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russellsppttemplates · 9 months ago

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It is what it is (Lando Norris)

It takes Lando a while to notice how you always assume he has something else to do whenever you need his help

Note: english is not my first language. It's slightly angsty but has a good ending! ✨️ is this good, is this bad? I'm not too sure

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Cw: alludes to the lack of quality time between a couple

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog @hiireadstuff @c-losur3

"Look at you, beautiful girl", Lando twirled you as he stepped inside your bedroom, noticing you were getting ready, "are you going somewhere?".

"Yes, I have an appointment at my optometrist", you smiled, "Anna should be here soon to take me".

"Is it a joint appointment?", Lando squinted.

"No, you muppet", you giggled, "my optometrist needs some exams on my eyes, so I have to today because that's when the ophthalmologist is there and they recommended that I had someone take me there because they want to dilate my pupils and, depending on how it goes, my sight might be a little affected for a couple of hours", you offered, making sure you had everything you needed to take.

"You could've told me and I would've taken you", Lando added, accepting the kiss you placed on his lips.

"I thought you had a meeting this afternoon", you reasoned.

"I do, but I could have moved that around a little and fit everything into the schedule", he reasoned back.

"It's okay, don't worry about that", you mused, "That's Anna - bye, handsome!", you kissed his lips one last time before making your way out and downstairs to meet your friend.

The ride to the office wasn't long, you and Anna taking the time to catch up and learn about the new gossips she had to update on you.

"And how's Lando? I haven't seen him in a while", Anna stated after you sat in the empty waiting room waiting to be called.

"He's been busy lately - he has a meeting today with the team, they're also launching a new collection for Quadrant and they're investing a lot in the social media content, so he's been busy recording a lot of videos and stuff", you offered, never shy whenever it came to talk proudly about your boyfriend's achievements, "and we're also on the countdown for the season to begin, so there's training and meetings and all that".

"Sounds like a busy schedule, no wonder why I haven't seen him - I'm surprised you even see him at all", she joked, grabbing her phone once she remembered she had something to show you.

You were surprised yourself at every bit of time you were able to spend with Lando, as lately it had become near impossible to do so apart from sleeping in the same bed, and even that was rare as he was often travelling between Monaco and England on a weekly basis.

"Ms. Y/N Y/L/N?", the doctor called you before you stepped inside the exam room, starting with the procedures.

The check up itself didn't take long despite the twenty five minute wait for the drops to dilate your pupils, "Don't forget your sunglasses, Y/N!", the secretary reminded you before you stepped outside.

"Thank you, have a good afternoon", you smiled before tapping Anna's shoulder, "Give me your arm so I won't trip", you mumbled.

"Is your sight that bad? The doctor said it should be good enough", Anna worried as she was about to open the door.

"No, it's fine, but if I'm clumsy on any good day, imagine how probable it is for me to fall on some stupid step or raised cobblestone", you argued as you both chuckled, making your way to her car.

Before you went home, your friend stopped by the pharmacy to get you the relief eye drops you'd have to follow the medication regimen with for the next few days, stopping by your favourite bakery so you could enjoy some sweet pastries.

"Can you even read these prescriptions?", Anna asked as she read the regimen you had to comply with.

"Stop making fun of me, you say that as if I'm almost blind", you swatted her arm before reading - trying to - the words, "fucking hell, am I?".

"I can barely read them myself, Y/N! They're so tiny I don't know how they give these to eye patients! Is Lando going to be home soon? That way he can help you with this", she suggested.

"Can I even see the time? At least that", you mumbled as you looked at the large numbers on your phone, "he'll probably take a while still - I can set the alarms on my phone and I'll memorise the different drops", you tapped your head.

Once it was all settled and you assured Anna she was fine to go home and you'd be perfectly well on your own, you walked her to the door before going back to the living room as the sun was no longer shinning outside and you could lay down on the sofa.

The nap you were taking was cut short by the door being shut, making you rub your forehead before an alarm rang. Getting up to head to the bathroom where you kept the supplies, you found Lando taking his trainers off.

"Hi baby, how was your appointment?", he asked as he put the footwear away.

"It was good, need to go and apply my drops", you smiled, turning the light on and grabbing the right box of medication.

"Is that what the alarm was for? I thought we had gotten a new security system I was not aware of", Lando joked as he watched you wash your hands.

"Yes, these instructions are so small to read that Anna thought it would be best to have alarms so I wouldn't mess it up since it's still a little bit blurry", you mused.

"Do you want me to do it?", Lando offered.

"No, it's fine - I'll have to do this for the next 48 hours anyway, so I might as well get used to it", you stopped talking so you could apply them, almost holding your breath until the drops fell.

"My lovie", Lando whispered on your ear once he felt it was okay to approach you, hugging your mid section from behind and kissing your neck as you put your hands on top of his.

You were adding the finishing touches on the present wrapping, the shiny gold string fiddling between your fingers as you tried to tie a bow with it around the paper bag handle, when Lando stepped inside your home office.

"That's looking pretty", he mused as he handed you the tape you were looking for on your desk.

"Thank you", you offered before placing the sticky piece down, "the bag is quite plain and even though the present inside is what will get her attention, it should come in nice wrapping".

"Who is this for?", Lando asked.

"It's for Maya's birthday tonight", you smiled, admiring your work.

"Is that tonight? Fuck, this week has flown by", Lando cursed, "I can't make it - will you let her know, please? I'm sorry I can't go", Lando pouted, "if she has to pay for having made the reservation with me in it, let me know and I'll pay my part!".

"I had already told her I'd be going alone, so she made my reservation without a plus one", you mused, remembering the conversation that came around the time of booking the venue.

Lando was leaving late in the afternoon for a trip with Max, Ria and some of the Quadrant athletes, so like you predicted, he couldn't attend the dinner with you.

"Oh", Lando offered.

"Max told me about your plans and when Maya told me the date, I assumed you wouldn't be able to go", you explained with a tinge of sadness and conformity in your voice.

"Well, it seems you guessed right", Lando chuckled despite the uneasy feeling on his chest.

You seemed sad that he wouldn't be able to join you, but at the same time you didn't? Lando put the topic at the back of his mind for now, heading to the bedroom so he could pack the last minute things.

"I was thinking of wearing this dress", you said once you joined him inside a while later, taking the steamer out of your drawer and setting it up to get out any kinks and wrinkles.

"That one is one of my favourites on you, but then again, they all are, I think", Lando mused, kissing your cheek as you waited for the steamer to be up for use.

"Figured it would be a little cold out tonight, so I chose this one, and that coat over there", you pointed.

"You'll be the most beautiful in that room", your boyfriend complimented, pecking your lips before he let you continue your task.

A couple hours later, Lando found himself restless as he scrolled through the posts and stories of Maya's birthday dinner, "Ria", he called, "what would you think if your partner made plans without you because they figured you wouldn't be able to go anyway?".

Ria exchanged a look with Max and Tara before she spoke, "did they ask me if I could go?", she offered.

"They didn't, but truth be told it's not like you have given them much to believe that you could join them", Lando mumbled the last part.

"I think I'd be a more 'it is what it is' at the start if I saw that it was something out of their reach, but I'm not sure I'd put up with it if it was genuine disinterest from them", Ria explained.

"It's not disinterest! They're just busy and shit at organising their schedules", Lando groaned defensively.

"Okay, okay", Ria calmed the room down once Max squinted his eyes at his bestfriend, "then I guess they would have to make sure they do better", she shrugged, "is everything alright?".

"Yes, yes, sorry for snapping just then", Lando offered her a tight lipped smile.

Everyone carried on with what they were doing before the existencial question, Max seemingly as stuck on it as Lando, "is this an hypothetical thing or are we calling people by their names and working this out?", he whispered to Lando.

"It's fine, just a loose thought I had there", Lando grumbled.

Lina 🤎

Hi, Y/N!

You won't bother, don't worry - I think I miss having someone other than my boyfriend to talk to 😅

Would it be okay if you visited in the afternoon? Our morning routine is still a shitshow (literally and figuratively), so we would appreciate it if you came after her first nap, around two pm?

One of Lando's older couple friends had a baby a couple of weeks ago, and while you were dying to meet their baby boy as soon as he came earthside, you were respectful of their adjustment period so you waited for them to be up for visitors and were ready to comply with whatever schedule they offered.

"It smells nice in here", Lando commented as he stepped inside the kitchen, "what delicious food are you making and can I please have a bite?".

"I made a little tray for us, but the big one is to take for Lina and Theo - I can imagine they don't have much time for cooking, so food is welcomed by them", you smiled, setting the cheese grater down once the measurements were like the recipe stated.

"Are you going to visit today? I have some streaming with Max scheduled for this afternoon", Lando added.

"Lina told me that this afternoon was the only time they could handle some visits - you know how it is with new parents and newborns and all of that -, I didn't want to change their schedule when I have some flexibility with my schedule", you explained, "I'll give the little one a big kiss from you, then?".

"Well, in that case, I should give you two big kisses then - one for you", he kissed your lips once, "and then this one for the little one", he smiled before kissing you again.

You shared lunch in a semi comfortable silence, Lando telling you a bit about the stream they would be doing and you sharing some work updates from your end.

When Lando gets a text in the middle of watching Max send his virtual car to the curb, "who might that be that's brought such a big smile to your face?".

Lando checked the photo to make sure the baby's face was covered despite his friends having already posted him, tuning the phone to show the camera, "Y/N met our friends' baby boy for the first time", Lando gushed.

"That's the little nugget", Max cooed, "she looks very happy with a baby on her arms", he wiggled his eyebrows, "have you met him already?".

"No, I haven't yet! She could only go this afternoon and we had this so...", Lando tsked, admiring the picture one last time before setting the phone back down. The baby was perfectly nestled on your arms, hiding his face on your chest as you looked down at him with a big smile on your face.

Now that he thought about he, he hadn't seen such a big smile in quite some time, and he was really starting to believe he was the reason behind it. He was absent, more than usual and more than the standards of your relationship considering his job.

The air had shifted around you once you came back from meeting Lina's little boy and Lando could only pinpoint it to the subject he thought about earlier.

"Lan, did you hear what I said?", you asked as you showed him another picture of you touching your noise in the little boy's.

"It's just... are we okay, baby?", Lando questioned. Even though it seemed like he was the only one that felt there was something wrong - different at least -, surely you had noticed it too.

"What makes you say that?", you asked.

From the serious tone, your boyfriend mentally slapped himself. Whatever it was, he was on the wrong and you had indeed noticed it too.

"I've noticed you don't ask me for help with stuff like driving you somewhere or accompanying you to places, which is fine if you want to do things on your own, I'm not saying you can't have your own independence, you know I'm not controlling you in that way - obviously! Fuck, I'm rambling! What I mean is, I have been taking notice that you just assume that I'm not available, and your assumptions are not unfounded, and it makes you sad, and I myself am upset that it has reached this point", Lando stated.

"It's not great, I can tell you that, but we knew it would be like this, your schedule is not the regular nine to five - it is what it is, Lan", you argued.

"But it's not, not all the time anyway! I want you to know you can always count on me!", Lando stated, "Y/N, you are one of my priorities and I never want to let you down - I'm going to make sure that from now on I spend more time with you and that I'm by your side a lot more", he rubbed your palm, "damn, I was so stupid, I'm sorry, lovie".

"Lando, these things happen", you attempted, "now we can work on it".

"You can count on me for little and big things in life - you need to go to the post office? I'm there helping you put the letter in the box. Dinner with your friends? I'll find it in the schedule to go and I don't care who I have to tell no to!", he pointed his finger, "I never ever want you to feel like you don't belong in my life or like I don't want to be involved in yours, Y/N - I'm so so so sorry that it took me so long to notice it".

"It's in the past", you smiled, pecking his lips softly, "now, look at this cute little nugget, he's so cute, we have to go there another day so you can meet him, and I think Theo won't mind another traybake".

#lando norris imagine #lando norris fanfic #lando norris x reader #lando norris fic #lando norris x you #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #lando norris fluff #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 x you #f1 fluff

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nachrosas · 1 month ago

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SLIDE TO LOVE | s.reid x reader

summary: you try to teach Spencer how to roller-skate. pairing: spencer reid x reader content warnings: just spencer being a little drunk in this one! word count: 936 a/n: just a little fun day at park with spencer :)

It was a beautiful day. The park was especially alive there. Children's laughter echoed across the green fields, interspersed with the rhythmic sound of roller skates gliding across the asphalt. You were sitting beside Spencer on a bench shaded by a tree, watching the surrounding movement.

“Look at them!” you commented, pointing to a group of young people doing tricks on a small ramp. “I think they're competing to see who can get hurt first.”

Spencer adjusted his glasses, his curious gaze following their movements. “In fact, studies show that high-risk sports stimulate the release of adrenaline and dopamine, which can be considered a motivating factor. What's more, the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries in sports like this is…”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn't contain your smile. “Right. Dr. Reid, what about you? Have you ever tried skating?”

He blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. “Me? No, never. It seems… too unstable for me.”

“It's fun!” you insisted a little, standing up and tugging on his hand. “Come on, Spencer. It's time to add that to your list of extraordinary skills.”

He hesitated, but your piercing gaze made him stand up slowly, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. “If I fall and hurt myself, it'll be your fault.”

“No problem! I'm a great instructor!” you assured him, guiding him to the small hut that rented out roller skates.

Spencer looked at the skates on his feet as if they were bombs about to explode. “Did you know that skating is responsible for approximately 100,000 injuries a year in the United States? About 33% of them involve the wrists, because when people fall, they choose their hands as a method of protection.”

You laughed, crossing your arms. “Okay, Dr. Statistics, but you're forgetting the most important fact: falling is part of the fun.” You took a step forward, grabbing his hands. “And besides, I'm here to make sure you don't become one of those 33%.”

He frowned, but you saw the corner of his lips twitch, almost forming a smile. “I can't be good at everything, you know?” he grumbled.

“Exactly! And that's why it's going to be so much fun to watch you stumble a little.” You winked at him and gently pulled him away from the grass, towards the asphalt.

As soon as the wheel of Spencer's roller skates touched the smooth surface, he staggered, his arms moving like uncontrolled propellers. You held on tightly to his hands, biting your lip to keep from laughing out loud. “Okay, okay, don't worry! Small steps, right? Let's try again.”

He nodded, his eyes fixed on his own feet, his expression determined. Every step was clumsy, and he stumbled a few times, but you never let go of his hands.

“You're thinking too much,” you commented, as you helped him regain his balance for the third time. “You have to relax, let the movement flow. It's like walking in sneakers! Only instead of sneakers, it's wheels.”

He looked up at you, his brown eyes shining with something other than frustration. “Relaxing? I'm not exactly good at it.”

You laughed, tilting your head. “Really? You don't even think so. All that genius and you can't take two steps without pulling me along?”

Spencer stopped, swaying slightly on his skates. “You know I'd do anything to see you smile like that, right?”

The world seemed to slow down. He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but the sincerity in his voice made your heart soar. A shy smile took over his face.

“Well, in that case,” you replied, squeezing their hands tighter. “You'd better keep practicing. Because I'm still not satisfied.”

He smiled back, genuine and full of renewed confidence, and took another step. Of course, he stumbled again, but this time your laughter echoed together, filling the park with a light and contagious joy.

With you still holding his hands, Spencer was able to glide with more confidence — or at least what felt like confidence. His movements were still clumsy as if he was learning to walk again, and that's when you realized that he was really trying. For you.

For a brief moment, he took three consecutive steps without stumbling, and you both celebrated as if he had just won a medal. But the euphoria was short-lived. With his next move, Spencer lost his balance, tripping and pulling you along.

You both fell to the ground awkwardly, but the impact was cushioned by the laughter that escaped your lips. You looked at him, who was now lying on his back, trying to catch his breath as he laughed more freely than you had ever seen before.

“I told you,” he said between laughs. “that it wouldn't end well.”

“Finish well?” you repeated, sitting down and holding out your hand to help him up. “Spencer, that was perfect!”

He accepted your help, taking a seat next to you, still with his skates on his feet. “If that's your definition of perfect, maybe I need to revise my standards.”

You gave him a gentle push on the shoulder, smiling. “You know, I think you're starting to get the spirit of the thing.”

He tilted his head, studying you with that look that seemed to unlock secrets. “Maybe it's because I have the best teacher in the world.”

You rolled your eyes, but your smile remained. “And you'll need more lessons! Next time, no falls, okay?”

“Next time…” he repeated, with a slight curve to his lips, as if the mere act of saying those words was a promise.

#criminal minds x reader #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fic #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x fem!reader #criminal minds fic #criminal minds imagine

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yasmindifference · 3 months ago

Note

8 (my birthday is the 8!)

The night is unseasonably warm, barely even cool enough for long sleeves. As such, the suit jacket Jason drapes around Tim's shoulders five minutes into their walk nearly makes him roll his eyes.

He channels his reaction into a girlish giggle instead, then has to swallow a more sincere laugh when he sees how the high-pitched sound nearly cracks Jason's mask.

"You're soooo chivalrous," Tim says, unable to resist pushing that little bit further. His Valley girl impersonation puts a twitch in Jason's eye every time. "Like, swoon."

Jason wraps an arm around Tim's waist--probably solely to disguise the sharp pinch he delivers to Tim's side--and smiles down at him.

"You deserve it, baby," he says, in the same smarmy tone he's been using all night.

It makes Tim want to punch him, a reaction he's sure Jason's eliciting on purpose--after all, he's been doing the same thing with his own Valley girl impersonation.

...It's possible he and Jason aren't taking this mission as seriously as they should be.

Oh well.

In retaliation for the pinch, Tim fakes a stumble over a crack in the sidewalk and drives his elbow into Jason's gut, earning a faint oof he wants to smile over.

Instead, he puts his hands to his face in exaggerated dismay.

"Oh, I'm so clumsy," he says mournfully. "It's so embarrassing..."

Jason brushes his hair (or rather, his wig) out of his face and twists his ear painfully in the process; Tim applies his stiletto heel to the toe of Jason's left shoe.

"You're not clumsy, baby, it's just those shoes," Jason says, voice a little tight--with pain or annoyance? Tim can't tell. "You want me to go get the car?"

"No, no," Tim says, "it's such a nice night--just look at those stars!"

He tips his head back and gazes dreamily at the sky which, being in Gotham, shows not a single star.

"They're so beautiful," he says happily.

"Not as beautiful as you," Jason says, with such smarmy passion that Tim barely remembers to hide the laugh he can't help behind a cough.

"Oh, pookie bear," he says--

--and finally, Jason breaks.

He lets go of Tim's waist to brace his hands against his knees as he cackles, choking out "fucking hell" and "pookie" as he struggles to catch his breath.

Tim just smiles and enjoys the victory.

"Okay," Jason says once he catches his breath, "holy shit, you win. How the fuck did you say that with a straight face?"

"Practice," Tim says dryly. "You play the tough guy too often. You should branch out more, broaden your range. Then you won't be so easy to shake."

Jason gives him a flat look and, straightening to his full height, spreads his arms in a silent invitation to look at him. Admittedly, Jason's height and bulk do make him less than ideal for the kinds of covers Tim prefers.

Tim was bullshitting anyway--Jason might default to tough guy, but he's entirely capable of more versatile covers. And he really wasn't that easy to shake; Tim was kind of expecting to break him when he showed up in a dress, stilettos, and wig without warning. Instead, he lasted all through dinner and a ways into their walk.

"Okay, you lasted a lot longer than I expected," he admits.

Jason smirks. "Admit it, I almost got you at dinner."

It's true that Tim came extremely close to breaking when Jason spoke over and ordered for him at the restaurant. Tim actually didn't get to say a single word to their waitress--not even thank you.

"You almost got a plate dumped in your lap," he corrects. Now that they've given up the covers, he shrugs out of Jason's jacket and hands it back. "I could see Ashley thinking about it every time you cut me off."

"Yeah, that was a close one," Jason agrees. "I doubled my usual tip in thanks for her restraint."

Tim nods in approval. "But yeah, admittedly I was not expecting you to go the--"

"Hello?" Dick's voice breaks in, thick with annoyance and a little too loud over the comms. "Did you guys forget that you have a job to do? This does not sound like an undercover conversation!"

Tim and Jason trade eyerolls.

"Good catch, Dickiebird," Jason says. "We are not in fact undercover."

"Excuse me?"

"Dick," Tim says with extreme patience, "Damian is a trained vigilante. He absolutely does not need us as backup on his first date."

Dick gasps in offense. "We agreed--"

"No, we agreed," Jason corrects.

"Yeah, we agreed your mother-henning was out of control," Tim says. "We tipped off Damian last night so he could change his reservation."

"And got Babs to find something to distract you with so you couldn't come follow him yourself," Jason adds.

Dick splutters.

"Take a deep breath," Tim suggests.

"Chill the fuck out," is Jason's less gentle contribution. "Anyway, we're done for the night. You should call it, too--maybe work on remembering the kid is sixteen and not six."

"Harsh but fair," Tim agrees thoughtfully. "Night, Dick!"

Dick is still spluttering when Tim pulls out his comm.

"How much do I owe you for dinner?" he asks Jason.

Jason shrugs and slings his jacket over one shoulder. "Buy me ice cream, we'll call it even."

"Deal," Tim says.

Because he, unlike Damian, is no longer a teenager, he doesn't ask if going for ice cream constitutes a real date.

He can't stop himself from wondering, though.

Happy early birthday, anon!!! In celebration, this got very long lmao. Prompt #8 was two characters on a nighttime stroll! I hope you enjoyed! ♡♡

#jaytim #jaytim fic #yasminfic #meme response #anon response #i had fun with this one #thanks for the prompt! ♡#and now i say goodnight #i'll continue answering prompts tomorrow!! sleep well everyone ♡

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gh0stsp1d3r · 1 year ago

Note

reader who pretends to be clumsy everytime she's around Luke and he's completely aware of it but still plays along

orrrr

reader who's always trying to get Luke's attention and looks kinda desperate, so everybody knows it and mocks her, but they're secretly dating and she doesn't want anyone to know because it wouldn't be as fun.

𝒪𝒷𝓈ℯ𝓈𝓈ℯ𝒹

Masterlist

love this sm!! Sorry it took a while to finish it was buried in my inbox ):

- - - - - - - - - ꒰ ʚ♡ɞ ꒱ - - - - - - - - -

At lunch, you sat next to Luke as always. He gave you a small smile and turned back to Chris, scooting closer to you and putting a hand on your thigh, rubbing circles mindlessly with his fingers.

Some girls walked past, you forget which cabin but your guess would have to be Ares. They glared at you, and whispered amongst themselves while passing.

“She’s so obsessed, it’s so crazy.”

“She’s desperate at this point.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat at the feeling of eyes boring into the back of your head and you knew they were talking about you.

Luke noticed, turning to you and furrowing an eyebrow.

“You okay?” He asked you, hiding the worry in his voice.

You looked at him and just nodded, messing with the food on your plate with the plastic fork.

- - - - - - - - - ꒰ ʚ♡ɞ ꒱ - - - - - - - - -

Later, he was the one in your bed. You laid down with his head on your chest as you both talked, about anything and everything.

It was bonfire night, meaning you get the cabin to yourself and no one bothers you two.

“At lunch I overheard these girls talking about me.” You said suddenly, when it had gotten quiet.

“What’d they say?”

“They said I was obsessed with you, desperate.” You cracked a smile as you spoke. It was upsetting at the moment, but now, you found it funny.

Funny how they weren’t the ones with Luke in their bed, how they weren’t the ones who talked to him every single day, they weren’t the ones with their lips on his.

He started to laugh, the irony of it was hilarious to him.

“I’m more obsessed with you than you are with me.” He argued, a playful smile on his face, looking up at you with his chin on your chest now.

“What? No. I’m more obsessed with you.”

“Fuck those girls.” He said after a little. “They’re jealous.” He said with a small shrug, moving up to put his lips onto yours.

“I know.”

“They could never have me like you do.” He mumbled quietly, laying back down with you again.

#luke castellan x you #luke castellan fluff #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan #charlie bushnell x reader

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writing-nothing-but-spilled-ink · 11 months ago

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So I had this very funny thought also I accidentally deleted this the first time around 😭😭😭 incredibly sad about that

You can read this as a romantic pairing or a strictly platonic pairing

A/N: Also this is more based on young justice beast boy because I feel like he's better written in young justice and that's what I've watched most recently

Beast boy x reader

So imagine you and beast boy are hanging out with your two cats at your place, your cats aren't exactly fond of him but you don't think they hate him either considering he constantly brings them cat treats and toys honestly with him around they're absolutely the most spoiled cats on earth... Your cats are used to you being clumsy and making loud noises so one day your a bit surprised to find that your long time partner Garfield isn't as chill as your cats are about the noise...

As your preparing lunch for the two of you, you forget about the pot that's near your elbow and as you turn to move the pot goes crashing to the ground your cats just stare at you judging but suddenly you hear hissing you turn expecting it to be your two cats fighting over a mouse that one of them had caught but no you see this third very green cat hissing at you and the pan wildly fur puffed out and spitting at you... For a moment you just blink and stare because we'll this is a new development you knew he could transform into any animal he wants but you didn't quite expect this... So you go over to the cabinet with the calming cat treats that are made with hemp witch is safe for cats and you assume cat adjacent people you gently go down to his level and sit on the floor like you've done for the strays outside your apartment complex and your own cats when they've been startled or upset by something. You gently start making hushing sounds saying it's okay as you start to break up the treats and placing them in front of the green kitty he slowly begins to sniff at them while growling at you, your by no means offended by this, this isn't the first nor will it be the last time an animal has growled at you.. you watch as he sniffs and begins eating the treats you've laid on the floor and you take that opportunity to scoot a bit closer while whispering reassurances and slowly hold out your hand in front of him with the treats he eats those out of your hand and it honestly tickles you reach out and begin to start stroking beast boys fur. Surprisingly it's silky soft as you begin to pat him you look into his eyes and see some of his awareness has returned after a while of you holding and patting him all the whole telling your own cats no and to leave him be sternly he suddenly changes back to his usual self...

He looks absolutely embarrassed and can barely look you in the eye without turning a bit red ..

"uhhh sorry about that my hearing is super sensitive", he says a bit bashfully...

You can only smile at him and say "honestly its not the first time I've dealt with a very startled and disgruntled cat nor will it be my last", you can't help but giggle a little at that last part but you gently place a hand on his shoulder and give him a reassuring squeeze while also handing him some cat treats to give to your cats that are now growling at him ... You bend down to pick up the pot that was dropped and place it back on the counter while listening to beast boy gently saying words of apologies to the cats as he promises them that next time he comes over hell bring them a bunch of cat toys to make up for his turning into a cat and eating there treats witch he mumbles the last bit...

Suddenly

"WAIT WERE THOSE TREATS EVEN VEGAN", is all you hear from the other room as a blur goes past you to the cat treat cabinet and at this point you can't help but laugh ...

A/N: throughout this I was picturing the scene from lion king where a young Simba starts hissing and spitting but isn't threatening at all also I do not own the art above it just felt fitting to add

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myvcspace · 2 months ago

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The Pimp and the Slaver: A Character Comparison and Analysis.

TL:DR - "I think it was a smart and rather aware decision to make AMC's Louis a pimp."

I remember when I first heard that AMC cast a black actor for their "Interview With The Vampire" adaptation. I thought to myself, "how will they reconcile that Louis was the owner of a plantation that profited from slave labor now that the character is black?" While some may argue it wasn't a major plot point or characteristic, you can not argue that it's where Louis spent the majority of his mortal life and the infancy of his vampiric one.

Pictured Above: Okay Alley Plantation where some of the 1994 Interview With The Vampire movie was filmed.

Due to the stereotypes surrounding it, some people may have issues with the word pimp. I would like to give a reminder that, In an occupational context, the word pimp has been used for hundreds of years to refer to:

"A person (especially a man) that controls sex workers, arranges clients for them, and takes a cut of their earnings."

Now, because this is the internet, I feel the need to make it clear that I do NOT think a Pimp is equivalent to a Slaver (though they overlap in many ways). I AM saying that both character's fortunes were made through the exploitation of black bodies.

From here on out I'm going to differentiate between book/movie Louis and series adaptation Louis by calling the former "Book Louis" and the latter "AMC Louis".

Honestly, I should separate book and movie Louis too. I noticed they tried to clean him up a bit in the movie by having him "free" the slaves.

I use the word "free" extremely loosely because he didn't so much free them as he pulled a Michael Scott.

Above: stills from "The Office", and a clip from Interview With The Vampire (1994).

Louis! You cant just say they're free and expect anyone to honor it! There's paperwork to fill out! I mean, what white authority figure is going to roll up to a plantation fire and believe a group of slaves that say "yeh, our master was the devil! He set the house (and probably himself) on fire! oh...and right before, he said we were free!"

The book was far more realistic about this, there Lestat and Louis kill a good amount of them and the ones that weren't killed became runaways or fled to nearby plantations.

"Meantime, Lestat was after the slaves. He would leave such ruin and death behind him no one could make a story of that night at Pointe du Lac, and I went with him. Always before, his ferocity was mysterious, but now I bared my fangs on the humans who fled from me. my steady advance overcoming their clumsy, pathetic speed as the veil of death descended, or the veil of madness. The power and the proof of the vampire was incontestable, so that the slaves scattered in all directions. And it was I who ran back up the steps to put the torch to Pointe du Lac." "Some fifty-five slaves were scattered around the grounds. Many of them would not have desired the life of a runaway and would most certainly go right to Freniere or south to the Bel Jardin plantation down river." -Interview With The Vampire- Part 1

Pictured Above: A Voodoo doll of Lestat: Interview With The Vampire (1994)

Sometimes I think people forget, (or overlook) just how evil Lestat was portrayed in Louis' interview. Not only did he kill the young Freniere and prostitutes, he was said to regularly feed from and killed slaves.

Pictured Above: The deaths of slaves caused by Lestat circa Interview With The Vampire (1994).

"I assure you. That Lestat hunted for mortals every night, I knew. But had he been savage and ugly to my family, my guests, and my slaves, I couldn’t have endured it." "You must understand, Lestat knew this perfectly. Both of us had hunted the Freniere plantation, Lestat for slaves and chicken thieves and me for animals.” -Interview With The Vampire - Part I

When Lestat addresses Louis' interview. He never mentions the enslaved people of Point du Lac, but he does say the following.

"But this is the tale that was told by Louis in Interview with the Vampire, which for all its contradictions and terrible misunderstandings manages to capture the atmosphere in which Claudia and Louis and I came together and stayed together for sixty-five years."

"When he says I played with innocent strangers, befriending them and then killing them, how was he to know that I hunted almost exclusively among the gamblers, the thieves, and the killers, being more faithful to my unspoken vow to kill the evildoer than even I had hoped I would be? (The young Freniere, for example, a planter whom Louis romanticizes hopelessly in his text, was in fact a wanton killer and a cheater at cards on the verge of signing over his family's plantation for debt when I struck him down. The whores I feasted upon in front of Louis once, to spite him, had drugged and robbed many a seaman who was never seen alive again.) But little things like this don't really matter. He told the tale as he believed it." -The Vampire Lestat: Epilogue Interview With The Vampire

To me, this means "the slaves I killed deserved it and the ones that didn't...well, no one is perfect!" Which is understandable and pretty on brand for Lestat.

Above: Tom Cruise as Lestat: Interview With The Vampires (1994)

Going back to Louis telling "the tale as he believed it", I honestly think his "monster of a memory", dramatizations, and misremembering's are just Anne's attempt to redeem Lestat. When originally writing IWTV, Lestat was going to (officially) die in the fire that engulfed him before Louis and Claudia leave America. She ended up writing him back into the story and falling in love with his character, turning him into the brat prince we all know and love. It makes me think that that in order to mold Lestat into who she wanted him to be, rather than the villain she originally wrote, she threw Louis under the bus. That's just an opinion tho!

On to AMC Louis.

I think it was a smart and rather aware decision to make AMC Louis a pimp. Both AMC and Book Louis profit from the mistreatment of others. This consistency allows some the ignorance, hypocrisy, and irony of the book character to remain even though there was a change in race and there for his social status and privilege. During Lestat's recounting, he describes many aspects of Louis' personality. At one point he says the following:

"He was, after all, a discriminating and inhibited child of the middle class, aspiring as all the colonial planters did to be a genuine aristocrat though he had never met one..." -The Vampire Lestat: Epilogue Interview With The Vampire

This statement rings true for both Book Louis and AMC Louis despite their different cultural, racial, and generational backgrounds. Due to their occupations as a "planter" and pimp respectively, there is an innate ironic undertone that comes from listening to someone express their melancholy, depression, and self suffering knowing their lifestyle was build of the backs of broken bodies.

Side Note: I think of this line from "Hamilton" whenever Book Louis is referred as a "planter".

On that note, I feel there was (some) redemption for Louis as a character in season 1 of AMC's IWTV. This came in the form of his confession and the awareness of what he had done. At no point in the book does Louis reflect on any of the pain, hurt, or exploitation of the people who served Pointe du Lac. Louis (both in book and film) is known for many things, but taking accountability has never been one of them!

Armand doing a spot on impression of Louis. (AMC's IWTV S2)

However, in (what I believe to be) the best scene in S1, Louis takes accountability! It's one of the (many) reasons I tend like AMC Louis over Book Louis. He isn't just a shell of a person, a bystander. He's appears deeper and more complex. This Monologue has so many contextual, cultural, and religious conversation pieces within it. It was masterfully written and performed.

"Bless me father for I have sinned. Grievously, sinned. I'm a drunk Lord, I'm a liar, I am a thief, Lord. I profit off the misery of other men, and I do it easy. Drugs, liquor, women. I loiter men and grab what they got. I take daughters with no homes and I put them out on the streets, Lord. And I lie to myself saying that I'm giving them roof, and food, and dollar bills in their pocket, but I look in the mirror and I know what I am. The big man in the big house stuffing cotton in my ears so I can't hear their cries. And Lord, I dragged my family into this mess with me. I shame my father. I failed my brother. I lost my mother and sister, and rather than fix it like a man should, Lord, I run, like a coward. I run to the bottle. I run to the grift. I run to bad beds...."

youtube

In this next comparison, contrary to the last, I believe AMC Louis actions were more deplorable than Book Louis. In both telling's, Louis empire comes crashing down in a fiery blaze. In the book, those enslaved at Point du Lac being to rise against Lestat and Louis, sensing that they are inhuman. Louis suggests they leave before a full revolt breaks out but Lestat refuses while throwing hella insults at Louis...

"You whining coward of a vampire who prowls the night killing alley cats and rats and staring for hours at candles as if they were people and standing in the rain like a zombie until your clothes are drenched and you smell like old wardrobe trunks in attics and have the look of a baffled idiot at the zoo." -Lestat, Interview With The Vampire: Part I

I mean, what he said was true, but jeeez Lestat, tell 'em how you really feel why don't you!

Things come to a head resulting in the massacre and fire at Pointe du Lac. In this telling, Louis attempted to flee before things became bloody and out of control. Once shit hit the fan, he more or less gives up.

"because I had had enough of Pointe du Lac and Lestat and all this identity of Pointe du Lac’s prosperous master. I would torch the house, and turn to the wealth I’d held under many names, safe for just such a moment." Interview With The Vampire: Part 1

I give him credit here because it was never Louis' intention to cause harm or destruction. In this case (according to Louis anyway) it was Lestat's carelessness and stubbornness that lead to murmurings of a revolt and the deaths that followed. Yes, I'm defending Book Louis a little because he at least had awareness of how bad things could be and attempted to subvert it. AMC Louis on the other hand? He poured gas on the fire.

Pointe du Lac in flames: Interview With The Vampire (1994)

The fall of AMC Louis' empire was a hard watch for me. It's was incredibly frustrating because (as a black man) he should know better. He knows that his actions affect the black population around him. At that time (and still) minorities are seen as a monolith. When one fails, we ALL take the blame. You still see this regularly in the media. When a member of the majority commits an atrocity It is a reflection on that person (and maybe their family). But when a minority does the same, its all of them. It's causes a mass reinforcement of harmful stereotypes that hurts everyone in the community. In the worst cases it causes cities to burn and innocent lives to be lost.

Pictured above: Louis attacking Alderman Fenwick. AMC IWTV Season 1 Episode 3

Now, when I make posts like this, I often go back and rewatch things objectively to see if I still feel how I feel. And I do. In fact, Lestat and I feel the same.

Pictured Above: Stills from IWTV Season 1 Episode 3.

Right!? It's 1922! People were being lynched and burned for FAR less than murder. Quoting Lestat again:

Pictured Above: Stills from IWTV Season 1 Episode 3.

This was purely insecurity and selfishness. This was Louis feeling slighted and wanting his get back. Even if he had killed Fenwick and left it at that, I could let it go...MAYBE. But to display the body like that with the "White's Only" sign? He knew what would happen, he may not have been consciously thinking about it, but he can't feign naivety. This was self destruction, much like Book Louis setting fire to Pointe du Lac (and not even much different than Armand's self destructiveness). And, just like in the book, the black souls around him were collateral. While he was able to cut his losses, those he subjugated were left to die and suffer.

Above: A dead Alderman Fenwick.

Note: I am not discounting what happened to Louis. He was swindled, and understand his pent up frustrations, I do. It just doesn't justify his actions for me. At the end of the day this was over money and power. I'm gonna quote Lestat one more time:

Lestat: We don't need the money. Louis: It's not about that. You think I'm gon' let that snake bite me and my people? Lestat: You have your investments on the Claiborne Avenue. Louis: What, hats? Little grocery stores? Nickels, dimes, quarters. Lestat: So, it is about the money.

In conclusion, I LOVE drawing comparisons between the book and series. It shows how you can change a story on a variety of levels, while keeping the integrity of the characters and plot. Brava to the writers and cast. You give me so much to think and write about!

#character analysis #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire #Youtube #louis de pointe du lac #I8R Shows #I8R Comparisons

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shuenkio · 9 months ago

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Ah okay so for my request maybe an Enhypen x Little Brother reader who's like 19. Essentially their reaction to their little brother getting hit on by guys while they're just hanging out in the mall or something. Little brother is shy and chubby so his very more quiet and small. But yeah thank you!!!!!!!!!!!🫧♡♡♡♡♡♡have a good day!!!!!

🗣️ Your request is here pookie, it was fun writing this (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ enjoy~~ (not 100% accurate tho, I wrote most girls than guys 😭since I forget the part "guys")

-(⁠●⁠’⁠3⁠)⁠♡⁠(⁠ε⁠`⁠●⁠)-

ENHYPEN reaction when someone hit on ya 💘

Paring: Enha X male!(little brother)reader.

Genre: fluff, crack.

Cw: curse.

Summary: Enha as your older brother, their reaction when a stranger rizz you up.

No Proof-read ><

{Heeseung} Your older brother is fairly strict towards you, as he is overprotective of you and loves you deeply. He doesn't like it when he sees you sulking or feeling hurt. Your parents always trust him, leaving you under his supervision while they head off to work because you're still too clumsy to be left alone, even though you're an adult, well, 18 to be exact. While out at the store, he has you hold onto the groceries while he heads off to pick up some meat in another section. Suddenly, a girl comes up to you, thinking you are a cute little boy because you are wearing an oversized. hoodie before she initiates casual flirting with you, asking for your number. You are stunned and speechless, never imagining that anyone would even be interested in you. Your brother comes back and recognizes the situation immediately. He quickly explains to the girl that you are too young to be dating yet, and he doesn't allow it.

He's correct in his judgment, as you tend to fall in love easily, with simple crushes. However, when it comes to the end of the day, you ultimately prefer being on your own. You are upset about this, and want to speak for yourself, but your brother has already done the job for you. She is left speechless and turns her attention towards your older brother, asking for his number instead. He politely declines and takes your hand in his to lead you away. The girl is left speechless and doesn't know what to say. Your brother glances at you, sensing that you are disappointed, and leads you away from the situation.

"You're still a baby, no dating until i married"

"You're joking, you wanna left me alone with my Shadow?"

"Well yeah since you love korean idols than loving a real people"

Ouch

{Jay} He is like a second mother to you, a strict and protective older brother despite you being the younger sibling in the wealthy family. Everything that you do, from going out with your friends to prom parties and trips, is under his watch. He knows every move you make, and is always looking out for you. The thought of you getting your heart broken one day would destroy him, which is why he's so overprotective of you. On the day of your birthday party at his house, he wants you to be more social and step outside of your comfort zone.While he goes to greet his friends, a stranger approaches you, and starts up a small conversation, which eventually begins to flirt with you. You are extremely shy and hesitant, replying with short, simple responses whenever they ask you questions. Soon enough, your older brother sees you are surrounded by unfamiliar people, and gets furious. He shoos them away, in the nicest way possible, and grabs your hand to take you away immediately from the party.

In the car.

"Sorry m/n i should've known better, you probably feel-"

"No it's fine at least they're nice, flirting probably just a way to began a small talk too, I don't mind"

"Glad you're okay, I'll be more careful from now on"

"Come on, see! I'm laterally okay stop acting like you're giving birth to me~"

"Alright alright monkey, what do you want to eat, I'll take you anywhere you wish for, you didn't anything yet didn't you"

He definitely know me better than mom.

{Jake} Your highly attractive and good-looking older brother is akin to a golden retriever in human form, constantly clinging to you despite the fact that you are siblings. He enjoys spoiling you with many sweet treats and knows your favorite foods without a doubt. One day, he takes you to his office after you insist on seeing where he works. As soon as his female co-workers are introduced to you, they all begin cooing over you and paying you many flirtatious compliments, overwhelming and draining your introverted battery. Upon seeing this, your brother quickly swoops in, rescues you, and whisks you away.

"Now you'd better stay at home, since you've seen this place already lol - I doubt you wanna come back after this."

"I suppose ..."

{Sunghoon} Not only are you the introverted member of the household, but your older brother is two times more introverted than you are. Despite working as a professional figure skater and public personality, he is also a beloved celebrity known by many of his fans and interviewers. When asked about his siblings, he admits to having a little brother, but does not elaborate further and protects your identity.

Which mean He cherishes you dearly, taking great care in keeping you safe from any potential danger and harm, as your protector and older brother. One day when he takes you out in public for a beach trip with your family, one of his fans recognizes him and draws the attention of others. The crowd of people grows bigger and bigger, all of them in awe of your incredible visuals, some trying to approach you but unable to due to his bodyguard's intervention.

"Hey!! SUNGHOON'S BROTHER, GO ON A DATE WITH ME!"

"YOU'RE SO HANDSOME, OMG"

"I'LL DEFINITELY RIZZ YOU UP WHEN I SEE YOU NEXT TIME"

"LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT~"

"I told you it was a bad idea to come here!"

"Not my fault when you're a walking celebrity"

{Sunoo} Your vibrant, golden-hearted older brother is ever so cuddly and caring. He enjoys giving gifts to you, even if it's not your birthday, and has a penchant for pretty things. You and him have similarities in that regard, and he is a frequent gifter, bestowing you with various presents like perfume, skincare products, clothing, and more.

As the holiday season arrives, he's excited to take you to a new restaurant that's opened up, saying he's heard that it's trendy and cool. Of course, he, the sociable guy that he is, wants to try it out immediately, with you by his side. Once you arrive at the restaurant, the waiter promptly seats you and provides you with the menu. The waiter is struck by your adorable appearance and drops a smooth pick-up line in an attempt to flirt with you, which leaves your brother's jaw dropped on the ground in sheer disbelief.

This memorable moment would surely cause your brother to tease you endlessly while laughing, and might even regale mom and dad with this amusing tale as well.

"I'm not gonna lie bubble gum! You are sure adorable today with your pink sweater"

"Oh shut up, it's was... Kinda embarrassed"

You hide your face under the menu.

{Jungwon} Your adorable, spirited older brother is a bit like a real-life version of the cartoon duo Tom and Jerry, regularly teasing and pranking you. He's very loving and cares deeply for you, and even treats you to extra snacks when he's won a competition or returned home from taekwondo practice. However, despite being laid back and not strict, he would likely be upset if he saw a stranger approach you and try to get your number with a cheesy pickup line, as you're a gentle-hearted person. His protective instinct would quickly kick in, and he'd take you away from the situation immediately.

You, too, were shocked that someone would ask for your number in such a nonchalant fashion, when you're wearing an outfit that doesn't convey much self-confidence. However, your charming presence may have caught their attention, and they weren't entirely wrong about your appeal.

"Don't get me wrong, that person looks like they're from a gangster team"

"No cap, I'd have stay on the spot instead of responding back"

{Ni-Ki} Your older brother, your twin but older by two seconds, has a distinctly different personality from yours. He's talkative and outgoing, while you're more reserved and antisocial. The two of you share a striking resemblance, and as a result, people frequently mistake you for him, attempting to strike up conversations with you thinking you are him. One particularly embarrassing memory involves a girl trying to hit on you, using creative pickup lines, yet your brother didn't intervene to correct the misunderstanding and let it happen instead. Laughing his ass out as you struggling, before he said this.

"He's gay ~ he only like boys lady!! Lmfao"

"You fucking BITCH SHUT UP"

He's spit truth out actually. °_°

🗣️ please mind my English! ><

🗣️ Reblog and like is much appreciated ♥

🗣️ crd to all pics&dividers

REQUEST: CLOSING.

Announcement 📣

[I'll update my next work on weekends since I have exams started from tomorrow]

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neptunedivine · 2 years ago

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astro observations pt. ii

hi! I hope you’re doing well! I know it's been a while. I have a lot of things I wanna talk about. But for now, here are some observations I've noted since I've been gone. I hope you enjoy the read!

mutable signs and intelligence ✧ ALL MUTABLE PLACEMENTS SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR THEIR INTELLIGENCE. Since Virgo and Gemini are both ruled by mercury, I feel like this is a given. Sagittarius rules the 9H which controls higher education, so the same thing can be said for them. But then people throw Pisces under the bus…as if Virgo isn’t their sister sign. I feel like people see sister signs as opposites of each other, but in reality, they have their sister’s traits in subtlety.

As a Pisces sun and mercury myself, I understand the anxiety my Virgo homies get, it’s f*cking intense. But will I ever feel it full throttle? I don’t think so and I’m thankful for it.

But yeah, Pisces placements are not airheads, their smart too. I just think their intelligence is out of the ordinary or just not palatable like the other signs.

9H suns ✧ Kind of an addendum to my last bullet, but a lot of 9H and 12H sun celebrities are really smart. I’ve noticed this with Kendrick Lamar because he’s a 9H sun (in Gemini @ 9° -- damn), and he’s considered a conscious rapper (a subgenre of hip-hop that focuses on creating awareness and imparting knowledge). When I think of him, his words always have meaning, they’re not said just because. The same thing can be said about SZA (9H Scorpio sun @ 16°) and Frank Ocean (12H Scorpio sun 4°).

I'm noticing that they're both Scorpio suns at a Cancer degree, I might investigate that more in the future.

When they put out a project, I get annoyed when people immediately have a response (in all I think I get annoyed when this happens to any long-awaited album), because with the lyricism they have, let the words marinate. Their words are never just face value, there's always a deeper meaning.

SZA is also just smart period. She went on this little biology rant a couple of weeks ago. I was shocked but I loved it. Idk sometimes I forget that celebrities have other traits because they choose what they present to their audience and a lot of the time that isn’t intelligence.

✧ Do any other Pisces mercuries talk in funny voices or accents a lot? Like an unhealthy amount? Just me? Okay.

✧ Undeveloped Pisces placements want yes men to their delusions.

LGBTQIA+ ✧ Having mutable + Aquarius Venus/Mars placements and/or aspects could be an indicator of identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Mutable placements are used to changing their mind a lot, so when it comes to who they’re interested in, they might not have a fixed answer. With aqua placements, they’re not used to sticking to the traditional. So going against the grain with who they’re romantically/sexually involved with is a common manifestation.

mars-jupiter and clumsiness ✧ Those with Mars-Jupiter aspects can be clumsy. Maybe because Mars can rule the physical body and Jupiter expands, they may be overestimating their range of motion.

aries/1H mars and headaches ✧ These placements can be prone to headaches, yes because Mars rules the physical body and anger, and Aries rules the head. But you guys are also quick to anger, so you kind of set yourself up for it. Breathe please, I don’t like seeing you stressed out babes.

aries/scorpio placements and tattoos ✧ Speaking of Aries placements, Aries and Scorpio placements, in general, could like tattoos, whether they want some themselves, have them, or just like the look of them. I feel like Venus and Mars placements are attracted to those who have tattoos, while Mercury placements could have the desire to tattoo people/become tattoo artists. If you have Aries/Scoripo in your midheaven, this could be a good career for you!

that’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed the post, see you later!

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rat-shark · 6 months ago

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some thoughts about Chuck and Texas (character analysis?)

thinking bout they're actually very similar, at least in my perception

and it's not visible at first glance, they seem like polar opposites, actually - Chuck, anxious, withdrawn, kinda insecure; Texas, loud, confident, certified bragger and bullshitter

but that's not entirely true, when you get into it

from Texasify, I think it's safe to say that Texas does all that - constant boasting, coming up with a million ideas that no one really asked for - cause he feels like the team, or specifically Mike doesn't appreciate him enough and take him seriously. and honestly, isn't that what Fearless and Blonde Thunder tackle, but from Chuck's perspective? He takes the booster cause he feels like, because of his fear, he isn't on the same level as the other Burners, and in Blond Thunder it's even more obvious. He even pulls a Texas move at the beginning of the episode and starts bragging about how good of a driver he is, even though he's never been behind the wheel. He's scared the Burners will think he's a joke if they knew he wasn't as good at driving as them. These episodes (Texasify, Thunder and Fearless to an extent) are literally about the same thing except in relation to two different characters.

And the thing is, both Tex and Chuck ARE right - the Burners DON'T take them seriously. In Amazons we see that the Burners dismiss Texas's idea to infiltrate the other gangs from the get-go and only humor him because they think it's funny. Even Mike is very opposed to Texas's ideas (which I thought was kinda out of character honestly but let's not get into that), basically treating him like an annoyance, or even a hindrance to his own plan.

Chuck ALSO doesn't get treated seriously by the gang. In Fantasy Vans, they start out making fun of his hobby, cracking jokes and basically laughing at him instantly. And yeah, okay, guess you can say it doesn't rly matter cause it's just a hobby (even though it's clearly important to him), but in Fearless we see them sat around a table and laughing at him screaming in fear for his life, very obviously making him the butt of the joke.

What I think is especially interesting is that Texas is probably most guilty of this (making fun of Chuck), with him laughing at Chuck the loudest and even making snide comments. And then what makes that even MORE interesting is that Texas very clearly recognizes Chuck's intelligence while not thinking he himself is smart (very evident in the texasified intro where "Texas is intelligent" is the only claim he backtracks on)

I think it's safe to say that Texas feels a kind of insecurity cause of not being as academically gifted as the others, ESPECIALLY Chuck. Idk if I'd go as far as to say he feels resentment, but it's definitely a neat idea to explore.

What is ALSO important to point out that the show itself doesn't take them seriously. Both Texas and Chuck are often made to be the comic relief character - Chuck with his screaming and clumsiness and Texas with his outlandish ideas and lack of understanding of situations he finds himself in.

BUT that's not where the similarities end. I like how both of these characters don't seem to have problems with... let's say departing from the truth. Obviously, Texas just makes up stories that never happened to make himself look more heroic, or overexaggerates his abilities, but Chuck does that too, to an extent. Like I said before, he lies in Blond Thunder, he also has no problem with taking the booster and not telling anyone about it, or not admitting that his first LARPing win was due to him tripping, essentially taking credit for something he didn't really do (a thing that Texas also does, most visibly in Threat level)

Another thing, which is maybe less important but present nonetheless, is that both of them have negative rizz. Texas, thanks to his over-confidence comes off as douchy and, dare I say, misogynystic, whereas Chuck is so insecure he basically forgets how to speak around Claire.

They both also care very deeply about Mike's opinion. Texas clearly feels inferior to Mike and feels like they're in a constant competition, resulting in him trying very hard to impress him. With Chuck, it's a little different - his need of Mike's validation pushes him to try to be better. He comes clean to Mike about the LARPing thing (even though he didn't need to) and takes the booster mostly because of Mike also, then, of course it's Mike who gets him to take it out. It makes sense, of course, since Mike is the leader of the Burners, placing him directly above Tex hierarchically, and Chuck's best friend, but neither Dutch nor Julie feel that need to prove themselves to Mike constantly (Julie feels the need to prove herself in Off the rack, but I think it's mostly targeted towards the team as a whole and not Mike specifically)

Also also, little thing, but it's funny how they both don't have canon last names

Overall, Texas and Chuck are actually two sides of the same coin and I really REALLY wish we'd gotten more interactions between them. Also they both have super ultra autism. You see it, right? You totally do

#motorcity #character analysis #chuck motorcity #texas motorcity #texas yang

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froggerland · 2 months ago

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Some vague headcanons for Joplittle and Solittle bc I'm loosing my mind at work (these takes apply to the first years of the expedition, We Do Not Talk About Everything After 1847)

KInda NSFW!

Joplittle (Thomas Jopson x Edward Little)

- Jopson is the yapper, his main love language is both words of affirmation and acts of service (basically his job description as steward for Crozier so)

- Ned is bad with words and prefers to do little (pun not intended) things to show his love like bringing Jopson tea or borrowing some books from Bridgens for him to read

- He gets very flustered when Jopson wants to reassure him / give him praise in any way (low confidence king)

- They're both bad at letting the other one care for them physically and/or emotionally (it's against everything they were told to be), it gets better with time though

- I feel like people forget that Jopson is almost 10 years younger than Ned and that this is his first time away from home and our in the real world while Ned has seen stuff

- So I feel like Ned would come in when Jopsons had a tough day (with Crozier or in general) and just wants to get away from everything

- Jopson would take care of Ned when he's got a low morale phase (I feel like the seasonal depression would hit him HARD on top of everything else)

- Ned gives a looooot of long and good hugs

- They're both big on physical touch with each other, Jopson is a little more hands on in public while Ned prefers to keep it private

- They fix each others hair a lot

- They also cuddle a lot and fall asleep together most nights (makes it easier for Crozier to find them in the morning if theyre late for duty)

Solittle (Solomon Tozer x Edward Little)

- Strong dog motive (Tozer is an Alaskan Malamute and Ned is a Bernese Mountain Dog for sure)

- Both are in positions of power but don't really want to be?? They just want to obey orders, not really give them most of the time

- I feel like they'd take turns being the dominant one but I think Tozer would like it a little more to give Ned orders so Ned can turn off his brain for a while

- Tozer bites. A lot. (case and point dog motive)

- Ned would definitely be into the pain but Tozer would have to check in on his own if Ned's okay bc he'd never speak up on his own

- So there's definitely a powerplay/kink thing going on but they're very gentle with each other

- There's not that much talking since they both aren't great communicators but they get each other on a deeper level (clown to clown communication if you will)

- They aren't into public display of affection either, some hand holding / playing with the other ones hair max

- If they talk it's either powerplay teasing or clumsy talking about their feelings, they just like to hang out in silence most of the time

#my contribution to the fandom furing the workweek lmao #the terror #the terror amc #edward little #solomon tozer #thomas jopson #joplittle #solittle #frogger says stuff

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la-gotica-fantasma · 3 days ago

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Nineteen writing tips I've picked up / been told -

~ ( Disclaimer : I am not telling you what to do or what you can and cannot do. Writing is personal, stylized, and a vessel for self-expression. Your writing is YOURS suga, and however you do it is beautiful. This post is just some advice I've found insightful, and maybe you could too. ᓚᘏᗢ ) ~

★ If you cannot tell if your story is connecting - read it out loud

★ If you have a really good idea, and you are practically itching to write it right now - then do !! Jot down that amazing idea and then connect all those frayed wires.

★ If you want the reader to be attached to a character - let that character be imperfect. Let them be selfish, overzealous, clumsy, or naive. / Let their good traits have bad days.

( examples include, but are not limited to; )

Savior-complex: Pushing too hard to help someone and hurting them more.

Patience: Being left high and dry.

High tolerance: Other characters overestimating their ability to tolerate anything.

Selfless: 'Character X' putting themselves after others to the point that 'Character Y ' has to forget about themselves to be able to keep 'Character X' afloat.

Bonding: Building an unhealthy reliance with one another.

★ If you want a character to be [emotionally] complex - let their emotions conflict. / Let morals be mixed into their dilemma (if they have one). / Try not to let the plot overshadow the characters inner conflict.

★ If you have a work in progress that you want to finish, but can't find motivation to - that's okay !! You're allowed to wait, and you're allowed to come back later with a bajillion ideas !!!

★ If you have plot holes - don't overwork yourself trying to getting rid of them !!! There are plot holes in stories that are TRUE, it'd be impossible to fix all plot holes.

★ If you are writing first person / thought - give their thought process a voice. How do they think? How do they structure their sentences? What phrases do they often use?

★ If you are writing stuttering, people rarely ever stutter "L-l-like..... T-t-this." - Stuttering is usually the repeating of the same part in a sentence, going back on it, like they're editing their sentence. / Space in between words, breathing, preparing. / Filler words !!! "Oh- I- I just-.. uhmm.. I was- I was just giving.. an example."

★ Don't 'CAPITALIZE' dialogue to show that they are yelling / shouting / screaming - we can convey yelling with how we phrase their speech, exclamation marks, etc.

★ Don't be afraid to make a character have hate for another character - nobody can like everybody. It can add personality and makes the character all the more realistic for the reader

★ Sensory details are always great to have in your work !!! But in action scenes - having less sensory detail is almost always more immersive.

"Why?", Because if a character is in an active sword fight with another character, their focus wouldn't be on the way the moonlight spills through the mesh curtains, or how their hand feels against the handle.

Putting those details before or after is so much more realistic and lets the reader grab and hang on to what you have to say, instead of a zip line with loose handlebars.

★ Don't be afraid to use tropes - it's not cheating in the slightest, you are the one writing it. Nobody else could've used the trope like you would. / You can use tropes to your advantage; readers find security in tropes, let the reader think "I see this often, they'll _____" and then totally 180 them.

★ Kill "Show. Don't tell." - you can do both !! It will be right either way, but always choosing one or the other disengages the reader from certain aspects.

★ Kill "Said is Dead" - you can lack the word "said" just as much as you can overuse it !!!

★ It isn't just about if a character coaxed, agreed, revealed, or proposed the dialogue. - It's also about how they did it. Was it soft? Sand papery? Rich? Confident? Hesitant?

★ Chaos doesn't solve 'everything' - but it solves a boatload.

★ Your story doesn't have to have a happy ending for the main character.

★ If a scene feels random or forced - check if you have motive for the scene

★ If you think of yourself as a bad writer, or you're self-conscious of your writing, remember - that no matter what, you will always be a better writer than Colleen Hoover.

~ ( Reminder : If you live by any of the things I mentioned, this is no hate to you. I am not shunning you, nor the way you write. Your current writing and your future growth is beautiful. But, if you like Colleen Hoover you can block me. ᓚᘏᗢ ) ~

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tj-dragonblade · 1 year ago

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[FLUFFBRUARY FIC] A Sweet Romance Beginning In a Queue

Rated: T Word Count: 4551 Tags: Fluffbruary, Fluffbruary 2024, fluff, human AU, rain, writer!Dream, professor!Hob, song-based meet-cute, clumsy metaphors

Notes: This is springboarding entirely from Bus Stop by The Hollies; shoutout to @valeriianz for suggesting this song would make a great Dreamling fic many many months ago. I thought Fluffbruary Day 3 would be a good opportunity to bang it out real quick but uh. It didn't want to flow, so I've just been rolling additional days into it all month. Also went a wee bit off-script from the song but. I'm pleased enough with what it's turned out to be. Prompts listed at the end.

Summary: Bus stop, wet day, he's there, I say, 'Please share my umbrella'

On AO3

It's the first day of the new term and the sky is overcast, threatening rain as Hob steps off the bus at his connecting stop. He's got his umbrella and his overcoat and his bag is water-resistant; his stop on the other end is very near the college and he's feeling well-prepared should the weather follow through on its threat.

Which of course it does, not half a minute later, and Hob deploys his umbrella with a sigh. There are a handful of other people waiting at the stop who do the same.

And one who does not.

He's pale and pretty, and tall, and dark—dark trousers, dark peacoat, dark hair, which is well on its way to getting thoroughly soaked as the skies open up in earnest. He appears to be lacking an umbrella entirely. Hob, who these days makes conscious effort to be a Good Samaritan whenever he can, and who also maybe thinks that attractively-pale men dressed in black who forget their umbrellas are worth at least a 'hello', moves quickly.

"Share my umbrella? Please." He's holding it over the guy as he speaks, but they'll have to squish up a bit to get maximum benefit for either of them.

"…Thank you," the guy says, shuffling closer; their shoulders touch. He is stiff, awkward, and yeah okay Hob can understand; courtesy in rainy weather or not, they're still complete strangers.

"Hell of a day to forget your umbrella, yeah?" Hob rolls his shoulders and shifts, putting himself more or less back-to-back with the guy so they fit better.

"Quite," comes the answer. His voice is low and rumbly, pleasantly dark without being bass-deep; it's oddly appealing.

Hob shrugs. "We've all been there. And hey, I'm glad to share."

"Again. Thank you." There's a touch more warmth this time, and Hob smiles to himself.

They pass a moment in silence, save for the drumming of rain against the umbrella and the splashing of cars in the street, and then the bus is pulling up to the stop. The guy steps toward it, first in line, and Hob follows with the umbrella, then lets the other three people board ahead of him.

Which means, once he's boarded and tapped in, the only open seat is serendipitously next to his slightly-soggy goth stranger. Who makes eye contact and holds it as Hob approaches, scoots just that little bit closer to the window to make clear he doesn't mind Hob taking the seat beside him, and Hob is quietly thrilled at the subtle welcome.

"Are you a conversationalist, or a ride-in-silence enthusiast?" he asks, as the bus lurches into motion.

"Ordinarily, the latter," the guy admits, glancing briefly at Hob. "But, as I stormed out with neither book nor earbuds, and I find myself with a chivalrous seat partner, perhaps I could be persuaded to the former just this once."

"Very kind, thank you," Hob says, with a smile. "'Stormed out' doesn't sound promising; feel like unburdening to a friendly ear? I'd be happy to listen, if so. Or find something else entirely to talk about if not."

His stranger turns to the window, watching the rivulets of rain trailing over the glass; there is a brief lull before he speaks. "I find myself creatively blocked, and my sister's attempts to be helpful. Were not." He sighs. "I left the house to clear my head, before saying anything truly unkind."

"Smart," Hob agrees. He could listen to this guy talk all day, his rumbly words and his dark-velvety voice.

"'Smart' would have been making certain to grab more than just my phone and wallet." There's a pretty little scowl accompanying the words, that rosy mouth plumped out in the faintest pout visible in his reflection in the window, and Hob is smitten.

"That may be, but then I'd hardly have had reason to say hello, and we'd both be sitting here reading our books politely ignoring one another. Silver lining?"

"Perhaps," the guy says, but it sounds agreeable enough. Hob likes to think he's a decent judge of unspoken communication and that he could tell if he was being a bother. Currently his stranger is glancing over Hob's bag and his attire with a curious and observant eye, posture reserved but not closed off, and Hob figures he's doing alright.

"Where are you headed, then—work?" the guy asks.

"Yeah, I teach at the college, medieval history, now and then a class in medieval lit too."

The guy's attention goes from merely polite to genuinely interested. "Oh?"

"Yep!" Hob's heart rate bumps up a notch at the light in those (gorgeous) blue eyes; the sudden intensity of this stranger's focus is heady.

He's turned in his seat, angled to somewhat face Hob, gaze bright, expression open. "I imagine that is a difficult sell to many students."

"Oh my friend, you have no idea!" Delighted with his good fortune, Hob launches into tales of his most recalcitrant classes and the victories he's won in inciting and maintaining student interest. He's good at talking, and enjoys doing it, and this pretty stranger is paying genuine attention to him, and so Hob prattles on enthusiastically as the bus trundles steadily through the rain.

~ "This is me," Hob says, as the bus pulls up to the college stop. "It was delightful chatting with you, and I hope your day improves from here!"

"It already has, thank you."

The tiny smile that the stranger offers in parting buoys Hob's spirits all the way to his office.

~ Tuesday is miserably wet again and Hob checks for his stranger at the bus stop, hopeful (yes alright, perhaps he's got a bit of a crush), but there's no sign of him. It's earlier than it was yesterday though, on account of his 8 a.m. lecture this morning, so there's no reason to think he'd be there again. Plus he'd talked about 'storming out' and 'clearing his head'; it wasn't like this stop was a daily transfer point the way it was for Hob.

Chances were good they'd never cross paths again.

~ Wednesday it's less a downpour and more a light shower, but it's still enough that an umbrella is practical.

And Hob is absolutely delighted as he steps off his first bus to see that Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Emo is there again, and again without an umbrella, hunched ineffectually into the collar of his coat and resembling nothing so much as a disgruntled wet cat. He perks up distinctly as Hob approaches with his umbrella angled forward in offering.

"You gallantly come to my rescue yet again." He tilts his head and glances up through lush black lashes, just this side of coy. "I thank you, sincerely, Mr…?"

"Hob, I'm Hob. Just Hob. You can call me Hob." Not his most suave, certainly, but this blatantly-flirtatious greeting atop his own delight has somewhat stolen his functioning brain cells.

"Hob," the guy repeats, unhurried, like he's savoring the taste of the name in his mouth, and smiles just a little bit. "You may call me Dream."

"Pleased to run into you again, Dream." Hob dimples brightly, delighted with the turn his day has taken, delighted that they've made proper introductions. "How was the head-clearing, the other day?"

"Effective." The guy—Dream—crowds close under the umbrella (Hob's largest, which he had pulled out yesterday just in case) and smooths the clinging water from his hair with one hand. His (damp) shoulder is firmly pressed against Hob's and his profile is absolutely beautiful, this close. Hob tries not to stare.

"Got your creativity flowing again, did it?"

"I managed to finish a very troublesome chapter Monday evening, yes."

Hob perks up at this new tidbit of information. "You're a writer, then?"

He gives a short nod, staring out into the rain, then glances sideways at Hob. "I have you to thank for my progress, also."

"Me?"

"The stories you shared…you inspired a direction for the scene that was plaguing me. I came out yesterday, with intent to thank you, but you were not here…?"

His voice lilts up just a touch on the end of his sentence, curiosity expressed without actually voicing the question, and Hob just smiles. "Yeah, Tuesday's my early-morning class. Sorry I missed you."

"No matter. I have now left the house three days in a row and my sister is distressingly pleased about it. She says it is good for my mental health."

"And what do you think?"

He sighs, heavily. "She is not incorrect." He glances sideways at Hob again, eyes narrowed prettily. "But I am not going to admit it to her."

Hob laughs; he can't help it. "You are so completely valid for that," he says, and when Dream smiles in return his spirits soar.

~ "Remembered your umbrella this time, I see!" Hob ignores the little pang of disappointment; just because he doesn't need to share his umbrella with Dream this time doesn't mean they can't still have a conversation.

"My sister reminded me, yes," Dream answers, and then to Hob's great surprise he lowers and closes the umbrella. "But I would prefer to share yours, if you're amenable." His eyes flick up, just a hint of hopeful uncertainty showing there.

"Of course." Hob moves close, brings his umbrella over Dream's head, heart thudding in his chest with delight. He hopes the great spreading grin on his face doesn't put Dream off; he can't quite get it under control.

If Dream notices, he gives no indication. "This routine is working well for me," he says, and it takes Hob a second to cotton on to what he means.

"What, catching the bus in the rain every morning?"

"Yes," Dream says serenely. "The company is. Refreshing." The corners of his mouth tilt up the smallest bit.

"Nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," Hob says, making a valiant effort to sound normal while something warm blooms in the vicinity of his heart. He shifts the umbrella, making sure they're both still sheltered.

"Writing flows more easily when I return home after our morning conversations," Dream says, as if this is something they've been doing for weeks instead of just days. "I shall have to credit you in my author's notes."

Hob laughs, absolutely delighted. "That is extremely flattering, my friend, but wholly unnecessary. But if I'm at all helpful? I'm glad."

One day maybe he'll ask if he can see Dream's writing, when they've been acquainted for more than a week; one day further, perhaps, he'll ask him on a date. It certainly seems he'd be amenable, but Hob knows himself and his tendency to rush in full-tilt and tells himself there's no harm in just. Seeing what happens, for a little while.

~ "Share my umbrella?"

Dream looks askance at him, hair fluttering prettily across his forehead in the breeze. "It is not raining, Hob."

"Well no, but. Bit windy, isn't it? Wouldn't want you to suffer any windburn. Umbrella makes a decent wind-break." He has oh-so-smoothly said 'wind' three times in ten seconds, and it is the flimsiest of excuses to begin with, but Dream only smiles as if he's said something profoundly wise.

"Indeed. Truly, I am fortunate to receive your continued chivalry." He crowds in close to Hob, who angles the umbrella behind them to keep the wind off, and smiles.

~ The other patrons at the bus stop are giving Hob weird looks as he opens his umbrella, but there's only one person here whose opinion matters.

Dream tilts one eyebrow up, amused. "The sun is shining today, Hob Gadling. Yet still you offer your umbrella?"

"It's tradition, at this point. And besides—got a very fair complexion, haven't you? Bit of shade will do you good."

"…As you say." His smile is radiant as the sunshine, and Hob's heart thumps happily. "Thank you."

~ It's been about a month since that first meeting when Hob leaves campus for the afternoon and finds Dream waiting at the college bus stop. The morning's rain has cleared throughout the day but now rises again as a light drizzly mist; Dream is huddled into the meager shelter offered over the bench while pulling out his umbrella. Hob hurries over with his own already deployed, playing into their established pattern.

"Fancy meeting you here?" he greets, smiling. He's delighted to run into Dream outside their developed routine, and the way that Dream kind of blooms to see him is very satisfying.

"Hob. At last," Dream smiles, ducking under Hob's broad umbrella.

"Been waiting long?"

"…Somewhat. You see. I have. A question, I would like to ask you. An important one." The gravity in his tone is clear, and Hob might be worried if it wasn't so plainly obvious that Dream was nervous. "But I do not know your schedule, beyond your morning commute, and so…"

"Have you just been hanging around half the day waiting for me to show up?" Hob is equal parts appalled and delighted.

Dream meets his eyes briefly, glance flicking away again too quickly to interpret as anything other than confirmation. "Perhaps."

Hob laughs, aware he should possibly be alarmed by what any normal person would read as stalking behavior but utterly charmed by it instead. "Your patience has its reward, then. What was it you wanted to ask me?"

"I…ah." Dream colors prettily, the faintest pink flush across his cheeks as he stumbles over actually speaking his question, and Hob is rapidly escalating from 'charmed' to 'enamoured'. "I am not. Good, at—at—"

"Obviously it was important enough to identify my most likely location and wait hours for me to show up, right?" Hob cuts in gently. "Go ahead. I promise I won't judge you." He can hear the fondness seeping into his own voice, and apparently so can Dream. He lifts wide eyes to Hob, lips pressed together resolutely, and heaves a fortifying breath out through his nose.

"I wish to ask. Would you like to have dinner sometime. Or. Or coffee, perhaps."

The bus pulls up at that exact moment, disgorging a single passenger; Hob barely hesitates before waving the driver on.

"That was our bus?" Dream states, lilting up in such a way that it's clear he means Why did we not board, why are we still standing here?

"Well, yes," Hob agrees, very aware of the size of the dopey grin on his face. "But you see, a very dear friend of mine has just asked if I might like a bite to eat with him, and I know the most amazing little spot right around the corner."

"That. That is 'yes', then? Now?" Dream seems delightedly flummoxed, and it ratchets Hob straight up to 'besotted'. How could Dream think he'd ever say anything else? Although it occurs to him belatedly Dream might have other obligations for the evening.

"Well 'now' is certainly 'sometime', yes? If you're free, that is. If you've something else you have to do—"

"No. Nothing else," Dream cuts him off, and the warm smile spreading over his face makes Hob's heart skip a beat. "There is nowhere I should like to be more, just now."

Of course not, not when he'd dedicated the bulk of his day to waiting for Hob just to ask him out. "Wonderful. Shall we?" He offers his arm, angling the umbrella to keep the misty sprinkle off them still.

Dream tucks a hand into his elbow and falls into step beside him.

~ "Wanna try mine?" Hob offers, plucking a crispy slab of cheese from his plate with a bit of everything on it and holding it out, other hand cupped underneath. They are talking over plates of halloumi fries; Hob had gone for his favorite—smothered in pomegranate molasses and za'atar yoghurt with pomegranate arils and fresh mint garnish—and Dream had taken his drizzled in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

"Thank you, I am fine," Dream says, rote politeness in his voice but curiosity in his eyes, and Hob arches a brow.

"Worried you'll have to spend a month stuck with me for each pomegranate seed?"

"That would hardly dissuade me," Dream replies, with a sweet little smile that hits Hob straight in the gut. "Very well, since you offer so generously." He leans forward, grasps Hob's wrist instead of the proffered food, and bites through the warm-crusted cheese while Hob's still holding it, lips brushing Hob's fingers as he pulls back.

He chews, making a contemplative face, and gently plucks the rest of it from Hob's hand while Hob is still scrambling to reboot his poor blue-screening brain and not make a fool of himself.

"Do you know," Hob blurts, grasping for anything, "whatever Persephone might have eaten in the underworld, it would've bound her there the same? It wasn't just because it was a pomegranate?"

"I did know that, yes," Dream replies, and Hob feels the flush of having said something fairly stupid rising into his face. "The pomegranate is a tidy choice for enumerating the months she stays below, I think, with the countable seeds." He plucks one of the ruby-red arils from the cheese that Hob had given him between two delicate fingertips and places it in his mouth, eyes on Hob in a way that makes him lose his brain again.

"Yes that's. Good point," Hob tries, and thankfully Dream pops the rest of the halloumi fry into his mouth without any fanfare or continued eye contact.

"I can see why you like this," Dream says, once his mouth is empty. "It is a wonderful blend of flavors. But the honey-sesame remains my favorite." He takes a bite from his own plate, and Hob tries not to fixate on the casual way he licks the honey off his rose-petal lips.

"I wrote an alternate version of Persephone's story, once," Dream says then, eyes not exactly meeting Hob's or even on his face, darting between his shoulder and his sternum and dropping back to his plate. "I made it her choice; they met and fell in love long before the abduction, which was closer to an elopement. She ate the pomegranate seeds deliberately so as not to be taken away from the partner she had chosen. In my version, it was the pomegranate specifically that would bind her."

"That sounds brilliant," Hob says, feeling a little starry-eyed; Dream has never really talked specifics about his writing before. "I'd love to read it sometime."

"It. Was many many years ago, before I ever considered publication," Dream admits, barely glancing up at Hob, still a little skittish. "I thought it a unique idea at the time, but there are dozens of Persephone remixes to be had and I have never felt it warranted the effort of reworking it from my current skill level or attempting to publish."

"Well for what it's worth, your version is the remix I'd be most interested in reading," Hob says, utterly sincere, smiling from ear to ear. "If you ever wanted to share, that is." He bites into another halloumi fry and speaks around it. "I would never pressure you to let me read your stuff if you don't want to. But I'm always interested."

"…Thank you." Dream covers his awkwardness with another dainty bite from his own plate, a hint of pink dusting across his cheekbones. When his mouth is empty again, he offers, "Mostly I have written. Romance."

"Oh?"

"Not under my own name. But yes."

"See it's fascinating that pseudonyms are so prevalent through the ages, and for so many reasons," Hob starts, and as the conversation turns in this new direction Hob does not miss how Dream relaxes to have the focus shifted from the vulnerable personal glimpse of himself he'd offered.

And Hob maybe falls a little bit deeper.

~ It's still lightly raining three hours later; they've talked about so many things, they've had dessert and then had coffee since neither of them were ready to leave yet. It's dark by the time they finally head back to the bus stop; Dream presses up against Hob's side beneath the umbrella and Hob thrills at the warmth, the closeness, the graceful slide of Dream's hand into his and the way he doesn't let go until the bus shows up.

~ It's raining again the first time Hob kisses Dream, pulling him close beneath the umbrella outside the theater, one finger tipped beneath Dream's chin; the kiss is tentative, but Dream's mouth is warm and the way he lists gently forward has Hob coming back again, soft and sweet and smiling helplessly.

~ Three straight days of rain are clearing on the afternoon that Dream takes Hob to the bookstore and leads him to the romance section, points him to a shelf in the 'M's where there are a dozen or so titles by Morpheus, mononymous. Hob doesn't make the connection for a second, and then he does.

"Is this you?" he asks, reaching for one of the hardbacks, and sure enough there's Dream's photo inside the dust jacket, solemn and styled and somehow less authentic than the Dream standing nervously next to him.

"Yes," Dream confirms, and soft warmth floods Hob's chest. Dream has been very reserved about his writing—"It is one thing to publish for strangers, but I find it…much more difficult to share, when it is someone whose opinon matters to me personally," he'd said once, and being trusted, opened up to like this—Hob is not oblivious to the privilege of it.

"You've certainly written a lot," he says, warmth and fondness curling in his chest. "And you're okay with me reading any of these?"

"Yes; however—" he reaches into the messenger bag slung over his hip, withdraws a large clear envelope with what looks like a manuscript inside. "If you wish to read my writing, I would have you begin with this." He hands it to Hob.

Hades and Persephone: The Morpheus Remix the paper proclaims through the plastic, and Hob looks up at Dream, delighted. "Is this—?"

"It needs a proper title." Dream shrugs, hunches into his coat a little bit. "I would like—perhaps you might help me come up with one, as it was you who inspired me to revisit and update it."

Hob cannot for the life of him stop the broad smile that overtakes his face, is not even trying. "I would be honored."

~ It is raining buckets the night that Dream comes home with Hob, and even the umbrella is not enough to prevent their getting a bit wet. But that's alright, Hob thinks, with Dream's eager mouth warm and hungry on his as they move in the direction of his bedroom, it's not like their clothes were staying on anyway.

He lays Dream gently in his bed, covers him with his own body, makes love to him with slow and ardent urgency while the rain lashes against his window. Later, after, when the winds have calmed and thunder rumbles soothingly in the distance, he holds Dream curled against him, asleep, and he thinks. He thinks about umbrellas, and shielding, and guardedness, and how Dream has slowly gifted so many of his vulnerabilities to Hob; he thinks about the duality of potential in that realization, the power it gives him to either harm or protect, and vows to himself that he will always be Dream's metaphorical umbrella when it's within his capabilities.

~ It's sprinkling just a little when Hob realizes that he's going to marry Dream.

It's early Autumn and they're at the park; Dream is under his own umbrella (look, sometimes sharing just isn't practical, as much as Hob still loves faithfully carrying on their schtick), scattering peas and grapes for the ducks and Hob is hanging back, watching him with an aching fondness in his heart.

Dream is beautiful, and thoughtful, and engaging. He is guarded and private, but so warm and emotional and giving once he has let you in. He is smart, and witty, with the driest sense of humor and the most endearingly terrible laugh and Hob has fallen desperately in love with him along the way.

He watches as a particularly bold duck comes close and snaps up the pea that had fallen directly at the toe of Dream's boot; watches the soft delight that steals over Dream's face, and he knows.

~ It is the following Spring before he asks. They are at the bus stop where they first met and it's a bright sunny day; Hob's got the umbrella up and they're shoulder-to-shoulder beneath it. Dream is animated, excited, talking about his editor's latest feedback on his Persephone remix (The Seeds of Fate, they had decided to call it), and Hob is listening, very much interested but so so nervous. The little velvet box on his pocket is weighty, not physically of course but he can't stop touching it, hoping Dream will say yes, believing Dream will say yes.

At last, Dream turns to him, a little wrinkle of concern between his brows. "You feel…distracted; is everything alright?"

Hob smiles at him, entirely and wholeheartedly in love. He hooks the hand holding the umbrella with Dream's so their fingers are tangled together around it; he leans his forehead against Dream's, closes his eyes. "I have a question, I'd like to ask you. An important one." It's a deliberate echo of how Dream had asked him out more than a year ago; Hob can picture the way Dream smiles to recognize it, can feel one eyebrow lifting against his own.

He takes a deep breath, pulls the little box from his pocket and clicks the lid open. "Will you marry me?"

It's a quiet request, pitched low so the other couple people at the bus stop don't overhear, so that if Dream does wish to say no, he won't be under the public pressure of strangers to say yes for appearances' sake. Not that Hob expects him to say no.

He hopes he doesn't say no.

Dream pulls back and Hob opens his eyes, meeting the surprise and delight and disbelief in Dream's. Dream looks down at the ring in the open box in Hob's hand, touches a fingertip to the velvet-covered lid delicately, looks back up at Hob with joy blossoming in his face.

"Do you mean it? Truly?"

Hob swallows down the nervous lump in his throat, squeezes gently where his hand is tangled with Dream's around the handle of the umbrella. "More than anything," he murmurs, entranced by the gathering shine of happy tears in Dream's eyes. "Marry me. Please."

Dream makes a joyful little noise, wrenches his hand free and throws both arms around Hob's neck, kissing him soundly. Hob manages to snap the ring box closed and swing the umbrella low, wraps both arms around Dream's waist and kisses him back.

"Yes," Dream breathes wetly when they part a moment later. "Yes, of course yes, a thousand times, yes."

~ They marry in the park in August, the clouds high and the breeze warm. Hob puts up the umbrella when they reach the crux of the ceremony; he holds its history over them while they say their vows, while they slip rings on one another's fingers, and then they seal their marriage with a tender heartfelt kiss beneath its promise of care and protection.

= Started: 2/3/24 Drafted: 2/24/24 Posted: 2/25/24

Fluffbruary 2024 Prompts Day 3: umbrella seashore mist Day 4: camera lush beau Day 5: rescue inertia lullaby Day 6: tie embarrassment* dessert Day 7: potatoes blue glass Day 8: shower blessed layer Day 9: urgency kneel rural Day 10: flush angel owl Day 11: reflection water apology Day 12: graceful volcano blanket Day 18: suave cologne gradual* Day 19: teacakes flood feature Day 20: smooth glitters queen Day 23: rhythm chalk humor Day 24: spring fuzzy silky

*The word did not get used but the concept is very much in there

✨✨✨ Sequel: Love Rain Down On Me ✨✨✨

#TJs Fics #Fluffbruary 2024 #TJs Fluffbruary #Dreamling #Sandman #wip: umbrella boys

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