#(not being serious here i am genuinely doing quite bad)

[little-eye-guy]

“i was waiting for one of the bathrooms”

heh. looks like my plan to make it more difficult for everyone else in the house to use the bathroom is paying dividends

[noodlesarecheese]

So Watcher is launching a Dropout (it's not called Dropout but they're clearly using the same template format platform thing idk what it's called, and the same pricing structure), and the reaction so far has been wildly different than what I remember from Dropout's launch. I was curious about why that was or if I was just misremembering the Dropout launch, so I went back to the Dropout launch video to compare them and I think I can see where some of the difference is coming from.

If you want to make the comparison yourself: Watcher's Video, Dropout's Video.

I wanna clarify first though that this isn't a knock against Watcher or the fans who are reacting one way or another or anything like that, I genuinely am just fascinated with how different the reactions are to what seems to be the same business decision. This also isn't a 'wow watcher sucks and dropout is so much better' I'm just using them for comparison because they did the same thing with different results. ALSO this isn't about the business decision itself, just the presentation! Disclaimers out of the way, here's the analysis.

Title and Thumbnail So the Watcher.tv announcement video is titled "Goodbye Youtube" and the thumbnail is Ryan, Shane, and Steven sitting on a couch looking serious, with a dark background. That really makes it seem like they're quitting (which, ok, they are quitting youtube but not quitting quitting). Viewers are already primed to be upset, and it's easier to go from upset to angry than upset to excited, curious, or neutral.

Compare to the dropout announcement video: "How the Internet is Ruining Comedy" - inline with other collegehumor video titles, might make you curious. Thumbnail - Big News! with Sam smiling and a bright background. We know its big news, but he looks happy, and the exclamation point let's us know they want us to be excited. Viewers are primed to be curious and excited.

Tone The Watcher announcement has 2 main tones. The first half is very sentimental, almost sad or wistful at times, and while there are parts that veer into pride at achievements, it's mostly bittersweet and sentimental. The second half is a bit more uplifting, but still quite serious. It reminded me of a tech announcement, like when they introduce the new iphone or something like that. Very professional, sleek, and serious, which isn't automatically a bad thing! But I do think that's not the vibe a decently-sized chunk of the audience expected or wanted. Many people watch Watcher for the cast's dynamic with each other, humor, and the more relaxed/conversational/friendly feel that most of the series have.

Compare to dropout - excited and comedic tone. Still professional, but also fits the expectations of the viewers. People watch collegehumor for the humor (it was in the name, after all). They also poke a bit of fun at themselves, which lightens the mood, shows self-awareness, and alleviates some of the bad feelings about paywalling.

Focus The Watcher announcement focuses a lot on the creative journey of the cast and company, as well as how this move will benefit them. Which isn't a bad thing, that's actually quite interesting! The problem here, I think, is actually more about what isn't here - a solid explanation of how this will also benefit the viewers and why the viewers should be excited. There's a brief description of one new show, and the promise that existing shows will get an upgrade, but we weren't given many specific details about how they'll be improved, and there's only one new show to tempt us into subscribing. Some people will be excited for that, some people won't, and some people will be excited but not enough to subscribe. Having 2 or 3 series (even if it's 1 fleshed out plus a few teasers of what's in production or what is being planned) plus some more details about how existing shows will be improved would've helped. Without that, it really does seem like it'll just be the same stuff viewers were getting for free, but now paywalled, rather than new and exciting stuff. That makes a big difference. I think with the fans not getting as much focus, this also led to some (accidental, I hope) hurt feelings. Based on what I've seen from fan reactions, all the talk about hitting the peak of what they can do on youtube and wanting more, translated for many people to 'youtube isn't enough' which became 'you (the current viewers) aren't enough.' Which I don't think was their intent! But I also don't think fans are wrong for feeling hurt by that.

Compare to dropout: They clearly explain how the move will benefit fans, and reassure viewers that existing content will stay where it is, and only new content will be behind the paywall. (Watcher clarified this too, but in a comment. It's not in the video itself, which is a huge problem.) They include clips of several new (at the time) series that would be premiering on dropout, including things that specifically could not be made on youtube (due to weed, violence, and sexual humor), so the reason for the shift is clear to the audience.

Advertisers Both videos contain the sentiment that being monetarily successful on youtube means working to appease the advertisers, and that over time what the advertisers want and what the creators want drifts further and further apart, putting strain on the creators.

However, I think the message gets lost a bit in the Watcher vid. Instead, it leaves viewers with the idea that the main problem is just ads are annoying instead of advertisers putting constraints on content. I'm not even sure what the specific constraints are for watcher, because they didn't give any examples. And the focus on ads being annoying leaves viewers frustrated because people typically either don't mind ads or they already have an ad blocker.

Timing and Size Okay, this isn't exactly about presentation, but it is still a factor that impacts perception so I'm tackling it. And I'm actually going to do dropout first. CollegeHumor launched dropout in September 2018. Pre-pandemic, but also pre-Sam Reich as CEO. The company was still owned by IAC. It was a Company, and while it wasn't huge it wasn't tiny either. So launching dropout was a Company Decision, a Business Strategy. Some people were upset about, but it wasn't a personal betrayal (generally, anyways). If I remember correctly, this was also not a high point for the company. They kinda needed dropout to do well to keep things running smoothly (which is why they shut it down and sold it to Sam just 1 1/2ish years later), so the sudden shift made sense.

Watcher Entertainment is a company, but it doesn't feel like one. Ryan, Shane, and Steven own and operate things, but they're also the faces, and they're youtubers. Which makes every business decision they make feel more personal to viewers, especially those who have been watching for a long time. They've also seemingly been doing well on youtube, which makes it more difficult for viewers to understand why the sudden change is happening now. They do talk a bit about it, about the company expanding and wanting to do things that advertisers don't like (which I've already covered). However, mostly the choice to start a streaming platform is framed as 'the next big step' without much clarification on why it's the next big step. Plus, it's post-pandemic, and a lot of people are still struggling financially with the ripple effects of that. Yes, $6 isn't a wild amount of money, but there have been some months where $5 absolutely meant the difference between paying all my bills or not, and I know I'm not the only one. This, coupled with a lack of clarity about why exactly they're doing this, leads to fans feeling hurt, betrayed, bitter, and frustrated.

Now, presentation and framing isn't everything. No matter how perfect your announcement is, some people are still going to be upset. It's a big change, of course people will be upset! But I do think a more careful presentation would've alleviated some of the hurt and anger that fans are feeling. While I do think a lot of the reaction we're seeing is due to the decision, I think (based on what I've seen) that some of it is also based on the poor communication in the video itself, and that could've been avoided!

So I'm gonna get a little speculative and describe what I would've done. In this hypothetical, they've decided to launch the streaming service and brought me on just for the announcement.

Firstly, switch the title out. If they're married to Goodbye Youtube then add a (and hello...?) after so it's at least obvious they aren't fully quitting. The dark color scheme of the thumbnail fits their regular vibe, but they want everyone to be excited so they should look excited. Next, let's lighten the tone up. Being proud of what they've done so far is great, but we don't need the sentimental music and bittersweetness. Remember, the goal is to get viewers excited about what come's next - so let's focus on what actually comes next! Talk about specific show plans and mention why they wouldn't work on youtube. Then, take some time to reassure the fans. Predict a few likely worries and address them in the video. Acknowledge that it's a big change, that it will take time to get used to, and that not everyone will be onboard, and let the fans know that it's ok if they aren't onboard.

Like I said, this wouldn't fix everything. There are a few differences in between dropout and watcher that don't have anything to do with presentation. Dropout launched with primarily new shows rather than new seasons of existing shows, and they continued uploading to youtube relatively regularly in addition to the content behind the paywall, which I do think went a long way to keeping fans happy. At this point it's unclear if watcher will do either of those or not. But, while I don't think it would fix everything, I do think improved communication in the announcement would've helped.

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM LOVE ACTUALLY *  assorted dialogue from the 2003 film, adjust as necessary

it’s the saddest part of my day, leaving you.

if you look for it, i’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.

i could just have him murdered.

thank you, i’ll think about it.

ruthless trained killers are just a phone call away.

to me, you are perfect.

can you give me any clues at all?

well the truth is… actually… i’m in love.

i really want to know.

there’s nothing i can do about it.

i thought it would be something worse.

tell her that you love her.

okay, that sounds fine. bit boring, but fine.

that sounds so bizarre.

that is genuinely bad timing.

american girls would seriously dig me with my cute british accent.

they've done it. it's official.

this is shit, isn't it?

i was hoping you'd win.

christmas is for people with someone they love in their lives.

so... what's this big news then?

it was always going to be a total shit time.

oh, don't be disgusting. get out of my house.

look at the sign on the door.

you’ll always regret it if you don’t.

well, this is a surprise.

has it been a good visit?

we got what we came for.

you never talk to me. you don’t like me.

you can just show yourself out, can’t you?

do you think everybody knows?

tell me, if you were in my position, what would you do?

would you wait around to find out?

oh god, i am so in the wrong.

you’ve also made a fool out of me.

ask me anything you like. i’ll tell you the truth.

god, i wish you hadn’t turned that down.

shit, i can’t believe i just said that.

basically, you’re fucked, aren’t you?

this is shit, isn’t it?

where the fuck is my fucking coat?

thank you very much, but no.

actually, i was being serious.

it would be great if we could be friends.

it’s a terrible, terrible mistake.

you’re not who i think you are, are you?

who do you have to screw around here to get a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit?

i will miss you. and your very slow typing. and your very bad driving.

i’ll give you anything you ask for, as long as it’s not something i don’t want to give.

i’m very busy and important. how can i help you?

oh, shut your face.

actually, i don’t have to go.

true love lasts a lifetime.

so what’s this big news, then?

life is full of interruptions and complications.

oh no. that is so inconvenient.

i very much like the look of you.

send an embarrassingly big car and i’ll be there!

i never asked you how your love life is going.

the thing about romance is… people only get together right at the very end.

look at the sign on the door!

loitering around the jewelry section, i see!

a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

i think you’re not surprised.

oh my god, i’ve got a terrible stomach ache.

how will you be celebrating?

all i want for christmas is you.

you would have broken my heart if you’d said yes.

the nurses are trying to kill me.

are you sure you don’t mind me going without you?

i love you even when you’re sick and look disgusting.

did i mention that i love you?

i look quite pretty.

no one’s ever going to shag you if you cry all the time.

hello. i heard you were gorgeous.

i’ll just be hanging around the mistletoe, hoping to be kissed.

[dontexpectmuch]

saw that ur taking requests again (missed u sm bae) 🤭 maybe smth along the lines of going to winter wonderland w jude and him being afraid of the rides ?

being with jude always came with many ups and downs.

he made you laugh, was there for you whenever you needed a shoulder to cry on, never made you feel like an option, but a priority.

and though you missed him dearly whenever he went on an away game, he still tried to spend as much time with you as possible, proving you that he was being serious about your relationship.

so when you asked him to go to winter wonderland, he didn’t even think twice about booking the tickets.

and even though jude and you were ready about the ups and downs that came with a relationship, he certainly wasn’t ready for the ups and downs of the rollercoaster rides at wonderland.

clutching your arm, jude tried to push you to the food courts, “babe, let’s eat first, yeah?”

rolling your eyes, you stand still. you couldn’t believe your boyfriend was genuinely scared of some ride here.

“jude, please! it’s not even that bad-“

“fuck off, i saw some guys throw up into that bin there. i aint doing this, babe. i have a bright future ahead that i don’t wanna risk.” he cut you off, shaking his head and dragging you away from the ride.

sighing, you walk along and find yourself in front of a crepe stand, waiting in line.

you speak up again, taking his hand in yours and squeezing it slightly, “we will try at least one ride, okay? if you still don’t like it then, we could, i don’t know, like, maybe try some games? win a plushie, ‘kay?”

jude nodded, eyes looking at you with much adoration and gratitude that words couldn’t describe. he leaned forward, pressing a kiss against your forehead before moving along the queue.

as soon as you guys finished your crepes, you move to the the rollercoaster jude wasn’t very fond of. and though he tried to talk out his way of going on there, at the end, you guys sat inside a cart and buckled up.

“if i die, just know that i ate your last cookie, and i am so sorry.” jude said, hands shaking slightly as he closed his eyes. he looked petrified, but also oh so cute that you almost forgot what he just confessed to you.

“what-“

however before you could scold your boyfriend, the ride began and you guys shot up towards the first heightened point of it.

it was going quite well, even if the wind was harsh against your face. as you glance up at your boyfriend, you can’t help but burst out laughing.

eyes squeezed shut, lips in a straight line and one hand on the rail, as the other found its way on top of yours to hold.

“babe!” you laugh, fingers intertwining with his. “open your eyes!”

“no!”

as you guys slowly come to an end, with the adrenaline still in its heights, you drag jude out of the cart and to the photobooth of the ride, eyes wildly searching for your picture.

“babe, look!” you point at the picture.

judes eyes were closed shut, his hands had a deadly grip on the rail, while you looked like you were having the time of your life.

“dude!” jude laughs at himself, his hand on your waist as he pushes your body closer to his, “i look like a fuckin’ whimp!” he continued, now looking at you.

“you want it?”

“and have our kids think ‘m a whimp?” jude denies, shaking his head.

his hand travels up and down your waist, eyes full of love as he still looks at you.

“well then we should ride another one, so we can have a pretty picture, no?”

“fuck off, i already feel dizzy.”

—————————

and they say romance is dead

[justwonder113]

Showering Seungmin with affection Part 2

First part right here

Bang Chan; Lee Know ; Changbin; Hyunjin; Han; Felix; IN;

Summary: While wide awake thinking about your poor life choices and even poorer choice in men the least thing you expect is for Seungmin to call you and ask for your help. Warnings: Not really accurate to name, because to be honest I never once considered writing the second part while writing the first one but once I got all these requests about writing continuation I just knew I had to do it; LOADS of cursing, like really, I have no shame; Idiots in love; Reader is whipped but is in denial; Emotionaly reserved reader; Denial is a river in Egypt you are in love! Like really, reader really tries their best to fight it while also not? I hope it makes sense once you read it it's like 3 am I can't think better. Reader is an overthinker. Seungmin has a headache. Shy Seungmin for a moment (Coudln't help myself) I can't think of anything else, If I missed something please let me know. Unedited. Word count-3.5k

This was fucking ridiculous! To think that two whole months went by since your vocation and here you were at two am wide fucking awake still thinking about kissing Kim Seungmin!

You still had no idea what kind of bug bit you for you to ask so recklessly, but here you were still stressing over it. But, really why were you still thinking about it? It was in the past, you were both drunk, there was chemistry and tension so you made out end of story! Why were you making such a big deal out of it? Why now? Two months went by, both of you, mostly you,(no really, you) made a conscious decision to act like nothing happened. And if were were being honest this meant that you avoided Seungmin like the plague because you knew he wanted to talk.

Okay, you were not ignorant of your feelings, and, as much as you hated the mere idea of it you liked Kim Seungmin. No big deal, it's just a crush, it will surely go away pretty soon, you just need to wait.

Okay, you liked him, quite a lot, it wasn't just a crush and you absolutely hated the fact. Why him? Anyone would be a better choice but him! What the hell was wrong with you?! Here you were all pouty and shit because, despite the fact that you were the one avoiding him, you actually missed him. God, this was so ridiculous!

To be or not to be that is the question, well in your case the question is how to stop liking someone, because you were already sick of this shit. Also, to be real, there's no way things could work out between you two. You were always fighting and at each other's throats, you have said to each other most vile and meanest words ever in the heat of an argument. The point was, that there was no peace when you two were involved, you two always disagreed on everything and if you were to get into a relationship how would that work? You didn't want to fight back and forth with a person you call your boyfriend. It also didn't help that both of you were too fucking stubborn for your own good backing down was not in your dictionary. You didn't want to be in a relationship like that. Okay, relationship sounded too serious, you didn't even know if he liked you back. He was attracted to you to some extent but you didn't know how he actually felt towards you. You hated this the most, you never knew what he was thinking, what his deal was. He was a walking mystery. An open book at first sight but full of secrets once you got to know him. Maybe that's why you were drown to him, but was it a smart move from your side?

You didn't know what his deal was, whether he liked you back an that's why he kissed you back and taunted and flirted with you or whether this was one of his little games he liked to play. Even if his intentions were genuine, it wasn't like he was this villain mastermind bad guy, you didn't feel like you could be at ease with him and security in relationship was something you deeply valued. And If he was actually pulling something you would walk right into his trap and in the fit of rage you would have to murder him, and going into prison wasn't your go to plan in the near future at least.

Why did he have to be so confusing? Literally things would be so much easier if were to fall for someone else, literally anyone, but no, you had to be difficult.

He made you question everything and it really terrified you.

You sighed and turned into your bed. Fucking Kim Seungmin making you stay up this late at night, even while not here he managed and pissed you off. You did wonder what was he up to? Probably sleeping, any sane person would be asleep right now.

Maybe he was up thinking about you too?

Okay you were feeding your delusions now. There's no way he would lose a minute of sleep for you. It would be fun though if you were tormenting him like he was tormenting you right now.

That being said your phone lit up from incoming call, and what shocked you more was to see that the little devil himself was calling you.

Did you manifest this? Should you pick up? No way. What was he thinking calling you at this ungodly hour? You were not even close! You could pretty much be asleep and seeing your seventh dream of the night right now. What a selfish prick!

You still picked up the phone, and tried to sound as groggy as you could, acting as if he woke you up(fuck principles I guess). "Why the fuck are you awake?" His quiet chuckle made you pout even more, you could clearly imagine him smiling at his phone being all cute and shit and it made you even more huffy now.

"I could ask you the same thing sunshine." He purred clearly amused.

"I was asleep thank you very much." You sighed maybe he really needed your help and that's why he was calling. "Someone better be dying."

"First of all I know you're awake Your lights are on, and well about someone dying, would it still matter if the dying person was me?"

You shot out of bed, phone still in your hand and ran towards your window. Seungmin immediately saw you and waved at you small smile adorning his face. You wanted to question him but before you could ask he started talking, "I didn't know where else to go." You didn't know what to say.

"Come inside."

Seungmin agreed and you hung up. You had no clue what was going on. If it was an emergency why did he come to you? You could never understand him! You quickly looked around if there was anything out of place not that you had time to tidy up. Thankfully you cleaned up the house, insomnia sometimes had it's perks.

After hearing a soft knock you rushed to your door and opened it. Seungmin looked a bit pale but other than that nothing was out of ordinary. He had a blank face which was confusing you even more. "I bought you snacks." he showed you a packet full of your favourite goodies. Did he actually know they were your favorite? Was this a coincidene? Did he also happened to have a great taste? Were you overthinking a bag of snacks?-Probably.

"Thank you for the offer, I shall grant you passage." You tried to sound as dramatic as possible, Seungmin smiled at you. Weirdo. After letting him in the house you examined him again, but still nothing was out of normal. You let him sit on the couch while you sat in front of him. The silence was so awkward that you started munching on one of the snacks. You offered him some, but he softly shook his head. "What's wrong?"

"Are you worried about me?" He gasped softly as if he coudln't believe what he was hearing. He was spending way too much time with Hyunjin, all dramatic and for what?" You decided to take the matter into your hands.

"No I just want to know what to tell the police if you really do die in my house." Seungmin gave you a small smile again. You coudln't name what was off but he really didn't look like himself today.

You slowly approached him not breaking the eye contact, quietly asking for consent to touch him. He looked at you with wide eyes, not saying anything, you softly touched his cheeks, then his forehead, you even touched your own forehead to make sure but no he didn't have a fever. His eyes were a bit more red and slightly irritated and, as you said, he looked paler than usual. "What's wrong?" He looked at you but quickly looked away as if he couldn't look you in the eyes. He almost looked bashful.

After a while he muttered out something about a headache and how he couldn't sleep at all.

"God I can't believe you, you should have called not go all the way to come here or you could have called a doctor! You could've bought some painkillers instead of worrying about bringing snacks! God Seungmin!" You kept yapping about how dangerous it was for him to wander around while in pain and everything, but on the inside you kind of hoped he knew that you were not mad, just worried.

"I know, I just"-he paused thinking over his next words, "I knew I had to see you. I didn't know where else to go. At first I went out to clear my head, next thing I knew I was in front of your house." He looked like he really was in pain.

You two sat in silence for a minute or two, you were about to get up to get some painkillers for him and maybe some hot tea but he stopped you, well more likely looked at you with pleading eyes and you just couldn't move.

"Can I hug you?" You must have been visibly stunned because he quickly backed down. "I'm sorry I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. God! I don't even know what I'm doing and..." You didn't let him finish his ramble, as if your body moved on its own, you sat beside him and softly wrapped your hands around him, slowly bringing him against your body as if he was fragile and could break any moment. Seungmin Immediately relaxed once he rested his head on your shoulder and also wrapped his hands around your waist. You let him be. It felt like your heart would jump right out of your ribcage and despite being terrified that he could also hear just what he did to you, you felt weirdly at peace holding him like this. You must have lost your mind. A minute ago you were preaching yourself how you should stay away from him and how you and him had no job being together. How ironic.

You just sat there holding each other, you didn't even know how much time you spent like this, both of you barely moving, just you sometimes patting his shoulder as if to remind him that you were with him and maybe also because you liked touching him. With every little pat he squeezed you a little, which, not going to lie, you found endearing.

Some more moments passed before he decided that it was time to start talking. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

He sighed, his breath his breath hitting your neck made you shiver. He straightened up, it was weird letting him go, it felt like you were missing something.

"You made it clear that you didn't want to deal with me after that night..." -He paused and looked away, it was really dark in the room illuminated by only one lamp so maybe you were just being delusional, but was he blushing? - " and here I am now, disturbing you... I should go." He got up and started heading to the door but you stopped him.

"Where are you going?" He looked at you all baffled and confused, he looked much more awake right now.

"Home?" He sounded so unsure. You quickly shook your head.

"You're staying here, it's late and you're in pain. There's no way I am letting you go!" You stated sternly, he looked really ashamed which made you soften up a little. "Listen I know things got messy between us after that night and I shouldn't have just avoided you like that, but you need to stay here. That or we're going to a nearby clinic! There's no way I am leaving you alone. Better choose wisely." He looked unsure, but once he saw that you were not going to back down he gave in.

"Okay you win." He was clearly unamused to say this words, you, on the other hand were literally thriving.

"Of course I do." He wanted to say something back but you didn't let him. You started leading him back inside "Listen up big guy, I am going to make you a tea, were going to eat some snacks and you're going to take some painkillers and then we're going to sleep sound good?"

"As you wish sunshine." He had his goofy smile on. It totally didn't make your heart do a backflip, not at all.

You got to work, you sat him down on the sofa while you started preparing things. Soon enough you were happily munching on your snacks with some hot tea. Seungmin seemed like he was in a better mood he even teased you for almost burning yourself with hot water. Well of course after fretting over you like a worried mother hen and making sure you were all right. It was like you were seeing a whole new side of him, it was different and you liked it. You felt calm sitting here with him, calm, just existing. It felt kind of domestic. It reminded you when you were laying in snow then just watching snow fall on the ground. It was a miracle you didn't catch a cold. You couldn't imagine you could do mundane things like this with him, without fighting, without the urge to strangle him to shut him up.

Once you were done and Seungmin did admit that he was feeling better it was time to go to bed, which was when things got a little bit awkward.

"I will sleep on the couch, I don't want to disturb you more than I already have." You rolled your eyes why was he still yapping about disturbing you and stuff.

"Sure if you want backpain along with your headache. We're both adults, I think we can sleep in the same bed. It's not a big deal." Yup you were totally fine with this. Absolutely, yes, of course! You were going to sleep in the same bed as him, no biggie. Who were you even kidding? You were absolutely dying inside. How did you manage to find yourself into this situation was beyond you. It was late to back down now. You already blurted this out, so you should stick to it.

You quickly left him to get him some clothes to change into, Yes, you ran away, but you preferred to call it a tactical retreat.

Here you were now tho, nowhere to run, in the same bed as him, with him just laying there in your oversized t-shirt and looking at you with confused eyes. Why did he have to look at you like that? It was enough you felt like the butterflies in your stomach were like breakdancing sumo wrestlers, but this? Was he always this adorable? His cheeks looked wxtra dquishy, his eyes looked extra sparkly, his lips... extra kissable.

This was too much! You felt bipolar from the way you wanted to feel his lips against yours again and kiss him sensless while also wanting to run away from here because you were scared you were actually going to do it.

"I don't get you sometimes." He muttered out and turned fully towards you, his gaze was so intense you thought you felt it burn your skin. For a second you felt afraid he knew what you were thinking just now.

It makes two of us-you thought, while you were complaining not getting what his deal was, you also couldn't fully understand what you were getting at right now. It felt like your every move was contradicting each other, and this push and pull situation you were creating was also starting to bother you.

Based on your lack of reaction Seungmin decided to continue talking his voice low, almost whispering. "You say that laying in the same bed is no big deal and here you are about to fall out of bed trying to stay far from me as possible yet at the same time look at me with this lovint eyes, you said that us kissing wasn't a big deal, but you spend next two months avoiding even breathing near me. Do you hate the idea of us being something this much?" You finally turned and looked into his eyes, full of longing waiting for your answer, pleading with you. You knew you had to say the truth. You couldn't run out of this one.

"I'm confused and scared" you hated how vulnarable you felt, how open, but you felt like you just had to say this. Not for him, not really, but for you. For once you wanted to show to tell just what you were feeling. Just truth without any filters, without altering it.

Seungmin held your hand, the warm touch of his hand made you feel even more vulnerable but at least somewhat grounded. You were grateful for the ounce of courage it gave you. "I'm scared too. I've never felt more confused in my life. I couldn't sleep or eat normally for days, why do you think that night didn't affect me too? All I can think about it you! What are you up to, what are you doing? What are you thinking. Every little thing reminds me of you. I felt like shit today, and the only person I could think of was you, I knew I had to see you. I haven't even realized when I started walking. I was in my house laying awake in my bed. The next thing I knew, I was in front of your house with a bad full of snacks I know you love. I didn't even know I knew these things about you. At least I wasn't aware of it." He sighed as if trying not to stray away from his course and calm himself he looked into your eyes again, his hand tightly holding yours. "Let's start by simple things. We don't have to rush anything. I like you, a lot. I don't regret at all making out with you that night. I like you. Maybe I feel even more, but I won't use that word now. Neither of us is ready." It was like you forgot how to brethe. You never expected Seungmin to open up like to you. Maybe this was all a dream, but since when were dreams so realistic?

Seungmin smiled at you, maybe he noticed something about you that you haven't noticed yet. "I know we've mixed up the order, according to our friends we've bickered like an old married couple, we've made out and well I'm literally in your bed right now," you couldn't help but laugh at his comment, you smacked his arm with your free hand. "What I'm saying is that we've messed up order of things, yes, but I want to make things right between us. What do you say about giving us a chance? Will you go out with me?" God what a dork, you couldn't help but smile.

"Can I hug you?" Seungmin clearly didn't expect to be hit with the same question he asked you when he got here, but despite his surprise, he immediately opened his arms. Feeling a bit brave, you scooted closer and got between his arms. It felt nice, his arms holding you tight, his head on top of yours, your face on his chest feeling the warmth of his skin through soft material of his (your) shirt. The shirt smelled like your laundry detergent but it already started smelling like Seungmin and it soothed you. You had no idea when did you associate his smell with comfort but you were not mad about it. You also felt how hard his heart was beating. You weren't delusional after all huh.

"You better take me to a nice place on our date Seungmin. Don't make me regret giving us a chance." You could've said it better but this was all you mastered to mutter out. Seungmin hugged you tighter, now even enterwinning your legs together. You felt at peace. Like everything was at it's place right now.

"Wouldn't even dream of it sunshine." He kissed your forehead. You looked up at him. He looked really cute with his cheek smushed up on your pillow, with messy hair and with your shirt. You couldn't help but lean in and softly seal your lips together which were as soft and nice as you remembered.

You had a feeling you wouldn't really regret giving you two a chance, you just had to wait and see.

A/N- I can't believe I have finished writing this. It's definitely more different than I usually write and I really hope you'll like it. Feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated ❤️

[dysfunctional-doodle]

Ok I’m getting quite salty here but I really dislike IMDB because how does this even make sense:

6.8? Are you kidding me? You can look at the break down and it doesn’t even average that. Not only this, but all of the episodes are 7.9 and above. How does this work?

I’m serious, someone explain what the fuck is IMDb and why it’s outright got this rating wrong on so many aspects. How do they even calculate it if they don’t take the average of each episode? And if you look at the user rating breakdown it doesn’t even average 6.8, what is going on here?

You know what? No. I am a petty person and I am asking everyone else who is petty to help and give this a better rating. Let me be petty.

If you want to rate the show, it’s here

Maybe it’s not a surprise to many people that IMDb is unfair, I guess? Or maybe people don’t like the show and that’s fine - but with the days it is presenting, it should not be this low? I’ve found it’s very bad for most TV shows as it is but this hits personally.

I’m not going to try and pretend I am being not salty about this lol. I admit I have a very big bias here! But I genuinely want some kind of answer of why IMDb is kinda like this with TV shows? It never takes the average of the show by the rated episodes, hence why ROTTMNT was also beat to the ground like holy shit

Anyway petty rant over. Rate the show if you want. At least get it a fair rating lol

(I love these boys too much I’m sorry)

[4str0nuts]

DEEP DIVE INTO HORROPEDIAS AUTISTIC CODING : A GIANT ANALYSIS THING

ALTERNATE TITLE IS WHY THE FANDOM SHOULD CHECK OUT HOW THEY TREAT AUTISTIC CHARACTERS

Disclaimer before I go in; i’m using the global translations and the english voice acting as I am on the global server lol. This may affect some things but hopefully not a lot! Also i’m using this video [https://youtu.be/ygAkz4L2AMo?si=elrUeXGompMKYXUJ] for my proof and will provide timestamps!

Horropedia is one of the most loved characters in Reverse:1999 (bc haha funny autistic guy) , yet I literally see no serious posts discussing his character or even going into his character— even at a basic level. I’ve kinda been off to the side observing how the fandom treats Horropedia and it makes me question if people actually like him or some alternate version of him. Yeah sure this is a problem in every fandom but I’m too attached to Horropedia and i’m going to make it everyone’s problem.

There's all sorts of mischaracterisations of him where his autism is reduced to him being an “asshole” and “uncaring”, or that he is some funny reddit meme sona when that’s the case at all! Every other character gets to have serious posts yet when it comes to a very blatant autistic coded character, suddenly no one knows how to act despite the fact the fandom (going off of the twitter fandom here) prides itself on neurodivergency; so I’m here to dump a ton of analysis on Horropedia using ingame sources as proof as well as my own knowledge (as someone who is autistic myself), whilst also debunking mischaracterisations of him. I’m also doing this as I don’t think people treat Horropedias autistic coding seriously, seeing it as silly and thus ignoring all of his character.

Jumping straight in, Horropedia is not an asshole and is actually quite a caring character, even if he doesn’t show it conventionally. To me, it’s quite obvious that he cannot understand people at an emotional level, and always relies on his logical way of thinking no matter the situation; for example, when he broke Blonneys camera, he clearly does not understand why she is mad/upset and instead tries to comfort her logically rather than emotionally. Even when Blonney is very much showing she is mad, Horropedia cannot process that and cannot understand until she actually explains it [Part 5 54:07-57:20]. I can see why people may see it as an asshole move since he tells her to be “reasonable” over the camera breaking, though it is clear that this is another one of his autistic traits as people with autism have a hard time connecting with others’ in an empathetic way(which can come off as being blunt and uncaring) yet no one seems to mention that. Despite this, he still offers her to buy her a new camera once Blonney vents out to Jessica, coming to terms with what he did and making it up to her. [Part 12 2:10:37]

Adding onto the last point, Horropedia shows concern and care multiple times throughout the story. Even if he is bad at comforting people, he still tries to acknowledge what is wrong in regards to the situation. I’m trying to keep this short as I don’t necessarily think this is due to his autism but a cool detail I found with the English voice acting is that his tone gets softer when he’s more genuine (it could be seen as masking but shrug. Not too sure on this one as I'm making this point to show he does care in his own way.) He constantly makes sure everyone is safe and goes out of his way to protect others [Part 4 51:08 , Part 6 1:16:18-1:16:39], which is a small detail I think people gloss over. It’s just nice seeing Horropedia care for others in his own way since I struggle with expressing affection / emotions like him.

Back to his way of thinking, it’s practically plastered everywhere that he thinks in a logical way and takes everything at face value no matter what, which is a trait associated with autism. At the very start of the very event, he even breaks down Vertins joke and still a conclusion was that she wasn’t the person he was looking for (knowing full well she was) [Part 1 11:06-11:50]. Horropedia also explains things at face value— in a basic and straightforward way no matter what it is, which is another example of not truly understanding things at an emotional level! [Part 9 1:42:45-1:43:09]This does not mean he does not consider the consequences of a situation, and Horropedia actively avoids situations where it poses a threat / harm to others. Mentioning this to point out how some people in the fandom treat him like he is stupid?— Despite how he is the basic definition of a nerd with references to it all over his character and voice lines! Yes, he could be seen as careless considering he goes to Green Lake just like that with no approval, but he certainly isn’t oblivious to dangers around him. Horropedia himself explains that he is into horror movies because of how illogical they are(stating how it is like a puzzle), not necessarily the fear of them; so it makes no sense for Horropedia to directly put himself or others in harm's way.

Still relating to his way of thinking, Horropedia uses his horror logic so he can understand situations around him. He directly links back to his special interest to understand things— and to an extent others— better, special interests are a trait exclusive to autistic people! By using his horror special interest, he can understand the world better from his perspective. I don't even need to get examples of this because throughout the Green Lake event he makes references and links to horror movies, basing predictions on what to do in order to survive in the stereotypical like scene of Green Lake. Horropedia is full of reasoning, and despite his “debatable manners” (thanks Sonetto),he is not always too absurd with his predictions. It baffles me that people treat Horropedia like he is some happy-go-lucky kid, running head first into danger; he takes the time to understand a given situation in a way he would understand before doing anything.

Another really obvious thing is that he can’t understand social cues, or the body languages of others at all. Essentially he cannot read the room. The whole “I know the rules of social courtesy” [Part 12 2:19:19] line doesn’t necessarily mean he understands social cues— rules are (usually) based in logic and reasoning, and not emotions. Social courtesy just means the rules of society (or the foundation in this case? eh), and Horropedia knows he HAS to abide by the rules or else he will be in trouble. Something seen as ‘basic’ and ‘simple’ to people considered ‘normal’ by society may be hard to grasp by people who do not benefit from society (autistic people). Horropedia understands the ‘logical reasoning’ of how someone acts but he can’t connect with or understand someone else’s emotional responses. Literally look at most of his interactions with the film crew and Blonney, Jessica even steps in at one point to stop him from making the fight between Jason and Blonney worse [Part 6 1:11:38]; and even then he tries to use logic to break down the situation. Horropedia can’t pick up on social cues for the life of him, including body language and tone.

Smaller point here but I have a feeling Horropedia’s tone is hard to understand to some of the characters. Tooth Fairy couldn’t tell if Horropedia was joking towards the end of the event , where he shows off his “sense of humour”. Nothing much to add here I just found that really interesting…

Ive rinsed out all the notes I’ve taken on Horropedias autistic coding so far…….. feel free to add on more….. I may have gotten some things wrong because I have been working on this for a few hours straight. Surprisingly I still have more to analyse outside of his autism so if people are interested let me know bc i’m desperate .

TLDR: horropedia is autistic thanks for reading.

[ultrone]

𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 ┊ 𝖿𝗐𝖻 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌

+ best friends jackie and lottie

synopsis. after the crash, your friends with benefits arrangement with nat takes an unexpected turn. the two of you become inseparable, seeking solace in each other's company and ignoring the past that tied the two of you together — will the feelings you once concealed resurface, or remain hidden under the surface? (click here to see request)

cw. minor nsfw — descriptive hook-up session & mentions of masturbation, — jealousy, cursing.

wc. 4.4k

It had been a few weeks since the crash, and to say it had been tough would be an understatement. One day, you were brimming with excitement, ready to head to nationals with your team. The next day, you found yourselves stranded in the heart of the woods, far from any signs of civilization. However, amidst this dire situation, you were grateful to be surrounded by familiar faces — your teammates and your closest friends.

The crash had deeply affected the group, leaving everyone shaken to their core. In the aftermath, everyone clung to each other for consolation and support. For you, Jackie, Lottie, and Nat became your closest sources of comfort.

Jackie was quite the character. From being the team captain and wielding great influence, she had become the most "useless" member of the group. Although she made attempts to lift everyone's spirits, she showed little effort in actually assisting with any of the tasks. Even the simplest chores, like fetching water from the lake, made her pull a face and inwardly complain. You loved her a lot, as she was one of your closest friends along with Lottie, whom you've known since middle school. But her behaviour could be irritating at times, and you often felt burdened by her childlike demeanour.

“Jackie, you have to push it harder,” you told her, observing how she struggled to cut the meat with the knife. "And don't bend your wrist like that; you might hurt yourself," you advised.

“I am pushing,” She responded. She made another attempt, applying slightly more force, but her posture clearly revealed her lack of genuine effort. Holding the knife with one hand, barely gripping the back end, and raising her other arm in a nonchalant manner, she was far from giving it her all.

"No, you're not," you asserted, taking the knife from her grasp. “You have to push it ‘till it pops, just like Shauna taught us yesterday,” you demonstrated, doing it correctly.

“Yuck, gross,” she exclaimed, cringing and chuckling, moving away in disgust. “Ew.”

"It's not that bad," you replied, washing your hands in a bucket of lukewarm water placed on the table.

“Yeah, I’m not doing that,” she declared while crossing her arms, causing you to roll your eyes at her.

It wasn’t always bad though, after all, Jackie had always been the kind of person who knew how to brighten everyone up. Whenever you felt down or hopeless about the whole situation, she would find a way to comfort you, even if she herself felt the same. Whether it was through uplifting words or coming up with fun distractions, she always knew how to make you feel better.

But there was this one time when things took a turn. Around two weeks ago, Jackie came up with an idea for a spiritual game, similar to Charlie Charlie, and everyone agreed to play — except for Tai, Laura Lee, and coach Ben. The rest of you gathered on the second floor of the cabin, forming a circle and lighting candles in a sort of ritualistic manner. Shauna took on the role of the "messenger" or something like that, holding a pendulum to contact the spirit of the dead man who had been in the cabin when you arrived.

At first, it was fun, with questions about crushes and gossip floating around. However, as time went on, the tone shifted dramatically. Javi's question about the possibility of death out in the wilderness cast a somber cloud over the group, plunging everyone into a more serious mindset. And that's when everything took a turn for the worse. The ambiance abruptly shifted when all the candles extinguished simultaneously, and Lottie appeared to be possessed. She muttered incomprehensible words in French and injured her forehead, causing it to bleed. The situation became so alarming that Laura Lee instinctively grabbed a Bible and threw it at Lottie, which eventually snapped her back to reality. However, she was never the same after that incident.

Looking back, Lottie and you became friends back in middle school. One day, while you were playing alone on the swings, a young Taissa suddenly pushed you and ran off, laughing mischievously. You ended up falling on your knees and scraping them, causing a small amount of bleeding. Trying to hold back your tears, you heard a gentle voice coming from behind you.

"Are you okay?" You glanced up and saw a girl with long brown hair cascading over her shoulders. She had two strands of hair tied up at the back with a pink bow.

You nodded shyly, trying to keep a tear from falling as you rubbed your eye.

"Don't cry!" she said with concern. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up," she suggested, extending her hand toward you with a warm smile.

You slowly smiled back and took her hand. "Thank you," you said softly. She assisted you in standing up and then guided you carefully towards the bathroom.

"By the way, my name is Charlotte, but everyone calls me Lottie," she introduced herself with a wide grin. "What's your name?" she asked, curiosity evident in her eyes.

"My name is Y/n," you replied, returning her smile.

Ever since you were young, Lottie had always been an incredibly caring and loyal friend. She was full of fun and wit, and if anything bad ever happened, she would defend you as if her life depended on it. But after the incident at the cabin, something changed within her. It was hard to put into words. She was still the same Lottie you had always known, yet somehow different at the same time.

You had been aware of Lottie's struggle with schizophrenia for a few years now. She had entrusted you with this information, being the only friend she had opened up to about it. After the crash, you became increasingly concerned because you knew it was only a matter of time before she ran out of her medication. Gradually, you began to notice peculiar behaviour from her, and she acknowledged it as well. Still, you tried to reassure her, believing that her odd actions were merely a result of adjusting to a lower dosage of her pills.

However, after the incident, strange occurrences started happening that left you questioning whether Lottie's diagnosis of schizophrenia was accurate. How could she have stopped Tai's sleepwalking problem and even attracted a bear to the cabin when everyone was on the verge of starvation? It felt too coincidental to ignore.

Nevertheless, despite any of these events, your relationship with both Jackie and Lottie remained intact. If anything, those experiences only strengthened the bond you shared with them. However, if you were being completely honest, the person who provided you with the most comfort at the moment was Nat. She seemed like the only stable presence in your life, unaffected by childlike behavior or unpredictable episodes. She was simply the same old Nat you had always known, perhaps a bit more apprehensive, but still maintaining her usual chill and nonchalant demeanour. 

Nat and you had an unusual story, if you could even call it that. You first met during soccer practice, although you didn't interact much at the time. You held the co-captain position while Jackie excelled as the team's captain. Though you weren't as skilled at leading as Jackie was, you were known for being one of the kindest souls on the team, getting along with pretty much everybody — and of course, your skills on the field were top-notch, — which led to your selection as co-captain.

On the other hand, Nat wasn't as involved in the team dynamics as you were. She was a talented player and got along well with most of your teammates, but she spent most of her time hanging out with Kevyn or her own group of friends, usually getting high or drunk during school hours. The only moments you really shared with her were in the empty locker room, either before anyone else arrived or right after everyone else had left. Interestingly, many of your memories together involved her grabbing your ass and sticking her tongue in your mouth. Not that it bothered you in the slightest.

“Fuck Nat—,” you groaned faintly as the girl attacked your mouth with her tongue, tenderly biting your bottom lip. She was pressing you against the wall, and your hands were tangled in her hair as her hands slowly worked her way up your abdomen, seeking your breasts.

Just as she was about to grab them, a loud whistle from outside the locker rooms interrupted the moment, followed by a grunt from Nat.

"Fuck, we've got to go," you said hastily.

"Do we really?" she responded casually, pushing you harder against the wall and sliding her hands to your breasts, holding them tightly. She peppered open-mouthed kisses along your neck, eliciting soft moans from you. But mustering all your strength, you gently pushed her away.

"Yes, we do," you said, giving her a quick peck on the lips before darting out of the room. Glancing back at her, you motioned for her to follow. She rolled her eyes but quickly caught up with you.

Before the crash, you never imagined Nat and you would become close friends. In fact, if someone had told you that you would spend most of your time together, doing things and just hanging out, you would have probably laughed at them. Both of you came from completely different worlds, and while you didn't actively avoid each other, she was seen as an outcast while you were considered popular. The fact that the two of you were secretly involved with each other was already a big boundary crossed. But the crash changed everything. It not only took away your innocence, but also erased any social barriers that had previously prevented you from interacting.

And so you did.

The first time you interacted with each other was right after the crash. You woke up in the galley, trapped under a fallen food cart. Panicked and surrounded by the increasing flames, you struggled to free yourself. No matter how hard you pushed, the cart wouldn't budge in the narrow space. It felt like the end. But then, in a swift move, Nat appeared and managed to move the cart aside. She reached out her hand, and you grabbed it, escaping just seconds before an explosion engulfed the area.

You owed her your life, and a simple thank you didn't seem sufficient. So, you started assisting her with tasks and accompanying her on hunts, as a way to repay her. But what began as gratitude quickly became something more. Spending time together became your favourite activity. The more you talked, the closer you grew, finding solace and comfort in each other's company. Yet, you both consciously avoided discussing your pre-crash relationship, as if you had made an unspoken agreement to forget the past and start anew, as if you had only met in the aftermath of the crash.

However, you couldn't deny that sometimes you found yourself staring at her lips for longer than you should, or imagining the sensation of her hands against your skin. Even mundane tasks like watching her handle equipment or lift something heavy would trigger images of her effortlessly carrying you or holding you against a wall. Initially, you indulged in these memories, closing your eyes and relishing in them while trying to find release on your own. But as time went on, these memories intertwined with your growing feelings for her. What was once a simple burning in your core, started to evolve into butterflies in your stomach and a persistent ache in your heart.

So you stopped.

You made a conscious decision to stop dwelling on those thoughts. You went cold turkey, cutting off any mental imagery or fantasies that surpassed the boundaries of friendship. And so far, this self-imposed restraint seemed to be working.

It had been a chill day, with everyone finishing their tasks ahead of time and not much else to do but engage in conversations or let their minds wander. Jackie, as always, came up with an idea to make the evening more special. Instead of having dinner at the cabin as usual, she proposed building a cozy bonfire by the river and enjoying quality time together, reminiscent of the day of the plane crash when all of you gathered around a bonfire on that first night, sharing stories and laughing. Everyone readily agreed, and it was decided to meet at the designated spot once darkness had fully descended upon the sky.

As Shauna took charge of preparing the meat, Van and Tai pitched in by gathering wood for the bonfire. Lottie, Mari and you took on the task of gathering blankets to ensure everyone would be warm and comfortable. The remaining members of the group found various tasks to assist with, each contributing to the preparations in their own way.

When the moment arrived, all of you met at the designated spot and settled into your seats. Jackie positioned herself between Shauna and Lottie, and you found yourself sandwiched between Lottie and Nat. The rest of the team took their seats accordingly, creating a circle around the fire. Each person grabbed a stick and skewered a piece of meat, holding it above the flames to cook it to perfection before taking a bite.

"The things I'd do to have a working walkman right now," Tai said with a sigh, chewing a piece of her meat.

"It's okay, we’ve got Crystal to bless our ears, right you guys?" Van joked, making everyone chuckle, except Crystal, who blushed in embarrassment.

"What was that song Y/n was obsessed with? The one she always played in the shower after practice," Jackie asked while laughing at the memory.

"Wasn't it Pump Up The Jam?" Shauna asked, trying to remember.

"No, it was—" You got interrupted by Lottie and Nat, who spoke up at the same time.

"Be My Lover," both of them said with smiles on their faces. They looked at each other and chuckled when they realized they said the same thing. However, you noticed that Nat's smile fell too quickly to be genuine, but you didn't mention anything.

"And then she stopped listening to it because the last time she did, she slipped while dancing in the showers and pulled the curtain down with her as she fell," Van began, laughing loudly.

"And then Coach Ben walked in and saw her on the floor," Jackie finished, laughing along with everyone else.

“And now that image is forever ingrained in my memory,” Coach Ben said with a hint of humour, making a grimace.

“I thought we all agreed not to speak of this ever again,” you said with an embarrassed huff, unable to hide your growing smile.

For the rest of the evening, all of you continued to joke around and share stories, until all the meat had been eaten and the firewood was nearly depleted. Eventually, everyone returned to the cabin, ready to catch some sleep.

You had been lying down with your eyes closed for an hour already, but for some reason, sleep eluded you. Growing impatient, you wondered whether a walk to the lake could help you relax. 

In stark contrast to the city, the sky here remained untainted, free from any traces of pollution, affording you an unobstructed view of the shimmering stars. Not only that, but the hush and serenity of the night filled you with a sense of tranquility; there was something enchanting about being awake while the rest of the girls — and the world — slumbered.

While lost in thought, you caught a faint sound of sheets shifting. You turned to your left and saw Nat moving under the covers. She scratched her head, indicating that she was still awake. You moved closer to her and softly rested your hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump a little.

"Hey, Nat," you whispered, softly calling out her name, ensuring only she could hear you. She turned towards you, her weary eyes showing a hint of concern.

"What's up? You good?" she asked, her brow slightly furrowed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't seem to fall asleep," you confessed, toying with the edge of the pillow using your fingers.

"Same here," she admitted, biting her lip.

"Wanna come outside with me?" you asked, a glimmer of excitement in your eyes.

"And do what?" she inquired, curiosity evident in her tone.

"Just come," you replied confidently. Without hesitation, you gingerly slid the blanket off your body and rose to your feet, moving stealthily towards the door, careful not to make a sound. Nat quietly trailed behind you, mirroring your every move.

As soon as you stepped outside, the autumn weather greeted you with a contrasting mix of warmth and a chilly breeze caressing your skin. Walking ahead, Nat followed closely behind you, the sound of fallen leaves crackling beneath your shoes as you made your way towards the lake.

"Are we heading to the lake?" Nat inquired.

"No, we're actually going to Seven Eleven," you responded in a sarcastic tone.

"Ha ha," she chuckled in the same tone, nudging your shoulder with a grin.

You continued walking until you reached the edge of the lake, coming to a halt. Closing your eyes and inhaling deeply, you felt a wave of relaxation wash over you, as if the scenery before you had a calming effect. Opening your eyes, you swiftly removed your pants, letting them fall to the ground, and proceeded to take off your shirt while making your way towards the water.

"It’s like three in the morning, Y/n. Are you insane?” She asked incredulously.

“What? You scared?” You playfully teased, dashing into the water.

She let out a huff, a chuckle escaping her lips as she watched you. Unable to resist the temptation, she stripped off her own clothes and followed closely behind you, a smile lighting up her face as she raced towards you.

As she drew closer, the water already lapping at both of your knees, she playfully gave you a shove, causing you to tumble into the water with her falling on top of you. Laughter erupted from both of you as you playfully wrestled in the water. Eventually, you managed to wriggle free from her grasp and swam farther into the lake, the water gradually rising until it reached your neck. It had a pleasant temperature, neither cold nor warm, just perfect.

Submerging your head underwater, you emerged with a graceful backward flick, water droplets cascading from your fluttering eyelashes. As your vision cleared, you spotted Nat floating in the water right in front of you. Her platinum-white hair floated gracefully around her head, her eyes peacefully closed, and her lips slightly parted as her breathing slowed down after all the splashing around. The moonlight above you cast a gentle glow, reflecting off her wet body, creating an ethereal illumination that highlighted her features.

Under the soft glow of the moon, her body appeared breathtakingly beautiful, captivating you completely. You found yourself unable to tear your gaze away, consumed by a feeling of longing. You swam closer to her, mirroring her position but facing the opposite direction, aligning your head next to hers. Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath and exhaled, relishing the gentle caress of the water against your body. The only sounds that filled the air were the rhythm of your breaths and the tranquil melodies of nature. Amidst the aftermath of the plane crash, there were small moments like this that held a special allure—dashing to a lake in the dead of night, immersing yourselves in the water, far from the flickering lights and urban clamour. It was just the two of you and the tranquil embrace of nature.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," you murmured, your voice filled with yearning. Nat simply hummed in response, fully engrossed in the moment and not even bothering to muster a reply.

A couple of minutes passed in peaceful silence before you broke it once again. "You were acting weird today," you remarked, your tone tinged with curiosity.

"What do you mean?" she asked calmly, her voice a little raspy from not having spoken for a while.

"I don't know, your energy just felt off," you explained. "You seemed somewhat uncomfortable when Lottie and you coincidentally named my song at the same time."

Her eyes slowly fluttered open at your words, unsure of how to respond. She gazed up at the twinkling stars, momentarily losing herself in their beauty.

"That's quite a specific observation," she chuckled lightly.

You joined in with a soft laugh. "I guess I just noticed." You started, "Whenever the three of us are together, you seem to grow tense, but I can't really explain it," you continued. "Did you and Lottie have a fight or something?"

"No, it's not that..." she replied, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Then what is it?" you pressed, looking for an answer.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice uncertain. "I guess she's always talking about you and wanting to be around you," she trailed off.

"But we're best friends, isn't that normal?" you asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Well, yeah, but she's annoying about it," she continued, frustration creeping into her voice. "She acts like she knows you better than anyone else, and-"

You interrupted her. "So you're jealous," you said, a playful smile forming on your lips.

"What? No," she replied incredulously, chuckling nervously.

"Mhm," you teased.

"I am not jealous," she insisted, her voice firm.

"Then why are you blushing?" you asked, turning to look at her and noticing a faint red hue on her cheeks.

"What?" she exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch her flushed cheeks. Realizing how warm they felt, she abruptly stopped floating and stood still, swiftly moving her hand and splashing water onto your face.

"Hey!" you exclaimed, water rushing up your nose. Coughing lightly, you stood up and retaliated by splashing water back at her. Anticipating your comeback, she quickly covered her face, but you managed to splash water at her again.

Laughter erupted from both of you as you continued wrestling in the water, playfully throwing water at each other. She reached for your arms to halt your assault, but you surprised her by submerging her head underwater briefly before releasing her.

"You little...," she laughed, coughing and rubbing her nose with her hand.

Seeking revenge, she pulled you closer, causing your legs to instinctively wrap around her as her hands gripped your waist tightly, and she sank the both of you beneath the water's surface. After a few seconds, your need for air grew too strong, and you began pushing her shoulder, signalling for her to surface, which she did.

With your legs still secured around her waist, you used your hands to push your wet hair back and rub your eyes. As your vision cleared, you rested your hands on her shoulders and suddenly realized how close you were. Your legs held tight, and you felt the lingering touch of her left hand on your body as she rubbed her eyes and nose with her other hand. When she finished, she met your gaze, slowly placing her hand back on your waist.

Both of you locked eyes, your breaths and heartbeats increasing in sync. The suppressed thoughts and desires you had kept hidden for so long began resurfacing, and this time, you made no attempt to suppress them. Her intense gaze lingered on you, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, her dilated pupils captivated you with each flutter of her wet eyelashes, and her half-open, moist lips tingled with anticipation. Fuck it, you thought. Without a second thought, you swiftly pressed your lips together in a passionate kiss, leaving no room to breathe. It was a slow and fervent kiss, conveying the depth of your longing and how much you had yearned for this moment, for her. Your hands traveled from her shoulders to her hair, while your lips captured her bottom lip, gently sucking on it. She loosened her grip and instead embraced you, pulling you closer against her body, craving the warmth of your body against hers. Reasserting her dominance, she lightly nibbled on your lip, silently asking for entrance. It only took a slight pressure of her centre against yours under the water for your mouth to part slightly, allowing her agile tongue to explore your mouth as you let out a groan. 

Your lips continued their rhythmic movements, growing plump and red, pulsating with a delightful ache, while your lungs screamed for much-needed air. Finally, the two of you reluctantly broke apart, the silence broken by your words.

"Fuck... You don’t know how much I've missed this," you confessed, locking eyes with her, your fingers tenderly caressing the nape of her neck.

"Me too," she breathed, her gaze fixated on your lips. Her hands moved from your waist to your cheeks, gently cupping them as she pulled you into another kiss, this time filled with tenderness and love. You wrapped your arms around her neck, drawing her closer, fully immersing yourself in the moment.

She pulled back slightly, her breath caressing your lips. "I'm so fucking jealous of Lottie," she admitted with a raspy voice. "She makes me so mad," she confessed, before capturing your lips in another soft kiss, laced with a hint of frustration. "I hate it when she makes you laugh," she murmured between kisses, "And I hate that she's always following you around like a lost puppy." She gave you one last kiss before pulling away, her face just a few centimeters away from yours, and using one of her thumbs to softly caress your swollen bottom lip.

Her words left you puzzled, but deep down, they were everything you had ever longed to hear from her. Gathering your thoughts, you responded, "Well, you don't have to worry about that too much."

She slowly shifted her gaze from your lips to your eyes, her brows furrowing slightly as she stared at you with a perplexed expression.

"Because I love you," you confessed, causing Nat's heart to skip a beat at your unexpected declaration.

"What?" she stammered, her eyes searching yours for any signs of deceit.

"I love you, Nat," you repeated, your voice brimming with sincerity and honesty. "I've loved you for so long that I honestly don't know how I've kept it to myself all this time," you confessed. "I love you," you reiterated once more.

"Fuck, Y/n," Nat uttered, her face reflecting disbelief and astonishment. "I love you too," she finally said, unable to contain her emotions, before pulling you into another tender kiss. The two of you stood there, savoring each other's embrace, only illuminated by the soft glow of the pale moonlight.

[cupidlovesastro]

this is just a rant about the astro community

i am so tired of the astro community on here. genuinely. people are so incredibly sensitive and will quite literally will block you over anything because they can never handle someone’s opinion being different from theirs, or because your mutual with someone, or lies are being spread about you.

the amount of stories i’ve heard about “x creator” blocking “y creator” because “y creator” believes in the cusp theory and the other person doesn’t, and more situations relating to that

you literally can’t even be mutuals with someone without people getting butt hurt and thinking something bad about you because your associated with a creator they don’t like.

please fucking grow up. your gonna deal with people you may not love, but blocking them over it? please be so serious. it sucks because i notice creators that I GENUINELY ENJOY have blocked me and god knows why, and it’s so fucking annoying when your here to have fun and interact with people but everyone is too fucking sensitive and weird to come to you person to person and talk shit out.

i really wanted to make friends on here and get to know people but how can i do that when there’s likely being rumors spread about me, people blocking you just because you like the color red, and likely because your mutuals with other people

im trying so hard not to just crash tf out, but i swear to god, one more person starts acting differently with me out of no where and i will @ every person who i knowingly has blocked me and i will say all the shit i’ve heard about every creator. im fucking tired of this petty ass childish shit. mind you, everyone in this damn community is usually 20+ im 18 and yall act more childish than i do. grow some fucking balls

call me dramatic, call me childish, call me whatever, but this shit is so ridiculous

astrology isn’t about politics, race, gender, ethnicity, etc so why are u getting pressed? im upset at the clownery of it all, the fact i come on here to make friends and people get upset and angry about the most random shit. it gets annoying

[incorrect-spideytorch]

So, I’ve been thinking a lot about spideytorch lately (as I am one to do) and a question popped into my head:

What is the most important spideytorch comic panel?

There’s a ton of great options in my opinion, but I think there also is an answer (at least for me) so now I am going to subject all of you to my thought process. Get ready for a way to long post breaking this down.

The most obvious starting point has to be this classic

Johnny Storm is going full house husband for Peter Parker, I mean c’mon! add in the fact that he’s in his undies and the way that he’s leaning over peter… yeah this is a classic. This might be the most famous spideytorch panel out there, but I don’t think it’s the most important one.

Another classic (but more antagonistic?) one takes place, of course, at the usual place.

To me this is peak identity shenanigans and the stuff that fanfics are made of. The betrayal, the heartbreak, the complications that go into the conflicting way these two view identity, oh boy I could talk about that shit for hours, but as an individual moment, it doesn’t really crack most important for me, it needs a bit more affection (they’re very bad at affection sometimes).

Another panel that came to mind very quickly for me is this set.

Johnny literally only had to say his name and Peter knew exactly what he meant and what he needed. This is top tier levels of communication, both between them and from the creators to us. I think this is another one that I could talk about for hours. That being said, it doesn’t feel important enough to me.

A friend in the spideytorch discord server posed this panel as the most important spideytorch moment in the comics.

I’m just gonna put their quote in cause it’s great. “I think this is one of my favorite panels cause Johnny was just speaking generally and Peter was like ‘oh my god! Actual wise words form johnny’ but also, I love that this was a more important moment for Peter than Johnny.” I must say, this entry is extremely important to spideytorch and gave my choice a run for its money. I don’t have a huge reason for not making this one the most important, other than personal taste. For their relationship, this is a key moment and sets them on the path to actually being friends (at least on Peter’s end), but idk it just wasn’t doing it for me.

Another panel I was reminded of thanks to this submission was this moment.

It’s not quite as impactful as the past one by a long shot but I do think it’s important. After being rivals for so long, to see Johnny give a genuine heartfelt compliment to Peter is fantastic (haha). This feels like the other half of the previous set of panels. There we had Johnny encouraging a stranger and here he’s encouraging his friend.

Some other friends in the discord server suggested the moment that Johnny invites Peter over to watch his sex tape (yes this is canon).

(Not pictured, Peter swinging away and saying he needs to take a cold shower). Now I’m not saying that the most important spideytorch moment needs to be serious, but I think this moment might be too unserious to claim that title. This moment was huge for the fanbase because holy shit did, he actually say that, but for their relationship, I just don’t think it was as important as it was to us.

Now I do want to knock out a few honorable mentions that I would hate to miss.

First, this look given to Spidey by Johnny, I mean yeah, he’s in love.

And to balance the lovesick flirty scales I must expose Peter as well.

Next, this heartbreaking moment that basically admits to the audience that Peter’s world becomes chaos when he loses Johnny. That shit hits.

Of course, the moment that gave us the ship name.

A panel that lives in my head rent-free because honestly marvel what were you attempting to convey here other than the fact that Peter really wants to have hate sex with Johnny Storm?

To take us outside of our duo, this quote from Ben Grimm (EDIT: it’s was Peter’s clone Ben Reilly, which honestly only adds more drama), because honestly same.

And of course, I have to include the panel which showed us the first time (on page) that Peter told Johnny he loved him AND gave us canon proof that these two have “date night,” many a fic writer was fed well.

And how could we forget! THE USUAL PLACE! Literally any panel mentioning this is top tier because its so good, like the core of the fandom honestly.

Lastly, before moving on to my own more serious contenders I have to share this parallel that @sciderman shared because I love it.

Now to my serious contenders for the title of most important spideytorch panel (please remember this is all my opinion and I mean no shade). This will be a top 5, but just know some of these rankings are pretty flexible (even flexible with some panels from the beginning), and this question should not be taken as seriously as I am taking it, I am fully aware of that.

Number 5!

So, I know that I discounted the sex tape scene earlier because I didn’t think it was serious enough and it didn’t do enough for their actual relationship, but I had to include this one I’m sorry. A lot of this is personal taste but the implications here are *chefs kiss* The first time I saw this panel was actually on Pinterest with the caption “wait a second, did spider-man and the human torch have sex?” which says it all for me.

Beyond that, this moment also shows how they reach out to each other when they have problems. Strange children show up in Peter’s life and the first person he calls about it is Johnny. Again, this is not the most serious, but I love it. This moment shows the banter of their relationship, how they care about and rely on each other, and also potentially reveals that they’ve had sex. There’s a lot to take in.

Number 4!

I will be honest with you all, this moment is here almost entirely because Ben’s quote lives in my head rent-free. Everyone around them sees how they feel about each other besides them. When they were rivals others could tell they actually liked each other and when they became friends others could tell that it was deeper than that. I think I especially love this panel because it conforms that we’re not crazy for thinking there’s something there but also because Ben specifically cites the way Johnny looks at peter. That is very specific and says a lot. I can’t imagine Ben would say this if the looks Johnny gave Peter were purely platonic, and just ahhhh, there’s so much said here just in one line from Ben. There was of course the Ben moment earlier, which I also love, but something about this one, the more specific phrasing of it I think just shoots it up my rankings a lot.

Number 3!

If you’ve been following me for a while I don’t think this is a surprise at all, I have already done a very in depth post about this panel so I’ll keep my thoughts brief. Red Skull knows that hurting Johnny will hurt Peter, Peter’s Spidey senses go off FOR JOHNNY, and we are given so much angst potential, I love it.

Number 2!

This one is probably a more popular choice than my number one, and I totally get it. The excitement and joy bursting out of Peter when he finally realizes that Johnny is here, he’s real, and he’s alive really gets me. Plus, the added context to the uniform comment being that Johnny literally left Peter his family and his spot on the team in his will. The amount of pure love in this moment and its larger context is abundant, platonic or romantic, it’s there. I feel like everything I could say about this panel has probably been said before, but it is definitely worthy of being the most important spideytorch moment, even if I have one that beats it for me.

Number 1!

For those of you who don’t know, this panel comes from Peter visiting Gwen’s grave and talking to her. That fact alone breaks me in half but then the things he says to her shatter me. Every spider-man fan knows how much Gwen’s death broke Peter, it destroyed him to lose her. Just the fact that Peter admits Johnny brings part of him back is amazing (haha) because that is a hug feat. But then he shatters me even more with his final sentences. After Gwen’s death, we often get a peter who spends too much time as Spidey in order to avoid having to cope with Gwen’s death as Peter, but also as a way to cope with the loss (he’s a complicate man). Spideypool also gets a lot from that arc because of Wade’s reaction to Spider-Man not holding back as much and becoming less of a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and that’s true. The fact that Peter feels like he’s becoming who Spidey is supposed to be again when he’s around johnny is huge! But then! He corrects himself. He’s not Spidey again, he’s Peter. The real person, the man behind the mask, comes back. And then you get the final correction. He’s not just peter again, he’s *Gwen’s* peter again. He is the him that existed with Gwen when he’s with Johnny. That speaks volumes and breaks whatever parts of me are left. How am I expected to read this and not think that Johnny and Peter are soulmates?

Now, I will acknowledge that this is much more of a peter moment than a joint spideytorch moment, much like the moment suggested by discord friend earlier. If that disqualifies it for you as the most important spideytorch panel, I get it. However, for me that doesn’t matter mainly for one key reason. So many classic spideytorch moments show a lot of Johnny having feelings for Peter or making a move on Peter. There have been a lot of times when I’m trying to get a friend into spideytorch, and I feel like I have to clarify that its not as one sided as it seems. Johnny is much more out there with who he is and doesn’t hide his feelings very well (except maybe from himself). So, when we get any spideytorch moment that hones in on peter’s feelings and love for Johnny, that feels so huge to me. This moment alone proves that it isn’t one sided, Peter has deep feelings for Johnny, even if he’s not sure what they are yet, he knows that what they have is special, he wouldn’t be telling Gwen about it otherwise. While it may not be as famous of a spideytorch moment, its an important one, and for me it’s probably the most important one.

Anyway, this has been a way too long post about this topic but if you made it to the end thank you so much! I would love to hear other people’s thoughts on this topic so feel free to share those. Also, just a reminder that these are my opinions, and I am not in charge at all so don’t take it too seriously (unless you want to).

If you’re interested in hearing me, go more in depth on any of these panels (or any other spideytorch panels) shoot me an ask because I could honestly talk in depth for a while about most of these panels and I would love to do so. Thank you again for reading this way to long post and good night spideytorch nation.

[lil-elle]

Him <3

group: xikers

pair: seeun x fem!reader

genre: fluff, best friends to lovers, crushes

word count: 863

content: fluff 🥹🩷 (as always, yk me), a few lil swears

a/n: felt bad being so ia, so I quickly finished up this draft! Enjoy!!

Your soft sobs were suddenly caught in your throat after hearing a soft “Y/n?” being called through the door to your room. You hurriedly rubbed your sweater sleeve over your tear stained cheeks just in time for the door to crack open and Seeun to peek his head in.

“H-Hey, why’re you here?” You squeaked out, trying to sound as normal as possible. Not normal sounding enough, apparently, as the tall boy quickly rushed over to sit beside you on the bed.

“I don't think you're in a space to be asking questions…” he chuckled softly, his arm snaking around your shoulder to pull you gently against him, “...why the waterworks?” You forced out a giggle, resting a hand against your best friend's chest and looking up at his surprisingly worried expression.

“It's nothing, really…” He sighed as you dropped your head again, his hand now gently rubbing up and down your arm as a way to comfort you.

“It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it…but I'm staying right here…” His voice was so gentle, and yet it pierced so deeply into your heart that you felt the painful sting of tears in your eyes once again. His grip on your shoulder tightened as you suddenly choked back a sob.

“I-I just don't get it…” You sobbed, and he leaned forward a little to get a glimpse at your face, using his other hand to gently swipe some hair away from your forehead and behind your ear. “W-Why…”

“Why what…?” He asked, his voice laced with a genuine worry that had your heart breaking and your stomach doing somersaults simultaneously.

You responded with silence, a few seconds passing before his voice cut through, a little lower and more serious this time.

“Is this about him again?”

Him. The word you always used to refer to your crush when you were ranting to Seeun. A boy that Seeun knew all about from the way you'd fawn over him, fangirl over him, and even complain about him. Little did Seeun know that this him in question that he'd give you advice for and talk shit about sometimes…was himself.

You nodded slowly and Seeun’s grip on you tightened slightly as he clicked his tongue.

“That ass. I swear y/n, how many times does he have to make you cry like this for you to see he's not worth it?”

Your glossy, puffy, red eyes meet his and you speak up, a slight crack to your words.

“That's the problem, though…He is worth it. He's beyond worth it. He keeps reminding me why I fell for him in the first place even if he doesn't realise it…”

Your gaze was almost burning holes into his as you spoke, his deep brown eyes reflecting back at you with complicated emotions that you couldn't quite place.

“He's just…” your eyes scanned over the boy's face in front of you, his every feature showing love and care for you that made your heart race every time, “...too dense to realise my feelings for him.”

Seeun sighed, his hand rubbing up and down your arm comfortingly.

“He's stupid. The most perfect girl is right in front of him, screaming for him to notice her, and he does nothing.”

You chuckle wryly, sighing almost exhaustedly.

“...You're right…you are stupid…”

“Huh…?”

You drop your head in your hands, giggling weakly as your face heats up red.

“You're so stupid, Park Seeun…”

“W-What? Why me?” He asked confusedly. You lifted your head to look at him, a bitter-sweet smile on your face.

“You just said it yourself.”

His expression only grew more perplexed as you spoke.

“I-I said he was stupid.” He stated, thinking that you must've heard him incorrectly.

“Yup, I know. And yes…you are.”

You watched as the gears in his began to turn, his confused eyes slowly turning to those of realisation and fluster.

“O-Oh. Yeah. You're right, I am.” You couldn't help but notice the way his ears almost immediately went bright red, making your grin widen. You burst into laughter, your body leaning into his, making his other arm wrap around you and cradle you.

“I can't believe the amount of times you called yourself a dumbass without any idea…” You laughed, making him swat your arm playfully.

“Please forget everything I've ever said to you about him. Pretty please.” He leaned closer, nuzzling his forehead against your hair.

“Ha! Not a chance.” You responded, earning a chuckle from him in his deep, quiet voice right above you that reverberated through you and made your stomach twist into knots.

“When I gain super powers and learn how to erase people's memories, you'll be my first victim.”

You giggle wildly, snuggling even closer to him and earning another adoring chuckle from him. His arms tightened around you before pulling you back to sink into the mattress together, forcing another laugh from the both of you as you tangled together in a playful and shy fit of giggles. You felt like a whole weight had been lifted off your chest and you knew you'd never feel as happy as you do anywhere else bit in his arms like that.

-

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

TAGLIST: @chocoeon @hyunukitty @cake1box @chiiyuuvv @shortnstupid @dogyunslover

[hannahbarberra162]

Struck Twice By Lightning, Chapter 9

18+ MDNI

On Ao3

Shanks would probably hand you a dirty washcloth and think that's aftercare. I love him, but it's true.

A few hours and many orgasms later, you were depleted. You didn’t think you’d ever be able to walk normally again. Shanks, for his part, was also calm now. You were laying on your back, with your head on the pillows, legs bent. He was laying down between your legs, with his head resting on your stomach. You were carding through his beautiful red hair, gently detangling the messy strands. You were both quiet, enjoying the afterglow of a night well spent. 

Shanks used his hand to lightly grasp the outside of your right hip, jiggling it. He picked his head up a few inches to look at it. 

“Hello, old friend. Nice to see you again.” You exhaled sharply through your nose. You had a tattoo of his jolly roger there, done long ago. 

“Well, it's not like I could get rid of it.”

“That’s right, can’t get rid of the ol’ Red Haired Pirates.” Shanks jiggled your leg again, then lightly smacked the tattoo. You squeezed his head between your thighs mischievously. You were in a great mood - multiple orgasms would do that to a woman.

“You can suffocate me between your legs, I’d die happy.” Shanks put his chin on your belly, facing you. You took one hand out of his hair to reach out and touched his facial scars. He smiled and looked like he wanted to purr. 

“Can you do that thing I love?” he asked, trying to use your good mood to his advantage.

“Pff. Fine. Lay down.” Shanks pumped his arm in the air and rolled off you, onto his stomach. He put his hand under his chin and closed his eyes. You got up rooted around until you found some body oil you’d brought with you. You spread some drops on your hands to warm it up, then straddled Shank’s lower back. You used firm pressure to massage his neck and shoulders. Shanks moaned.

“This is the best part of it all,” Shanks sighed, closing his eyes.

“Yeah, maybe for you.” Shanks was good at a lot of things, but you’d never gotten a back massage from him that didn’t end in another kind of massage. You slowly worked your way down his neck to his back, with Shanks sighing every few seconds for dramatic effect.

“Shanks, the left side of your back is really messed up,” you said in a serious tone. The knots on the side with his missing arm were awful, he was likely always in pain. Shanks hummed but didn’t reply.

“No, really. You should have Benn help you. Or at least Hongo. It doesn't have to be this bad.”

“But you’re so much better at it. And they don’t sit on me naked, even when I ask nicely.” You laughed, but were still going to talk to Hongo on his behalf. You continued to work his muscle knots.

“Why were the guns still here?” You were genuinely curious. Shanks never used them, maybe someone else on the crew could have.

“Forgot them in here, you know me.” 

“That can’t be true, someone’s been maintaining them.” 

“Why did you bring body oil? You use lotion.”

“Oh hush,” you said without malice. You had moved farther down, using your thumbs to massage his lower back. He yelped and squirmed.

“Quit moving!” you smacked his arm mildly.

“But it hurts!”

“Stop being such a baby, I thought you were an Emperor.” You did lighten your pressure and use a more gentle touch.

“Yeah, your Emperor. So I can complain as much as I want. If you don’t like it, you can move to Big Mom’s.”

“Hey! I was on my island way before you were Emperor! Why should I move? You put your territory around my island! But I hear Big Mom has good desserts. Maybe I’ll put the moves on another Yonko…”

You squealed as Shanks playfully growled and rolled you over so you were under him, his thighs between yours. He leaned down to kiss and nibble your neck, making you laugh more.

“No way. I’ve already tried. She’s immune to charm and roguish good looks.” He continued kissing you, moving up towards your jaw.

“Maybe I am, too.” You wrapped your legs loosely around his waist as he dotted your jaw with wet kisses.

“Mmm. Then I need to keep trying.” He cupped your cheek and leaned down, kissing you tenderly on the mouth. 

~~~~~

Benn POV

Benn had been Shanks’s first mate for a long time. He had pledged his life to Shanks, willing to die by his side. He had no doubt that Shanks was the most powerful Yonko alive, and could get the One Piece if he so chose. Shanks was brilliant in battle, both due to raw talent as well as learning from Gol D. Roger himself. Benn was still in awe of Shanks when they fought, regardless of the opponent. He was a pirate in a class of his own - formidable, terrifying, accomplished, dynamic, and influential.

And a complete fucking idiot. 

From his spot on watch in the crow’s nest, he watched Shanks saunter out of his cabin, relaxed and at ease. Benn could practically see the hearts radiating off of him. Benn struck a match - from the touristy matchbook you had given him - to light a cigarette. He kept the empty matchbooks as souvenirs once the matches were gone - it was a silly collection he’d started long before he’d even met Shanks. He wasn’t surprised you remembered it after all these years. That was just like you - thoughtful, kind, and compassionate, all hidden under layers of annoyed attitude. 

Benn liked you. He always had, since the moment Shanks introduced you to the crew. You balanced Shanks well, and it was clear there was a strong connection between the two of you. He hoped he didn’t have to watch Shanks fuck it up all over again. And listen to his Captain drunkenly tell the sob story for the rest of their lives. 

In his own way, Shanks had never stopped loving you. Sure, he was a huge flirt and was known for finding his way into beds up and down the Grand Line. But, he’d never let another lover into his cabin. Not even Makino, and she’d been with him longer than any other. Shanks himself maintained your guns, until he lost his arm, after which he asked Benn to do it monthly. He never stopped at your island, but he made sure it wasn’t attacked by pirates or Marines. There was always at least one fleet ship nearby, ready for action if anything happened. If anyone was foolish enough to try, Shanks ruthlessly decimated the entire crew. 

Once, he even begged the Whitebeard Commander Marco to check on you when Shanks found out you were ill. How Shanks heard you were sick, Benn didn’t know. But whatever he said to Marco was enough to get The Phoenix to make a “surprise” visit to see you. Shanks kept his distance, but was always ready to help and protect you, even if you didn’t know it. 

Which was why you were sent to the cabin for such a small battle. Benn knew that Shanks wouldn’t bother fighting a mediocre crew like the one from yesterday if you weren’t around.  But with you on board, Shanks was ready to defend the ship to the ends of the earth. 

But none of that was the issue. You had been unhappy enough to leave without so much as an argument before. You never came to Benn for romantic advice - you kept your own council. But he’d seen you upset at Shanks ignoring you, or caught you crying in the crow’s nest, night after night. Shanks hadn’t noticed in time that you were serious about your hurt emotions, taking you for granted. So you left. Benn didn’t blame you.

Benn wasn’t sure Shanks could win you over again. Sure, the two of you had just as much chemistry as the first time. But he could tell you weren’t acting the same. You weren’t as emotionally involved with the crew, with him, and with Shanks. You were more guarded, keeping more of yourself private. It felt like you were waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Shanks to show his true colors again, protecting yourself from getting hurt. He knew Shanks had grown up during the years you were gone. But Benn wasn’t sure it would be enough.

He watched Shanks bringing some snacks back to the cabin, whistling a merry tune. At least with you around, they didn’t have to give him alcohol for hours until he relaxed after a battle. Peeling his Captain off the floor was definitely one of his least favorite activities as first mate.

~~~~~

Shanks presented you with some snacks he probably stole from Beckman’s cabin while you lounged on the couch.

“Yum…thanks, I’m starving.” You grabbed the plate from him and started munching on some dried fruit.

“That’s for sharing! Gimme some,” he yanked the plate back and began eating some jerky, sitting next to you, facing the same direction.

You chewed in silence together, enjoying the comfortable stillness. You ate all the fruit, and he ate all the jerky. Looking down at the plate, Shanks leaned back and said “some things never change.”

You thought for a minute. That was the problem in a nutshell - you were worried that he never changed. Sure, he was being attentive for the past two or so weeks, but that didn’t really mean anything. 

“So what does all this mean?” you said, gesturing between the two of you. You were going to have to talk about the sex sooner or later, anyway. Might as well get it over with.

“What do you want it to mean?” Shanks leaned back and crossed one foot over his knee. You didn’t answer right away and Shanks continued. 

“I know you don’t trust me. And you have good reason. I’ve spent the last ten years regretting my behavior, regretting how I treated you. I can tell you I’ve changed but that’s not worth much, hm? Sex between us can mean whatever you want, I know it doesn’t mean you love me or that you’re staying. I’m just taking it as a sign that I might have a chance.” With that, he kissed the top of your head, got up and left to put the empty plate in the kitchen. 

~~~~

Early the next morning, you were mulling Shanks’s words over in your head while lying next to him in bed. Your plan was supposed to be straight forward. You were supposed to stay on the ship, get divorced, and start your official business, cutting ties once and for all with your former husband. But now memories of Shanks saying sweet nothings to you, making love to you, and saying he’ll fight for you swirled around in your mind. You glanced over at his peaceful form, relaxed in sleep. You still had time left on the ship to figure things out.

You carefully got up and went over to his desk. You really wanted a cigarette - you’d kicked the habit but you felt you deserved one after all that haki sex. If he kept everything the same as it was when you left, there should be a pack in the way back of the first drawer on the right. Was it gross to smoke old cigarettes? Yes. Were you still going to check? Yes. You carefully opened the drawer, remembering that it sometimes squeaked. There were some loose papers that you needed to move to get to your treasure. You looked briefly at the few papers on top - old newspaper articles, a couple of his crew’s wanted posters, and stopped when you saw what was underneath the first layer.

It was a photo of the two of you on your wedding day. You ran your finger over the photo, remembering the moment vividly. You weren’t wearing wedding attire but you held your hands up in the picture, showing off your rings. Shanks was smiling broadly and you were kissing his cheek. Yasopp had taken the picture on an old snail, stolen from a bar the night before. You were young and in love and so overwhelmingly happy that you’d married the man of your dreams. You picked up the picture for a closer look and something else floated down. 

It was your vivre card, kept safe all these years. Just like you’d kept his. 

[paintingraves]

AITA ? I (40M) bought a condo one of my friends (43F) wanted to buy with her boyfriend (36M) to get back at her for hurting my best friend's (50M) feelings.

This is a bit lengthy so bear with me.

I have a prestigious job in the medical field and I am head of department in my specialty. I met my best friend (G) years ago when he bailed me out of jail (another long story). We work in the same place, under the supervision of our boss (C) who is also a close friend of mine.

Now G and C have a bit of a history. They met in medical school, from what I know they shared a night together, but G was kicked out of uni so it never became more than that, until they found each other again years later and she offered him his current job. They are always flirting, always pushing each other's buttons, and they are clearly very attracted to one another, but a lot of things prevent them from acting on it.

First, their respective positions - she's our boss - and also the fact that my best friend is, to put it plainly, an asshole who avoids emotions and vulnerability like the plague. Given his history, it makes sense, but he's never tried to work on himself, instead preferring to hide behind drugs, booze, and, lately, prostitutes. So he wasn't exactly relationship material, but things changed last year.

First, they got closer. In a very emotional moment that I won't disclose here, G ended up at her place and they kissed. They immediately agreed to pretend like it never happened, despite the fact that they clearly both have strong feelings for each other.

Next, G's drug addiction got worse. Much, much worse, to the point where he hallucinated an entire night where he went through detox in her company, then they had sex, and she left early the next morning. Yes, I wish I was making this up. He was weird the next day, and he ended up shouting for the entire hospital to hear that they slept together. She got understandably extremely mad at him for putting her reputation at work at stake in such a humiliating way. That's when he realised how bad things had gotten. He came to me, and with my help, he went into rehab.

He spent a few months there. When he came back, he'd changed. Not radically, but he was off the drugs, he was seeing a therapist regularly, and he seemed genuinely commited to working on himself and trying to be a better man, to lead a better life. In his own words, he was "tired of being miserable." He moved in with me at the advice of his therapist, and he tried to distance himself from work for a while. He quit, he tried other activities, but eventually he came back because he loves this job.

I could see he was also still interested in C, but she was very guarded. I encouraged him to try to show that he'd changed, because he had, and I knew she also had feelings for him. But things came to a head when we went to a medical conference she also attended. The reason she was so distant with him was also because, as it turned out, she got into a new, serious relationship while he was away, with a man (L) who used to be G's friend. Obviously, it was a blow for G. And for me as well, because I didn't know about this, or I wouldn't have encouraged G to pursue it.

Anyway, life went on, and after a while C started talking to me about buying a condo and moving in with L. I was still a little put out by her behaviour towards G. She called my ex-wife, who happens to work in real estate, and found "the condo of her dreams".

So I called my ex-wife, visited the condo with G, and impulsively decided to buy it before she could.

We'll be moving in shortly with G. He seems happy, and I'm happy to be doing this for him. Hopefully he can move on, and it may teach her a lesson.

So, Reddit, AITA ?

Edit, in answer to a few comments:

- Yes, we met when he bailed me out of jail. I was going through a rough patch and ended up doing something stupid that got me arrested. He bailed me, a perfect stranger, out of jail because he said I was "the most interesting person around." We've been best friends ever since.

- The price for the condo was around 250,000$. I paid 3/4th of it using most of my savings, and I don't regret it one bit. He paid what was left, in an exceptionally generous display (for him).

- L was a private investigator G hired to spy on me (long story) at a time where I wanted to get away from him. They became sort of friends, but we hadn't heard from him in a long time before finding out he was in a relationship with C.

- C cares for him, but she is also at a spot in her life where she wants stability. She is a single mother with a daughter to care for, and she wants to be with a man whom she can rely on. What with G's history, I can't blame her for not acting on her feelings.

It doesn't mean I can't be mad at her for hurting him, though.

Edit 2:

Yes, G and I are close. He's the only person who truly gets me and doesn't put up with my bullshit. He's the worst and the best friend I've ever had.

Edit 3:

Stop asking me if I'm in love with my best friend. We're both straight, we've both been in very commited, serious relationships with women. He doesn't see me that way, no matter how many gay jokes he makes.

Edit 4:

C found out someone had bought her dream condo, and was pretty mad. I won't lie, I acted all chagrined on her behalf but I feel pretty damn good about it.

[ausssbutlershortstories]

The Fandom & Unhealthy Shipping

Hello. In light of all the uproar and recent focus on Austin’s relationship. I felt moved to post this. As someone who isn’t exactly a fan of the relationship he has with Kaia Gerber, I feel like this is needed. Us “fake fans” as some may call it are tired of being silenced and bullied.

I will like to start off with that I love Austin. I want, as well as other fans like myself to see him thrive. Not just in his career , but in his love life too. I am in a very serious relationship myself , and see myself spending the rest of my life with the man I am with right now. I want that for Austin , I want him to have the love he deserves, that I am sure he craves. I want to see him happy again. The same way he was when he was with Vanessa Hudgens.

As we all know Austin began dating Kaia December 2021. From jump…I knew something was very odd about them. We all did , including those who call themselves “shippers” now. That itself should tell you something when a fanbase as a whole damn near feel something was off about the relationship. None of us were “jealous”. I have been in a few fan bases in my lifetime. Typically you can tell when there is pure jealousy vs genuinely getting a bad feeling about a person.Normally when people are “jealous”, it’s only a select few. A handful of unhinged weirdos who no one really cares for anyways.I have never seen it where the majority of the fanbase are on the same level. The same thoughts and uneasy feelings.I also wanna add when people are just jealous they never give a detailed, logical answer on why they feel a certain way about their favorite’s partner.It’s always some blind rage and childish reasons to be against a relationship.I don’t get that with the people from this fandom who side eye whatever Austin has with Kaia. We all knew something was just not right with them from the get go. Between Kaia breaking it off with Jacob Elordi a month before she got with Austin, and snatching him up before all his Elvis craze. We knew there some shady shit at play here. Especially since her and Jacob dressed as Elvis and Pricilla the Halloween before they broke up.It’s like she had some creepy Elvis fetish.Also, let’s not get started on how no one really knows the true story on how Kaia and Austin met,which is quite unusual. Almost every Hollywood couple has some story on how they met, even the bs PR relationships do. 2-3 years later and we still don’t know anything. Very peculiar to say the least.

As Austin grew bigger, the relationship progressed more. Kaia’s name was always attached to him some way , some how. There were pap walks, her being with him at events. No matter what Austin did , Kaia’s name was somewhere in the mix. That’s when people started to suspect that the relationship had to be PR. Not saying they definitely are PR BUT the way they moved , there was something just so unnatural about it. People started calling it out and voicing their concerns. However somewhere along the line certain fans began to do a 180, out of no where people started shipping them together and actually liking Kaia. Which was extremely questioning.

If you changed your mind about something/someone okay…that’s one thing. But to change your thinking and then proceed to bully others is a no go. Ever since then multiple people have been ran out the fandom, or bullied into to silence for still upholding the same thoughts on Kaia. Not being a fan of her and this relationship, thinking that Austin can do better. It’s like it suddenly became a golden rule to ship the relationship or get backed into a corner and harassed and have people assume that you’re some jealous bitch.

Lately though, some of us are beginning to speak out and stand on what we think. We are simply sick and tired of not being able to enjoy Austin without other fans making everything about Kaia. Everything he says and does. He smiles…it must be about Kaia. He wears a purple hoodie…must be Kaia’s…he mentions a damn dog….ooop he is really talking about mf Kaia. This man is 10 years older than her, he is his own person. Not everything he does is about his “girlfriend.” He has his own thoughts and feelings. His own personality. His own identity. He is not a puppet Kaia controls that just abides by what she says and has her mannerisms.

Us who do not ship this relationship have a right to do so in peace. We have a right to our opinions and a right to discuss them. We have a right to voice our validated concerns for what we see. It’s not like we are reaching and pulling things out of our asses. After all, the whole fanbase almost as a whole all thought the same thing at first about this relationship. Some of us just kept our opinions the same.We didn’t sit there and change it for the sake of followers and clout…like some. We are actually concerned for Austin’s well being.

With that being said. Stop harassing people and bitching because they do not want to ship this relationship. Stop bugging people when they say that he has good chemistry with someone else other than Kaia. Stop coming into people’s inboxes pretending like you are someone else but really you’re just trying to aggravate people by the questions you ask. People are not dumb , they know they know it be shippers low key on anons. Us here on this side do not come bugging and bitching about your opinions so why do that to us? Why does it matter to you so much that we be on board with what this bs? We are fans of AUSTIN BUTLER..not Kaia.

It shouldn’t matter if we do not support the relationship or not. We are here for his work. Half of y’all do not even care about Austin it seems outside that damn relationship anyway. Which…says a lot. Yet you have the AUDACITY to say we can’t be a real fan just because we don’t care for Kaia Gerber.Just know if you were so confident in Kaia and Austin’s relationship you will not be pressing others about their outlook on it just because it’s opposite of yours. It’s ridiculous you are this uptight like the relationship is yours. You guys are not Kaia Gerber so stop trying to live through her by projecting your raggedy ass delusions on everyone. All you’re doing is creating a divide in the fandom no one wants.

Just stay in your lane and let people who don’t want to make this relationship their entire life stay in their own. While we may disagree with y’all…we let you have your space to discuss your thoughts & feelings on your own platforms , so please do the same for us.

Note: Shipping real life people is weird. It’s fine to think two people are cute together and have good chemistry. It’s okay to do little cute fan edits and such. But when your shipping starts disturbing the peace in a fandom there is an issue. These are real people not a Prince and a Princess in a Disney fairytale. Calm down when people don’t agree with you and let it go!

[deckofcookiez]

The Alex Kister Situation

Alright; I've been more of a lurker on here for awhile, but for months now--almost a year--I've been a massive fan of the Mandela Catalogue, and this fandom has been a major form of escapism and safety for me. So, I feel the need to say something about the current situation.

To start, I'm putting a link to the document with all of the information about what happened, as it's important to read it and learn about this whole situation in depth:

With that out of the way, I just wanted to share my own personal opinion; personally, Mandela Catalogue has legitimately become my special interest. I have pretty much obsessed over it ever since I first found it, and everything I've written or drawn since then has been to do with it. It's been very important to me, especially due to the community here on tumblr, as this fandom is probably the most supportive and open places on the internet I've found. I feel a lot more connected because of it, and it made me feel comfortable and safe.

I was in a bad mental space today, and when I found out about this, I had a pretty bad breakdown--some might call it an overreaction, but you don't know just how dependent my mental health had become on this series and fandom. (I will be working on avoiding this habit in the future, as it isn't healthy to depend so heavily on one interest)

After reading through the document, and just seeing so many opinions and contributions from others, I am almost certain that these allegations are true. But I always, always listen to all perspectives before making judgement, so I will not be going full "I hate Alex, he's a despicable person!!" before Alex gives his own point of view.

That being said, I do believe Alex has serious issues that he needs to get handled. I am hesitant to call this pedophilia, as from what I've gathered, he didn't seem to have active malicious intent towards minors(correct me if I missed something that said otherwise)--rather, I get the impression that Alex simply doesn't understand boundaries, and genuinely saw his fans as mutuals. He seems to be a person who's manipulative--whether intentionally or not--and his personal relationships, platonic, romantic, or sexual, turn very toxic because of this. So, trying to have personal relationships with fans, people who look up to him and see him in a very different light, results in inevitable toxicity as well.

I get the sense that Alex simply is a young person, struggling with mental health and gender dysphoria, who was thrust into extreme popularity very suddenly, and doesn't have the maturity level to handle it properly. Overall, I do not support him, if he continues to act like this--if he makes genuine, real efforts to deal with his mental health and his unhealthy behaviours, I would respect him for that. I wouldn't look at him quite the same, but as long as someone makes genuine efforts to better themself after doing something wrong, I appreciate and respect that, and may eventually give forgiveness. But, if he doesn't make those efforts, if he continues his patterns and refuses to try and get better, then that is on him and at that point I have lost any and all respect for him. At that point, you are not a good or reasonable person, in my eyes.

Regardless of how things go with Alex himself, though, I want to say...

You do not have to support a creator to enjoy their work!!

I am a huge fan of Danny Phantom, and that show's creator is a genuine piece of shit. Like, a truly despicable human being. That fandom successfully has, just... completely ripped the show and characters from their creator. They have cut him out entirely, nothing he says holds any impact or meaning to them and it hasn't for years. He's seriously fallen off. And it's still a fun, active fandom! The people in there are super neat!!

And, hell, look at the whole mess with J. K. Rowling!! She is an absolutely disgusting person. But so many people grew up with Harry Potter, and still like her stories, without actively supporting her--lots of creators turn out to be really awful people, but that doesn't mean that what they made is automatically awful as well. They still have some kind of creative ability, that happened to produce something that garnered a significant amount of attention.

We don't need Alex to still enjoy the concept, characters, and overall story he's created. We can still make fanworks, still appreciate what it is that drew us to the series in the first place.

Honestly, out of everything that the fallout of this would bring, I was most terrified of the fandom itself dying, as that is what truly matters the most to me. This place, these people are so important to me, and I am so scared of this community falling apart. I've already seen plenty of people stating that they will no longer be associating with TMC, and are just completely distancing themselves from it. It feels like things are already dying and disappearing and it really, really fucking hurts.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that... if that is your choice, if you truly do not want to associate with TMC anymore whatsoever, then I don't blame you for it. I understand if you can't look at the series the same way after this, and I respect that choice.

But you don't have to, if it still means anything to you. Fandoms are more than just their creators--they're the community that has been built around the work, and this community is possibly the best one I've ever been in. I don't want to see it die. So, just know, that you can still love this fandom, this story, these characters, without supporting Alex. You can still draw the characters, make OCs, write fanfiction, etc. He won't get money from that--only from directly watching his content or buying his merch.

Finally, I'd like to say to go support the victims. They didn't deserve this--no matter what Alex's intentions were. Please support them, and regardless of how this turns out, do not continue actively supporting Alex Kister. I am sure that, whatever his intentions were, he did still harm people and that is not okay.

Also, this is all just my own opinion, based on what I know; I was not in the discord, I don't have Twitter, I don't personally know anyone involved and I have not seen everything regarding the situation as a whole. I simply felt I should state my current opinion, as I'm seeing a lot of people freaking out and spiraling and just leaving the fandom entirely. I wanted to remind people that it's okay to still enjoy this fandom and be a part of it, without Alex. My opinion may change some with new information I find, but overall, I am of the opinion that Alex should not be supported, while the Mandela Catalogue itself can be separated from him and still be enjoyed and appreciated.

And, whatever happens... Adam Murray, Jonah Marshall and Thatcher Davis are officially honorary characters in my stash of little guys. If he's not fit to keep them then they will become my creative outlet instead (and others who love them, obviously). They're very special characters to me, I can't express just how many things I have written and drawn to do with them, and I refuse to give them up.

(another addition, regarding the apparent 'alter egos' Alex apparently had: Possibly consider DID? I know a lot of people with DID will often mistake it for other things, including simply being gender non-conforming, when in actuality they really have alters that just identify differently. Not diagnosing, I don't know enough about him to make any real claims--it was just a thought.)

[thatonefandomjumper]

If you were able to make Valdangelo canon how would you write them ?

Very good question.

The thing is, Valdangelo is a relationship that I feel had so so much potential due to how the characters were individually written, but at the same time, I really don't trust that Riordan would have done them justice just on account of how Heroes of Olympus was written as a whole. To really make their relationship satisfying, I'd probobly need to make some substantial rewrites to the series as a itself.

But for simplicity sake, let's say we're keeping all big plot points and beats the same with the only difference being that Valdangelo is endgame.

House of Hades would be the most logical place for the two of them to shine, considering Nico was, uh, quite occupied during Mark of Athena. Leo is canonically very spooked by Nico's mere existence on the ship and Nico prefers to keep to himself most times. Not only that, but the two places they each spend the most time is not only the most isolated parts of the ship but also, sort of the furthest away from each other (Crows nest and Engine room).

Not only that, but these two are so bad at normal human interactions that the only way they could genuinely start to open up to each other and find that they are oh so eerily similar is for some outside factor to push for it to happen.

Whatever that is, and no matter how it happens, the biggest thing the two of them need is just a conversation. Genuinely, I think that's all that is needed for something to happen. Something romantic? Not necessarily, but hoo-boy if they opened up to each other in one way or another things would never be the same.

There will always be a terrifying thought of "Oh god, you see right though me and I see myself in you. This is awful I must stay away or I might learn something about myself that I don't want too." But at the same time, no one else will ever get it. To hate yourself so much. To feel alone all the time. To be unworthy of love and broken beyond repair.

So as much as they want to stay away, they inevitable meet again. Possibly in the night, when they are alone, because they would not want anyone around for this.

I am a dynamic girly at the end of the day, so when I ship characters I rarely actually think about the getting together part or anything that relates to that, but were they to get together at this point, it would be in a sort of fucked up self-discovery way where both of them adamantly agree to keep it a secret. They do not want anyone to find out ever that they kiss when they are on the verge of breakdowns.

But evolving from that (And after Nico's outing and Leo's stay in Ogygia, probobly with platonic Caleo or at least Leo feeling obligated to save her out of guilt for not being able to be with her) they become each others confidants. They both dislike showing true weakness, especially of the emotional kind so having someone who just gets it is not only new but terrifying. Whether that be the deaths of their family members or both of their serious cases of internalized homophobia, the other will understand.

People notice, of course, but Nico and Leo avoid each other in public to such a comical degree that it makes it almost more obvious that something is going on. They deflect like crazy when their relationship is brought up and most back off out of respect, but Piper and Percy are the two who speculate the most...

As the journey passes, little things start happening. Leo tells Nico to eat once in a while. Nico forces Leo to take a proper nap. Things the others either don't know they struggle with or aren't thinking about because there ae more important things going on. And slowly, the two start... improving? It was never the intention because they don't see themselves worthy of healing, but the other wants them to get better, and they don't want to lose the one relationship that let's them be wholly vulnerable. It's strange, but it feels good.

Now, I have always hated how angry Nico was at Leo for dying in canon because it makes zero sense in my opinion, but that's a whole 'nother conversation. But this time around, Nico would feel every right to be furious, because let's be real, Leo's secretive ass would not tell him this. There is a line to his emotional openness and telling his sort-of-dating-for-convenience-boyfriend about the fact he's actively planning his own suicide, despite the fact he's planning to bounce back from it is just a step too far. He knows it's selfish. But he just can't.

And it's in the time they're apart that they truly understand just how much they'd started leaning on each other in the time they were together. The bad habits they broke coming back and the longjng to see the other growing stronger. They both sort of hate it. Nico joins Jason and Piper in their search while Leo is trying his best to get back to camp.

No matter how the reunion would go, I like to think that Nico would have spilled the beans about their relationship to the others at that point, so Leo, who had been psyching himself up to swoop Nico into his arms and declare their love to the camp doesn't exactly get that. But what he does get is tears, angry, possibly unfair words, and reconciliation. Their back with each other, and this time, they won't screw it up.

Valdangelo is a story of healing. Of two broken people building each other back up. No matter what direction I'd go with actually making the relationship happen, they will always represent the mortifying ordeal of being known.

Anyway, they are actually impossible and there is something very wrong with them. Thank you for the ask and here's a drawing:

Also, I wrote a Valdangelo fic way back in 2021 where a similar scenario played out if you are interested: