solicitors office. 

You say a quick goodbye to Aly, open the email and quickly scan through the overly formal text. Your eyes flicker over the screen, taking in what’s written. 

…finalised… 

…shared assets… 

There’s a PDF at the bottom of the email. You click on it, seeing the document you’d left for Aemond in your flat over three months ago. The empty space you’d left next to your hurried signature is now filled in, reading; 

Aemond Targaryen. 

A/N: Thank you for reading 🫶 If you wonder about if he signed the papers right after she left his hotel room; it’s a pdf with his signature, I imagine he actually signed it before leaving for the tour and it just reached her solicitors now.

[orphicrose]

The Co-Host (Alastor x FemReader) VIII

< >

Summary: You are Alastors Co host in life, perhaps more. But are separated by a sudden death. When you are finally reunited in the under world, it is up to Alastor to figure out why you don’t remember him.

Warnings ! ! Mentions of Death and Bl00D

@cannibalcoyote @kahlan170 @sugxryratz @multifandom-superlover

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Heart full of feelings that felt as if didn't belong to her. She felt like the shell of a person, not truly existing anymore. Having a constant out of body experience. 

While he, he grieved. Grieved a relationship that never had the chance to fully blossom. Grieved what could have been, grieved who he used to be or had the chance to be. Oh, what his mother must think of him now. He never even had a chance to think about what everyone still alive thought of him, his little secret having an audience to witness. Lose ends ruining his reputation as a beloved media presence, turning him into a notorious serial killer. He knew he belonged down here, he knew he deserved everything that came his way. But the question still begged, why was she down here. Was it because she sold her soul to th devil? Or was it for a reason far to unruly to share to the light. 

His hands sweat as the journal stay to close grip between his fingers. Never leaving his side. There was far more to read in a safer environment. His path was obstructed by a tall figure, appearing out of the thin air around him. 

"So we finally meet, Alastor" Satans demeanor cold, as usual, and his stance meaning one of business. Hands tucked neatly into his trouser pockets. 

"Satan, I assume?" Alastors smile gleamed in the light of the pentagram. Baring his sharp teeth like a predator. "How do i deserve this honor?"

Satan began to move towards the wendigo, towering over him. "As I'm sure you're aware, y/n works for me" He hummed, circling Alastor like he was going to attack at any second. "And you..." He paused to give out a deep laugh "Well, you are disrupting my line of production. You see, millions of sinners on Earth call my name daily. Wanting to make a deal. And the more souls I have, the more power I have. But y/n is the only one i trust far enough to have the duty of collecting said souls. and you" He leapt forward, holding Alastor's chin upwards with the tip of his cane. "You meddeling with her is distracting . You're costing me money, radio demon"

Eye contact was held strongly between the two, not wanting to fault to show weakness. "You want the closure of knowing your little pet isn't the saint you want to believe?" Alastor wanted to say no so badly, wanted to stay ignorant. Wanted to hold onto the belief that there was still hope for y/n to not be the same at him. He didn't want to be the Clyde to her Bonnie, he wanted to be the story she'd tell to friends in heaven. To her mother, or her father. 

"She's just like you" His voice taunted, leaning closer into his ear. The words he oh so desperately never wanted to hear. 

Y/n strolled through the lit up streets of hell, admiring the buildings towering over her. Something she had never really done before. Casual sinners in the streets cowering at the sight of her, leaving her a free path to walk in as they fled. Slamming doors behind them. What a skill to have, but how lonely it made her feel. 

She arrived at the doors of her place of work. At first, hesitating to open the doors. Afraid of what might wait on the other side this time. But when she did open them, she found nothing. Silence and isolation filled the chambers of the rooms. It was eerie. Usually tensions built with high stress levels as soon as she walked in, demons bouncing off each other as they run from room to room. But the haunting recent history of this workplace made it seemingly abandoned. Of course, they wouldn't get away with holiday for long, for as long as Satan breathed. But for now, she would revel in the periodic silence of the structure. 

Her office, the only untouched room in the building, brought her some comfort. Nothing having changed. Just as soon as she started to loosen up, her door flung open. The tall red demon appearing in front of her eyes. The same fear she felt the first time they encountered returning, sinking into her chair as he moved through the doorway and shut it behind him. "What do you want?" Her eyes showing a slowly boiling rage building up inside her. Seemingly, he was experiencing the same feeling. 

He took a seat opposite her, hands sat on the desk. "I want answers, miss l/n" She stood from her seat abruptly, moving backwards. His eyes turned from frustration to a saddened look. Confused as to her shift in temperament towards him. Had he missed something?

"When were you going to tell me we knew each other?" Her question caught him of guard, looking up to her and waiting for more. She relived the memory, him covered in blood. "What is this?" She slammed down the leaflet on the desk. Alastor let out a loud sigh, he must have forgotten to put it away yesterday. She spoke loudly, halfway to shouting at him. Tears welling and dropping slowly to the floor in a rhythmic pattern. 

"Are you the reason I'm down here? Did you murder me?"

"No!" His tone enraged by the accusation, rising to his feet to share her eyeline. "I think you'll find you're the reason I'm here, y/n"

She stood in silence, tears picking up there pace as they dampen her cheeks and collar. 

"When you left, I struggled. I lost myself along with you. I turned into someone I regret heavily" Alastor's voice cracked, dropping any radio sound effect he may have had. Struggling to maintain an effortless smile. "But it seems you weren't so much of a saint either"

"What? What do you mean?"

"You still don't remember?" 

The two stared at each other. Not truly understanding the wants or intentions of the other. 

"I- Only a small fragment. I remember coming back to Earth to see you. That's how i got this" She calmed herself down, seeing that miscommunication between the two would make the situation worse. "We were close?"

"Very"

"And I did something to hurt you?"

"You died, y/n" Alastor rubbed his temple, suppressing any tears that dared to gloss his eyes. "I don't care, as to why you're here. We both did terrible things. Things that you may or may not ever remember. But..." A deep breath was taken to help steady his shaky words. "But for you to go to the lengths to forget everything, it must mean I was never held as dear to you as you were to me"

Alastor knelt to pick up the microphone left astray on the floor, brushing off his tie when he came back to his feet. Then turning to leave. 

"I made myself forget because it hurt" She shouted, desperately wanting him to stay. "The pain of losing everything was to hard to deal with. I'm down here because of my own actions, that's on me. But I never excepted anyone I care about to follow me here"

She moved closer to him, needing more answers. Or some sort of closure. "What if i remembered everything? Then what? We continue where we left off?"

"No!" He turned "If you remembered me, and then realized what I am, you wouldn't even want to look at me" His face solemn. "I'd rather you only remembered one version of me, not both"

"So what do you want from me?"

He looked down to his feet. "Closure"

[cryptidcorners]

Gardenia - Josh Futturman x M!Reader

Description: Being Josh's childhood friend, you never would have expected to see him appear by your doorstep after a month of radio silence. Though, in this particular visit, he's desperate to air out his true feelings before traveling through time. Unknowing if he'll ever come back to see you again.

Media: Future Man!Show

Character: Josh Futturman

Tags: Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, Childhood Friends, Catching Up, Confessions, Light Angst to Fluff, Kissing, Romantic, Comfort, Sweet Stuff

Warnings: Arguing (+ about Josh ghosting reader), Foul Language, Mental Breakdown/Depression Mentions

read my TOS + Josh Futturman Masterlist

Dread twisted in your stomach like rusted wire, and your constant stirring on your mattress was robbing you of any justice of getting any variant of rest. Your eyes grew heavy, dangerously puffy from expelling your grief several dark hours ago. Though, it had only felt like seconds to you. Your thoughts raced like a wild flock of puzzled birds, breath hitching along with it as you slowly fell into decay.

Your gaze was fixed to your glowing digital screen, eyes fixed on your messages with your old friend, Josh Futturman. It had been weeks of endless radio silence, along with your desperate texts. You were more worried than upset if anything. You went to his house to drop off a game you had finished, but his parents said he wasn't there. Along with all the other days you had made excuses to stand at his doorstep.

His parents weren't liars, and they wouldn't deny you. They knew Josh and you were close. You even remembered Diane saying you were helping him in ways they had struggled to for years. Your lip quivered, so why would he leave?

You two only argued once during a blue moon, you shared so much in common and you swore every second was sincere with him. It had always been him, and it had always been you. Ever since you were kids you were inseparable, to the point others figured you were his boyfriend due to how close you were. It was ridiculous.

Yet, here you were, hunched over and dry with internal pain, thoughts still clinging onto the thought of Josh. You were starved to see him again. He understood everything about you, even with the design of your mind being incredibly complicated. Had you done something wrong? Had you offended him? Had he grown tired of you? Did he even like you?

Then, you heard your doorbell. The familiar tune caught you off guard, but it had made you fix up your wrecked expression promptly and sluggishly fix your clothes. You raced downstairs while catching your breath. You were too out of it to care who it was, but you weren't stupid enough to open it at random. You rested your forehead against the door, "Who is it?" you asked weakly.

"Josh," a familiar voice answered. Muffled, and seemingly distressed as well. You jolted up and needily worked your hands to unlock the door. Your face was brimmed with shock. It was him, but covered in bruises and sweat. His curls were lazy and messy, his eyes were wide and his chest was rising and falling rapidly. Still, his gentle tone made you weak, relieved. But also incredibly angry. "Hey." He said, "Long time no see?"

You struggled to collect your thoughts. "Yeah." Your eyes narrowed, "Do you want to come inside?"

"Please." Josh stated. You didn't say anything, and gestured for him to walk toward. As soon as you shut the door, he immediately opened his mouth and began rambling, "Look, I'm—, I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you." His eyes met yours, "Trust me, I didn't mean to leave you for so long." Josh stammered, "I was just, so wrapped up in something. And, I wanted to talk to you, but I couldn't, please, I didn't–"

You sucked your teeth, "Where were you Josh?"

"I–" his hands landed heavily at his sides, his face slightly appalled at himself. As if he were a dumbfounded audience. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?" You grew agitated, spilling out your gallons of binded frustration. "Why did you ghost me for over a month? Where . . . Where were you?" You breathed heavily, "I thought you hated me, or something terrible happened to you. God, your parents didn't even know where you were!"

Josh choked out a cry, "You don't understand. I didn't want to hurt you,"

"But you did!" You interrupted. "Josh, why did you leave? What happened?"

"I can't fucking tell you!" Josh shouted. "You wouldn't understand. It's too complicated!" You grabbed him by the shoulder before he could turn around, "No, I don't think you understand. How could you just go with no explanation? You look terrible. What are you running away from?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you." Josh winced, "I'm sorry, okay? Please, I had no choice. I didn't mean to leave you. I didn't do it because I hated you or anything like that, okay?" His breaths were unraveling, "Do you know how much I care about you? You know me. You're my best friend," a low whimper escaped your lips as you stated at him. The tension shifted, and you both gazed at each other longingly. "I love you."

"Josh." You released your grip. "Please, I, don't have much time. I love you, so much. I would never, ever, hurt you." His hands found your face, "I need you to know this." Something grew in your chest, and you brought your head forward. "I love you too."

You don't know who fell first, but you felt relieved once Josh kissed you. His hands scavenged across your back, and you dug your fingers into his hair. He hummed, body relaxing at the feel of you. Once his palm found its way under your shirt, you both collapsed onto your couch.

You were both crosslegged and smothered in each other, skin blazing as your love untangled. His hands found your sides and you were eagerly grabbing his collar to pull him closer. You swear you could see stars once he pulled away, trying to catch his breath. Josh held you close, face still red from the passion you had inflicted just a few seconds ago.

"Hey, I'm sorry." You whispered.

"For what?"

"For getting so angry." You frowned, "I shouldn't have gotten so pissed at something personal happening to you."

Josh cupped your face. You swore you could drown in his eyes, "Don't say that. You deserve to be mad at me, I left you. And it's okay, just . . . stay here with me." You cuddled up next to him with a sleepy exhale, smiling softly. "Stay."

Josh whispered, "I promise I'll make it up to you. In any way I can,"

[kitsu-katsu]

I was talking with someone about just how canon the ineffable husbands are in good omens and I brought up how Gaiman said that what they have is canonically a love story (which is really reflected in the show, with their moments of vulnerability towards the other, their despair at the thought of losing one another, their comfort with eachother, the way they stick together through millennia even when they're never trying to, etc), but they don't have labels, as they don't have genders and the human conception of intimacy eludes them as ethereal beings that aren't human

And the complications with that

Because this person I was discussing with is not as versed in fandom discourse, and so they're only now finding the vocabulary of "queer baiting" to talk about that Sherlock show

And so they're like "I hope I see Crowley and Aziraphale absolutely eat eachother's mouths, it has to be canonized" and I'm standing here like. It is canon though. Like they won't add some "hetero romance" cop-out last minute. They are canonically in a love story. What's interesting is how the label-less queerness of it can also explore non-binary aspects and an aroace perspective on what "love" is

And they're bummed out because if they don't "absolutely eat eachother's mouths" it doesn't feel as canon to them. And I'm still standing here in aroace like. Bro. There are so many forms of relationships. A kiss on screen doesn't have to make it any more or less canon

But at the same time, from the amatonormative perspective, I get how the kiss on screen is seen as the end all be all. Because in general media, the main pairings will have the kiss at the end. And they will live happily ever after with that

Before the kiss it is only as canon as the kiss is predictable, and after the kiss, you can point to that one scene as "the moment it was canonized for realsies despite even people in the show making constant remarks about this being an obvious thing"

And I kinda hate it

I just wish the whole community wouldn't have to keep its guards up like this so much to discern whether something is coming from a genuine place of wanting to tell a story for a queer audience or about a queer subject or if it's all just a ploy to get our money, spit in our faces, smile at the traditional homophobic crowd and fund some conservative party with it

Because then we wouldn't have to play it by the boring straight rules. If everything points to it being obvious, then why is an intense kiss necessary? Why is it all you want? Why can't this represent a qpr? Or a loving relationship where intimacy in the form of a kiss just isn't something the characters want? Or a more open thing instead of being a purely monogamous arrangement? Or something completely new, a dynamic you can only describe in an essay lest you don't make their chemistry justice?

Aren't all of those just a much more under-thought about queer dynamics than what "I want these characters to kiss eachother until they can't remember their names on screen or else it isn't canon enough" can convey?

But at the same time, without something as concise and strong in media language, how do you make sure it won't all stay in just subtext and the reason it looks like clear text to you is because you're starved for queer stories and have become way too accustomed to reading between the lines?

I mean, it's also been proven to not be an absolute in instances where the text goes ham in letting you know what it's saying, when it's not implying, it is just telling. For one, Rose and Pearl in Steven Universe never did share a kiss on screen, and nevertheless we all know what was going on there

Idk, it's complicated and it's 1am, and this is all just a ramble, but I am in my aroace hating amatonormativity mood and the sentiment that characters being a canon thing without an explicit kiss bums someone out to the point they say "ok, ok, I get the whole nb ace ethereal beings that aren't human idea, but I want something more explicit because it doesn't feel canon enough" when that isn't strictly necessary for the story to get it across just got me in a weird mood and this is about so much more than good omens, I needed to try and word it out and might as well put it out there

Just. Why does queerness have to be allonormative and also amatonormative to be valid in the eyes of the queer masses necessarily? You'd think we'd figured out that queerness goes beyond just the L, G, B and binary T by now

[cybertron-after-dark]

oooo kimmie, can you tell us about the tfa and rb overlap?

Everyone prepare yourselves bc the floodgates are opened and now I'm never going to shut up about this

In a meta context, there's SO much overlap between the shows. A lot of the same people worked on it, especially the writers, and it 100% shows. Mr. Marty Isenberg you are not slick.

In terms of the actual content of the shows though, the similarities are overflowing.

First and foremost, the emphasis on cultural differences and exchanges with the human-bot relationships. TFA had a good bit of it and it was very very fun every time it happened (bots not really knowing what level of self defense is appropriate to teach a child, being very confused about what exactly humans eat, bee picking up video games, bulkhead picking up art, ALL that good shit), but you don't always get to focus on it with all the action and political intrigue going on. And while rescue bots has its share of intensity, there's a lot more space for the mundane interactions. Blades being tv obsessed, the bots celebrating Allspark day, boulder's love of just Everything on earth. They had a whole episode just about teaching the bots to fish.

There's also the fact that everyone on griffin rock is a little bit Unhinged in a lot of the same ways the humans kicking around Detroit are. Just. Vaguely Weird Vibes in very funny ways. And the same tendency to switch from revering the emergency services which they may or may not know the bots are part of to wildly distrusting them on a dime. Optimus would not leave an encounter with Mrs Nederlander unscathed bro. I don't know if any of the bots could.

Speaking of humans, the villains in rescue bots feel like what the tfa human villains could have been if not for being wildly overshadowed by the decepticons. Evan and Myles? I think you mean Henry Masterson's shitty cousins he only interacts with through the CoD lobby. Madelyne Pynch? That's just girlboss Porter C. Powell. Quint Quarry? Sir that is Master Disaster if he existed for more than like two minutes of a singular episode and bagged more than one bot. Dr. Morocco? Meltdown but better at, like, everything (especially lab safety).

Then there's the constant state of both teams grilling the hell out of each other All The Time. Chaotic. Absolute Creechurs. They love each other so much but they also all live in close contact and see each other all the time and thus they are So Mean To Each Other (though they're a bit meaner in tfa just bc older audience)

The Sumdacs and the Greenes being two duos of an absentminded but well meaning technological genius and his intelligent and Highly Cool pigtailed daughter who both have to deal with the dad's tech going completely out of control is pretty on the nose too. (Oh God now I'm just imagining an au where tfp starscream successfully gets rid of Megatron after the space bridge explosion and sends him hurtling towards earth and crashlanding right on griffin rock whee doc green finds his head. Can you imagine. The misery of tfp Megatron having to deal with a human. He's having several mental breakdowns, 100%)

Even Cody and Sari have a lot of similarity as characters. Cody is a lot more mild mannered compared to the absolute Gremlin that is Sari, but they both still struggle a lot with wanting to help but feeling too small to make an impact, even though they matter so much more than they could ever know. They're surrounded by heros, giants, and it's hard for them not to feel like they're fading into the background. And when both their families realize how they've been making those kids feel they put so much effort to make sure they're loved and feel like their efforts matter. It's the same arc in different forms. And it's so good both ways.

Overall they're both shows that feel like they're trying to say similar things to different audiences. That Earth is wonderful and worth protecting. That any effort can make massive differences, even if you don't feel like you can do enough. That a hero can come from somewhere humble, and the best ones usually do. That people deserve kindness and a genuine effort at understanding. That nobody is without value.

And honestly? That what I love most about both of them.

[5t4r1uv3r]

☆ Butters + Team Craig dating hcs ☆

☆ hi everyone!! once again i want to thank everyone for all the love team stan's dating hcs has gotten!! i'm so incredibly grateful for all the support!! so i present butters and team craig's version. as always i welcome feedback/advice!!

characters: butters stotch, craig tucker, clyde donovan, tweek tweak, tolkien black, and jimmy valmer.

reader is gn!! 2406 words!! ☆

☆ It's not the pale moon that excites me. That thrills and delights me, oh no It's just the nearness of you - Laufey ☆

☆ Butters Stotch ☆ 

☆ He is the sweetest boy in the entire world!! He isn’t very confident when it comes to girls, comparing himself to his peers, especially due to the constant belittling from his parents and his friends (mostly Cartman). 

☆ He used his art skills to confess, making a mini book depicting special moments in which he started to love you. As well as your favorite flowers and a teddy bear that reminded him of you. 

☆ As seen in Butters’ past relationships, he gives all of his heart to you. You literally have him wrapped around your finger, if it’s within his abilities, he will do it. 

☆ Butters is a clingy communicator. He will call you over 5 times a day and send you multiple messages. The only exception is when he is grounded, but he has his ways. 

☆ When Butters is grounded he calls and messages you through a burner phone. He has to whisper so he isn’t caught or risks getting the phone confiscated. 

☆ You guys definitely have matching profile pictures on every social media, from pictures of your dates to Sanrio icons, his personal favorites are matching as Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. He lets you pick who you want to be. 

☆ He will always talk about you to his friends, to the point where everyone knows almost every detail of your relationship. You swear the only thing he has kept hidden is your social security number. 

☆ Dates with Butters include going to Bennigans, Ice cream dates at Willy’s Chilly Ice Cream Parlor using his employee discount, playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and sneaking in to hang out when he’s grounded. 

☆ Butters loves PDA, he’s always holding your hand, pinkies interlocked, an arm around your shoulder, or resting his chin on your head. He especially loves it when you trace the scar on his eye. 

☆ Butters is the sweetest and most understanding boyfriend, he will always be there for you, anytime, anywhere, any day.

☆ Craig Tucker ☆

☆ When people first met Craig Tucker many assumed he hated them. Constantly flipping those around you isn’t the friendliest introduction you can make, but that was Craig. 

☆ Being seat partners allowed the two of you to interact more than you have in all the years you’ve known each other. You won him over when you gushed over Stripe, asking him questions about the guinea pig, and wanting any updates about him. 

☆ If you share a love for space and astronomy he is on his knees proposing, in his mind at least. On the outside he would just call you, soooo cool. 

☆ He confessed to you during a trip to the planetarium, wanting to confess under the cosmos. An environment he was familiar with to balance a new step in his life. 

☆ Craig is still deadpan, sarcastic, and stoic, even more so with you. That’s how he shows his love, teasing you to great lengths just to fluster you. Giving you a small smirk after he’s succeeded. 

☆ It’s canon he uses pet names, he prefers to use classic ones such as darling, honey, love, and babe. He’ll only use silly ones such as pookie, snookums, and sweetie pie to get under your skin. 

☆ After a while of being official, Craig calls you Stripe’s parent. One of the ways he’ll tell you he misses you is by saying Stripe misses his parent. 

☆ Dates with Craig will usually be somewhere under the stars. He feels the most comfortable in their presence, any intimate conversation is had in the audience of glimmering lights. 

☆ On the occasion they aren’t, he’ll take you to an amusement park, make dinners, and babysit either Tricia or Stripe. 

☆  Overall he is tough to open up but once you’re in, he’ll love you to the moon and back. 

☆  Clyde Donovan ☆ 

☆ You were in many of Clyde’s classes, most of which you sat behind or near him. He found you very attractive and wanted to talk to you. Being not very academically smart he decided to start asking you about lessons he didn’t understand, especially math ones. 

☆ Winter finals were coming up and the exam for your math class was worth 20% of your grade. Clyde very nervously, decided to ask you if you would help him study at your house. When you agreed he was ecstatic, he viewed it as the perfect opportunity to ask you out on a date. 

☆ After the session Clyde was very straightforward about his intentions. Admitting that he admired your compassion, patience, and good looks. He wanted to get to know you better through dating but would accept if you only wanted to be friends. When you agreed Clyde gave you a childlike grin and promised he would give you his best.

☆ He is a sweetheart with a sensitive soul, so he’ll treat you like royalty and loves if you do the same for him. His love languages are words of affirmation and quality time, especially if he’s on the verge of tears. As he’s gotten older he tries to not let his tears out, striving to be seen as a strong guy. 

☆ He can be a bit cocky, being voted the cutest boy in the 4th grade skyrocketed his ego. So when he flirts he tends to think he’s being smooth in reality he sounds like a dork. If you tease him about it he’ll just pout or try and brush it off by being suave, it does not end in his favor. 

☆ He loves to spoil you with shopping sprees, he has mall connections due to his dad being the owner of the shoe store. So you’ll get to have a field day on him of course. 

☆ For dates Clyde loves having movie nights, being an avid film fan he makes sure you guys are on top of every single new movie coming out, screening, or on the verge of debuting. He loves playing any spot, he is very competitive but will let you win from time to time.

☆ He is super big when it comes to PDA, his hands have to be on you at all times. From having a hand in the pocket of your pants, to an arm around your waist, kissing you anytime he can, and affectionately referring to you with pet names for anyone in a 5-mile radius to hear. 

☆ Clyde will show you off anywhere he can, at his spot games, to his friends, at school, at parties, and to his family. He will talk about you to anyone who will lend an ear. Everyone knows about your relationship, down to every little detail. 

☆ Over all Clyde loves with his very soul, he treasures you like no other. He knows he is lucky to have you by his side. 

☆  Tweek Tweak ☆ 

☆ Tweek has seen you around school and during his shifts at Tweak Bro’s. It was extremely difficult to form a connection since he was extremely weary of everyone. The only way he grew to be more comfortable in your presence was a mixture of making your intentions clear and consistent actions that confirmed your promises.  

☆ When his crush on you started to develop he became an anxious mess, screaming about pressure, shaking constantly, and increasing his coffee intake. 

☆ You had to ask him out since his anxiety kept getting the best of him, it was more of bringing attention to the bond the to of you had since you were always by his side and had crossed the line of best friends.

☆ He isn’t fond of PDA, the only thing he feels comfortable with is hand-holding. Other forms of affection are shown in private settings, he becomes incredibly stressed over showing affection in public. Thinking others are judging his actions or how he shows intimacy. 

☆ You’ve basically become an expert on how to ease his nerves, helping him calm down when he’s especially on edge. In a way, you’re his safe space, he has told you that you give him the feeling of home. Seeing as his home life is chaotic, his parents’ pressure on maintaining the shop, their lack of help on his condition, and the underwear gnomes. He finds solace in you. 

☆ You often help out Tweek when he’s at work, having to be a bit sneaky since his parents want their shop to only be family operated. 

☆ If you’re not helping out in the shop then you’ll be fetching the coffee orders, this is a common occurrence if it’s slow or busy. Tweek is thankful for your help and showers you in praise. 

☆ Dates with him are very personal taking place in locations where it feels like you’re in your own world. Bike rides around town, trips to your secret location, nighttime playground dates, and library trips. 

☆ Physical touch and words of affirmation are his love languages, your company means a lot to him. The security and consistency you provide help him navigate his anxious tendencies. He sometimes feels as if he isn’t enough for you due to his nature, your words settle his mind. 

☆ Thins he loves to do for you are playing songs on the piano and baking your favorite treats. These are ways he shows his love for you since it can be difficult to express his emotions. 

☆  Tolkien Black ☆ 

☆ Tolkien is a known gentleman, he is always willing to help out wherever he can. This along with standing up for what’s right has led you to cross paths with him. Sharing similar morals and maturity levels is what catches his eye. 

☆ Being lifelong friends is what made Tolkien realize he was in love with you. Compared to the rest of the town you were very level-headed and brought a sense of calm in the storm that is South Park. You were his rock, he knew he wanted you in his life forever. 

☆ After a discussion on how to navigate your friendship crossing the line into relationship status you both agreed to take it slow, getting to know each other through a new lens. 

☆ Tolkien isn’t shy of PDA but isn’t very big on it either, he shows a happy medium. Choosing to show you his love where you two are in a world of your own. To the public, they’ll only see arms linked together and the occasional kiss on the cheek. Behind closed doors he is the most passionate lover ever, showering you with kisses and hugging you to no end. 

☆ He is the perfect boyfriend, always there for you when needed whether it be for emotional support, physical needs, or someone to depend on. Tolkien is always there for you. 

☆ Of course he is spoiling you to no ends, if you mention something Tolkien is giving it to you the next day. You told him you ran out of something, he’s got 5 identical ones waiting for you. He picks up extra of your favorite personal care needs so you’ll never run out. You have specific interests? He is getting you every little thing related to it, mountains and mountains of stuff waiting at your disposal. 

☆ Tolkien’s top 2 love languages are physical touch and acts of service. If you hug him he’ll melt in your arms, basically turning into putty. He loves feeling you against him, it makes his heart beat fast. For acts of service it’s because he already has everything he could ever want, but having someone remember the small things he has to do every day warms his heart. It makes him fall for you all over again.

☆ Date nights include game nights he loves having new challenges and facing them with you. Dinner nights especially the ones in which he cooks for you, testing new recipes, and hearing your thoughts make it all worth it. He also loves trying new experiences with you from adventures to new places opening up. 

☆ Tolkien will serenade you with music, from love songs to lullabies when you can’t sleep. He’s got an angelic voice and will use it to express his love. 

☆ The sweetest gentleman around, Tolkien’s love is like no other and it’s only for you.

☆  Jimmy Valmer ☆ 

☆ Jimmy first noticed you at one of his comedy shows, being a frequent audience member he looks forward to seeing you in the crowd. 

☆ After attending his shows he decided to thank you and ask you if you would help him with setups. Giving suggestions and laughing at his material has him head over heels for you. Jimmy lights up whenever he hears your laughter. 

☆ After becoming his right-hand person Jimmy knows he wants you to be by his side forever. After all, laughter makes the heart grow fonder 

☆ Jimmy loves to use corny pick-up lines just to get a giggle or chuckle out of you. It seriously puts the brightest smile on his face, he glows from pride whenever he gets a reaction from you. 

☆ If you unexpectedly return his energy he turns into a little strawberry, red dusting his cheeks as he sends you a smile or laugh. 

☆  He loves to hear words of affirmation from you. Knowing he is the reason for your laughter, smiles, and joy while he’s around, is the reason Jimmy loves what he does. 

☆ Dates with him range from candlelit dinners at Buca de Faggoncini, study dates are 100% a thing as well, he also loves quality time so any moment he can spend with you he’ll take. It’s never a dull moment with him around. 

☆  Comedy club dates happen at least twice a month, a night full of laughter with you in his eyes is heaven. You’ll bond over the evolution of comedy, scoping out new talent, and it also helps with writer’s block. 

☆ You two are known as a dynamic duo around town, never being seen without each other and perfectly balancing each other. Jimmy thinks he’s the luckiest guy, being honored to call himself your boyfriend. 

☆ Jimmy feels blessed to have you as his partner, he thinks you are the coolest and most understanding person on Earth. He cherishes you with all his heart. 

[bucksdaffy]

https://www.tumblr.com/bucksdaffy/750482450750308352/i-mean-i-think-its-fair-to-ask-what-show-yall?source=share

Okay, let's talk about development. Buddie shippers love to throw shade at Tommy. So, quick question: it's been 5 years now, where is Eddie's character development? Since Season 3, he has been suffering because of his wife and has run away from a new relationship. He's in the same place as in Season 7. The truth is, Buddie shippers don't care about Eddie's character. They see Eddie as an extension of Buck. Buck manages to get some self-improvement. We can see his changes from Season 1 to now. Eddie? They don’t care; they're too worried about karaoke scenes and their only concern is to make Buddie canon

Sorry, that annon got me so nervous

truth be told, the show favours buck, and eddie is often neglected in terms of development. i must admit i actually saw some eddie-leaning bobs express frustration about this early on when it was revealed that a gay eddie arc was under consideration before tim and co ultimately decided on a bi buck storyline. but their voices were pretty drowned out by the constant yapping of how the show could make buddie canon, and now it's hard to see anything else.

i think you're right in saying bobs don't care about eddie as a character. but i'd even go so far as to say they don't care about buck either. superficially? sure because they both are part of the ship they love. but in reality? i wouldn't be so sure about that.

because the thing is they don't seem to think about buck and eddie as separate individuals. they always make one's storyline about the other. there is no buck without eddie and no eddie without buck in their eyes.

when you love a character, i think it's only natural that you want them to be happy. but when you love a ship more, your brain is wired to believe that the only way for them to be happy is if said ship ends up together. i don't want to condemn anyone for their feelings and choices because it's everyone's right to enjoy what they want to enjoy. you can't force anyone to change their view on that. i just wish they admitted they are not actually buck defenders or eddie defenders – they are just full-on buddie shippers, and that's it. don't pretend you care about them as individuals because it's obvious it's not true.

bobs don't care that buck is now in a happy relationship with a man who treats him as his equal, doesn't glorify him, understands what it means to be a firefighter, supports him, and makes an effort to be there for him when he needs him. they don't care that he is good for buck right now. they want tommy gone because he stands in the way of buddie canon (does he really? not the fact that eddie is canonically still very much heterosexual?), and because the audience seems to enjoy him much more than they anticipated. and they don't even care about an amicable break-up anymore – i saw some bobs say they want tommy dead. now you can't tell me you care about buck if you wish for his love interest to die. it's fine if you don't like tommy and if you personally think buck would be happier with someone else. let's agree to disagree and move on. but when you wish to seriously traumatize (one of) your favourite(s) character(s) in order for your ship to become canon? that just shows where your priorities lie, and i can guarantee that most people will disagree with you.

when it comes to eddie, he doesn't have the happiest storyline right now, and hasn't for a while. but if/when in s8 or some later season (provided they get renewed for more) he gets the development he deserves, and finally finds someone who he truly likes (and that someone isn't buck) and treats right, or perhaps decides that being single is fine and lets go of the pressure to be in a romantic relationship, do you think they'll be happy for him? i highly doubt so. they'll still push for buddie canon, not taking into account the individual characters of the story and their needs. what matters is that they get what they want, and everything and everyone else can go to hell.

if that is your stance, i personally think you should just quit watching the show and move to ao3 full-time for your and everyone else's own good. tim and co will not make buddie canon just because you want them to. it has to make sense for both buck and eddie individually first. and right now that is not the case for either of them.

[earlgreytea68]

i dont actually know the general consensus on I Am My Own Muse but to me it very clearly feels like pete addressing the fans directly - almost like a conversation? like the opening lines "here i am not sure you should take a chance. I like playing dumb letting you figure me out" basically completely summarises petes relationship with us during the early parts of this era. His uncertainty coming back but also the way he likes to keep us on our toes (like hes always done). His constant surprise that even one person appreciates his art. His odd fourth-wall-esque relationship w us - he always knows more than he lets on. like. these are crazy opening lines.

Especially looking at other songs petes addressed to us (namely thriller and our laywer). Those songs still feel like petes putting on a persona for our benefit. Hes talking to us through the mask he thinks we'll like best - but for his benefit not ours. In those songs he still wants to show his appreciation for the fans but hes afraid to be vulnerable about it. He hides behind tongue and cheek self deprecation (put this record down, we are bad news, we're only good to have almost famous friends... that whole song tbh) or like implication of rejection/disaster (we r not making an acceptance speech, car crash hearts, only thing i havent done yet is die) and its all glitz and distraction bc thats what he does. he will tell us their hearts beat for the diehards but not before telling us why its a bad idea. its defensive from the get go but in Muse he doesnt do that. yes he defends himself but his tone is balanced between resigned and resolute. its stripped down to just his own thoughts voiced aloud. it feels so much more genuine despite how much vaguer in address it is.

Also the general theme of this song is feeling hidden/secret (e.g. the angels didnt know his name, him feeling faded, feelings were tucked away) but trying to draw attention anyway(throw the year away, smash all the guitars, drop a bomb on things we care about) even if its hard/painful (twist the knife again, trying to keep it together).

This coupled with the title is a perfect representation of his journey as an artist in this era no? The vulnerability hidden in old songs and spoken word poems that he relives each night of the tour. An amalgamation of every little moment he created and tucked away is reborn on stage. And who has he shared this particular journey with??? The fans. It was us who he finally trusted with his works and words in the shows and we sang them back at him. Patricks journey alongside pete has felt more obvious bc of his whole demeanour but its pete who wrote his heart out to us. I think this song is a way of pete kinda of juggling this idea in his head before it ever took shape in thw real world. A way of connecting back with his audience. Not as an act of nostalgia but as moving on together. its a gorgeous song and it feels like a love letter to us in the very oarticular way a love letter from pete wentz feels like. its not soft or even sweet but it leaves you feeling comforted and stronger anyway. its solidarity yk.

ANYWAYS thats my ramble for today hope it was worthwhile <33 i really had to get that one out otherwise i may have exploded. can you tell smfs as an album and an era is my baby. sorry this is such a long one lol. hope you r having a great day :)

Awwww I *love* this. I *adore* "I Am My Own Muse" and I always have and I love everything you say about it. To write a song that sounds like that and then call it so deliberately "I Am My Own Muse," like, that we are there and ever-present but in the end he's got to come from his own authentic place. And it's like his instinct is to play a little coy and not be so vulnerable, but also he just wants to scream so someone hears him: Smash all the guitars 'til we see all the stars, like, he's screaming so that we will all see. He's trying so hard to keep it together, keep it together, so smash all the guitars 'til we see all the stars, because we are all in it together, and throw the whole year away and start fresh.

Look, i am Peterick all the way, we all know, and I think I've even used lyrics from this song in a Peterick fic, but in my secret heart of hearts, if you really ask me to be serious, what do I think Pete Wentz is writing about........I kinda think he's always writing about us.

[iluvuiloumi]

Nabokov's Lolita: My Ramblings

Ramblings, episode 2, because not a lot of my friends read classics and someone's gotta listen to me so why not all of Tumblr? Lolita, controversial, misunderstood Lolita, almost seems like Nabokov knew just how badly the book can be misinterpreted. Repeatedly, Nabokov acknowledges the reader within the book and guesses at their horror and reactions, and leaves — frankly — obvious signs that you are supposed to dislike Humbert Humbert, question a certain scene's validity, or worry for the safety of the 12 year old in the situation. Even so, many a person looked at me in horror when I said that is the book I was reading.

"Light of my life, fire of my loins...."

I'd like to begin by discussing just how much significance the writing style holds to understanding the book, and it lies in the writing style being distinctly hard to dissect.

Nabokov's book is intensely loving of the English language, and seems to bend it to his will to properly express either the disgusting nature of Humbert's sexual fantasies. In long twisting paragraphs, Nabokov often switches languages to express thoughts, and I think he does it often to make sure that the audience has to put conscious effort into properly understanding Humbert.

Either by having to manually translate those lines or read into subtext, the reader is forced to play closer attention to and feel Humbert's paranoia or fantasy, and the writing style imitates almost stream-of-consciousness writing in its constant and lengthy elaborations on certain select descriptions to show you just how much he's focused on that or by switching to French, something he does both audibly and in his mind.

This forces you to recognize with Humbert's thoughts, so even if you approach the book with the apprehensiveness or pre-concieved notion of who Humbert is as a person, you are forced to put yourself into his shoes — or thoughts, for lack of a better metaphor — to be able to fully and properly understand him and his motivations.

However, paradoxically, this kind of close examination or living the story through only Humbert's eyes because for better or for worse, he is the only narrator we have been given for the story, also makes the book seem deceptively simple. It's easy right? Focus on what Humbert says and you'll get the story.

Yes, if Humbert was a conscientious or even unbiased narrator. No, instead, you see how he will spend multiple paragraphs, sometimes pages describing how Lolita looks playing Tennis, or how the road curves, or his fantasies. But he glosses over any emotion he does not personally feel.

In a pivotal moment, the 12 year old runs from their shared house after screaming at Humbert that he had murdered her mother. This scene changes everything. They leave the town after this and go back on travel.

However, Lolita gets no dialogue. The fact that she accuses him of killing her mother gets no dialogue. Because Humbert controls the story. He knows and is well aware how that would make him look and how much it would reveal about how Lolita truly feels about their relationship. Humbert Humbert is not Lolita's lover. She hates him. If the dialogue was written out, if Humbert would allow himself to remember that day in full, he would never be able to recover.

So he doesn't, and he doesn't tell you. You have to read between the lines. So, the writing style both heavily helps you by forcing you to pay closer attention to the story, but the voice through which it is told is actively hindering you from it. It is a brilliant novel.

His genius bursts from the pages through which he balances how Humbert romanticizes the story while also laying out red flags to bright they should blind you if you read the way he intends you to (actively) for the reader to pick up on.

I have so much to say about this book that this barely grazes the first throught I had

Poor, poor Dolores Haze. Always cursed to be remembered as Humbert's Lolita and never by her actual name.

Nabokov was a genius.

[heybaetae]

There were a few parasocial relationship discussions in the past week on reddit and someone brought up Jungkook almost every time as someone who leans more into the parasocial relationship with his fans - or enables it, I'm not sure how to word it properly. And it made me a little confused because to me, it doesn't seem like he does it? Or maybe I'm not that delulu to think that what he's doing Is indeed parasocial sometimes, or I don't fully understand what counts as parasocial with an idol. So I wanted to ask: do you think that he's leaning a bit into it?

If I remember correctly they brought up him calling the fans as his girlfriend(s) - I honestly just took that as a joke but Idk? - and him folding his underwear on camera - again very confusing to me because why is that parasocial? - and him sleeping on camera - well okay I can see why This counts as parasocial, but the others?

Sure, compared to idols who only do the necessary fanservice and rarely interact with fans he really does a lot more, like he had a million lives this year alone and he shared his recipes with us and gifted songs and etc. but I still don't know. Is it really more parasocial than it should be and I'm just simply not noticing it? 😅

i think his dynamic with the fandom is appropriately parasocial enough without it becoming overly codependent even though some would probably argue that it might feel that way from time to time. he's expressed that the fandom can't be excluded from his life and i believe he really feels that way since ARMY have been a constant in his life for a decade from such a young age and that's a big factor into why it's so strongly important to him.

i think he leaned into it way more than ever this year on purpose because he knew there'd be a temporary pause eventually and he wanted to make the most of his spare time with us in a less stress-inducing way while being in full control of it. consider how rare that's been in his long career, everything from your fanmeets/concerts to your scheduled livestreams at the company building being orchestrated and planned out for you. him deciding to say "fuck it i wanna chat with fans whenever i feel like it" and kickstarting the habit of going live from home without telling anyone at work first and letting it become a regular thing was a conscious decision he likely put thought into after he got away with it the first couple times. i'm not implying he didn't have control of that before, but there was always an obvious protocol to follow for safety reasons, which is understandable, but he wanted to take the risk and so he did. other members would later follow that example too.

i think sometimes people misunderstood him or purposely misconstrued his words on those lives, especially his jokes or his way of expressing his thoughts/feelings to fit their own narrative or image of him. people want him to fit the mold they've created in their heads of him, so no matter how often he came live and was vulnerable and honest with us, people still looked for ways and reasons to dictate what he did, how he felt, how he meant something differently from what he said when he couldn't have been more clear, etc.

i can't make you see something differently from how you already do. i don't love the term "delulu" in this sort of context because like you said, a lot of the normal things he let us see on his lives were normal every-day chores and not everyone is going to consider it very parasocial to have seen it, but how often do you hear of idols letting their fans in that much? hardly ever. it was fun for both parties because it was unexpected and sometimes spontaneous (like sleeping/cooking/exercising) and he felt comfortable enough to do certain things with an audience. we're talking about someone who'd been mostly ghost online for like two years. someone who has a history of being very shy. it meant a lot to fans to see him come out of his shell and grow even more comfortable with us, even if it sometimes put him in some unsafe situations because unfortunately, there are some really scary people out there. idk where the parasocial quota is, so i can't say what it "should be" but i can tell you i've never seen any famous person engage with their fans in as pure of a way as he did this year.

[yallemagne]

something that some modern-day media could learn is that you can have two people already together and keep it interesting. you can make them work hard to take their relationship to the next level (like marriage) or fight hard to stay together, without it having anything to do with infidelity or constant bickering. all the while they make it apparent that they love and want each other (it's kind of what makes your audience root for them!).

There's no faith in love. It's a weird thing to think about. We're raised on shit that is all "the power of friendship! and cute girls and boys!" but all the more "adult" takes on love are just "eh. sex? possessiveness? jealousy?" It's like once you grow up, all you're fed from that point on is subversive propaganda.

Even in a society that puts a hell of a lot of value upon romance and marriage, there's no faith in either in our media. It's mostly just sex, really, and then the bitter revelation that True Love is fake. I guess the writers and directors for movies are all divorcees so that kind of makes sense. And all the songwriters are young people still upset about Disney princess movies. But even in the most cheesy "we're family, we need to stick together" media, the married couple is always in the process of getting a divorce. It's silly.

Jonathan and Mina have known each other their entire lives. Their honeymoon phase had to have ended long before they ever got married. They don't love "the idea" of each other, they love each other because they know each other. Mina is confident that Jonathan would never be unfaithful to her because he honestly wouldn't, and Jonathan never tries to stifle Mina for fear someone else will sweep her off her feet because she has never given him reason to doubt her love for him. And neither of them is insecure, that's a big part of it. Their relationship works so well because there's no immaturity colouring it, no projected insecurity, just mutual trust. In my personal headcanon, part of the reason they're never concerned about "he/she must be thinking about other women/men" is that they already have experience "sharing" with Lucy. They know that you can love multiple people at once without devaluing the love of one person.

There are so many romcoms and shit, there is so much media that, instead of acknowledging that love (all types of it, really) is something you have to work at but should make you feel good, they feel the need to add cheap conflict. Infidelity and lack of trust in a partner are problems, but they aren't the only problems in a relationship. When stories only focus on character flaws as the primary driver of the conflict (Character A is too sleazy, Character B is too insecure, blah blah), it just makes you wonder "why am I watching a movie about two pricks with no chemistry and no redeeming qualities". There can be outside forces putting a strain on the relationship that the characters have to power through because ultimately their relationship is worth the effort. Romances in movies are hardly ever worth the effort because they're often built on lies that lead to a third-act breakup that is quickly resolved with a single apology. Sometimes they're just actively toxic, with the characters being too immature for a committed relationship and just being very unhealthy for each other. So the message of "we're family, we need to stick together" falls flat in those cases because the relationship has no foundation, it's a bandaid on a bullet wound.

I am so fucking invested in love. I adore love, and I adore this horror novel that has the power of friendship save the day. I would kill for more mature media that puts its faith in love rather than the idea of a happy ending or the cynical subversion of a happy ending. I'm tired of author inserts in movies telling me "that's not how the world works, love is fake".

JUST GIVE ME MORE MEDIA WITH REALISTIC TAKES ON HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. REALISTIC DOES NOT EQUAL BAD.

[onlinemarketingjuice]

Creating Word of Mouth in the World of Likes, Shares, and Retweets

Building a robust social media presence is no easy task, and it’s not just about posting regularly. It’s akin to creating a rich tapestry, with threads of community engagement, value creation, and trend awareness intricately woven together. Let’s dig into some of the secrets that can help you sail the seas of social media, focusing on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Know Your Audience Understanding your audience is the foundation upon which your social media strategy rests. Dive deep into their interests, preferences, and behaviors. It’s like having a cheat code for engagement. The more you know your audience, the better you’ll be at creating content they love and conversations they value.

Brand Consistency Your brand voice and visuals are your compasses, guiding every post you make. Consistency in these aspects breeds familiarity and trust, making your brand instantly recognizable. When your audience sees a post, they should be able to tell it’s you even before they see your logo or handle.

Timeliness and Regularity Posting regularly is the key to staying at the top of your audience’s mind. But beware, timing is everything. Each social media platform has its peak hours when users are most active. So, it’s not just about what you post and how often, but also when you post.

Engage in Meaningful Conversations Social media is all about interaction. It’s not a one-way street. Engage with your audience, answer their queries, thank them for their comments, and value their feedback. Not only does this engagement make your brand more approachable, but it also helps in building genuine relationships with your audience.

Become a Beacon of Value The golden rule of content creation is to provide value. It can be a nugget of knowledge, a reason for a hearty laugh, or a dose of inspiration. When your audience finds value in your content, they’re more likely to engage with it and return for more.

Decipher the Data Analytics is like the GPS of your social media journey. Use them to understand what content resonates with your audience, when they are most active, and how they engage with your posts. These insights will help refine your content strategy and optimize your efforts for better results.

Stay on Top of Trends The social media landscape is a rapidly shifting terrain. Keeping up-to-date with the latest trends—from viral hashtags and trending topics to platform updates—is critical to keep your content relevant and fresh.

Harness the Unique Features Each social media platform offers unique features designed to help you boost your visibility and engagement. Whether it’s Facebook Stories, Twitter, or LinkedIn’s professional networking tools, make the most of these features to amplify your reach and engagement.

Keep Evolving The only constant in the world of social media is change. As strategies become obsolete, new ones are born. So, keep experimenting, analyzing, and learning. Remember, growing a strong social media presence is a journey of continuous iteration and learning.

Building a solid social media presence is like running a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, patience, and a lot of creativity. But with a relentless focus on your audience, a commitment to consistency, and a willingness to ride the waves of change, your brand will surely thrive in the dynamic world of social media.

[ivettel]

up haunted by the narrative*

*nintendo/game freak actually ending arven’s story Like That. like maybe it’s part of a phenomenon we’ve seen in recent years in the industry, where older and beloved franchises have dev teams that have similarly matured and grown, and we get games like god of war that actively deal with parenthood and mortality beyond just going berserk on bots, but holy shit. to not only acknowledge that death and childhood abandonment exist and are painful and traumatic—in a franchise where death is this handwavey thing and the most explicit it’s come is probably the marowak plot point in gen 1–but to also message that love beyond the grave doesn’t fix anything, that it’s okay to be angry and confused and bitter about having to say goodbye. and in the same stroke, also validate the good in goodbye, where there can be room for change and growth past that???

it feels like a personal love letter to a past self, like somebody lost their parent and didn’t know how to cope, whether to forgive, or to move on as quickly as possible, and they allowed themselves some healing through this character. arven’s plight in general just resonates so deeply with what i think everyone struggles with at some point in their lives—growing up. trying to become your own person while dealing with the pain of losing the things that matter most to you. he is just so devastatingly human. in a sense, arven is defined by loss: that of innocence, of childhood, of parents, which culminates in a heartbreaking expression of resignation that he’ll lose mabosstiff as well. like all he wants to do is save his dog, the one and only constant presence in his life, because he cannot deal with the fear that he will lose it too. but through saving mabosstiff and being arven’s friend, and through the closure he gets from seeing his parents move on to the next world, we’re able to help release him from this cycle. and isn’t that just what we need sometimes? permission to let go?? whether intentional or not, this game feels like permission to move on from the hurt, to just live life to the fullest and be, if not the very best that no one ever was, at least better.

i started crying once turo said “look how much you’ve grown” and didn’t stop. it’s been weeks since beating this game and i continue to be floored by like. the maturity displayed in it, or the trust it has that the audience is mature enough to handle it. the way it doesn’t shy away from ugly feelings and how it validates them without enabling them. the way it appreciates that relationships can be difficult and sometimes unfixable, even with the people you’re supposed to share unconditional love with. the way it explicitly tells the player that they can be themselves and pursue happiness despite it all. hands down favourite pokemon game to date

[queermediastudies]

Call Me by Your Name or Call the Police

“Call Me by Your Name” is a story of first love taking place in Moscazzano in Northern Italy in the summer of 1983. The Perlman’s are a Jewish family who stay in their villa during the summer and through Hannukah. Mr. Perlman is a professor/father invites a graduate student to help him with studies in archeology. This summer of 1983, an American student named Oliver arrives at the villa to study with Mr. Perlman. Elio is the Perlman’s son who is 17 years old and gives up his bedroom for Oliver to reside in during his stay. Since there is not much to do, Elio and Oliver begin to spend a large amount of time together while exploring the city. Elio doesn’t appear to be fond of Oliver at first due to his arrogance. During a day with friends, Oliver starts to lightly massage Elios shoulders which he squirms at the action, but Oliver continues to prod Elio which develops into back-and-forth flirting. A small kiss turned into Oliver and Elios sleeping together. Oliver asks Elio “Call me by your name, and I’ll call you by mine”. Things became extremely awkward after between the two and Oliver’s time with the Perlman’s is over, with his last 3 days being in a town called Bergamo. Elio’s family believed he should be with Oliver during his last few days in Italy. The two rode a bus to Bergamo and spent the last few days alone together site seeing, going out in the town, and drinking. The two have a log hug and say goodbye as Oliver gets on the train, Elio cries on the ride home with his mother. Mr. Perlman comforts Elio and tells him not to suppress his feelings towards Oliver and how they have seen Elios connects with Oliver. Elios parents knew of his connection with Oliver. Months later Hannukah lights filled the Perlman’s house as winter set in outside. Elio answers the ringing home phone, Its Oliver calling. They both say how much they miss each other; Oliver then shares news that he is engaged. Elio’s parents get on the phone line and say greetings for Oliver, quickly leaving to give them privacy while talking. Elio tells Oliver that his parents know of his relationship with Oliver and he responds, “I figured as much”, his family treated him like a son-in-law. They call each-other by their names one last time. Oliver ends the call by telling Elio that he remembers everything. Elio then sits by the fireplace looking into the snow as his eyes begin to fill with water, ending the film. “Call Me by Your Name” teases the audience throughout the movie by creating constant secret sexual tension between Oliver and Elio all while including multiple aspects such as Underage consent, Heteronormative ideas and questionable representation for LBGTQ people.

Oliver and Elio showed sexual tension for each-other all throughout the film. When the two characters finally begin to get comfortable, their lust is kept secret and only shown when they are alone in different scenes. The film is set during the early 1980s in Italy but gives no hints or ideas of what being gay meant for this society. There are no signs of homophobia from characters around Oliver and Elio except a sort of internalized homophobia from Elio. It was obvious that Elio was extremely nervous around Oliver in the beginning, including a scene where Oliver begins to massage Elios back while they are playing volleyball with friends. Oliver sees that Elio is nervous/uncomfortable but continues to massage him, even telling Elio’s possible girlfriend over to show her where and how to massage his back. This scene officially broke the ice for further intimate contact, but they remained in secret for most of the movie. 

It is very important to include Elio’s ‘girlfriend’ Marzia for their heteronormative based lives. Even though Elio claims to like Marzia and has sexual relations with her during the plot, he continues to hide his connection with Oliver, this being a great example of heteronormativity being displayed multiple times. Elio feels as if he must continue on the track of his heterosexual relationship and lifestyle even while he and Oliver are connecting. The two talks about his relationship with Marzia and Oliver supported him. “Heteronormativity is a hierarchical structure embedded in society that legitimizes individuals based on gender and sexual binaries” (Jackson, 2006). Writers of the movie showed Elio and Marzia’s relationship develop in similar ways as his and Oliver’s did. What is the purpose of creating the character with initial impressions of being heterosexual? Marzia was seen throughout the movie somewhat chasing Elio because of the crush she had on him to which he didn’t deny and played into it. Instead of Elio just being a gay character who finds love in a man, a straight female had to be thrown in to prove Elio is breaking free from his heteronormative ideas. Even Outside the film, Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer (Elio and Oliver) have experienced assumptions from individuals and new outlets of their sexual orientation only because they played gay characters in a single film.  

A major issue seen in the movie and pointed out by many was the age difference between Elio and Oliver (17 and 24). Both people casted for the characters also look like they have a large age gap. “Non‐heterosexual identities are constructed as hypersexual, pedophilic, deviant, abnormal, sick, and sexually predatory and much of the international research in the field reports lesbian and gay individuals’ fears in relation to the impact and repercussions of being ‘read’ and positioned within these negative discourses” (Ferfolja, 2007) Over the last few decades during debates for LGBT rights, anti-gay activists have said that gay men are pedophilic and target young boys for sexual advances. Even though 17 years of age may be of legal consent in Italy where the movie was set, it still feels into the hands of anti-gay groups. Oliver being/looking older than Elio created the ideal image of what homophobic people think being gay is, preying on younger boys. After this film was released, a new wave of misinformation and hate filled the movies reviews by using its own content against producers and actors. Many critics including gay men have stated this film normalized and even romanticized the idea of two people in different developmental stages having sexual relations. “Indeed, homophobia is transferred and maintained by negative stereotypes, prejudices and myths that the community has on homosexual orientation” (Madzarevic 2018). Many have felt as if this is horrible representation and only feeds into a homophobic ideology. If the characters looked more like their claimed age, I believe opinions would be different. The book “Call Me by Your Name” was released long before the movie and didn’t have this issue since the age gap was only seen in numerical form. Producers casting Armie Hammer to play as Oliver was where the pedophilic issue arose, since he is a 36-year-old man and looks nothing like how a 24-year-old would.

The Italian landscape seen throughout the movie sets a beautiful and romantic scenery, perfect for a love story. The film doesn’t include the typical issues that would arise during a typical gay love story, it remained untouched of political motivation, homophobia or family fueled rejection. Seen through the eyes of young gay men, this film has given gay men a typical heteronormative heartbreak story of a young teen.

“Call Me by Your Name” is a riveting story of a young man falling in love with someone older during their time in rural Italy during the 1980s. An incredible storyline and cinematography leads viewers through a rollercoaster of emotions and opens many eyes to the idea of a simple heartbreak love story for a young gay man. Although there are issues of maintaining heteronormative ideas and questionable pedophilia, representation for LGBT people has increased and proved our love stories are just as impactful as heterosexuals. Do the benefits of mainstreaming queer media outweigh the negative impact of promoting pedophilia? Will you Call Me by Your Name or call the police?

By Cole Hembree

Madžarević, G., Soto-Sanfiel, M.T. Positive Representation of Gay Characters in Movies for Reducing Homophobia. Sexuality & Culture 22, 909–930 (2018). https://doi-org.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12119-018-9502-x

Ng CK, Haines-Saah RJ, Knight RE, Shoveller JA, Johnson JL. “It’s not my business”: Exploring heteronormativity in young people’s discourses about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues and their implications for youth health and wellbeing. Health. 2019;23(1):39-57. doi:10.1177/1363459317715776

[speed-seo]

Assembling Your SEO Team: A Playbook for Dominating Google's First Page

Let's be real here. Assambling a team that excels in an area where you lack expertise can be quite anxiety-inducing, wouldn't you agree? I have personally observed both agencies and in-house SEO teams go through their fair share of challenges and triumphs, and I'm here to assure you that it doesn't have to be an exasperating ordeal. I've witnessed the ups and downs of agencies and in-house SEO teams alike, and I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be a hair-pulling experience. With more than ten years of experience in the field of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and SEO, I have condensed my expertise into a practical manual for establishing a highly effective in-house SEO team. This isn't about abstract concepts like digital landscapes or trendy jargon. Instead, it provides straightforward and actionable strategies to help you achieve the desired outcomes. When Planning Your SEO Team: Know What You Need, and What You Don't Before you start hiring, it's crucial to thoroughly evaluate your business. What are your SEO goals? Are you looking to significantly increase website traffic, enhance conversion rates, or establish authority in a particular niche market? Having a clear understanding of your objectives is essential as it allows you to pinpoint the exact positions you need to recruit for in order to achieve those goals effectively. Remember, a well-thought-out strategy and a well-equipped team are key to succeeding in the competitive online landscape. Start with the Core of Any SEO Team Let's break down the key roles to ensure everyone knows their part in this grand plan: - The SEO Head: This is your team's captain, responsible for charting the course and ensuring everyone's rowing in the same direction. They need to have a deep understanding of SEO best practices, data analysis, and be able to communicate complex ideas clearly. - The Technical SEO Whiz: This is the website's architect, ensuring it's built for both search engines and humans. They'll handle site speed, mobile-friendliness, and make sure Google can easily read your site. - The SEO Content Maestro: This wordsmith will create compelling, keyword-rich content that attracts visitors and keeps them coming back for more. They need to be creative, have excellent writing skills, and understand how to optimize content for search. - Link Builder: This person is all about building relationships and earning valuable backlinks from other websites. It's like getting good press for your site, which Google loves to see. - Data Analyst: This is your SEO team's detective, digging into data to uncover insights and measure the impact of your SEO team efforts. They'll help you understand what's working and where you can improve. Complementary Information: LinkedIn When everyone knows their role and how it fits into the bigger picture, there's less confusion and more collaboration. Data-Driven Decisions: Letting the Numbers Guide You In the world of SEO, gut feelings don't cut it. We're all about hard data and smart decisions. - Tracking & Analysis: Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console are your best friends. They track how people find and use your site, so you can see what's working and what's not. - Keyword Research: Uncover what your audience is searching for and create content that answers their questions. It's about giving them what they want, not just what you think they want. - Regular Audits & Competitor Analysis: Keep an eye on your own site's health and see what your competitors are up to. SEO is always adapting, so you need to stay on your toes. Adapting & Learning: The Key to Staying Ahead The only constant in SEO is change. That's why your team needs to be adaptable and always learning. - Continuous Learning: Encourage your team to stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates. This isn't a one-and-done deal; it's about constant improvement. - Industry Events: Conferences, webinars, workshops—they're all opportunities for your team to learn and grow. - Flexibility: Google's algorithm changes, and so do your audience's needs. Be ready to adapt your SEO strategy to keep up. User Experience: Putting People First Google wants to give people the best possible experience. So should you. - Quality Content: Create content that's helpful, relevant, and engaging. Give your audience something they'll actually enjoy reading or watching. - Site Speed & Mobile Optimization: People are busy, and they're often on their phones. Make sure your site loads fast and looks great on any device. - Easy Navigation: Help visitors find what they need quickly and easily. A good user experience keeps people on your site longer and makes them more likely to convert. SEO Team Ethical Practices: The Right Way to Win There are shortcuts in SEO, but they're not worth it. - Play by the Rules: Follow Google's guidelines and avoid shady tactics that could get your site penalized. - Organic Link Building: Earn links naturally by creating great content that people want to share. Long-Term Focus: Don't chase quick wins that could hurt you in the long run. Build a sustainable SEO team that will deliver results for years to come. Read the full article