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#there are a lot of good writers and I shouldn't get to come in with a large following and mess that up
aho-dapa · 3 months
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This fandom is honestly...
Like, there is something to be said about fandoms in general and how they've changed as a whole generally but
There's also something about how the acotar fandom is especially toxic like
The idea that a post is surprised a murder hasn't happened yet and I found myself agreeing??? Is honestly telling
Like, also. A massive part of this is shipping and maybe it's because I have my corner of this fandom, but even then shipping the "wrong" thing in general has become something I honestly have to take in consideration when thinking of my mental health and if I can personally be prepared for any backlash??
This fandom at large doesn't feel safe and that's majorly concerning tbh
Maybe instead of saying shippers as a group are doing harm, we should just disavow harmful actions in general and not be complicit in it idk???
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tanaor · 3 months
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Don't know how to create hooking character arcs?
(✨Dos and don'ts in character arc creation, part 1: don'ts✨)
Every writer knows that's a good character arc is something hard to achieve, and that there is usually a very fine line between making your characters evolve to the better and making them change completely... But don't worry! That's why today I wanted to share some of my tips to give your characters that something that will make their transformative journey unique, and also make your readers fall in love with them. So, let's get right to it!
DON'TS
1. Don't make your characters passive.
Your story needs someone strong to fight against whatever you are planning to put them trough! Making your characters strong doesn't necessary mean creating buff characters, but a good character will always have that *something* that can always push them to their try best. Could be a goal, a loved one, an ideology...
2. Don't give your characters some random disaster for no reason.
Of course, this things sometimes happen, but the best kind of disasters are the ones your character has put themselves into: they have no one else to blame (even if they tried). This are the disasters you should be pressuring for your characters, because they will teach your character something. Maybe your character was very egocentric during most of the story, and now they are alone. You can now either make them realize, or start a villain character arc were they believe the world has made them like that...
3. Don't make the decisions easy.
During the story, your character will have to take a lot of decisions, including many important ones, but here is the deal... Most of them shouldn't be easy. Make it hard for them to decide, make the decisions something that they feel guilty of, make them think that, maybe, "there really was a better alternative". Also remember that when taking hard decisions, characters usually decide what they think will make them suffer less: that's what we call pain vs pain.
4. Don't make everything terrible.
Remember: there's always calm before the storm. And, if you give your characters a false sense of victory, failure will always hurt more. (Even if you don't plan your characters to fail, it's a good technique to use before eventually everything comes down).
5. Don't be afraid of giving the character the ending they deserve.
When the story ends, you should be capable of naming at least three mayor changes in your character. But, of course, when the story ends you also want your readers to think "yes, that's what needed to happen". So, writers: don't be afraid. If the character deserves a bad ending, give it to them. If they deserve to succeed, let them win. Each story is different, but there will always be that ending that you feel is the right thing... Believe me, if a character deserves to fail, I'll want them to fail at the end, and there is not a feeling as good as someone getting what they deserve, what they have been earning since page one.
I wish this was helpful, and if you are interested keep tuned for the part 2: dos in writing character arcs. Happy writing everybody!!
Other tips for writers: previous | next
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thyme-in-a-bubble · 8 months
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hysteria
kinktober, day twenty-eight
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a/n: look, we already know that I'm a nerd when it comes to medical history, so this really shouldn't come as a surprise. only thing surprising about it is how fucking long it took for me to finally write this kinda fic, damn, because this fantasy is ancient.
summary: “miss, I’m afraid to inform you that you have hysteria.”
warnings: doctor!aleksander morozova x innocent!reader, smut, dubcon, historical au, medical kink, time accurate sexism, fingering, sex toys (vibrator, fuck machine), penetrative sex, unprotected sex, size kink, squirting, dirty talk, multiple orgasms, creampie, overstimulation
word count: 1607
∼ gentle reminder that feedback, but especially reblogs are the way you support writers on here ∽
masterlist | join my taglist | kinktober 2023
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Eyes glued to the clipboard in his hand, doctor Morozova quietly read up from the list of symptoms he had just scribbled down, “…unmarried, insomnia, increased nervousness during social interactions… miss,” he then lifted his obsidian gaze and told you gravely, “I’m afraid to inform you that you have hysteria.”
“I-I do?” 
“Yes, I’m terribly sorry,” he laid the papers down on the desk before him, “seems like your womb is not where it’s supposed to be and that can cause all sorts of problems as you can see by your symptoms.”
Fingers weaved so tightly in the fabric in your lap it nearly broke through, ruining your dress, your panic began to bubble out, “what should I do, doctor? Is there a cure?”
“There is,” he nodded, subtly raising a hand up to soothe your nerves, “the way to relieve this disorder is by causing something called a hysterical paroxysm,” he informed, abruptly redirecting his stare down upon the woodgrain of the tabletop, “now, usually, if a woman is married, the husband is to perform the treatment, but since you’re not,” his eyes flickered back up to find yours, “I’ll help rid your body of this ailment.”
“Really? Thank you,” you gasped, “what, uh, what does it entail?”
“Oh, it’s simple enough,” he waved a casual hand, “you just rid yourself of your undergarments and lay down on the exam table for me.”
“I-…” you blinked, eyes wide before you swallowed, “…alright…”
Getting up from the chair opposing his desk, you walked around the flimsy partition set up in the corner. Reaching under your dress, you timidly pulled your underwear down your legs, past your stockings and off. Folding the garment in a neat little bundle, you settled it on the small stool that stood back here before stepping back out from behind the cover. 
Now settled at the bottom of the exam table on a seat, he gestured for you to get up onto the slab before you apprehensively did so. 
“If you would please just put your feet up in these stirrups,” he adjusted the metal legs below you, “then we can get started.” 
As you then shifted, settling your feet into place, your skirts tented and began to ride up, a gust of crisp air kissing your exposed centre and causing your cheeks to heat up.  
Hearing his chair scoot closer, you then felt his touch softly ghost from your knees all the way up your thighs till his fingers were gently prying your petals apart. After taking a good look, he then briefly retracted his touch, unscrewing a nearby dark glass jar, swiping up some of the glossy contents before grazing through your folds once more, the cool temperature of the lubrication causing you to suck in a sharp breath. 
“Sorry, if it’s a bit cold,” he murmured as he continued to smear it in. 
Head faintly shaking, “it’s fine,” you tried just to focus on your breathing. 
Pushing your dress a bit more out of the way, he told you, “just try and relax for me, it will go by a lot smoother if you relax,” his touch then suddenly changed, “now, tell me,” zeroing in and pressing down on your clit in a way that made the office around you go fuzzy, “how does that feel?” 
Blinking down at him, you found that his vision was already firm on you, “I-… I don’t know… how is it supposed to feel?”
“It’s supposed to feel good,” he rubbed a bit harder, “so, does it feel good?”
“I-I guess so,” your vision fluttered back up towards the ceiling, the doctor’s dark eyes being too much to stand, “yeah.”
“Good, good,” his attentive touch then shifted, “now let me just have a feel inside. Deep breath for me,” your lungs expanded at his command, “there you go,” and his long finger pressed inside, gently curving it around against your walls as he examined, “yep, there it is… your womb, it’s in the completely wrong spot,” he swiftly worked another digit in, watching as you stretched around his fingers, “it’s good that you came in now before it got even worse,” pulling back out, he ended the contact with an unnecessary rub against your buzzing clit.
As he then scooted a bulky and mysterious machine over, you asked nervously, “w-what is that?”
“Just a little apparatus that’s gonna help cure you,” he twisted a vaguely phallic shape into place at the end of the device’s long arm. After noticing your startled expression, you felt his warm hand sprawl across your thigh, “don’t worry, love. It’s all gonna be just fine,” lining it up, “just try and lay still,” he turned a switch and the attachment slowly drove into you. 
“Oh my god!” your palm slammed down against the exam table. 
“Shh, it’s alright,” he caught your eye till your body slowly began to give in, calming under his gaze. Reaching his right hand up, he tickled your puff as the gadget slowly eased in and out of you, “you’re doing great so far, just relax for me,” you saw his free fingers sneak down to enclose around the apparatus’s knob once more, turning the speed further up.  
Feeling like you might fall off the table entirely, you panted, “doctor, I think something might be wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong, love,” he nearly chuckled, “this is how it’s supposed to feel,” smiling as you let go an uncontainable moan, knees nearly closing as you tumbled over the edge, “there it is, good, good…”
Expecting for the machine to be shut off, the doctor instead pushed your trembling knees aside and conjured a bulky ward-like device that buzzed in his tight grip, the other hand firm on your leg as he pressed the vibrator against your sensitive pearl, “ah! Doctor! What are you-”
“We’re not done yet,” he stated firmly, vision fixated on the mess he was turning you into. 
The squelching of your pussy cut through the loud buzzing of the gizmos, “but it’s too much, I can’t-”
“You wanna get better, don’t you?”
Fists tight in your dress, crumbled at your waist, you let out a shaky, “yes.”
“Then quit your whining and let me treat you,” his stare snapped up as he warned you, “if you keep that up then I’ll have no other choice but to restrain you, is that what you want?”
“N-no,” the overwhelming sensation caused you to tremble like a leaf. 
“Be a good girl and take it.”
When the second wave hit, it crashed into you so fiercely that you let out a lewd scream. 
“There you go, that’s it!” the doctor bellowed as your pussy gushed, crying out around the intense toys, “oh, fuck…” unable to peel his eyes away as he finally turned off the machines, additional juices squirting out as they withdrew. 
Limbs twitching, you hazily asked, “was that it? Are we done?”
Palming himself through his pants, his gaze stayed glued to your weeping core, “not quite yet, miss… that release of excess fluids was a very good sign, very good sign indeed, but we’re not quite done… there’s still more that needs to get out in order for your uterus to align itself again,” your eyes then flicked down to his fingers as they worked at the buttons on his slacks, swiftly freeing something much bigger than the apparatus he had just fucked you with. 
“Doctor?” your eyes grew as he stepped closer, rubbing his tip against you in a way that made your eyes flutter. 
Finally meeting your gaze, he uttered, “please, call me Aleksander,” before thrusting his hips forward, stretching you apart with his cock. Fingers digging into your thighs, he glanced back down and smirked, “I think your womb just needs a little reminder of where its home is,” before he slammed in, all the way, pushing the air out of your lungs as his balls nuzzled against you.
“Ah!”
“Just need to knock at its door a bit to call it home,” the tip of his generous length kissed your cervix with every rough thrust, borderline going too deep as you clambered around him, “that’s it, taking the treatment so well.”
Just as you had thought he had settled on a rhythm, he pulled the rug out from under you by suddenly withdrawing his girth entirely, spreading you apart so that he could watch how he made you gape, only to bury himself completely once again, repeating the cycle over and over, relishing in the way it drove you up the wall. 
“Fucking hell… I can feel it, you’re getting close, clamping around me like a desperate little whore,” he groaned, watching as after a few more breath-taking rounds, your pussy began to weep once again, “oh, there it is,” squirting out every time he retraced himself, “atta girl,” the fullness he then granted you only persuaded more to appear. 
When you were nothing more than a literal puddle in his grasp, Aleksander truly lost control, pounding into your trembling mess before he made it even more so, stuffing you full of his hot cum. 
Low groans still flowed from his lips as he retracted from you for good, the sensation of his seed trickling out of you and onto the exam table nearly going unnoticed from how exhausted the treatment had made you. 
“Was that it?” you asked weakly, “am I cured now?”
Tugging himself away as he caught his breath, he answered, “not completely,” glancing back up at you with a glint in his dark eyes, “I think you’re gonna have to come back a few more times …”
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© 2023 thyme-in-a-bubble 
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imrllytootiredforthis · 9 months
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Just Friends
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pairing: beomgyu x reader
summary: Just friends, just friends. That's all there is, all there's ever been but have you really ever been just friends?
warnings: gn reader, dom reader, sub beomgyu, thigh riding, handjob, lots of groping, car sex, mentions of masturbation, possibly more that i forgot
word count: 2.2k
a/n: writer's block is so real, i literal pulled this out of a sleep-deprived haze at 4 in the morning so feedback would be appreciated<3
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Just friends. He tells himself over and over again.
Just friends. You tell yourself over and over again.
But friends don't do things like this on rainy nights in the back of your car. With your windows fogging up and the only light coming from a lone streetlight from the corner of the parking lot.
Friends don't clutch his hips, grinding him down against your thigh. Friends don't pant heavily at the feeling of his fingernails digging deep into the skin of your shoulders almost hard enough to draw blood.
At least they shouldn't.
But maybe you and Beomgyu have never really been 'just friends'.
"God," but it's never gone this far before. "Don't stop, please, don't stop!"
Sure there's been teasing touches and lingering looks, meaningful conversations that maybe meant more than either of you had wanted to admit.
But you hadn't expected it to go this far.
To have him clinging to you. To have his lips all over your neck and your hands all in his hair.
To have his pants discarded somewhere in the back along with his boxers in your haste...
To have his dick rubbing against the rough material of your jeans. To have him sobbing into your ear to not stop, to never stop, that he'll die without your touch.
You suppose your best friend has always been a touch dramatic.
If you could even call him that anymore-your best friend.
"Don't worry baby," every nerve ending in his body feels like it's on fire. His ears feel like they're ringing, replaying your words over and over like a broken record. "I won't."
It feels so good, it hurts so bad.
Tears stream down his face from both-from everything. From you calling him baby like he's yours. With so much affection and adoration, like he's the most important thing in the world to you right now.
Like he isn't shaking against you, crying out like some kind of wounded animal (in heat), thinking or maybe even muttering how he can't get enough, how it'll never be enough, how he wants you so bad, how he'll die before he lets you go.
Your hand guides his lips to yours, soft and sweet and hungry. Devouring every one of his whines up and replying with your own want for more, kissing him like your life depends on it. You'd always thought that he'd sound pretty, but not this pretty, not this pathetic or needy.
"Fuck, Beomgyu."
Your mouth clashes against his over and over, saliva dripping down his chin as he tries and fails in trying not to drool. You're too preoccupied in nipping at his lips that you're faintly aware of his hands slipping under your shirt until they're on your chest, squeezing and exploring everything he's only fantasized of.
He hasn't felt this good before. Ever. Not from past partners or from his own hand. Toys feel like nothing compared to this, the unforgiving bite of denim somehow lightyears better than vibrators and dildos and whatever else he's used to replicate your touch.
The friction makes him feel like he's burning but his hips just rut faster. He wishes it was your skin, soft and comfortable and you-but he doesn't think he can be patient enough. Doesn't think he can find it in himself to let go of you long enough for you to take your pants off. He has his nose in your hair and the taste of you on his tongue, and he can't stop now.
He can't stop. Not when he's wanted this for so, so long.
Okay, so maybe you've never truly been 'just friends'.
Well, maybe before that first time you were out at a party together and a friend of a friend approached Beomgyu, trying to talk him up while you stood right next to him.
Before you'd watched, something ugly simmering in the pit of your stomach that you couldn't fully decipher-that you weren't sure you wanted to decipher.
It was only until Beomgyu shot you a pleading look that you were able to keep your cool and then you'd very kindly told that friend of a friend to back the fuck off and leave the two of you alone.
And maybe, just maybe Beomgyu had gone home that night and let his hand wander past his waistband to wrap around his aching cock.
Jesus christ.
With each stroke of his hand he conjured your image in his mind. It was you looking at him, watching him-touching him. Talking to him in that same cold, mean voice you had talked to that friend of a friend.
Hating him and loving him all in one, rough and cruel but soft and caring. He wanted all of it, all of you.
And then afterwards it was basking in an afterglow of remembering the way that your eyes softened once again when they landed on him and your hand touched his shoulder and you asked if he was okay.
Friends do this...right? He'd thought, not ready yet to admit that maybe it was something more.
Just friends that brought you to his apartment a few weeks later, slightly ashamed and very drunk and looking for some kind of comfort after you'd been out drinking for better part of the night.
Just friends that had your hands all over his body and your lips all over his throat, sloppy wet kisses making his head spin and his body heat up. That'd had you shoving him down onto the couch and climbing on top of him, pushing your knee between his legs as your cold hands slithered up his shirt in search of warm, smooth skin to lay claim on as yours.
Just friends with the way that you promptly passed out on top of him and conveniently remembered nothing of the night before. Of groping your best friend, of telling him how pretty he was, of whispering that he was a good boy.
'I want you.'
'You're so pretty.'
'Perfect.'
'My good boy.'
'Mine.'
Friends don't know the way his moans sound. Or the way his skin feels against yours.
Like tonight,
A movie. That was all it was supposed to be.
Platonic. Friends. Just going to see a movie together, get dinner after. Nothing more.
"Touch me! G-od, please touch me!" His hand flies up, fingers dig into your wrist as he pulls it down between his legs, his dick throbbing and needy.
It feels so much better-your hand-your skin, your fingers loosely wrapping around him, teasingly rubbing at the tip. "And why should I baby? Have you been good? Have you been a good boy?"
He doesn't know.
He doesn't knowHe doesn't knowHe doesn't know.
All he knows is you.
Just friends shouldn't let things get to this point.
...Oh well.
A movie. A quiet theatre. Darkness and eyes all too often glancing at the profile of the other.
A tension palpable in the air as fingers brushed against each other to grab popcorn. Hands aching, itching to hold each other. An agonizing one hundred and twenty minutes.
Nothing though.
Only getting into the car afterwards and driving off.
"What do you want to eat?" He only shrugs in reply and you roll your eyes. "Helpful."
"Well I dunno," he thinks, "the usual? I can place an order to your place and we should get back before it gets there."
You hum in reply. "It's late though, you planning to stay over for the night?"
"...Sure."
Hesitation. He can only think of the last time you stayed the night. So long ago now, he'd avoided either of you spending the night at the others ever since. From fear? From preservation? Or from hoping that your frustration would break the dam first.
'I want you.'
'Mine.'
Words that flash through his mind unbridled. Sounds and touches that flood his brain
'My good boy.'
He swallows, trying to keep his eyes on the screen of the phone. Trying to hope the darkness blankets how red his face has turned.
"Hey could you pull over here?"
"Sure?" You'd glanced over at him and the question on your face evident.
He didn't elaborate though and you didn't ask.
You'd pulled into a mostly empty parking lot. Only a few cars left in front of a grey, drab building. Parked beside a flickering streetlight that continued for a few minutes before doing out completely. Certainly the furthest thing from being romantic by any means.
Nothing specific broke the tension, the unspoken rules.
But the next thing the either of you know is he's on your lap clawing at you aimlessly, pure desire fuelling him to do such pathetic things. Like telling you how horny he is and how bad he needs you.
You don't seem to have any problem with his confession though.
Responding in turn rather appropriately you'd think. And then your lips are against his and you're tugging at his clothes and touching his body like he's your last lifeline.
And then you're in the backseat of the car, his pants and boxers discarded into the back, your lips curled into a smirk against his skin.
And then you're here.
Doing things that friends certainly should not be doing.
"M' a good boy, promise! Please, I'll be your good boy!"
You'd imagined how his face would look all fucked out all but a million times in the dead of night, thinking about things you certainly should not have been thinking about.
But you'd never know that your imagination would do absolutely no justice to the real thing.
To his lips slick with your spit and his skin glowing with a sheen of sweat. Eyes fluttering like he's fighting to merely keep them open with every sensation he's feeling.
"Pretty~" you mutter.
Bite marks and hickeys all over his neck and collarbone-good thing it's nearly scarf season. Or bad thing, you're not sure you want him to hide these or if you want him to parade them around, show off your claim to him to everyone.
"So fucking pretty it's not fair-" a high, needy whine climbs up his throat and he lets it, because you don't even have to say it, he knows how much you love hearing how good you make him feel.
His eyebrows tug together as if in concentration. Concentration to stay sane while you let him fuck into your hand.
You trail a finger over his cheekbone, collecting a tear while everything within him tries not to let this end, because it can't be over yet, he doesn't want it to be over yet and he's not sure he can go again until later-if there is a later.
You lick the tear off your finger and his eyes nearly roll into the back of his head. "Not fucking fair to make me wait this long. Such a tease, such a whore."
Fingers press against his lips and he opens with zero hesitation. This is what you want, this is what he wants-more than anything.
You pull them out all too soon and replace your fingers with your tongue, letting him suck it into his mouth with a moan.
Your grip tightens, your hand moves faster and faster and his toes curl. Too much, too much-he can't...it can't, he doesn't want this to be over-
"No!"
His head falls into your neck with a strangled scream as he cums into your hand, staining your jeans and his shirt. You stroke him still to prolong the pleasure, milking him dry of everything he has before he lets out the first whine of protest and you stop.
"Please,"
His breath comes out in rushed pants, his head a jumbled mess of "more, please more-" followed by incoherent babbles and then, finally, "I can go again, wanna...wanna go again. Just...use me, use me however you want." as his hips work still, even if it only works against what he really wants, releasing pained whimpers all the while from the self-inflicted overstimulation.
You smile and he can practically hear it before he's flipped into his back, spread out and pinned against the slightly uncomfortable seats of your car as you press apart his legs, eyes roving over him before beginning to undo your pants.
"Use you, huh baby?"
Yes.
However you want. Use him however you want. That's all he wants. All he's wanted for so long.
The pads of your fingers press against his thigh, too close and he squirms with oversensitivity.
"We'll still be friends after this though right?"
He lets out a noise between a cry and an affirmation, eyes sliding shut as your body presses against his.
"Friends!" He gasps.
Your fingers lace together. You smile.
"But not just friends now are we...?"
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a/n: y'all please forgive me if this is absolute bullshit. i feel like i haven't written anything for real in forever and i feel like rusty now lol. but lmk what you think (to possibly give me inspo to write more lol😭)
my taglist is here if you wanna be added: @hobihearteu, @lemonhongjoong, @laylasbunbunny, @xcookiemonsteer, @hahagay, @maru-matt, @d7dream, @amidstnamjin-and-binchanlix,
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neptuneiris · 5 months
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could you pretend to be in love? (02/10)
The Contract
pairing: modern!aemond × fem!reader (fake dating)
summary: there is no turning back now and now you and Aemond set the rules and conditions to start the whole farce.
word count: 4.6k
previous part • next part • series masterlist
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!🥳
I thought this would be a very nice way to wish happy new year to all of you beautiful people who support me and like what I write, you don't know how much that means to me🥺
thank you for so much support and for so much love, I have loved being here and I definitely plan to stay for longer, seeing how that love evolves and my place here as a writer🥰 so enjoy a lot this new chapter that I really hope you like it a lot❤
many blessings to all of you, my best wishes for your lives in this 2024, I love you all so much!😊❤
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enjoy!
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It's the first thing you see after turning off the alarm and you curiously enter to read the recent messages from an unknown number, not having the slightest idea of who it might be.
But you let out a long sigh of frustration when you read them and see that it's Aemond, who you don't understand how the fuck he got your number. Of course, it shouldn't have been hard for him, just a few questions and anyone can tell him what he wants to know.
And knowing that you have a long day ahead of you today, you already feel the pressure all over your body when you haven't even left your bed, where you also feel the frustration and all this uncertainty that you thought you had already overcome, but no.
You barely accepted yesterday and suddenly putting the plan into action from one day to the next, it's too much. But without really having a choice, you reluctantly force yourself to get up and start getting ready.
After an hour, you leave your house with the nagging feeling of carrying a weight on your shoulders to school. And all the way there, not even the music in your ears can make your mind calm down for a moment.
Knowing very soon that your whole social life will be a mess and you will no longer be invisible, since after all Aemond was right in that respect, causes you even more uneasiness and also nervousness because you are going to pretend to be the girlfriend of the most popular guy in school.
And once the bus makes its stop, you soon enter the halls of the bustling school. And knowing that a certain silver-haired guy is waiting for you right now, every heavy step you take towards the schoolyard echoes loudly in your ears, increasing your nervousness and anxiety.
You're even tempted to back up and tell him to forget it, but you resist and keep moving forward.
As you walk through the huge doors of the backyard, it's only a matter of time before you make out the figure of Aemond sitting at the same table as yesterday in the distance. Your heart skips a beat and you feel more nervous, but gathering your courage and taking a long breath, you advance towards him, ready but with uncertain steps.
Every step seems heavy, as if you are walking into the unknown and you try to hide the nerves in your gaze, especially when Aemond notices your presence. He watches you and slowly turns to you, a subtle smile on his lips.
Again there is that feeling of telling him to forget it, to find someone else, that you can't do this. But... your mind stops you and screams at you not to be silly, that at the end of it all there will be a reward, a very good reward that getting it by faking a relationship with him, is nothing.
And it's definitely worth it.
So resigned, you reach out to him.
"Hey," he says to you without wiping off his little smile, as you take a seat in front of him and he waits for you to finish settling in, "So you've come."
"Don't bother me," you tell him without humor, definitely contrasting his mood to yours.
"Now what did I do?"
"That," you point to his face, "You're enjoying this, seeing that I haven't backed out."
"Oh, please, I actually thought you wouldn't come and tell me to fuck off after you thought better of it," he justifies himself.
"Yeah? Well, nothing a free admission to your dream college won't do," you say with a slightly sarcastic tone, though implicitly admitting your reasons, "And it's actually not like I like skipping classes, so could we get this started?"
Aemond exhales long, averting his gaze from yours for a moment before returning to watching you.
"You know you'll have to be charming and act like you're completely in love with me in public, right?" he poses, expectantly.
"Yes, I know... in public," you point out to him, "Just now no one knows we're 'dating' genius," you add, underlining the falsity of the situation.
He places a small, amused, smirk on his lips.
"Yet."
He adds with a slightly defiant tone and you roll your eyes.
"Don't get too excited either."
"Are you not?"
"Oh yeah, I can't handle the excitement," you feign in a high-pitched, ironic voice, making exaggerated hand gestures.
Aemond lets out a short but genuine laugh at your gesture. He leans back slightly, his eye revealing a mischievous glint as he watches you.
"Glad to see you're keeping your sense of humor in this," he says with his tone changing slightly to a more relaxed one.
"I don't have much choice, do I?" you reply, accepting his change of mood, but still maintaining a certain emotional distance.
You figure it's just a matter of the two of you getting more into trust, and if you're going to do this with him, you're definitely going to do your part. But for now, this is still a little awkward and unexpected. And the sooner you do this, the better it will be for you.
So you shift your focus and lean forward slightly with a more serious expression on your face.
"So let's get started?"
"Well, making a contract will take up a lot of our time, so I thought it would be easier to just say and agree between us-
"It will be easier this way, to write down and establish the rules and the conditions we want to do during all this, just to have everything clear and not miss anything, Aemond," you interrupt him, taking out a notebook and a pen to start writing.
"Okay, fine," he says, shrugging his shoulders.
"So?" you watch him expectantly with the blank sheet of paper in front of you and your pen in hand, "What do you suggest first?"
"Well... first we need to know when this will all end," he begins to say, adopting a relaxed but firm stance, "And I would say that it may end when it is no longer necessary for both of you to continue pretending. But I think it's a better idea for us to last until graduation."
He proposes, looking at you intently, waiting for your reaction and you can't help but be a little surprised to hear that.
"Until graduation?" you repeat and he nods, "But you really want to do this for almost five months?"
"I know it's a long time, but that time can be beneficial for both of us," he explains, "That's enough time to give our relationship credibility and authenticity and it's also enough time to handle any problems that arise."
He says and you nod cautiously, evaluating his words.
"But if you disagree, tell me," he hurries to say.
His calm tone and your reasons contrast with the uncertainty and indecision you feel. And the two of you have barely started.
Five months is such a compromising situation and it generates some concern, because you know you will face so many things you still have no idea about and every day it could become more complicated to maintain the farce.
"I guess it's okay," you cautiously admit, trying to see the big picture, "But I feel like it's still a long time. But also reducing that time might not be enough," you agree.
"Yes but I'm sure we can handle it. And don't worry, if at some point we feel it's too much or we don't have enough reason to keep pretending anymore, we can talk iand end it."
You remain pondering, considering his words and after a few seconds you nod in agreement, and write it down as the first point on the sheet. But this alone is the first piece of a much more complicated puzzle.
1. Duration of relationship: Until graduation.
And Aemond also brings up the next point of the contract, expressing his ideas with quiet but evident assurance.
"Now, second..." he begins, "As for behavior in public, we should genuinely show affection in the hallways, cafeteria, and at any school activity and event. In a relationship people don't take their hands off each other, so we should smile at each other, hug each other, make subtle gestures, hold hands-
"Don't say kissing, please," you interrupt him, pleading, taking him by surprise.
"Of course, Y/N," he tells you instantly, incredulous, "Obviously we'll have to kiss."
As if having to act completely in love with him and be every moment touching him isn't enough. But the idea of kissing seems a bit much to you.
"I agree about showing affection and all that, but that kissing thing might be awkward and... weird," you say, trying to be sincere but not seeming completely closed off to the idea.
Aemond looks at you incredulously.
"So you don't want us to kiss?"
"I don't think it's necessary, honestly."
"Are you crazy? How are we supposed to pretend if we're not going to kiss? No one's going to believe us if we don't kiss and that's what will literally make the whole relationship believable," he insists, visibly concerned.
"Yeah, I get that it might seem necessary, but...at least I don't want to be having to kiss you every single time."
"You don't want to kiss me?" he asks you, visibly surprised, confused and... maybe a little hurt?
You watch him silently for a moment not understanding his reaction and then watch him with a small amused smile.
"I'm not one of your fans, Targaryen."
"Oh come on, everyone wants to kiss me," he says confused and incredulous, proving his point.
"Even the guys?"
"Well... yeah, I don't know, maybe some of them," he says with a shrug.
"Seven Hells," you mutter, averting your gaze for a moment, "I-I really don't want to do that," you say, speaking seriously and then you let out a sigh, "But you're right that no one's going to believe us-
"Obviously. I always have," he is quick to say.
"So my proposal is this... we'll kiss, yes, but only when it's extremely necessary, and when I say extremely necessary I mean extremely necessary."
You watch him intently, keeping yourself willing with your proposal, waiting for his opinion, which judging by his face, he doesn't quite agree with.
"And what would those extremely necessary moments be exactly?" he inquires, attentive and interested, also still looking slightly worried.
"In the cafeteria or in the hallways when everyone is obviously looking at us and we're attracting attention. Just don't abuse it."
Aemond lets out a long breath.
"Well, let's limit them to extremely necessary moments," he finally says resignedly and you quickly note the second point.
2. Behavior in public: Show affection as genuinely as possible in public, such as gestures, hugs, and holding hands. KISSING ONLY WHEN EXTREMELY NECESSARY.
"But then that second point is also going to apply to the parties you'll be going to with me and my lacrosse games you'll be going to."
You quickly raise your gaze to him.
"What?"
"Yes," he nods, "Going to the parties together will also lend credibility to the relationship and obviously we have to be very close to each other. And it's the same in my games, you must go to support and encourage me, like any girlfriend in love with her boyfriend would."
Aemond's words provoke an instant reaction in you, that confusing you and taking you by surprise.
"But I don't go to parties."
"Now you will," he says with a calm expression, reaching out his hand and taking the pen and your notebook.
"But-
He is already writing in a section further down the sheet which he lists as; 'additional conditions'.
Parties.
Lacrosse games.
"Aemond, I'm not a big fan of parties, really," you insist, "You'll have a bad time if you take me with you and I'll probably ruin everything."
"Don't worry, I'll teach you the trick to having a good time and change that mentality you have. Besides I won't take you to every party, just a few," he assures you, "All while keeping up appearances," he hands you back your notebook and pen, "With me you'll never get bored, I promise," he says with a small smile on his lips.
You let out a sigh, placing the notebook back in front of you, still undecided.
"Yes? Well, we'll see about that. I warned you though."
He lets out a soft little laugh.
"Come on Y/N, you can't be that bad."
"I assure you I can be."
"And so what do you do for fun?" he asks you, keeping his smile, curiosity evident in his gaze.
And there it is, the question that totally describes your personality and that in fact you don't like to answer to just anyone, because then they call you boring. But you can't lie to Aemond, he is astute enough and would notice.
So you decide to be honest.
"I like to read," you reply, lowering your gaze and feeling slightly embarrassed, "And I love going to the movies or watching movies and shows at home, either one is totally fine with me. Oh... and... hm... I also like ice skating, although I don't do that as often but... it's something I like too."
And even though it's only a bit of the world of things you like, Aemond listens to you attentively with a soft expression, saying nothing afterwards, as if he's processing every word you've said, while you only feel more embarrassed by the silence.
You know there's nothing wrong with it but it always made you insecure to share your hobbies, mostly because you know that many girls your age enjoy their teenage years going out with friends to parties and getting drunk.
That didn't and doesn't appeal to you now. You have long been more comfortable with the idea of staying home or going out somewhere else instead of going to parties.
It's not as if you don't attend or avoid every social event, yes you can attend and have a good time depending on who you are with and where, but not as often as every weekend.
However, you understand and recognize the logic behind Aemond's suggestion and that is that attending parties, is essential. And just as he is about to finally speak, you do so first.
"I know they are simple things and are not very exciting for most people. I also know they can be very boring but for me... that's what I like," you shyly confess.
"Hm," he says, taking a small moment, watching you softly, only causing you even more embarrassment, "Well, that's not what I was going to say," he says, catching your attention, "Sometimes it is the simple things that mean the most to everyone and, being honest... I find them interesting," he adds, trying to evaporate any awkwardness and embarrassment you might feel.
You raise your gaze, meeting his bright blue eye watching you softly and with his gaze full of genuine understanding, along with that hint of curiosity. And that gets your attention too.
He's not judging you. And even though it's not something he would do or at least hasn't tried to do yet, he's not judging you for it and you see that genuine interest in his gaze.
"Tell you what, for every party you go to with me, I'll read one of your favorite books or a movie or shows you want me to watch," he says, picking up the notebook and pen again.
"What?" you look at him confused, unable to help but smile in bewilderment, "Are you serious?"
"You must set your own conditions too," he states as he writes, "I already dragged you into my world, so now you're dragging me into yours," he looks up at you, "What do you think? Is it a fair exchange or not?"
His proposal takes you by surprise and also confuses you a little, however, the small smile remains on your face.
The genuine expression of openness on his face and the determination with which he wrote definitely makes you feel more comfortable. His willingness to immerse himself in your interests was not something you had agreed upon from the beginning, nor is it something extremely necessary to fake a relationship.
But it's for the simple reason that you both feel comfortable if you're going to pretend for almost five months and it seems like a nice gesture from him to include it, something you honestly didn't expect from him.
And when he gives you back your notebook, you see the new rule under 'additional conditions'.
For every party Y/N goes to with me, I will read a book or watch one of her favorite movies or shows.
"Yes," you nod, "Sounds like a fair deal to me."
Aemond smiles, pleased with your answer and also seeing the expression on your face.
"Great. We'll see if I discover something new I like. And you too..." he points at you with his index finger, "You won't regret it after you have a great time at my parties," he says enthusiastically, with a sort of complicity in his tone.
"Well, we'll see if you manage to impress me."
And right there, the two of you exchange complicit glances, Aemond having that little smile on his lips while you don't understand this strange new alliance the two of you are building.
But even though you didn't expect it, it's definitely to your liking.
"Now, third..." you point to the notebook with your pen, "Reinforcing the second rule, public appearance," you say, observing him, "We must act as a committed and attentive couple to each other at school and to these parties you want us to go to."
Aemond nods determinedly, thoughtfully.
"Yes, commitment at all times," he states seriously.
"So, that also means that neither of us can be with other people for the duration of all this, not even secretly," you add, making the point clear.
"And you want to write that as a rule too? It's obvious that neither of us should-
"I'll write it as the fourth rule, just to be clear about everything as I told you."
"Oh, fine."
3. Public appearance: Act like a real couple in love, be committed and attentive to each other at school and social events.
4. No involvement with other girls/guys: No casual encounters or texting with anyone else for the duration of the fake relationship.
"Oh and also..." says Aemond, reminding, "Since we're at that point, on additional conditions write that we should both upload photos and videos together on our social media. It's another way to lend credibility to our relationship."
"Photos and videos together on our social media," you repeat, looking at the notebook.
And this catches Aemond's attention.
"Don't tell me you don't use your social media," he says beginning to sound alert and concerned.
"No, no, I-I mean, yes," you hasten to say, "It's just... I don't know, I most likely don't use them as often as you do, besided I have very few followers."
"Don't worry, whatever followers you have are fine. Besides, I'm sure they'll increase when I upload my first photo with you."
You roll your eyes with an amused smile.
"Okay, Mr. Popularity."
"And speaking of that, hand me your Instagram and all your networks," he says instantly, grabbing his cell phone from his front pocket, "We better have that all figured out now."
Obviously Aemond's accounts had to be public while you maintain your privacy, with barely thirteen hundred followers while he has almost the entire school following him and probably from other schools as well.
In fact, your numbers compared to his are embarrassing. But you never really had the interest of having more followers on Instagram or more friends on Facebook, Snapchat is the same and apparently that doesn't matter to Aemond.
Upload photos and videos together to our social media.
"And well, I also think another very important thing is to maintain privacy," you suggest, lifting your gaze to watch him and Aemond gives you a confused look.
"Do you really want to write that down too? It's obvious we can't tell anyone-
"Let me enjoy this, Aemond. It's actually fun and I want to write it all down. So act serious," you ask.
He lets out a choked laugh.
"Well, yes, we must be discreet, no one must know that all this is false, only we know the truth and we must keep it that way," he says and you excitedly write it down.
"We mustn't involve our families in this either," you add, watching him intently, "But that will be difficult because your siblings are here," you grimace.
"We can keep up the farse with them for a while too, I'll convince them not to say anything to my mother or the rest of my family. And once everyone here at school is convinced enough, I'll tell the truth only to them," he say sure and confident, solving the problem.
"And you're sure you'll manage to keep them that way?"
"Yeah," he says with a shrug, "They're my siblings. I know how it works with each one."
5. Maintain privacy: Tell absolutely no one about the fake relationship or involve each other's families in it.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot..." Aemond says as he points to what is already written, "You must also go on each year's trip to Dragonstone with me. That's another additional condition of mine."
"What?" you inquire again, surprised and confused.
"Yes, the trip to Dragonstone," he affirms.
Oh God, the trip to Dragonstone.
Dragonstone is an island not far from King's Landing, where there is an ancient castle with a lot of history but has been modernized with the same name and is open to every visitor.
The school makes an annual trip for educational purposes as the castle has relics and structuring from thousands of years ago. You have seen pictures and videos where everything looks really beautiful, ancestral and almost royalty.
In addition the castle offers other activities, such as rides on its huge luxury yachts, surfing, diving and swimming lessons.
You always had the spirit to go but have always known that the trip is anything but educational. You've heard stories that happen with the students, such as getting drunk, partying on the yachts, hot tubs and obviously you've heard stories of who slept with whom.
Even the most reserved get to have fun and it's not something you're interested in. You know you don't fit in that environment, especially since everyone has to share a room and you're sure that if you go, you'll have to share a room with girls with different tastes and perspectives than yours. They probably won't even let you sleep.
"Come on Y/N, you've never been to Dragonstone?" asks Aemond incredulously, noting the grimace on your face for wanting you to go there with him.
"Well, yeah I've wanted to go but... I-I, I don't know, I've heard that instead of learning about the place, everyone goes to having fun, they party, they get drunk and I-I don't...
"And what do you expect us to do in a modern castle on the shore of the beach with yachts and hot tubs?" he inquires again, expectantly, "The trip is planned for the middle of the last month of these five months and you can't let me go alone with the things that go on in that place."
You make your grimace more visible, revealing your clear indecision. And even though you and Aemond have been at odds lately over the matter of tastes, he still places a soft smile in your direction, understanding that you are not like him and prefer to do other things.
"Look, you don't have to go to the parties and drink if you don't want to," he starts to tell you, "But we can at least go to one of the parties on the yachts and then do the activities they offer on site, swimming, diving and all that," he proposes, "We'll take pictures, tour the castle and we'll both be equally satisfied."
You ponder for a moment, considering his proposal. You know you only have to get your father's signature on the permit to be able to go to the island and it's not like you've gone before so... you can do it now.
"Well, I guess that's fine," you nod, "But really promise you won't leave me alone and we'll take the time to do other activities that aren't related to partying on yachts and hot tubs."
"Please, we'll go as a couple, so of course I won't leave you alone. You'll be stuck with me," he assures you, "And I also promise you that we'll do other activities, not just the parties."
"And..." you start to say, in a serious, warning tone, "Also promise you'll pick me up every morning to bring me to school. That's another one of my additional conditions. The bus isn't very comfortable anymore."
He nods, shrugging, completely unconcerned.
"Sure, it's no problem. Besides it will make the relationship more credible," he says softly.
Despite your doubts, you feel a sense of relief at seeing and acknowledging his commitment. And you also feel more confident knowing that you have his support in all of this, even in your conditions. So you write down the two new additional conditions.
Drive Y/N every morning to school.
Dragonstone trip.
At the end you both sign the sheet, looking honestly ridiculous but being funny, then both seal the whole contract by shaking hands.
"So when do we start all this?" you ask him, putting away your notebook and pen.
"I say tomorrow," he gives you a look of understanding, "But we need to talk now during classes in the hallways or in the cafeteria, so that when they see us together tomorrow, it won't be so surprising and will seem more believable."
You give him an unsure look.
"I think it will still be very surprising, Aemond."
"It doesn't matter, we just have to start showing together today, just talking. But tomorrow is when we really start."
And just as he says those words, with that determination, you feel again those nerves in your lower abdomen and that insecurity. But at least you still have all day today to mentally prepare yourself, and you're grateful for that.
"And before I forget this too..." he says again, "I need you to send me all your academic information to work on your college application now," he tells you seriously and you watch him completely attentively, "The five months will go by fast and during that time college applications will start. So it's best to get it all in now."
At this, you feel your heart start to beat fast and you don't know why, you guess because it's a very important issue for you. And more than anything else it's the reason you agreed to do this with him.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," you say softly, "I-I'll email it all to you."
He smiles softly in your direction.
"Very well," he nods at you, "I'll text you my email."
Despite your slight doubts about whatever is going to happen next, the idea of starting a fake relationship leaving you with a knot in your stomach and feeling your emotions mixed, you know this will all be worth a try.
So you pick up your phone and you start to write in an email all your personal and academic information. While at the same time all is said and done and the fake relationship contract is over.
THE CONTRACT
Duration of relationship: Until graduation.
Behavior in public: Show affection as genuinely as possible in public, such as gestures, hugs, and holding hands. KISSING ONLY WHEN EXTREMELY NECESSARY.
Public appearance: Act like a real couple in love, be committed and attentive to each other at school and social events.
No involvement with other girls/guys: No casual encounters or texting with anyone else for the duration of the fake relationship.
Maintain privacy: Tell absolutely no one about the fake relationship or involve each other's families in it.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS
Parties.
Lacrosse games.
For every party Y/N goes to with me, I will read a book or watch one of her favorite movies or shows.
Upload photos and videos together to our social media.
Drive Y/N every morning to school.
Dragonstone trip.
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general taglist
@melsunshine @at-a-rax-ia @jxdegodfrey @ttkttt @yentroucnagol @kate-to-the-ki @iamavailablesstuff
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kaylinalexanderbooks · 6 months
Text
Attention Writers!!!
So many times I see "just write! Doesn't matter if it's bad! You can always revise!!"
And I get that. It's something that a lot of people struggle with; being perfect on the first go. It's true that you shouldn't stress yourself out with something being messy. First drafts are BY NATURE messy.
But NEVER
I repeat
NEVER
Force yourself to write when you can't
Putting impossible deadlines or goals on yourself will NOT HELP
Writing should be fun! If it's not fun, if it's not freeing, if it's stressful and taxing and doesn't feel worth it
Stop
And let that be okay.
You don't have to suffer for good art.
Allow yourself to take a break. Take care of yourself.
But that doesn't mean you can't work on it.
Do background research. Outline. Take a personality quiz for your characters. Try to draw your characters. Try to draw scenes. Focus on character building. Write side projects. Create mood boards. Do whatever you want.
Thinking about it counts as working on it!!!
The writing process is vast and non-linear. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you HAVE to write every single day.
You don't HAVE to.
It's true, you can always revise things you don't like.
But it's also true that the writing process is more than just writing
While the first piece of advice always comes from the best of intentions, I've seen so many writers sink into bouts of depression, anxiety, terror, and low self worth because they missed their goal, they haven't written, they've run out of steam, they lack motivation.
And it saddens me every time.
Writers, take care of yourself.
Remember thinking about it counts as working on it
Approach your craft with love
Have fun writing
~Kaylin
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rosamayarts · 10 months
Text
The writers did a really clever thing with Aziraphale and Crowley's romance. In season 1, everything about their relationship is done through subtext. As an audience, we are quite used to queer relationships being done through subtext, so a lot of us probably thought 'oh, this is just the show's way of showing that they're in love without saying it explicitly.' The closest they come to communicating their feelings is mostly through very strong implication, rather than direct communication. For example, when Aziraphale gets discorporated, Crowley says "I lost my best friend." We can infer that he is talking about Aziraphale, who he thought was gone. But he doesn't say "You are the most important person in my life and I thought I lost you." He is just strongly implying it. Same with asking to run away together; again, we can assume from this action that Aziraphale is the most important person in Crowley's life, and he is asking him to go off together. But Crowley never actually *says* this. Because it's a TV show, we just assume that this is what he means. Crowley and Aziraphale express their love for each other entirely through actions, and not direct communication. Aziraphale, instead of threatening to kill Crowley, threatens that he will 'never talk to him again.' And Crowley figures out what to do because this is the worst thing that he can think of, not being able to talk to Aziraphale. As an audience, we watch this and marvel at how smart the writing is; it is so clear how much they love each other without even saying it. But that is just fiction. Real relationships cannot work without any direct communication. Real relationships can't rely entirely on subtext and coded language and communicating entirely through actions and not words. And that's when things fall apart. We see Crowley and Aziraphale make their very first steps towards direct communication in that last scene. Crowley says that he wants them to be an 'us.' He is still not able to quite use the exact words 'I love you' but he says that they are a team and a group and that they can rely on each other. Aziraphale tells Crowley that he needs him. And then Crowley kisses him. These are all huge steps towards direct communication, but they still aren't quite there yet. What is Aziraphale forgiving him for? What was Crowley trying to communicate through the kiss? They still aren't on the same page. They both see the other's actions as a rejection, when it isn't, it's more of a 'I love you but I won't compromise who I am to be with you.' Which is good and healthy, they shouldn't compromise who they are to be with each other. But they never communicate this. They are so used to figuring out what the other person is saying through subtext and coded language, that this is what they are doing in that last scene as well. This is why I adored the ending of season 2 even more than the ending of season 1. Because now, Aziraphale and Crowley are going to have to actually start talking to each other about real things. And the endgame relationship will be *so* much more beautiful for it.
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cripplecharacters · 2 months
Note
Hi, I have some questions regarding confusion over a certain topic. First off, I have a character with a severe scarring on the upper right side of their body. I've heard in some tumblr ppsts that such appearance shouldn't be fetished. Then I stumbled across some posts, mentioning how the character can be described as 'pretty with it'.
For sure, I'm trying my best to normalize the looks. Because I have a love interest set up for them and while they don't mind the looks, I feel confused on how to convey their appreciation for the character's looks even with the scarring. They like the character as they are and stuff.
Sorry if this is a lot, I tend to get confused on how to handle such scenarios. And this sort of varying opinions is making me go '???'.
It's okay if you take your time to answer! Have a good day ahead of ya!
Hi!
"Fetishization of a disability" and "thinking that a disabled person is pretty" are two very different things. Despite the somewhat similar sound, they're not connected by much.
In the context of scars, fetishization would be what I would call the "Zuko situation" (yes, I love ATLA as much as the next guy, let me explain) - the scar isn't really a scar, it's more of a, I don't know, make-up? It's just the color that changes, it's all sharp edges and intricate shapes, the facial structure stays the exact same. There's no physical symptoms. Essentially, it's permanent body paint.
It fetishizes a disability by making it inaccurate, sometimes almost mystical. You don't see anyone fetishizing how real people with facial burns look like because they only like the idea of it. They don't care for us; they don't care for Face Equality or why we are offended by "villain with scar #32482". It's just a fun splotch of color to add to your OC when you're out of ideas.
Another aspect of fetishization is the "a scar is the worst thing in the whole world", the tragedy porn. It's using a disability for cheap drama. Again; it's inaccurate and exploitative. I don't see writers excited to depict my "coming to terms with my facial difference as a teenager, and eventually being proud of it" experience because where's the shock value and pity points? Fetishization, again, is about liking the idea of it, not the real thing.
Describing your character as beautiful, well, isn't any of that.
The point that I tried to make on that post was that a scar is often considered inherently ugly. That it's a stain on someone's beauty, that it would be better if it wasn't there.
"Brown beautiful eyes, thick facial hair, strong cheekbones - he managed to be irresistibly handsome even with that nasty scar going across his nose."
This, well, sucks. It's as if the character's beauty and their disability are contradictory forces that have to fight each other. But in reality, scars and any other visible disabilities are neutral. If the character is pretty, their scar is pretty too. It's a part of them, so how could it not be?
"She was a cute girl; her pastel pink, thinly braided hair framed her face, defying gravity by curling towards her mouth. The burned skin on her lips shifted as she smiled, revealing a tooth gap. She played with her equally pink 'white' cane, holding it between the two fingers she had on her right hand, bopping it against the ground to the rhythm of the song."
This, on the other hand, just states her disability as a part of her person. It's nothing weird or shocking, she's pretty, has a burn on her face, she's blind, she's missing some fingers, she's enjoying the music - it's almost boring when compared to the usual "scar introduction". There's no "even with her horribly burnt face", no "if only she wasn't scarred she would be beautiful", no "poor thing, lost her fingers in a horrific fire" - instead, she is beautiful, and she has scars, and she sure is having fun. That's it.
This is my best shot at explaining the difference between "fetishization" and "yeah they're pretty :-)" ft. my questionable writing - I hope this makes sense.
I definitely took my time to answer, sorry about that. Thank you for your ask!
mod Sasza
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andillneverbethesame · 8 months
Note
hi! my first req so i apologise if it's incredibly awkward >.< saw you were looking for ts x hp requests and i would love to see 'mine' with james, if possible? tysm!! <3
𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.
❥ pairings; james potter x fem!reader
❥ summary; after a failed marriage of your parents, your views on love are pessimistic. however, a certain handsome waiter makes you believe in it again.
❥ warnings; muggle au
❥ a/n; this is so bad n short but i have a writer's block so i'm sorry yall :(
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"and what can i get you?" the waiter turned to you and gave you a smile he didn't give your friend.
you weren't stupid. you knew this boy— james — was flirting with you. you knew this since the very first time you walked into this café and he was there. but you had to act clueless. you didn't want to give him a chance just to get your heart shattered.
"cappuccino would be good," you said with a small smile. it was the kind of smile that shouldn't get his hopes high.
he nodded and winked at you. "i'll be right back."
your friend dorcas elbowed you harshly in the ribs and you let out a groan of pain.
"what was that for?"
she placed her hands on your shoulders and started shaking with you.
"wake up! that bloke's totally into you!"
you slapped her hands away. "well, i know that!he's not being really secretive about it."
"then why aren't you flirting back? he's really handsome, i'd totally go for him if he was a girl."
you rolled your eyes. "he probably just wants to get into my pants anyway."
"he's been flirting with you for weeks! if he really only wanted to sleep with you, it would already happen."
you didn't respond to that because james was back with your order.
you looked up and thanked him and he gave you that smile again, not even bothering to glance at dorcas before walking away.
when he was gone and dorcas started talking about her new job, you noticed a piece of paper on the small plate under your cup.
you furrowed your eyebrows and read it.
call me;
his number was scribbled bellow.
mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine
when you got home that day, you placed the piece of paper on your bedside table and stared at it. you wondered all afternoon and evening if you should call him and give him a chance or not.
as you were lying in bed, trying to fall asleep with that handsome waiter in your mind, you thought about it all.
you hated to admit it but your heart did in fact skip a beat when he smiled or winked at you and you really wanted to see that more often and not only in the café.
before you knew what you were doing, you propped on one of your elbows and reached for the piece of paper and your phone.
you dialed it, your heart beating fast and your palms getting sweaty.
it was only after one ring you heard his voice.
"hello?"
you opened your mouth but no sound was coming for about a second before you managed to stutter, "h-hi..."
he must have recognised your voice because the next thing he said was, "thank god, i was already thinking i made a complete fool out of myself!"
you let out a small laugh. "no, not at all. i'm sorry i'm calling this late but i had a lot of things to...consider."
you imagined him nod even though you couldn't see it.
"no, that's completely alright. i'm very glad you called. . ." when you didn't say anything, he continued, "this is the part where you say your name."
your eyes widen. "oh, right! sorry. my name's y/n."
"y/n," he repeated. "pretty name for a pretty girl."
it was cliche and you knew it but it made you blush anyway.
"i was wondering if you wanted to. . maybe grab a coffee or go to the cinema or something."
you smiled. "i'd like anything."
"okay! it's a surprise then. how about i pick you up tomorrow at four?"
you quickly thought if you have any plans for tomorrow at four but you knew if there were any, you'd cancel them.
"yes, sounds great. i'll text you the adress."
"awesome!" even though you couldn't see him, you swore you heard a smile in his voice. "all settled then. see you tomorrow, y/n."
"see you, james. goodnight!"
"goodnight."
mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine
the next day at four, just as he promised, james's car was outside your flat building.
you practically ran out of the door and soon regretted to giving into dorcas pleads to wear dress when it was almost autumn already but you didn't want to go back to change now that james saw you.
he got out of his car and like a true gentleman he opened the door for you.
"hi!" he beamed when you reached him. "you look beautiful."
blood rushed into your cheeks. "thank you. you don't look bad yourself."
to say james was good looking would be an incorrent statement. he was so goddamn beautiful with his black curls in his eyes and you didn't regret anything.
you got into the passenger's seat and james got into his driver's one.
"ready to go?"
you nodded.
mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine
the whole way to wherever james was taking you, you both spend it by saying the most basic things about yourselves. you found out he's a college student and he plays rugby and that he'd like to be a professional rugby player in the future and at that moment you decided you were going to watch his nearest game to surprise him.
you yourself talked quite a lot during the care ride which was unusual because you only talked a lot with people close to you.
you arrived at a lake you haven't been at before. it was surrounded by forest and grass. as you were looking around, james pulled out a blanket and a picnic basket out of the car. when you turned back to him, the blanket was laid on the grass by the water and james finished pulling out all the food he brought. you suddenly realised that he must have remembered everything you ever ordered because that's what was lying on the blanket; all your favorite donuts, croissants, ice creams...
"wow," you gasped quietly.
you started to believe for the first time.
mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine
"can you believe it?" you said, looking up at james from your place on his chest.
you two were lying on his couch in his flat just minutes after your first fight. it was a silly one, you knew it but you still were surprised it didn't end up with you slamming the entrance door of his flat.
he chuckled. "i do." he pressed his lips to the topof your head and intertwined his fingers with yours. "we'll never make your parents mistakes."
that was the most comforting sentence anyone could ever say to you and you thought, i can see it now.
mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine
flash forward and you and james were taking on the world together. you two went so far that you started sort of living together (you spent most of your time at his place and you couldn't remember the last time you were at yours).
your relationship with james was sky-high. you told him everything and you started to think he may already know you better than you knew yourself. it was scary at first but you soon realised it could be the best thing you had ever done.
however, even the best things come to end.
or so you thought.
you still remembered it. 2:30am, screaming at james because of something stupid but he didn't even raise his voice at you. he was completely calm and that was maybe what made you so angry.
you ran out crying out into the streets and the realization hit you harder than ever. James was trying to talk things out and all you did was shout and then ran out without giving him a chance.
you could feel an ache in your heart that you knew so very well.
was he going to leave me now?
your hands began to shake, the rain mixing with your tears as you began thinking of the worst scenarios ever; a future without james.
but that's when you saw him; he was running towards you with his hair wet and his shirt glued to his body.
he stopped in front of you, breathing heavily. he brought his hand to your face and you didn't flinch. you knew you didn't have to. he got some of your hair out of your face and looked straight into your eyes. he knew what you were thinking. he always did.
"i'll never leave you alone."
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why are people so against oliver and ryan talking about buddie, don't we want this, don't we want buddie to be canon? i'm sorry are we rooting for buck to end up with tommy or something, like I don't understand why so many people are saying stop asking them about buddie?
If we want Buddie then shouldn't we be asking buddie questions? I mean I'm so sorry but I'm just very confused, shouldn't we be happy that buddie is getting this much press and love? Why are we against it?
Okay, this is going to be a long one.
There are a few reasons why people are concerned about publications teasing Buddie happening and using the ship name and asking Oliver and Ryan about the ship. I'll try to be as concise as possible.
I would like to note, I'm not going to answer a bunch of questions about this. Other people have answered similar questions plenty of times, if you take a bit to look around 911blr. I'm sure @catdadeddie has gone into this a few times.
However, I understand that we are getting a lot of new fans this season, and so I want to try and explain comprehensively for those who haven't been around. I hope this covers everything.
Whenever a ship is between two people of the same gender as opposed to two people of the opposite gender (I know, I know, but we can't get into the gender spectrum right now just play along with me), everyone involved has to be very, very careful when it comes to talking about that ship ahead of said ship going canon.
It is very easy to slip into something called "queerbaiting." I'm assuming that you and most people online and in fandom by now have heard of this term but just in case: queerbaiting is when a show acts like a queer ship might happen in marketing and promotion in order to draw in a queer audience.
Historically, this was done by having a main character played by a woman have a romantic thing with another woman (flirting, even kissing!) who was a guest star, hinting at the main character's bisexuality/queerness, only for that guest star to never come back and for the show to act like it had never happened. This was done during something called, IIRC, "sweeps week" which was basically an important week for TV viewer ratings in the 90s. It was a way to boost your numbers by drawing in queer viewers with the promise of actual queer rep that then wasn't realized. It's a marketing tactic.
Nowadays the nature of queerbaiting has changed a bit. It's an overused term that frankly people love to (mis)use whenever a ship of theirs doesn't go canon and a show dares to do things like having two people (like say Ryan and Oliver) who play the two halves of the ship do an interview together (whether you ship Buddie or not, they are close friends, and it makes sense that they'd do a few interviews together - that is not queerbaiting). A good example of real queerbaiting is Rizzoli & Isles which, among other things, took out billboards and magazine spreads showing the characters (two women) in suggestively sexual and romantic positions and with slogans hinting that the two had more than just friendship together, then never, ever delivered on it and in fact laughed at the idea of the characters being gay for each other.
(I WAS THERE, GANDALF!!!)
Because of this unfortunate treatment of queer audiences and the (historic) dearth of actual queer characters and queer ships going canon (it's getting better but still), networks, showrunners, and so on have to be very careful when, say, they want to make a queer ship canon.
Look at how ABC handled Chenford, a popular ship in their show The Rookie. Chenford was not a planned ship - the fans adored the chemistry between the two characters (Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford), the writers liked the idea and decided to lean into it, ABC gave the go-ahead, and the ship officially got together and went canon last season. ABC heavily promoted Chenford and the ship and made a lot of jokes about it in the last couple of seasons leading into the ship going canon, using the ship heavily in their marketing.
ABC cannot necessarily do that with Buddie, because even if Buddie is going canon, until that happens, they could get accused of queerbaiting. There's a much bigger minefield to navigate because of this historic misuse of queer audiences and queer characters.
So whenever journalists and publications use a popular non-canonical queer ship name for clicks and fandom interest, if that ship doesn't immediately go canon or if the network/showrunner/etc doesn't say "yeah they're totally gonna kiss! with tongue!" people accuse the show of queerbaiting. This is unfair to the show for two reasons: one, the network is not going to bother sending "shut the fuck up" letters to every single damn publication out there for using a ship name in their headline and talking about a ship - they'll be accused of homophobia and it draws even MORE attention to the issue re: the Barbra Streisand effect (look it up); and two, the people involved in the show are NOT going to spoil the anticipation and surprise by admitting ANY ship is going to go canon before it does.
This is simple marketing - the movie trailer doesn't (or shouldn't, anyway) show you the ending of the movie or everything that happens in it. TV shows want you to tune in every week and speculate and guess. They're not gonna spoil a ship ahead of time.
This means that when journalists and articles pull this shit, they're putting the showrunner, the writers, the actors doing interviews, and the network in a bad situation that they can't really do anything about. Not without causing more mess.
So that's reason number one why a lot of us are annoyed: by yelling about Buddie, these articles and journalists are setting the cast and crew we love up to get yelled at for queerbaiting if Buddie doesn't immediately happen, and there's nothing the cast and crew can do about it, and it's all so the journalists and articles can use us, the fandom, for clicks. So we're also kinda getting used here, and it doesn't feel great.
The second reason we're annoyed about Buddie questions is that it's being asked of the actors who, nine times out of ten, have ZERO CONTROL OVER THE STORYLINES.
Now, there are exceptions. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays Maddie, has pushed back on a couple storylines that were given to her and has therefore had a strong hand in shaping Maddie's character. One infamous (in a positive way) example is that Maddie and Eddie were supposed to be an endgame couple. JLH, however, immediately loved the character of Chimney and clicked with Chim's actor Kenneth Choi, so she asked if Maddie could get with Chim instead, feeling he'd be a better fit for her character. And lo, both the beautiful ship Madney and the insanity that is Buddie shipping was born because Buck ended up stepping into that co-parenting-Chris role that Maddie obviously would've originally filled.
However, it should be noted that JLH was an established star before coming onto 9-1-1, and her husband is friends with Tim the showrunner. I would argue that the only other two actors who have any power on their storylines are Peter and Angela, the latter because she can do whatever she wants forever, and the former because (like Angela) he is an executive producer on the show.
It's not that actors never ever get to have a say ever, but the writers, showrunner, and network have much more power. They create the storylines, they make the decisions. Not actors. So when the actors are repeatedly asked about a ship, they're put in an awkward position where they might not even know the full storyline for their character that season and now they need to answer in a way that doesn't reveal any information they do know, but also doesn't insult shippers or dash their hopes. This is a double minefield for queer ships because, again: historic insults to queer fans and characters, nobody wants to be offensive.
The third reason is that this fandom has, historically, treated Tim, Oliver, and others like absolute dogshit over Buddie not going canon. Oliver's left Twitter and taken big social media breaks because of how he was yelled at online. It's not cool, guys. Vent all you want but directing it at the cast and crew isn't okay and maybe if it was just you talking sternly that would be fine (maybe) but when it's dozens of people? It's bullying. Full stop.
Every single time Buddie has not gone canon instantly, the actors and others have gotten verbally abused on social media. Every time the actors have been asked about Buddie and not said "ohmygod yes I want it to happen so bad" (they are not allowed to say this because it might create false hope because again: historical queerbaiting) they've gotten yelled at. We are tired of the actors getting yelled at over something over which they have no control.
The fourth reason is that Oliver, especially, has gotten asked about Buddie a LOT. A lot. The poor man is very tired. He's been cornered about Buddie and asked about it aggressively by certain journalists (one journalist, Max Gao, actually tried to corner Gavin who plays Chris over Buddie - this was a few years ago so Gavin was even younger than he is now and I personally think that is an incredibly unfairly loaded question to give to a child).
If I may dive into speculation for a moment, given how the actors have been SO gleeful about the move to ABC, the fact that they've admitted ABC is letting them do storylines and little moments that FOX wouldn't, and a few other things I won't get into here because this damn thing is long enough already... I suspect FOX would not let Buddie happen. If this is the case, then actors being asked about Buddie is even more loaded because they are being asked questions about it and they can't say "yeah we want to but the network won't let us." THEY WILL GET FIRED FOR THIS.
But, whether or not my speculation is true, the fact remains that when you are repeatedly, over and over, aggressively asked if this fan ship is going to happen or not, you get tired. There's only so many times that someone can give a diplomatic answer before you just want to snap "stop fucking asking me!" Journalists love to take advantage of fandom and social media chatter to get attention for their articles so asking over and over again about Buddie isn't because they genuinely care or think it'll happen, it's to get shippers reading their article, and so bombarding the actors and writers with this question when they've already kinda said their peace a lot about it is frustrating. Just! Leave them alone!
And AGAIN: if this was a M/F ship there could maybe be room for teasing the will-they-won't-they but because of historically bad treatment of queer characters and fans, THEY CANNOT DO THAT. So the only option open to them is to KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT. And keeping one's mouth shut and threading that diplomatic needle for years is EXHAUSTING.
We do want Buddie to be canon, nonny, and in my opinion we are going to get it. All this recent PR supports that, (again: in my opinion).
However, we have seen Oliver get bombarded with what he thinks about Buddie until the cows come home, and he deserves a break. There's nothing new he can say, there's nothing new he's allowed to say. We have seen other parts of the fandom scream that we're being queerbaited because Buddie didn't instantly go canon, without any consideration for the fact that a) queerbaiting is a marketing tactic and b) there might be other factors at play preventing it going canon. We have seen journalists take advantage of us, the shippers, in order to get attention, and we have seen them create an awkward and embarrassing atmosphere in interviews by repeatedly asking about the ship. We have seen shippers make us look bad by hounding the cast and crew on social media about Buddie, treating every woman actress who plays a Buck/Eddie love interest like shit (yes, I know about Edy, but she could be a saint and parts of the fandom would still go onto Instagram to call her names), and generally being absolute pills that would tempt any showrunner, actor, or writer to say "y'know what fuck 'em let's not make Buddie canon I'm not rewarding this shitty behavior."
"If we want Buddie then shouldn't we be asking Buddie questions?" No. Not like journalists and fans have been. It's something to bring up - in my opinion - sparingly and with an awareness of how queer storylines and ships and fandom have been mocked, ignored, baited, and so on over the years. They don't ask about Buddie because they give a shit. They ask because they want our clicks for their ad revenue and they want our retweets and likes and comments. And it's certainly not something to bombard the actors with on social media and bitch at them if it doesn't happen. It just makes the rest of fandom look bad and makes us look like children.
Additionally: These are not new questions! They're not only asking these questions now that it looks like Buddie will go canon, with serious hope and consideration based on the marketing and storylines. They've been asking this since season fucking two, when Buddie was clearly not planned, just to get fangirl (gn) clicks. They wanted to get attention and teehee over how Oliver/Ryan/whoever reacted to people thinking Buck and Eddie should touch dicks. 'Kay?
We know the pattern. So when every piece of media is screaming BUDDIE!!! we are not seeing it as "OMG could we go canon?" We see it as another round of being taken advantage of for article attention, another round of parts of the fandom being bullies and yelling about being baited, and another round of the actors being backed into uncomfortable corners.
That's why we're concerned, worried, and annoyed.
*collapses* I hope this covered everything and explained it all.
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penny-anna · 1 year
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you do not have to like fanfiction. if you think fanfiction is cringy & annoying you can just Say That. but any attempt to argue that fanfiction is inherently inferior to other types of writing falls apart under scrutiny.
'most fanfiction is badly written' sturgeon's law is an adage that states '90% of everything is crap'. this was first coined in defence of science fiction, a genre often maligned as inherently inferior to 'real literature' (sound familiar??)
'oh but most fanfiction is worse than published fiction' yes; this is because pro published books go through a heavy selection and editorial process before the public see them. when it comes to quality of writing you are not comparing like to like. the appropriate 1:1 comparison would be fanfiction & amateur original fiction.
i have hung out in multiple online writing spaces & in 'anyone welcome' RL writing groups and can say with reasonable confidence that most original fiction getting produced is just plain mediocre. there's so so much bad original fiction being produced every day. u just never see it.
'you have to wade through so much garbage to find anything worth reading' you ever hear like. a fiction magazine editor describe what their slush pile experience is like??
'ok but fanfiction is bad because it lacks originality, it's better to come up with your own story & ideas' nobody actually thinks this!! people trot this out about fanfiction but like pro published literature is full of retellings of public domain stories and no-one ever argues that they're inherently worse or less creative than works with original plots.
the dividing line between fanfiction & 'original' fiction generally isn't actually originality, it's whether or not it's transformative of a text that's currently under copyright. & i would hope it's self-evident that the copyright status of the text a work is transforming shouldn't have any bearing on its literary merit. why on earth would it??
'but most fanfiction is trope-y and formulaic' yes this is true and yes i do think there's an argument to be made that a work of fiction that's interchangeable with thousands of other works of fiction is lacking in 'literary merit'.
however this is also true of a lot of pro published literature. whole swathes of genres like eg crime & romance exist to give readers the same experience over and over again. are these books bad? maybe! does their existence mean the entire genre they belong to should be written off? obviously no.
'but fanfiction is all about shipping' yeah a lot of fanfiction belongs to the romance & erotica genres. you do not have to like this. but disparagement of romance as a genre has its roots in the fact that it's mainly written & enjoyed by women. its just sexism lads. :(
'fanfiction encourages bad habits in writers' there's some merit to this argument IMO (that's a different rant) but see above re:90% of everything is crap; the presence of bad writing in a genre doesn't mean that the whole genre should be written off.
'what so you think fanfiction is as good as *insert classic novel here*' nobody is saying this; if you see someone arguing that fanfiction is real writing and jump to 'this person thinks MCU coffee shop AUs are culturally significant works of literature', to be blunt, that is a you problem.
'fanfiction just isn't real literature' ok so fiction divides into 'real literature' and 'not real literature'. got it.
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[ID: screencap of a tumblr post by user theislandofmisfittoys:
Okay… nice dichotomy, IDIOT ‼ what lies  outside it???]
(OP)
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pinkyqil · 15 days
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Polar opposite // Esmee brugts x r
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You and esmee were quite an on going could she was always quite and timid. While you we're loud and on going with people.
it amaze a lot of people how your dynamic works cause esmee was a very shy bird whenever you two where around people.
but when it just the two of you she's just so loveable and clingy which you loved. as she wasn't into that much of public display for affection.
in public it wasn't that she didn't like it mostly because of the teasing and it made her really shy.
But today was really different the team had won the champion league. the moments the whistle rang you joined your teammates.
running onto the pitch and jumped on emse who looked happy. as everyone else she had her hands wrapped around your waist not letting go.
Everyone was pretty pumped up and the energy was flowing around the places. Ingrid and mapi came up to you both as they saw you guys little moments.
You and esmee where the first one back to the locker room where she cornered you and started slowly kissing the back of your ears to your lips. your eyes closed as you felt her hands go under your jersey as she deepen the kiss.
Opening your eyes as you heard a fake cough.
"Esmee". you called out as you saw lucy who had a joke looking face.
Turning her head and realizing what was happening she got all shy and tried hiding her face under your neck.
"Not so innocent esme". Lucy said out loud as the other's join in.
"Ouuu esme what have you been doing". It was now mapi who butted in.
"Clearly it nothing good considering the way she's hiding". lucy added.
"Come on guys quite it and lucy mapi you both shouldn't be opening your mouth as if your girlfriend's aren't here". You said which got them turning different shades of red.
"Let's leave these loser baby". You grabbed esme as she followed your lead.
You loved esmee and wouldn't want her to change a single thing about herself that made her unique in her own way.
A/n: I know this short forgive me honestly trying my best to get stuff out and writer's block shouldn't get my ass, as i have lots more work that need to be out so enjoy this mini esme fic. until more fics come out and as always feedbacks and request or comments are appreciated don't forget to drink water and stay hydrated y'all 💗
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ms-demeanor · 2 years
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A lot of recent privacy news has catalyzed my longstanding desire to De-Google my life and online presence; with that said, I'm a little overwhelmed as to the details of how. Because they're the point of contact for some academic and family things, I don't have the option of fully deleting my account, and I'm not sure how much good just denying every google app on my phone all permissions and not backing anything up to their cloud if I can help it does. If you have the time and spoons, could you recommend a guide or resources for this purpose?
Hello it took me a while to gather the time and spoons for this (you asked me this in August, it is now October) but in answer I give you this 4800-word, 9-page book, including such lines as:
Even the smallest thing that you can take away from Google is worth it. Fuck Google. They want to own the world and they don't get to, we're taking away what we can, even if it's only scraps. They may be scraps, but they are my scraps, not Google's scraps. And eventually, if all of us collect enough scraps, we can sew together one big "Fuck Google" quilt. Or something. This metaphor got away from me.
In case you hadn't guessed, this document is being written in Libre Office Writer. The font is called Liberation Serif, because that's freedom, baby. This program will never snitch on me to its manufacturer, it knows all the words I need it to even if the internet goes down and never comes back, and it cost me zero dollars and asked me for zero information.
So! ProtonDrive, physical storage media, and not having constant global internet access to every bit of digital data you've ever owned. That's the pain-in-the-ass recommendation I've got for you. "You don't actually need all that storage and you shouldn't want it" probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but it's what I've got for you. Convenience is killing the world. Say goodbye to Google Cloud and next-day shipping and look forward to a better tomorrow.
Fuck Google. They Get nothing.
Anyway, thank you very much for your question and also fuck google.
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comicaurora · 10 months
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What are your thoughts on guardians vol.3? (If you have watched it) I went into it, expecting it went to the garbage like the rest of the mcu, but I was pleasantly surprised by its creativity, trope subversion, and how it wrapped up the previously unresolved arks of its characters.
That's what I've heard!
The thing is, Guardians 3 could be the most transcendent work of cinema ever made, and I'd probably still feel little to no motivation to watch it at this point. It's not Guardians's fault - it's just suffering from the same problem that superhero comics have been struggling with for decades: no matter how good an individual arc or run is, absolutely nothing good lasts or matters in the long term, and the stories are shaped in such a way that "the long term" is the only thing anyone gets to build towards.
Whenever I complain about the MCU I get a handful of people loudly complaining about my complaining, with the general thesis that if I don't like it I shouldn't watch it or talk about it - if I'm not having fun, just stop engaging with it. And the thing is, I have. I am intellectually interested in why this massive franchise is fumbling the bag so hard, which is why I still check in on it sometimes, but I've long since stopped turning to the MCU for uncritical entertainment. And even the good movies or shows with a lot of interesting ideas - good character arcs, fun concepts, interesting planting for future payoff - don't draw me in anymore, because they're hooked into a massive moneymaking machine that will scrap and squander anything if they think it'll make them more in the quarter. It doesn't matter how good the writing is, because the writers are not allowed to tell a complete, finished story, and they have no control over what happens to their characters outside of their own script.
Captain America's arc was set up from literally minute one to answer one burning question at the core of his character: does a world without a war still need Captain America? After that incredibly basic tee-up at the end of First Avenger, half a dozen movies failed to come up with a reason to say "yes," and now Steve is retired for good after getting fumbled through four different storylines that couldn't even pretend that they needed him (the unused Chekhov's Phone from the end of Civil War still haunts me). The foundational arc of his entire character never happened because nobody bothered to keep track of it past a single movie.
Taika did something interesting with Thor in Ragnarok - take away Mjolnir, force him to recognize what it means to be the god of thunder, give him a very Odin-y missing eye - and the very next movie undid all of it. Just kidding, never mind, here's an eye and a new weapon and also his old weapon again, and in one more movie we're even gonna give him his hair back, probably as an apology for all the completely unironic fatphobia we're gonna slather him in for two and a half hours. I'm not even surprised Love And Thunder was such an overblown mess that barely took itself seriously - why would Taika bother trying to give Thor another arc when the powers that be will just roll it back in six months anyway?
I hear Rocket Raccoon has a fantastic arc in this movie. That's great, and demonstrates that he's being written by a writer that deeply cares about him. But he's part of the MCU, and the MCU doesn't let anything end, so if current patterns hold, Rocket is going to continue to serve as quippy plushie-bait for the next dozen movies and none of that depth is going to come through in the long term. Hell, since they're making Kang noises for the Next Big Threat and Kang's entire gimmick is rewriting timelines, literally none of this is guaranteed to matter. By next year, it might not have even happened anymore.
The MCU has successfully shaped itself into a paradigm where the bright spots of good writing are overridden and lost as soon as the writers room turns over, and that makes it really hard for me to muster up the enthusiasm to watch even a really good movie that's locked into the exact same grist mill as everything else. I'm glad people liked it, I hope it gets to stay good this time - I just have no desire to watch it.
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savannahsdeath · 8 months
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hiii I love your work! could you pretty please do some toxic ellie? :)
TOXIC!ELLIE WILLIAMS X READER
mdni please<3
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summary: a miserable attempt to leave your toxic girlfriend
warnings: preferably 18+, just lots of toxic shit, manipulating, reader is crying
writers note: probably the only toxic post you'll see on my profile. honestly, i dont even know why i wrote this and im posting it just for the anon. i dont support any toxic behavior, cuz even a simple fanfic can bring some harm. dont read it if youre sensitive to such topics and if you decide to read it, dont romanticize it and dont blame me for any bad feelings you felt while reading - youre responsible for your own media consumption, im not forcing anyone to read. as i said, i just post it for the anon and also because i dont want it to just sit in my drafts (i dont have the guts to delete it). ugh its kinda long but i just want to make sure everyones safe, please take care🩷
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you were sitting in your bed with your head buried between your knees for half an hour now, ignoring the buzzing of your phone. you caught her with another girl. you should cry and feel miserable, and all you could think of was; 'finally! finally a reason to leave her!!'. all you could feel was happiness.
but leaving her wasn't easy. you tried a few times before.
'maybe it'll be different this time', you hoped. but the way you kept receiving notifications from her said otherwise. 'maybe if i ignore her for a few more minutes, she'll let me go.'
you tried to put your phone down, but your hands won't let you. your thumbs kept reaching for the screen in a desperate, involuntary action. you were powerless to stop it. you knew you shouldn't respond. you know you should walk away, but you couldn't. every time she messaged you, your heart beated faster and your breathing quickened. you knew this isn't the best thing for you, but a part of you was still clinging to hope.
'enough, stop it.' you ordered to yourself.
you picked up your phone, deciding to call your friend. she'll make you remember all the cruel things ellie did and leaving her will be easier.
your hands were shaking and you were truly scared of what's going to happen. you hestitated for too long before clicking on your friend's profile and.. lost your chance.
ellie was calling you. she wasn't giving up and she was probably pissed off by now.
you sighed and whispered; 'sorry' to your future self, before answering the call.
"why aren't you answering to my texts, huh?" she asked in an accusatory tone, as if you were the one who did something wrong.
your breath hitched as you heard her voice. there's no going back now. "i'm sorry, ellie, it's over." you mumbled and shook your head in disbelief. 'i'm sorry'?? for what? where was your confidence?
she took it from you, just like she's going to take anything she wants.
"i'll pick you up in a few minutes." she announced and you felt tears starting to well up in your eyes.
great. so she's on her way here.
you took a deep breath to stop your voice from quivering. "i'm not going anywhere- not with you."
ellie laughed, thinking it's all a joke. "you're funny, honey. you know you come crawling back to me everytime." she replies calmly. "so get ready. i'm coming to pick you up, and then we can talk about this. like grown-ups."
ellie was good at controlling you. she'll say she's coming to pick you up, and you'll be waiting on your porch when she arrives. she had a firm grip on you and she knew it.
not this time.
"like grown-ups?" you nervously laughed. "you cheated on me. again."
ellie didn't get angry. she wasn't even surprised.
"don't overreact, babe." she replied in an irritated tone. "it's not like it was anything serious. it's just some random girl. i'm still with you. you should know that."
you were stunned by her cavalier attitude. she really thought it's no big deal.
"leave me alone." if there was even a little bit of toughness in your voice before, it all left. now, you were just simply begging her to stop. "please."
ellie's confidence and her nonchalant attitude was getting to you. you felt angry, but at the same time, you were starting to doubt yourself.
you wanted to hang up, but you couldn't. you just waited for her reaction, praying this'll be the end. but you knew everything depended on what ellie wants, and for her, only her own good mattered.
ellie chuckled. "oh, sweetheart. you think you can just break up with me over the phone? we're not even having a fight here. come on, be reasonable. let's just talk this through. i'll be there soon."
you proudly raised your chin, even though she couldn't see that. the tears ruined your confident facade anyway. "i locked the door."
she stayed silent for a moment, not expecting that from you. but she always had a plan b, and you realised that as soon as you heard her laugh. "i'll check that myself."
you heard her car arrive outside your house, and an instant wave of regret washed over you.
she knocked on the front door. "i'm here, love. open up." her voice was gentle, with an apologetic tone.
you knew it was all a ploy to get you to open the door. you knew this was just another manipulative tactic she was using, but it was starting to work.
"come on, be a smart girl." she continued in a sweet voice. "or we'll do this the hard way."
you cursed yourself for how weak you felt, even though it wasn't your fault.
"ellie, please..." you begged, with as much authority as you could muster, but your pleads still sounded weak.
"what's that, babe? are you crying?" she responded in a mocking tone.
you felt powerless to resist her. your stomach twisted in knots, but your fingers reached for the knob. your other hand quickly wiped away your tears, though there were some visible smudges left. you stared at the doorknob in your hand, fighting every instinct in your body to open it and let her in. but you knew she'll get her way, sooner or later. you just wanted to get this over with.
with a shaking hand, you opened the door. you saw that ellie was holding a set of keys - there was definitely one to your house too. she could just unlock the door, but she wanted to check if you'll listen to her. you didn't even want to think about what would happen if you didn't give up.
she walked inside like she owned the place, and she didn't even look at you. she knew she's got you wrapped around her finger.
"good girl." she said, with the same mocking tone.
ellie's eyes darted around the room, and she walked over to take a closer look at a framed photo of the two of you on your shelf. she smirked, letting out a sarcastic 'hmph, so cute'.
you stood there, defeated, as she walked past you and paced around your home. she made herself comfortable, as if she belongs there. you tried to keep a brave face, but she could see right through it.
she sat down and turned to you. "tell me, why we ended up here?" she asked, her voice was cold and unforgiving, but it also sounded curious. "why are you trying to leave me? aren't you happy?"
you felt your lips tremble, as you parted them to speak. "you know damn well what you did."
she stood up and walked up to you, standing right in your face and leaning a little to match your eye level. "fucked another girl? huh? is that it?" she stroked your cheek with the back of her fingers, mocking your pout.
you flinched away from her touch, but she grabbed your face with both hands and pulled you towards her.
"i just had some fun." she said calmly. "besides, you can't blame me for wanting something different. just trying to make up for what you lack." she caressed your face, tracing your lips. it was almost gentle, as if she wasn't even trying to hurt you. but her words cut deep. "now, stop acting like a baby." she let go of your face. "i'm trying to have a mature conversation with you."
the obedient, scared side of you wiped your tears away and straightened up without thinking, but everytime you closed your eyes - everytime you blinked - another wave of salty liquid streamed down your cheeks.
you sniffled and tried to keep it together, but your body was shaking and feeling dizzy. still, you stood your ground.
"please, ellie... i can't do this anymore." you begged in a shaky voice.
"sh, shhh..." ellie wrapped her hands around you, rubbing your hair in a soothing motion. "don't say dumb things. i already know you can't live without me. you know that too." she grabbed you by the shoulders and forced you to look at her for a second. "don't you?"
her embrace felt somehow comforting, not matching the poisoning effect of her words. you clinged onto her, hoping to get as much from this rare moment as possible.
but you knew, deep down, that this is just another manipulation tactic. you shouldn't fall for her games.
"there, there." she whispered to you. she held you even tighter, as if she was trying to absorb every ounce of energy you had left.
she pulled back and looked you straight in the eyes. "do you see what happens when you try to leave me, babe?"
"i am leaving you." you said with as much conviction as you could muster. "i'm serious this time."
but ellie just smiled, treating your words like a joke. "that's funny, honey. this is just another one of your little tantrums. you're just upset because you haven't gotten enough attention these days. but you don't want to lose me." she ran her hands along your cheeks and caressed your hair. "you'll come back to me. you'll come crawling back, just like always. because you can't live without me."
you instantly buried your face in her chest, as she started stroking your back.
she sighed. "are you finished?"
you felt ashamed. you failed, once again. you let her win.
you lifted your head up so you could see her expression. her smile was even more mocking and cruel now that you've given in to her.
"that's more like it, babe." she said with that same condescending tone. she pulled you in for another hug, as if nothing happened. "now, let's forget all about today, okay?" she whispered in your ear. "my pretty girl."
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igniferrus · 11 months
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God. So I've been thinking about BBC's Arthur Pendragon. I work a job heavy on the manual labour and light on the mental labour, so I have a lot of Free Brain Space.
But I started off wondering why there are so many fics about Arthur learning how much Merlin does for him, and so few of the reverse. Because there is no way that Merlin isn't in trouble 89.2% of the time, in some way or another. We see Arthur protect Merlin after his dumbass confession to Uther, and also bodily haul him out of the throne room for safety reasons. No body else could get away with stealing the Prince's food, or disappear or days and keep his job!! And Arthur doesn'teven know they're bound by destiny, he just really likes Merlin! He's just some guy Arthur found and chased around a market.
And then I remembered that so many people forget that Arthur Pendragon is fundamentally A Good Man. I know the show refused to give him permanent character development, but even his base character is a good guy! The most assholish thing we see him do is in the first episode, throwing things at the servants. And then, compared to the rest of the series, that feels very out of character!
Yes, Arthur uses Merlin as a training dummy, but I'm sure that's just to get him to quit. And it's only shown early in the first season. Arthur is consistently shown as caring for his people (refusing to enforce Catrina's tax increase, willing to die to fix his unicorn mistake), more fair about magic users despite only seeing it used for evil (saving Mordred and the woman who gave him the Horn of Cathbhadh. He even tries to give Kara an out, for Mordred!), and cares deeply for those around him! He loves Gwen. He loves Morgana. He loves Merlin. He loves his knights. He even loves Uther!
It's not his fault that the people around him refuse to allow him to make his own choices. Gauis, Uther, and Merlin all lie about his mother. Merlin and Morgana don't tell him about their magic. Morgana doesn't see him as any other than an extension of Uther, despite knowing him for years.I t's so easy to judge him as an outsider with all the facts, but we should remember that Arthur's is intentionally left out of the loop and judge him from that perspective. He does the best he can, with what he knows!
Merlin, despite being repeatedly told that he and Arthur are in this together, and need each other, does not tell Arthur anything! Arthur is not allowed to make an informed choice and he shouldn't be punished for that. Even when Merlin finally comes clean, Arthur doesn't rage! He's hurt and upset that his "only friend", the "only one [he] can trust" have been lying to his face for a decade, which, understandable, but he chooses Merlin anyway! He wants to be held by Merlin at the end, thanks him, and asks him to stay they same after Arthur's death!! Because he still cares for Merlin!
Arthur Pendragon's character development is stymied at every turn by the show and its writers, but even then they couldn't stop him from being a good man!!
This was more rambling and less coherent than I wanted, but it's been hot out lately and my brain is cooked.
Anyway, I am first and foremost an Arthur Pendragon apologist.
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