#the show definitely feels different from what i remember though so like maybe it won't be as horrendous lol

[autumnrory]

the time traveler's wife feels like such a great concept but like. you made it so creepy

[janiehellion]

Healing Touch

ONESHOT

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: When Daryl Dixon is injured and stuck in bed, he’s not exactly thrilled about the idea of being pampered by the group. But you? You’re more than ready to take care of him—and show him just what it means to be a good boy. Think Daryl Dixon’s all rough and tough? Think again...

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: DARYL DIXON X READER

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: SMUT / HANDJOB / TEASING / EDGING / ORGASM DENIAL

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 4.033

ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ: S2E05—ᴄʜᴜᴘᴀᴄᴀʙʀᴀ & S2E06—ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛꜱ

MASTERLIST

You wiped the sweat from your forehead, the Georgia sun burning down on you as you walked over to Maggie and Glenn outside of the house on Hershel's farm.

Every so often, you'd look towards the cars where a few others in the group were working, trying to make the most of the now limited supplies you all had left at the moment.

"I got a lot of corn here," Maggie said, holding up a can. "Maybe we can make some soup tonight. What do you think?"

Glenn laughed, "Soup sounds fine, I think. As long as we don’t have to eat beans again. I think I’m starting to sprout beans myself."

"Hey Maggie," you shouted over to her. "How’s everything going so far? You two need any help?"

Maggie gave you a small, but rather distracted, smile. "It’s been a quiet run, so we’re okay. We just came back a few minutes ago with some new supplies."

You nodded. "That's good. Means we won't starve anytime soon. Hey, listen, I heard Daryl’s still inside the house. Do you know how he is feeling? I really hope he is feeling better. Everything that has happened, I just... I don't know. I still can't wrap my head around it."

"Well, dad took care of him, just like he did with Carl, so I wouldn't worry too much about his condition. And if it would've worsened, dad would've told Rick already, that's for sure. But what has happened to him out there, and then the bullet? I don't know him well enough, but I think that he’s too stubborn to admit he even needed help in the first place. And that ear necklace? I'm sorry, but that was beyond creepy."

You remembered… Daryl has been out there, trying to find Sophia again. Of course, it all had to go sideways. You didn't know the details exactly, but you remembered how he had dragged himself back to the farm, looking like he’d been through hell and back. Covered in dirt and blood, and barely conscious.

Then, just when things couldn’t get any worse, Andrea took a shot at him from the roof of the RV. She’d been told to hold off by Rick, Shane, and Dale, but she fired anyway, hitting Daryl in the head, with the bullet grazing his temple.

"I’ll check on him," you now said, putting the supplies aside again. "You're right, he's too stubborn to admit it, but he needs someone to make sure he’s not pushing himself too hard. And if he could, he'd already be out there again."

As you walked towards the farmhouse, you passed by Rick, who was busy organizing and looking through different maps. He looked up at you, giving you a nod. "Hey," he said, his voice sounding rather exhausted. "Are you going to check on Daryl? Or are you going to help Beth and Lori in the kitchen?"

You nodded. "Yeah. I’m going to make sure he’s okay. Daryl's been through hell while trying to find Sophia."

"Good idea. He’s definitely been through a lot, that's true. I mean, we all have. But just… be careful with him. You know how Daryl is."

You laughed, shaking your head. "I know, Rick. That’s why I’m going to make sure he stays put and tied to the bed. Don't worry."

As you walked into the farmhouse, you could hear a voice coming from the kitchen, where Lori was preparing a meal with Beth together for Daryl and the rest of the group.

"Hello," Lori said and looked at you. "Are you going to see Daryl, or do you want to help us? Rick has been annoying me with me apparently needing help, even though Beth is helping me already."

You nodded, giving her a smile back. "Don't worry, Lori. I want to make sure Daryl's alright, you know, after everything that has happened lately."

She gave you a quick and thankful thumbs up before you continued heading to the room in which Daryl was in, but paused for a moment in front of the door, taking a deep breath. The thought of Daryl lying there, probably still hurt and so vulnerable, made your heart ache. He’d always been so strong, but seeing him in such a state was hard to imagine. And just as you were about to open the door, you heard a voice coming from the inside of the room.

You stopped, listening for a moment before pushing open the door to find Hershel standing by Daryl’s bedside.

"Evening, Hershel," you said as you entered the room, trying to keep your tone neutral despite the knot of nervousness in your stomach.

Hershel looked up, smiling at the sight of you. "Hey there, good to see you. I could use an extra pair of hands."

You moved closer to the bed, where Daryl lay, and Hershel continued, "Daryl’s been in and out of consciousness yesterday most of the time, but I’m hopeful he’ll recover fast if he gets the rest he needs. And if you could help changing the rest of the bandages right now, that would be great."

You nodded, taking a closer look at Daryl. "Sure, I’ll do whatever I can to help. I know he can be stubborn, but he needs to take it easy eventually."

"That’s the spirit. I’ve done what I can for now. He’ll need the rest."

You were still looking at Daryl as Hershel took a few steps back, who now moved slightly at the sound of your voice. His eyes opened just a little bit, and he looked at you with confusion.

"Hey, tough guy," you said. "How are you holding up so far?"

"Just peachy, as always," he answered rather annoyed.

You couldn’t help but smile at his answer. He certainly sounded like the Daryl Dixon that you all knew so far. "Well, I’m here now, so you’d better let me take care of you."

Hershel gave you another nod before finally walking out of the room. "Good, I’ll leave you to it. If you need anything, like more bandages, don’t hesitate to ask. We still got enough medical supplies left if needed."

"Thanks, Hershel," you replied, watching as he left the room.

You took a deep breath, preparing yourself for the task ahead.

"What’re ya even doin’ here?" Daryl suddenly mumbled. "'M fine. Don’t need no babysittin’ bullshit. Ain't needin' ya 'round here either."

You gave him a smile, trying to hide how annoyed you already were with his usual behavior. "You’re obviously not fine, Daryl. You’ve been through a lot, and you know it. I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, like trying to get up and do something you shouldn’t."

He grumbled in frustration, trying to turn away from you. "Yeah… whatever."

You raised an eyebrow, shaking your head. "Yeah... Too bad, huh? Because right now, that means letting me help you."

"Ain’t nothin’ you can do that Hershel didn’t already do," he mumbled again.

You set down the small medical kit Hershel had brought with him and pulled a chair closer to the bed. "Hershel did his part, sure, but it’s not just about the wounds. You need to rest and relax, and that’s where I come in. Also, taking off the old bandages and putting on new ones isn't that hard, but I doubt that you can do it yourself. And Hershel just left the room, so it's up to me now to change the rest of them. I don't care if you complain about it or not."

You then began to carefully take off the bandages from his side, where the crossbow bolt had pierced itself through. Daryl winced a little, but he didn’t complain so far, his pride keeping him quiet even though you could see how uncomfortable it was for him.

"You know, for someone who’s always acting so tough, you’re a real damn mess right now," you said, trying to break the ice with a bit of humor. "How’d you end up like that anyway? What even happened out there?"

Daryl smirked a bit to himself. "Ya think I’m gonna tell ya a story now? Hell, jus' get it over with."

You shook your head and laughed quietly, focusing on cleaning the wound first. "Hey, I'm not the one that looks like the wrong side of the bed became sentient and beat the ever-loving shit out of you. So you’re going to have to deal with me being the one to help you. It’s either that or I get someone else who’s less careful."

"Less careful?" Daryl asked, and he winced again as you applied antiseptic to the wound. "Sounds to me like yer enjoyin’ this."

You stopped for a moment and looked at him with a teasing smile. "You know what? Maybe I really am enjoying this. Or maybe I just want to make sure you’re not going to cause us any more trouble, even though we all appreciate what you did. Especially Carol."

"Ya think I need ya to look after me? I can handle myself jus' fine," he grumbled and closed his eyes, not wanting to look at you anymore.

You soon finished cleaning the wound and then continued with the fresh bandages. "Oh, I’m sure you can, Dixon. But that’s not even the point. The point is, you’re not in any shape to be running around and playing redneck cowboy."

Daryl moved slightly again, trying to get more comfortable. "Ain't in need to be told twice. Thank ya very much."

You stopped wrapping the bandage around him, waiting for him to get into a more comfortable position. "Stop it with the damn sarcasm, Daryl. For someone who’s always trying to play it cool, you’re really not doing a great job of hiding how much this is bothering you. You do realize that looking weak and needing help are two different things, right? You're far from being weak, and you've done much more for this group than you can probably imagine, even if you're doubting yourself and telling yourself that it's all bullshit in the end." You told him and then continued, putting on the final bandage. "But it's not. And right now, you need to let yourself be looked after, and you need to give us the chance to care about you. Even if it's only for once."

There was a moment of silence, and for a second he looked at you only to look away again, clearly struggling with giving you an honest answer about what he thinks.

You took a deep breath. "Alright, I’m done with the bandages. How about a quick check of your other injuries?"

Daryl nodded quickly, but you could see he was starting to relax a bit. "Yeah, fine. Jus'… make it quick, will ya? Ain't got no time for this bullshit."

You smiled and began checking his other wounds. "So, what’s your actual excuse for not telling us what has happened?"

"Ain't worth tellin’. Jus' 'nother day of me bein’ stupid," he grumbled back as an answer.

Soon enough, you finished checking his other wounds and stood up, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Well, now that I’ve made sure you’re all patched up, try to get some rest. We’re all counting on you to be back on your feet soon; don't forget that."

He snorted. "Yeah, sure. I’ll try to stay outta trouble while bein' tied to this damn bed."

You smiled and began to pack up the antiseptic and unused bandages, putting them back into the small medical kit. "That’s all I ask for. Get some sleep, Daryl. You know you need it. Something to eat will be ready soon."

As you put away the last of the bandages, you noticed how tense Daryl seemed to be. So you decided to take an extra moment to help him relax, thinking how a little extra care couldn’t hurt.

Your fingers soon massaged his side as you sat down once more, careful not to touch the wound. It was meant to ease the tense muscles around it a bit, but as your hands moved over his skin, you felt that he seemed to react differently when he gasped slightly.

"Ya really don’t have to," he started, but he stopped talking as you continued, your touch slow and feeling soothing.

You looked up, now looking into his eyes. "Why not? You’re all tense. And it’s not just about the injuries; your whole body’s been through a lot. A little extra care might help. There's nothing wrong with it."

He grunted, trying to remain tough, but his breathing grew heavier, betraying his growing discomfort, and you noticed how his body responded to your touch—a reaction he was clearly trying to hide.

His cock began to harden under the sheets. The outline of it was becoming more pronounced, and you could see the rise of the sheets with each breath he took.

You tried to ignore the current awkwardness of the situation, but it was impossible not to notice, and even more impossible not to look at it. Your fingers stopped, and you hesitated momentarily before continuing to massage his side, with Daryl’s eyes squeezed shut and another groan escaping his lips.

"Ugh... Daryl?" You asked quietly, your voice full of curiosity as you realized what was happening. "Are you… okay?"

He opened his eyes and turned his head away from you. "Yeah, jus', jus' let it be. Shit, jus' stop!"

But you couldn’t ignore the evident hardening beneath the sheets anymore. As you moved slightly in your seat to get a little bit closer to him, your hand accidentally brushed against his cock, and Daryl’s reaction was immediate—he sucked in a breath, his body tensing even more.

"Ain’t needin’ ya to… to be all handsy now, goddamn it!" Daryl's voice was trembling, his body shaking a bit, and his muscles straining, even as you didn't continue to massage him. But the sudden power you had over him was intoxicating, and you decided to take your chance and act on it.

You reached down and carefully pulled back the sheets covering his lower body. Daryl’s breathing hitched as you exposed him, and his cock was already hard, pushing against his pants. You could see it clearly now, the visible outline of it.

You smirked at him as you pulled the waistband of his pants down, just enough to pull his cock out and free it from his underwear.

As you pulled it out, Daryl's eyes widened as he watched you handle him. There was no need for words; the look on his face said it all. He felt vulnerable.

You gave him a smile, your hand now wrapped around his throbbing cock. "You look like you're about to lose it, Dixon."

He glared back at you, but there was no real anger in his eyes. "Ain’t fair, ya know…"

You leaned in close to him, your lips touching his ear. "Well, who said life was fair?" Your hand started to move, giving his cock a slow, torturous stroke that had him groaning. "But maybe… if you ask nicely…"

"God… Please," he groaned again, but it was clear he wasn’t used to begging, yet the desperation in his voice was there beyond doubt.

"Good boy," you murmured, and you could see how his eyes slowly closed as he gave in to your touch and words.

You soon picked up the pace, your hand moving faster, his hips bucking into your hand. "Shit, jus' like that," he moaned, his eyes squeezing shut even more tightly.

Fuck… How he wanted it. Your hand working his cock, making him forget about everything that has happened…

You could tell he was close already. His cock twitched in your hand, and the quiet sounds he was making were turning more desperate. "Please," he gasped again. "I… I can’t..."

"Oh? Already, huh?" You teased him, your thumb brushing over the tip of his cock, smearing the pre-cum over it that had gathered there.

You smirked, enjoying the power you had over him. "Do you like this?" You teased him further.

"Yeah, jus' like that…" He panted, his body trembling. "Please... I need ya to touch me more. Can't fuckin' take it..."

"Touch you where, Daryl? Use your words. Be a good boy and tell me exactly what you want."

"My damn dick... please, jus' touch it." You immediately switched your pace back to pump him slowly again, and each stroke of your hand made him shiver, his moans growing a little louder with every touch.

His hips bucked involuntarily, but you kept your rhythm controlled, never speeding up, not letting him get the orgasm he wanted so desperately.

"I thought you were a tough guy. But look at you—so damn needy already. Come on, Daryl," you mumbled. "You’re not done yet. Not until I say so."

He whimpered, trying to thrust into your hand, but you stopped him, keeping him on edge.

"Fuck, please…" He groaned in frustration. "Don’t stop… jus' fuckin' finish me off already!"

You laughed, your grip tightening just enough to torture him a little more. "And why would I do that? You need to learn so much more about patience."

With each stroke, you used different pressure and speed, sometimes going slower just when he thought he was about to finally cum. The feeling was almost unbearable for Daryl, and you could see it in the way his muscles tensed and relaxed again and again, his breathing only coming out in gasps.

"How does it feel, Daryl? Being held on the edge like this?" You asked, looking over at the door to listen if somebody was coming closer.

"Shit, feels so damn good…" He gasped, his voice strained. "I jus' need… I need to… Fuck!"

You smiled, leaning closer to him once more when you were sure that you'd be left alone. "Not yet, tough guy. I want to see just how much you can take."

You continued your teasing, your strokes slow and torturous. "You can take it. I know you can. You want it, don’t you? You want to make me finish you so badly, but you’re going to have to earn it," you whispered.

Daryl could only nod. "Please… Hell, I can't take much more!" 

He couldn't take it anymore. The teasing—it was all too much. He wanted to cum. And he needed you to make him cum. Hell, he loved it. Your hand pumping his cock, teasing him, making him groan with need. The way you toyed with him, bringing him so close only to pull back? Shit, he was losing it… And the way your fingers wrapped around his cock, jerking it just right… It was driving him insane.

You simply grinned, feeling excited because of the power you held over him. "But that's good. Because I want you to remember this. Remember how much you wanted it and how much I made you wait."

His eyes were still squeezed shut, his fists clenched at his sides as he fought against the urge to give in.

With that, you continued to edge him, every touch, every stroke keeping him on the brink, pushing him to the limit of his own control.

And the feeling of sliding your hand back and forth along his thick shaft, the way he groaned and moaned quietly, trying to keep himself quiet just for you—it was everything you wanted...

"Fuck, please," he moaned again, his voice now breaking slightly.

His cock was pulsing in your hand and still leaking pre-cum, and you knew this was the moment he might not be able to hold back any longer. And just when he was about to finally stumble over the edge, you stopped pumping him completely, pulling your hand away from his throbbing cock.

Daryl’s eyes flew open in shock, anger, and need. "What the fuck?" He growled, his voice hoarse. "Why’d ya stop?"

You leaned in, whispering into his ear. "Because I wanted to see you beg for it, Daryl. And you’re not quite there yet."

He glared at you in need, his cheeks red, and sweat started to form on his body. "Ya can’t jus' leave me like this! Please!"

"Oh, but I can," you answered with a smirk. "And I will. Unless you really beg for it."

Daryl closed his mouth, and you could see the muscles in his jaw twitching around as he gritted his teeth, his pride and ego fighting with his desperate need. Finally, he let out a frustrated groan, his head falling back against the pillow.

"Please, please, let me cum," he whispered and finally started to beg and whimper a little more. "Please! I can't take it anymore. Please…"

God... How much he needed you. Desperately. Your hands, your touch, everything about the way you teased and pumped him, the way you handled him… It was like you knew exactly what he wanted and what he needed, and you were giving it to him for free, if only he would beg for it...

You smiled, satisfied with his response. "That’s better. Now, let’s see how much more you can take."

You went back to your teasing, your hand moving slowly over his cock, feeling him twitch and pulse again with every touch. His moans grew a little louder, even more desperate, as you brought him to the edge again and again, only to stop just before he could finally cum.

By the time you finally decided to give him what he needed, Daryl was nothing more than a trembling and pleading mess, his hips bucking toward you again and again, his eyes now looking desperatly at you.

"Fuck, you’re such a good boy, Daryl," you whispered quietly. "Look at you, trying to keep quiet for me, trying to hold back so hard. Taking it like you should… Don't stop looking at me."

You sped up, your movements rough and fast, giving him no time to adjust to the now quick pace. His body was shaking, and you could feel he was more than ready to snap.

"Yeah, you want to cum so bad, don’t you?" You teased. "Go on, Daryl. Cum for me. Show me how much you need it. How much you want it."

With a choked groan, Daryl's body tensed. His orgasm hit him hard, his cock pulsing in your grip as he came all over your hand. You kept pumping him through it, milking every last drop out of him.

"Oh, you really are a good boy, aren't you?" You mumbled. "Let it all out. You did so well for me."

He collapsed back against the bed, completely spent and exhausted, his chest heaving up and down as he tried to catch his breath.

You reached for a towel next to the small medical kit, wiping your hand and cleaning up carefully, making sure not to leave any evidence of what had just happened behind, before you looked down at Daryl, a wide smile on your face.

"Fuck," he panted. "That was… fuck..."

"Told you I’d take care of you," you answered him, giving him a wink.

He opened his eyes, looking at you quite exhausted. "Yeah, ya did…"

He didn’t protest as you cleaned him up; he just watched and stared at you with those intense blue eyes, still catching his breath with his mouth slightly open.

"There," you said, as you were finishing everything up. "All cleaned up again."

Daryl didn’t say anything for now, just giving you a small and a little ashamed nod as you leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his sweaty face.

"Get some rest now, tough guy," you whispered, pulling back and standing up. "You’re gonna need it. Remember: Be a good boy for me."

"Yeah… I... I..." He grunted in response, unable to even finish his thoughts after hearing your words, which were still making his head spin.

You simply smirked, heading towards the door. "Anytime, Daryl. Anytime."

As you walked out of the room, you couldn’t help but feel satisfied as well. Daryl Dixon might be tough as hell, but in that moment, he was completely and totally yours.

TAG-LIST: @itwasntaphasema

[wolfiesmoon]

New lipstick

geto x fem!reader, gojo x fem!reader (seperately)

@yuu-kumeii here's your free exposure ig🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 (do u even remember this)

watch me write two lipstick mark related fics almost in a row rrrrrah!!!

(Let's pretend gojo doesn't use infinity when alone with you in non dangerous situations, you'll see why)

ੈ♡₊˚ Gojo Satoru

"You're being really suspicious right now." Gojo narrowed his sparkling eyes at you.

"What could you possibly be talking about..." you smiled innocently. He was definitely onto you, though. You decided to buy a new shade of lipstick a few days ago, and you kinda want to see how it looks against Gojo's skin.

"I've never seen you wear that lipstick." He noted.

"Wait, you can actually tell the difference?! Are you, like, a woman in disguise or something?!" You asked half jokingly, half seriously. It was actually impressive he could immediately tell.

"I'm not a woman, but... I know everything. Duh." He rolled his eyes playfully. What a cheeky little brat.

"Okay then, Gojo Satoru the all-knowing. How about you tell me if this lipstick suits your undertone." you pulled him down before he could say anything in response, kissing him right on the lips.

"Woah there. Well, I'll need a mirror for that, won't I darli-" he decided to be sassy. Wrong choice.

You kissed him on the lips again to shut him up.

"You can check after I'm done with you." you peppered kisses on both his cheeks and he gasped with a sudden realisation.

"I knew it! You were totally planning this!" Gojo called you out, but did you really care? Exactly, you had a mission to accomplish. And that was making sure every inch of Gojo's face was covered in kisses.

"You're not letting me go, are you? Not that I mind." Gojo smirked confidently at you. God, you're going to wipe that smirk off his face so hard.

ੈ♡₊˚ Geto Suguru

"Suguruuuuu..." you whined at your boyfriend, who was just sitting next to you and dutifully reading. Ignoring you.

It feels like he's been ignoring you for that book all day. What could possibly be in that book that's more interesting than his girlfriend?

He hummed at you to show you he actually isn't ignoring you, but he didn't even look your way. Fine then. You have a perfect way of catching his attention, anyways.

You went to the bathroom to apply some bright lipstick. He can't ignore you when his face is full of lipstick marks, can he?

You went back to the living room, where Geto was still casually reading and silently pressed a big, long kiss to his left cheek. You didn't see it, but he smiled knowingly at this.

"Oh, come here, you." He immediately closed the book and grabbed your face to kiss you back. He had a playful smirk on his face at this point.

Yes, that's right, he should be kissing you. But you're nowhere near done with him.

You lean up to kiss his forehead, and then both of his temples. Hehe, he's starting to look much better now.

"Woah. You're really staking your claim on me, aren't you?" Geto seemed more amused than anything.

"Maybe... I wouldn't... be doing this... if you actually paid attention to me and not that book." You kissed him in between words, making sure that lipstick is absolutely everywhere.

"You know, at first I didn't even notice you were trying to catch my attention. But then I just wanted to see how long you would last before doing something like th-hmmm!" you shut him up with a kiss REAL quick.

"Jerk." you pulled away from the kiss, crossing your arms.

"But I'm your jerk, though." he didn't seem mad at all. Quite the opposite.

Oh, you'll show him the real jerk.

[formosusiniquis]

y'know like barbie

ao3

It's Erica who gives him the idea, incidentally. Though she carries herself with a maturity that far surpasses the boys most days and though she's been through multiple life altering events, she does continue to only be eleven. Which is, it turns out, prime babysitting age.

The Sinclairs are going out of town overnight, it's their anniversary -- 18 blissful years, since our marriage can vote we thought we deserved a night away -- and they don't want Erica to spend the night home alone.

Enter Steve, who the Sinclairs trust with their children and who is inexplicably the only person Erica would accept staying the night with her. Steve honestly didn't believe it even as Mrs. Sinclair was saying it. But he smiles and nods, looks over the emergency numbers on the fridge when they're pointed to, nods at the money on the counter for food that he probably won't take, and waves as they walk out the door promising that he and Erica will be fine for the night and not to worry.

It's only when their car is out of the driveway and the door is shut that Steve realizes he isn't really a babysitter. He is a keep children alive while in a dangerous situation and when the situation is over drive them around because you feel bad that their childhoods have been marred by trauma-er which doesn't have quite the same ring as babysitter, and it's a lot harder to say with that rude tone the boys have been favoring. He also realizes that he's never actually dealt with children, or not girl children. The boys had all been older than Erica, when he had started keeping them alive. Max was definitely basically a teenager when he started really dealing with her; and she was usually okay to do what the boys wanted to do, like go to the arcade. Hopper didn't really trust him with El and that was fine, he wasn't sure he trusted himself with El either.

It put him in an awkward spot now though. Staring at Erica in her kitchen, a little afraid to ask the question on the front of his mind which was "What now?"

So he asks the second question on his mind, "What do you want to do that isn't eat ice cream all night?"

Say what you will about Steve Harrington, and a lot has been said, but he always keeps his promises and he always brings a pint of ice-cream for Erica to have when he comes over to the Sinclair house. Tonight he brought three, all different weird flavors he thought she'd like to try.

"Why can't I eat ice cream all night?" She says it with a challenge in her eyes, but he'd bet dollars to donuts that she's just doing it to make him sweat. "Because I've seen you eat ice cream, we've only got enough for two hours at most." His hand migrates as if of its own mind to his hip. "You need more than two people for Dungeons and Dragons, right?"

Her brows raise, for the first time since he's met her Erica Sinclair is stunned silent. Maybe she's just surprised he got the name right.

It lasts about as long as it takes him to notice it. "You'd play Dungeons and Dragons with me?" There's something fragile in the way she asks, and there is the eleven year old girl she's meant to be. 

"Sure, you'd have to show me how, but if that's what you want to do I'm game."

Eyes narrowed in a distinctly intimidating way he kind of thinks she stole from Nancy, he does his best to make his sincerity clear on his face. "We need more than two people, but I've got something else we can do if you think your fragile manhood can take it."

He's got a retort at the tip of his tongue about just what his manhood can take and remembers just in time that yeah probably shouldn't make a joke like that in front of an actual child. "My pride isn't that delicate, I think I can handle anything you dish out."

"Famous last words."

He follows her to her bedroom, waiting outside the doorway to let her space stay private until he's told to come in. A clear plastic tub slides out from under her bed, out of sight but easily accessible and when the lid pops off he gets why. Rows of Barbies stacked neatly on top of each other, a mass grave for childhood. Steve has a stuffed bear, fur rubbed off of one ear, tucked up on the shelf of his closet that also got put away sooner than he would have chosen to, when it was too babyish.

“Alright, so who is the, like, elven warrior.”

“That’s not how you play Barbies.”

It’s snapped so fast that he thinks it embarasses her. He tactfully avoids eye contact, pulling out a doll with blonde hair snipped into a professional, if uneven, bob and a green skirt set. She's missing a shoe. “Then how do I play Barbies?”

“That one just won the Nobel Peace Prize, she solved world hunger, but she has plans to kill the Barbie who won the prize in Physics because she stole Barbie One’s research and gave it to NASA claiming it was her own.”

“Right, of course.” This was the kind of shit that happened on Dallas, only Barbie had a lot more awards. “And they’re all called Barbie?”

“Except for Ken, but Ken doesn’t do anything.”

“Well if Barbie just won the Peace Prize wouldn’t she use Ken to kill Barbie so she doesn’t get caught.”

Erica manages a look that is both condescending and considerate. “Barbie can do anything, including get away with murder; but she wouldn’t want to dirty her hands with that sort of thing.”

“And if Ken goes to jail it’s no loss.”

“Right.”

-

So maybe it's more accurate to say that Dustin actually starts it.

Dustin with the shittiest attitude this side of the Ohio, something Robin blames him for.

“Like father, like son.”

“Dustin doesn’t even know his dad.”

“I mean you and Eddie, dingus.”

“I am not that kid's dad. A brotherly figure at best, strong male role model more likely.”

“He’s a bitch because you are, Steve. Maybe if your and Eddie’s love language wasn’t being as bitchy as possible it wouldn’t have rubbed off on your kid.”

“Please don’t put Dustin and rubbing off in the same paragraph let alone the same thought wave.”

Dustin comes sprinting into Family Video on a Tuesday afternoon. “Steve! I need your car.”

“Did you learn how to drive when I wasn’t paying attention?”

“Obviously, I meant I need you too.” His hands are on his hips, eyes rolled. Shit maybe he did get it from Steve. “There’s this theoretical physicist coming to Notre Dame to give a talk on the Multiverse Theory.”

Steve was allowing himself a second to consider whether this was worth it, for once, instead of just blindly agreeing to drive Dustin wherever. The drive sucked ass, but it would put him close enough to Chicago that he could try to find a music store that would carry albums from the international metal bands Eddie couldn’t stop talking about.

It was a second too long for Dustin. “Steve, a theoretical physicist-”

See Steve had this suspicion that the kids did actually think he was an idiot. He was pretty sure that none of them, hell maybe none of Hellfire, save for Lucas realized that every athlete in the school had to keep up at least a 2.5 GPA. Which might not have been anything to write home about but Steve kept a 3.2 for most of high school, until the multiple concussions started to catch up with him. He wasn’t stupid, was the point and even if they didn’t think he was an idiot in a mean way he was a little sick of the shit.

“I know, like Barbie.”

That shuts Dustin up real quick.

“N- no, not like Barbie! Barbie is some girl's toy.”

“Excuse me?” Robin, who told Steve that she would not help him parent his children on work days or any other day ending in y had remembered that Martes doesn’t have one and her shift was almost over. “What does that mean, exactly, a girl’s toy?”

“And,” Steve adds, because he can and because Eddie made him drive him to fucking Bloomington because he was fixated on time travel and needed access to some science journal that only existed at Indiana U apparently, “Barbie is on a research team looking for the Higgs particle so she can start figuring out time travel.”

The bell chiming as Dustin leaves has never sounded sweeter.

He’ll definitely end up taking the twerp to stupid Notre Dame.

-

The thing is that Steve thinks he’s never really stopped being a bitch.

He doesn’t want to stop. He likes being bitchy. It’s fun, when you’re doing it with people you like it’s pretty funny, and honestly he’s kinda like Spiderman. With great power comes great responsibility, he’s only bitchy responsibly now.

And it’s actually perfectly responsible as an older brother type babysitter figure to correct the behavior of the younger siblings by being bitchy. If they don’t learn at home they’ll go out in the world thinking that kind of behavior is acceptable, see Steve Harrington in his early high school days who talked to people like his father did.

So when Mike interrupts El with, “I’m not going to ask Steve, he probably doesn’t even know what a Pulitzer is either.”

He says, “Oh, yeah like Barbie won. Or Nancy will someday, probably. It’s a journalism award, Wheeler.”

And when Lucas corrects, “I don’t actually think you can win an award for comics. It’s still really great though, Will!”

“Barbie won the Kirby Award in 1985 for best artist, I’m sure Will is soon to follow.”

Or when Nancy tells Holly, “Are you sure you wouldn’t want to be something important instead?”

“You could be an actress and do something cool like go to space if you want, Hols, like Barbie.” And maybe he says it with a little more bitch than he should that time, but he’s seen the ballerinas in Nancy’s room, she didn’t always want to be an investigative journalist.

It gets to be second nature. When someone starts being shitty about something or to lighten the mood.

Erica doubts whether she should run for student council. It's her first step to being actual president, like Barbie.

Dustin makes a crack about Steve's possible future prospects when he butts in on a conversation between Steve and Robin. "I could do all three, I could be a counselor and a hair stylist and an engineer. Maybe I'll add EMT too, Barbie wouldn't stop at three, why should I?"

Or when Mike sneers at him, "What are you a cop?" All because Steve told him not to buy weed now that Eddie had stopped dealing.

"Ew, no, because you look like a fresh-faced little narc trying to be cool and you're gonna get ripped off."

"What so not like Barbie?"

"The Barbie world has achieved equality at a level that it doesn't need the cops." Eddie sometimes has to get high after a run in with Powell or Calahan who he still doesn't really trust after the spring. Steve has been treated to many a lecture on why the police were a waste of resources.

He lets Mike sit with that for a minute before he adds, "Like Barbie, I am very cool and know what it looks like when I'm being taken for a ride. If you're gonna get pot from someone other than Eddie, ask Hop where he used to get all of his shit."

It doesn't feel stupid, until El comes running into the cabin one afternoon that Steve has decided to join the rebuilding effort. It’s actually just him and Hop, who has started trying to quietly parent him, something he’s not entirely convinced isn’t revenge for telling Wheeler that Hop has smoked pot before. Steve is pretty sure El was crying when she came in, something he bumps up to a certainty when he sees how awkward Hop looks right now.

“You mind taking that kid? It’s been a long time since high school.” he rubs the back of his neck, Steve does appreciate that he has the decency to feel weird about asking. “If it’s anything outside of big brother shit I can take over.”

He does let himself get suckered by that big brother line.

El is facedown on her bed in a clear ‘leave me alone I’m crying’ pose but he figures he’s already here it’s not like he can turn around and tell Hop that he was too afraid to approach a crying teenage girl. Like that wasn’t the whole reason he’d been sent in the first place. “Hey Ellie, can I come in?”

She sits up, tear tracks plain on her face but no more are falling, and nods in that endearing, aggressively certain way she’s got. “Is everything okay?” He pauses and asks, “Was it Mike?” because he knows that’ll be the first thing Hopper asks when Steve comes back out.

“You are worse than Dad.”

“That stings, Ellie Bell.”

She takes a deep breath, steeling an already impressive will, “Lucas says it is okay to just want to be happy right now, but all they talk about is what they are going to do. Dustin is talking about going to admission early, Will talks about talking to Dad and Joyce about art school, Lucas worries about his sports and scholarships, and Mike talks about classes that count twice. I do not know what I want to be. I do not know why I have to be anything.”

“You guys have been through a lot. I don’t think anyone would blame you for taking time to just be a kid.”

“What if I never want to be something? What if I do not ever want to go to college?”

He’s made his way over to the bed with her, sits tentatively on the edge like he’s seen Joyce do before. “Then you don’t. You’ll probably have to get a job at some point, but that doesn’t have to be what you are. Lucas isn’t a landscaper just because he mows lawns in the summer.”

“You don’t think Dad would be upset?” she asks.

“I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would really make Hop mad. And you might change your mind. I've been out of school for almost two years and I’m only thinking about college now. Or you could go to college and change your mind about what you want to be. You could be a hundred things, you could be anything! Like Barbie.”

He feels like an idiot almost immediately. A jerk quickly after that. He’s made El’s genuine crisis part of his stupid running joke. But something settles in the room. The underlying tension, the thing that had the hair on the back of his neck raised. He realizes, now, that her powers had probably also been on edge.

"Like Barbie." She says it with a graven seriousness, like Steve's dumb little joke is a mantra now.

"Yeah, and you're a sophomore you don't have to have your whole life figured out right now. And don't take life advice from Henderson anyway, he thought it was a good idea to raise an Upside Down slug as a pet."

He mostly just used it to be a bitch though. Because it was fun. No, it was what he was good at. So good at it he didn't even have to try.

Because Steve had a plan to be bitchy. Specifically to Mike Wheeler who kept flirting with Steve’s boyfriend while taking advantage of his hospitality. Sure it was at their stupid Dungeons and Dragons game, and yeah Steve was the one who said they could host the game at his house now that Eddie had graduated. Yes, he knew Eddie didn't mean anything by it when he responded and usually didn't flirt back with the kids. But it was still the kind of behavior that had to be gently corrected, for Mike's sake because if he didn't stop things were going to get drastic.

His initial plan is already in action. He encouraged El to come along to watch the Party play. It was, admittedly, a half hearted plan. Wheeler got so awkward anytime El was around he mostly just hoped that would keep him from trying anything.

It isn't. Eddie starts to describe a new character, "Blonde and statuesque, she has a long bow in hand and delicate elven features."

And even though El is sitting a few feet from him Mike perks up the way he always does when there's a new NPC to flirt with. He is going to have to have a talk with Eddie about letting the kid try out a bard.

He does at least have one other tool in his belt. "Oh, like Barbie."

Steve knew what he'd get as he said it. A groan from Dustin, who falls for this as being sincere about as often as he falls for the dumb-dumbs and dipshits line -- which is everytime for the record. Will and Lucas keep their laughs small, enough that they're covered by Erica's snort. The original Hellfire crew mostly looks confused, it's becoming less and less their default as they warm up to the Steve he is rather than the Steve they thought they remembered; but he likes to keep them on their toes.

Eddie is charmed. He can tell. Sees him duck his head behind his screen and his binders, trying to preserve the stern and scary dungeon master image. That apparently isn't possible if you're smiling like an idiot at your stupid boyfriend, so he's been told.

And Mike has maybe been on the wrong end of the joke a few more times than everyone else. He turns an interesting shade of red, two parts anger and one part embarrassed is Steve's guess. The foot stomp is unexpected, but he expects its been passed down the Wheeler line as a shared signal of outrage. "Not like Barbie, this isn't some stupid kids game. She's probably a hot, wisened archer ready to reward us for helping her village, not some stupid doll that you're obsessed with."

Eddie's blank face with the twitchy eyes has fallen into place when he sits back up from behind his screen. His things aren't going according to plan, panicked face. "I think that's a good place to end things this week. Wheeler, Henderson, Jeff, and Lady Applejack you've all cleared enough experience to level right? Do that before next week."

Steve knows enough to keep his mouth shut while everyone packs up to leave. Sends a small smile to Erica on her way out to the family minivan, he knows she struggles a little being the youngest at the table even if she won't say it. He has to imagine that the outburst had stung a bit.

"You gotta be nicer to little Wheeler." Eddie chides once everyone is gone, halfhearted at best when he's telling Steve off into the soft skin of his neck. When he feels the admonishment more than hears it.

"I'm not mean to Mike." He says on instinct, he does try not to be. "And he started it."

"Definitely think you started the Barbie thing, Sweetheart."

And well, yeah. "I Barbie all the kids equally."

Eddie hmms Steve can feel the vibration of it through his back and on his neck. Eddie is about to start something he better plan on finishing. "He asked Hop where he should get weed."

Oh. "I didn't think he'd actually do it!" And then, "Is that why he keeps flirting with you, revenge?"

"No, he's got a bunch of misplaced jealousy because Will and the girls think you're hot." He toys with the edge of Steve's shirt as he says it. Perpetually cold fingers brushing the clothes warmed skin beneath making him shiver.

"The girls don't think I'm hot."

He hums again, nips at the blush red skin at Steve's neck. "El used to, Max definitely has a taste for jock.

"That's not my fault, you let Mike play a bard." He wishes he didn't sound so desperate.

"Wanted to leave the Paladin spot open for you, baby."

"I'm starting to feel convinced, we could go upstairs and you could show me your character sheet."

The things he'll say to get laid.

"Don't think I can do that Stevie, smooth as a Ken doll down there. Could show you the actual character sheet though." 

His back is cold as Eddie pulls away, smirking unrepentant as he lets Steve have the tiniest taste of his own medicine.

"Barbie has a very active sex life, actually." He's never been one not to double down. "Let me show you the fun we can have without getting your dick out."

-

He does leave it alone for a little while, even though he really, really doesn't want to. But despite what his friends, his fifth grade report card, and his mom might think; Steve is capable of keeping a hold of his worst impulses when he wants to.

So he lets opportunity pass him by.

He makes no comment about Barbie when Eddie talks about how John Carpenter is a film auteur. Not even when Dustin tries to define auteur for him. Incorrectly, but Robin comes to Steve's defense.

Barbie goes unmentioned, barely when an argument breaks out about Nobel prize winners, of all things. He thinks the kids argue more now than they ever have like it's the only way they have to get their bloodlust out now that the Upside Down was closed. He was quickly boxed out of the conversation, even if Erica kept sending him little glances over everyone's heads. (She'd let him have Peace Prize Barbie a couple weeks ago and maybe he was a little obsessed.)

Holly wants to be a vet now, a singing vet who is also on TV, but mostly a vet. She tells him all about it while he waits for Mike to find his shoes? Definitely not his quarters for the arcade, the day any of them bring those is the day Steve brings the nail bat back out. He’s one impulse purchase away from getting one of those little coin dispenser belts that the employees have -- Gareth just quit, maybe he still had his? Mike's frown is a little less general annoyance at Steve and a little more confusion when he's finally ready to leave and Barbie has gone unmentioned.

He almost breaks again when Eddie starts talking about sports. Or he starts talking about NASCAR which is close enough for Eddie, he has a surprising taste for racing for someone who never wanted to put his van on the starting line at parties. A woman led a Busch Series race for the first time, what a year '86. He's got no opinion on Barbie's ability to drive at all.

He could let a joke go. He could be nice. It wasn't so out of character that it needed this kind of attention.

-

Mike has forgiven him by the time the next session rolls around. Delayed two weeks after Eddie screamed so loud on stage that he couldn't speak for two days, and then again for Jeff's emergency appendectomy. Eddie has stopped leaving pointed gaps in conversation for Steve to fill with mention of Barbie, he has had his thinking face on instead which is good for Steve about as often as it isn't.

He leaves it alone. A little bit of non-life threatening surprise is good for the soul, or something. Listen, he’s made it this far by only asking questions when shit is about to get really, really bad and Eddie’s thinking face has only resulted in something bad once or twice -- and they probably should have spent more than a couple minutes negotiating that particular kink anyway.

When the kids start showing up and nothing has come from the thinking face, he assumes it was just for them anyway. He settles in to see whatever shit Eddie is going to do.

"From the ditch you pull a human man, a paladin. His plate is dirtied by his time on the ground but clearly gleams in its typical state. He's handsome, a square jaw and fluffy brown hair-"

"Ugh is this Steve? You already made us do a quest for him," Mike complains, maybe he hasn’t completely forgiven Steve for that last interruption.

Steve has, by his own count been the inspiration for at least three NPCs for this campaign: a white light faction rogue, Sol, that the party had to rescue from the dungeons of the nightmare King after he was caught sneaking into the bedrooms of the prince -- like it was Steve's fault that Wayne had super hearing; a young fighter from the gladiatorial combat ring who helped the party rescue a group of kidnapped children that were going to be used as bait in the next round of fights; and the most obvious Prince Stefan who sent the party on a quest to kill his betrothed a Duke called Thomas the Boarish and rescue his knight Rowen and beloved Bard Edwin -- it's not like he could unkiss Tommy, and he could be a dick but boarish was dramatic. 

He was not this paladin, assuming Eddie was telling the truth about saving the Paladin he'd made for Steve.

"Cut the out of character chatter, Michael, before it starts counting in game. The Paladin before you is handsome in a bland, approachable, non-threatening way," Mike opens his mouth again, how is that not like Steve surely perched at the edge of his tongue and stopped in its tracks by elbows from Erica and Joey. "He introduces himself to his rescuer, Will the Wise, 'Thank you, kind sir, I would have been down there for ages before my lady noticed my absence. I am Sir Kenneth.'"

"What deity does he serve?" Will asks, something suspicious drawing across his face.

"Is there a holy symbol on his armor?" Gareth follows up. Gareth has been backing a lot of Will's plays lately, Steve thinks something might be going on there but he hasn't wanted to deal with Eddie teasing him for being a meddling matchmaker, again.

"There is no identifiable holy symbol on his clothes or armor." Eddie says, there's a mischief in his eyes, the way he tilts his head with quiet challenge and smiles.

"What God do you serve?" Erica asks, blunt and to the point. She gets cranky when her rogue doesn't have anything to stab.

"'The Lady in Pink,' he answers."

Any time Eddie reveals lore shit there's always a bunch of people talking over top of each other. It always turns into the kind of mass blob of shouting that Steve has a hard time parsing out, especially these days. Eddie somehow manages to distinguish not only people but the things they're saying and keeps his cool enough to keep the story going.

"Roll your insight, Gareth. Jeff, with a 15 history check, you have heard some whisperings from your homeland about a newly ascended goddess but not a name. Dustin, you're not getting shit with a 5 don't even try that but my back story says shit with me. Will, pretty sure that's a cleric spell but I'll let you have it he's a Neutral Good alignment. An 18, shit, yeah Garebear he does seem to be telling the truth that is the deity he follows; but that isn't the whole truth, you know a lot of the newer pantheon have a colloquial name and a true name."

"I'm sorry," Lucas says, "we aren't familiar with your lady. What can you tell us about her? Why would she leave you there? And that's a 14 on persuasion before you even ask."

"Why would I have asked that, Sinclair the elder? He has stars in his eyes when he speaks, 'before she ascended she was already limitless. A powerful warrior, an expert marksman, a mage beyond compare. Her power grew and grew until the only place left to explore was godhood.'"

"And what's her real name, if we wanted to spread the word?" Joey asks.

"'Oh she's everything. She's the lady in pink, she's the goddess with the golden mane, but before she ascended she favored one name I assume she has kept it.'"

"What is it?" Mike asks, perched at the edge of his seat.

"Oh no," Dustin whispers, a dawning horror on his face.

"'Barbara, though she preferred it shortened. Nicknames you call them," Steve sees the joke, knows where this is going a split second before reality breaks through the haze of fantasy for the players around the table. Eddie's smirking now, smile too pleased and too attractive. "'Y'know like Barbie?'"

[onakomiyaki]

just a silly crush (not) pt. 1.5

pairing : daniel ricciardo x childhood friend-brabham!reader ; lewis hamilton x reader (implied, platonic relationship)

summary : lewis make sure that you and daniel finally talk after the bahrain incident. or he will take matters in his own way.

warning: unedited and rushed work (I GOT INSPIRED AFTER TWO CANS OF REDBULL RAAAAAAHHHH), harsh words, childhood trauma (kinda), slowburn.

a/n : this is an extra chapter where lewis playing cupid for you and daniel. you can definitely skipped this chapter since this chapter is originally added to the first chapter.

masterlist

consider tonight's meeting (and reconciliation) a huge success, totally worth the money you spent on the party. one of perks of being the daughter of david brabham is that your can splurge on unimportant things; this party, for example, and your father won't even bat an eye.

and maybe the fact that you are one of high paid supermodel–plus an actress so you don't think about money that much.

other than this party, you really need to thank max for his genius plan. maybe a new watch or some new designer clothes for the dutch will do.

"(y/n)!"

you turned your body, eyes lit up at the view of the mighty lewis hamilton.

"what took you so long?" you asked, hugging the brit as he kiss your temple.

for some people lewis's gesture might be mistaken as love-like affection. but of course you know that it is not like that at all. lewis had always see you as his annoying little sister who he love dearly and you saw him as the big brother you never had. while you do have a younger brother, sam, things with you and lewis are just... different.

"if i say traffic, would you believe me?" he sheepishly said.

and to that you let out a dry–mocking–laugh. "really? traffic? here in monaco?" you said.

"alright alright. i might–i said might–met binotto." he stated, letting out a sigh.

"mattia binotto? that's-"

"ferrari's current principal, yes." he nod, hands snug inside his pockets.

"they want you huh? interesting." you said, fingers cradling your own jaw.

although you hate formula one, you being the daughter of david brabham of course would know a thing or two. including all the current principals of all 10 teams.

lewis let out a chuckle, shrugging his shoulder. "maybe."

you rolled your eyes at his attic, shaking your head at his secretiveness. he won't be able to keep any secret from you, you're too smart for that. and lewis is aware.

what is not so smart of you is your inability to figure out about daniel's hints and feeling for the past 10 plus years. maybe more, lewis believe.

he always notice how daniel's eyes always lights up when he saw your instagram posts, or your appearance at the latest fashion magazine. he even rambling non-stop at your first big screen debut in 2017, not only to his teammate max, but to almost all the driver on the grid. almost, because most of the drivers are just confused and was there to humor the aussie. sebastian vettel though–god bless that man–always there for him, sharing the same excitement even cheering him up.

he also remember how dejected he looks when your father visited one of the race in 2015, hoping that you would show up beside your father despite your hatred towards the sport. but instead, he saw sam, your younger brother, calmly walking beside your father.

so it is safe to say he knew it all too well. and he honestly feel sort of sympathy for both you and daniel.

"have you talk to him yet?" he asked, averting the conversation about his meeting with binotto.

"that, i have." you simply said, grabbing two glass of champagne passed by the waitress.

lewis gracefully accept the other glass and clinked his glass with yours. "and how it goes?"

you went silent, gnawing your bottom lip nervously. "it went... well." you said, voice unsure.

"oh?"

"he asked me to watch the race. in monza." you stated.

lewis nods, letting out an acknowledgement hum as he sip his champagne.

"you should come, (y/n). its been 10 years since his first race, and yet, you haven't attend any of them in person." he simply stated.

"well i did watch the race from my house in monaco." you muttered. lewis shaking his head to your reaction.

"its not fair for him, you know? you guys are best friend for almost 20 years now, you said it yourself."

yeah, bestfriend. he thought.

you went silence, eyes trailed down to the floor. the expensive marble beneath your louboutin heels seems more interesting than lewis now, and he notice.

"i just don't want you to live in regrets in the future, (y/n)" he said, patting your shoulder as he walk away from you–giving you some space to think about what he just said.

"i know lewis." you whisper to yourself.

daniel, who currently enjoying his alone time at the bar, was greeted with a familiar figure walking towards him. he fix his posture, sitting straighter as the figure sat beside him and he watch in silent. daniel is still wary of this man so he just wait for him to break the silence first.

"let me join you for awhile, mate." he said.

"lewis."

"honeybadger."

hearing his nickname make daniel chuckle. thanks to you who actually give him that nickname years ago, back when you and him still go karting together, it stuck with him. and honestly he don't mind. because it was given by you.

"no company?" lewis simply asked.

"well, i was dragged by the ferrari duo, little lando, and the lovebird but they are gone now." daniel explain, politely asking the bartender for another refill.

"the lovebird?"

"max and kelly."

"ah, yes... the new hot couple." lewis nods, flashing his charming smile at the younger driver.

"yeah, i don't want to be a thirdwheel or dancing with dj norris and his two minions so here i am." he said, returning the smile to his senior as he pointed at the dj podium where lando is already getting on. carlos and charles was dancing like a maniac with drinks on their hands.

lewis raised his eyebrows, genuinely shocked and impressed at the young brit secret talent as a dj. "never knew little lando is a party animal." he said.

"i might be the one who responsible for that–to be a party animal i mean." daniel chuckled, shaking his head.

"well, he learn from the best then." and with that both daniel and lewis share a laugh, clinking their glass together.

as daniel enjoy his 3rd? 4th? glass of whiskey that night, lewis give him a small pats on his back. and daniel, confused at the gesture, watch lewis with a small frown.

"you have the patience of a saint, daniel. i won't last that long if i were you," he said, finishing his drink. "i gave up after got rejected for a second date."

lewis's cryptic messages, plus the familiar tipsy feeling, make him confused even more.

"huh?"

"goodluck, mate. i am rooting for you." he said, flashing him a smile before walking away from him.

"what just happen..." daniel muttered as he finish his glass of whiskey and decided to join dj norris and the minions.

what a night...

prev || next

[profounddefendorcrusade-blog]

I feel bad for Starlo. (pt. 7)

Staroba is... not my cup of tea.

Still can't get over the fact Ceroba showed so little empathy for Star. It becomes even worse when you remember she started lecturing him ALL while wanting to take Clover's soul herself and lied to his face just so she could later betray the kid. At least Star tried to fix things. She started digging deeper and deeper into her plan and in the end got forgiven really easily.

I keep thinking Ceroba sees Starlo as a childish little bro or smth and even mentions how the reason she chose Chujin was because he was "mature." Yeah he WAS more serious in terms of personality but everyone's different. Chujin wasn't morally perfect anyway

'Back when I was a naive kid, kinda like you' and 'hey, it's science. your brain is still developing' rub me the wrong way. Basically what I got from this is how she thinks only someone childish and emotionally underdeveloped would consider a relationship with Starlo

Ceroba seems to view Star as a "poor naive manchild" who needs babysitting. She feels so bad for him that she'd sometimes tag along with his antics but won't hide the annoyance most of the time.

She'll also spare him from his feelings getting hurt, which is nice but it's not her honest opinion:

She seems to show little appreciation for what he tried to do for her even though they're supposedly best pals. She says how she's been burying her sorrows in the saloon but not how spending time there even slightly cheered her up.

She envies Star's optimism but imo it sounded more like an adult envying a kid's naivety than one adult admiring the other.

And APPARENTLY the time she spent with Clover in Steamworks cheered her up a little but not what Star's been doing for her for months.

heck she didn't even notice he had been doing it for her. too stuck in her sorrows, probably

I think the reason for this is because the Steamworks reminded her of Chujin and Kanako and the life they used to have. Btw, she loved Chujin waaaay too much (and even though he's gone now she still doesn't think she'll ever be with anyone else except Chujin, she's proud of Chujin for a useless award, she still calls Chujin 'her love,' she keeps talking about Chujin's legacy and how Asgore and everyone else never believed in him), to the point she stubbornly supported him without question, only (maybe) seeing him more realistically at the end of pacifist. I just feel like Ceroba doesn't take Starlo seriously. It's not that she doesn't care about him at all, but… she definitely doesn't get him.

For these reasons, I'm not a fan of staroba.

[nogenderbee]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ 𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @bl4cktourmaline request: yahoo~ bee! it's me again:33 I saw the requests are open? If it is and I'm not tripping then may I request for Lyney with an oblivious reader who is a big fan of his and they are like... mutual pining for each other but they aren't even aware of it that it's become annoyingly sweet lol

Words can't describe how I love this man

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Hey hey! You're not tripping don't worry I see our mental state is similar lol But omg help I love it!! Down for Lyney too won't lie-

But omg, I kinda wanna write part 2 of this!! If I'll still feel like doing this after my requests are all done and I don't forget, I'll def be continuing this!

Anyway tho... I hope you enjoy! I personally kinda like it so I really hope you do too ^^

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ platonic/fluff

At this point Lynette and Freminet were watching you two. Even if they were 2km afar, they could still see you two and could only sigh about the view.

Lyney gave you another rainbow rose. It was like... 24 day strike by now! He gave you one every day, and every single time in a different time. First time it magically appeared in his hand, yesterday he pulled it out from ear your ear and today he "found it" in your tea!! How's even that possible?!

"For you, mon cherie~"

"Awh, thank you! I actually got something for you as well!"

"Oh really? Now what could it be... maybe you got me a reward for my latest magic show?"

"Well... yeah you could think so! Though I actually mean it as a gift for being such an amazing person for me!"

He could only chuckle as he took small box from you. His cheeks flushed gently but somehow, it just didn't got through his scalp what you really meant...

"Well isn't that sweet! Now what could we... ah- that's my favorite cake! How did you know?"

"I just happened to remember it. It's the least I could do for all the gifts you gave me recently."

But maybe it wasn't just him who was being a bit blunt here. You were as well, he was giving you rainbow roses every day, flowers meaning he loves you and yet, you just couldn't notice that special meaning...

"Should we finally help them?"

"Let them be for a bit longer."

2 siblings were now considering just coming up to you two and hitting you in the head, maybe then you'd notice how you both have obvious feelings for each other!

They know their brother has a crush on you because after every meeting with you, he's kicking his feet like highschool girl with crush in his bed. And you? You admitted yourself to Lynette while asking for advice because you thought he hated you when in reality, he was a tomato and had to run away from emberassment.

But both eventually decided to stay back and watch. They don't want to take this special moment away from you... But maybe the can at least do some backstage work at helping you with confessions?

"You see... I got something just for you! I have very important snow this weekend and naturally, I reserved a seat in front row just for you!"

Lyney smiled as he hands you the ticket with small bow, his eyes never leaving yours but not in a creepy way, he just couldn't help but admire you a bit.

"Oh you didn't had to really! But I do appreciate it. I'll definitely show up, thank you!"

"No need to thank me! It'll be enough for me if you come and let me see your smile~"

"What?"

Finally realizing what he said, his cheeks became red and began stuttering even tho he's usually smooth with his words.

"I meant- naturally I'd want to make... my audience happy! That's... just natural... magician's instinct! Yeah."

"Oh that's understandable! Well knowing you, your abilities and charms, I'm sure it won't be hard at all."

But he wasn't any better. You were clearly trying to compliment him, but he thought it's just you saying it as audience and not as someone with a crush...

"Actually... let's maybe make a plan. We can start tomorrow."

Freminet nodded on his sister's statement and entered their hous, leaving the two of you be and prepared the great plan with simple goal: getting you two together!

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@bleachtheidiot - come get your charming magician~

[moonstonediamond]

I had a weird lucid dream about Undertale last night

So this dream played out like I was playing/stuck in a VR Undertale Fangame, my dream self didn't feel trapped though it was like the dream version of me knew it was a game and I could take off the headset if I wanted to but it felt like my dream self's physical body was actually in the game it self (Think like the anime Sword Art Online or like I was in a Lucid dream within my lucid dream) The dream is under the cut

I never went into any of the rooms in my dream but my subconscious seemed to have just left one of the test room (it was like when your watching a movie and they start off in the main setting and hint to something happened off screen to explain the plot)

The dream started with my character in the last corador, there was a NPC Sans that was there but I wasn't fighting him. The room looked more like a title/character select screen. There was also test rooms to practice/test the abilities of each soul color (Red = Reload/Reset, Blue = Gravity Manipulation, ECT).

When I was done in the testing room I decided to try to leave the corador but as I got closer to the exit I felt my body getting heavier as I got closer to the doorway, my subconscious knew that the feeling was familiar so I looked over at the only other Character in the room (NPC Sans) but his eyes were normal

As I got closer my movement was slowed down to a crawl, while I was crawling to the exit, NPC Sans walked past me to block the doorway so I crawled back to recollect myself and he followed, walking back to his original spot

I started to feel panicked and just walked back but as I was walking back my subconscious thought "Wait didn't the developer say that there was a secret in the game that they were surprised no one has found yet, what if this was it." So I turned around and tried again

I sat there for a bit thinking "This is definitely blue magic, maybe if I run I can get there before I get Gravity Manipulated"

So I tried doing that and it kinda worked, I got farther then I did walking but I still got effected and slammed onto my stomach. I continued to crawl which was when I was put into a cut scean that I could still interact with

(I don't fully remember the cut scean word for word so most of it won't be in quotes also I'm just going to say screen cause it honestly felt like I went from living/being trapped in a game to just playing it)

As I crawled out of the door way my speed went down to 0 the only thing I was able to do was blink and move my head around, that was when the Sans walked into fraim on the left hand side

NPC Sans (Which for some reason had a outfit change, he didn't change out of his normal clothes he just had a black cowboy hat on) walked over to me explaining that I was determined but I'm not allowed to leave the character select screen, like this.

I kept crawling ignoreing more of his warnings which is when a HP Bar showed up on my screen and it was draining out, fast (The HP was draining like the purple karma/poison that's in Sans' fight but for some reason it was blue instead of purple and it only went down the closer I got to the exit)

He explained that he was giving me 8 chances to play the game properly, (I coincidentally had 8 HP left) then a screen with different AU Sanses showed up, now giving me control to select a character

It was in order from eather when each Sans was first created or When the developer of the game discovered them (I'm honestly not sure) I was on the first page out of infinity and it started with Classic, Fell, Swap, Horror, Swap Fell, Fell Swap, Ink and Error (There was more on the screen but I don't remember all of them)

I thought about just selecting a Sans which is when I noticed that the selections were going down, what was once first page out of infinity was now first page out of fifty I felt a bit curious to find out what would happen if I didn't choose to wich I was promptly flicked twice again, this time the Sans didn't say anything

I didn't say or do anything so NPC Sans flicked my nose twice saying "that was your first and second chance." I tried to say something but I couldn't, I then tried to stand up or crawl back to the corador but I still had 0 movement speed, he then flicked me again saying there goes 3 and 4 your half way through your chances buddy

I looked at the screen again, Ink and Error were crossed out, I couldn't select them I thought maybe I should select someone I don't know what would happen if I don't. What if the game didn't let me back in the select screen I was flicked again but just once my screen going blank I heard npc sans speak again saying "look i don't want to do this, im giving you one last chance"

The screen flip back on (like I just opened my eyes) except now I saw I was in a third person perspective and the character I've been playing this whole time was a blank slate Sans

I looked back at the screen 1 HP and the only sans left was Classic Sans I thought Okay I should pick a character now, what if I can't re-enter the game later (Of course at this point my subconscious mind figured out I was dreaming so I was really telling myself hey this dream is cool AF don't wake up so we can see what happens next)

But before I had the chance to select my character the select character options disappeared NPC Sans sighed then walked to what would have been the center of my screen (if I was still in first person) he said something about how I was the first one to have made it this far he then moved his hand to the blank Sans' face saying sorry bud before just flicking his nose

And that was when I woke up, in my bed, and on my stomach

I have no clue what that dream ment, if it ment anything at all. And I'm still pretty upset my subconscious realized it was all a dream and kicked me out because I kinda wanted to know what would have happened if I selected a character and what was the deal with (who I'm now dubing as) NPC Sans

[hemipenal-system]

You seem very eager to let us know how the inside of your draconic stomach looks and feels... But for those of us unlucky enough to be within biting range, could you describe it, perhaps?

sure! (this is gonna become a lore post lmao)

So You Got Eaten By A Dragon. Here's What To Expect:

Mouth:

dragons, being omnivores, have both cutting and crushing teeth. be careful to not get stuck between them! there's a lot of bite force there! most dragons you'll encounter are large enough to eat you comfortably, so as long as you don't thrash around and scream and make yourself hard to eat, the teeth won't be a problem.

the tongue, on the other hand. expect a lot of coiling and grabbing at you as the dragon manipulates you in its mouth, moving you into a position that'll be easiest to get down. you may be in the mouth for a while, depending on whether the dragon wants to savor you or just swallow you immediately. dragons, like cats, have tongues designed for grooming and pulling meat off bones, so expect a significant amount of force behind each gradual lick as the rough, spiked muscle sweeps along your comparatively small body. dragon saliva is the acting component in their flames, and it's thick, incredibly pungent, and sticks to the skin. you'll likely want to shower after any interaction with a dragon's tongue.

depending on the dragon, it may use its tongue to take your clothes off. some dragons get upset stomachs from their prey's clothing. you don't need to panic about that, or expect anything sexual – though some dragons may be alright with that! just ask, and remember, consent is key!

if the tongue coils around you a bit, don't worry! dragons instinctively coil themselves around each other and their valued possessions. it's a sign of affection, and that extends to their tongues. just lie still and let them show they love you! dragon tongues are very large and it can be a bit scary at first but they don't want to hurt you!

Throat:

so you've been swallowed! the most important thing is to not panic. it's definitely a weird feeling, but flailing around can hurt the dragon! holding still is safest for the dragon and you!

dragons have proportionately long necks compared to humans. when swallowed, you'll likely experience a long, slow slide down as its throat ripples around you, strong waves squeezing and gently pushing you downwards. it's damp, and usually dark, but you're very safe, even if it doesn't seem like that to you.

from here, there are two places you can go: dragons have the standard stomach for digestion, as well as a sort of pre-stomach, nicknamed the crop, that sits at the bottom of the throat, similarly to that of many birds (and gryphons, but that's a different post)

Stomach I:

a dragon's crop is used to hold and bring back pre-chewed food for hatchlings by their parents before they're old enough to chew themselves. however, at the moment it's going to be repurposed for keeping you nice and secure. this is the safest part of the dragon to be in, especially long-term.

compared to the rest of the dragon, the crop isn't large. In adult dragons, it can only fit one, maybe two people in it. think of it as being cozy! since it's at the base of the neck, the musculature is fairly dense there, since a dragon's neck has some of the strongest muscles in its body. you should expect it to squeeze around you, soft walls locking you in place. it won't be enough to damage you, but it'll likely be fairly firm, since most dragons instinctively squeeze their first stomach when it's full to make sure everything stays in place while they fly.

unlike the throat, which may retain some vestiges of light, the crop is dark. unless the dragon you're in has some kind of bioluminescence, you likely won't be able to see anything. it's also incredibly damp, thanks to the glands in the crop that secrete a weak enzymic fluid. it won't hurt you at all, though, since your skin is tough enough to repel it. worst case scenario, you'll get a bit red. you will get absolutely slathered in this slime, though. no one gets eaten by a dragon and comes out dry.

the trick for the crop is just to relax and enjoy the experience. it's like climbing into a dark, wet sleeping bag that seals itself to your body and is incredibly protective of you while you're inside. once you acclimate to the feeling of the damp flesh pulsing and twitching around you, it's supposedly very calming. it's fairly common for humans to fall asleep to the gentle vibration of their dragon purring around them.

once you're ready, the crop will flex and open around you, lifting you back into the throat, which will either guide you up and out of the dragon's mouth, or down into...

Stomach II:

the dragon's second stomach is more similar to a human's, being where the digestive process takes place. it's entirely possible to be here long-term and survive unmelted, but unlikely. for most things that end up here, the intent is to fully digest them for nutrients.

should you somehow end up here, it doesn't necessarily mean you're doomed. many dragons who consume curious humans have carefully tested magic to bring their tenacious explorers back, so being digested is usually not that permanent.

the digestion stomach, depending on dragon size, can be as large as a small room or the interior of a car. it has a moistness to the air, which has a strong organic smell. there are usually just a few feet of acid on the floor, unless they've just finished another meal, in which case some residual acid may still be there.

dragons eat large meals and digest slowly, so the acid isn't as strong as in some other species. you can sit down in it and it'll just itch a bit after a few minutes. by fifteen minutes in, you may see some redness with severe itching. acid reactions aren't usually the thing to worry about, however.

unless the dragon is actively pushing more air down into their stomach, the lack of oxygen will get to prey faster than the acid will. it's not scary, really, just a seeping tired feeling. you'll want to lay down in the slightly itchy hot tub water, your back leaning against the gently moving soft wall, and close your eyes. many dragons who plan to bring someone back from this stage will be talking to them, coaxing them through the process, keeping their nervousness from getting too bad.

it's easy enough to fall asleep. you're getting so tired, and the acid is faint enough that it doesn't burn, only tingle a bit, even as more drips from the walls and ceiling and the water level begins to rise up your legs slightly. when you sit back, the soft walls curl around you a bit, giving you a nice warm hollow to rest in. they're talking to you, calm words assuring you you'll be alright. you're perfectly safe, they promise. they would never let you do this if it could actually hurt you...

you just have to let your eyes flutter closed...

Outside:

...and then you wake up, sprawled out on the grass in the field, or tucked into the covers in the massive bed you share, or laying across their claws in front of the fireplace. their massive tongue is licking the digestive fluids off you, attempting to clean you, but only slathering you further in saliva. it's the thought that counts. you can see in their eyes they care about you and they're overjoyed that you're alright even though they knew you would be, because there was just a moment before you started breathing again that they worried about you.

their first question is always are you alright

the second one is did you have fun, accompanied by a jaunty third-eyelid wink and a sly, toothy grin

[honey-minded-hivemind]

I love the idea that creed likes pets from people he considers to be pack, but i would love to hear what kinds of affection you think he likes?

do you think he likes gifts? touch? how does he return those sorts of affections?

Okay, platonic yandere affection for Sabretooth headcanon time!

• This guy loves physical affection. Pets, hugs, cuddling, sleeping in a nest or bed or sprawled in the same room together, nuzzling, grooming hair and combing it and braiding it, fist bumps, large pats on the back like getting hit by a bear, bear hugs, he craves touch, he only wants it from his obsessions/pack, though (so definitely Logan, possibly Remy, Laura, and Reader, and maybe some of the adults or teens he views as pack or pack-adjacent)

• Appreciates gifts. You took time out of your day or night to get him something or make it or cook it or prepare it, so he appreciates it, if not loves it or cherishes it or stores it safely in his room (den) where no one but him is allowed to see it or touch it. You got him some gloves or a fur/fluff-limed coat? He's wearing it proudly, warmly, and gets mad if anyone tries to tear it or get blood on it. You found some bones on your walk and wanted to give them to him? If he can, he's collecting them in a special container, or even wears them as a necklace. You made him a cake for his birthday? With frosting and buttercream and handmade decorations? He will savor each bite, he is making sure you eat a piece too, and will not share unless it's with someone else he trusts or views as pack (family). You made a painting of him? He's putting it up in his room (den), or in his own safe house, it's being kept pristine and dust-free and protected from aging, and he will show you different forms of art He's learned over his near two hundred years of existence...

• If you spend time with him, he looks forward to it. You are on the same team, and have been teamed up for a mission? Ha, looks like you two get to bond a little! You went on a hunting trip with him, instead of staying out of the rain and staying warm? Well, he's making sure you both get something, and will lrudky display whatever you catch, while cooking the meat (will also collect pecans and walnuts with you or even some wild berries when those are in season). You ask him if you two can go to a museum? He's taking you, he's keeping away anyone who stares too long at you two, and might even steal a piece later if you seemed to really like it...

• Call him "pretty good", "a friend", or "dad", amd you're not getting rid of him, EVER. He loves hearing praise, especially ehen it comes from you. You call his claws "awesome" and "so sharp, that's wicked!" and "shiny", he's purring, and possibly helping you maintain your nails/claws/talons just as well as his. You say he's "a master of the hunt", "a clever hunter", "strong as a bear", or anything that compliments his wits or strength or hunting abilities, he's preening at it, chest puffed out and a fanged smile on his lips. You say something such as "You're coat is so cool, and soft!" or "your hair is well-kept", or "huh, those are sturdy boots", he's prideful about it, because he takes great pride in his appearance and taste in looks. (Does he care what others think? No, not most; but you or the rest of his pack/pride? Yes, he cares what y'all think, and he'd only take criticism from y'all)...

• Would he return any of these affections? Yes. 11/10. You feel down or upset or scared? He's tryi g to comfort you by reminding you how strong you are, how ferocious in battle, that their words don't matter; and if they hurt you or abused you, they won't be around to do it again... You feel nervous about your appearance? He will tell you deadpan that yes, you appear fine, you look nice, your piercing isn't weird, now let's go annoy Logan. You seem to be sick or out of sorts or worried? From everything he's remembered and memorized about you and what you like, he's getting you a gift. Something good for dinner, check. Something shiny, check. Maybe some new movie to watch, check. A bit of a torture session done to an enemy of yours, check. He doesn't mention that last part unless he's certain you won't freak out... initially, at least... You need hugs or you're too cold and in the snow or you aren't able to walk back and are wounded? He's embracing you close and tight and possessively; he's bundling you under his coat with him and wrapping it tight around the both of you; you're being picked up and held close and not let down until you're somewhere safe and being checked over...

(This was fun! Thank you, @hermesserpent-stuff !)

[arson-09]

Rhysta Au continued- just thoughts and vibes

-To keep feyre safe UtM, Nesta made a deal with Rhysand. She would live with him in the night court for the rest of her life. a steep deal but Nesta saw it as the way she could repay Feyre... He takes her back to Velaris and introduced her to the IC. Cue the chaos, Nesta trying to stop Rhysand from stealing Feyre and helping her sister find ways to break the bond in the library. where she meets our girl Gywn (don't worry she still meets emerie, we have to have THE trio)

-Ballroom scene or just party scene where Nesta looks beautiful (per usual) and Rhysand is fighting to keep his cool. He can't let Nesta know he's attracted to her cause she will use that against him

-elain and Nesta still get turned to fae against their will by hybern, who also ends up breaking the fey/sand mate bond (feylin duo playing double agents i have plans for them) and Rhysand is incapacitated for a while and never realizes there's a new bond

-Nesta realized almost immediately that something was different, she spoke to Feyre and learned it was definitely a mating bond. She ofc won't tell rhysand, this is the ace up her sleeve now. She really has one over on him now.

-Nesta does her best to keep the bond hidden while rhysand trains her as he is the only one with enough understanding of such power to help her with her new fae abilities. She doesn't train to become a typical warrior, her weapon is her sharp tongue and maybe her death powers if she's feeling impatient

-Rhysand realized the bond deep into an argument, about what he suddenly couldn't remember as he stared into nestas silver eyes and knew that was his mate. He is simultaneously pissed she kept it from him and impressed, and also maybe a little turned on.

-Before Nesta was turned fae, their arguments would scare anyone. but after Shes turned, their fights could very well level mountains, both are too stubborn and prideful. The rest of the IC always try to dispel any fights before they get too bad, they like having velaris.

-they are that duo though; they do wear matching outfits to high lord meetings after they accept the bond. which may take a few centuries, Rhysand has to acclimate to having someone truly rival his power. and in this au he has an actual sense of style

-Feylin dont get married right away, it probably takes a few years but Rhysta do show up together. I would like to be a guest at that wedding, I bet the chaos, drama, and music were amazing.

Im busy working on my og acotar fic but I am enjoying thinking up things for this au :3 i may write a few one-shots in between chapters for my fic to switch it up. i have ideas for feylin in this au too so maybe i need to name it something other than just Rhysta au. Arsons better acomaf au? perhaps.

[3hks]

Tips to Create a GOOD Relatable Character

Let's be real: we all love a good character that's unique and stands out from all the other boring ones because they're so different. They diverge from what we're used to. Thus, if the author pulls it off correctly, they become a fan favorite! Though they may be dissimilar from the other characters, they may be more alike to you than you initially assumed. Authors do this by keeping the character distinctive while throwing in some relatable qualities. Now, most people won't consciously notice these similarities, but they will be able to register them!

When creating a major character, relatability is one of the most important yet overlooked characteristics. It is able to fuel empathy within the reader, which keeps them interested in the story. And these are a few tips on how to create this effect!

There are several things you must remember when writing. Firstly, books and novels are shared with people. They are meant for others to read, but your purpose for writing shouldn't be for society. Write what you want to, what you believe in! Write for yourself! This allows you to express your ideas and emotions freely on paper. Secondly, you aren't alone. People have gone through what you have before, and while some experiences are unique to you only, there are definitely experiences we all share. The point is, someone will find parts of your character relatable and someone else won't. That's okay. Thirdly, you don't need to express yourself through only one character. Personally, I spread traits I have over many of my different characters as I see fit.

I think that those basics help you realize that your character's relatability should be built on what you believe, what you feel, and your experiences. Not anyone else's. And don't worry, many readers will still be able to connect with such traits! Now, onto the REAL thing! :D

You must understand yourself and your emotions on a deep level. Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? How did it feel? Did you break down? Did you not care? If something you've been through does happen in your writing and you find your answer similar to an answer your character might have, include it! Because then, you're writing from your heart, the event means more to you because you lived it! For the readers who haven't been in such a situation or reacted in an akin way, they will still notice the quality of writing and don't think that they won't empathize!

Your character does not need to consistently be relatable to the reader, it can be overwhelming and not to mention, a wide spread. In addition, the character will seem more basic. Sometimes, just a humane act from someone that isn't so benevolent will gain the audience's empathy, and that's really all you're trying to achieve. You want people to understand your characters. (This can also apply to the type of character I mentioned in the first paragraph). Perhaps you have a cold character with violent tendencies. A humane act for such a character may be saving or showing compassion for someone, but you have to consider their personality, it's most likely that they won't save a random stranger. Instead, it might be someone close to them. If you really want it to be surprising, then maybe they save an enemy! When the reader sees something like this happen, it will slightly alter how they view the character, and the moment will be more impactful because it's unexpected.

While in my opinion, the best way to create a relatable character is by channeling yourself into them, some people will disagree. In this case, you may want to focus more on feelings because more people will understand the emotions a character goes through better than their choices. However, this will work best on a more simplistic yet important character. One that isn't too complex, and will act like how most people would in their shoes. This could be the main character, even, as many authors try to make their lead relatable to the reader.

This is getting too long, (apologies) so in conclusion, you cannot make every character relatable, they all act and think differently. Reveal their qualities through small snippets at a time during appropriate moments! Different people will find different things relatable, anyway, so use your experiences as a guide! I hope that this will help!

Happy writing~

3hks :)

[skrill999]

I just finished the first season of Transformers prime. And overall I liked it.

The human characters are fine. I don't hate them but I am not too invested in their story. (But you would not believe how much I said to tue TV "No... Mikko... don't do it...") but some of their shenanigans are rather funny

As for the cybertronians. I like them a surprising ammount.

Starscream:

I mostly prefer starscream more higher pitched voice but I do like what Steve Blum does (also I kept hearing heatwave)

As for his character he is a wet cat which keeps running out into the rain crying, not quite sure why he's so wet. Like he has my sympathy from the abuse he goes through under Megatron (to be fair Starscream did try to kill Megatron on multiple occasions) but a lot of it was his own doing. He keeps getting in his own way.

There is a curious moment that stands out to me: in the episode where breakdown was captured by humans, the autobots try to rescue him because they thought decepticons wouldn't and Megatron didn't want to but Starscream did try. (They couldn't have known Autobots were there before leaving base)

Now I won't go so far as to say that this means Starscream cares for Breakdown. At first I was thinking he probably needed him for a plan of his but so far I have no clue what that would be so it really left me wondering why.

With Starscream defected from the decepticons and hiding I am curious to see what future awaits him in the upcoming season

Soundwave:

Soundwave is my favourite deception and in this show that is no different. He's still super cool. He's quiet loyal and no one messes with him. I liked it when he beat Airachnid (who definitely underestimated him)

Also Laserbeak is also super dope

Breakdown:

A surprise entry for me. He was actually quite interesting. At first I thought nothing of him then the episode where he's captured by the humans came. I am not surprised he sided with the decepticons but I could tell Bulkhead coming to rescue him did shake his perspective. He might come to see how ridiculous this all is. Maybe

The rest are fine and so their job well

Now some Autobots:

Optimus Prime:

He is my favourite autobot no question(idk about charcter as he would be facing Soundwave). Peter Cullen nailed it as always. The sword and gun arms are very cool.

His very strict no nonsense demeanor does work well with the dynamics of others and he does clearly care a lot about his team and the humans living on earth.

Though he might be a bit too eager at playing martyr for everyone else to escape.(I don't remember specific examples but that's my understanding)

(This is not a critique on his character just really amuses me)

Him losing his memory is definitely not good for the autobots but let's see how that plays out.

Bumblebee:

He is very cute. Love his eyes, face shape and voice. Also he really seems to look up to Optimus and Optimus seems to have a soft spot for him. I remember the last scene where Optimus looks back at him.

Him and Raf are buddies, chill to play racing games together and it is cute. Also he seems to be the youngest of the cybertronians.

Ratchet:

Another surprise entry. I certainly enjoyed his presence on screen. His banter with everyone was rather funny.

An episode that stood out with him is the one with fake energon. He did go a little nuts with the fake energon but I did like that his reasoning in general wasn't just nonsense but based in the truth and his own feelings that he might not have been expressing. (He was definitely being hot headed though)

Again the others were fine but their stories didn't stand out to me too much.

I did like the episodic nature of the show. The little shenanigans of the show were very funny and enjoyable to see. I liked the racing episode.

Also another funny note: this show reminded me of tmnt 2012 (another favorite childhood show of mine) in that there are no people. In tmnt 2012 New York had like 5 people at a time. This show took place in Reno Nevada and while we only really saw a school, there was like no one at the school.

I know why it's like that but still it quite funny to me.

[its-magical-here]

Bridgerton part 2 thoughts...

With part 1, I watched all 4 episodes in a row and felt a bit odd about it. But then I went and rewatched just the Polin parts and enjoyed it.

Same with part 2. All 4 episodes on Thursday and felt odd.

In the finale, there wasn't much Polin time in the beginning and found myself instantly wanting to fast-forward.

Then yesterday, I rewatched the Polin bits from part 2 and felt like it was a better watch.

Ultimately, in my rewatch of Polin scenes part 2, I actually liked episodes 5 & 6 even though episode 6 could've had much more of Polin.

I didn't like the lack of communication in episodes 7 & 8.

I totally get how Colin was so angry in episode 7 after the LW reveal, especially at the beginning. But he should've communicated with Pen sooner.

Yes, Penelope has been ignored and had to endure cruelty from her mother, sisters, and society her whole life.

But even in previous seasons, it felt like even in Penelope's friendships with Colin and Eloise, they were a bit one-sided. It was more about Colin and Eloise than her.

It's no wonder Penelope tried to save Eloise from being framed through her Whistledown column than actually talk to her.

It's no wonder Penelope tried to save Colin from a disastrous marriage with Marina through Whistledown instead of talking to him.

So in episodes 7 & 8, I was hoping for more communication between Colin and Penelope. For him to listen to her side of the story, let her explain herself, as she has always listened to him. After he had some time to cool down, that is. And before their wedding too.

Because Pen's love language is words of affirmation. So I think they needed to communicate vocally more in the last 2 eps. With the compassion that life-long friends and now lovers have for each other.

And there needed to be an epilogue scene with just Pen and Colin that wasn't just a sex scene, but them talking and joking with each other. As an aspiring writer, I like full-circle stories, so a scene like this would've been nice to show that they are still best friends within their loving marriage.

So yeah, I liked some of part 2, the sweet bits. Episodes 7 & 8 were a bit too dark and painful, but maybe that's what the showrunners intended - for us to experience the same anguish Colin and Pen were feeling.

Also, I definitely wished we had more Colin & Pen scenes. Even whenever they danced together at all the balls in part 2, they cut mid-scene to other characters talking or dancing. It felt like they weren't in their own season enough.

I remember the same criticism of season 2 with Kanthony. If they do release deleted or even extended scenes for this season, I'll welcome it.

But I still liked most of the Polin we got in the first 6 episodes. And I liked some of the side storylines:

Kanthony.

Portia and Penelope healing their relationship.

Eloise learning to listen and be more compassionate with Penelope and for them to be friends again.

Fran & Ben & Gregory & Hyacinth.

But ultimately, it feels like 8 hour-long episodes are too short for such a big cast.

The actors were great. I love the cast. The acting was fantastic. Same with the costume department, music department, sound, lighting, etc. But maybe the editing department can allow for longer episodes.

For Nicola and Luke's long press tour to come to an abrupt halt where we got doses of their lovely friendship, for part 2 to drop with an ending that needed some extra scenes, and to hear the next season won't be until 2026 all on the same day - was challenging to digest. Interestingly, I do feel some sadness, similarly to how I felt when Game of Thrones ended.

So yeah, I loved Polin and I loved big parts of this season. I still love this show because I love the characters, even if I wished the season had ended differently. But the season just needed more Polin. I look forward to rewatching their scenes together.

Okay, rant over =)

[sharkinthetoilet]

Hi can I have The main trio + butters and creek with an alt autistic boyfriend that also has a habit of losing track of time when playing video games

Alt + Autistic reader

Gender: masculine

Warnings: brief talk about meltdowns, slight ableism

Notes: mostly writing this from my experience of autism, remember how it's different for everyone!!

☆-stan:

• Definitely needs an Explanation what autism is • He tries really hard to do everything for you • Tries to avoid any sensory issues, speaks for you in case of non-verbality, gets you stuff from your hyper fixation/ special interest(s), etc • Protects you for dear god • Any abliest gets a fist across their face, by the star quarterback • If you're anything like me, you get overly panicked when you aren't in your time plan • So stan specifically tries to keep reminding you of the time when playing, so you keep the time in mind • Listens to you rambling • Always forgets what certain words mean • "Are you uhh uhm.. what was the word?" • Won't treat you much differently, only like the needed things he changes • really likes your style • Helps you find new clothing, but is super unaware 💀 • Will grab kids clothing or something, but usually not something you would wear

☆-kyle:

• Does a lot of research about autism • Also 'interviews' you to find out, what he needs to know • Like if it's okay to hug, what to do when you have meltdowns, etc • Tries to show interest in your hyperfixation but ends up irritating you, because he acts like he knows more • Still shows interest but with less enthusiasm (enough to seem genuine (which he is) though) • Sets strick times for playing, he heavily relays on time plans • Overprotective. • He may infantilize you without noticing • If it bothers you, he'll try super hard to stop though • He's pretty sarcastic • Then he realises you may not understand that it was sarcasm • "I looove hanging out with cartman" ... "that was sarcasm-" • He tries okay 😭 • Doesn't have a big opinion to your style • (He finds it super attractive) • Buys stuff when he thinks it fits your style, he normally gets really good stuff

☆-kenny:

• Kenny doesn't really care • Not in a mean way, just he won't change anything • Except for like the small stuff you tell him you don't like (like physical touch, if you don't like it) • He cracks a few jokes about it but it's never really an important topic for him • He's a really good listener, you can ramble to him for hours • Is kinda oblivious when it comes to the more negative things • If you have a meltdown, you'd need to explain to kenny what that even is, before it happens • If he doesn't know, he'll just give you space • Doesn't care about losing track of time in games, he does it too • What he does care about is your style • He'll tell you everyday how hot you look • Goes shopping with you and helps choose what clothes to get • "6/10, i like how it looks, but it makes your legs look shorter, maybe go for a size smaller" • Real fashion guru

☆-butters:

• Has no idea what autism is • When he finds out, he'll do everything to make you feel comfortable • God bless his heart • Asks for permission to touch you, how you feel, if you aren't overwhelmed, always lets you choose what to eat, etc • Extremely considerate • As example, won't go to a party, if he knows that you don't like crowds (if you do yk) • Great at talking for you • That kind of "excuse me, he asked for no pickles" guy • He also think to much about your gaming habits • Except if you ask him to time it or something • Loves feeling like he can make stuff easier for you • Also loves your sense of fashion • Helps picking out clothes (while considering if you'd like the material) • Would buy similar clothes to match • God.Bless.His.Heart.

☆-creek:

• Neurodivergent couple goals • You'd guys' groupchat would be called something like: two autistis and the add guy • Craig and you would desperately try to find a shared hyperfixation and then battle each other with trivia • And tweek is just chilling • Craig knows how to handle you well, since he's also autistic • And tweek would also have his fair share of knowledge • Very supportive and considerate • Craig keeps track of time while playing (cuz he needs his goddamn time plan 🤝) but tweek loses track of time even faster than you • Both also like your style • But they aren't good at giving advice, in case of shopping or something • Kinda like stan yeah • You and craig have a ramble-tuesday where you tell each other stuff about your hyperfixations

[melrosing]

Ok speaking of changes GOT made… is there any changes you like? I struggle to find big moments, but there are small additions I love. Like Ned praying before he dies, Robb hitting the tree when he finds out, the chemistry that Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie have…. But there are very few structural changes I think improve the story.

hmmm so I can't lie there is a LOT I just don't remember anymore about the show, so wringing my mind a little to come up with something.....

I won't mention things that I think were adapted well (like Ned's execution) as those aren't adaptational changes. and I also won't mention things that I like the idea of (e.g. Jaime's dyslexia) but not the execution (they made out it was part of the longrunning 'stupidest Lannister' joke).

and like.... well I'm stuck already lmao?? I'm not even trying to shit on the show I just feel like it was a consistent exercise in either understating GRRM's work or butchering it entirely. so I can think of only a few things:

I can't find the link to where I talked about this at length but the scene in which Jaime and Ned duel in the streets of KL was a good one imo. I think it was more in character for Jaime to just recklessly fight Ned himself, and a neat parallel to what I suspect will happen between Ned, Arthur and Howland - in that when Ned is attacked from behind by one of Jaime's men in the midst of their fight, Jaime angrily ends the duel bc his man has essentially dishonoured it. I think Ned's fight with Arthur will end as it did in the show (with Howland stabbing Arthur from behind and Ned finishing the job, bc he needs to reach Lyanna), and this is like a parallel to show Jaime and Ned have the same principles, yet each have broken them in times of desperation. My personal theory is that this was a change GRRM recommended - the parallel seems notable to me, and not one that would've even occurred to D&D, esp. given they never gave any particular shit about Jaime's story. And this may sound spurious but I recall that GRRM remembers in an interview, saying the weather was different in the show version of the scene than in the books.... which makes me think he was maybe onset for this one, possibly because of the rewrite??

I'm v much in favour of ageing up the youngest characters. My ideal starting ages for the youngest characters in AGOT would've been Jon/Robb/Dany - 18, Joffrey/Sansa - 14, Arya - 12, Bran - 10. To me they all feel much too young for the roles they play in the story, and it occasionally kills my suspension of disbelief

I way prefer the book’s version of the Red Wedding but I do feel like Catelyn's single cry of despair works better than the book's manic laughter. maybe the laughter was a more vivid image for the books idk

I do actually like how we see Robb's grief onscreen it's very movingly played by Richard Madden. I also love Catelyn's expressions as Robb rides back from the Whispering Wood, like both these scenes are great reminders of their mother/son relationship in a setting where they aren't really allowed to be just that. and like just Michelle Fairley tbh I really like her work as Catelyn even though I don't like how the character was adapted more generally

Breaking the 'concept but not execution' rule just to say I think it was definitely a good idea to explore the High Sparrow as this weirdly charismatic figure so we can see how others might be taken in by him, even whilst we see the extremes of his faith. but that subplot was not executed well at all so fuck it

Yeah I agree that Jon and Ygritte having a slightly more charged romance also works. In the books Ygritte comes and goes quite quickly and I think there is something to be said for lending a bit more gravity to that relationship. I don't think they necessarily had to be the grand romance that the show makes them out to be but I didn't hate it

I might be forgetting other things that worked because some seasons I haven't seen since like 2015, but honestly it just doesn't work for me as an adaptation. things I liked in the show before reading the books feel completely naff in hindsight, knowing how they were supposed to play out, so..... eh