#(and I don’t even like it anymore I just really like criticizing it. it’s fun)

[99tech99]

Empire Day Gala

a/n: I FINALLY FINISHED A LONGER FIC!! actually really happy with how the plot turned out. (thanks andor season 2 for mentioning the imperial ball and reminding me this fic was almost done) ive read and reread and edited and rewritten the smut so much i cant even tell if its cringe anymore. you can decide 😅 i really had a lot of fun with this one. reader’s date takes her to the most exclusive event in the galaxy, the empire day gala. (un?)fortunately, she runs into an old flame…more notes after the fic cause i dont wanna spoil it

WARNINGS: 18+, smut, fingering, unprotected p in v, not exactly cheating

5,090 words below the cut

The official Empire Day Gala. An intimate gathering of the five thousand or so utmost of the Imperial elite. It seemed a little silly to feel so giddy, but you would never have merited an invitation on your own. Sitting in the back of the chauffeured speeder, you leaned forward slightly, looking at the glittering city lights of Coruscant through the transperisteel windows. Your anticipation must have shown in your face.

“I wish I were looking forward to this evening as much as you.”

You turned, smiling, to face your date. He was one of the youngest Admirals in the Imperial Navy, but it was really his family’s connections that had secured his own invitation, and he in turn asked you to accompany him.

“There’s no reason you shouldn’t be, Wulfric!”

“It’s going to be a lot of networking for me. And of course you will have to meet Father.” He looked apprehensive.

“He has met me,” you reminded him. “Several times, actually.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t count. That’s just through your work. Not in connection to me.”

You bit your tongue. You liked Wulfric, but he could be so insufferably condescending at times. And his obsequious need to gain his father’s approval for literally everything always wore thin on your patience.

You pursed your lips. “You’re a grown man, Wulfric. You don’t need his blessing, let alone permission, for anything.”

The slightest frown flickered briefly across his face, as though he has never considered that possibility before. He lapsed into silence.

You crossed your legs and looked back out the window.

“Oh your dress!”

“What?”

“It’s not sewn properly!”

“Kriff!” you exclaimed in panic, looking down at your sleek, iridescent white gown to find the defect.

“Don’t curse,” he scolded.

You clenched your jaw at being reprimanded like a child, but inspected your dress frantically to see what Wulfric meant. Suddenly it dawned on you.

“The slit?” you asked laughing. “It’s supposed to be there.”

He gaped at you. “All the way?”

It extended up past your hipbone and, with your legs crossed as they were, showed off your legs and curves perhaps a little too well.

“Yes,” you replied.

“You don’t think it’s a little…” He struggled to finish his sentence under your withering gaze.

You raised an eyebrow. “A little what?” you asked combatively, knowing full well some condescending critique was coming.

“Just…stand so it’s on the other side of Father. He wouldn’t approve.”

Now it was your turn to stare in astonishment. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

“I’m not. And stop cursing.”

Fortunately you arrived at your destination at that exact moment and the speeder slowed to a stop.

Wulfric exited the speeder and extended his hand to help you out. You paused, taking a deep breath. You tried to remind yourself that Wulfric came from one of the oldest and wealthiest aristocratic families in the galaxy, from the era of the High Republic. He wasn’t trying to be judgmental and controlling…It just comes naturally, you thought sarcastically. Nature or nurture? Probably both. You took another breath.

Wulfric stooped to peer into the door of the speeder. “Coming?”

You took his hand and allowed him to help you out. Even in your stilettos Wulfric towered over you. He sighed and looked down at you.

“I don’t mean to be critical. You’re wonderful. And you look lovely.” He hooked his index finger under your chin tilted your face toward his. “You always look lovely.” He pressed his lips to yours.

You broke away and studied his handsome features: deep blue eyes, raven locks, sculpted cheekbones. He was highly educated and extremely intelligent. He paid rapt attention in all your conversation, took a genuine interest in your career, and loved to dote on you with every luxury you could possibly want…

You gave him a mischievous smile. “Well, at least you know when you’re being an ass,” you teased.

“I’m trying to apologize!” he protested.

“I know.” You kissed him back. “And I suppose I forgive you. Shall we?”

You took his arm and the two of you made your way into the opulent venue. You looked up at the massive Coruscanti Civic Center. You had always thought it looked impressive at a distance but now that you were standing beside it, it actually felt very cold and imposing.

You glanced around at the other attendees. You had been worried your dress would look comparatively plain. Undoubtedly there were some dressed in particularly lavish outfits, but you by no means looked out of place. And you were quite pleased with the shimmering, opalescent contrast your iridescent gown provided to Wulfric’s drab olive green Admiral’s uniform.

As soon as the two of you were through the doors, you led Wulfric by the hand straight to the bar. “You need a drink,” you insisted. “Maybe three,” you corrected with a grin. He was looking uncharacteristically stone faced. He didn’t argue.

“Oh Wulfric! Please try to relax! I promise tonight will be fun.” You handed him a shot glass of some dark liquor you were sure was very strong and tasted just as awful.

“Cheers.” You tapped your glass to his and you both downed your drinks. You wrinkled your nose and tried not to gag. You turned around and grabbed another two glasses in each hand. You passed two to Wulfric. “And if the gala is half as horrid as whatever this is, I’ll more than make it up to you later,” you finished with a coy smile. Wulfric looked slightly less miserable at this prospect. Nevertheless, he took both shots in rapid succession and you quickly followed suit, sincerely wishing you had chosen literally anything else from the bar.

Setting the empty glasses down, Wulfric started walking, with you hurrying to keep up with his long strides. You wondered how he expected to find his father in the crowd.

Almost as if reading your mind, Wulfric said, “I supposed I’d better comm Father and see where he is.” You glanced up at him in mild astonishment, surprised their mutual fastidiousness hadn’t compelled the two of them to coordinate a predetermined meeting spot.

But looking up at him, you weren’t paying attention to the crowd. Suddenly you felt yourself painfully collide with something.

“Ow! Fuck!” you swore automatically as you turned to see what you had run into. Double fuck. You hadn’t run into a something so much as a someone. Someone none other than Grand Moff Tarkin…Wulfric’s father.

“Excuse me, sir!” you said hastily. Tarkin gave you a cool look, but didn’t reply.

“Wulfric,” Tarkin said stiffly, turning his attention to his son.

“Father,” he acknowledged. “This is—“ but Tarkin cut him off.

“I trust you all already know each other?” Tarkin introduced Wulfric to the Admirals clustered around him, ignoring you completely. The officers weren’t though. They all had their eyes glued to you, waiting to find out who you were. You pretended not to notice and resisted the temptation to roll your eyes.

“And this is—“ began Wulfric again.

“I thought you were bringing the ISB agent,” Tarkin interrupted. “If your date lacks the social graces to follow through with her commitments, you really should ensure you pay for an escort who has mastered the basics of walking.”

He raised a judgmental eyebrow as his eyes swept down the slit in your dress.

Triple fuck!

“And who looks less obviously whorish.”

“I am the ISB agent, Grand Moff,” you cut in quickly, somehow managing to keep the ire you felt out of your voice. “Lieutenant by day, whore by night. How else do you think I can so successfully infiltrate pirate gangs and Rebel cells?” you said forcing a playful smile.

Tarkin fixed you with a cold stare. You could actually feel the anxiety radiating from Wulfric, but fortunately for you, the rest of the group laughed.

“You must remember me, Grand Moff,” you continued sweetly. “We have met several times, and you have always been incredibly impressed with my work.”

He continued to look at you through narrowed eyes. “I suppose you look familiar, but I don’t recall ever making a comment about your work.”

It was your turn to raise an eyebrow. “Precisely, Grand Moff. I think we all know you have an almost pathological need to criticize.” Poor Wulfric. You were pretty sure he had actually stopped breathing. It was a wonder he hadn’t passed out. But someone needed to put Tarkin in his place. “The fact that you’ve never found anything to ridicule in how I’ve handled any of my investigations proves you hold my work in high esteem.”

Tarkin smirked slightly in spite of himself. “Touché, Lieutenant. Yes, for a novice officer your record is admittedly noteworthy.” His eyes flicked back to his son. “Well, Wulfric, you’ve made your introduction. To business?”

“Oh, uh, yes.” He turned to you, but you saved him the trouble of having to dismiss you.

Your eyes glittered mischievously. “I know, I know, the mysterious Stardust I hear mentioned constantly, yet don’t have the clearance to know anything about. I’ll leave you boys to it.”

Wulfric tried to give you a peck you on the cheek, but you were too quick for him and caught him on the mouth. You kissed him deeply, making sure to bend your knee to emphasize the slit in your dress.

You could practically hear Tarkin rolling his eyes, but the rest of the group was salivating. Men, you scoffed internally.

Wulfric was bright red when you broke apart. “I’ll see you later,” you whispered audibly, smiling coyly. You turned your attention to the rest of the group. “Gentlemen, Grand Moff. Pleasure meeting you all.” You flashed them a dazzling smile before turning and heading through the crowd back to the bar.

Ugh, Tarkin was absolutely insufferable. You needed to have a serious talk with Wulfric about boundaries. You knew Wulfric would be irritated with you for your display, but it was for his own good. Wulfric was too traumatized by Tarkin’s disparaging attitude toward you to realize he, too, was being insulted. Tarkin’s evaluation of your work as “admittedly noteworthy” was probably higher praise than he had ever given Wulfric. What the kriff would it take for Wulfric to realize the perverse thrill Tarkin got out of keeping his approval just out of his son’s reach, forever having to grovel for his acceptance? But Wulfric regarded Tarkin with a respect bordering on reverence. You didn’t know how you could shake him of that delusion. You couldn’t ignore the way Tarkin treated Wulfric, to but there was no kriffing way in the galaxy you were going to debase yourself to earn Tarkin’s favor either.

Drumming your fingers on the bar top, you ordered a glass of champagne. Trying to put the Tarkins out of your mind, you took a sip and scanned the crowd. It was a sea of opulent gowns and Imperial uniforms. If you saw Admiral Yularen or Grand Admiral Thrawn, you reasoned, you could offhandedly remind them of your recent ISB investigations and subsequent arrests. Thrawn, at least, wouldn’t be difficult to spot…

You had just decided to meander through the crowd when suddenly a black gloved hand seized your arm in a vise-like grip. You winced and turned to see who had ahold of you.

You were looking directly into the ice blue eyes of Director Krennic, and he was seething. “Director! May I help you,” you asked as more of an aggressive statement than a genuine question, attempting to shrug your arm out of his grip.

“A word,” he growled.

He practically dragged you to the back of the ballroom.

“What are you doing? Let go!” you hissed, hoping no one of import was noticing Krennic’s behavior.

“Why are you here?” he demanded.

“What do you mean why am I here? I’m with Wulfric,” you replied.

“You told me you were busy toni—wait. Wulfric? Wulfric TARKIN??” Kennic looked as though he had swallowed a liter of that mystery liquor. You weren’t supposed to be here at all. And now you springing on him your romantic involvement with the son of his arch-rival? “What the kriff do you mean you’re with Wulfric?”

“Do you know many other Wulfrics?” you asked innocently.

“What do you mean with?” he repeated.

“He asked me to accompany him tonight,” you said serenely, not breaking eye contact as you took a sip of your champagne. “Now do you mind?” You glanced at Krennic’s hand still on your arm. He let go.

“But I asked you!” he said indignantly.

“After Wulfric, hence my declination of your invitation.”

“But we…” he trailed off and left his protest unspoken.

You raised your eyebrows, as though daring him to finish his thought. It didn’t matter—you knew what he was going to say anyway, but you couldn’t believe he of all people would be so naïve. Yes, the two of you had been involved for a while, but it was nothing serious. It was Krennic—nothing with him ever was. You weren’t even exclusive. No matter what you might have wanted your encounters with him to mean, no woman in the galaxy would consider a string of hookups with Orson Krennic anything other than an incredible fling.

But you hadn’t even heard from him in months. Not until last week when he asked if you would come with him to the Gala. And, truthfully, even if you hadn’t already agreed to go with Wulfric, you would have turned him down anyway. Such a last-minute invite only meant Krennic’s original plans fell through or he had procrastinated and would settle for just anyone to come with him. Flattering as either of those prospects were…

He couldn’t seriously be upset you refused to sit around, pining away for him?

“I’m not discussing this with you, Krennic.”

“Why?” he demanded petulantly.

You glanced around, making sure no one, least of all Wulfric or Tarkin, was within earshot. Gossip was like the lifeblood of the Imperial elite, and you did not need to be publicly associated with the ongoing feud between Krennic and the Tarkins. Krennic, however, would probably love to drag Wulfric over and interrogate him directly, just for the spectacle.

“There are too many people here.” Scanning the crown again, you were relieved to see one seemed to be paying attention at the moment.

“So?”

You could tell he wouldn’t let this go. You glared at him, weighing your options. “Give me 60 seconds then meet me outside,” you instructed. You hurriedly finished the last of your champagne and set down the glass on the nearest unoccupied table. You took a moment to stead yourself. Your head was starting to spin already. You strode toward the exit. You could feel Krennic’s eyes following you as you disappeared into the crowd, wishing he would be marginally less obvious.

You exited the ballroom into the atrium and paused, deciding where to go.

“Why?”

You spun around. Clearly Krennic had followed directly on your heels.

“Oh for kriff’s sake,” you exclaimed throwing up your arms. “You’re incorrigible.”

He strode over to you, the white cape of his uniform billowing in his wake. “Why thank you, darling.”

“Do you even know what that means?” you asked rolling your eyes in irritation.

“Surely not obstinate and difficult, incapable of reform. I’m quite confident you mean to refer to me as charming, clever, dashing, witty, devilishly handsome…”

You shook your head, laughing in spite of yourself. “Devilishly something, I’ll give you that.”

He looked at you soberly. “Why are you with Wulfric?”

You sighed in exasperation. “It’s absolutely none of your business. Why do you even care?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment a large and noisy group entered the gala through the doors behind you.

“Come here,” you said in low voice. Grabbing Krennic’s hand, you led him down the hall, around the corner, and into an alcove.

He smirked. “Paranoid much?”

“I just don’t feel it’s prudent to come as Wulfric’s date, then spend the evening with you discussing our sexual history!”

A triumphant smile crossed Krennic’s face. “So Junior and Daddy Dearest don’t know!”

Shit.

“No one would benefit if they found out.”

“I certainly would,” he remarked at once. “It would be entertaining in the extreme.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” you said, knowing full well he absolutely would.

“Since you’re so reluctant to answer my question, perhaps Wulfric and I can compare notes—“

“Fine!” you interrupted hurriedly. “Wulfric is everything you’re not. He’s serious, he’s rational, he’s reliable, he’s—“ you stopped abruptly. You had almost said boring.

“He didn’t have to bother with the Futures Program,” you said, deliberately taking a dig at Krennic’s modest upbringing. “We have shared interests. We converse. Plus he has about…” you thought. “Five inches over you.”

Krennic scoffed. “That’s nothing—wait.” His expression turned to one of horror. “MORE? How is that physically—How does that even work??”

“Taller, Krennic! For kriff’s sake! He’s tall.”

“Oh. Well.” He shrugged, looking slightly mollified.

“He sounds dreadful by the way,” he continued. “You haven’t named a single reason that makes him better than me. And you forgot to say that he’s a spineless man-child,” he added as an afterthought.

You were getting fed up. “It’s not about better. Ugh, why am I even having this conversation with you?” You clapped a hand to your forehead. “I shouldn’t have to explain to a grown man how relationships work!”

“Relationship? So you admit there is something between us.”

You groaned in frustration. “You’re deliberately misunderstanding me!”

“You’re deliberately provoking me.”

“You’re just upset because it’s Tarkin’s son. I could be here with anyone else in the galaxy and you wouldn’t care.”

“That’s not true. I would care. I don’t want you with anyone.” He suddenly looked so sincere that for a moment you almost believed him. You sighed deeply.

“We had sex, Krennic. That doesn’t mean there is anything lingering between us.”

“So you don’t miss me?” Krennic asked.

“Don’t do that,” you said with another weary sigh.

“You don’t ever think about me?”

“Stop it, Krennic!”

He narrowed his eyes maliciously. “You never once wished it was me fucking you instead of Wulfric?”

You bit your lip.

“Your silence is very telling.”

“You don’t own me,” you said defiantly.

He fixed you with a ravenous look as he pulled off his gloves and shoved them into his pocket. “Oh really?”

Your heart was pounding as you gazed intensely into his blue eyes. Somewhere in the clouded recesses of your brain, your better judgment was telling you that you shouldn’t be here. But you didn’t feel like listening. “What are you going to do, try to prove me wrong?” you challenged.

“Yes.” He grabbed your wrists and pushed you against the cold marble wall, pinning your hands by your head.

“Let me go!” You tried halfheartedly to wrestle out of his grip, but he saw the spark of desire in your eyes and pressed his body against yours.

He chuckled maliciously. “Oh, I don’t think so.” In an instant his mouth was on yours. His kiss was as desperate as you felt. You stopped struggling. You parted your lips and his tongue slipped past yours. He tasted like that obscenely expensive whiskey he always drank. You could feel his hard length straining against his pants. His lips moved from your mouth to your jaw to your neck. The brush of this tongue against your skin sent a shiver down your spine.

“Oh Director…” you breathed.

“Love it when you call me that,” he murmured.

Krennic brought your hands together above your head and held them in one of his as he ran the other up your thigh.

He raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise as his hand wandered inside your dress and he discovered you weren’t wearing any underwear.

“I couldn’t,” you shrugged, referring to the ultra-high slit.

“I think you just wanted to make my job easy.” Of course Krennic loved your dress. His fingers slipped inside you as he pressed his lips to yours again. You whimpered. “You’re so wet for me. All this from a kiss? My little slut...”

His fingers curled inside you. Fuck, he knew exactly what you wanted. Already you could feel the tension rising in your core.

“I thought you wanted to fuck me,” sounding much needier than you meant to.

Krennic smirked. “You’re proving my point, darling.”

“Then hurry up!” you demanded.

“In a minute…” he said almost lazily. “Actually, it probably won’t even take you that long.” It was true. He was rapidly pushing you to the edge.

“More,” you whimpered.

He smiled. “Whatever my little slut wants.” His fingers quickened. His thumb traced firm, steady circles over your clit. Your breath was shallow and uneven now. How could he do this to you with just his fingers?

“Orson!” you cried as the waves of your orgasm swept over you.

He was gloating. “A new record for you, I think.” You couldn’t reply. If not for Krennic pinning you against the wall, you don’t think your legs would have supported you.

He withdrew his fingers and released your hands. You immediately reached for his belt. If anything, you needed him even more desperately now.

You fumbled with the fastenings of his pants in your haste to get to his cock as his hands roamed over your body. Finally you managed to free his errection. He was so hard for you already. You pumped his length in your fist.

“Need you,” Krennic murmured against your lips.

“Take me,” you breathed.

His eyes were dark with lust. He lifted your thigh and spread your legs so that your gown rode up, exposing your dripping wet heat. You leaned back against the wall. Between the alcohol and your heels and your desire, there was absolutely no way you could stand otherwise.

“Fuck, I love this dress,” he said. He teased your entrance with the tip of his cock.

“Krennic!” you whined.

“What?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

You didn’t think you had ever wanted anyone more. “Fuck me!”

“I like hearing you beg for my cock.”

You could have actually cried with desperation. “Fuck me, Krennic! I want you so bad! I need you. I—I missed you,” you admitted. “Please, Orson?” you whimpered, knowing what it did to him when you called him by his name.

He couldn’t resist any longer. Finally he sank himself into you. You never got over how perfectly he filled you. You sighed pathetically in delighted satisfaction.

“Prettiest sound in the galaxy…” Krennic took his time, pulling out slowly and entering you again, allowing you both to savor the feel of one another. “Mmm, I missed you too.”

You laughed softly. “Missed my pussy more like.”

“And your tits. And your ass. Oh fuck, and your mouth. But mostly you.”

You ran your fingers through silver-brown hair, peppering his jaw and neck with kisses. “C’mon, Director. Make me believe you.”

A wicked smile crossed his face. “Challenge accepted.” He bent your leg even higher and began driving his dick into your cunt with such force it made you gasp. Whether it was the clandestine nature of your encounter or the time you had spent apart, you were both quickly approaching your high.

He slapped your ass. “Up,” he ordered.

With a giggle, you pushed off your supporting leg and hooked both your ankles together around his waist.

“Good girl.”

You arched your back against the wall, tilting your hips slightly so every thrust felt absolutely perfect. Krennic wasn’t holding back any more. He was pounding into with such fury you knew you were going to be so sore tomorrow. You could feel your walls tightening around his cock.

“Gods so tight for me…”

You didn’t even realize how loud your ragged breathing had become as Krennic continued to assault your needy hole.

“Orson!” you cried.

“Much as I would genuinely love to make you scream my name so that everyone at the gala would hear what I do to you,” he panted, “You’re the one who was so insistent on secrecy.”

“Can’t help it!” you whined. “Feels so good!”

“Cum for me,” he demanded.

“Yes!”

With your eyes closed in ecstasy and his name on your lips, you pressed your forehead against his as your orgasm coursed through you. Almost simultaneously you felt him spill himself inside you, as your cunt contracted blissfully around his cock. For a moment you just held each other, breathing hard.

Krennic gently set you back down. He swept the loose strands of hair from your forehead and gave you a tender kiss.

“Let’s get out of here,” he began.

“No, I—Wulfric!“ You gasped in sudden horror. You had completely forgotten about him. Oh, poor Wulfric.

“Kriff, I’m a mess!” you said in a panic. Krennic was smirking at your dilemma as he adjusted his uniform.

“Go back to the gala and don’t talk to me for the rest of the night,” you demanded as you rushed off around the corner to find a deserted restroom to clean up. Even though you were technically dating, you knew Wulfric would be crushed if he ever found out you had been with someone else tonight. And the fact that it was Krennic…you didn’t even want to think of how thoroughly the Tarkins could bury you and your career.

Once were again as presentable as you could be under the circumstances, you hurried back past the alcove, only to find Krennic still there.

“C’mon,” you told Krennic impatiently. “We’ve been gone much too long.”

He didn’t budge. “I really did miss you.”

Once again ignoring your better judgement, you stopped in your tracks, sighing heavily. You couldn’t stop yourself from asking the question that had been plaguing you. “Then why did you stop comming me?”

“Why didn’t you comm me?”

You blinked. “Well…” It was such a stupid, easy solution. One you had thought of a hundred times. But you didn’t. You couldn’t. “Because…you’re you.”

“I’m me?” he repeated, an expression of faint amusement on his face.

“You’re a—well, you’re sort of a…you know” Manwhore was what you wanted to say.

Krennic was clearly enjoying watching you struggle. He refused to finish your thought for you. Of course he was going to make you say it.

“Ugh, you know the reputation you have! I know you have your choice of women. I couldn’t let myself get attached.”

He pressed his lips together, trying not to smile. “And how did that work out for you?”

“Really kriffing excellent. Obviously,” you said sarcastically.

He was looking serious again. “What if I were to tell I got attached?” he asked.

You laughed derisively. “If that were true, you wouldn’t have let me go.”

“I wanted you to want me,” he said.

“No, that’s just a game.”

“I’m serious,” he insisted earnestly. “I wasn’t seeing anyone else you know. And I haven’t seen anyone since, actually.”

You shook your head as if to clear yourself of the delusion that you of all people could possibly have tamed one of the galaxy’s most notorious playboys. Unbelievable. Maybe the shots had been laced with spice.

“Were you?” he asked.

“Was I what?”

“Seeing other people,” he prompted.

You hesitated, shrugging.

“Who?” he pressed. “Wulfric?”

“I have to get back.” You tried to sidestep Krennic, but he moved to block your path.

“Forget him,” said Krennic firmly. “Come stay the night with me. We’ll pick up where we left off. This last month never happened.”

You gazed longingly into Krennic’s handsome face. It would be so easy to fall back into him. You wanted to. “I…it’s complicated,” you began.

“It’s really not,” he contradicted matter of factly. “Just tell your freakishly tall man-child you found a real man who can satisfy your every need.”

“Orson…” you sighed, torn between exasperation and amusement.

“I know men like Wulfric,” he continued. “A woman like you won’t be happy with him for long. Wulfric wants you to behave. You need to keep your opinions to yourself. At some point he will think it inappropriate for you to have a career, that it should be your sole duty to support his every effort implicitly. You’ll be expected to remain one step behind him, literally and figuratively. Tarkin will dislike you out of spite. And don’t even get me started on whatever kriffed up dynamic the two of them have going on. You will always come second to Tarkin, and if you dare to say anything about it, then you’ll be in the wrong.”

You exhaled forcefully. Krennic was absolutely right and you knew it. But was Krennic really any better than Wulfric? They were really just two sides of the same credit. Awkward, insecure Wulfric who tried so hard to please everyone and suave, arrogant Krennic who never gave a damn what anyone thought. You just didn’t know…

“I…I’m not committing to anything. Wulfric will be on deployment in two weeks. We can talk then.”

“You can come over,” Krennic proposed.

“No. We’ll get caf,” you countered.

“Drinks,” he shot back.

“Dinner.”

Krennic smiled smugly. “Alright, dinner. If that’s where I need to start to prove myself to you, that’s what I’ll do.” He took your chin in his hands and kissed you in the cheek.

You smiled in spite of yourself. “Now can I please go back?”

Krennic gestured for you to lead the way.

The two of you were still down the hall from the gala when you spotted Wulfric emerge, clearly searching for you.

“Wulfric!” you exclaimed and hurried to hug him.

He returned your greeting with a quizzical glance at back at Krennic.

“I’m afraid whatever those shots were hit me rather hard,” you explained. “I ran into Director Krennic here. He was kind enough to keep me company when I stepped out for some air.”

“We were discussing her recent exploits,” added Krennic. “Truly remarkable. You have quite the Lieutenant there, Wulfric.”

Wulfric gazed fondly down at you. “Yes, I do,” he agreed. Though nothing either of you had said was untrue, a pang of guilt coursed through you.

“Now I believe you had some way you were planning on making this evening up to me?” Wulfric whispered to you, but loudly enough for Krennic to hear. You hoped to kriff Krennic would hold his tongue. And, miraculously, he did.

“I did indeed,” you laughed, feeling your face flush.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” said Krennic with a gracious smile and a bow. You and Wulfric turned to leave. “You’re a lucky man, Admiral Tarkin,” Krennic called after the two of you. He chuckled darkly to himself. For now…

thanks for reading besties!! ~remember reblogs are love~ back to the master list

a/n continued: i had soo much fun writing the tarkins. i swear i could hear peter cushing saying the lines 😅 also, i wanted to find an unusual sounding w name for the son to go with wilhuff. (thanks to one of dumbledore’s middle names for inspo haha) im also a very visual person, so it was important for me to figure out what wulfric looked like. to me, peter cushing’s defining features are his eyes and cheekbones. and if i wanted gorgeous blue eyes and defined cheekbones who else but my love benedict (im the original cumberbitch i swear 🤣) but i also wanted him to be incredibly tall and gangling, so i was imaging a lot of zach woods/gabe lewis from the office. (kyle soller/syril karn vibes are also perfect for him, but i was tryna find new casting haha)

i mean look at them!!

honestly loved the plot in this one. if anyone wants a part ii where reader tries to make up her mind, lmk!

tag list! lmk if you want me to add you 🥰

Tag List! Message me to be added!

@znerac @msjackson1073 @sinker003 @empresskrennic c @erebusbabylon @shelveddoll @traveller-of-word-and-screen @perfecttimemachinestranger @allthebestscreennamesaregone63 @starladyy @enaelyork @hottpinkpenguin @starwh0ers @darklightcannon @dbsdbs2 @saeko11 @nahoney22 @satinewars97 @baskervilka @ivorydragoness44 @deviantgamergirl

[lilislegacy]

Okay, I’m so gonna get hate for this. And it will probably get about 4 notes. This is, by far, the most opinionated thing I have ever posted on here. If you can’t tolerate criticism towards Rick Riordan, the books, or the TV show, please keep scrolling. My goal is NOT to change your mind or start arguments.

I also want to preface this by saying that I love and respect Rick Riordan (even if I disagree with him on things and don’t like some of his choices) and fully acknowledge that he has the right to do whatever the hell he pleases with his own series. I also want to say that I love Annabeth Chase (both the book and tv show version) with my entire being and you will never find me being an Annabeth hater. She’s my girl.

We good? Okay cool. So here’s the thing: I’ve seen a lot of people on here saying things like “If you didn’t like the books, you just don’t know how to have fun,” and “The new book haters are just mad that they aren’t the target audience anymore,” and (my personal favorite) “Nothing in the books has changed, only the readers have.”

And while I see your points, and I respect you, allow me to show you something. Because of the 10 picture limit, I am only going to focus on one specific change: Annabeth’s view of Percy.

WOTTG: Annabeth is surprised to be comforted by Percy

Past Books: Percy is constantly comforting Annabeth

WOTTG: Annabeth is shocked when Percy is smart

Past Books: Annabeth often points out that Percy is intelligent

WOTTG: Annabeth thinks Percy can’t do anything on his own, and Rick communicates that Annabeth is always saving his ass

Past Books: Percy is ALWAYS watching her back, and saving her ass just as much (and Annabeth admits that)

I could put a hundred quotes in here. I could go on and on and on. But I can’t, and I won’t.

My problem with this new book is NOT that it is more goofy than serious. My problem is NOT that little things have changed. My problem is NOT that it’s just for fun. My problem is NOT that it’s much more childish. (And by the way, I’ve read PJO and HOO as an adult, so it’s not like I was a child when I read everything else and am now an adult reading the new ones.) I really did like and enjoy many parts of this book.

My problem is that the characters (especially Annabeth) have flat out changed—in bad ways—and we have no choice but to accept it as canon. My problem is that Rick, while trying to merge his books with his new TV show project, is changing the entire personalities and past behaviors/ tendencies of the characters.

I loved Chalice of the Gods. You know why? It was fun, goofy, and showed the characters that we know and love being happy and adorable. I strongly dislike Wrath of the Triple Godess because the characters—no matter how adorable and happy they might be��are no longer the ones we know and love.

My problem is that Rick Riordan fully admitted that he no longer considers the old book characters when he writes the new books. He is now purposefully incorporating his own personal mixture of the book characters and tv characters and writing those versions instead. Because of his desire to change and transform the series, I doubt he’s even read the original PJO or HOO books in years, which is why everything is so inconsistent. The old book characters—the ones who made the series what it was—are gone. And that is not my opinion. Rick fully admits that he doesn’t imagine them when he writes anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the tv show actors. I adore Walker and Leah and Aryan with my whole heart, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. But the fact is: they will never be exactly like the book characters. It’s impossible for actors to become the words on a page. They’re their own unique version! And likewise, you cannot turn actors into print. It doesn’t work! And why would you try? The books versions were perfect as they were. And the disney kids need to make the characters their own. The two versions can exist side by side, equally as wonderful, and still be gloriously different. We should celebrate the uniqueness of both. But instead, Rick is attempting to merge them into one. And in my opinion, it’s just hurting them both. And I’m gonna get real brave by saying this, but do you want my honest prediction? If he keeps doing what he’s doing now, the TV show is going to get cancelled and the books are going to turn into a joke. I so, so badly hope that this doesn’t happen! I have loved Rick and PJO for many, many years. I badly want both to thrive. But what is going on right now… it is not working, no matter how much we all want it to. And speaking as someone who knows people in the TV/Film industry, I am sadly not the only one who thinks the show is gonna flop. Which is devastating, because Rick Riordan deserves a redemption on the big screen, and the incredible actors deserve to bring this series to life in a new way.

I am not trying to force my opinions onto anybody. You are welcome to disagree with me and move on. I am not saying that I’m right and you’re wrong. If you disagree, that’s okay. If you agree but you don’t have a problem with it, that’s okay. In fact if other people have literally no issues, that makes me somewhat happy. And if you loved the book, I’m honestly so stoked for you. Feel free to just keep on scrolling, my friend.

But me? I’m sad. I’m really, really freaking sad. And I’m a little angry too, even if I don’t have a right to be. I can’t help it because I’m only human. But this is how I—and a lot of other people—feel. And you know what? That’s okay too. Because the fact of the matter is:

Annabeth isn’t the same Annabeth anymore. And Percy isn’t the same Percy anymore. And it’s not because they went through trauma, or because time has passed. It’s because Rick Riordan doesn’t have any interest in writing those versions of them anymore. And I think the comparisons between the old and the new show that fact pretty clearly.

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

The new welcome home update makes my head go burr. Here, have this set of headcanons I wrote while possessed by a tiny wizard. (The tiny wizard that makes me write)

If you like my work, please consider commissioning me or leaving a tip on Ko-fi (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

Julie, Frank, Howdy, Poppy, Sally, Barnaby and Wally & Reader who asked them what they think about death

Julie

★ When you first bring up the topic, her grin widens, clearly unfamiliar with the word. "Death?" she repeats. "Thats a funny word! What kind of game is that?" Her eyes wide and curious. Assuming you wanted to share some new game with her.

★ As you explain its meaning, her grin softens. “So… things just stop? They don’t play anymore? Not ever? That sounds so sad.” For a moment, Julie's playful demeanor faulters. Attempting to wrap her head around such a thing. "Are you sure that's right?" You nod, feeling some guilt for breaking the news to her.

★ But Julie, being Julie, tries to bounce back. She reaches out and places her hands on yours. “Well, maybe it’s not really the end! Maybe it’s like when the flowers take a nap in the winter, and then they wake up all bright and happy in the spring!” She says, trying to comfort both herself and you.

Frank

★ He understands death more than the other neighbors. Life cycles and food chains are critical for any ecosystem to function. That he knows well. Frank even has several books about the topic! But that's different. Animals are not people. When you bring up death, he gives you an impromptu lesson about how life cycles work.

★ Frank begins by saying "death isn’t merely an end” in that factual tone he so often uses. "It's an integral part of the natural cycle!" You already know that, but let him have his fun. Educating you on a topic you're more than familiar with.

★ However, he assumed that human lives were different. You weren't an animal, bug or plant. So why would someone like you die? The thought never crossed his mind. You'll need to break the news to him as gently as possible. Good luck.

Howdy

★ When you ask him, Howdy tilts his head and looks at you for a moment. Trying to figure out if you're being serious. "Well now, usually a question like that would cost a pretty penny." You nod. "But this time" he says, pulling out a chair for you "it's on the house." With a nervous smile, He gestures for you to sit.

★ He explains it to you in the simplest way possible, like you're a child. "Death's kinda like when the store closes for the night. The lights go out, the shelves are empty, and everything goes real quiet." While speaking, he keeps his tone soft. Again, treating you like a child.

Poppy

★ "Oh! What an... Interesting question" she says. Honestly, the topic makes her a bit nervous. Nevertheless she answers you "That's what happens if you aren't careful, and... break." As she speaks, she fidgets with her wings. Showing her discomfort.

★ Her nervousness is understandable, given her tendency to avoid risks and stay in her home. Where its safe. “But, um,” she adds quickly, attempting to lighten the mood. "We just have to take good care of ourselves, and each other. So nothing bad happens to us."

Sally

★ She knows it as a plot device. "Ghosts, ghouls and other terrible monsters come from death!" Sally explains. Waiving her arms around dramatically to emphasize the point. "Why, it's simply perfect for a spooky performance, dear friend!"

★ To her, it’s less of a sad reality and more an opportunity for storytelling. It's a tool for drama. Not something to be feared or mourned. As she goes on, it's clear that Sally doesn’t fully grasp the weight of death.

Barnaby

★ Barnaby doesn't like thinking about death. When you ask him about it, he treats it like a joke. “Death, eh? Well, that’s what they call it when somebody goes to live on a farm.” His tone is light, steering the conversation away from anything too serious. “You don’t need to worry about stuff like that, kid.”

Wally

★ When you ask him what he thinks about death, he tilts his head. Trying to recall where he's heard that word. “Death?” he repeats. "it's when someone goes away, isn’t it?" If you had to guess, Barnaby told him that.

★ He never really dwelled on death before. To Wally, life in Home had always been a continuous loop of joy and games. Death was a word he’d heard in passing, but it never stuck out as something important or relevant to his little world.

★ The more he learns, the more curios he becomes. “Does it happen to everyone?” he asks with a morbid fascination. “Do they know when it’s going to happen? Or is it... a surprise?” Despite how unsettling his questions are, it’s clear he’s genuinely trying to learn.

[ghelullu]

I have tried to sort my thoughts about Skeletá and mostly failed, but still wanted to talk about it because it’s such an interesting little big album already after only a handful of listens

tl;dr: I like it alot, it has some certified bangers on it, some songs didn’t fully land for me personally, I love the variety and his voice is amazing.

I think what stood out to me the most – apart from the very obvious and super cool 80s vibe going on (80s lovers WIN) – is the sheer variety of songs on it and how most of them did not sound the way I expected them to sound at all: Cenotaph was so much groovier and uplifting than I thought (looking back and knowing it’s about his brother, I feel like I should’ve seen that coming), De Profundis Borealis is less heavy than I thought (and hoped; insert the "I know it's not a black metal song" clip), Marks of the Evil one is just so much etc! And I do mean this as an absolute positive in a time where most successful music does not surprise us often anymore.

I totally applaud and respect him for not doing the easy thing: Making an album that follows directly down Impera’s path sound wise – that would have been safe, considering the commercial and critical success it had. Instead he took some of Impera’s (and Phantomime’s) sound, threw in some things from the old albums and a ton of stuff out of his Very Normal brilliant brain to mix something… well. Different.

It is not an album aimed to please people, it’s not targeted at his „old“ fans, not at his new fans from the last album, not at critics or whatever; it’s not a people pleaser album, in my opinion (I’ve seen people say it’s too „commercial“, gotta disagree; I think they just heard it's more „pop", not understanding how 80s Rock worked), but rather Tobias doing what *he* thinks fits, what he thinks needs to be done, what he thinks would be cool, interesting, fun.

While doing that he’s once again not afraid of things that are bordering on too cringe, too corny, too whatever. We’ve all seen that one Reddit review of Missilia Amori – but one thing about his music I really respect is how he can take stuff that wouldn’t work with other artists, would be painfully cringe, and make it work. Because with him it is (and comes across as such) intentional and well handled, often with a wink; he’s been doing that literally from the beginning, because he, unlike some people on Reddit, is capable of not taking himself and things *so* fucking seriously all the time.

He knows that things, art, music, yes, even Big Serious Metal, can just be fucking FUN. (Plus, have these people never listened to any bit of 80s Rock? Like, really?)

And there is so much going on in this album. Lyrics wise, yes, some absolute gold (the 3rd rider "looking cool" absolutely took me out, though), I won’t even touch on that here, because I haven’t studied them enough. But every song is very different: Different vibe, different themes, different *things* that make them stand out (something I LOVE about his music is how every song has at least 1-2 thingies, special, interesting melodies, intrument bits, vocal moments, whatever, that just scratch the brain right and make you come back again and again).

While there are many callbacks to his previous works (and obviously even way more to other artists; it's once again a loveletter of his to his favourite artists growing up), in my opinion it’s also the least „typical Ghost“ album to date; in a way it’s more a Tobias album, which is fine to me, and fitting, considering how incredibly personal it is – and a fun coincidence with the other Tobias album, Passiflora, having finally blessed our ears earlier this year. I think there are surprisingly many similarities? Obviously he has developed all of his skills enormously since, but… It was fun listening to both of these very personal albums back to back, highly recommended.

Lots of high praise, is it my new fave? It doesn’t beat Prequelle, my #1, at this moment in time, and I don’t think it will, even after multiple listens. It’s an album that definitely requires being listened to at least a dozen times. Many songs on it – on Tobias’ work in general – are absolutely required to be listened to multiple times before you can fully appreciate and connect with it (which is, i may add, a GOOD thing. He puts in so much stuff to discover!).

First of all, for me the ballads didn’t land. And this is mostly a personal preference, I am not a ballads person, they rarely hit for me (Life Eternal taking me out almost immediately was an outlier and to this day the Helvetesfönster – Life Eternal combo is the only music that ever made me bawl my eyes out). Both Guiding Lights (his vocals are so, so good) and Excelsis are objectively fantastic songs and I understand why people love them so much, but especially Excelsis is musically just a bit too much...I don’t have the right word...; the end however is wonderful (and circles nicely back to Life Eternal (and also Respite!))

I would have very, very, VERY much preferred a heavy song instead of one of these two. A Faith, a Mummy Dust, a Twenties, you know, some growls? The heavy riff in Lachryma gave me hope there’d be more in another song, but it’s fine, it’s his baby! I expected De Profundis to be the heavier song, but it turned out softer than i thought, but it’s still super fun and I think it will do a bit of a Watcher in the Sky, where it’s cool on the album and then FUCK live!

Speaking of live, many of these songs will shine live, as the 4 already played prove. The vocals on the album – SO good, so much variety! Sometimes he sounds like Ozzy, sometimes like Phil Collins, sometimes very Phantomime, the high notes but also more lower register, bless him (that was one of my big wishes), just great! – show that he’s experimented with his voice (despite talking shit about it all the time) a lot and that he has much more trust into his abilities to perform them live (with the reduced mask; and he’s already proven that; I cannot stress enough how incredible he sounds live now).

The instrumentals are fantastic, such nice guitar solos, the synths, the keyboard-guitar sex in Umbra is just 👌🏽, but really, they shine in all songs. And you cannot forget the Cowbell, bless him.

My favourite is Lachryma with the heavy guitars and the catchy pop-y chorus, followed by Peacefield (esp live) and Umbra; honorable mention Marks of the Evil one and Missilia Amori, and De Profundis

There is so much to love about this album; how personal it is for him, how much it feels like a big hug (and punch in the gut, followed by another hug tbh and of course some horny) from him to the world. How much growth both as a singer, instrumentalist, producer etc but also in his...presentation of himself and his art he has shown.

He doesn’t hide behind a full latex mask on stage anymore, but he also doesn’t hide his messages behind a mask of 3 layers of satanic lyrics anymore.

It’s in every way such a vulnerable, wonderful work and I’m very grateful he shared this with us

[bivht]

Astrology Observations

😎Virgo moons are polite and respectful until you cross their boundaries. But people accuse them of being rude even when THEY were the ones put in a super uncomfortable situation

😎Aquarius and sagittarius placements are free-spirited. You tell them to do something and suddenly it’s an obligation rather than a choice and they don’t want to do it anymore lmao

😎Cancer risings and their low-key unhealthy relationship with food :0

😎Taurus is branded as the foodie of the zodiac but I think Sagittarius is the ultimate foodie

😎I like to see the moon sign as who a person is at their core. And the moon sign in your mercury persona chart is very insightful to how you express yourself.

for example:

Aries moon- expresses themselves passionately, perseverant, doesn’t give up easily, likes to keep things tidy, hard working, could be naggy, aggressive

Taurus moon- sweet and charming way of talking, logical, doesn’t like believe anything without concrete evidence, self care, words of affirmation, has definitive personal boundaries, slow down when you’re eating babes, when they’re toxic they’re some of the worst kinds of toxic

Gemini moon- domicile (home sign), real sweet talkers, witty, critical thinking skills on point, charmers, just the right amount of flirty, know how to talk themselves out of a situation, scatterbrained, PERFORMERS

Cancer moon- sweet, will remember your birthday, wants to include everyone, confused easily, overstimulated easily

Leo moon- humorous, dramatic af, will spread love to whoever gives them attention, gives their love to everyone, critical thinking not their forte

Virgo moon- domicile, polite, respectful, knows how to remain professional in awkward situations, hates the feeling of being stuffed full?? 7/10 full is sufficient for them, due to this they’re usually slim, “perfect” self expression, neat and tidy, expresses gratitude for every tiny thing, eats slowly, critical thinking on point, extremely private (esp. about relationships)

Libra moon- diplomatic, likes to agree, charming, soft and sweet but also vengeful, avoids confrontation, talks shit behind backs instead of addressing issue directly with person

Scorpio moon- opinionated, probably a coffee addict, death stares at people they dislike, private but not the same as virgo, virgos tell you things but won’t go into detail, scorpios just won’t tell you. so fiercely loyal, their charm is fatal

Sagittarius moon (detriment)- happy, seems like they’re always having fun, don’t take themselves too seriously, charmers, funny facial expressions, stuff themselves full. they DEVOUR food, tendency to overindulge so can be chubby cheeked, struggle to articulate themselves in a professional manner, hates being nagged, lacks critical thinking, they get bored easily so consistency is an ongoing struggle, can be flirty

Capricorn moon- logical, down to earth, realistic, charming, articulate, their smart little jokes, a bit reluctant to try new things but they will, loves feeling in control (more than anyone else), really patient, consistency is key, can be rude and dry, may make shy, insecure people shifty

Aquarius moon- they talk in a very self-important way, very recognisable tone of voice, an intellectual, research whore, likes to share their found knowledge with people, lecture people, full of themselves

Pisces moon (detriment)- ehhem OVERSHARER to the T, silly humour, a bit unreasonable as they don’t follow logic, poor critical thinking skills, either super empathetic or lacks any empathy, can be flirty

😎More of an assumption but Leo+Virgo (and/or taurus)= hating slimy and mushy textures like eggplant, okra, durian

😎Chiron in the 6h can be obsessed with hygiene and cleanliness. My brother has this and he will not eat from the same spoon or drink from the same straw as anyone else, not even his own mother. He’s criticized and scolded by his mother because of this

😎A mother with 10h mercury is scrutinizing their childrens’ speaking abilities and how they interact with people in public

😎Aries mars has a fit looking body

😎People with sun 1h in the mars persona chart can seem really athletic

😎Sometimes individuals with neptune hard aspects (esp. square) are accused of having a mental illness (bullied)

😎Mars square neptune is a really anxious placement. Their panic is so clear on their face. They get really nervous about things more than others. Their intentions are confusing and people find it hard to figure out what your intentions for your actions are

[ovaryacted]

Even though I just reblogged @almostempty’s very detailed and intricate post before this, I just wanted to say that I am generally getting tired of the brainrot when it comes to how people perceive Joel Miller & Pedro Pascal as a whole.

I already had a feeling that people were going to conflate Clint Flood with Joel, like it was doomed from the start. People see Pedro’s broad ass wearing plaid with a scar and having an inclination to violence, and instantly snap their fingers and say “THAT’S JOEL MILLER!” Believe me, I get the hyperfixation around him, I get that there’s no changing of the popularity of TLOU and the fact that Pedro is without a doubt Joel Miller and that won’t change, nor would I want it to change. But just the way people have this obsessive nature when it comes to him and his other characters is so weird. I mean, I don’t get why people can’t just enjoy Pedro’s roles individually without automatically making them a Joel-adjacent, if that were the case he would just play Joel and he already is doing that. We have Joel Miller already, he’s done with that, we can have all of his other characters the way they are as intended and enjoy them on their own.

Obviously I’m not trying to be messy cause on my end I barely interact with Joel Miller content anymore, I barely talk about him cause everything about the show is upsetting me, and everything is filtered so I barely see shit nowadays and I’m having a lot of fun with The Pitt content in comparison to before because it’s so refreshing and new. But it’s really fucking frustrating when people just make everything synonymous with Joel Miller’s character archetype as if he’s the only male character to exist. People don’t even acknowledge Game! Joel Miller sometimes when his writing and characterization is damn near perfect and the show doesn’t do him justice (sorry), and that’s fine to criticize because we have the source material to make that comparison. It’s like people only have one setting when it comes to writing male characters: older, morally and physically grey, men who shoot with guns pew pew. There’s so much more that goes into both Joel & Clint, and trying to make every single character or role Pedro plays into a Joel Miller twin is a disservice to his range as an actor.

As someone who actually went out of their way to watch Freaky Tales in theaters and really loved Clint as a whole within the world we were introduced, I’m just annoyed that he’s going to turn into another Joel lookalike on top not getting a proper release because TLOU premiered a week after the movie came out and we couldn’t even enjoy that. Joel Miller is incredibly popular, that much is obvious and with Pedro’s popularity it just adds to it, and sometimes I wished that wasn’t the case was all. But it is what it is, and idc how this sounds I’m just mad about it.

Anyway, please actually watch Freaky Tales if you’re able to instead of just going off of appearances cause then you’ll see how they’re different characters. I love Clint Flood, if I write for him then I’ll let y’all know cause he really is fucking cool and interesting and I really do like him. Top 4 on the Pedro Pascal character list and he ain’t #4.

[dimalry]

My SJM- based opinions that nobody asked for, but I‘m sharing anyway.

I made a lot of critical points that may trigger some people…

- Manorian sucks. They had potential until they became canon, and SJM turned Dorian into another shadow daddy. Dorian dominating Manon is a joke—it's just ridiculous. Also, Dorian should be shorter than Manon.

- Dorian and Sorscha are cute together. RIP, though...

- Chaol is one of the best male characters in the SJM universe.

- Chaolryne is the healthiest and one of the best ships in all of her book series.

- Sam’s death WRECKED me.

- Kaltain deserved better.

- I think I like Rowan with long hair better.

- The Assassin’s Blade and ToD are severely underrated. KoA wasn’t that great.

- I hate the spy theory with a burning passion for both Elain and Gwyn, especially Elain. Maybe it’s because I have other plans for them, but I just don’t see either of them as spies. Let’s be honest here—the only reason most people support the spy theory is because of Azriel, not because they genuinely think Elain and Gwyn are suited for the job.

- Azriel is far from being the best spymaster. I’d say he’s very bad at his job, and Rhys makes it worse. 😭🙏

- The High Lady title is overrated. The position of a ruler isn’t some internship that any 14-year-old can apply for. → Nesta or Elain as High Lady of Dusk? Elain as High Lady of Day or Spring? Gwyn as High Lady of Summer? Emerie as High Lady of Dawn? The only female characters I want to see rule are Viviane and Cresseida. Headcanons are cool and fun, but some of y’all treat them like facts.

- I’m not a big fan of High Lady Feyre anymore. I see her as more of a neutral party than a ruler of a specific court—or better said, a city.

- I love the Inner Circle, but I’d hate to be their friend, and I don’t think they’d enjoy being my friends either. I’d rather hang out with the Valkyries and Elain.

- I love the Valkyries, but I’m just annoyed that Nesta was given a sword and armor like most of SJM’s female characters. I fear that Elain might be the next target and I hate it.

- Nesta made the right decision in choosing her safety and comfort (sitting on that rock instead of training) over Cassian’s already-bad reputation. It wasn’t one of her prideful moments like people think so.

- Amren should’ve stayed dead. She contributes nothing to the story after ACOWAR. All she does is b*tch, whine, and moan.

- Vamren doesn’t really make sense. Amren doesn’t strike me as straight or as someone who would even pursues a relationship. It seems like Varian was just thrown at her.

- Justice for Jurian!

- Rhys does NOT need to be superior in every way. It’s okay for him to lack power in certain areas and actually be flawed. I came to that conclusion when I worked on Rhys’s character for my storytelling—it makes him a more compelling character. Tamlin also doesn’t need to suck in every way possible.

- I’m fairly confident that Gwynriel and Elucien are endgame, but I don’t care enough to try to convince people of it, nor will I be upset if they’re not endgame. SJM builds up great potential and then wastes it, so I’m not sure if an announced endgame is a good thing. You either write a good story or don’t bother at all. I won’t accept mediocrity anymore.

- Case in point: ACOSF Nessian sucked. Their love story consists of repeated sex and unnecessary arguments—bleh. Potential wasted.

- I feel nothing for Sarion or Elriel (though there’s one thing I don’t like about them, which is thankfully still just a headcanon), Emorie… and probably more ships that I can’t think of rn. I don’t like nor dislike them—they’re just there.

- I love Helion x LoA’s tragic love story, but I don’t want them together. At least, not so soon after Beron’s death. His existence isn’t the only obstacle between them. There are a lot of unresolved feelings, resentment, and trauma built up over the years. It’s really not that easy.

- Neither SJM nor the fans are aware of how long 500+ years truly is.

- Sarah’s right—Ruhn and Lidia’s wedding was corny and unnecessary.

- I loved Ruhnlidia in HOSAB. They were kind of boring in HOFAS. Then I realized that I just love DayNight more than Ruhnlidia.

- The only girl I like to see Tharion with is Hypaxia. I think their banter is cute. I know she’s a lesbian, but based on how boring SJM writes her queer ships, Hypaxia x Celestina was only bound to be unremarkable.

- Tharion was intriguing until he got his own POV. I really don’t want to feel the same about Azriel when his book comes out.

- Hunt deserves better, but he needs to give up that foot fetish.

- The only interesting bonus chapter that came with HOSAF was the Ember x Randall chapter. To be honest, a lot of bonus chapters SJM writes are so unnecessary and boring.

- The crossover should’ve never happened. It feels like a corny Marvel dream SJM had. The only good thing that came out of it was Ember being a mother hen to Nesta.

- I really don’t care about Bryce’s friendship with Nesta and Azriel.

- I’m not a fan of the headcanon that Bryce and the Valkyries would be friends, even though it makes sense.

- Bryciel gives me the ick. I saw a post that mentioned how it would be a one-night stand followed by no contact afterward, and I couldn’t agree more. I feel like they’d get annoyed with each other pretty fast. I’m sorry to anyone who ships it, but their personalities don’t mesh well...

- The torture Ruhn, Hunt, and Baxian suffered under those weirdo angels wasn’t even that bad. I shouldn’t have had high expectations.

- Baxian is a good boy, but I don’t like his mate.

- Cormac is cool. Rip.

- HOFAS was bad. I enjoyed it at first, especially the whole deal with the Viper Queen, but I got bored over time, and I couldn’t keep up with the plots anymore. HOEAB is the best book in the series. HOSAB was fine.

- All villains (except Maeve and Arobynn) are so cartoonish and corny.

I have more opinions, but that’s enough for today. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts on these books (and some theories/headcanons), and I’d love to hear your opinions!

I’ve also made the decision that I won’t read another SJM book ever again after ACOTAR ends. Until then, I’ll support my local library or download the upcoming ACOTAR books in PDF instead of giving her my money. That’s how you actually separate the art from the artist, rather than just saying it. 🥰

[radgalniya]

black mirror season 7 thoughts(spoilers)

dare i say, this is the best black mirror season. idc idc. i love every episode, so this isn’t a real ranking. every episode is #1.

1. USS Callister: Infinity

i don’t need to explain. amazing sequel. lived up to the hype. honestly could’ve been a movie on its own. so good. i loved the reveal that walton put a clone of robert into the heart of infinity and that the entire game was built upon that. that is so sick and evil i can’t even. then when i stupidly thought robert could be good, he was exactly who we thought he would be. come to think of it, if he had access to the hospital footage where nanette was, are you really telling me he was unaware of everything else that happened. yea right good riddance. and i almost felt sorry for that stupid ho too. also, i loved pixie’s character.

2. Common People

so tragic and real. the subscription service that takes away features and adds them to a “premium” service that costs more combined with a company exploiting their access to peoples brains in order to advertise combined with a company leveraging critical healthcare to maximize profits combined with a family struggling to concieve combined with people hurting themselves to make ends meet was honestly too real and so depressingly sad. exactly what i love in a black mirror episode.

3. Hotel Reverie

is it really a good black mirror season if there’s not an episode dedicated to a lesbian romance. i mean seriously. i hated that brandy didn’t tell them what she built with clara though. it was tragic when they made her go on with the story and then to see clara sacrifice herself and how empty brandy was when it was over. was crying real tears. the ending phone call of them flirting softened the blow a bit…a bit🤏🏿issa’s acting was a little awkward when she wasn’t being comedic but i didn’t care that much bc the episode was still so enjoyable.

4. Eulogy

i’m ngl. this guy pissed me off a little bit like he was being so unfair. making it seem like carol was the sole problem in the relationship as if he didn’t cheat first w the girl he told her not to worry about. then he didn’t even stop to think about her long enough to realize she was pregnant or that something was wrong. he was clearly very selfish and self obsessed buttttt also he was young. and i was still sad that they never got the chance to see things through before she passed. like he clearly loved her. also the main guy acted his ASS off, it was amazing. and i bawled when carol’s daughter played her song and he finally remembered carol’s face. rip carol dawg

5. Plaything

i feel like this is the underdog of the season. i’m agnostic so unfortunately i spend lots of time thinking about our creation and existence. this episode had me comparing the throngs to us and our creator to cameron. like do you think god has a deep desire to prove himself worthy of us like cameron does to the throngs? bc most of us have been taught that it should be the other way around. and do you think when things go horribly wrong on this planet that it’s just another higher being fucking with us for fun. maybe our god is fighting for us and losing, we can’t really blame god for that. ig i cared less about the tech part of this episode and more about the relationship between the throngs and cameron. also someone had mentioned maybe the throngs witnessed cameron and lump and decided humanity should die and wiped them out at the end lol valid!

6. Bete Noire

this episode had me losing my mind. i suffer from this debilitating disease where i’m always right and if some raggedy bitch used some tech to manipulate reality to the point where even when i’m right, i’m technically not right…i’d lose my fucking mind. maria was so valid for going crazy. like verity girl i’m sure it hurt deeply to be bullied in hs and i fully support ur right to vengeance but this isn’t even revenge anymore. it’s just diabolical. it’s one thing to mess around like just do more of the barnie’s/bernie’s stuff. but ur driving these women to the grave!!! and in becoming empress to the universe and a famous superstar, you never considered…therapy??? or going back and changing what happened in hs?? idk there’s so many solutions here and you picked not even one correct one. also maria’s boyfriend was so annoying. if ur my man, take my side! if i say fuck that ho, cosign!

[inholover4l]

thanos x f/reader drabble!

warnings: mentions of sex and drugs.

a/n: this was fun to write! hope you enjoy. pls leave any constructive criticism if you have any.

back to the basics ༉‧₊˚.

thanos’s new song had made him pretty well known now. he was invited to nightclubs and events and you had been very proud of him. he was a very smug guy in general, but with this new level of fame? it was insane. 

his ego was through the roof, and he expected you to simply deal with it. you weren’t an idiot, but you’d taken it the first few months, expecting it to fade over time. but as he started making plans for an album, you knew it was only going to get worse. 

so you’d snapped and tried to talk to him about it. the only problem being was you could rarely have conversations alone anymore. he always had his little entourage around or namgyu at the very least. he was busier than ever and you were feeling neglected, so after a long argument you’d both broken it off.

it was week one without him. to be honest, you missed him. he’d been pretty stupid ever since he got famous. he’d texted you a few times admitting it himself. he even begged at one point, sending you a shit ton of voice messages at 2 in the morning. 

“please baby, i’ll change.”

“i can’t go on without you, my angel.”

“i’ll give you anything you want, come back to me or i’ll fight the world for you.” 

of course, they weren’t complete with a little rapping. 

you’d been tempted many times, but your friends had all convinced you not to, whether by means of coming over and distracting you or simply telling you outright that he wouldn’t be treating you like this if he really wanted you.

everybody was saying that he was no good for you, talking about how much better you deserved. but you didn’t want better, you wanted him. 

so when you saw him on your doorstep with a big bouquet of roses that next evening, you didn’t turn him away immediately. 

“you look like shit,” you snorted at the sight of him, dark circles under his eyes. he shrugged his shoulders.

“i can’t sleep without you by my side, baby. you know that.” he propped the flowers up, holding them out to you.

you glanced down at the card attached. you scoffed at the sight of his credit card jammed inside the envelope.

“you’re buying my forgiveness?” 

“no. the card’s just an added bonus to the amazing apology i have planned out.” he started. “let me in?” he suggested, running his hand through his hair. 

you hesitated for a moment, “why should i? why can’t you apologise outside?” you continued.

“don’t make me grovel out here, baby.” he groaned. you smiled slightly. 

“i’m not letting you in.” you said firmly. “apologise outside or stop wasting my time.” you started to close the door, satisfied when you saw his shoe prop it open.

he glanced around furtively before ducking his head. 

“i’m sorry, baby.” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

you nearly slapped him. 

“is that it?” you said, eyes wide.

“relax! i’m not done.” he huffed. “i know i was an ass, baby, but i was just stressed. you know better than anyone how hard i worked for this. i was just getting used to it, alright? i didn’t know how to manage my time. but i’ve changed. trust me.” 

“why should i trust your word?” you scoffed.

he pulled his phone out, “i swear, baby, i haven’t been to an event since you broke up with me. i haven’t even spoken to anyone. i’ve just been dreaming about you. look, baby, i’ll ask namsu. alright?” 

before you could protest, he phoned namgyu, pressing on the speaker, nodding his head lightly in time to the ringtone.

“namsu, when was the last time you saw me?” he said, sounding slightly forced. you could tell this was rehearsed, but for some reason it made you crack a little. he had put in effort, at least.

“like last week, man.” namgyu answered, “you haven’t even been out to the club or anything.” he droned on.

“you shouldn’t have left her, bro” he said, although this sounded as though he had a gun to his head. 

you couldn’t help but smirk at how bored he sounded. 

“i know. i’m with her right now. i’ve changed, haven’t i, namsu?” thanos pressed.

“yeah man, listen, he’s definitely changed, i swear.” namgyu continued, his voice blaring through the phone. “come on, the old thanos would never have stayed in from those events. he really loves you.” namgyu huffed. 

“you almost sound jealous, namgyu.” you piped up, to which namgyu scoffed, about to retort before thanos hung up carelessly, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“i’m a changed man, baby.” he announced, focusing on your expression. “you’re still not convinced?” he said, sounding defeated.

“maybe 90% convinced.” you muttered, feeling yourself start to heat up from the embarrassment. 

“what can i do to get you to 100, baby? tell me. i’ll do anything.” he said, getting to his knees then and there, hands pressed together. 

you couldn’t help but enjoy the sight of him grovelling right there on your doormat. you decided to be a little selfish because, well, you deserved it. plus, the sight of him on his knees for you was doing something to you. 

“maybe i’ll forgive you…” you started slowly, “if you can get me off,” 

he grinned up at you, 

“oh baby, that’s my specialty. let me in, and relax, let thanos the great take care of you. alright?” 

you knew your next move would have consequences but frankly, you stopped caring a while ago. 

you held the door open,

 “alright.”

[nightbornfeyre]

Some of y’all don’t realize how weird it is to build your entire personality around hating something.

Like, you don’t like a character? Cool. You don’t vibe with a storyline? Fine. But when your whole account becomes a shrine to that hate—when you’re posting daily, making edits, writing essays, stirring drama over things you claim to “not care about”… that’s not criticism. That’s obsession.

And it’s not healthy.

Critics say their piece and move on. What y’all are doing? That’s not moving on. That’s camping in bitterness. That’s projecting your own unresolved stuff onto stories that were never written for you in the first place.

And the worst part? The energy you put out is poison. It clings. It seeps into everything. You think you're just “calling things out,” but what you’re really doing is sucking the joy out of spaces meant for passion and creativity.

You’re allowed to have opinions. But there’s a huge difference between having an opinion and dedicating your life to hate.

An opinion is: “I don’t really like lattes. They’re too sweet for me.” And then you move on.

Hate is: “I HATE lattes. People who drink them are idiots. The person who invented them is dumb. This is trash. And actually, lattes might k*ll you, so let me make a whole post about why you’re wrong for enjoying them.”

See the difference?

You don’t have to like everything. But turning your dislike into a personality trait—and expecting applause for your bitterness—isn’t normal. It’s not “critical thinking.” It’s obsession.

So ask yourself this:

Are you even having fun anymore? Or are you just addicted to being mad?

[xcherricutie]

➤ Messy

Vegeta x F!Reader

Warnings: None

Word Count - 1.5k

Summary - Vegeta is a clean freak with anger issues and pent up emotions, and decides to take it out on you for fun.

Notes: This is my first time posting here. I am from Wattpad, so I don't know tumblr etiquette, apologies.

“Your habits are disgusting and you’re a mess.”

He would follow you around and criticize you for what felt like hours on end. It was enough to drive anyone mad, and he did it to you on purpose. He was a man on a mission, out to make your life as miserable as possible. That’s just how it was, being acquainted with the prince of all saiyans. It didn’t matter if you tried to avoid him, he would find you, and he would let you know of every flaw in your life. Almost as if he took a sick satisfaction in seeing you wallow in your own misery and insecurities. 

“Vegeta, her house is none of your business,” Bulma scolded with a harsh glare, slapping your discarded napkin out of his hand. You hadn’t had the time to clean up your living space before Bulma and Vegeta dropped by, unannounced. You didn’t mind surprise visitors, but Vegeta was an exception. Every single time he came by, which had become noticeably more frequent, you made absolutely sure that he could not find a single reason to complain or nitpick. You were simply thankful Bulma was there to keep her dog on his leash. 

“Sorry for the mess,” you forced through grit teeth with a smile, before your face relaxed as your eyes landed on Bulma. “What brings you here? You’re not one for random visits.” 

“Right, sorry,” Bulma chuckled, brushing some strands of her azure hair behind her ear, glancing over at Vegeta as he tip-toed through the specks of dirt in your carpet. Bulma rolled her eyes at the dramatic saiyan, sighing. “I need you to keep an eye on him. I don’t really trust him to be alone at Capsule Corp., and my mom and dad are out on vacation. I’ve got a big workload on my hands and can’t deal with him right now. I’ll pay you good, I promise.” 

You wanted to say no. You wanted to tell both of them to get out of your house and never come back. Babysitting Vegeta could have perhaps been Bulma’s most unreasonable request for you. He had not been on Earth for long, and yet had antagonized you more than anyone. You rarely even showed your face at Capsule Corp. anymore because of the man. And Bulma was your best friend that you visited nearly daily for years. She knew how much you hated Vegeta. 

And yet, when she pulled the wad of cash out of her pocket, you immediately found yourself agreeing to the impossible task. Bulma’s payments were usually unreasonable amounts, as if the stack of paper zenni she handed to you was less than allowance money for her. It felt wrong to take, but what could you say? You were living independently in the city - you needed any cash you could get. Even if it meant spending a day with the most annoying being in the universe. 

As soon as Bulma had left, it was not long before Vegeta started to act up. He almost acted like a prepubescent boy at times, unable to properly convey his feelings, resorting to anger to vent. You had even made a point to clean up around the house so he wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable, but some of the things he complained about were unreasonable. 

“The geometry of your living space is poorly designed, woman,” Vegeta commented as he stood in the midst of your living room, looking around at the furniture. You rolled your eyes as you vacuumed the carpet, tuning his voice out. 

“Nobody is stopping you from just leaving. You hate all of us, I don’t understand why you continue to torture yourself on this planet,” you muttered, unsure if he heard you over the vacuum. You didn’t care much if he did or not, barely having the energy to speak to or at him. 

“I’m waiting for Kakarot to come back to this miserable planet. But I’m starting to doubt he will,” Vegeta said as he placed his hands on his hips, searching for more things in your house to nitpick about. You had done a pretty good job hiding things for him to complain about. 

“Maybe he’s avoiding you,” you said with a smirk at the idea. You would not blame Goku one bit if he was avoiding the entire Earth because of Vegeta’s presence. Vegeta did not find your comment very funny as his head whipped to your direction, glaring harshly. 

“Then I would track him down and drag him to this miserable planet to humiliate him in front of his loved ones,” Vegeta sneered, lip raised in a slight snarl, as if the mere assumption were the most offensive thing he’d ever heard. 

“Is it really that hard to accept that somebody doesn’t like you and doesn’t want to see you? I really don’t understand you, Vegeta,” you stood up straight as you turned off the vacuum, turning to glare at him. “You antagonize people on purpose, and then get mad when everyone leaves. What do you want from us? Why won’t you just leave?” 

“My business is none of your concern, woman. I suggest you close your mouth and not utter a single sound from now on, unless you really want to see what antagonistic looks like. I could put you through a world of misery with words alone, I haven’t done anything to you yet.” Vegeta’s harsh eyes stared into your soul, as if knowing you weren’t going to listen. He had been here less than a year, and yet knew you would not stand for such nonsense. 

“This is my house! I suggest you shut up if you know what’s good for you, asshole!” You yelled, leaning closer to his face. His warm breath hit your face as he scoffed, looking down at you as if he were so high and mighty. He was barely three inches taller than you.

“I could destroy you, and this house, and this whole planet in a matter of seconds if I wished. Your empty threats mean nothing to me, human.” Vegeta smirked down at you. That was your breaking point as your hand moved on its own. Even Vegeta found himself shocked by your sudden movement as your hand left its mark across his cheek, its shape searing into his cheek. Head turned from the sudden force, Vegeta stared at you with wide eyes, as if to let his brain process the attack on him. You expected him to blow up. You needed to gain control, fast. You would rather your house remained intact by the time Bulma returned. 

“Wh-What’s with the surprised look? Didn’t think a girl could hit you? Bet you’re completely smitten, huh?” Your face lit up like a lightbulb, cheeks burning as you smirked, watching his every muscle movement. You didn’t even mean for the words to escape your lips, but as they did, you knew you were dead. “You want to kiss me so bad, huh, Vegeta?” 

You saw the blush bloom across his cheek, making your hand mark burn ever brighter. That was the first time you had ever seen an emotion other than anger or pride on his face. But the view did not last long, as you suddenly found your vision obscured, his large frame right in your face, his lips connected to yours. This was an unexpected development, to say the least. 

His touch sent lightning through your nerves as his hands uncharacteristically gently slid up your arms, gloved fingers brushing over your cheeks. His kiss was soft, as if to show you everything he had been unable to get across before, many emotions flowing through one small touch. That one small touch, however, began to grow more desperate as Vegeta grabbed your shoulders, firmly pressing his lips to yours. Your scent was intoxicating, and every little jolt of electricity to his nerves sent him spiraling through his pent-up emotions even more. 

It wasn’t until your palms were pressed to his chest, trying to push him off, that he broke from his much-needed kiss. You stared up at Vegeta in surprise, watching many emotions flow through his dark pupils, before he finally came to his senses. You were pushed away, although much softer than you would have expected, his warmth pulling away from you as he left you standing there. He plopped down onto the sofa, sinking into the cushions as he crossed his arms, avoiding meeting your gaze. Your eyes stayed glued to him for a moment longer, before you let out a silent scoff, smiling in amusement. 

Vegeta had not uttered so much as a word after that. No more comments on her habits or appearance, no more jabs at her life and home. He had sat silently at her side, stealing glances at her every once in a while as she read her book in peace. And perhaps it was the cleaner environment, or just something in him beginning to bloom, but you looked much better than when he had shown up. 

And you weren’t sure if it was just the sunlight hitting him at just the right spot, or if he just looked like this when he wasn’t constantly raging, but Vegeta had a different look about him, almost a glow. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as you had originally thought.

[vandme12]

RONIN WITH A PARTNER THATS MORE SADISTIC AT KILLING THAN HIM 🙏

Ronin thought he’d seen it all.

Thought he’d done it all.

The Devil’s Butcher, the monster under the bed, the nightmare in broad daylight—he lived and breathed carnage, reveling in every scream, every last breath, every desperate prayer that went unanswered.

And then you happened.

Now, he wasn't stupid. He knew you were something different the second he laid eyes on you. It was in the way you moved, how you smiled just a little too wide when things got messy, how your eyes gleamed in the glow of fresh blood.

You weren’t just capable of keeping up with him.

You left him in the dust.

And fuck, did that make his blood run hot.

The first time he saw you work, he had to take a second. Just to watch.

It wasn’t just the way you killed—efficient, brutal, artistic—it was how much you enjoyed it.

The way your blade sank into soft flesh like it was meant to be there, the way you lingered when someone begged, soaking in their fear like it was a drug. The way you smiled, lips painted red, fingers flexing as you decided whether to drag things out or end them.

You didn’t just kill.

You played.

And that was the moment Ronin knew.

He was in love.

“Y’know,” he says now, watching as you press a knee into some poor bastard’s chest, blade trailing a slow, lazy line down trembling skin. “I thought I was fucked up.”

You don’t look at him. You’re too busy drinking in the way your victim shakes beneath you. The way they can’t even scream anymore, throat raw from all the useless begging.

Ronin leans against the wall, arms crossed, head tilting as he studies you.

“Not that I’m complainin’,” he adds, grinning. “I like my lovers a little unhinged. But sweetheart… you might just be worse than me.”

You finally glance up at him, eyes sharp, calculating. Then, without breaking eye contact, you sink your knife slowly into soft flesh, just to hear the way it makes your victim wheeze.

Ronin lets out a low whistle.

“Jesus,” he murmurs, shaking his head, but there’s no disapproval—just pure admiration.

You flash him a bloody grin. “Don’t compare me to him.”

He barks out a laugh, pushing off the wall. “Yeah, yeah. You’re right. I doubt He’d be nearly as fun.”

The poor bastard under you gurgles, and you sigh. “They’re boring now.”

Ronin makes a thoughtful noise, eyeing the mess you’ve made. “Shame.”

Your knife stills. There’s something in your expression—something hungry.

Ronin recognizes it instantly.

His own reflection.

“You wanna find another?” you ask, voice light, teasing, but there’s intent behind it.

Ronin grins.

“Sweetheart,” he says, voice dripping with affection, “I thought you’d never ask.”

And just like that, you’re both on the hunt again, matching smiles carved into your faces like permanent scars.

Because what’s better than a monster?

Blood spatters across the pavement.

Warm, fresh, still dripping from the jagged wound you carved into the man’s chest. His ragged breaths are shallow now—too weak to fight back, too slow to register the agony of his final moments.

Ronin watches, eyes half-lidded, lips curled into a fascinated grin as he rests his chin in his palm. “Damn, sweetheart. You really went to town on this one, huh?”

You hum, tilting your head as you wipe the blade clean against your sleeve. “What, getting squeamish on me?”

“Squeamish?” He barks out a laugh, pushing off the wall where he’d been watching. “Nah, babe, I love it. Just, y’know—" He gestures to the sheer mess of the scene—blood pooling in unnatural patterns, the man’s face frozen in sheer, unrelenting terror. “Bit much, even for me.”

He crouches beside you, examining your handiwork like a critic admiring a particularly gruesome painting.

You glance at him. “Jealous?”

Ronin clicks his tongue, grinning. “Jealous? Pfft. Maybe. You make me look downright merciful, and that’s kinda rude, don’tcha think?”

You smirk. “Mercy’s for the weak.”

“Ooh.” He whistles low, eyes dark with something dangerous. “Cold. I like it.”

[twopoppies]

Ginaa, I’ve been rewatching the fimq videos, and I just came across this one for the first time: https://youtu.be/ZT__wU8vcO4?si=MwIQkzLglZ_W_Sm0

Honestly, I hadn’t seen this rebellious side of Harry before, especially since I’m a bit newer to the fandom. I knew H and L fought against closeting during the band days, but I hadn’t seen these moments where Harry looks genuinely frustrated with the whole sex symbol/womaniser image. You can literally see how tired he is with it all.

Since we don’t really see that frustration anymore (at least not explicitly), I wonder how Harry has learned to deal with everything. I think he’s distanced himself from his public persona enough to use it to his advantage (like in songwriting) and even poke fun at it.

At this point, I guess he’s not forced to do anything, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect him. I wonder if we’ll get a song on HS4 that reflects how he felt during 2022-2023, when he was under a lot of public scrutiny and criticism.

Oh, if that’s the first you’re seeing of it, there’s so much more to hart than what you see today. That video makes me so sad.

I think when he went solo he made a conscious decision to “claw back” some of his privacy. Stepping away from social media and learning how to really work and a private life was a big step. I think therapy has helped him immensely.

People complain about how we only get “Harry Styles TM” these days, but I think he’s why we still have Harry Styles with us as a healthy, sane person. I truly can’t imagine being him without being able to turn off the circus of being “THE Harry Styles.”

[scoonsalicious]

5.2 Bucky

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Lily McIntyre, trainer for new SHIELD recruits at the Avengers Tower, has been in love with her best friend, Bucky Barnes, from the moment she met him. She's been content with her role of the #1 girl in Bucky's life, even if it means she has to sabotage a romantic relationship or two. It'll be worth it when he realizes that they're meant for each other, right? There's just one small problem: Lily McIntire never expected Bucky Barnes to fall for You.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, toxic plants, mentions of sex.

Word Count: 1.4k

Previously On...: Car sexxxxxxxxxxx!

A/N: Killer headache, not much to say tonight, sorry!

NOTE! The tag list is a fickle bitch, so I'm not really going to be dealing with it anymore. If you want to be notified when new story parts drop, please follow @scoonsaliciousupdates

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

He wasn’t sure how long the two of them sat there, Major’s head resting peacefully on his chest as they both strove to catch their breath. He’d worried that any additional sex he had with her wouldn’t have lived up to the previous night, and he was amazed that tonight had been even better. The things she’d said to him while she held his dick in her hands. He had no idea he’d be into talk like that, but he’d loved it, loved hearing the filthy words come out of her mouth as she talked about being ruined by the size of his cock. 

He opened his eyes when he felt her head move from his chest, and he moved to help lift her off his now flaccid cock. He watched as she reached her small hands down, pulling the used condom off of him and tying it closed, before gently tucking him back into his pants and zipping up his fly and re-doing his belt. 

“A little help?” she asked as she readjusted her dress, pulling the front of it back up over her breasts. Bucky carefully reached around to the back of her neck, finding the ties that kept her dress in place, and fastening them securely into a neat bow.

“Damn shame,” Bucky said as Major fixed the front of her dress to make sure she was fully covered once more, “to keep such beautiful tits hidden from the world.”

She snickered and playfully swatted at his chest. “I’m gonna need a little help getting up,” she told him. 

Bucky frowned. The last thing he wanted was for her to get up. “You sure you have to, doll?” he asked, running his hands up and down the sides of her waist. “I’m very comfortable right here, so long as you are, and I’m in no hurry to go anywhere.”

“No,” Major said, leaning into his chest again, “I’m quite content where I’m at.”

“Good,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “So, what kind of toppings do you like on your pizza?”

Major looked up at him, laughing at his question. “Pizza? Seriously?”

Bucky nudged her cheek with his nose. “I wanna know everything about you,” he told her. “And if I’m gonna keep seeing you, I need to know the important things, like pineapple on pizza: yes, or no?”

“Wow,” she said, “starting out with the heavy questions, huh?”

“This is critical compatibility stuff, sugar,” he laughed. “I gotta know.”

“No pressure, huh?” she asked him playfully. “Okay, fine– yes, pineapple on pizza.”

“Oh thank god,” said Bucky with a dramatic sigh. “We have a chance.”

They delved into asking each other the most ridiculous ‘getting to know you’ questions they could think of, and Bucky was amazed at just how easy Major was to talk to, how effortlessly the conversation with her flowed. It was growing late, but neither one seemed eager to move, Major still straddling Bucky’s lap in the front seat of Tony’s sports car, arms draped over his shoulders as they sat face-to-face. 

“What’s your favorite sub?” he asked with a grin.

“Okay, don’t make fun of me,” she said, smiling up at him, “but I love sweet onion teriyaki chicken, but with lettuce, cucumber, and just, like, a shitload of extra dill pickles, and then smothered in red wine vinegar.”

Bucky made a face. “That sounds disgusting,” he said with a laugh.

Major playfully pushed at his chest. “It’s delicious,” she countered. The tang of the pickles and vinegar mixed with the sweet teriyaki sauce?” She moaned decadently.  “So fucking good.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it, doll,” he said.

He felt like he was talking to someone he’d known his entire life, not a woman he’d just met for the first time the night before, and he knew it was too soon, he was getting ahead of himself, but he could picture spending the rest of his life with a girl like her, and being happy doing it. 

Back in the ‘40s, the white picket fence and wife with two kids had always been Steve’s dream, not Bucky’s. Bucky had been happy to go out, meet a new girl every night, and say goodbye to them before sunrise the next morning. It wasn’t that he never wanted something more than that, it was just that, with the constant threat of America getting pulled into the war in Europe, knowing that any day could see him drafted and sent overseas, he’d never allowed himself to think of it as a possibility.

But Major? With her, he saw all of that potential future stretched before him. 

Bucky’s phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it, preferring instead to ask Major if she was a dog person or a cat person.

“Either, really,” she told him after a moment’s thought. “But if I could only have one? Definitely a cat. They’re so small and snuggly, but also evil little murder babies.”

Bucky’s phone buzzed again.

“Do you need to get that?” Major asked. “Is it, like, Captain America calling to ask for your help in saving the world?”

Bucky snorted. “Hardly,” he said. “We’ve got official coms if he needed to reach me for something like that.”

“Well, okay, then,” Major said, leaning in to kiss along the plane of Bucky’s jaw and along his throat. Bucky groaned.

“You’re gonna get me going again, sugar,” he said as she sucked at the skin on his neck.

“Is that a bad thing?” Major murmured, and Bucky could feel the smile on her lips against his skin.

“Not at all,” he replied. “I’m just warnin’ ya, is all.” His phone buzzed yet again.

“You should check that,” she told him, taking his earlobe into her mouth and gently sucking on it.

“But I’m enjoying myself,” he said with a gasp as she nipped at his jaw. “I’d hate to interrupt you.”

“Who says I have to stop?” Major reached up and undid the top two buttons of his shirt. “Take the call.” She brought her mouth down and began sucking kisses into his collarbone. 

“Fuck,” Bucky groaned. “How are you so hot?” He reached down into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone while Major kept up her affectionate administrations to his body. Checking the caller ID, he rolled his eyes when he saw Lily’s contact information on the screen.

“Answer it,” Major offered. “I really don’t mind.” She reached her hand down and began palming him through his pants, all the while continuing to kiss and suck on his neck. 

Bucky swallowed. The last thing he wanted on his mind right now was Lily, but given that she’d already called four times in the last five minutes, he figured it might be important. So, he pressed the accept button.

“Hey, Lil, what’s up?” he greeted, trying to keep his tone casual as Major squeezed him through the fabric of his pants.

“Jamie, where are you?” she asked, foregoing any sort of greeting. 

“Uh, I told you,” he said, sucking in a breath as Major licked a long stripe up the side of his neck. “I’m out in the–” he had to suck in a breath when Major took his earlobe into her mouth and sucked on it “--the city,” he gasped.

“Well, what are you doing?” Lily asked. Was Bucky imagining things, or was there a trace of suspicion in her voice? But he honestly didn’t care. He just wanted to be off this phone call and focus all of his attention back on Major.

“I already told you what I was doing, Lily,” he told her, shrugging at Major, who gave him a playful, exaggerated pout.

“What time do you think you’ll be home?” she asked him. Bucky sighed, annoyed. Why should he have to report his comings and goings to her constantly?

“I don’t know what time I’ll be home, Lil,” he said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “You don’t have to keep checking up on me.”

“Tomorrow morning,” Major whispered in Bucky’s ear as she tugged on his earlobe with her teeth. “Very late tomorrow morning.” Bucky had to stifle a groan as she rubbed her chest against him. 

“What was that?” Lily asked.

“I said ‘why?’ We don’t have set plans.” Bucky wanted off this call so badly.

“I was just wondering,” she said, and Bucky could detect a trace of hurt in her voice.

“Listen, Lil,” he began, “I gotta go, but I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, sure, Jamie.” He didn’t even wait for her to finish speaking before he hung up. 

“Sorry about that,” he said, now able to finally give Major his undivided attention. “Now, where were we?”

<- Previous Part / Next Part ->

[aureumms]

Would love to hear your case on why goldenduo should be changed to neutral/negative on the DSMP wiki

thank you anon for the ask, i can now go apeshit since i have been freed from the “nobody asked for that” anxiety

so here we go (p.s., i am talking STRICTLY about c!, not cc!—they are separated here)

I’m gonna clarify two things:

First, this is literally just me yapping in a very unorganized manner, I am NOT demanding a change of the wiki, just giving my thoughts. I’m doing this just for fun, and am in no way shape or form criticizing the work of people who have spent hours upon hours making such a detailed wiki. It’s great.

Second, I am looking in between the lines for something invisible to the naked eye when there probably isn’t anything, but that’s the point. I’m like the guy you see on street corners holding up signs and spewing nonsense—I get it if you think this post will just be a huge nothing-burger of goldenboys yapping where I point at clips where they’re in the same frame and fall into a rant about the unconscious mind and its wants .

I’m gonna be honest when I say I don’t think c!Purpled technically disliked c!Tommy, even when they had their spats or whatever. Even in the earlier days when Tommy expressed disliking Purpled to his face, Purpled stated he did like Tommy. While this could be taken as sarcasm because Purpled was very sarcastic in the stream he and Tommy had a “group” for about an hour or two, I think it’s still worth nothing because Purpled is still serious at some points.

There are also some points where I believe Purpled wanted Tommy’s trust, or he didn’t want a stupid feud anymore. The first instance of this could be when Purpled was the only one who saw Tommy and Wilbur spying on the Manberg Festival, Oct. 16th 2020. Purpled saw Tommy and Wilbur, made direct eye contact with Tommy—but he didn’t snitch. He said nothing, and pretended like he saw nothing. (I so badly wished Purpled was streaming so we could have gotten his thoughts on that.) I’m also gonna make a point here that almost every instance where Purpled and Tommy fought, Purpled was almost never the initial instigator, he was merely fighting back since he felt threatened. I’m referring to when Tommy threw the first stab during the Manberg festival, and then Purpled eventually got a kill on him.

I’m gonna pick up with the Manberg vs. Pogtopia war + the Chaos War, where the info about their relationship on the wiki leaves Off. Like it states, Tommy did in fact mock Purpled for a few second because he defected to their side. And yeah, that happens—Tommy hits him a couple of times and mocks, repeating “i changed my mind” two or three times. But this doesn’t seem to really Affect Purpled. Sure, he defends himself, but he doesn’t seem too swayed since he isn’t kicked off of Pogtopia’s side. Points for that?

Here’s the thing that I’m not sure a lot of people noticed during the war though; Purpled basically made almost subconscious attempts to protect Tommy throughout. (Almost none of the clips I am going to talk about are linked in the wiki, so at the END of this post I will have a master video posted so you can look at every clip I am talking about.) The Manberg vs Pogtopia war is a TREASURE trove for these clips. First, (making a stretch here,) when everyone is surrounding Dream to get info out of him, Purpled jumps to Tommy’s side and has a bow out, pointed at Dream. He also says “thanks” when Tommy calls the rest of them cool looking, which made me cheer !

Purpled also at one point expresses he’s worried about if he made the right decision, and if he made the right decision too late, RIGHT before looking at Tommy. To me this says that he’s worried he isn’t gonna be taken seriously by Pogtopia’s side since he is a Manberg defector, and he still wants a positive relationship with Tommy. What a yearner /j

Before L’Manberg is blown to literal bits, while everyone is expressing their confusion—mostly about Philza joining and Wilbur being M.I.A—Tommy is attempting to fight Technoblade on the roof and nobody notices it. Except Purpled. He literally zooms in on Tommy on the roof, runs closer to the building he’s on, and throws two enderpearls, saying “Are we just all going to ignore that?” Before you say that he could be referring to Phil joining, that likely is not the case considering MULTIPLE people referenced Philza joining in the previous moments. Purpled is focused on Tommy and Technoblade. Focused on helping TOMMY. When Purpled eventually does teleport up and sees Tommy is no longer up on the roof and therefore no longer in immediate danger, Purpled backs off from Technoblade.

Later, when Techno has a crossbow to Tommy and Tubbo after L’Manberg has been blown up, Purpled pulls out an AXE and slowly but very surely makes his way over to Tommy’s side, like he is ready to attack Techno if he decides to shoot Tommy or Tubbo. (Neighborsduo AND Clingyduo mention) Unconscious mind folks UNCONSCIOUS MIND.

Okay, timeskip time ! I want to make a point by saying I think there was like. a flip in their perspectives. Purpled becomes the one who wants nothing to do with the possibility of a friendship, Tommy seems indifferent to the idea and/or pities Purpled + still teases him.

Post-Wilbur Revival, Tommy and Wilbur are strolling the main path when Wilbur points out Purpled’s destroyed UFO. Tommy is immediately confused and expresses that the UFO being destroyed “isn’t very right.” While Wilbur goes on about “someone’s been a copycat,” Tommy is still showing remorse and pity over the fact Purpled’s UFO has been destroyed. In fact, he says nothing negative about Purpled, and even says that the UFO was one of the staple builds of the DSMP—saying it’s “shit” that it’s been destroyed.

Now to the stream where Tommy visits Las Nevadas, WITHOUT Wilbur (for clarification.) Who knows how long it’s been since Tommy and Purpled have even spotted each other by this point. It has to have been a while, because Tommy seems delighted at the fact he’s seen Purpled again, saying “I haven’t seen this man in a fuckin’…” (he trails off.) Now while Tommy does steal two ender pearls, and Purpled punches him, Purpled doesn’t make a point to persist after Tommy throws a pearl. I think that this could add to the Neutral/Negative aspect, since while there is teasing/slight conflict, there is no ill feelings. At least on Tommy’s end, since we don’t have Purpled’s POV.

That’s all I have. Now: The clips! Thank you for reading this.

[Video time: 2:22]

[thetheatrebrassiere]

you know what’s annoying/kind of fun simultaneously. people asking what are my hobbies and i’m like oh i don’t really have any… because i don’t consider the things i like to do (reading, online art curation or whatever, exploring everything i can in every possible medium) to be “hobbies”. and if i do bring up reading people ask what i read thinking, i assume, it must be like the fourth wing or whatever. nope! so many critical theory books in every possible domain. do you know how many fucking books i have. something like 2700 on kindle alone, another 700 or so in other digital formats and then another 100ish of radical lit, then god knows how many physical books. the total was like 4300+ when i counted recently but i added a bunch around my birthday. i don’t even update my goodreads anymore. oh my god i forgot my 450 audiobooks. jesus christ. “oh what kind of movies do you like” points to two laundry baskets full of criterion collection films. there’s no way out of this because even just listing the numbers is construed as bragging (i’ll be honest. i am somewhat proud of having a massive collection, it’s true) but all my collections of everything (oh my fucking god. my perfume collection alone) are simultaneously massive, in-depth on certain subjects, and also have massive breadth. and only from the last 9 years. and completely useless because i’m not going to find people irl that want to watch foreign sensationalist surreal dramas from criterion on dvd or will want to talk about like. already extremely niche forgotten art movements from the turn of the century or i don’t fucking know, twenty books of neuroscience and aesthetics, fifty on theoretical physics, a bunch of french decadent writing or translations of czech nihilistic descents into madness or romanian pessisimistic philosophy or the history of basque as a language or whatever the fuck else is in there in between the solid 900 books on feminism and women and women’s history and blah blah blah. i think i’ve read maybe a tenth of what i own and am trying to work through some now. why do i have over 150 regional world cookbooks. oh my fucking god

anyway the point was that it’s kind of fun to reveal the number and see people’s brains just break for a moment. also that i’ve niched myself into a corner