#(for some Buddy-appropriate value of pretty)

[cheriladycl01]

Crash into my life - Lance Stroll x Civil Servent! Reader

Plot: You work in a fancy government job, pretty boring 9-5 but Lance Stroll and his insurance claim makes your job that little bit better

Your job wasn’t exactly fun, wasn’t exactly boring. It was one of those jobs that you’d got it at a young age and worked your way up through the ranks as you’d got better and better and because it was safe and something you were good at you stuck with it.

To keep it short and sweet you were a civil servant. Not like 007 kind of crazy stuff but you did work for MI6 in their fraud, tax and insurance department.

You basically took over insurance claims that were over a certain threshold and had to go through the government for … whatever reason whether they are a foreign National claiming in the UK or something.

Usually it was boring matters such as Chelsea Football Club claiming compensation for things as simple as water damages etc. You didn’t even really get to see anyone, you had the data and you analysed it against the scenario and hey presto you made your pay out.

Your favourite time of the year was winter. More claims came through and life was more unpredictable thanks to the whether. Delayed train into London St Pancreas? No tubes working so you have to make the 20 minute walk to your office building from the station. Slipping on ice, it was the only excitement you got in life which was honestly kind of sad.

For you it started at as a normal Monday. You woke up at 7am, brushed your teeth, got into a nice corporate appropriate outfit, got on the train, got a coffee from Pret before heading into your building.

That was your routine, and you didn’t often differ from it unless you had holiday booked. But working a 9-5 Monday - Friday often meant that you

But it felt like there was a different buzz today around the building like there was something going on.

When you all went into the morning briefing for the cases you’d get today, everyone was way too excited for 9am and the start of the day. You sat down next to your office buddy Shiv and looked around confused.

“What in earth is going on with everyone?” You ask looking over at Shiv who’s typing away on her laptop taking in information.

“Apparently there’s some really interesting cases to work on up for grabs today” she explains and you nod knowing once every blue moon some exciting things would crop up and have the whole office acting like kids on Christmas.

You’re all still waiting for the department boss to come in, joining in conversations about what could possibly be happening today.

“Ladies and Gents please take a seat for the meeting to commence. Thank you. Thank you” he offers smiling and everyone gets comfy.

“So we’ve got some exciting stuff today. I’ve formed a team to deal with the Train Networks Claim, that’ll be Shiv, Brayden and Ravi” he says and they all nod writing in their pads what tasks they’d have to do today.

He went through all of them apart from you, before dismissing the meeting. You were slightly confused and therefore packed up yours things a little slower than everyone else to see if you could stay behind and ask why you hadn’t been given an assignment.

“Y/N could you stay behind so I can talk to you for a moment” he asks and you nod, going to the end of the long conference table where he was stood.

“I like you, you’re young and learn quickly and I want you to progress more than you already have so I’m giving you a really important case. You’ll actually get to meet the said person affected, he’s … of high value so be considerate of your wording when talking to him. Alright thank you, here’s the case! Have a report to me by Friday” he offers and you nod happily. You take a seat opening up the material seeing the name of the claimer immediately.

Lance Stroll

You read through the facts, apparently he crashed his Aston Martin driving down the M1 to get to Silverstone into some sort of government van.

After analysing some of the data yourself, a knock comes on your office door from one of the younger interns.

“Erm, Y/N there’s two men in suits here to see you?” She asks rather than tells you, it wasn’t common for people to come in and out of the building due to the confidentiality of the work conducted here.

“Send them in please, but before you do ask them if they want anything. Tea, Coffee, Water” you smile and go back to reading another report from a police officer who was on the scene of the accident.

You watch as two men walk into your office space. One looking younger maybe the same age as you and one looking significantly older which you assumed was the dad.

“Good morning” you smile lightly before going back to some data on your computer. They took a seat, patiently waiting for you to address them.

Lawrence, who you’d just read about in the report who was indeed the father, cleared his throat as if to get your attention.

“Give me one minute Mr Stroll and I’ll be right with you” you smile, still nose in your computer.

“We’ve come all this way to the city centre to see you it would be appreciated if you didn’t waste our time” he huffs and even just from this reaction a bubbling of excitement started in you, just at the promise of actually seeing a client and talking to them in the flesh.

“I understand that, but I won’t be able to tell you much unless I see all the data” you say looking up at them through your glasses. This time you notice Lance and how he’s just sort of staring at you.

“Can I help you Mr Stroll?” You ask looking over him.

“No, I’m all good. Take your time” he smiles and you nod. In 5 minutes you believe you’ve combed through enough data to talk to them.

“This is awfully interesting I almost never get to see the people behind the claim” you smile happily and they both nod.

“Okay so so far from what I can see is there was a crash in your vintage Aston Martin that was for an event at Silverstone, the race track and that you got into a collision with a government van trailing a foreign national?” You ask.

“In short terms, yes … but” Lawrence tries to declare.

“And you weren’t present Mr Stroll” you say looking in the direction of the older man.

“No I wasn’t��� he huffs out.

“Okay, then I will ask you to just step out my office while I get an account of the events from your son, if that’s alright with you. Just down the corridor there’s a waiting room there, help yourself to the food and drink in there” you smile hoping to butter him up a little to get him out.

“Alright” he says before taking his leave.

“Okay Mr Stroll lets…” you start but he interrupts you.

“Lance, please just call me Lance” he offers and you nod.

“Well Lance, it’s not … looking great” you start of slowly and he looks at you shocked.

“What do you mean? Your guys went into me?” He says raising his voice slightly and you give him a stern look that has him sinking into his seat.

“Don’t come into my office and raise your voice when I’m doing my best to help you!” You exclaim placing a pad in front of him.

“Sorry it’s just that my dad isn’t happy already that i totalled a car that was needed for race day” he sighs rubbing his temples.

“Ahhh so you’re an F1 driver. Or is it NASCAR because of the accent?” You ask and he looks shocked as if you were supposed to know who he was.

“Er F1” he offers and you nod.

“You any good?” You ask writing done some more notes as you watch the camera on the government vehicle as Lance’s car didn’t have one.

“Excuse me?” He chokes out and you couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“Well I mean im currently looking at your claims for a super car that you totalled and so I can’t help but ask if your any good” you tease and once he heard the tone he gets it and just rolls his eyes.

“Oh haha laugh it up” he says and you do.

“Im sorry but this is quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had in this job. It’s rather boring most days so I’m just making the most of it” you smile and he smiles back.

“Okay I can see that they did in fact turn into you. And of course I’m here for the people. The issue is where your Canadian. I can pay out what the car was worth when you originally brought it, but 50,000 for the fact that it was an accident on our part” you say and he thinks for a moment.

“No” is all he says and you look over at him in shock.

“Sorry? What do you mean no, no is my final decision” you say crossing your arms.

“I would like to add something else to the 50,000 on top of the car value” he smiles and you nod, wondering what it could possibly be and admiring the boldness of his statement.

“Id like to take you out to dinner” he smirks and your head shoots up from your laptop.

“I- i cant do that… it’s not professional. I could get told off. I could loose my job.” you admit knowing that if people were to find out about your payout and think it was bad then they’d be asking questions to you.

“Oh come on it’s just dinner to say thank you for being so … helpful” he smiles leaning forward in his seat and you shake your head.

“Fine, dinner it is” you smile.

That was the start of something way bigger than just dinner.

y/user

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y/user: Work has been rather interesting lately 👀🏎️

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lance_stroll: thank you for having another look for me 👍🏼

-> y/user: 🫣you’re welcome Mr Stroll

-> lance_stroll: you’re making me feel old ☹️

user: is that whose car I think it is bestie?

-> y/user: it sure is 🏎️

user: need to catch up soon babe, Pret tomorrow morning?

-> y/user: sure thing!

user: Civil Service < Serving Cu*t 🥰

Instagram Story Caption:

Back in the Office wiv Shiv 🌸

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[lyricfulloflight]

That’s the one thing I don’t understand - like it’s totally okay to dislike a ship and the reasons can be varied or as simple as you’d like. No one really needs a reason to dislike something I get that and that’s why the appropriate tags exist.

But like I’ve seen some of the things being thrown around both around BT and BE and I’m like okay guys shipping one thing over another doesnt make you better and being actively mean about it isn’t gonna change anything.

Why can’t we just enjoy what each fandom got? Buddie had some nice (if heartbreaking) scenes and BT had a cute date. I am new to 911 but like I’m surprised by how mean and almost like condescending some people have gotten and how quick they’re to call out one fandoms behavior without being like friend we are also doing that.

And I was in the kc fandom lol things got wild there.

Oooof sorry for the rant. Things just seem really intense since last night and I might have to do some unfollowing.

Assuming were talking the Klaroline kc fandom, I was in that one too :)

And maybe my memory isn't the best, but I don't remember things getting this vicious all the time either.

I do think fandom has changed in the sense that morality has been attached to shipping in such a weird way. Instead of shipping just being a personal preference, its become 'right' or 'wrong', or 'homophobic' or 'racist' or 'infantile' or 'predatory' to ship or not ship certain couples. And I just don't understand that.

I ship Buddie.

I'm pretty neutral on BuckTommy.

Why do I prefer one over the other? I almost always prefer ships with deep emotional bonds, who see something in each other no one else sees. I have never been a rarepair person, or a multishipper because my personal preference is for this deep emotional bond between characters.

That doesn't make my preference better or worse than anybody else's. Its just a personal preference. The same as I prefer the colour blue.

Other people might prefer couples with intense sexual chemistry, or who tease each other a lot, or who argue and have lots of passion, etc. Some people have a favourite character and ship them with everyone.

All of these are valid preferences.

Did I find the BuckTommy date in last night's episode a bit awkward? Yes. Was it because I'm a judgmental homophobic asshole? No. Daddy kink jokes wasn't my favourite thing, but I was fine with it. Two people in an adult relationship can flirt and and be kinky and that's totally fine by me. I have read and enjoyed way more explicit things in fanfic.

Personally (again just my opinion not a fact), I just found that the tone of the date and the joke fell flat as part of the episode overall. It was trying to break some of the tension and it didn't work for me.

Also, I tend to put more value on emotional connection in establishing relationships, so for me personally I would have preferred the conversation to stay in the more vulnerable place it started - Tommy offering Buck support due to Bobby's injury. If they had boned over having having difficult dads, or if Tommy had reached out and held Buck's hand to offer comfort, that would have been more meaningful to me, as opposed to the Daddy kink joke.

Again, nothing wrong with a Daddy kink. I too think Tommy calling Buck 'pretty boy' or 'good boy' in bed is hot.

Just kinky sex doesn't make for a meaningful relationship for me and I love Buck and I want him to have a deep meaningful relationship.

Since I haven't seen that with Tommy yet, I'm neutral on the ship.

I don't know why fandom has decided that who you ship or don't ship is some reflection of your moral values or lack thereof, but as someone who's fandom old, I find it weird and distasteful.

What people enjoy in fiction is not a reflection of who they are as a person at all times!

I don't generally block on unfollow people in fandom because I am very good at just letting things go and not spending too much time on things that upset me, but I have unfollowed people in the 911 fandom because of this overt judgement and moralization and (let's be honest) shit stirring, that some people engage in.

Fandom is supposed to be fun.

Let's make fandom fun again.

[frasier-crane-style]

Okay, that's True Grit. That's entirely True Grit. Exact same plot, exact same tone, exact same Coen-wannabe dialogue (and Tom King is no Coen Brother)... all King did was transpose a bit of a by-now-generic high fantasy/space opera setting onto True fucking Grit. It's not even that obscure a work to rip off. There was a remake in 2010. Hailee Steinfeld debuted in that movie and she's still playing a 'Young' Avenger.

Oh, but hey, there's Supergirl in the Rooster Cogburn role. That's different, right? Because Supergirl is Supergirl and not a drunken, cynical badass type?

And if you've seen True Grit, either version, you pretty much know how it goes (aside from a shock value ending that is, surprise, deeply cynical and mean-spirited). King mercilessly mischaracterizes Kara into this very 90s bad grrl caricature--she calls Superman a little bitch at one point, because he's not as tuff as herrrr--and the bad guys all go "oh, you can't beat me, you're just a girl!" Aren't we past this?

I found the premise pretty unbelievable... I know comic writers have to know up with far-fetched scenarios, since the real top-tier superheroes are unbeatable otherwise... but Supergirl has turned 21 and wants to get drunk. She doesn't want to do this with any of her friends, apparently, so she takes a barely controllable starship to a sector of space with only red suns... she can't just borrow a red sun room in the Fortress of Solitude or wherever... and she lands on this world that's a hellish dictatorship where people are killed for laughing at jokes about the king... she brings Krypto along, who is also depowered... and she doesn't bring any kind of communication device so she can call a Green Lantern or someone for help... and she's gone for months, but no one thinks to look for her.

And the villain... this is another one of the very few changes from True Grit, where the killer is just a random thug, the kind of guy you'd expect to impulsively kill someone. Here, he's a criminal mastermind that can summon up magic that nearly kills Supergirl and he almost randomly hooks up with this gang of superpowered mass murderers (who indulge in ethnic cleansing so frequently that you'd think a Green Lantern or someone would go after them--seriously, they are depopulating planets on a weekly basis) so it takes more than five seconds for Kara to rout him.

There's also a super heavy-handed segregation/racism metaphor. I mean, it is TOS, "all his people are black on the left side and white on the right side!" blatant. Like, embarrassingly hamfisted.

And this comic is WORDY. Not only is OC donut steal Hailee Steinfeld doing her Coen act every time she speaks, but she also narrates, choking every panel with multiple paragraphs of PROSEPROSEPROSE. Everything is a speech, everything is a monologue. Mike Flanagan would read this and say "hey, buddy, don't you think you're overdoing it a tad?" And there's some good art here--that's the one real positive of the comic--but it is just drowned out by King not trusting his artist one iota to tell a story.

Supergirl is given this really stock "it sucks to be Superman" angst, which we're all tired of with Clark, right? Is it really fresh to just transpose him being broody and violent onto Kara? All the cursing and casual violence would be a little more appropriate for Power Girl, but I guess that wouldn't subvert expectations like making the main character an embittered Supergirl. Clearly, we're supposed to find all this shocking and edgy, but it just comes off risible. You're really going to have Krypto the Super-Dog and dead babies in the same exact story?

And since when does Supergirl hang out with Krypto? I thought her pet was Streaky. King goes all pre-Crisis with Comet the Super-Horse showing up and really being a man with a magic spell cast on him, but he doesn't know that Supergirl's pet is Streaky the Supercat? Boooooo.

[loetise]

important dynamics.  ˎˊ˗             aka, my own version of the ‘affiliation’ trend. these are muses and dynamics that are important to allie and help to shape who she is as a person. kind of also an appreciation post for my friends for putting up with me, some of these have been in the making for more than a year and all of them feature extensive plotting. please do not feel left out if our dynamic is more recent and not here, all of my dynamics are extremely important to me, these are the ones that i’ve had for a long time and/or plotted a bunch with. you do not need to follow these blogs to get a better grasp of allie’s story, but i might mention them in threads if it is appropriate. these dynamics are pretty much ‘canon’ for allie, with the exception of romantic relationships that exist in their own verse and would conflict with others. these dynamics are specifically for her main verse and the city based variant, i have more planned in a separate post for her other verses, which has a lot of muses not featured in this one.

main verse.

audrey rose, @celestiel.    audrey is allie’s best friend since high school, they grew up together, cheered together on the cheerleading team, and continued being close even after high school and after allie had left for six months. audrey was the person she was closest with in high school, and one of the only people that truly cared about her. audrey pushes allie to be more confident and value her self worth, as well as give her constant support. 

kieran night, @heroanti.    kier is pretty much allie’s soulmate. they are very much an ‘endgame’ kind of ship, they love each other endlessly. they live together in her cottage and just the company helps allie immensely, but more than that, kier helps her grow. there is hardly a moment when they are apart, and space is given when needed, but allie knows that she’s never truly alone and the thought is comforting to her. she is less anxious, though she still has her moments, and is much more healthy, she takes care of herself better and engages in less risky behavior.

akllasqa mamáni, @khronoes.    toxic codependent girlfriends, though allie’s largely aware of the toxicity. she loves aklla, though aklla has a tendency to treat her like an unwanted pet, or a lab rat on occasion because she knows allie will agree to pretty much anything she says. allie eventually gets pushed away by aklla enough and leaves without saying goodbye, pretty much disappearing.

udyati rao, @dvarapala.    allie’s baff (best alien friend forever!), udyati and allie are fairly similar in a lot of ways, though udyati is a little bit tougher and has been through things that made her that way. allie and udyati also go on a lot of adventures together due to udyati’s access to doors to other universes, and the ability to create them. most of their adventures are simple things, just spending time together or doing ‘normal girl’ stuff, but they support each other through everything and make each other feel loved.

olivia jensen, @celestiel.    another one of allie’s best friends, though a distinctly different vibe from udyati or audrey. liv was more distrust when they first met, definitely more of an ‘opposites attract’ scenario, but liv eventually warmed up to allie and now she is a lot more open with herself and her feelings. liv and allie are adventure buddies, but in a different way. they tend to get into mischief together. sometimes the illegal kind.

willow w., @unpossession.    close and cherished friend! willow and allie have similar hearts, but willow is more introverted and shy, and they have a close bond because of their similarities. however, during their friendship, allie began to fall for her, and willow didn’t fall for her as intensely as allie did. after willow goes through a traumatic event, she disappears for a long period of time which worries allie so much she feels like she’s falling apart. when willow returns, allie gets incredibly clingy and hardly leaves her alone, which doesn’t help with allie’s feelings.

jason brenner stilinski-hammond, @rotturn.    allie considers jason like a little brother, and makes herself a safe person for him to be around because his powers can’t harm her like they can a human. he has made many attempt to push her away and she refused to let him, and now they are both doing much better, though jason feels guilt for how he treated her in the past.

corinne delacroix, @rosewiltd.    corinne and allie both have a strong love for flowers, though allie a little more intense, which is originally what brought them together as friends, but now they share a bond that is close enough to be sisterly due to how they understand each other. allie frequently shows corinne how to care for flowers, and corinne reads her stories.

serena carlisle, @wihlted.    soft girlfriends! allie and serena are close because of that softness and their hearts, though their backgrounds are as different as can be. allie frequently visits serena’s ballet lessons, as well, because she loves to watch her in her element. allie has also whisked serena away to the woods for long amounts of time on multiple occasions, rendering her missing from the rest of the world.

nicholas cohen, @celestiel.   nick and allie had been friends when one of her close friends, jade, had dated him, though jade and her had always had a bit of a rocky friendship. after jade and nick broke up, nick and allie had gotten closer. closer to the point of betraying jade and falling for nick. her promised her songs about her, to take her with him and his band and allie fell for it. anytime they were together, she felt amazing. but when they’re apart, allie feels immense guilt for what she has done with nick without jade knowing.

cosmo stilinski, @khozmoh.    another opposites attract scenario, cosmo and allie met after he moved out of beacon hills, and were originally just sort of party buddies, going clubbing together and such. and while it took a while for him to warm up to her and trust her, he eventually did and they began dating. allie and cosmo both struggle with nightmares and are able to help each other with them by being a safe space. allie helps cosmo with his supernatural sight as well, making the horrors he sees go away for a little while when she’s around.

lucas north, @spynorth.    allie originally approaches lucas to help her find his mother, but he takes her under his wing, sort of, after he sees her naivety and approach on life in comparison to him being very much the opposite. eventually, they stop looking for her mother primarily and allie considers him a dear friend, though she doesn’t know much about him beyond him being a spy and nice to her, sort of like an older brother. lucas thinks he’s her secret service.

ruby of crims, @redheart​​.    another one of allie’s toxic codependent girlfriends, except this time there’s a little bit more of a mutual dependency, at least for spending time together. allie and ruby spent a lot of time at ruby’s mothers clubs, and allie began to follow ruby around like a lost puppy. ruby entertained allie and played with her feelings for a while because she liked the attention. however, after she met her boyfriend mat hatter, she left allie behind.

city.

josiah bryant, @celestiel.    josiah and allie have worked at the same flower shop since they were tweens, and when allie’s mother left, he stayed by her side and supported her that day as well as everyday after that. they had been close friends even before they started dating because of all of the things they have in common, and their connection only deepened when they revealed their feelings for each other. their relationship is very soft and sweet and they are very affectionate with each other, as well as a little bit silly.

lois lane, @loisjoanne.    lois adopts allie around the age of 14 after allie ventures into the city of metropolis and they meet and get close immediately. while allie has boarding school back at home, her and lois called regularly, and allie visited as much as she could when she didn’t have school. once allie graduated, she was able to spend much more time with her, and moves to the city near where lois lives.

[raeloganthesonic06fangirl]

They have the opportunity to refresh the brand and get the newer generations excited for pizza arcades like we used to as kids, even just by being a bit cheeky about the comparisons

"The nature of the subject material" is the problem??

EXCUSE ME, DID YOU GUYS NOT HAVE FREAKING ARCADE MACHINES FOR MORTAL KOMBAT AND TERMINATOR 2 WHEN I WAS A KID?

Like, yeah, I don't think FNAF in general should be accessible to young children who don't have a grasp on the difference between reality and fiction, or children who have a tendency to get easily spooked, but there's gonna be some teenagers there hanging out with thier buddies having a good time in a safe supervised party place for Halloween, maybe be a little fun with them if they shoot a joke at an employee about "Ha ha, I bet things get a little quirky at night?"

FNAF is definitely a creepy series with a dark undertone, but most of that is only really seen when you dig below the surface and access the hidden elements. The death content is almost always handled with tact and in a way that's easy to understand without using the death as shock value.

We know what happened to the characters, but it's been presented to us through exaggerated Atari style mini games that are up for interpretation sometimes. We pick up the information via hidden clues and assets we have to actually search for. The villain gets caught, he doesn't get away with it. Scott has made it clear that it's a story of tragedy and it does not glorify the murders nor does William get to be praised for being an oh-so-evil genius scientist mechanic night guard bunny-suited loony.

Ghost Kids aren't inherently inappropriate as a content choice. What about Casper? What about Paranorman? We loved reading Goosebumps. Danny Phantom.

It's a PG-13 movie, they're not gonna show the gore and guts and stuff like that, the ratings won't allow it. Know what else is PG-13 that we let the kids interact with? Star Wars. Pirates of the Caribbean. Harry Potter. Transformers. Live Action Batman. The Marvel movies.

The point is, I'm all for keeping it hush-hush if the kids are too young for it ((I seriously would not introduce my nieces and nephew to this series)), but the big kids and grown-ups shouldn't be penalized for making an amusing observation because we know, we know.

You don't want us to make the connection? Then maybe don't call it a name that's an obvious play on words, perhaps? You're just baiting us at that point.

I just want to remind everyone that in 1979, apparently it was A-OK to market the flippin Xenomorph to kids as a cool movie monster

Y'know. The alien lifeform that violently explodes out of your chest after getting your face and mouth violated by an egg laying crab spider. The R rated movie that I'm pretty sure wasn't appropriate for children.

Just saying... Baseline FNAF lore is pretty tame. 👀

Chuck E Cheese trying to get rid of any possibility of people making FNAF references in the establishment to the point that they retired the animatronics and will apparently ban people for FNAF related shinanagans, and absolutely hate any sort of associations we might make between the two, and yet they have the nerve to pull this off and say it has absolutely nothing to do with the FNAF interest resurgence nor is this a quick cash grab attempt to ride on the popularity

Like, c'mon man

How dumb do you think we are, Charles Entertainment Cheese?

[hufflepirate]

Darrington Brigade - Pretty

Thought of another one. This was supposed to be a headcanon post but I guess it’s a ficlet now. I’m not gonna bother switching it all over into past tense though.

*******

When Buddy decides, very seriously, that he wants a tattoo, Tary floats the idea of matching DB tattoos and is immediately shot down because it doesn’t fit with half his members’ existing aesthetics.

It takes him a long time to decide on a tattoo. Decisions are hard.

Damian, Farriwen, and Mac all help, patiently spending hours sprawled across the floor in the boys’ room drawing things and looking at pictures together.

He’s finally happy when Damian presents him with an abstract pattern pieced together from the many things they’d drawn and discussed and drawn again and set aside. He jumps up and down, shaking the whole room, and Damian’s smirk is so big it almost passes for a smile.

Buddy waits breathlessly for Mac’s approval, watching him look the paper over, and then Mac starts whooping and hollaring, a smile breaking out only after he’s exclaimed that it’s perfect. Buddy’s answering smile is slower still, waiting to be sure, but Farriwen wishes she could draw, too, just to capture the joy in it. Maybe she ought to talk to Hazel about that.

Hazel wants to record the actual tattooing for posterity, but when the needle actually starts, Buddy whines in the back of his throat, a pained, betrayed sound even though the others had told him it might hurt. He’s tough, and they know it, and he doesn’t scream or cry out, but the little grumphing sounds of discomfort aren’t something Hazel wants to remember, after all, so she slides the cylinder out of the audiomatic and switches to playing a recording Buddy likes of a story Larry told them about him and Tary bringing the dogs home.

It’s the only recording they have that doesn’t completely set Tary off to advantage, but she recorded it live from Larry as he told it, and the fondness in his voice when he says his husband’s name makes up for it.

Buddy’s upper back, shoulders, and upper arms are a lot of real estate, so he isn’t done when the story ends. He asks her to tell the one about them all meeting, and she does, without a recording this time, holding one hand while Farriwen holds the other and blows a cool breeze gently across his forehead. Damian interrupts the request from her seat on a counter a few feet away, to tell him he’s doing great, and Mac agrees from where he’s been scrambling up and down off of furniture behind the tattoo artist, trying to get a good eye on the process.

The tattooist bandages Buddy up as soon and fast as he can, to keep everything covered and clean, and nobody gets a good look at the full thing until the bandages come off that evening.

Lionel and The Owlbear help him take the bandages off, and everybody else stands behind him and stares.

“Am I - pretty?” he asks, his voice quieter than usual.

“Buddy,” Mac announces, flinging his arms out, “You are beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Damian agrees, “It came out great.”

“Now that’s a sight to record for posterity,” Hazel said, “Doty, have you got that? I only do sound.”

Farriwen floats into the air and kisses him on the cheek, and he’s still blushing over it when Lionel tells him he was always pretty, but the tattoo looks real nice, too, and he has to cover his face.

The Owlbear’s eyes dart to one side and the other and he sidles up to Buddy’s ear to ask him if he wants him to hide him. He doesn’t, but it’s a nice thought.

Tary asks if he can use the design as part of the cover for his next book.

Buddy doesn’t stop covering his face until Mac drags over a table and then a chair and climbs from one to the other to peel Buddy’s hands forcibly away from his eyes. He leans in so Buddy can’t look away and says, “Hey, listen. We came here for friends. It’s ok to let them like you.”

“I’m pretty,” Buddy answers, voice half wonder and half disbelief.

Mac pulls back and slugs Buddy in the sternum, dead centered on his heart, but not hard enough to hurt. “You always were, big guy. Now come on, let’s go show Mrs. Darrington your new ink. She’s always so nice, getting us extra food.”

Buddy’s face spreads into a slow smile. “Yeah. Ok.”

Once Mac’s down off the table and on the floor, leading Buddy by the hand is pretty awkward, but they’ve done it before, and Buddy follows obediently, Farrowin hovering lightly in the air behind him as she continues to take in the intricacies of the design, which weren’t made any simpler once they were transferred from Damian to the artist.

The others trail after them, and Hazel nudges Damian’s hip with her elbow. “Hey, here’s looking at you! The artwork’s gorgeous.”

Damian’s eyebrows contract and she looks away, something Hazel recognizes as a relatively rare show of embarrassment. “Oh, well, you see, he did most of it. He thought of it, I mean. I just put the pieces together. ‘Cause he’s - you know, beautiful on the inside or whatever. I was just tryna get it out to the outside.”

“Well, you did so admirably,” Hazel answers.

In the back, The Owlbear pronounces, “Evil quakes this day, as it must always do in the face of the just, the true, and the beautiful.”

Nobody laughs, but Damian’s smile slides a little sideways as she says “Yeah, alright, I guess he’s pretty good.”

She’s right.

[fairy-writes]

Hello!

I hope I’m not bothering you, but I would like to ask for a Case Study of Vanitas, BSD, and JJK platonic matchup please :)

I don’t really care about the gender

I think I’m sorta awkward. I don’t like to antagonize people and I avoid hard stuff if I can. I enjoy goofing off and making weird comments but I’m worried about when is an appropriate time to do so. I’m usually pretty quiet most of the time, but I become very chatty when I’m talking about something I’m interested in. I like to act dramatic occasionally. My opinions on some things are easily influenced while others will never change. I procrastinate a lot, and I value having a good time over most other things.

Some of my hobbies include reading, watching anime, drawing, writing, and browsing through YouTube.

I like space (black holes especially), coming up with imaginary scenarios in my head, anime, setting things on fire (only paper and stuff like that), and being in weird positions

I don’t like boring/tedious things, time, the dark, drama/arguments between friends, and spiders

I’m a Ravenclaw, around 5 feet exactly, probably pan, and I’m fine with all pronouns but mostly use she/they

Thanks!

-🐚

Hello, seashell lovely! I hope you like your matchups! I had a lot of fun doing them!

The Case Study of Vanitas Matchup: I pair you with… Jeanne!

You and Jeanne can be awkward together! However, she’s a little less awkward than you and isn’t afraid to step up and take charge if it needs it. You really draw her out of her shell, and the two of you can talk for HOURS about anything and everything! She asks for your help with dealing with her feelings about Vanitas, and you ask her for help with making weird comments!

I see Jeanne as a Gryffindor! So the two of you make a great couple of both brains AND bravery! She’s also a little taller than you at 5’3”! The two of you read together a lot, her with mostly nonfiction with the occasional romance sprinkled in there (She claims it’s so she can handle her growing feelings for Vanitas).

Bungou Stray Dogs Matchup: I pair you with… Kunikida Doppo!

Kunikida is more confident and definitely not awkward unless put in awkward positions and situations. He’s confident in his abilities, and his personality shows that, but he’s not cocky! He urges you to try hard things because, oftentimes, they are more rewarding than easy things. 

The two of you bond over reading and writing! Kunikida writes in his notebook (of course), and you in your own notebook! He actually gets you your very own notebook like his as a surprise gift! He keeps a fire extinguisher around whenever you light things on fire just for fire safety purposes. He’s also a fellow Ravenclaw! So Ravenclaw buddies!

Jujutsu Kaisen Matchup: I pair you with… Itadori Yuji!

Literally the best friend someone could have. Like I’m not even kidding, Itadori would be such a fun friend. He’s the perfect mixture of goofy and awkward and funny. He only antagonizes people if he’s trying to save someone else but other than that, he doesn’t intentionally tease people (unless it’s Fushiguro).

The two of you watch anime together! He’s more into shonen anime and shorter ones at that. He doesn't like long ones like One Piece or Dragon Ball Z. They’re too long for his simple brain to handle. Space museum hangouts! He loves learning about space just as much as you, so it’s a mutual interest! As a Gryffindor, he balances you out quite nicely! Fushiguro makes the joke that you’re the brains and Itadori is the brawn :)

[remorsefulkittens]

The Trouble With Numbers

Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (Buddie)

Rating: Mature

Status: Part 2 of 2 (Complete)

Summary: Trouble comes with numbers...

Read part 1 here! Or on Ao3

Read on Ao3

The Trouble with Numbers

Buck was in the kitchen marveling at Bobby’s sauce, which was just an excuse to get close to the food and sneak a taste. Absorbed in an explanation on the value of simmering at various temperatures Bobby hardly noticed Buck's unsanctioned snacking, which was perfect for Buck who loved eating, and basking in Bobby’s presence, in near equal measure.

Chimney and Eddie were sat on opposite couches, handbooks out on the coffee table, rereading and trying to figure out where they went wrong on Bobby’s quiz. Both of them shot disgruntled glances at Buck from time to time, bitter that he somehow passed the first time around.

“It’s because Cap likes him better.” Chimney voiced his thought, tapping a highlighter against his current page.

Eddie looked up, contemplating. “Maybe, but he answered all the questions. Damned if I know how. He resents reading road signs.”

Chimney snorted, too loudly because they caught a ‘look' from Bobby. Eddie ducked turning back to his book and trying to concentrate.

Hen wandered in then, while Eddie was trying to sort out the chain of command for whistle blowers, and plopped herself down beside him, reading over his shoulder.

“You missed your Captain,” Hen pointed out. “Always start by speaking with your captain, unless your complaint is about him…why are you reading this? These are quizzes for new hires.”

Eddie eye balled Chimney irritably before answering. “Because Chimney and Buck are morons who talk too loud.”

Hen chuckled. “That’s a given. But why isn’t Buck reading too then?”

Chimney jumped in to field that one. “Because he’s teachers pet and he apparently has the handbook memorized.”

Hen bit back a laugh, and Buck shouted from the kitchen.

“I heard that! Jerks.” Or that’s what Eddie thought he said. The words were muffled by a mouthful of bread. “You should have applied yourselves like I did.”

“That’s enough.” Bobby broke in to scold, slapping Bucks hand away from the food finally. “You two should be busy,” he pointed to the couches, “Hen don’t distract them, and Buck don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Hen held her hands up in surrender, Chimney stuck his tongue out at Buck, and Eddie moaned. None of it affected the self-satisfied look on Buck’s face.

“So?” Hen whispered as soon as Bobby turned back to the oven. “What'd you do?”

Eddie shook his head, but Chimney was apparently happy to rehash the events that led them here.

“We were just chatting, looking at some pictures on my personal phone, when Bobby went dictator on us.” Chimney informed. “He said our discussion wasn’t work appropriate.”

Hen gave them a suspicious look. “Bobby is pretty easy going…what were you guys up to?”

Chimney shrugged innocently. “Just checking out a website I found. Very informative.”

Hen nodded, unconvinced. “Show me.”

Eddie squawked in protest when Chimney eagerly pulled out his phone. “Are you insane?” He whisper yelled. “Put that away. Hen, trust me, you don’t want to know.”

Hen waved him off, reaching for the phone Chimney held out.  “I think I do,” she said, eyes alight with mischief.

“Whatever, your funeral.” Eddie warned, going back to his reading. It was hard to tune out Hen's squeals, though, then her shared giggles with Chimney.

“All I said was Eddie and Buck could pull off number 6.” Chimney told her, keeping his voice down at least. Bobby might be focused on his cooking lesson, but he had excellent radar. Eddie had no desire to go down with the troublemakers again, should they attract the wrong sort of attention.

“Number 6? Really? Nope, no way.” Hen stated as fact.

Eddie bristled at that, despite his resolve not to be drawn in.

“If we could it would be none of your business.” He told them haughtily.

“Sure, Buck’s burly enough, and I bet Eddie's got the stamina.” Chimney argued, as if Eddie hadn’t spoken.

Eddie blushed when Hen turned a studious gaze on him, fully regretting being drawn in. “Hmmn…maybe. Eddie would be the…uh, upside down one?”

“Maybe… makes sense. He’s shorter, and more…lithe.” Chimney reasoned, like it was a normal way to talk about your coworkers.

Hen cocked her head, considering. “I don’t know…Eddie’s a control freak, though.”

“Knock it off!” Eddie snarled, accidentally dropping his pencil. “Can nothing be private around here?”

Chimney and Hen both stared at him for a second…then burst out laughing. “No!” They said at the exact same time.

“Do you all need more to do?” Bobby questioned from the kitchen, unamused.  Buck was at his side grinning smugly.

“No, no,” Chimney was quick to assuage. “Plenty to do, just talking policy Captain.”

Bobby clearly didn’t buy that, but he went back to what he was doing, shooing Buck away from the sauce. Eddie whirled on his teammates, incensed.

“Yeah well, since just rolling over in bed makes Buck fart, I’m not sure I want his ass that close my face.” Eddie sniffed. Unfortunately, Buck had tuned in and overheard.

“What the hell Eddie?!” He refuted, red faced. “I do not! That was mean.”

“How would you know? You’re usually asleep.” Eddie ribbed. He directed his attention back to Hen and Chim. “Same if you tickle him, especially his belly,” he shared with a smirk.

Hen guffawed, falling back against the couch, clutching her side. “Like a farting Pillsbury dough boy!” Chimney joined in again and soon they were laughing so hard Eddie wondered, vaguely, if they could breathe. Even Bobby had a knuckle pressed to his lips, trying to keep a straight face, and barely managing.

“I am not a dough boy! I’m at like ten percent body fat, which is ideal you know!” Buck snarked, with a glare in Eddie's direction. “Better than any of you,” he added with a grumble.

Eddie was about to object to that, but Bobby frowned at him. “Eddie do you need to take some time alone? In the bunk room maybe?” He asked seriously. Eddie spluttered…did his boss just ask if he needed a time out?!

“I don't!” He snapped, waving a hand wildly at Chimney and Hen. “It's them!”

“Ok. Eddie you move to the table, please.” Bobby ordered, kindly enough, but ordered all the same. “Hen leave them both be, and Chimney do I need to take that phone?”

“I don’t fart either, much,” Buck interrupted softly now, cheeks flushed, clearly still irked by Eddie’s accusation. “Geez.”

So now no one was happy. Hen got up and moved into the kitchen with a huff, Chimney hid his phone with a scowl, Eddie shuffled over to the table, disbelieving the childish treatment, and Buck wore his kicked puppy frown.

“Thank you,” Bobby said, and there was silence. Briefly.

“It doesn’t happen that much.” Buck insisted, leaning against the counter, head bowed. Bobby gave him a sympathetic nod.

“You’re fine. Happens to the best of us.” Bobby assured him, but Eddie saw the corner of his lip twitch before he changed the subject. “You know, the colorful discussion earlier started with Buck's question about station numbers. Does anyone know why Chicago’s engines might be numbered differently than the house they belong to?” Bobby nudged a pouting Buck gently.

“Aw, Buck, I’m sorry.” Eddie skirted the question to apologize.

Buck shrugged and started to toss vegetables into the salad bowl with more force than necessary.

“Engines used to simply be numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on, but as the population expanded, and they added more and more houses it got confusing if every house had an engine one. That’s when they started numbering the engine to match the house, in Chicago, LA, and probably all major cities.” Hen answered, reaching over to rescue the salad from Buck. “So, if the engine number is different than the house it's from, it means it's their secondary engine or truck.”

“Impressive Hen.” Bobby smiled approvingly.

“You do weird things too!” Buck exclaimed and thought for a minute. “You love it when I rub your butt! You purr like a kitten.”

Eddie wondered if he could die of embarrassment, and if Buck had lost his freaking mind… on one hand he deserved that, but Bobby was standing right there!

“Buck, set the table,” was Bobby's response and he pushed a stack of plates into Buck’s hands. “Work around Eddie,” he amended, “without talking. Thanks.”

Buck paraded over to do as he was told, making as much noise as he could, continuing his vendetta without words. When he passed behind Eddie’s chair, Eddie snagged his hand and squeezed. Buck tried to pull back, but Eddie pressed a quick kiss to his palm. He could feel Buck start to melt before he let go again.

“A seminar.” Bobby’s voice startled them after a successful moment or two of silence. “I think the 118 will host one. You could all use a lesson in professionalism.”

Eddie didn’t dare protest, he was on thin ice, but it didn’t stop Buck or Chimney.

“No way!” Buck wailed, tossing down a stack of napkins. “Those things are always boring and…and taught by people who wear sweater vests!”

“Ugh, sweater vests!” Chimney seconded.

Bobby had started to bring serving dishes to the table that smelled absolutely amazing. Buck trailed behind him, complaining.

“Besides I didn’t do anything, Bobby.” He pointed out. “I passed the quiz, and then I was in the kitchen minding my own business…and helping with dinner.” Buck threw the rest of them under the bus.

“You’ll get paid to sit and listen,” Hen told him, bringing the bread over and sitting down.

“So what? Won’t matter when I’m bored into a coma!” Buck dramatized.  “Remember the Communication in the Workplace one? That dude had a pink sweater vest.”

Bobby rang the bell for dinner, unperturbed by Buck's obvious distress. “Think how much more organized you’ve been since that one,” Bobby told him cheerily. “You love your lists and clipboard.”

Everyone started filing in eager as always to eat. Eddie put his book aside, more than happy for a break. Buck took his seat next to Eddie, reaching for the pasta, but not giving up.

“You have to go too, Cap. To the seminar. Remember you said that number 6 was possible.” Buck shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth.

Bobby sat at the head of the table with a sigh. “I was joking. But of course, I’ll attend, Buck.”  

“He wasn’t joking,” Hen teased with a snicker, “we’ve all met Athena.” Bobby ignored her, but Chimney gave her an enthusiastic fist bump.

“Wait is it because of…you know…” Buck glanced around the table, suddenly uneasy, worried eyes landing on Eddie and lingering. He leaned in close to Bobby, “Eddie and me? Because according to the handbook there’s no rule against ‘fraternizing’ with someone of equal rank. I checked.”

Hen passed the salad to Eddie and offered her support. “He's right, Captain.” She said with a meaningful look.

Eddie accepted the bowl and served himself, trying not to appear too invested in Bobby’s response.

“It’s not because of your…association, per say,” Bobby said, carefully. “It's because I need to rein in the behavior around here. We have gotten too comfortable. This is still a workplace, and…well, I do have concerns Buck.”

That made Buck's whole face light up again, and he looked around the table again.

“That’s ok then because we’re family, right? Families get comfortable, then they talk about their concerns. They don’t host horribly boring seminars on their weekends off, Cap.” Buck beamed, satisfied with his conclusion. Eddie passed him the salad, letting their fingers brush, and found he couldn’t keep quiet.

“It’s not an association, Cap.” Eddie locked eyes with Buck. “It's a relationship. Buck and I. So, if it's a problem, tell us now.”

Eddie swore he could hear the collective intake of breath from everyone gathered. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but he refused to care what anyone else thought. He wanted Buck to be his partner, not his secret to keep.

Bobby set down his fork, slowly nodding, wrapping his head around that. He gave another sigh, a heavy one, but he didn’t look unhappy. Not at all.

“Alright, Diaz, I hear you.” The corners of his mouth were quirking even as he raised an eyebrow. “But you’re finishing that quiz,” he turned his gaze on Buck, “we are having that seminar,” he swept his eyes over everyone at the table, “and no one mentions the number 69 inside these walls again. Now eat!”

[popatochisssp]

if/when you get the energy/time to- im really curious; what kinda fuzzy friends do the newer skeles have? does pitch have a seeing eye-dog version of princess? or does ell and/or nemo have a fuzzy buddy to help with their anxiety or anything similar or in-between? spare fuzzy friend hcs for the poor, ma'am????

Well, you asked for it!

Ash (Undergloom Sans): A cat named Annie (Ragdoll), adopted as an emotional support buddy! She picked him, really, just ambling right on up to him, and it was love at first flop-over-his feet. Having a little sweetheart like her to take care of has really helped to pull Ash out of the doldrums and he loves her a lot. She’s a big-time cuddlebug, just like he is, and they definitely spend a ton of time napping together, everywhere and anywhere.

Annie’s Quirks: Extra chunky (master of the ‘I haven’t been fed yet 🥺’ con), stockpiles socks and undies beneath the bed, shameless catnip junkie

Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): He feels like he’s not as active as he should be, lots of time spent indoors doing academic things, when there’s a whole beautiful world out there that he should be getting out to see at least sometimes... He has the idea that maybe an animal companion would be the right motivation to get up and out at least a couple times a day, and Cannoli (Pembroke Welsh Corgi) is the solution to the problem! They click pretty much immediately and are just very well-suited to each other, especially as exercise partners.

Cannoli’s Quirks: Loves (short) walks, rests his head on any feet that stay still long enough, must sleep in the same bed as the people and will hop/bark/cry if he can’t get up there himself

Brick (Horrorfell Sans):He doesn’t know too much of the story himself, he’s sure he was told in more detail but probably forgot. All he remembers is, a friend of a friend had a dog who had an accident...or maybe it got sick? Either way, it went deaf, and the dog was too big and unwieldy for them to try to retrain themselves. But they had a friend who was HoH, and that friend was active in the community with lots of other signing and HoH folks and could ask around about someone who might be up for the challenge of having and training a real big dog that couldn’t hear a word you said to it. That’s how Brick heard about it, anyway, and he’s not deaf but he’s big, and he figures he probably knows at least enough sign by now to train a dog. And that’s how Tiny (English Mastiff) comes to stay at his place. They clumsily work on understanding each other, it’s definitely a Process, but there’s plenty of fondness there to make any difficulty worth the trouble.

Tiny’s Quirks: Bit of a digging problem, gets very excited about balloons, likes to sit near people and lean his entire weight into them

King (Horrorfell Papyrus): This one may look familiar, but it’s fate-- Doomfanger (Persian) belongs with him and could find her way to him in any universe. ...But King was a little later getting to the Surface, and wasn’t there to pick her up when she was freshly on the streets. She spent awhile longer being an alleycat, a few years of living the rough life, and one day when she’s not quite fast enough to scurry out of the way of an oncoming car, it probably would’ve been the end for her... if not for the kind Samaritan skeleton who was just passing by that scooped her up off the pavement and brought her to a vet. King tried very hard not to get attached to her, especially when it was still looking like she wouldn’t make it, but he kept moving the goalpost of when he’d let himself care about her. ‘IF IT LIVES UNTIL MORNING,’ ‘IF IT MAKES IT TO THE VET,’ ‘IF SHE SURVIVES HER SURGERY,’ ‘IF--’ and then she looks at him, with her goofy drugged up face, freshly missing the foot of her back paw so that they even match now, and... And just like that, Doomfanger has a home and a devoted cat-dad owner and anything else she could possibly need.

Doomfanger’s Quirks: Likes to be raked, makes an incredible fuss when shut out of any room for any reason, very spooked by loud noises and immediately runs and hides under daddy’s bed

Merc (Horrorswap Sans): He wanted a pet, especially when things were still a little strained with his brother and the nature of his...condition...made it difficult to make friends. He was lonely and a little pal would be very welcome in his home, but he’d also really hate to curse a furry friend with the ever-present threat of being dripped on and getting nasty bone-goop stuck in their fur... Ella (Sphynx) is the workaround to this unusual problem and makes herself right at home with Merc, happy to love on him whether he’s solid or sticky.

Ella’s Quirks: Has an extensive collection of sweaters that she adores (will sit by her dresser and meow until she is clothed), great sense for emotions and tends to appear whenever she’s needed, transfixed by mirrors

Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): He didn’t choose Ripley (Maine Coon), Ripley... well, he’s not even sure Ripley chose him. He definitely chose Ella, because that pretty little sweater-wearing vixen in the window is what drove him to bust into Ell and Merc’s house and start sauntering around like he owned the place. Ripley (named before they realized he was a boy-cat) was definitely feral, with a notched ear and a missing eye, but he just keeps coming around, breaking and entering, cuddling with Ella and sharing her food, and when he one day hops into Ell’s lap and curls his big fluffy body up there... Ell makes the (possibly bad) decision to just shut the doors and windows on this mean, fat bastard and make him commit to the self-domestication he’d started. Ripley’s fickle, anti-social, and nine times out of ten mean as hell, but despite it all, Ell’s attached to the fucker. Doesn’t stop him from talking mad shit about his demon-cat to anyone who’ll listen, but y’know, there’s a weird sort of love there, between them both.

Ripley’s Quirks: Hates other cats and people, with Ell and Ella as the only exceptions (Ell sometimes, Ella always), does truly heinous things to birds and rodents and even bugs if the opportunity presents itself, an escape artist who is not to be trusted around doors or windows

Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Ms. Sandy Peaches (Golden Retriever) is a service dog, trained to assist people with visual impairments in a variety of tasks. Pitch, who’d long been mulling over the idea of getting one such dog, eventually follows through, and as soon as he hears her name, he’s decided-- Sandy Peaches is the one for him! He’s been blind awhile by the time he gets her and generally knows his way around things, but she’s very helpful in his day-to-day and some of the things that were moderately inconvenient to get through before are only mildly inconvenient now, and her value as a helper and a companion is much appreciated.

Sandy’s Quirks: Gets excited when it’s time to put her vest on and go work, thinks the appropriate amount of brushing time is probably about three hours, loves to go swimming

Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): He found Dizzy (American Shorthair) after an accidental click led him to a local shelter’s Instagram, where they had a video of her playing and a few hashtags that explained her condition. He learned a lot about cerebellar hypoplasia, aka ‘wobbly cat syndrome,’ and when he eventually made it back to her video and watched it again... it was too late, he was already half in love with her. He contacts the shelter and after a couple weeks making arrangements, purchasing necessities, and wobbly-cat-proofing the house, he braves the outdoors to go get her and bring her home. She’s probably 100% his baby within the first hour and he loves being able to take care of her and help a kitty that not everybody would have the time or dedication to take in. The love is very much mutual and Dizzy’s tail does the ‘omg it’s you, I love you!’ tail-quiver whenever she sees him and trots on over.

Dizzy’s Quirks: Sixth sense for when there’s clean laundry to be laid on, likes to hold extended warbling and yowling conversations with people, chews on anything that crinkles (keep plastic wrappers out of reach!)

Sunny (Gastertale Sans): As soon as he knew he wanted a dog, he knew he wanted to pick up one of the less adoptable ones. Skipper (Beagle mutt) was certainly that, with only two legs--one in front and one in back. Sunny had a play session with the little guy and admired his energy and how enthusiastically he played, like his missing legs didn’t even phase him. Whatever happened in Skipper’s past, he’s not letting it be his problem now, and needless to say, he’s adopted and taken home in pretty short order. No holds barred fetch and spontaneous frolicking in open fields are a great bonding activity for these two, probably a match made in heaven.

Skipper’s Quirks: Tennis ball fiend (literally can never have enough), chews on unattended shoes, loves to sing (read: howl) along to music

Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): He wanted a guard dog, some big intimidating-looking thing that would look really, really cool guard the house. He finds Ace (Doberman/Great Dane), unfortunately with his ears already cropped (Aster wouldn’t have chosen the procedure himself), but otherwise a very handsome fellow and still definitely in need of love and a home, both of which Aster was willing and able to provide. He’s attentive with all the care and training his new pup needs, and when Ace grows up just as huge as predicted, looking like a cross between a panther and a hellhound, he’s become an extremely well-mannered and obedient dog, full to the tips of his pointy ears with love for Aster.

Ace’s Quirks: King of naps, the worst nightmare of any strangers at the door (but very affectionate and loving once they’re in!), will tell you if you’ve stopped petting him too soon, boofing and trying to put your hand back to make you resume

[feysandfeels]

ACOSF: very long, very spoilery review

No one asked me to do this, but I need to talk, discuss and get it all out there.I am still very much feeling the high of this book, but I thought I would share some of my opinions. These of course might change as time passes and I reread the series and the book. But as of now here is where I stand.

If you did not like the book or had many issues with it, maybe this isn’t the post for you.

For reading purposes I will divide this in different sections that I hope can effectively tackle what I want to talk about. 

When I say it’s a long post... I mean it’s long. 

II. Side Characters // III. Future Books.

I. Plot:

From the get go it became obvious that we would face an ACOMAF type of book, in which the development and advancement of the plot would stem largely from the characters. Where MAF created a more equal ratio between action and character, even if it prioritized character, SF really created a 70-30 ration, 70 would be character and 30 action. 

I’ve been seeing a few reviews where people say that there was no plot just sex and Nesta. I disagree. Nesta’s development was the plot. And it makes a lot of sense, to me, why we did not experience a lot of “action plot”: She is not a working member of the Night Court, at least not in the way the IC is in this book, so therefore she will not get full access into the different things that are at play.  Since Nesta is not a working member it makes sense that she is detached from what is happening, apart from the “please help us find these things”. The most action we get comes from Cassian who is more involved in the politic side of things and even then it was explained that he was needed for #InternationalRelationshipsWithEris, because he is a working member of the court. You can tell that they chose him for that because they literally had no one else: Feyre couldn’t risk people finding out she was pregnant, Mor had her own task and is not going to meet regularly with her abuser, Az and Rhys are fucking overworked and Amren is not a people’s person. I would have loved to see more of his work as a general when they are not at war -that we saw more in WAR- we get mentions of what he does but I wished we had gotten more on that front.

 Nesta: I have never hated Nesta, I simply could not see the logic behind her actions and her behavior. I now do. I understand why she came to be and I value her so much more now. Nesta showed another face mental illness can take, how a deep sense of failure can affect you, the darkest thoughts that you are afraid to voice, she voiced. She moved forward and then made mistakes, showing how healing is not linear. Her journey made a lot of sense to me. Her rage made sense to me, her sexuality made a lot of sense to me. I could empathize with her and for that I will be forever grateful, because sometimes rage that comes from a sense of failure is what you will also find in me. 

Her insecurities concerning Cassian, her feelings of unworthiness regarding Feyre, the guilt she felt when she thought of her father, her lack of control regarding the trauma she went. Nesta took all that and made it rage. And I could hardly judge her for that.

Thanks to the way she talked about the mating bond when Cassian was like “we’re mates” I could understand better why Feyre got so upset that Rhys didn’t tell her. The argument of it being tied to their humanity was very interesting.

Also the way that she relates to her power, having lack of control and understanding of what it is (and according to Amren, respect) and having that power being death. You cannot control death, you cannot fully understand it, and yet you have to walk each day with that presence. She has been marked by so much death and grief that I thought it was very appropriate that her journey is marked by her own fear of death and of that which she cannot control: death that now lives in her. There is so much to unpack in that aspect alone.

I loved that final sequence when she gives up her cauldron based powers because those came from rage. She took them when she was raging (and rightfully so) but those nurtured the fury and death she carried with her. So to have her literally give up her death (rage) powers to give live to the sister that literally gave it all for her was a beautiful poignant crystal clear moment –and hella intense too–. There is a sense of gratitud that I feel having read her story. 

Cassian: He was always God Tier for me. His warmth, openness, support and strength spoke to me on a personal level. He is truly the person you want in your life. And I love that we got to see him flawed and make mistakes and be aware of the role he has been playing (regarding Mor and Az, which I think is quite important to the development of that situation). 

As the person closest to Nesta in her recovery, I think it is very important that he knows the deep failure that Nesta is feeling and the sense of not being useful when they should have been. It makes it more clear why he was the one that could actually help her overcome those feelings and the storm they create in her. Now, the way he was supportive of her seems so realistic to me, the frustration, the anger, the wanting to shake the person: all of it happens in real life. You can have a lot of patience and want what’s best for them but some times to yourself and those who are not the person you are trying to help, you can show the frustration of wanting to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, but needs to. 

Finally I LOVED that there was acknowledgement of how observant and intelligent he is. Being a good general is not an easy task and I’m glad they explicitly said it, because Cass being understood as the dumb jock is done at this point. 

The sex: To me sex in SJM’s books are always more than just the wink wink nudge nudge-read it with a glass of wine-moment. They have always been a mechanism for us to get to know more about the characters and where they are in their journey. Even when they were just having sex, the way Nesta describes how open she is with Cassian is a pretty big tell of the groundwork that is being laid for her to start to understand what she feels for him. I think it is interesting to also see it as a reclaiming of her body and an exploration of her body with someone she trusts, as opposed to the way she was using sex to forget and to try to feel. Also, and I’ve said this before the fuck buddies -> lovers is an interesting dynamic, specially specially when every time they are together you know they both want more but they think the other doesn’t! That’s just *chef’s kiss*

The wider conflict: I think this book in the action-political plot was the ACOTAR of the problems we will face in the next ones. In the next one it will be like “shit what did we unleash” and start a political-spying plot. The characters that we all hope we will explore are more connected to the larger schemes that are taking place so we will see an expansion of that. Because this book was very self-contained. Think Guardians in the MCU, but here we have the clues and the basic groundwork for where the “action” part of the story will take is. I do not think it was lacking because from the get go it was shown that the main focus would be Nesta’s personal journey.

[virusinfected-memes]

ANIMAL CROSSING SERIES SENTENCE STARTERS ;

80 starters. Sentences come from all the mainline Animal Crossing entries, and also includes quotes from the spin-off titles Happy Home Designer and Pocket Camp. Feel free to change words and pronouns as needed!

“Never underestimate the value of being just who you are. Life isn’t about being extreme all the time.”

"Sometimes, all it takes is a good friend to remind you of all the things you like about your life...”

“Ack! I lost! My hopes...smashed to bits like some kind of... I can’t even think of an appropriate analogy!”

“It’s a gross world. And I wanna rescue you from it.”

“No, I mean it. I had tacos for lunch. So enjoy the fresh air while you can.”

“But I did learn one thing from the experience. I’M STUPID!”

“Stick to chocolate and comic books. You’re too young for love anyway.”

“It’s always teatime somewhere.”

“You’re looking awful as ever. Who dresses you?”

“Sometimes I like to flush the toilet and just stare into the bowl. It’s kind of relaxing.”

“Please don’t question my driving or parking skills. You couldn’t begin to understand the level I’m on.”

“Did some new, totally rad Nintendo game come out?”

“You’re a little obsessive, aren’t you?”

“Sometimes I think I’d make a pretty darn good househusband. Who knew?”

“Oh, no... No matter how much time passes, I can’t forget him!”

“No matter where you live, one thing stands true... Life costs money.”

“Wait... You weren’t ACTUALLY trying to give me trash for my birthday, were you?”

“Okay, so don’t tell anyone because I’m not proud of this, but I was a little thirsty and kinda desperate.”

“I think I dropped my house key somewhere. That was my favorite key... It opened my house.”

“You filthy ogre! I hope you get stung by a thousand bees!”

“I just feel like life is all rainbows and flowers lately.”

“I’d tell you what I was dreaming about, but I’m not sure you can handle it. How old are you?”

“Um, I asked for something cool...and this is not it.”

“Even though you bug me sometimes, I don’t ever want to fight with you.”

“Rivers...are just fish roads.”

“_____?! What are you doing up?! It’s past your bedtime!”

“I’d offer you something to eat, but I don’t want to. Hey, it’s my house. Get your own food.”

“Explore all the things that make you happy now, and you’ll discover what you really want out of life later.”

“C’mon! Say something amazing! Treat me like a pretty princess!”

“If you ever need anything, anything at all, and I can do it without moving from this spot, just ask.”

“Shut up! You lookin’ for a fight? No? Then back off, buddy!”

“Hey, how about you letting me spend the night tonight?”

“Since I can’t cook, I just played Super Chef RPG IV for 24 hours...”

“You know what? I thought of you the other day, and it filled me with warm fuzzy feelings! For the record, I was also thinking about puppies, so you were in good company.”

“You can just forget about being friends with me!”

“It’s good to appreciate the times when you’ve got nowhere to be and nothing to do.”

“Yeah, exercise is totally hard and stuff. I think I’m gonna go take a nap and read a book or whatever.”

“Planning to do some post-midnight mischief? Yeah, me neither.”

“Do you need someone to share a snack with you? I’ll share a snack with you!”

“Ya ever just feel like cryin’? Me too!”

“We meet people, get to know them, and then they get up and leave us behind.”

“I don’t know if I told you this, but I’m allergic to bad vibes. When they’re nearby, I can’t help but... ACHOO! Oh, no! Bad vibes in the vicinity! This is not a drill!”

“Weeds are just flowers that no one thinks are pretty. That’s sort of depressing, isn’t it?”

“A joke for my birthday?! Nobody’s ever gotten me a joke before! The only thing is? This joke...IS NOT FUNNY! IT’S GARBAGE!”

“It’s kinda weird how being irresponsible with money can be rewarding, isn’t it?”

“You’re already mature for your age. My suggestion is to just be yourself. Don’t change to impress others.”

“I resolve to focus less on others and more on what really matters. ME!”

“Time to worry about an insignificant conversation that happened 15 years ago!”

“I used to be so focused. But now it’s like I just can’t...you know...do...stuff.”

“WHAT’S GOING ON?! THE RAGE! IT’S TAKING ME!”

“You are SO going to lose all of your friends if you keep acting like such a complete steakhead.”

“I’ve learned that you can’t get too connected to the people in your life.”

“I gotta admit, I really love that one show where all those people do the stuff and then something happens.”

“Just because two people are good friends doesn’t mean they’d make a good couple.”

“I was happy at first. But then I cried. And then it was kinda okay. But then I totally cried again.”

“The shortest route to getting something done is to just do it!”

“If you get scared, don’t hesitate to leap into my arms! I won’t be able to protect you in any way, but it might look cool.”

“NO ONE EVER UNDERSTANDS ME! I’M HUNGRY ALL THE TIME AND NO ONE CAAARES!”

“Whenever we talk, I feel like there’s a lot more going on inside you than you ever let anyone see.”

“Hi. I lost my voice. I was trying to be a heavy-metal singer. Instead of a pop star... I am SO not metal.”

“You’re just like a BABY! Waaah! Waah! WAAAAAAAH! Feed me! Feed me! I’m a wee baby!”

“Even the peppiest of people feel blue sometimes. It’s a sad fact of life.”

“Believe it or not, I feel like I’ve known you for a long time.”

“But I’m already pretty cute already... So, even cuter clothes might be...um...overkill.”

“After all, I’m beautiful, but I am also...deadly.”

“Even when I didn’t see you in real life, you made special guest appearances in my dreams!”

“You think my lips are cute? Why, do you want me to smooch you or something?”

“Wanna know something sad? There are some things about places you just don’t realize until you leave them.”

“If you don’t stop pushin’ me, I’ll be forced to break out the bicep canons!”

“I used to get taller on birthdays. Now I’m usually just wider.”

“I don’t like seeing you hurt, even if it’s just pretend... I can’t help that I care about you so much.”

“I’m terribly sorry, but nature is not always family friendly!”

“I’m soooooooo broke! Whaaaaaaa!”

“I guess I just went into fight or flight mode, you know? Only my “flight” is more like “cry.”

“Should we invent something? Destroy something? Invent something that destroys things?”

“Sometimes your heart tells you when you’re in love. Your tummy too. Both can sure make you sick.”

“You want another one? That seems a little greedy, don’t you think?”

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away. An onion a day keeps everyone away.”

“I really watched my...language...here today. I’m not usually quite so...you know, so polite.”

And remember that bad times...are just times that are bad.”

[echo-three-one]

Chapter 39

The Road So Far

Is this still worth it?

The SEVEN Inch Wound

Gary 'Roach' Sanderson

Task Force 141 Base - Gym

Roach finally got his seal of approval. After weeks of physical therapy and daily check ups, he was now finally fit for battle and he was lucky enough that Nero was still under the radar. He wouldn't want to miss out on the battle he started. He was lucky enough that they were exonerated when Shepherd surrendered, because if they continued to be fugitives, Roach would not have access to appropriate medical attention.

It has been almost a month after the events in Afghanistan and Task Force 141 was already re-established, Samantha and Maxine were housed on a nearby compound where veteran's families lived under the safety of government protection. During his time in the infirmary, Maxine was always there to visit, telling him tales about dreams she recovered as time went by. Roach was glad she was returning to normal and that no matter how her memories came back, her treatment towards him was the same.

"Good to see you back on your feet, my man." Rocket went up to him and did their fist bump, a series of elaborate claps then finished off with finger guns accompanied by their almost realistic attempt at pistol fires.

"Haha. Yeah? I'm glad I'm back." He waved as Rocket pointed at his back. Roach turned to see Maxine, carrying a packed lunch, waiting at the end of the hallway.

"Hey you. Just in time for lunch as always." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her as they made their way to the mess hall.

"Glad to see you smiling and walking about." She says, as her palms ran across his firm chest, tracing the scar that changed his life.

"Yeah, finally passed the damn physical test." He grinned as they sat down at their usual table, the only table which consisted of two tables stuck together to form an eight seater.

The rest of Roach's closest comrades were already there. Alex, guessing what Samantha packed for him. Soap and France arguing which meal choice was best for them and Ghost, who was already halfway through his lunch while the rest of his comrades haven't even started yet.

"Good to have you back, buddy." Ghost greeted with a wide grin on his face, well technically only half of his face was shown.

"Hey man. I sure am glad. How have you been doing?" he joked. They constantly visit him in their free time, so there was actually nothing to catch up on.

"The rest of the squad proceeded to badger Roach with questions about everything they wanted to know. Roach enjoyed the hot seat as the military mess hall felt like the university cafeteria.

"So, any news about Nero?" He finally asked as soon as everyone was done with him. The table felt awfully quiet.

"None." France was the first to speak up. Everyone else nodded and frowned.

"Shit. Guess our only choice is to wait." He added.

"Shepherd didn't have any leads towards Nero. Their last contact was the exchange of blueprints and after that, he was gone." Soap explained the situation.

"The missing persons?" Gary asked.

"Still missing." Alex commented.

"And there are still a few additions every other day as indicated by the FBI and DHS." Ghost added.

"Is interpol still involved?" Roach turned to Ghost.

"They're still after the traces of EMP equipment from the missing persons. Their new lead is that Nero's team is trying out a lethal kind of grenade. One that explodes without damaging property. If he's planning invasion, this is actually a good idea without ruining too much of the invaded country." He replied. Roach nodded at the theory. EMPs only damage mechanical equipment and this was a good call for the bad side.

"I never knew they'd think of this kind of weaponry. I always expected bioweapons being the last of modern warfare." Ghost muttered.

"Well, that was what happened in Verdansk and we stopped it. We could do that again." Alex tried to boost morale.

"Yeah. We'll do whatever it takes." Roach agreed and they continued lunch.

By the time he started training, Roach focused back on his Sniper techniques. His wound may have affected his previous breathing training and it was only inevitable that he'd train it again. He wanted to master the long ranged rifle as it was vital towards his development as a soldier.

"Back on the scope huh." Ghost huffed as they reached their 200 yard mark, by the hill just outside the base.

"Glad you could help me on this one." Roach unzipped the sniper bag and began scouting the area.

"You sure this is your spot?" Ghost asked, using his hand as a visor against the hot afternoon sun.

"Yeah. This fits."

"Suit yourself." He chuckled as Roach snapped every attachment of the rifle, from the bipod stand to the clicker adjustments.

He peeked at the scope and looked at his target. Five small cans standing on top of a log 200 yards away.

"Remember what I told you." Ghost mused as he looked at Roach steadying his breathing.

"Damn." He added as he noticed the change in wind.

"Yeah, damn. I just was about to fire it." Roach muttered as he took another deep breath and began to hold still as his crosshairs adjusted to the shift.

A loud fire echoed across the hills as dust scattered on the ground where Roach fired. He was about a few inches off.

"Great. Do that again but change your adjustments." Ghost said as consolation.

"Yeah got it." He rolled his dial once again and accounted for the wind, easing his breath and fired again. The loud sound once again echoed through the hills, followed by a soft metal can flying away from the log.

"There you go! A clean hit." Ghost congratulated as he tapped Roach's back while he reloaded his sniper and aimed again.

Roach stayed at that spot until it was too dark to continue and Ghost accompanied him until such time. On their way back, Ghost opened up to something that has been bothering him ever since.

"Roach. Do you mind if I say something important?" He asked and it made Roach stop on his tracks.

"Yeah. What's up." Roach asked.

"I've already sent my formal letter, but I just wanted you to have a heads up on the matter." Formal letter. Roach's heart started to pound as his mind automatically thought of him quitting or leaving.

"Letter about?" he asked. His mouth almost felt dry. He didn't want him to leave. Not again.

"Transferring department. Alexandra offered me a spot on the Interpol. I told you this first because I knew that if you were on my shoes, you'd go too, right? Do whatever makes you happy?" he said, quoting Roach's famous words.

He isn't wrong about doing what makes him happy, but his decision didn't feel right either, or maybe because he just doesn't want Ghost to go.

"Well, you bet I'd go for that option too!" Roach said, trying to validate his decision despite not wanting it. It was sad to see him go, but for the first time in ages, Ghost actually acknowledged the term happy.

"I knew you'd understand." he smiled and continued their trail back to the base where Roach remained quiet until they reached the base just in time for dinner.

After dinner, Roach opted for a night jog around the base to clear his mind off of Ghost leaving. After the second lap, he soon noticed Alex catching up to him.

"Wonderful weather for an evening run, huh?" He asked all cheery as he's quite used to his heavier and more realistic leg.

"Yeah. It is. Good to see you're liking Samantha's surprise." Gary nodded and removed his earphones.

"You know, it's really a surprise when I'm the only one who doesn't know about it." He commented.

"It feels like a real leg, actually. The wonders of modern technology never ceases to amaze me." He mused as they both took the turn.

"Yeah? That's good to hear. Pretty sure Samantha loved the way you thanked her." Roach teased as Alex chuckled, like he recalled some memory.

"Oh yeah, she did." Alex nodded suggestively, the kind that Roach didn't want to ask anymore.

"This your last lap?" Roach asked as Alex slowed down for his cooldown, turning to the set of exercise bars.

"Yep. See ya!" He waved as he started his cooldown.

Gary took three more laps just to make sure he's exhausted for the night, so that once he got in his bed, no more thoughts would assault his mind, hindering him from sleep.

There was only one way out of it. And it was accepting Ghost's inevitable departure from the 141.

The next morning, the 141 was briefed on a possible lead on Nero. This time, Ghost wasn't in the room and that meant that his letter was now approved.

"Okay lads. We've received word on a supply drop activity from Nero. We intercepted an unencrypted call signal to an abandoned port just off the coast of Sierra Leone, Africa. If intel is correct, we're going to be dealing with someone who goes by 'Volt', Nero's bomb maker." Price paced in front of the huge screen showing details regarding their mission.

"Volt is a high value individual who must not be killed. He's our only hope towards Nero. The intercepted call came from the USA, and it's quite impossible that Nero is here, so he must've used a secure line. Jack will be staying in the base as our new Operations Command as suggested by Laswell. Overlord will continue his role as our commanding officer as well." Price added making clear about the jurisdiction.

"Damp and dry Africa." Soap muttered.

"Have you been there?" France asked.

"Only in Egypt. My mom used to tag me along her trips." he replied.

"Recon suggests a high chance of militia activity, so our standard rules of engagement; treat anyone as hostile. Volt's compound will be surrounded by his own personal army and they're willing to shoot any unwanted visitors. He also has access to a port, so I'm sending the Charlie team to stand by the shore and make sure they're not planning an escape." he added.

"I'm leading the Alpha team and our task is to infiltrate his base and secure Volt for intel. Bravo team, led by Alex, will act as our support when things go south. As bonus, we need to destroy any trace of bomb making equipment.

Roach, I want you to man our new air support tools from above as soon as we confirm that there are no SAMs on his base." He shot his glare on Roach and he nodded. Guess he isn't on the ground tomorrow.

"We leave tomorrow at 0300. Make your necessary preparations especially on our brand new comms equipment. Ones that are immune to EMP blasts. Dismissed." He said as everyone got up and went on their way. Gary purposefully left himself behind so he could ask Price about the Ghost situation.

"Hey there lad. You feeling good?" Price approached as soon as he noticed Roach.

"I just have a question about the mission."

"Sure. What about it? Any suggestions?"

"No no. The plan is fine. Where will Ghost be?" Price gave him a worried stare.

"Ah. Didn't he tell you about his transfer?" He crossed his arms and stared at Roach.

"He did… but why did you allow it?"

"Well, it certainly looked like he was happy to go there. And I had no power over his commendations." Price reasoned as they walked out of the briefing room.

"Oh. I thought he was going to have one last mission with us." Roach smiled as he walked back to the room. Ghost wasn't a fan of goodbyes. Maybe because he knew they'll meet again.

0300H

Sierra Leone, Africa

"This is Hunter One-One requesting sitrep, over." Roach phoned his allies who were already on the ground for support. This mission was their vital lead towards Nero. He wished that the guy Volt was here so that they could finally finish the war before everyone else gets hurt.

Before he could man the air support, he needed to confirm that there were no SAMs present on their base so he could safely provide suppressing fire from above.

Next Chapter : The SIXth Ship

Notification Squad my Beloved

@whimsywispsblog @ricinbach @bumblingbee1 @smokeywhalee @samatedeansbroccoli @enderio

[thegeminisage]

Wait hold up… would you be willing to deposit some of the tlou 2 shit talking onto the blog? Apologies if you’ve already posted about this before and I just missed it

this will inevitably show up in the tlou2 tag where i do not want it to so strangers please know i do NNNOT want to debate about it with tlou2 defenders i am simply answering an ask if you try to argue with me or engage me on my post i'm just gonna block you and delete your reply if you send me an ask that gets deleted too. don't waste your time or mine thank you <3

ok i have posts here here and here that i made as i went thru the game but to add to those (cut for length + spoilers + discussion of upsetting content - racism, violence, etc):

i think the bait and switch they were going for (that initially you side with ellie and feels what she does is justified and halfway through the game you flip and side with abby and begin to see ellie as a monster) was DOOMED to fail because of three reasons: primarily, that people love joel and ellie so much that some of them were never going to side with abby; secondly, that abby took a long time to grow on most of the audience because most of the empathy for her comes from her scenes with lev and the rest of her group is kind of flat and boring; thirdly, because based on Values different people are going to have very different reactions to ellie torturing and executing a black woman and getting lovingly comforted afterwards by her brown girlfriend in a game and i cannot stress this enough that was released on juneteenth - and i don't even think they released it on juneteenth on purpose, i think that happened to be the friday before father's day and that they weren't thinking about black people or black issues at all, which is pretty par for the course as far as these games go

i think druckmann thought people would kind of eagerly execute nora the first go round because they hated her for her part in joel's death and then later realize that was monstrous and ellie is a monster and Oh God I Executed Her Too I'm Complicit! but like because of the protests happening around that time it just comes off as...extremely tone deaf. and the game literally doesn't give you a choice, other than to turn it off and quit. to get to the end of this thing you paid $60 for you have to do it. so like ??? who's the one who's complicit here? i didn't write that game, druckmann did

I also think the game could have had ellie learn the lesson it was trying to teach maybe ten hours sooner??? like, she let abby go in the end, but the ending of her coming home to nothing would have almost been more powerful if she had killed her. like congratulations you shithead you got what you wanted how does it feel! i think maybe they didn't have ellie kill abby because they didn't want her to be completely irredeemable but the way it's written invariably huge swathes of the audience will have already found her to be a monster a third of the way thru the game or will never decide she's a monster no matter what. they could have had that same fight in seattle on day 3 but instead we have to have abby and lev kept as slaves first and then beaten and starved and literally left for the crows to eat. if the game had ended with the shocking horror of that leading to either ellie either killing abby (partially out of mercy) or saving her and letting her go i could have dealt with it - it might have been especially effective if that was your only real choice in the game - but it just would not stop and would not end. and like lol of course we're gonna include slavery in this game and release it on again juneteenth like...buddy...

i could have even dealt with like, abby meets up with lev and they attempt to rescue abby from the slavers together but they find her like that and lev begs for her life, putting abby in the position that joel was in at the beginning of the game, and putting ellie in the position that abby was, and lev in the position that ellie was. like and THEN she chooses to do it different, you know?

but instead it's 75% misery porn, it's not very well paced, and almost all of the character interactions fall flat, and the ones that DON'T we don't see nearly enough of. tlou1 was one of the best games ever written, it was perfectly paced, and even for all the bleak misery and hopelessness the setting offered there was always something to fight for and some joy in the characters being there together. tlou2 was almost completely joyless, and it just feels like druckmann got all that money and manpower to work through something* he could have done with an essay or some therapy sessions or whatever

* reportedly this game was partially inspired by druckmann's reaction to a lynching and the extremely normal justifiable and appropriate reaction he had to it, which was that he wanted to hurt the people doing the lynching. instead of being like "yeah lynching is bad fuck those guys i hope they die" he became uncomfortable with that feeling of wishing violence on someone and made tlou2 to tell us about why wishing violence on people is bad, even if they appear to be bad people. which like. ok. you took all those years to waste all that goodwill and untold manpower and money with one of the worst and most miserable development periods to tell us that? really??

anyway, it was always going to be a polarizing experience because he chose to kill joel and the audience's feelings on joel were polarized by the end of tlou1 but from what i can tell "polarizing" here means half the people who hate it hate it for one reason and half the people who hate it hate it for the other reason - and unfortunately not as many folks fall in the middle, but somehow it still won awards? god ok i'm done now i'm literally never talking about tlou on this blog again if anybody else asks i can link them to this post

[renthony]

Betta 101: A Care Guide For the Uninformed

Y’all know betta fish, those cute little fuckers that want to fight anything and everything. These are my tiny assholes, Helios and Mercury:

[Image description: Two side-by-side photos of betta fish. The first photo shows Helios, a black halfmoon betta with yellow fins. He is swimming through the leaves of a plant rooted in colorful gravel. The second photo shows Mercury, a purple and pink veiltail betta, resting idle at the top of his aquarium. End image description.]

Betta fish are some of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby, and no wonder! They’re cute! They have a wide variety of colors and fin shapes, and each one is truly beautiful. They stand out in any aquarium, especially in aquariums with darker-colored decorations.

The thing about bettas, though, is that there are a lot of misconceptions about how to take care of them. Every few days I see someone else buying a betta that they’re not equipped to care for, and it makes me so sad.

Because bettas are so damn popular, they’re also, sadly, one of the most mistreated pet fish on the market. Since I’ve spent a lot of time both learning about and caring for betta fish, I thought I’d put together a quick 101 guide and resource list for anyone interested in getting a betta of their own!

This’ll be pretty long, so the rest of the post is under a cut.

Rule Number One: Bettas are not decorations!

Because betta fish are so beautiful and attention-grabbing, they’re often thought of, and used as, nothing more than decorations. Betta fish in tiny bowls or cups are used as centerpieces at weddings, bettas get added to vases of cut flowers to add some pizzazz, and bettas get put in artsy glass bowls to brighten up some bank manager’s office somewhere.

None of those are acceptable ways to house a betta fish! Bettas are not decorations, and they need to be cared for by someone who loves and values them as a living creature, not an attention-grabbing bauble.

Rule Number Two: Bowls are bad!

There’s a very persistent myth about betta fish: “they live in puddles, so they don’t need very much space.” It’s why they wind up in things like centerpieces and vases so often. The thing is, just because betta fish are capable of surviving harsh conditions and minimal amounts of water for a while, it doesn’t mean they’re able to thrive.

Betta fish do not naturally live in puddles! They are native to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and live in rivers, canals, and bodies of standing water such as rice paddies and flood plains. If a betta lives in a rice paddy or floodplain and the water level drastically decreases, bettas are equipped to survive those harsh conditions for a short period of time, but it is not a healthy way for them to live their entire lives. They require plenty of space to swim and claim territory.

The suggested minimum amount of water for a pet betta fish is 2.5 gallons, or 9.5 litres. Personally, I don’t like to keep a betta in anything less than 5 gallons, or 19 litres, but that’s just my preference because, on average, the smaller the aquarium, the more frequent the need for water changes and maintenance. Currently, the smallest tank I have is 10 gallons, which houses a single betta.

Rule Number Three: Temperature is important!

Wild bettas live in a tropical environment, which needs they need warmer water! Your betta aquarium should have a consistent, steady water temperature of between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or 23 to 27 degrees Celsius.

Some people who live in warmer climates may not need to use a constant heater, but every aquarium should have a thermometer so you can check the temperature. If you can’t maintain a betta-appropriate temperature without a heater, you’ll need to get one.

Some aquarium heaters are pre-set to specific temperatures, which are fine as long as they’re preset to the right one, and some heaters are adjustable -- it doesn’t matter which one you get and is largely a matter of preference. I have both types of heater and find them equally easy to use, though adjustable heaters have the benefit of versatility should you want to keep different fish in the future.

Rule Number Four: Filters are a must!

You need a filter, period. There are many types of filter, and aquarium hobbyists have different preferences for different fish, but what matters is that a filter exists in your tank. The hang-on-the-back style filters that come in most aquarium kits are perfectly fine, though it’s important that your filter has a low flow, because betta fish can be battered around by strong currents in an aquarium. You should also avoid under-the-gravel style filters, as they are largely not effective enough to filter an appropriately-sized tank.

For those looking for a budget-friendly option, many betta keepers love sponge filters! I personally don’t use them, not for any particular reason other than hang-on-the-back filters were what I had on hand.

I personally don’t have a lot of experience with every kind of filter, so if you’re interested in more details about your filter options, I recommend these YouTube videos:

How to Choose The Right Filter For Your Aquarium!

10 Things You Should Know About Aquarium Filters

Fish Tank Filter Basics!

The BEST Aquarium Filter for BEGINNERS?

Rule Number Five: Careful with decor!

Bettas have very delicate fins that can be easily caught and shredded on sharp decorations. Most plastic plants are dangerous to bettas for this reason. The general guideline for betta-safe decorations is that if you can lightly sweep a single piece of toilet paper across the surface of a decoration without ripping, it should be safe for your betta. If the TP rips, it’s not a betta-safe decoration.

If you notice your betta’s fins are ripped or damaged, and it isn’t a case of fin rot*, it could be damage due to a sharp decoration that you need to remove.

You should also be careful not to use any decorations that might leech paint or other harmful chemicals into your aquarium water. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and choose a different decoration.

* For more about fin rot, see this YouTube video: FIN ROT Fish Disease Prevention and Treatment

Rule Number Six: Bettas need hiding places!

A betta fish’s natural environment is filled with plants and plenty of places to hide, so you should provide them in your aquarium!

Live plants such as anubias and java fern, and floating plants such as salvinia and Amazon frogbit, are perfect and typically easy to find in aquarium shops. With betta fish, there really is no such thing as “too many plants.”

Live plants can be intimidating, though, especially for new aquarium hobbyists. If you can’t find or don’t want live plants, you can get your betta some silk ones instead.

You should also provide things like caves for your betta to hide in. These can be whatever you’d like, from natural-looking logs to hollowed-out coconut shells to colorful themed decor. Just remember what I said up in rule number four about sharp plastic and chemicals!

Rule Number Seven: Careful with tankmates!

Betta fish are highly territorial and extremely aggressive. If you put more than one male betta fish in a tank, they will kill each other, full stop. Your betta does not need a buddy to keep him from getting lonely, end of story, and intentionally housing multiple male betta fish together is blatant animal cruelty.

So don’t do it.

Some experienced betta keepers may keep multiple female betta fish together in an aquarium called a “sorority tank,” but it must be done extremely carefully, and may still be prone to fighting, so this isn’t something you should do if you’ve never kept bettas before.

Male and female fish are never kept together except for supervised mating by an experienced breeder. In the wild, female bettas are able to leave as soon as they release their eggs, leaving the male fish to tend the nest of eggs. In an aquarium, a female must be removed immediately after releasing her eggs, or the two fish will fight, most likely to the death.

While betta fish are territorial and aggressive, and can’t be housed with their own species, they can sometimes be kept with other species of fish. Mileage varies depending on the individual temperaments of your fish, though, and you should carefully research any species you intend to house together.

I have experience keeping my bettas with snails and neon tetras, and they all get along just fine, but other betta keepers have had different experience. For more information on selecting potential tankmates, check out the YouTube videos below:

Top 10 Tank Mates For Bettas

7 Most Popular Betta Tank Mates You Need to Try

Betta Fish Tank Mates | Top 10 Most Popular Tank Mates For Bettas

BETTA FISH TANK MATES | 10 More Great Tank Mates For Bettas

Compatible Tank Mates for Betta Fish

Top 4 Betta Tank Mates

Rule Number Eight: Know your aquarium 101!

If you’re an experienced aquarium keeper, congrats, those are pretty much all the basics of betta fish! There’s plenty more information out there about details and specifics that I encourage you to go out and research, but I’ve pretty much covered Betta 101!

For more information, check out these YouTube playlists:

Betta Fish Care 101

Better Know a Betta

Betta Fish Information

Your First Betta Tank

For those who have never kept fish before, there’s a lot to it that you need to know, and would make this post way, way too long.

So! If you don’t know what a nitrogen cycle is, or how to acclimate a fish, or how to condition water, here’s a list of Fish 101 playlists YouTube. Be sure to do plenty of research, and good luck on setting up your first aquarium!

Fish Keeping 101

The Fish Keeper’s Guide to Aquariums

Beginner’s Guide to Setting Up an Aquarium

The Ultimate Guide to Your First Aquarium

Bonus: Have fun!

I know this giant post seems intimidating, but setting up and maintaining betta aquariums is some of the most fun I’ve had in a hobby. I find everything about these little fish to be utterly delightful, and if you do, too, I promise you all the time and investment is worth it.

Go forth and have fun, and don’t hesitate to show me pictures of your betta!

___

Like this post? Reblogs are better than likes! I also have a Ko-Fi profile if you’re feeling generous. Thanks so much!

[burnedbyshoto]

Caught In the Act

Kinktober Day 15 ~ kink: almost being caught

pairing: takami keigo (hawks) x fem!reader

warnings: smut, cursing

word count: 4,895

a/n: SORRY THIS IS LATEEEEEE!!!!! MY FAMILY WAS VISITING ALL DAY AND I DIDNT GET THIS DONE AND MY ROOMMATE GOT A FUCKING CONCUSSION SO I WAS TAKING CARE OF HERRRRRR BUT OMGGGGGG I LOVE THIS PIECE ;) READ IT

✩✶✩❇✩✶✩

“We shouldn’t--oh my god--be doing this here!”

The closest thing to a committed relationship you had came in the form of you and your job. Yes, you had your friends, but you were a very focused individual. You valued your work, and you were insistent on making sure you did the very best that you could. So did you have a boyfriend? No. Did you have a girlfriend? Definitely not. Did you have a single significant other in any type of form? That would be a hard no.

There was nothing in this world that was tying you down.

But if you were being one hundred percent factual... you did have a “committed relationship” with none other than the Winged Hero: Hawks.

Your head tilted back, your chest heaving as your breasts were very exposed. Your eyes despite drowning with lust kept snapping towards the open door. The snap of Hawk’s hips, however, sends you sputtering again as you cling even closer to him. You weren’t even sure when this relationship started, or even how it came to be.

You were the number twelve hero, of course not bad at all. But not of high status to ever capture the high ranking hero. All you can recall is seeing him once in your agency’s area. The bird-like man apologizing as he stole your win right from under your nose. He claimed that it looked like you were needing some help, you didn’t, and he was only trying to help, he shouldn’t. With enough spitfire to make Hawks uneasy, you had stood there and argued with him about how ignorant he was. All because he stole your case with a terrible apology and reason. You were a goddamn Pro-Hero, you didn’t need help! Especially not when you had sidekicks who balanced out your weaknesses.

It didn’t take much for the two of you to find yourself in an empty alleyway, lips smashing against each other. Costumes being half removed as your sidekicks wondered where in the hell the two of you had gone.

That was nearing a year ago, and to this day, whenever you met Hawks you two fucking was inevitable. But the thing about the rather nonchalant hero was that he enjoyed--he craved--the adrenaline almost being caught. So every time without fail, even at this very moment, he had you squirming to keep quiet. Craving to be loud. Desperate to fucked correctly.

You hiss as the tip of his cock easily finds your g-spot. The two of you have fucked for so long it only took him a few muscle memory thrusts to get to it.

“You’re so loud as always,” Hawks--you refused to call him Takami or Keigo as you were fuck buddies--laughs into your ear.

Your eyes rolling, not from annoyance, but because of the speed he is thrusting against your g-spot. Your fingernails scrape against his bare shoulders. His jacket removed because he enjoyed the thrill of not being clothed to completion. It was to the point that with every successive month he would begin stripping more clothes off the two of you. He was drunk off the high that came with these sessions.

“I can be louder,” You gasp as the stubble of his cheeks brushes against your sensitive skin. His mouth capturing your hardened nipple as your back continued to slam against the wall. “If you would fuck me properly--shit--against a bed in a p-private room you would find out!” Your voice ends on a pitchy note, your back arching as he sucks against your nipple. His blazing finger pressing against your cold clit.

“As much as I would love to do that,” Hawks chuckles against the valley of your breasts. Your hands going from supporting your weight on the wall to locking in on his ridiculously soft hair. “I prefer having images of you like this. Up against the wall. Bouncing on my cock. Shaking because I make you feel so good.” His mouth sucks against your collarbone. “Your worried eyes shooting towards where anyone can walk in on us every five seconds.” His tongue trails from your jugular to the bottom of your ear, your voice whimpering at the feeling. “You’re insatiable to me, y/h/n, and you can’t blame me for being in love with this adrenaline high.”

Your lips connect with his own. Your eyes clenching together as his tongue tangles with yours. Pleasure shooting throughout your body as he has you on edge. You can feel your walls spasming against his thrusting cock. Your fingers tugging at his hair as your way of warning him.

Hawks pulled away, his lips shining with your mixed saliva. You resist the lewd scream that threatens to escape your mouth as his speed quickens.

“Where’s Hawks and y/h/n?” A voice calls from the distance, and your eyes widen. You were not appropriate for anyone to find you, and the damn door was partially open.

“Better come soon…” Hawks mutters, a cunning grin on his face. As if he wasn’t already fucking you at a high speed, he only gets faster. Your back hitting the wall with repetitive low thuds as footsteps approached.

Your gasps increased as you buried your mouth into the crook of his shoulder. “You’re almost there, sweetheart.” Hawks chuckles, and you nod your head in agreement. Waves of pleasure were beating inside of you. Your legs only wrapped tighter against his slim waist. Your arms trembling as your hips began circling against his own. His fingers pinch your clit, and it’s over.

The wave of pleasure comes crashing down hard over you. Your vision turning white as you splutter into his neck. Your body trembling as your orgasm overwhelms you.

“Hawks? Y/h/n?” The voices are nearer, and Hawks is desperate to clear his orgasm. If he was nervous, he did not try to hide it as a lazy grin covers his face. In contrast, your weak body held onto him tighter.

You can feel him unload within you, a low grunt in his throat as his thrusts slow down significantly. His breathing labored as the voices only seem next door now. Before you can even react, you’re on your feet. Uniforms are thrown into place by his feathers as Hawks is now on the opposite side of the room, jacket on.

Your eyes are wide. Your body trembling against the wall as the door opens, and your sidekicks are very relieved to find the two of you.

“They’re ready for us!” Your sidekick informs, a confused look in her eye.

Your head nods, looking over at Hawks who looks up at you all as if he was finally in the conversations. You take off without waiting for him. Your cheeks feeling like they were on fire as you feel his come slowly seeping out of you.

“You had a feather in your hair!” Hawks sidekick says, and you freeze as it’s removed. You felt like you were about to die on the inside. You snap your gaze over to Hawks who looks shocked at this revelation.

“Keep your fucking chicken feathers off my body!” You snap, trying not to tremble as you storm away. Your sidekicks stare shocked at each other as you and Hawks walk away, bickering with each other.

“For two people who didn’t seem to get along, they are always in the same room together.” Your sidekick murmurs, her eyes wide.

“Tell me about it…”

✩✶✩❇✩✶✩

Now, you would never say you were dick crazy.

That was a very false statement. You could admit you enjoyed your sex life and looked forward to the next session. What you were doing now was something you were very embarrassed about.

On top of the highest tower in Tokyo, in the middle of the damn day, you were on your knees. Hawks cock sliding further down your throat as you sucked him off.

Hawks moans loudly, his head dipping back as your fingers tightened around the back of his thighs. Your head worked in synch with his moving hips, your head bobbing against his hard length. The soft gags that escape your throat only willing on the Pro-Hero to try getting you closer to the edge. Desperate for someone to try and see you blowing him.

Your eyes fluttered as you stare up at him, his brown eyes sparkling with amusement. His gloved hands rake through your hair, dainty words escaping his lips as he encouraged you on.

You groaned as your mouth took him in further. Your vocal vibrations that shot against his heated skin made Hawks curse your name.

“Shit,” He hisses as his hips snap into your mouth.

You gag as he hits the back of your throat at full force. Tears springing into your eyes as you try adjusting to having his length in your mouth. You grasp the back of his legs as you open your mouth further, his hips snapping into your mouth with no mercy.

His hair pulling at your hair as he grunts, “Look at me, I want you to look at me.” He growls as you. “Don’t you dare look away.”

The simple command sends pressure through your body. The liquid heat of your arousal soaking through your panties.

You moan around his dick, his hips relentless in their conquest. Your eyes can barely keep themselves locked on Hawk's as he fucks your face. “You’re so pretty when you’re choking on my cock, sweetheart.” Hawk's groans as dick spam within your mouth, and you choke around him. Fire erupting in your lungs from the lack of oxygen, but it feels so good. You fall further against his moving cock. Your nose brushing against his soft and trimmed pubes.

You savor the feeling of the head of his manhood hitting the back of your throat, but your lungs scream for air. You have to pull away despite his grip on your hair. You gasp for breath before going back onto his cock, once more gagging on his length. You repeated the action, feeling Hawks hit the back of your throat as you continue sucking his dick. Your fingers hastening forth to fondle his balls, and he curses your name.

It’s your first name this time that escapes his lips, and it sends a spine chilling sensation down your body. You hum as your mouth sinks against his full length until your lips brush against the base of his cock.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Hawks grunts, his head tilting back as he unloads in your awaiting mouth. His hot seed shooting down your throat as you choke. Pulling away, you heave as he picks up his pants, a shaking grin on his face. “You’re so pretty on your knees for me.” He says as his hand helps you up from the floor.

Your body wobbles as he settles you onto your feet, and he points down. “Do you think we got caught?” He whispers to you.

Your eyes widen as you look down, a group of civilians gathered by the window as they waved. Their cameras on display in their hands.

“Considering that they don’t look disgusted, I’m going to say no.” You whisper, gratefulness in your tone as Hawks scoops you off the roof.

“Alright sweetheart, I think it’s time for us to find our sidekicks.” He says jumping off the roof.

It didn’t seem to matter how many times Hawks did this with you, your arms tightening around his neck as he flew. Your stomach dropping as you looked at the ground below.

“You wanna know a secret, y/n.” Hawks asks you, and you still, not sure if you heard your first name from him again or not. Nonetheless, your head nods. Your arms tightening around him as you feared him dropping you from this height. It was irrational because he never would do it. But still, it was something you couldn’t keep yourself from feeling. “I like fucking you up on buildings so that way I can fly you up and down.”

“You’re an idiot Hawks,” You laugh into his neck, not wanting to look down.

“Thanks,” Hawks says, and you can feel his chuckle vibrating against your face.

✩✶✩❇✩✶✩

It’s been a few months since the last time you and Hawks had “slept” together. It was much more mindless fucking as he never even attempted to fuck you on top of a bed. His kink of almost being caught too high for him to get the two of you a motel room, or go home.

The last time anything had happened it ended with a disastrous argument. Hawks had wanted you to call him by his first name, something you had been refusing to do. After what had been a strenuous week. On top of a rather competitive fucking session on his desk. He had snapped about you and your insecurity over his name.

It had shocked you when it first happened. Your eyes widening as the typically relaxed and easy-going man seemed to break at the seams. Having forced yourself many months ago into seeing this as a sex-only relationship. You had fought back. The two of you stood there, angry words pouring out of both your mouths as you were desperate to end the fighting. His brown eyes shone with anger, and you shone with defiance. It made no sense as everything willed you to say his name. Nothing would change if you did so, right?

While it most likely would not have, his followup to your defiance was his confession. He liked you and was sick of only having you whenever you crossed paths. He wanted more. He wanted to be able to text you. Take you out on dates. To be able to talk to you about things that weren’t just how amazing you felt up against the wall.

You had looked on with shock. Your eyes confused as he stepped away from you, neither one of you have even neared reaching your high. You felt cold as you dressed. Your instincts screaming at you to stay, but you stormed out feelings shattered.

Since then, he was avoiding you. Not that you were seeking him out as you hadn’t quite figured out your feelings for the winged hero. But it stung seeing him in action. His body too quick to keep up with while watching him, but he was always gone as you arrived on the scene.

You didn’t blame him for avoiding you. Hell, you were pretty sure you would have been doing the same thing if things were reversed. But you wanted to talk to him, like an adult this time. You wanted to sit down and explain to him your feelings, and your opinions. He had unloaded everything onto you after you had been begging for him to go faster. Your mind was hazy on lust and need, what did he expect from the much slower hero?

But it didn’t matter if you sat at his office all day on your free days and his active ones, he wasn’t there. To be honest, you didn’t know much about Hawks besides his kinks. As well as how exactly to get the reactions you were seeking.

But the dumb chicken was avoiding you, and it was quickly pissing you off. So you found yourself begging his sidekicks on information on how to hunt down the world’s quickest bird. Now you were waiting outside of his home. Your arms folded, form engraved into your face as you waited for the man to come home.

You waited behind a thicket of bushes, not wishing to let him fly away without you getting to speak. You had been waiting so far for about three hours, but you weren’t giving up anytime soon.

It took an hour more, but then he came down from the sky. The air from him landing making your hair blow out as he reached for his key, ready to most likely call it a night.

“Hawks.” You call, your legs walking out towards him. Without as much as glancing at you, Hawks enters his home and shuts the door behind him. You were a fingertip distance away. “HAWKS!” You yell through the door, your fist pounding on the door as he refused to even acknowledge your presence. “Are you fucking serious? Are you five years old? Open your door, I’m a fucking guest!”

The lack of any noises infuriates you further. Your palm continues slamming against the wood door. “I can break this damn door down!” You threaten, but the words hold no worth as the two of you know you won’t do it. Angry tears form in your eyes as you slam your head against the door, your hand still knocking against the wood. You know he’s still at the door, you know he hasn’t moved, but what is he waiting for? Especially if he is acting like he doesn’t care. An idea hits you then, and as if you were some lovestruck idiot, your throat tightens with emotions.

“Takami… please open up.” You whisper.

Your pounding fist stops. Your body wilting as the door still doesn’t open.

Biting down on your lip, you shake your head, defeated.

You push off the door, muttering nonsense under your breath as you realize you’re too late. It stings, you can’t lie, but seeing that it’s months later Hawks--Takami--is over you.

You walk forward towards the stairs, ready to sit there on the steps until he left the following morning. Maybe he didn’t want to talk to you, but you were going to wait until he did. You were not going to do it until he was face to face with you.

The front door creaked open, and you felt like your heart jumped to your throat. Something lifted you off your feet. Your eyes widening as you were brought into his home. Your body being lifted by your jacket as Hawks stared at you. His typical jovial face looking very neutral.

“If you had given me three seconds I could have walked over!” You gasp, feeling like a bratty puppy as you hung from the air.

“I’m doing this so I have no resistance from you if I need to kick you out.” Hawks shrugs, and you still, your face twisting at the haunting look in his neutral face. You didn’t like it, not one bit.

“Haw--Takami.” You say, rolling your shoulders that were not liking this hanging position a single bit. “Can we please be adults about this?”

“I am.”

You sigh, exasperated as you pull up on your jacket, desperate to feel comfortable.

“You have thirty seconds before I kick you out.”

Your jaw drops, your eyes narrowing as your upper lip curled, why was he being such an ass.

“You’re a fucking asshole, Takami.” You say, the words very much not what you had planned. “I’m trying to fucking amend things here, and all you can do is give me shit? Are you for real right now?”

“Must suck having to be the adult here, huh?” Takami says, his eyes still cold as you struggle against his hold. “Twenty seconds.”

“You do not get to tell me that shit!” You spat. Your first clenching into the fabric of your jacket as you adjust your pose. “We started this relationship between us the first day we met! I was under the impression that this was not only a one-time thing but a relationship that was only tied down to fucking! We did this for literally a year, and you ignored me every time I tried confessing! You’re being the adult here? Grow the fuck up Takami Keigo; I’m the only damn adult here right now! I’m here trying to tell your chicken ass that I like you too, and what do you do? Treat me like--”

Your words are swallowed as his lips press against yours softly.

Takami pulls away, and your eyes are wide, and anger and lust pool in your stomach. You had missed his lips on yours, but goddamnit you were in the middle of telling his ass off!

“I’m not fucking done with telling you off!” You yell, your body twisting mid-air as a small smile overcomes Takami’s features.

“I know.” He says as you’re dropped from the air, and instead are now being held by Takami, your legs circling his waist. “But I think I’ll prefer to hear it after I have your pretty pussy around my cock.”

“You’re an asshole.” You murmur as his lips are over yours.

“Save the cursing for when you’re praising me.” Takami chuckles as he begins walking.

Your eyes are closed tight as his lips roll against yours. Your hands roaming his chest and shoulder as he moves his hands over your ass. His warm hands deliciously gripping your flesh as you feel him sink onto a bed. Your knees sink into the soft bed, and you smile as you’re able to grind into his eager crotch.

His breathing staggers as your grinding is far from kind. Your movements are sharp, quick, and rough. All things that sent him over the edge, and it was an edge you were desperate to get to. You had craved him for so long, and you needed him in you as soon as possible.

The two of you made little work of his shirt and jacket. Both clothing articles being discarded as your lips worked their way down his neck. Your teeth biting down on the sensitive skin. Takami groaned, his hands slipping under your shirt to grasp your breasts.

You hiss against his hold, and your shirt and jacket are removed from your person. Your torso pressed flush against his skin, and the two of you moan at the feeling. Despite the numerous amount of time the two of you had fucked, none of which ever had the both of you this naked before. Your lips continue pressing against his own as Takami removes your bra. The material discarded somewhere in the room. You grin at the low groan that escapes Takami’s mouth as your supple breasts press against his toned chest.

“Will you ride me?” Takami moans against your mouth, and you pull away, your eyes clouded with lust as you stare into his brown eyes. They’re needy, the lust that emulates in his eyes making you blush as you nod your head. You hadn’t had the chance to do that, most often you were held against the wall, or bending over something after all.

He grins, and without hesitance, he has his mouth back against yours. The stubble scraping against your chin as your tongue presses against his lips. He grants you entrance as your hips grind heavy against his growing arousal. His hips snapping up to mirror each action. Your eyes roll to the back of your eyes as you moan. Your tongue swirling against his own as he pulls you tighter against him. His hands burning against your body.

You pull away. Your head tilting back to moan. As with a particular thrust, you feel pleasure shooting through your body. His lips are quick to attach to your neck, his teeth biting against your flesh.

“I’m sorry I was being such a cunt.” You moan, your fingers reaching to the base of his wings. A sensitive area of his body that never failed to get him to heed your every command.

“I’m sorry for avoiding you like a coward.”

“I don’t blame you, Takami--”

“Please, call me Keigo…” Takami moans as your fingers rub circles around his wings. “You’ve sucked my dick on every building rooftop in Tokyo, please call me Keigo in bed.”

The laugh that escapes your lips is raw, but tears leave your lips as you feel entirely too guilty. “I’m still sorry.” You whisper, your hips stilling.

Takami pulls away from you, his eyes worried as he stares at your saddened face. You bite down on your lip as he brushes away your tears. You sniffle as his warm soft lips press gently against your tear-stained face. “I was the one ignoring you out of spite, sweetheart.” He whispers and you stare at him, shaking your head. “I forgive you as long as you forgive me.”

You sputter as you bury your face into the crook of his neck. “O-Okay…”

His warm hands rub circles into your lower back, and when you pull away from his neck, his lips meet yours in a sweet kiss. You slide off his lap. Your fingers are quick to pull off his pants and underwear, yours coming off soon afterward.

“No foreplay, y/n?” Takami teases you, his eyebrow quirked as your eyes playfully roll.

“Nope!” You say as you place the tip of his hard cock against your heated core. “Fuck me well?”

“When do I not?” Takami asks, a lazy grin on his face as you sink onto his dick.

The two of you sputter as your walls surround him. Your head buried into his neck as his girth stretches you out. Damn has it been a while since you had last done this. Your hips swivel against his, testing out the almost forgotten action as his head drops backward. Takami stammering curses escaping his mouth.

Again, you move your hips, but with gaining confidence and strength as his hands grip your waist.

“Yes, y/n… just like that.” Takami groans as your body bounce on his cock. Your arms pressing against his shoulders for support.

Again and again, your body comes down to roll against his hips. Takami finally beginning to rut his hips against yours. Creating greater friction that the two of you desired. Your lips seek his out, finding them quickly as you moan into his mouth.

Your arousal building up at the sight of the blond and shivering lover underneath you. You lean against his chest. Your naked chest pressed tightly against his. Your ass bouncing as his grip intensifies. Your lips seek his out, and he kisses you with passion.

The kiss becomes sloppy, teeth clashing, and wet noises emitting from your mouths. You're relentless as you grind down against him. “Baby, you’re so fucking good to me!” You whine softly into his ear as his hips begin to slam into you.

The ecstatic laugh that is heard from you makes Takami growl in lust. In your current state of amusement and pleasure, he begins to thrust deeply into you. His fingers gripping your skin. His movements overpowering yours as the power of who is in charge was quickly turning.

Gasps leave your mouth as you arch into him, your hands on the base of his wings, trying to get him to lose his mind. You get the timing right and are soon bouncing in rhythm to his strong thrusts. But he’s testing waters, trying to get you to come too.

You realize this as you scream out his name, your pussy throbbing and dripping from your arousal. His name the most repeated word on your tongue. You pant into his neck as you pull his hair harshly. The stuttering grunt from his voice causes you to cry in satisfaction. And in his moment of pleasure, you grind your hips in the opposite direction of what you had initially begun at. The simple change, causes Takami to curse your name. His teeth biting against your skin as he tries not to come on the spot. Your bounces are higher, the penetration is deeper, and Takami is pleading for you to come around him.

You’re panting, your hips desperate as they turn, as you almost crumble as with a snap of his hips Takami hits your g-spot.

It’s over and over, your g-spot slammed into and muffled shrieks escape your lips. You fail in your attempt to drown them with Takami’s mouth.

Your pleasure is building and building, your eyes opening to stare into his own. The mirrored pleasure on your faces as his cock twitches from within you.

“Y/n.” He grunts and his finger slips down to press against your clit.

Your mouth drops, intensifying pleasure shooting through your body. But to your horror, there's a scream.

The two of you snap towards the noise. Takami’s wings immediately shielding you as his sidekick covers his eyes.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I was just wondering if y/h/n had killed you or something! I just-- oh my god! I’m so sorry! Hawks! Please forgive me!”

You tremble against Takami’s figure as he talks casually to his sidekick as if he didn’t have you sunk onto his cock. Your face burning as you shook your head nonstop, you had been caught in the act in the privacy of his fucking house! What the fucking hell was that type of luck?!

You barely realized that the sidekick had rushed away.

“I believe we have something to continue?” Takami implies, his eyebrows wiggling.

“We just got fucking caught in the act…” You whimper, and you stare into his brown eyes.

“Well, sweetheart, I must say, that was much more thrilling than fucking across Tokyo’s skyline.”

“You’re the worst.”

“I’m your boyfriend, it’s my job.”

“...true.”

[vegetalass]

if you dont mind, maybe some cute fluff of RDR2 boys getting ready for a first date with their s/o? 🥰

SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG but yes, anything for u!! I hope u enjoy!!

long post ahead!

Arthur 

The fact that Arthur even agreed to a date in the first place is a little weird

He thinks that just asking if you want to be a couple is enough

The moment you start dating he turns into an old man who thinks you’ve been married for years 

It’s like... Arthur… Buddy… It’s been like two weeks, bruv

That’s why you have to be the one to ask him to go on a date, because then there’s no way he’d be able to say no 

He’s not against them, but in his mind, it’s just that in his mind, dates are things that people like him Do Not do

Mostly because he’s tried them in the past and either ended up disappointing someone or being disappointed 

Besides, you already know that you have fun with each other so it’s not like you need to do anything special 

WRONG!!!

Charles probably asks him if he’s nervous and he’s laughs because of course he’s not

But the moment he wakes up on the day of the date… Oh Lord… 

He was totally chill and relaxed about it up until this point, and it’s literally only then that he starts to panic

Mostly just because he begins to second doubt himself 

And not just himself but everything

Maybe you won’t like the shirt he picked out... Or maybe you won’t like his face shaved... Or maybe you don’t want to be seen in public with him... 

The list is endless 

Eventually, he gets so worked up that he has to call Charles, who reminds him that it’s been fine up until that point, and it’s not like you would ask him to go on a date or even admit to liking him back if you DIDN’T want to go out with him… So, what’s his problem? 

He then has to spend like 3 hours in the bathroom trying to make himself look presentable 

Most of this time is spent deciding whether or not he needs to shave

(Yes, he does)

And if he should wear the blue or red shirt 

Or… Maybe the white one

He spends a long time picking out flowers because he thinks most of them are either too gaudy or not gaudy enough 

He didn’t have the forethought to order them in advance, though 

He’s still a little nervous when he does finally pick you up, but seeing how happy you are to just to be out with him soothes his worries one hundred times over

And if you kiss him on the way home, he considers that your first REAL kiss 

Nothing else even compared

How well does he shower before getting ready? - He doesn’t want to disappoint you in any way, so he scrubs himself real good. 10/10 

John 

Very similar to Arthur in how he feels about dates 

He thinks they’re fine and great… But doesn’t really see why he should participate in them 

Especially since every time he tried to go on ones with Abigail, something would go wrong

And after Jack, she honestly probably just didn’t want to go on them anymore

Which was 100% fine with him because they’re both pretty busy people

That being said, with you it’s a little different 

He still doesn’t really care much about the actual date part, but he also doesn’t want you to slip through his fingers the way Abigail did 

He wants you to know that you’re loved and valued in the beginning of the relationship before it’s too late to tell you 

That’s why it’s his idea to suggest the date 

He probably says something like, “Hey…… Uh…… Now that we’re….. You know….. *cough*…….. Would you want to……… Possibly………. Maybe………”

Cue you sitting there like ?????? 

If you tell him that he doesn’t need to go to the effort of taking you out, he’s like “Uh, Yes I Do! >:(“

Even if you never expected him to in the first place 

Basically because you assumed being with him would be pretty lowkey

But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to try and put the work in 

Honestly, probably doesn’t know if he should be nervous or not

Realistically, he thinks that he should be, but for some reason, can’t muster up the nerves and is overall pretty chill about it 

But that doesn’t mean getting ready for the date itself is any less of an Experience (TM) 

Probably spends the whole day thinking “Date tonight… You have a date tonight…. First date IS TODAY…. Don’t forget to get ready….. THERE’S A DATE” that he does end up getting ready late 

Suddenly it’s 4PM and he’s like *squidward opening eyes meme*

He does manage to get ready in time, though

Despite arriving with his shirt half buttoned and the flowers slightly wilted

It makes you laugh to see him trying so hard to be a good boyfriend

Just because I love John with his haircut… Yes, he gets a haircut before the date

He did this before the day of, though

And lowkey you probably don’t recognize him at first

This time, John is the one who’s like ?????? 

How well does he shower before getting ready? - A solid shower. Nothing to really complain about. 7/10 

Charles 

You’ve probably been dating for two days and he’s already The Best Boyfriend in the Entire World

He’s always trying to make any time you spend together special so dates just… aren’t at the top of his list

Charles is like… “A date??? Every day is a date with you…”

Literally I have to go cry about this now because he’s too sweet

Regardless, he does want to take you out, so of course the first time is going to be important!

He’s not so much nervous about going on the date as he is about you enjoying yourself on it, so the preparation itself is pretty important 

The night before, he runs through everything in his head to make sure all his plans seem solid

And when he wakes up, starts getting ready immediately just to make sure everything goes smoothly 

Eats a healthy breakfast, sends you a text, picks up flowers, etc.

It’s not a busy day, but he likes not having to rush

Doesn’t have a problem choosing an outfit because he doesn’t think it’s that important 

He’s not going to show up in pajamas, but he’s not going to go overboard thinking about what he should wear 

His only criteria for it is that it’s appropriate for the situation and he it suits him

(This is also good because it means that you don’t have to try very hard for him to think you look good in whatever you end up wearing, too)

When he’s finally ready to pick you up, he hypes himself up in the mirror just to get rid of any last minute jitters that he may be feeling

For the most part, he’s really calm and hides his nerves pretty well, but that doesn’t mean you don’t give him butterflies 

And he just wants your first date to be memorable

The flowers he brings you are specially ordered from the local florist 

And he writes a cute note to go with them

How well does he shower before getting ready? - He takes a good, respectable shower. 8/10

Micah 

Honestly, the likelihood of Micah ever having been on a date before is very small

He knows that they’re a thing that couples do but probably thinks everyone’s descriptions of them are exaggerated or silly

Why would he need to take you on a date if you already know that he likes you since he asked you out in the first place…?

Isn’t being nice to you enough? 

That’s why you have to be the one to suggest going on a date, and even then, he probably scoffs or laughs at the idea

But that doesn’t mean the suggestion doesn’t haunt him 

Goes to bed every night and is like… “Maybe… we should be going on dates?” 

UH, YEA?

Eventually it gets to the point where he feels… G-g-guilty almost

Probably mentioned the fact that you brought up going on a date to Dutch and he was like, “You mean you haven’t had one yet?” 

Oops. 

So then he immediately sets one up 

And feels bad that he didn’t do it sooner when he sees how happy you are when he asks

Ironically, he ends up getting super excited for the date, too 

Mostly because he’s realizes that he’s just happy someone agreed to go out with him in the first place and actually wants to do things with him 

It’s a pretty unusual feeling for him, but definitely not bad 

This doesn’t mean that he will wear anything special or buy you flowers, though

He’s not getting that sappy

How well does he shower before getting ready? - He doesn’t. 0/10

He’s not dirty or anything though, he just doesn’t think he needs to take one 

Dutch 

Honestly, the only reason you’re dating is probably because he asked you out on a date

It was a calculated move on his part because he knew you already liked him, but still… 

He’s someone who takes things like dates very seriously

Even if they are a rare occasion due to how busy he is

He’s like a little kid with how excited he gets just thinking about it

And he definitely spares no expenses when planning it

Even if you told him that he didn’t need to do anything special, he wouldn’t listen 

Hosea gets tired of him talking about it and asking if his plans seem alright

He’s like, “Dutch, I’ve told you no on the limo five times already” 

And still Dutch is like “Mmmmmm, are you sure, though?” 

Extravagances aside, he is really just trying to make you happy and declare his love for you 

Especially since he doesn’t know how often he’ll be able to in the future

And since he wants you to have at least a few fond memories of him in case something happens to him 

But that’s just in case, right? 

On the day of the date, from the moment he wakes up, he’s thinking about it

Keeps checking his watch to make sure he has enough time to get ready 

And is surprised when only 20 minutes have gone by since the last time he checked

Spends an hour just trying to make sure his hair looks right 

And probably cycles through four different shirts a bunch of times just because he can’t decide 

Sends a text to Hosea with 4 different selfies asking which is best 

Gets left on read

Translation: All of them look fine

Though he did end up deciding against the limo, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t show up ready to show you off 

Buys you the biggest bouquet he can find

You end up having to hold it in both arms

How well does he shower before getting ready? - He showers but is so excited that it’s not as thorough as it could’ve been. 6/10

Kieran 

The date itself is kind of a mutual idea

The relationship probably isn’t even official yet despite the fact that you’re already 100% exclusive 

A silent agreement, of sorts

You probably end up giving him some sort of hint that you “wouldn’t mind doing something with him, sometime...” and he takes it from there 

Dates are something that he thought he’d never have to worry about 

Mostly because he associates them with people who are a lot different from him

But also because he thought that he’d never really have the chance to meet someone he’d want to start a serious relationship with 

Hence why he’s so new to the whole situation, but still determined to change this

He wants to go one dates like the ones he’s always heard about

He’s both excited and worried because…

1. This means that you do, in fact like him back, but…

2. He could also fuck everything up 

Doesn’t sleep at all the night before

Spends the entire night running through every scenario of what could happen 

Also thinking about how you met and how lucky he is to be with you 

He had to plan his outfit in advance because he needed a lot of time to figure out how to balance casual wear with something date worthy

But, with the outfit out of the way, he manages to get ready pretty quickly and ends up just sitting around waiting to leave 

Spends the extra time praying that he didn’t choose the wrong thing to wear

He’s so cute… Twiddling his thumbs and everything

Sends you a cute “On my way!” text with one of those cute dancing stickers 

His flower choice is a single rose tied up with a ribbon 

And he nearly faints when you kiss his cheek in thanks

How well does he shower before getting ready? - He tries really hard to take a good one. 8/10

Javier

Dates are very important to him

To him, they signify dedication and compassion 

And overall, just that he’s willing and wants to put in the work to show you that he cares

That’s why he asks you out on a real date the moment you become official 

He’s super excited because it’s not everyday that you get to go on a FIRST date with someone 

Which is why he’s also a meticulous planner

It’s not just about making you happy, but impressing you and proving (mostly to himself) that he’s a good lover 

Even if he knows that you wouldn’t mind something more lowkey 

It’s just that whatever you do has to be special 

He’s nervous, not because he’s afraid, but because he wants things to go as well as they possibly could

Out of everyone, spends the most time thinking about what he’s going to wear

Tries to plan ahead of time but still hasn’t made any final decisions on the day of the date, either 

Has to try things on to be certain if he likes them or not 

And when he’s finally decided, he still needs to shave and to fix his hair

It’s a long day to say the least 

And when he finally picks you up, brings you an entire bouquet of roses

When you have to bury your face in them to hide your blush, his heart swells with pride

And yes, he thinks that you’re the best dressed couple anyone’s probably ever seen 

How well does he shower before getting ready? - His showers are always of the finest quality. 10/10

Sean

The moment he thinks you’ve started liking him back, he starts thinking about what your first real date should be like

And the moment you start dating for real, he has to make his thoughts (*cough* dreams*) a reality

Dates are definitely something he has some experience with 

Even if he hasn’t been on a crazy amount of them… He definitely thinks about them a lot 

Deep down, under all his womanizing tendencies, he’s probably a hopeless romantic

And dates are the perfect way to show someone that you care about them

Honestly probably doesn’t give two craps about what he wears or how he looks

The only reason he even bothers to look presentable is because he doesn’t want to ruin anything by showing up in something ridiculous 

But he definitely doesn’t spend any extra time choosing an outfit than he has to

This is good though because it means he also doesn’t care about what you showed up looking like, either

To him, all that matters is that your first date is enjoyable 

And you both end up looking fine, anyway

(Well, you look a little better than him, but in his eyes, that’s always the case)

He’s so excited that he calls you to tell you that he’s on the way

The way that you laugh when you pick up has him speeding to your house

Gives you the biggest, more beautiful flowers that he can find

They’re not at large as Dutch’s, but a lot more vibrant

How well does he shower before getting ready? - It’s his usual, totally average and normal shower, if not a little quicker. 5/10