#to an audience who has a decent chance

[icryyoumercy]

In der englischen Übersetzung von Stadt der Träumenden Bücher wird William Shakespeare als Aleisha Wimpersleake anagrammiert und nimmt die zentrale Stelle von Ojahnn Golgo van Fontheweg ein (aber auch von anderen Dichtern wie Dölerich Hirnfidler). Die zentrale Bedeutung von Shakespeare für den englischsprachigen Raum führt auch dazu, dass der Buchling Golgo Aleisha heißt (häufig "Al" genannt).

now that is incredibly intriguing information, and if someone has a copy of The City of Dreaming Books, i will be forever indebted to you if you can give me a list of names for all the booklings and the lines they quote/reference, pretty please

[mantisgodsdomain]

I can help but wonder what Leif was thinking when he walked in and saw Mothiva with her throat cut open in your Voice Loss story.

Initially? General concern, though he didn't really connect the dots as to what the hell was happening until a few seconds after walking in on it, and realizing that oh fuck, that's blood blanked his brain in the way that shock often does. Takes a few minutes to realize just what you're seeing when it's red, instead of green-blue like most hemolymph.

There's not a whole lot of structured thinking happening in Leif's head during Voice Loss in general. Mostly just reaction and panic, because he doesn't know how to handle this situation or what's happening. He's bouncing through crisis management with no real understanding of what the hell is happening, and he'll need time before those thoughts start... working. After that... it really depends on how much he can drag himself out of the haze of Confusion And Alarm, and if he can manage to stabilize her enough to have step two be anything but "try and make sure Mothiva doesn't die on your watch".

[ooctlt]

I think the etiquette of ask blogs is a forgotten art. what I'm saying is (imo) it's not that people don't want to play, it is they don't know HOW, and more importantly they don't understand that the game exists to begin with. obviously you do not have to teach people the rules because your time and energy is finite but idk. it feels like from some of your OOC responses that you assume people know the rules and are playing badly, but I genuinely think people (me) just don't know what you are wanting them (us) to do. and also they (i) don't know how to tell if they (i) are playing the game correctly.

An example I am genuinely confused about is, is inciting a "shut up" answer a signal that the game is being played correctly, because we are inciting a reaction from the character? or is a "shut up" answer a signal that we are playing wrong and need to do something different? I'm sorry. I really love your art and seeing the story unfold but I'm confused and I want to play and I don't understand how.

yeah ive had a couple people tell me this has been the first active askblog in a while and the concept of askblog etiquette has been forgotten- @thatneoncrisis and i made a diagram:

link to full-res image

a "shut up" reaction will hopefully show whether or not it's a closed path of exploration: if you have gideon sweating, going "pshhh its nothinggg" it means there is something worth exploring. if you have harrow slamming the door in your face, that is an advance that wont work on her

transcript under the readmore:

DEAD END QUESTION ANON: CAMILLA DO YOU THINK HARROW'S HOT?

"Please stop talking to me."

This question is BAD because it's BLUNT, INCREDIBLY PERSONAL and founded on INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE of their relationship.

NOTE that its not that shitty questions will NEVER be answered, its that 1) they have a LOWER chance of being answered and 2) they have a HIGHER chance of being made fun of in character

gideon: haha who thinks harrow is HOT

DECENT INCONSEQUENTIAL QUESTION ANON: CAMILLA DO YOU LIKE TO DO ANYTHING FUN WITH HARROW?

"Sure. We run a lot of errands together."

This kind of question may not advance the plot, as it is INCREDIBLY BROAD yet NONINVASIVE. They're good for quick 1-3 panel answers. May generally be met with a less EXCITING answer.

It might also be DIFFICULT TO ANSWER because a broad question could include MULTIPLE ANSWERS - asking "do you guys go out" could not be answered SUSTAINABLY, because i cannot draw all the places they visit

ANON: EVERYONE, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLOUD / WATER / MOLECULAR STRUCTURE / BONE / CAR / COFFEE BRAND/ BOOK CHARACTER?

me: "i have to do so much research"

NEAT QUESTION CAMILLA HAS HARROW EVER ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING WITH HER SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT?

"Yes, actually. She once invited me to [REDACTED], I didn't know she liked that sort of thing."

This question is SICK AS FUCK because not only do you learn something SUBSTANTIAL about the characters, you have stumbled upon A NEW PLOT BRANCH, one that actively deepens character connections and their past within the world. It specifically remarks upon a MEMORY* rather than AN OPINION and will typically be LONGER.

Another good option is to PROMPT something following this:

ANON: CAMILLA, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY TAKING HARROW OUT TO DO [REDACTED] THAT SHE LIKES BEFORE XYZ?

and this can then spiral onward…

*DM, ONE TIME I ASKED ABOUT A MEMORY AND I GOT A RUDE ANSWER; WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

It's not that this topic can never be spoken about, it's about WHEN you asked it and HOW you said it, or even WHO you asked.

Some topics, like the nature of HARROW AND GIDEON'S UPBRINGING are too recent for them to talk about, it has only been TWO YEARS since they left and there are SPECIFICS about the situation that the AUDIENCE hasn't discovered yet. There are things like GIDEON'S PARENTS that she CANNOT answer because she DOESN'T KNOW and answering multiple asks with I DON'T KNOW becomes repetitive and dull for both the DM and PLAYER.

BUT! She can learn! Over time, when the time is appropriate and feels the most natural for STORY PROGESSION. Think of it like a BAD ENDING in a visual novel. You START OVER and ask a DIFFERENT QUESTION, or approach it from a DIFFERENT ANGLE. If Gideon reacts poorly to someone congratulating her leaving BAD CIRCUMSTANCES, consider talking to her about the FUTURE. Instead of trying to pry at Camilla to see if she had an INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with Pyrrha, try to ask about other things in that period of her life, like how they met or what caused her to move out.

FINALLY, if you'd like an ask to be answered out of character, your best bet would be to goto @notedchampagne and send it there. If you'd like an ask to be answered SINCERELY or you don't want SNARK, you can specify this in the ask, but know this blog may not be your thing.

[tokidokitokyo]

Podcast Review: Let's Talk in Japanese

Podcast Title: Let's Talk in Japanese!

Ease of Listening: ★★★★★

Length of Episodes: ★★★★★

Level of Engagement: ★★★★★

Episode Frequency: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★

Today I will be reviewing the Let's Talk in Japanese! podcast by Tomo-sensei. This podcast is aimed at Japanese learners who want more chances to listen to spoken Japanese but using vocabulary and grammar that they can understand. The podcast is for levels N1 (the highest level) to N5 (the lowest level), but I would say that a majority of the content is focused on level N3 or N4.

Do I currently listen to this podcast?: Yes, I like this podcast a lot and listen to it frequently.

General Overview

Good For Levels: Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced

In this series, Tomo, a Japanese teacher for foreign students, discusses in Japanese only a variety of topics either selected by him or suggested by the audience. These can range from topics about daily life to JLPT related topics. He understandably discusses topics that he has a decent knowledge of, and admits when there are gaps. He is quite faithful to the level of each episode, which he indicates at the end of the episode title, so you can be sure that you will be able to understand the majority of the content or challenge yourself as the case may be.

Length of Episodes ★★★★★

The podcasts are usually around 10-15 minutes long. This is ideal for a quick listen when you are short on time or just want to supplement your studies, but may not be ideal if you are looking for something a bit longer. I usually listen to two or three podcasts in a row during my commute and feel like I've spent my time well. The short length can be useful if you are not interested in a particular topic, because you can make it to the end of the episode without losing interest and a new topic will come up with the next episode.

Level of Engagement ★★★★★

Although this is just one person (Tomo) talking throughout the podcast, he is engaging because he speaks as though he is talking to a small group. I find it engaging because I can, in the privacy of my room or car, reply to him when he poses questions, or make a response if I am surprised by what he says, etc. Even though it's not interactive per se, it can feel interactive because of the way he speaks in his podcast. I find myself engaged in most episodes, and the shorter length means I don't have to work as hard to stay engaged through the entire episode.

Episode Frequency ★★★★★

New podcasts come out about weekly, and sometimes more frequently than that. I have heard that he works very hard to put out the podcasts so frequently, and I think this intense schedule plus the large archive of material means you can listen almost indefinitely to this podcast.

Overall ★★★★★

This podcast is completely in Japanese and designed by a Japanese teacher for foreigners learning Japanese, and has material for everyone from beginners to advanced learners. The shorter episodes mean you can fit it into a busy schedule, and the JLPT labels mean you can pick and choose episodes based on your own level and be confident that you will get what you expect. I highly recommend this for those looking to improve their listening skills.

[kataraavatara]

No, Corlys and Otto did not do the same thing here.

And this is in no way defending Corlys, so please don’t twist my words. These things are both awful, one is just worse.

Look at Laena and Viserys. Corlys and Rhaenys openly approach Viserys and say they have an offer of marriage. Laena and Viserys then take a walk outside, where they’re both visible to lots of people, including her mother.

However, Alicent is instructed by her father to visit Viserys “in his chambers” ie alone and without supervision. While Viserys is definitely a creep for marrying his daughters best friend, I (and I would also say Otto) don’t believe he would ever force himself on Alicent or that anything “untoward” would happen, and nothing physical did happen between them. But that absolutely would not stop the rumors that something happened from springing into existence, just like they did in F&B. There’s no way to keep these “meetings” a secret. In the best case scenario, Alicent marries Viserys and people whisper about the circumstances under which it took place. Worst case, Alicent’s reputation and chance to make a decent match is ruined.

Although obviously both these scenarios are disgusting, the Velaryons being very clear about their intentions and having it take place in a public setting is much more “honorable” in Westeros than Otto essentially telling Alicent to sneak around with the king and gain his trust. Although Laena is rejected by Viserys as a match, it doesn’t negatively affect her standing or reputation. This is not the same for Alicent.

Let’s go back to our worst case and say that Alicent’s “Vizzy Visits” become a scandal- while we, a modern audience, recognize fifteen year old Alicent is a victim, Westeros is a society that A) Regularly practices child marriages, at least among the nobility and B) Sees sixteen as the age of adulthood. Alicent would 100% be painted as an evil seductress who seduced the poor grieving king- hell, a lot of people in the fandom paint her that way in the 21st century! Otto, in an attempt to save face, could easily throw her under the bus. “Omg I can’t believe my daughter engaged in such scandalous behavior, things just haven’t been the same since her mother died :( poor me, pls don’t be mad, I had no idea.” If it’s Otto’s word vs Alicent’s, people will believe Otto.

Not to mention how aware he is of her friendship with Rhaenyra. And yes, Rhaenyra is just as much a member of Westerosi society as everyone else. She does not have the 21st century view of things we do. She at 14 has the responsibility of being heir to the Iron Throne with people swearing oaths to uphold her succession. Even if Alicent told her afterwards her father forced her into it, she just wouldn’t (and didn’t) understand- to her, Alicent and her both are becoming adults now and handling adult responsibilities and are accountable for their actions. Rhaenyra is headstrong, rebellious, and fiercely protective- “Because my dad told me to” is not going to cut it as an excuse. Otto knew this would ruin her friendship with Rhaenyra and didn’t care.

Now, the above analysis is mostly about the secrecy of it all. Rhaenyra didn’t seem to hold any ill will towards Laena in particular, which is why I believe her anger was as much about the secrecy of it as it was at the actual marriage itself. I think if Alicent was like “hey, my dad wants me to marry yours” there’s not much I can really do about it” she’d still probably balk but be much more accepting and sympathetic.

Now, look how they’re respectively dressed. Laena just has much more fabric covering her, with the cape sleeves and two layered dress, while Alicent’s is pretty form fitting. Not to mention the creepy incestous undertones when Otto instructs her to put on her mother’s dress and says how much she looks like her mom.

While both fathers are disgusting for doing this, Otto put his daughter in a much riskier situation where the question wasn’t if there would be fallout, just how much fallout there would be. By never formally and publicly declaring his intention to present Alicent as an option for the new Queen Consort, he put Alicent’s reputation and livelihood at stake in a way Laena’s was not. And this is not to take away from how inappropriate Laena’s situation was for a little girl. This is just to say-

When the bar is literally in hell, Otto Hightower finds a way to keep digging.

[bluishfrog]

Do you ever think about how George took a chance in Dream out of university? He could've probably had a decently paying job, but no, there was this young American guy that promised him the world and without thinking about it, George agreed. No questions asked. And it would take him years to even see the other guy. But George didn't care because he trusts and loves Dream with his whole being. He would live in a timezone 5 hours behind his own, sleep during the day, live during the night, just so they could spend more time with each other. And when time was right he would leave his whole entire life behind to move in with Dream whom he had never met before. And ever since then, even though their world has exploded multiple times, they have never left each others side. Side by side, forever.

- 🐝

At the beginning of my time in this fandom, I did ask myself why George said yes to all of this. He must have had many other, much more comfortable options.

And then there was this young, inexperienced guy who must have dreamed of an audience, of a community, of success, of everything they could imagine. And George must have known that despite all the confidence, despite all the hours of studying an algorithm, there was no guarantee for this. And there would never be.

So why did he agree so easily to something so uncertain? Well, you see, success wasn't everything this guy promised.

Before anything else, he promised to do it together. Chase wild hopes together, maybe climb the highest mountains of success together, maybe fail spectacularly together. But whatever may come, they'd be together.

So yes, I did think about why George took this chance, this risk. And I don't think it was because he got promised a dream. I think he did it because he got promised Dream.

[atelierlili]

There had to be social media campaigns for tributes during the hunger games. But instead of it being led by the a Hunger Games network, it’s done by the fans etc.

Like people would have their solo stan teams Cato or Team Glimmer while other might have their favorite districts, like 2 & 4. Then there’s the people who stan the tributes who have little to no chance of winning, but they’re there for the memes and the content.

And you cannot look me in the eye and say that Mr. Peeta Mellark was NOT the meme tribute of the 74th Hunter Games. Like my man’s was pretty handsome, good build, plays it up for the audience and has a decent score. He’d get some fans- but then he drops a love confession in the middle of his interview?? Who the tf does that??

Xitter would eat. that. shit. up. They’d clip it and share it all over Panem web. Team Katniss would go berserk. Someone already started an Everlark account and they’re already at war with Clato fans .

And the the fan edits would roll in and-

[fromriches-tosin]

i am very glad to be living in a fandom renaissance where people are realizing that pre-Trost Jean was more of a flawed, vulnerable, insecure teenager who was a fairly decent person despite his attitude. Fanon!Jean circa 2014-2015 would make anyone think otherwise.

It's really, really silly when people prioritize fanon over canon and a mischaracterized version of Jean over the original one simply because he's easier to handle this way. Or fits their own narrative better. :))

Jean is an amazing character because he repeatedly defies the audience's expectations of him. He's introduced as Eren's rival and critic, just like Corkus to his Guts or Vegeta to his Goku, but he quickly becomes something completely different. Jean's fear of death is natural and understandable given the world he lives in, and his harsh judgment of Eren turns out to be justified. Because Eren does get himself killed the first chance he gets and in the process leads his comrades to death as well.

If Jean were as terrible and in need of changing as some part of the fandom wants us to think, he would laugh at Eren's death. He would say "I told you so" at least once. But Jean is distraught and terrified by the prospect of losing another friend, by the prospect of losing Mikasa, so he takes charge and tries leading his fellow cadets to safety – to the best of his ability. And once they're safe? He doesn't boast. He doesn't make fun of those losers that got themselves killed. Instead, Jean's a mess because people died on his order and he had to use those deaths to save others.

From the very beginning, Jean is just as appreciative of human life as Levi. But he's younger, less scarred by life and insecure. He wants to come across as a smartass and someone selfish, rather than the soft, caring boy his mother raised him to be. And he's trying hard to hide that part of himself because he doesn't feel comfortable showing it to others. So, he puts up a façade, he ridicules and questions everything, but that doesn't make him bad.

It makes him human. It makes him layered and not one-dimensional. 

This is also why some people struggle to understand why Jean tells Reiner "we're the same" (even though Conny explains it in an easy, idiot-proof way). Obviously, Reiner's body count is way bigger than Jean's. Obviously, they used different methods to kill their enemies. But Jean realizes that their motivation was exactly the same. It's not about how many you kill or how you kill them, it's about why you suddenly decide it's okay to kill. RBA killed their comrades in Trost, just like Conny and Jean killed their comrades at the harbor.

Both sides did that to save the world.

To Jean, it doesn’t matter that he killed less people than Reiner or that he used more humane methods. All that matters to him is the fact that he also has blood on his hands.

[elioslover]

Silver Screen (Mingling)- Harry Styles x reader.

Here's another little blurb from the series of Harry and Y/n running into each other at various award shows.

Warnings: Use of She/her pronouns. (extremely non-descriptive).

Word Count: 2.5k

Part 1 / Part 2 / Other Writing

---

Another event- well, the after party of another pointless, meandering red carpet motioning him towards the flashing lenses, asking him questions that make less sense and lead him to melt into a puddle of confusion and complication- is this really where he saw himself? Spending his living days being dominated and feeding the demands of money-hungry producers and executives. 

Thankfully, the cherry carpet demanded nothing more than a brief snapshot- no interviews dissecting and disproving his passion and beliefs. Creating a lifestyle and accommodating others, only for it to be deemed ‘okay’- or worse, they may ask him a serious and inciteful question, and instead of a wave of relief washing over him, he feels as if he is drowning in confusion, re-examining every decision he has ever made- every word inked to a notebook, every harmony, and every insecurity crashing to the surface, swallowing the sand that he once thought to be an indestructible base. 

After the usual formalities, he finds the opportunity to disperse from his team, fulfilling all obligations and in dire need of a glass of scotch. One of which he orders at the nearest bar, taking a hearty sip to switch the temperament of his mood, and hopefully the rest of the evening. 

-He spends what he would describe as a decent amount of time strolling and exploring the venue, making sure to never linger, stand up straight, and use the glass of icy whiskey in his palm as a welcomed coping mechanism. But, as he rounds another corner, the space before him is large, scattered with big names and faces all huddled in boastful groups, their arms flailing arrogantly, animatedly telling the same stories told on a loop, hoping for new audiences and with that, fresh chuckles of admiration. He wants to roll his eyes, but he knows better, instead raises his glass to his rosy lips, but is extremely disappointed when his tongue is met with only a single droplet of drink. 

Thankfully, one positive of this room was the shining and welcoming bar set up directly in the middle. His feet have carried him over with little encouragement, the base of his polished boots almost bumping against the nearest stool. The bartender stands before him in the blink of an eye, eagerly awaiting to soothe his appetite and he aids, ordering his usual, deeply grateful as the waiter dashes off with great determination. 

In the meantime, he turns to face the crowded room leaning back and balancing all of his weight on his lower back. The place is a clusterfuck of chromatic garbs, glistening jewels, and jovial jealousy- most are reasonably recognisable after a good glance, but each patron moving so poignantly makes it a proper challenge. 

In the wake of the evening, he wonders if he would have even spotted her if not for the sudden outburst of obnoxious laughter coming from his left. Nevertheless, his attention snaps to the small but unnecessarily loud group of Grammy Guys and Golden Globers. Two of the men are mentioned far too regularly in the media, drowning in offers and loved by all; they are both donning bright, domineering, and fashion-forward fits- at least that’s how he thinks the public would profess so. Oddly though, there is one member of the group who seems greatly displeased, her arm folded across her chest, nursing a nearly-empty champagne flute and challenged with the task of faking enjoyment. 

He feels as if chances keep falling at his feet, the tightness of fright that stirred at his stomach the last fortnight has suddenly melted into a mess of frantic hope and successful manifestation. So frantic that her presence will be as fleeting as the past- worried that looking away would wash her existence from the earth. It's only when the waiter politely calls out a second time that he jolts to alertness, twisting his body to hastily receive the beverage as well as expressing his appreciation. 

Mercifully, when he looks over, she is as real and as present as earlier- bar the furrowing frown softly creasing at her forehead, lips begging to lull into a bored sulk. The group’s storyteller has geared up to start another riveting tale, and if it weren’t for the absolute fascination of her pout, he might have bothered to follow along.

Whatever the story, she is oblivious, slowly losing the will to act interested and attempting to drum up an excuse for leaving. Her gaze is glancing anywhere and everywhere, raking over the clothing of her peers, observing the other guests, and for a second, it seems she may have given the bar a brief look-over. Then she focuses her intentions on the clothing of the storytelling, her creased brows suddenly raising into ones of curiosity, and he wonders more than ever what she might be experiencing within. 

He knows it would be in his best interest to find a way to say hello- there is no reason he wouldn’t be embraced by a group of an A-list actor, a triple-platinum singer, and the most beautiful stranger- but his feet stay stuck to the shined hard-wood, and the voices in his head have started a barbershop, harmonizing to the tune of ‘you messed it up last time… you’ll mess it up again’. Perhaps it would be rude to interrupt, rude to assume she’s displeased, perhaps even rude for assuming she isn’t. 

By the grace of the gods, another bough of laughter breaks out, paired with the most gorgeous and gleeful giggle. He looks away bashfully, as if her laugh had been the result of his entertainment alone, shy within her presence- well, within the same room. Surely he had misread then, her discomfort must not have been real- and as he is about to shamefully accept his error, the group grows smaller and she begins to walk closer. Striding with stern confidence, she turns her back on the men and makes her way over to the bar- and in turn, hopefully, he. 

She seems to glance him over, painfully brief and somehow sending a shooting pain along his spine as she stops and tilts her body over the bar counter to catch the attention of a patron. With as much speed as moments earlier, he can hear the way the bartender scurries around at the mention of her asking for a margarita, but the scuffle is being drowned out by the swell of sweetness taking over his brain at the sugary song that slips past her plump lips and peppers love bites along his heart. Only a short while later her drink arrives and she sounds far too grateful in turn. 

The tips of his fingers tingle as she suddenly turns around, mimicking his stance of utilising her elbows for balance, her forearm mere millimetres from his own and for the love of god he prays she won't glance down and notice the goosebumps dancing along his skin. But she doesn’t- instead, she tilts her chin and cranes her neck to give his face a proper look. It's too late to start wishing she wouldn’t recognize him- he’s certain she does after their last… encounter- but if she had any ill feelings, it went unvoiced as she only smiled, the corners of her eyes creasing cutely. 

She sips lowly, her lips glossed with pink tonic to match- a droplet threatening to slip slowly and waterfall down the bottom of her cupid bow, balancing on her upper lip and begging to be licked free. Perhaps by his tongue. Her attention returns to the now two famous men fiddling on the roof for the opportunity to one-up each other. But her grimace is telling, the distaste gathering between her brows, her bottom lip sucked and trapped between her front teeth. 

He wants to giggle, or do anything, but he has become an inferno of self-doubt and cannot argue the fire into simmering long enough for him to string a sentence together. Why can't he just say hello, has he become such a hermit that the mere thought of a pretty girl has him in such a shameful frenzy? 

And then she speaks as if it is the easiest thing she has done all day, her voice deep, but silky, each word as wonderful and skin-tingle-inducing,

“Were you working up the courage to say hello…” she raises the glass, taking a classy sip, her lips glossy and decorated grains of salt- her tongue darting out to lick away the residue, “Or, do you just get off on watching me suffer?”

He almost choked on his scotch and saliva as she confirmed that not only had she noticed him, but she was certainly aware of the way his eyes remained hooked and dreamily dedicated to her direction. And she is mere centimetres away, he can practically feel her skin simmering, heating him with lack of intent. His thoughts are threatening to spew honesty, telling him to trust himself and slip into smoothness. Though, he can only muster enough courage to mutter with excessive haste,

“Would rather get off from making you feel good.” 

Half incoherent, but heard nonetheless, a burst of bashfulness attempts to paint her cheeks a beautiful blush red, but she shoves all flattery to the depths of herself and puts on a confident front, 

“Say that again?”

And now he is the one begging his face from blooming with splotchy pink, but he certainly doesn’t succeed, shocked that his inhibitions had invaded his thoughts to the point of saying stupid things out loud. With a quick, and vital switch in conversation,  

“Seemed like you were very interested in that conversation… didn’t want to interrupt.”

He hopes his aversion has done the trick, and when a soft bubble of giggles bursts from within her chest- symphonic and swoon-worthy, he feels he may never recover. 

She tilts her body to get a better look at her companion and the pearly crystals of her gown sparkle with such vigour that they flicker along her face, highlighting her features, only furthering his fascination. She speaks boldly, her words bemused and seeped with disbelief, 

“Interested? In the disaster of garments, those men are wearing?”

He glances over at the two men who are still engaged enthusiastically. She isn’t wrong, the first man’s entire suit is ill-fitted, crumpling in all the wrong places, chromatic lime combined with a loosely hanging fuchsia bowtie. Horrendous. And so, he laughs, loudly and lacking any shame, his lips letting his teeth peek past, cheeks swelling cutely, 

“Christ, I don’t wanna hear what you think about mine-” 

“Good.” She interjects with surety, “You look good.” 

And he wants to ask for more- for her to flower him with flattery and elaborate on all of the elements and flares that encompass the fashion she deems as ‘good’. Grievously, he gives in to the little voice in his head that whispers and pleas for him to play it cool,

“Yeah?” Very cool.

She nods stoically, wisdom coating her eyes, glittery silver mixing with a slight hint of endearment. It may be the meekest of motions, hardly a smile in sight, but his chest swells nevertheless and he hopes with everything in him that she keeps up the kindness as she speaks up,

“Don’t let it get to your head.” Glitter dances across his face as she rolls her eyes, playfully scoffing and allowing a small smile to peak out to the corner of her cheeks.

Now he needs to see her grin in action, needs to feel the butterflies negging at his stomach from the sound of her giggles turning to laughter. A million and one ideas spring to mind, silly anecdotes, flat-out questions, compliments, suggestions of attraction- literally anything and everything- and then, his bubble of blooming euphoria bursts as a man, mid-fifties and dressed with elegance, saunters over with ease.  

And when her eyes swell with recognition, it becomes definite that their conversation will now accommodate another body. But his disappointment does not dwell, he was savouring each second with her to begin with- after their last encounter, he felt eased to have had even a moment of restoration. 

The man joins with a joyous gesture of his raised arms and grinning teeth as he stretches out and embraces her with a classic kiss to both cheeks. She reciprocates with cheeriness and open arms, exclaiming “Andreas,” before the words “lovely to see you” are muffled from her mouth brushing the velvet material of Andreas’ suit. 

“You flatter me.” Andreas applies European etiquette, taking a slight step back to see her better. Paired with that, Andreas’ attention aims at her conversational partner, eyes widening with recognition and warmth at the reality of who stands with her. 

Opening his mouth to attempt a formal introduction, he is shocked to silence, jaw slack, as she delicately reaches out and just barely places her palm on her upper arm, 

“This is Harry.” She says it like she’s said it before- he wonders to who, when, what about? 

His ears are engaging in a soft ringing sound, sweet sirens singing at him the fact that she knows who he is. It’s hardly heard when Andreas extends a hand, greeting and praising the opportunity of finally having a chance to connect. 

Andreas speaks of a collaboration, marvelling over the creative concepts coming to fruition- all of them embracing the things he is best known for- whatever the topic, it proves hard to pay mind to, as the space on his arm where her hand once sat is still holding his attention.

The only thing that could tear his thoughts away- and does- is her voice, perking up with curiosity. She asks for some form of clarification, perhaps the location of another guest she hopes to mingle with. He’s struggling to hear her words, still stuck on the silky flow of her vocals, vibrating along the his already flaming skin.

Oh, but he definitely understands when she utters a polite, “Gentlemen, please excuse me”, her teeth peaking out from her peachy lips, a kind smile mirrored in her eyes.

He can confirm she is seeking out a woman, as her back becomes his only view, her body relaxed, shoulders straight, her silky gown shimmering as she sees what she wants and slips back into a crowd of gaudy party-goers.

She is gone and he is stood facing Andreas, his glazed gaze fading into focus as he maintains his manners and once more musts up the energy to engage in conversation. But, as always, he is late to the jump,

“So, how do you know, Y/n?”

This may be the best interruption of the evening- perhaps of the past year- he hadn’t known the pattering at his heart would be so poignant at the present of finally hearing her name. Pieces are fitting together like a puzzle- he wishes to find plenty,

“I don’t, really,” he hums honestly, “we keep bumping into one another."

[izpira-se-zlato]

Why Sunny Side of London Should Not Be The Opener

I've been listening to my recordings from ESNS 24 a bunch (because I don't have any streaming services and currently have my work laptop plugged into my speakers), and what really struck me is – SSOL is Not A Good opener.

A small essay, under the cut, because I still have not learned how to keep my ramblings short and somehow wrote around 800 words. Yeah. I tried not getting too critical, but it does talk about why I think something they're doing does not work, so proceed with caution if that is likely to upset you.

ETA: Added a bit about ESNS and Platosonic

Before we get into this, a bit of info about ESNS and Platosonic: ESNS is a music showcase festival – not a competition, as Bojan claimed, but an event where during the day, music industry people go to conference-style panels and in the evenings/night, "breakout artists" from Europe play showcase sets of 40 minutes. So there's a pretty decent chance there's like, critics and producers and god knows who else from the music industry in the audience.

Platosonic is an event set in the Plato record store (and the neighbouring coffee shop) where artists who also play festival sets play smaller, special sets in a more intimate atmosphere – JO with their half-acoustic set (i.e. Kris was on an acoustic guitar), and another artists from the band AySay played a solo set with her saz, to name two).

Okay, and with the stage set like that, back to the original essay.

I've been thinking about it for a while (ever since first hearing it live, really), that it works better at the end of the set, when they play it as their encore: the crowd is hyped, we've been partying, we've been partying together, and then it's just a release of emotion that feels good.

At the start of the set though? It hasn't worked for me ever since I first heard it live in that spot at Stožice. I put it down as, oh, I don't like this song that much anyway at first, but it's more than that, and the ESNS version really drove that home. They weren't playing to a home crowd there – Bojan remarked upon the familiar faces in the front row, and I got the vibes that he was a little glad, but for the most part, the crowd was pretty dead at first. They hadn't yet won them over. They needed to put the work in.

And SSOL does not put that work in. Instead, it already expects to reap the rewards, but if you don't know this band, and don't know this song, then having the first song suddenly put you on the spot and demand you scream... What for? They haven't yet done anything. They haven't yet played, they haven't yet shown their skill, and yet they demand you cheer for them?

And Bojan clearly recognised that something was off – he yells you guys suck, after the first scream bit, which is relatable but feels jarring and awkward every time I listen to the recording. It's unprofessional: the crowd didn't suck, you just expected adoration and engagement without having built it up.

It reminds me a bit of the Stožice recording. Now of course, Stožice was them playing in front of a literal home crowd, which adds another layer of complexity: a Slovenian crowd for a Slovenian band, and the (rightful) fear that in their bid for international stardom, they would abandon their Slovenian roots.

But it's what we have a professional recording for, and the change between SSOL and Gola is noticeable. Where SSOL has the scream bits that are loud (and imo better mixed in than in the studio version, which is jarring with how suddenly it switches between music and the screaming), Gola has the crowd just getting into it in a way that's missing from SSOL. SSOL feels like the prelude while Gola is the opening.

And, as many problems I have with SSOL, I think it's a decent live song! It's fun, it's easy to sing along to, it's a way for you to let out the emotions that built up... if they've been built up. Which is why I think they're doing themselves and the song a disservice by using it to open. It's a celebration of their fans and the atmosphere at their concerts, but the audience needs to be in that atmosphere. It does not work very well to build that atmosphere because it expects you to already be in that mindset.

And the ESNS set really underscored that. The crowd was silent, because why would they scream? Because the singer asked them to? Why would they? The band hadn't yet done anything except introduce themselves; they hadn't yet put the work in and yet expected to reap the rewards.

There was another bit that fell flat – when Bojan did his usual Anatagaski/Watashi mo spiel – and it was less jarring, but I think he could have done with more confidence there. And I do wonder whether he might have had more confidence if they hadn't started with SSOL.

Because I think they can win "fresh" people over, even with a full set in Slovene (hell, they did it to many of us). I'm pretty sure they won over a good chunk of that crowd. They have charisma, the songs are catchy, their stage presence is fun. But SSOL and demanding audience participation before they've earned it really hurt them.

And of course the Platosonic set the next day was different – smaller, more relaxed, less pressure from "industry people in the audience" – but Bojan seemed way more relaxed and way more in his element there, and if he'd been like that at Maas on Wednesday, and if they hadn't started with SSOL but ended with that, it would have been a much stronger set.

[kl125]

I’m a bit tired of the criticism surrounding the Percy Jackson show. Not the fact that criticism exists, because I agree with a lot of what’s being said, but people acting like there’s an intellectual superiority linked to hating the show. This is long, so here’s a “keep reading” for you.

No one said it would be a perfect book to TV adaptation. Even Rick said they would change some stuff, because he was given a chance to go back and reevaluate the original story. Personally, I think Rick’s writing is better suited for books, and doesn’t translate well to a TV show format (referring specifically to his writing for the screenplays), and there’s some jarring pacing issues moving from scene to scene. Not to mention, of the whole series, The Lightning Thief is one of the weaker stories, simply because Rick wrote it early in his career, and he had the chance of slowly improving with each new release. And I agree that simply saying, “Well, Rick approves of this adaptation,” does not excuse it from having flaws.

That being said, I still very much enjoy the show. Walker, Leah, and Aryan are carrying the story fairly well. I like their dynamic, and it gives a new perspective on Percy being an unreliable narrator, seeing as PJO is written in first person, but the show is portrayed in third person. Also, for people saying, “$15 million per episode, but where did it go?” The salaries for the cast and crew, the props, cameras, costumes, makeup, royalties for using certain songs, and some decent CGI, among other things. It adds up more than you think.

Now, if you don’t like the show, that’s fine. If you want to voice your criticisms, that’s fine. But please don’t act like your opinion is the only one that matters, and that anyone who actually enjoys the show is dumb or blind to the problems. People can enjoy things just…because. For me, there are MANY things I like which have TONS of evident problems, but those problems aren’t enough for me to give it up.

Also, “show don’t tell” is a good philosophy to have when telling a story, but we need to remember that this first season has to do a LOT of heavy lifting exposition wise. It has to cover a number of Greek mythology stories and character backstories, and weave them into the plot, in a relatively short amount of time. Yes, we have the benefit of eight episodes, but even then, there’s not enough time to dive deep into ALL of the intricacies of mythology and backstories. I think the episodes could stand to be a bit longer, and I think some scenes need have more breathing room so that the audience has more time to process what’s happening. As for why Percy seems to know everything, it’s stated multiple times outright that Sally told him the Greek mythology stories. They are ingrained in his brain, and Percy is very smart and quick.

Finally, there are a NUMBER of shows that had a pretty disappointing first season, but went on to improve with each new season. We should treat these criticisms as suggestions for improvement, instead of completely writing off the show. It’s not perfect, and that’s to be expected, but it’s still so early. We need to give shows time to grow and improve.

Anyway, if you’ve read all this and still hate the show, that’s fine. No one is stopping you. I fully respect that opinion, and I’m not here to change that. I just think there are more constructive ways of handling things like this than going on TikTok and being like, “Hot take, but the Percy Jackson show is actually garbage.” It’s about open conversation and constructive criticism and the hope that things will improve with time.

P.S. The irony of me writing this whole post portraying myself as intellectually superior is not lost on me. Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, I just hope we can be more productive when sharing them. That’s all.

P.P.S. If you really don’t like the show, and you think it’s objectively terrible, then don’t watch it. No one is forcing you to keep up with it each week.

[fraudulent-cheese]

I think im actually going to change who wins in my team escope tdwt au?

Originally Noah was going to win and alenoah was gonna be the final 2, but it felt both like a disservice to Heather's character who does have development over the course of the season and it wasn't super compelling to me (she's way more invested in the competition than Noah is + my personal agenda of making Alejandro loose the competition in every single AU i write) + Noah winning just not making for a satisfying ending

Heather in this AU would end up in a similar "previous antagonist becomes antihero due to a bigger vilain popping up" position as she does in canon, but it's combined with her making a genuine friend on the show in Harold; she's shown in the best light she's ever been shown on the show and while a good chunk of the audience is supporting Noah for the finale, she still has a decent crowd of supporters.

It's also my personnal mission to make Alejandro loose in every Total Drama AU i write apparently, and him loosing the tie-breaker is perfect for angst. Also i've seen my fair share of tdwt alenoah rewrites and none of them have included both in the final 3 tie-breaker so it would be fun to explore, with Noah only standing a chance against Alejandro thanks to his dodging ability and wanting to put an end to their endless pining...

It could go two ways - either Noah wins the Tie-Breaker or Alejandro wins the tie-breaker.

Noah at this point in the competition is sure of three things:

Alejandro's a very competitive guy, with a flare for the dramatics

Him and Noah have had been semi-friendly semi-fighting all competition, with it dipping more into a rivalry as of late (the thing keeping him trying after Eva's elimination)

And based on both of these facts:

Alejandro's most likely looking for a dramatic victory over him. Noah's not willing to give him that.

So, mid-spar, Noah's trying to solve this conflict once and for all - Not his brightest idea, but he's joined Total Drama so he's made worse decisions - and opts to be genuine while dodging Alejandro's hits. His earnestness does break through eventually, and confesses to him. They're both standing near the edge of the fighting platform, and are both tired as hell from the previous challenge.

That is the only reason Noah considers as the one behind Alejandro leaning in and kissing him.

After this is where the ending would diverge depending on who ends up in the final two: Alejandro would win by Noah falling into the water right afterwards on his own accord, and Noah would win by tricking Alejandro into falling into the shark infested water.

either making it to the final 2 doesn't change the outcome of Heather winning in the end, but it would change the banter and Helpers; Heather would pick Sierra (who got over Heather booting her back in Paris because she's "a sucker for redemption arcs") and Leshawna (who's friendly with her in this AU) while the boys would pick a combination of the third placer + one of their closest friendship on the show (Courtney and Noah for Alejandro, Alejandro and Izzy for Noah). Heather still ends up in the cage trap and is genuinly pissed at this, but Harold and Leshawna (through the power of friendship) snap her out of it with a similar line as in canon (that she's a better person now and either 1. more deserving of the win for them if she's against Noah or 2. the 'good guy' if she's going against Alejandro) and manages to climb up the volcano.

If Heather's against Noah, she catches up to him due to his garbage athletisism and if it's Alejandro, it's the cast catching onto his distaste of the "Al" nickname and using it against him (probably Owen and Izzy, the latter joining in for shits and giggles). If it's against Noah it'll be a roundabout way of having a friendship finale, it's just the good guy with friends vs the less good guy who's gotten better thanks to friendship and self reflection, and if it's Alejandro and Heather it's just bad guy vs good guy, more like in canon :p they could have a stupid dramatic swordfight with the dummies that Alejandro looses like an idiot and it gets him slipping to the volcano's base (because it would be a funny visual).

The volcano still explodes at the end, but i don't know if i want the "alejandro gets partially burnt" ending or "everyone (but the million dollars) is fine" ending yet. idk

[sleepdeprivationbutitsvaruna]

Hey #GreekMythology tumblr, I want ya’lls help on something :).

So, I’ve been thinking about starting this massive project. Like, would take years and years work of writing and research and sheerly finding the time and motivation for. And as I was thinking about the specifics, I thought: why not bring others into it as well? Because as much as I am interested in a lot of Greek Mythology, there are things that are simply not my interests and might cause writers block and my goal for the project would to be as fun as possible. So, here we are.

What is the project exactly? Well, hopefully, it’ll be a long Ao3 series/fic focusing on the individual perspectives of various figures/events in Greek Mythology arranged in (semi/good enough) chronological order. I personally intend to write for Poseidon in his/my version of the Titanomachy and (maybe) some events that follow, if you want a little bit of an idea on what I’m talking about.

The limits on this are almost completely free, all that I ask are that each of your submissions are one POV only (and by that I mean your main subject’s POV). Why do I say this? I say this because that is what I want this project to look like. It doesn’t matter if it’s First, Second, or Third POV along with all the other variants of those three, my main focus is on the individual experiences of these individuals. Kind of like character studies, if you know what I mean. I’m intending for it to be mostly formal but I will absolutely accept crack admissions that I will probably put into its own series to Separate the Vibes for whoever comes by :).

Ultimately, this is a completely open-ended project that has absolutely no deadline. I’m about to go to bed so I can’t go into too much detail, but if you want to DM me or send any asks, I am completely okay with that and we’ll all flesh out the specifics we go :).

What is my overall purpose? Not only is this project made for my own individual purposes of learning more about the gods and other Greek Mythology writers, but it’s also the chance to spread the word of other writers. I know how hard it is to get specific audiences, especially when you’re shy, so this is a chance for your work to be stumbled upon. Each post on the eventual Ao3 fic will include your socials, how to find you, and your other general works on either ao3, tumblr, wattpad, or other :)

Can you participate even without socials or a tumblr page? Yes you absolutely can :). My asks will always be open to anons and I will do my best to give credit when I eventually post everything :). If you want to post multiple submissions or simply just want a trackable (between works) name to your writing, just sign something at the end. It could be a name, it could be a potential username, I don’t mind at all :)).

How do I submit things? Well, the best way would be to DM me :). I have a personal writing email separate from most things that would be perfect to either share a google docs with or to just send a copy-and-pasted copy of it. Otherwise, I take asks. None of them will be posted unless asked or we’re ready to so it’ll be safe to just drop them off in! It’s also where I take questions :).

Any other things to note? I’d really appreciate some other moderators and editors :). There’d only be like two or three of each and we’d have to know each other decently well before officially starting, but some help would be appreciated! Also, I’d like to keep a working ‘spreadsheet’ of who’s working on what just for people to see what’s going on :). Maybe some people can collaborate or it’ll encourage those niche writers to write :). A third thing is that most questionable stuff is accepted. I’d personally rather not handle all those things other than posting it so it might be a while until I can officially accept (consensual and/or graphic) ✨spicy stuff✨ but, other than that, I’ll take any of it (also, it’s Greek Mythology, almost all of it already happened). If someone’s willing to take over the ✨spicy stuff✨ then please DM me so we can work out the details and see if it’s a nice fit :)

Honestly, that all should be it. The main point is that I’m trying to start up a long-term project on Tumblr and Ao3 about what is essentially Greek Mythology character studies that not only allows for mass communication across a wide audience, but also (hopefully) gets some recognition for the smaller writers :). Feel free to DM me or send me asks with questions but for now, I shall sleep

Tagging: @bluebellstudio @thirteen-deaths-later @0lympian-c0uncil @happyk44 @h0bg0blin-meat @sworeontheriverstyx @deathlessathanasia @gotstabbedbyapen. Sorry if I tagged you and you want nothing to do with it, I just wanted to get it out there /pos /gen

[mywingsareonwheels]

Here be yet more Fred Thursday musings ;-)

[Long post and spoilers for all of Endeavour here.]

So, I was thinking yet again (for the billionth time ;-) ) about Fred Thursday and the three people we see him kill over the course of Endeavour while trying to save someone else:-

Mrs Coke-Norris

Ludo Talenti

Raymond Kennitt/Peter Williams

The show seems to be pointing us into believing that the third of those is somehow much, much worse than the first two and I... have a problem with this.

I mean, in all three cases Fred was responding to an immediate threat to life (of someone he cared about, and in the second and third cases also Fred himself). In the case of Mrs C-N Fred was officially on duty which gives him some extra legal cover, but I'd say no extra moral cover.

I'm no legal expert, but from what I understand, under English-and-Welsh law, none of the three were murders; you're looking at manslaughter at worst, at best a good case for self/other-defence, which... is a grey area but certainly a decent defence lawyer could have had a good go.

(It is worth noting, of course, that this is the morseverse and this is Fred Thursday; he's made so many enemies both in the criminal justice system and among criminals, mostly through doing actively good things, that his chances of either a fair trial or then surviving prison are basically non-existent. I think we have to weigh all of Morse's decisions in "Exeunt" with that in mind because there's no way Morse isn't aware of it. Sam's chances of surviving prison for drug-dealing I think we can assume would also be remote, again due to the enemies Fred has made. And I think again, we have to weigh both Fred's and Morse's decisions with that in mind.)

So... yeah. I think there are only three things that you might consider as making the killing of Raymond Kennitt worse than that of Ludo Talenti or Mrs Coke-Norris:-

the use of the knife rather than a gun, which makes it theoretically possible that Fred could have found a way to end the fight that didn't involve killing Kennitt. That does strike me as something that's probably easier to see from a backseat than if you're Fred in the middle of what's happening, but still.

we know Kennitt's horrifying backstory (not that Fred does), and so feel huge amounts of compassion for him even though he's obviously awful in the "present", and sympathy for the grief that Jakes would feel if he knew what had happened. That's inevitable I think, but, well. Can we be sure that Mrs C-N and Ludo aren't child abuse survivors too? (We do know that Fred and Charley both are, though not the details.) All in all, I think this is a show that wants us to feel compassion for as many characters as possible, and I don't want to assume that Mrs C-N and Ludo didn't end up Like That for no reason.

the fact that Fred kills Mrs C-N and Ludo in defense of Morse (the protagonist, Fred's protege, and a character we all love) and kills Kennitt in defense of Sam (a more minor character, and Fred's son). I would hope that Morse wouldn't see it like that and that neither does Russell Lewis because obviously that's a dreadful position to hold, but... yeeeah. It would annoy me a lot if that's part of the reasoning of the show, but protagonist-centered morality is a flaw in an awful lot of fiction, and while Endeavour mostly doesn't give into it, I don't think any writers are immune. So I do have a horrible suspicion that this is the bit that makes the actual difference, even though I really think it shouldn't be. If Fred had killed Kennitt to save Morse rather than Sam... would we as an audience feel differently? (I ask that of myself as well as of anyone else who wants to ask it of themselves! And honestly, I probably would feel better about the killing if it was for Morse, even though rationally I know it's no different!)

I'd actually say that in the case of the killing of Kennitt there are a couple of minor mitigating factors that the first two lack:-

Fred is in the worst state mentally we ever see him in "Exeunt", and is completely falling apart; earlier in the day he had some form of heart episode or possibly severe panic attack. At any rate: he's going through hell and he is ill as a result.

I can't actually remember if he has his gun with him during the fight with Kennitt, but he certainly isn't willing to use it given the situation; the knife is Kennitt's not his, and a weapon you aren't intending to use is for practical purposes not here, so he's... taken on an armed man while essentially unarmed. Fucking berserker that he is. Rather than two people with guns going up against each other.

you can see a moment of decision in Roger's face for the killings of both Mrs C-N and Ludo; by Fred's own account to Morse (which I think we can take as honest) he didn't make any conscious decision to kill Kennitt (see above re awful mental state).

Honesty? I think that killing in immediate self-defence and/or defence-of-other is however as close to necessary and justified as killing ever gets, and I'm inclined to be extremely forgiving about all three deaths. I'm not sure Fred had a real choice in any of the three cases.

What Fred does do in the third case that really is different of course is the cover-up, in misleading everyone, in being an absolute arsehole to Morse when he comes to check on him that night. In all of it it's massively, massively understandable (as he's a) ill, b) still trying to protect Sam). Morse's sense of betrayal though is also massively understandable. Ugh. My heart hurts. *shakes fist at Russell Lewis, and also at Roger and Shaun for being so amazing*

Anyway. Do I have an overall point? Probably: Fred Thursday is a complicated character and I love him and I want to hug him and also throw things at him. He has horrible violent tendencies but he isn't a murderer under English-and-Welsh law, and I don't think s9 makes sense unless we interpret him as very mentally unwell by the end of it. Also: Morse and Thursday both need different jobs, holy shit. Also also: I reckon Morse ended up forgiving Thursday and being in touch with him, because he is pretty fair when given time to process things, and he doesn't have Morse-centered morality. Also also also: Russell Lewis is a meanie and I want more fix-it fics. ;-)

[matan4il]

Buddie 606 meta

This meta is about Buddie, but please let me state how much I love Henren. I adore this ship, I can’t even explain how much as a queer person myself, and this ep dedicated to them was fantastic. It did them justice. And I have to take a sec to point out how much this isn’t to be taken for granted. They are a couple of older gay women of color, four identities that have been largely marginalized in TV land. A lot of shows would barely include them, let alone dedicate a whole ep to them, trusting that the audience will love and embrace it. More than that, they allowed Henren to be sexual, too. This is such an important choice when it would have been easier to show every other wonderful moment between them, but keep them sanitized for the viewers who are less accepting. This is why I have so much faith in 911. I guess that’s also why I believe in the show when it comes to Buddie, that it can be brave enough to let them become canon. ~~

Speaking of Henren’s sexy times (I can’t emphasize enough how much I loved it, kudos to the gay musical choice), when Karen said to Hen, “I don’t have to be serious,” it hit me that she’s saying it with the exact same sort of playful intonation while taking a step in Hen's direction that Buck used when he uttered at Eddie that oh so suggestive, “You wanna go for the title?” in 309 while getting physically closer (kitchen scene, my ‘no het explanation’ beloved). ~~

I loved that Henren’s story does not begin smoothly, they start out antagonistic. Karen has that “are you even worth my time?” attitude, while Hen’s very blunt about calling her out. But the confrontation is full of that sexual tension of two people who, while riled up by the other person, they also realize they have met their match, someone who intrigues and attracts them, challenges them and can help them better themselves, so they very quickly move past the initial friction. Tell me that’s not Buddie in 201, giving each other attitude only to swear eternal loyalty as battlefield boyfriends before the ep's over. Enemies to soulmates who will choose each other again and again, through thick and thin, is why we (in addition to Buddie and Henren) are the ones who never really stood a chance. ~~

Then we have the fact that in both cases, someone from the team was responsible for the match. Chim was very blunt about it with Henren (our short KING!) and I know that Bobby-the-matchmaker is not canon, but it’s hovering so close to that. You can see it in the way Bobby watches Buck’s reaction to Eddie in 201, in the way he pushes them towards each other during that ep, and of course in that classic moment when he “presides” over Buddie’s union when the match proves to be a success (as I tried to show in my humor edit, in cinematographic terms, that moment was staged to look very similar to a wedding, the couple exchanging vows with an officiant in the background, a staging sometimes used to implicitly point to a ship not yet recognizing their own feelings/commitment for each other). It becomes even more of a parallel if you consider that in both cases, the “matchmaker” brings in a newcomer to make things better precisely when a member of the 118 they’re close to has to deal with letting go of a romantic relationship that ended up toxic... ~~

I wrote in my 605 meta that the Henren and Buddie parallels were already on in that ep, and I expected to see lots more this week, but I gotta admit, I thought it would be mainly between Henren’s call vs Buddie during the shooting arc in 413 and 414. So you can already tell I was surprised by how much broader the parallels were. Another one I did not anticipate was Karen’s aggravated reaction to Hen doing the decent thing (hearing Eva out regarding Denny) and how similar it was to Eddie’s reaction over Abby re-appearing in 318 (Buck doing the decent thing and helping her with her new fiance). If you ask me, jealously worried Eddie is confirmed real through this parallel (this is the one gif I made for this post myself, ‘coz I am a dumbass who forgot to type this when I was sending my meta gif requests). ~~

Everything about the call at the lab was exquisite, even the way it kicked off, with Bobby as the voice of the 118 reassuring Hen they will get her wife back to her. It's so much like the scene in 315 where the team had to reassure Buck that they're not giving up on Eddie and that they will save him. *quietly hyperventilates because what even is this parallel* ~~

Don’t get me started on Hen having to watch as Karen collapsed after coming out of the building. Like I said, I knew we’d probably be looking at a lot of parallels with the shooting story arc, but SERIOUSLY. 911, this was SO rude of you. Each one of these scenes separately just ripped my heart out, but the parallel also did me in, ‘coz it emphasized the fact that when Buck is the one to witness Eddie collapsing there, it’s because the show knows it has the same impact as for Hen to watch her (legally married!) romantic partner and co-parent to her child going through the same thing. The insane thing is Eddie officially had a romantic partner at the time! Someone who was supposed to occupy the closest space in his life to what Karen is to Hen, and yet 911 still chose to have Buck there, punching us all collectively in our guts as he watched in muted horror the love of his life collapsing. Utter, gay madness. ~~

Not only did Hen have to watch Karen collapse, she also had to try and revive her, which is so very similar to what Buck had to do for Eddie after physically getting him out of the line of fire in 414. It’s that mixture of love and desperation and hope and teetering on the edge of despair for me that makes the ambulance scenes in both of these storylines so poignant, and the parallel impossible to ignore. ~~

We also have the fact that when Hen watches Karen being carried into the hospital on a gurney, much like Buck watched Eddie being taken in during 414, the next moment when she knows Karen is more or less safe, she can barely hold herself up without help. It’s that combined exhaustion from everything she did to save her loved one, and relief, and the deeply terrifying realization of what was so close to be, all of these suddenly released together into her bloodstream become too much. So Bobby and Chim have to help and physically support her. This just came and slapped me across my face (911 really chose violence this ep, didn’t they?) because it’s exactly how Buck reacted in 303, when he sees Chris safe in Eddie’s arms, and he can’t take everything he’s feeling in that moment, so he has to be physically supported by Bobby and Hen… ~~

Karen refusing to leave when she was supposed to reminded me of Eddie doing the same by cutting his own cord in order to continue helping in 315. I was ready for the shooting arc parallels, I was not for the Eddie Begins ones and my insides are decimated. To be technical, this also parallels David refusing to leave the operation room in 508, subtly linking all the stubborn gays risking themselves when they’re not supposed to while their partners are nearby, yet separated from them and going insane with worry. ~~

I mentioned Henren parallels Buddie in both the shooting arc and Eddie Begins, and nowhere is it more evident IMO than in that moment when Chim lies to Karen, telling her Hen had died, and for one terrible moment, she believes it and you can see her whole world is shaken up and close to imploding. This feels so much like Buck’s reaction in both those storylines, when for a moment there he has to consider that maybe he lost Eddie for good, and the look he gets of utter disbelief, on the verge of devastation, is so like Karen’s. ~~

But if that’s not enough, we also have another theme that connects the three storylines, the one about how an event like that can make people recognize what matters in their lives and consolidate what their dreams are, or in other words, what’s the family that they fight for, which they now fully embrace. For Karen, thinking she lost Hen made helped her accept Denny into their lives, while Eddie, who realized in 315 that he’s fighting to come back to his family, and that Buck IS a huge part of that family, together with Chris, decided to change his will to make them all legally bound together, a fact he discloses to Buck in 414, as the conclusion to the shooting arc. ~~

Something that further reinforces the family-consolidation parallels between the two eps is Karen telling Hen she has to go be with Denny because he comes first, just like Buck stayed with Chris in 414. And again Ana, the actual gf, is right there, but it’s Buck who’s taking care of what matters the most to Eddie, what constitutes his heart: his son. ~~

I have to mention that moment at the hospital where Buck was asking about living without a spleen. With all of his experience as a firefighter responding to many medical emergencies, as well as his love of bizarre trivia including from the anatomical realm, I’m sure he knew the answer to that. What he’s really asking for is reassurance that Karen will be okay. Eddie picks up on that and offers precisely that, which is not just ridiculously tender, it’s also so domestic that it’s their connection that brings about that comfort. ~~

Lastly, the conclusion of this ep parallels Henren and Buddie as well. Hen’s insight from this experience of helping her significant other during a call is that the job she should be doing, that she was born to do, is be a paramedic with the 118. That’s also exactly Eddie’s conclusion in 511, after he helps Buck during a call. Even when he wasn’t physically there, even when it wasn’t Buck’s own life on the line, simply helping Buck on a dangerous call reminded Eddie of where he wanted to be. With his battlefield boyfriend. Canon “Buddie Begins” when, 911?

~~ If you like this content and would like to see more of it, please consider giving this a reblog! Thank you in advance for any show of support. A massive thank you to the astounding @whosoldherout​, who tackles my gif requests every week and creates such perfect and beautiful gifs to demonstrate my thoughts. xoxox

[soobberries]

Dilf!Seonghwa pt 2.

Author's Note: Mayhaps I'm tempted to make this a proper fic series and rewrite it... But for now, it's going to be a 'deconstructed fanfiction' as I call it. Let me know if you want a part 3! Feedback is always appreciated too!

Also, this hasn't been properly proofread :p

Warning: Despite this technically being based on a legal reader, since there is a somewhat large age gap - thought I would clarify:

Please be aware that I do not condone any type of relationships between minors and adults, nor do I encourage the idea of being a homewrecker. This is all just fiction! So without further ado, let’s get started!

Genre: Doesn’t exactly have one but has elements of crack and is suggestive.

Age: This is written for a somewhat mature audience so please, no under 16s. Stay safe younglings <3

Word Count: 3.9k

Part one: click here!

Yeah booooiiiiiz, let’s go!

After the first encounter at the fundraiser, which by the way, was ruined by some PTA moms gossiping outside the bathroom door (which caused you and Mr. Park to get the shock of your lives. Fumbling around the enclosed space in slight panic with the sudden reality check of where you two were). 

It ended in him having covered your exposed self with his blazer, insisting you can keep it, secretly in hopes that it would be an excuse to somehow see you again. 

Despite it being painfully awkward (read: unlawful), you were far too intrigued by Mr. Park to let that be your last encounter as well. 

I mean who can blame you? It was a day that definitely took you for a ride (and perhaps not the exact one you would prefer but who knows, maybe it'll lead to the ideal one 🤪). 

jk jk… Unless-

Sometimes you even question if it was a fever dream or something but… you knew it wasn't- 

… the blazer stared you down a lot. It definitely was real. 

So you maaaay have decided against your better judgment to look after Nila a whole lot more these days, just in the rare case you may bump into him :D

You’ve been pretty unlucky though.

You’ve become used to seeing Yerim running towards you with Nila to give you hugs though… which honestly? A very wholesome experience so you can't complain. 

Yerim loved you now since Nila was her best friend and if you were taking Yerim back to Nila’s house or they were going to hang out, you’d take them out for ice cream secretly without their parents knowing (which made it even more exciting for them).

Listen, part of you knew that maybe all this was stupid, and the chances of seeing him were slim, but it wasn’t all too bad and you didn’t have anything to lose.

These two kids were basically like your own but without the burden and responsibility of being an actual parent, and you were making some decent cash over the summer (plus your mom was pleased with how much you were helping her co-worker since it helped their relationship too.) 

Which was great honestly. You grew to like the two munchkins since they weren’t bad or rude. They were both a little chaotic and loud at times, but overall, just really sweet, happy kids. You couldn’t help but cherish them.

So even without seeing the handsome devil himself, you felt satisfied with your looney decision as it came with other benefits. 

It wasn’t until one particular day after the girls had some late afternoon sports practice that you ended up finally seeing the man that's been plaguing your thoughts for the past while. 

Of course, you were excited to see that he was indeed, not a figment of your imagination anymore, however, you weren't as happy as you thought you'd be. 

In fact, you were pretty angry when you did end up seeing him…

You had good reason to be though.

After their practice, Nila asked if you and her could wait with Yerim until her mom came to fetch her so she wouldn’t be alone...and yes perhaps some undying curiosity about who the mysterious ‘Mrs Park’ actually was, was urging you to stay…

But you did also care for the two girls so it was a no-brainer when you ultimately sat down with them outside at one of the nearby benches, not really bothered.

. 

… 

Uhhhh… nevermind?

It’s been about an hour and both girls were getting restless, as well as yourself. 

Where was Mrs Park, or at the very least, the driver she often sent to fetch Yerim instead? 

You offered your phone to Yerim, and she was polite and thankful at the gesture, however, after dialing the number she knew off by heart twice, her mother didn’t answer, so she phoned the only other number she knew: her dad.

Seonghwa’s coupe rolled up about thirty minutes after the call, and if it weren’t for the circumstance, you’d be eyeing down his expensive car more carefully.

“Daddy!” Yerim shouted, running towards him with her arms open, only relief and excitement in her voice.

He leaned down waiting for her hug before embracing her into his arms.

“Hey sweetheart! Sorry, I made you wait, love. Why don’t you go put your stuff in the car while Daddy speaks to Y/n?”

(score, he remembers your name. Yerim must mention you at home sometimes). 

The girl nodded, running towards you to give you a hug as a thank you before running off to the car with her things, Nila assisting in carrying her lunchbox and maths book to the car as well.

You stood arms crossed and all, staring him down expectantly. 

Seonghwa gulped at how scary the aura you were exuding appeared to be.

“Nice to see you again,” is all he could get out with a small smile; meekly, at that.

Your knees were weak at the sight of his smile but your head was still strong.

“You made your kid wait two hours, you know that? They close facilities in fifteen minutes. How could you let her wait so long?” You spoke calmly, but Seonghwa couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed despite the gentle voice.

It felt like you were aggressively scolding him, despite you actually being more reasonable than perhaps the situation granted.

His chest tightened; he knew it was because he hated seeing you even slightly upset, he just wasn’t exactly sure why.

It just gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if he feared something…

“Her mom was supposed to come and she didn’t. Apparently, she had work and forgot to tell me…” He uttered while gazing at the floor and clasping his hands awkwardly in front of him.

It was the first time Seonghwa didn’t have this confident flair that was always present, even if it was just in his walk.

He genuinely looked upset with himself and it made your heart drop a little, realizing that it’s not really your place to speak about what you did. You were just some girl, You crossed the line…

But it obviously wasn’t purposeful and granted, something had to be said. Being left at school by your parents can sometimes be the worst feeling after a long school day, and you know Yerim has mentioned waiting at school for a long while more than once.

“Hey,” You reached over towards him, placing your hands atop his shoulders.

“It wasn’t your fault. You were busy right?”

Seonghwa, with a spark in his eye, looked towards you, hesitantly nodding.

He had a small pout displayed and for a second you couldn’t help but wonder how the hell this handsome, adult man could look so cute.

No wait, be serious here!

“It just shouldn’t become a habit. I saw how sad Yerim looked when her mom didn’t pick up the phone, but she said she’s used to it...I, I know it’s not my place, but I just worry for her. Sorry for overstepping.”

You let out a sigh looking away, before retracting your hands, wanting to give him some personal space.

But you couldn’t because when you pulled away he grabbed your forearms pulling you to your previous spot which was closer to him.

He trailed his hands gently down your arms, grasping your hands in his own.

“It’s okay. You’re right. I just, really didn’t know,” He said tenderly. 

His voice is only loud enough to reach your ears, and your ears alone.

“If you ever need me to urgently help out with Yerim, I don’t mind…” You said, trying to ignore the close proximity between the two of you and the very much intentional hand-holding.

Everything felt still and peaceful,

Perhaps it was due to the school being mainly empty and the sky getting darker but for a moment things stopped for a second, it was just you two in each other’s company while silence encompassed the two of you.

“It’s nice having someone like you care so much for her...and me as well. I’ll keep that in mind.” he gave your hands a soft squeeze.

Ignoring the heat rising to your face, you sent him a bashful smile. 

"Uhh, you should get going…" You said uncertainly, trying to be responsible, but you knew deep down that you didn't want to let go of him just yet. 

"You're right… Before I leave, can I have your number? For emergencies, like you said." He uttered out, letting go of your hands to reach for his phone, causing you to realize how warm his hands were keeping yours. 

“I actually still need to return your blazer…” you mumbled mindlessly, as you took his phone, typing away.

He chuckled, placing his hand on the back of his neck, “Right, I almost forgot! Seems I remembered everything else about you that day except that,” he said, only to somewhat regret his ambiguous words after they came out of his mouth. 

You nodded, unsure exactly what he entailed, but you had a good idea of what he may have been referring to.

You awkwardly exchanged numbers with him before you both parted ways.

This was a bad idea…Offering up your services just like that… Especially since it’s not null of selfish intentions.

But, for now, if no one is getting harmed, then, whatever.

You’ll handle what comes when you get there if you get there.

So lil time skip of about two weeks and you’re chilling, procrastinating the cleanup that you should be doing this Friday afternoon when you get a notification— Seonghwa’s name appearing on screen.

Hey, I know this is a bit sudden, but it’s the end of our business quarter and I have to stay late. Yerim will be all alone at home and no one will be there until 11pm. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but would you be willing to look after her? I promise I’ll compensate you generously.

Are you really about to look after this dude’s kid because you think he’s hot when you could rather be hanging out with friends or watching movies (or actually cleaning)?

Yeah. deal with it.

Of course! I don’t mind at all. Is there anything particular I should know (like should I bring her dinner or-)? And I hope we can discuss the compensation when you arrive home :)

Oh man… your mind really shouldn’t be jumping the gun here but it’s like, really really hard to not think about this scenario playing out…

What scenario?

Him compensating for this through physical means instead-

Iykyk.

He lets you know that there are some leftovers in the fridge that you can heat up for Yerim and sends you his address.

On your way there you can’t help but wonder why his wife isn’t there or a caretaker for Yerim. Is she also working late or are they not staying with each other..? It’s none of your business but of course, you were curious.

The whole situation just seemed weird to you so perhaps you’d see if you can figure something out from Yerim.

Upon arriving, your jaw dropped at how fancy the place was. Like yeah, he seemed like he had a decent job but to be raking in this much money? Damn…

There was a glass staircase, floors made of marble, and art pieces that you knew only wealthy people have the privilege of buying, and let’s not forget the fancy security system, that Seonghwa so graciously gave you the password to.

You laid your things down, calling out to Yerim before she shouts that she was coming.

You see her scurry down the stairs, running towards you to give you a hug. You pick her up, amused by her excitement.

“Y/n! Are you looking after me?” She asks with bright eyes and you give her a nod to which she smiles, elated. 

“But your dad gave me some rules to follow and I don’t want to get in trouble. I’m sure you don’t either, right?” 

She eagerly nodded, seeming to have a war flashback to when her dad got mad at her. 

“Then let’s be good, alright?” You chuckled at her reaction.

You set her down, and after exploring the house nonchalantly, you played with her a bit before letting her go do her own thing in her room.

While silence filled the floor you were on, the various things lying around in the house piqued your interest. 

You walked up to a small desk that had very few minimalistic ornaments and three frames, as well as some flowers that seemed to have started withering.

Upon further inspection, you realized that in the frame were Yerim, Seonghwa, and the infamous Mrs. Park. You couldn’t help but scoff at how pretty she was. Bright, bold eyes, thick heart-shaped lips, a small nose, a long neck giving her an elegant appearance, dark raven hair, and a nice figure to top it all off.

You’d be lying if you said Seonghwa and her didn’t look beautiful together. 

In fact, they must’ve been the talk of their neighborhood with how well they visually complemented each other. People likely gushing over what a pretty couple they make.

You placed the frame down, picking up the vase of flowers, wanting to change the browning water.

You didn’t understand why, but you felt a bit bitter while staring at the photos. 

Maybe it was because of your obvious attraction to Seonghwa or maybe it was because through small anecdotes you’ve figured out that she’s seemingly neglectful to her family.

Either way, despite her being beautiful, it irked you to stay staring at the sweet family photos.

You walked away busying yourself with the vase, thinking of how interesting it is… 

They look like the perfect family in those photos, happy as ever…Meanwhile, Seonghwa has revealed to you how stressed and strained his relationship was, and you’ve witnessed Yerim look dejected whenever her mom or sometimes even her father failed to show up to school events.

When placing the flowers back in their original place, you shook your head, trying to get your thoughts in order as you made your way elsewhere in the house.

You sunk into the couch like a melting slug, wondering if this was a good idea. 

‘This’ as in you taking time to somehow be involved in his life, even if it’s indirect.

It’s harmless now; you’re just some young person crushing on Seonghwa and using opportunities to see him…

The problem comes if he tempts you to throw away your self-control or even vice versa (since you know you don’t do too much thinking when around Seonghwa), and if things start escalating…

With a heavy sigh leaving your mouth, you decide that as long as you don’t overstep your boundaries, you should be fine…Right?

It isn’t long before you heat up those leftovers for Yerim and make a little plate of something for yourself.

You help her get ready for bed, as it starts getting later. You try to make it entertaining and fun for her since she seemed to be a little hesitant to sleep until her dad came home. 

Through what Yerim said, it seemed like her mom hasn’t been home for the past few days.

Tucking her in bed, after reading a short story book you found lying around on the bookshelf in her room, you sat there listening as she told you about her favorite character from that book.

You chuckled at the absurd reasons she gave as to why that character was her favorite, such as the fact that they liked cereal bars and she liked them too even though some people in her class would tease her because they hated them. 

While pulling the duvet up to her head as she dosed off after rambling, you gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. You stood up switching off the lights before stopping in your tracks as she called your name.

“Y/n..?”

You turned around waiting for her to continue,

“Can you come over more often?”

You couldn’t help but furrow your eyebrows in confusion at the request.

“Hmm? Why?”

“Well, you tuck me in and it’s fun when you’re around…Plus Daddy smiles whenever I talk about you so I think he likes you.”

Does she not normally get tucked in? Does Seonghwa talk about me with her a lot?

You gave her a soft smile, “Goodnight Yerim.” 

You headed downstairs, cleaning up the place a bit and doing the dishes before settling on the couch, watching whatever show was on as you waited for Seonghwa.

It was twenty minutes in when you realized looking after kids is no joke, even when they aren’t causing trouble. You were totally ready to have a nice rest after this.

You were fighting your sleep when 11:30pm hit but thankfully It wasn’t long until you heard the front door open, followed by the sound of business shoes hitting the marble. 

You stretched your arms and legs, standing up and switching the TV off, turning around to look towards the hallway entrance,

“Welcome home!” You sang out to Seonghwa, who was startled at the greeting.

His tired eyes lit up at the sight of you and he let out a breathy chuckle, as he took off his coat, hanging it on the hooks near the front. 

He was wearing a white dress shirt with a patterned tie and black slacks, and damn, did he look fucking hot. 

You were a little embarrassed that it didn’t take much for you to get flustered and worked up but his appearance was rather stunning for someone who spent the whole day at work. 

He ruffled his hair a bit, and loosened his tie, walking over towards you with a genuine smile.

“I can’t remember the last time I heard someone welcome me home,” he uttered, popping a few more buttons open, and folding up his sleeves, revealing his toned arms that you vaguely remember, “normally Yerim is either asleep when I get home, or otherwise I fetched her from school and we both came home together…” He trails off to which you nod, shyly petting your hair down, suddenly a little more conscious of your own appearance.

He comes to a stop in front of you, tilting his head, looking at you tenderly.

“It’s nice hearing it, especially so sincerely…”

You open your mouth to say something, only to close it, not fully sure how to respond. You look down to the floor, fumbling over what to say. Normally you’d be a lot quicker, but of course, it seems nothing really is normal when it comes to your behavior around Mr. Park.

He didn’t think much, before reaching out to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear, cradling your cheek in his palm just after. You felt your breath hitch, realizing that even if you tried to speak, you’d choke on your own words.

WHAT WAS HE DOING RN??? HELLO SIR???

He brushed his thumb against your cheek, and you were honestly, just stumped. 

You didn’t know what was going on but you dreamt of this touch for far too long to slap him away like you probably should have.

“Sorry, you had some type of fluff on your cheek,” he uttered, removing his hand which you had to stop yourself from chasing. 

Really..? Fluff? 

You couldn’t tell if he was serious or just using an excuse… 

You knew you liked him and further, you knew the attraction was mutual, but for some reason, it still all felt a bit surreal.

“Was everything okay here? Did Yerim cause you any trouble?” He said gently, his voice low.

“No, not at all! The worst thing she did was tire me out a little bit, but nothing I’m not capable of managing,” you let out an airy chuckle, opting to bite your lip just after feeling slightly awkward. 

He made you nervous in a good way, but also in a way you didn’t know how to handle.

“Oh? It’s a shame. I was hoping I’d be the one responsible for tiring you out tonight,” He chuckled before immediately dying down as he processed what he just said and openly insinuated. 

You almost choked, but swallowed the lump in your throat down instead.

Did he just-

What in the Wattpad was going on?

Not that you minded, I mean the delusional self in you was jumping at this.

Even so, outwardly you had no idea how to respond, feeling overwhelmed enough to just laugh nervously, and beyond your better judgment say this:

“We haven’t exactly discussed my compensation yet, Mr. Park.”

Oh fuck.

Oh.

Fuck.

You said that. YOU REALLY SAID THAT???

Panic.

He scoffs, looking away and you catch a glimpse of his reddening ears. 

“You’re driving me mad” he utters under his breath, seemingly to himself, but you could obviously hear his words...

“Why the sudden formalities? ‘Mr. Park’? Y/n, surely you know by now…” His voice was low and his actions bold as he placed his hand against your waist, leaning over so that his lips were brushing against your ear.

It was giving you flashbacks of when you first met and your heart raced once again at the proximity. 

“I like it when you call me by my name.” 

He was firm in what he said, and his voice sounded different from anything you’ve heard before.

It took everything in you to keep standing, your legs threatening to cave in. 

You placed your hands against his shoulders, both yours and his touch rather chaste considering the connotation of your words.

“Is that so? Maybe I need a reason to do that in the first place…” You uttered out, breath shaky and mind foggy. 

You were hoping he understood what you meant by that, your dazed state not even concerned for any rationality.

He tightened his grip against your waist, letting his head drop against your neck as he chuckled.

“I don’t know what to do with you, Y/n,” he said, now with a lighter tone laced with uncertainty.

It was a small call to reality, but he wasn’t making any action to let you go.

In fact, he only wrapped his other arm around you, pulling his head away to look at you, rather intensely at that-

You felt a little doubtful under his gaze. 

You could see a swirl of emotions in his eyes and he no doubt was feeling similar to you, but there was moral conflict tearing you both away from your desires.

“Sorry-” you whispered out, unable to come up with something better, only to be cut off.

“I do know, however— that I want you.” 

Your breath hitched and you subconsciously slid your hands higher, wrapping them around his neck, hinting to him that the feelings are mutual.

He wanted to hear it said from you directly though. Not willing to take a chance at this moment, he pulled you closer.

“So tell me…” He trailed, eyeing your expression carefully as he brought one hand to cradle your face just as before, “What do you want?”

Oh, fuck this. Consequences can wait. 

You leaned in, brushing your lips against his.

“This,” 

You closed the gap between you two, finally able to feel his lips against yours.