#AND THAT IT'S ONE BIG COLLABORATIVE GROUP PROJECT

[rukafais]

Sometimes I see people acting like the only way you could possibly like Drizzt over Liriel is if you'd never read anything other than Drizzt or like you just hadn't been introduced to Liriel and CLEARLY one is better than the other and it's just BIG MEAN SLAVERING FANBOYS WHO DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER THAT GIVE DRIZZT ITS POPULARITY and like.

What if I told you that Liriel and Drizzt are companion series, that Liriel was expected to be as different from Drizzt as possible, and I genuinely believe reading them both and appreciating them both for the way they expand a reader's knowledge of Forgotten Realms drow from different perspectives is....good, actually

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

🎉 Thank You for 10k+ Followers!! 🎉

A big thank you goes out to @cozymochi for this beautiful celebratory commissioned artwork for this major milestone ✨ It really captures the scope of all the content that had been put out in the last 4+ years—both in terms of official Twst materials and on this blog! I think it’s very fitting that we hit this milestone in the month of Halloween too (I just held off on posting this til the month after); it’s Twst’s biggest holiday of the year, so it’s twice the cause for celebration!!

A lot has happened over the course of my time in this fandom. I’ve written many things of course, but I’ve also had many other exciting opportunities! I’ve been interviewed for a paper, met many cool people from all over the world, attended Twst meetups + events, collaborated with other talented creators, received kind gifts, contributed to various fandom projects, and finished telling the origins of my Twst OC. This blog has been with me through a lot of major changes and difficult hurdles in my life too—it’s really been an anchor for me, a comforting and safe space for me to be creative or analytical whenever I want to be.

When I first started this blog as a very casual hobby in summer of 2020, I never even considered that it would balloon to this extent. It still doesn’t feel totally real to me 😭 I don’t usually fixate on numbers (they make me anxious), but looking back on it, 10k is a LOT, and 4 years is a long time. To put that in perspective, if we were in Twisted Wonderland for 4 years then all of the students we’ve come to know and love would have graduated by now. That’s crazy to me. We’ve come so far as a group.

I feel that a large part of fandom is the community that comes with it. I would have found it so challenging to stick with Twst had I not had so many great people keeping me engaged with it. I’d now like to take a moment to thank those folks. Keeping in line with the idea of “4 years”, think of these as little messages scrawled in a yearbook. I also have a blog event planned to celebrate! More on that later.

Please note that I’ve used pseudonyms for most of the following people, as I’d like to respect their privacy (I’m very private myself) + not all of them are comfortable with being explicitly named or tagged to a large crowd. You’ll know who you are if you see yourself on here.

Without further ado:

MSS — Thank you for being the first Twst space I felt truly a part of. It’s still the place I consider my fandom “home” beyond this blog.

April — Thank you for making MSS as a place for us to share! We’re tsunderes in solidarity.

Drinking Knight — The banners wouldn’t exist without your help. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on those; I’d like to think that I’m a little more confident in designing new ones myself now, but you were the start of it all. Your endless enthusiasm for the most insane otome boys, drinks, and bullying (positive) others is truly an inspiration.

Q. Opinionated — Can’t count the number of times you ran tech support for me 💀 Thanks so much for being patient and willing to laugh at a stupid situation. I WILL grip you (escape is not an option) 🤲

Dad with his Printer — Why are you so cheeky My unofficial proofreader and fact checker. Still treasure the teeny J word and coffin magnets you sent, and, even more valuable than those, the bad dad jokes/puns advice and wisdom you give. Wishing you luck on your art adventure.

A. Cider — An unexpected friend I met very late into the fandom and happened to run into irl by total coincidence. Funny how life works. Your shitposts are great, and I appreciate having a like-minded person to talk with about the J words and story critiques. I’d also like to thank you for the many little doodles you’ve made; I know you’re very busy and have a wife to tend to at home but I appreciate that you still make time for friends.

Hana — Extroverted pink-haired magical girl representation. Your bubbly love for Disney, Diasomnia, singing, and (yes) angst lights up the entire room. Maybe you’re not too confident with yourself are right now, but I know you’ll find your way.

Swan — For being quick on the uptake and giving me the heads up about various things! We may not talk much one-on-one, but I’m thinking of you and enjoy seeing you pitch into the conversation. You’re still banned for L*ona posting though/j

Ly — My secret French twin/j Thanks for being my cultural + equine advisor and a voice of (salty) reason. Never shut up about your hyperfixations! You’re a real one.

Oys — Enabler + encourager of my Yan!Sil delusions. Sorry for making your blood pressure spike every time we talk about our food takes. But hey, at least we get a good laugh out of it :))

Mac and Bean — For being my inspirations. Bean, you have such atmospheric writing. I hope my writing style can be just as magical as yours. Mac, it was your blog that first got me into starting my own Twst writing. You never stop being so, so funny also I blame you 120% for the L*ona rot.

Peaches and Cream — To my local Twst friends, thanks for keeping me company even through the hard times. Peaches, happy to be your local Twst dealer anytime. Cream, thanks for hooking me up with new books.

Salt and Flora — I don’t know where you vanished to, but the sea brought you back to me on its tides. I’m so happy we could meet again. Salt, you’re so talented at crochet and design work; get your coin 😂 Flora, you’re the sweetest person ever. Literally cottagecore personified, even in your art.

Piano — We don’t always see eye to eye, but thank you for being my serial debater and showing me new perspectives. Your open-minded theories and analyses are such fun. And, of course, it’s always hilarious to think about how we accidentally (?) swapped oshis 🤡 You’re a star.

The Anklebiter — For having the most unhinged jokes and ideas. Seriously, THE most unhinged. I never do any of the crazy things you suggest but I’m always really entertained from just hearing them.

Te, Mi, and Ro — Thanks for organizing local events and giving me an excuse to touch grass. It’s a lot of hard work and you guys manage to pull it off every time! Mi, I was flattered to have you reach out to me to help a little with the Tweel cupsleeve event. Happy to help anytime! Te, I remember you were cosplaying as Kalim when we first met and I kept thinking about how perfectly suited you are for the role. You were very friendly and made such an effort to include everyone in the event even when I was Idia-ing in the corner. To this day, you continue to spontaneously introduce me to new people 😂 Thanks for getting me put of my comfort zone. Ro, I didn’t think we’d meet again like this. Small world! You’re learning and improving the big events. Here’s hoping to many more!

Vic — For being Ace Trappola when very few others would. It’s refreshing to have someone tell it like it is. I wish I could be as bold and as honest as you are sometimes. You have such a big heart when it comes to the characters you love; it makes me want to adore them like you do too 🫶

Kana — For being so sweet and patient. You helped me through so many rough patches and have also contributed a lot to the look of the blog. It’s so fun gushing with you about magical girls and pretty boys, sharing our favorite shows and movies… I feel as though I’ve made a lifelong friend.

Zari — Thank you for charms and art book, big fan of your stuff 😭 So honored to have worked with you on projects too. I hope to see a lot more of your Yuu and other OCs around, I love following them ^^

Lala — You understand, encourage, and validate my weird tastes in fictional men 💕 Really admire your sense of fashion and stylish nails too. Whenever I have my shrimp apron on, I think of you.

Arisu — No longer in the Twst fandom but integral in the earliest days. Wherever you are now, I wish you nothing but happiness.

P-san — You’re a lifesaver!! Thank you so much for helping me find cute little outfits and accessories for my plushies… They are forever grateful to be properly clothed.

V, Fa, Fe, Ray, Rea, Sonny, Glimmer Group, and Incognito Crew — Thanks for being so supportive of my hyperfixation on Disney villain anime boys, even if you guys have NO clue what I’m rambling about half of the time. To V specifically 🫵 I am NOT a cat boy kisser

Mango — I didn’t know I wanted you in my life until you showed up uninvited one day and chewed your way into my heart.

Azul Ashengrotto — For being the character that first convinced me into giving this game a shot. The Little Mermaid was something I always held so dear to me, so it almost seems like destiny that you’d be the one to drag me down into Twst. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart for that, even if my feelings have changed since then.

Rook Hunt — For being there when I needed to laugh a little. It’s scary to glance over my shoulder sometimes, but you make it easier to smile as I look back.

Rollo Flamme — For letting me know that having negative feelings is normal and human, even if we don’t always cope with them in the healthiest of ways. Let’s reflect and be better together!

Leona Kingscholar — For showing me that change and personal growth is, in fact, possible. Th-This doesn’t mean I like you or anything though, so get off your high horse—

Jade Leech — For taking my hand and guiding me back on the path when I got lost in the dark. Whatever crimes you may commit in your free time, I forgive you/j

Miss Raven Crowley — The little black bird who could, the blog muse. I made you on a whim and look at where you are now… You went from a background character to the main character of your own story. So proud of you, my child 😭

Asset compilers, fan artists, fanfic writers, fan translators, cosplayers, merch makers, editors, plushie pic takers, video essayists, theorizers, etc. — You’re all so important to keeping the fandom alive, especially during periods of official content drought. It wouldn’t be feasible for me to list out all of the content creators I enjoy (chjsbsksks and it honestly might be awkward since I haven’t directly interacted with most of them), but I hope that this message still reaches you and finds you well. Keep doing your thing; I love seeing the work you put out ^^

Anyone and everyone that I’ve ever commissioned and/or received fan works from — I appreciate that you took time and energy out of your day to create something for me. There’s so much talent in the Twst fandom and I’m honored that you would dedicate some of that to a silly little birb.

You, the Readers — For supporting this blog and and what I do here! You’re an important part of my journey too.

Thank you!! Here’s to a future unknown and a page unwritten.

- The Writing Raven

[reasonsforhope]

"The Netherlands is pulling even further ahead of its peers in the shift to a recycling-driven circular economy, new data shows.

According to the European Commission’s statistics office, 27.5% of the material resources used in the country come from recycled waste.

For context, Belgium is a distant second, with a “circularity rate” of 22.2%, while the EU average is 11.5% – a mere 0.8 percentage point increase from 2010.

“We are a frontrunner, but we have a very long way to go still, and we’re fully aware of that,” Martijn Tak, a policy advisor in the Dutch ministry of infrastructure and water management, tells The Progress Playbook. 

The Netherlands aims to halve the use of primary abiotic raw materials by 2030 and run the economy entirely on recycled materials by 2050. Amsterdam, a pioneer of the “doughnut economics” concept, is behind much of the progress.

Why it matters

The world produces some 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, and this could rise to 3.4 billion tonnes annually by 2050, according to the World Bank.

Landfills are already a major contributor to planet-heating greenhouse gases, and discarded trash takes a heavy toll on both biodiversity and human health.

“A circular economy is not the goal itself,” Tak says. “It’s a solution for societal issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, and resource-security for the country.”

A fresh approach

While the Netherlands initially focused primarily on waste management, “we realised years ago that’s not good enough for a circular economy.”

In 2017, the state signed a “raw materials agreement” with municipalities, manufacturers, trade unions and environmental organisations to collaborate more closely on circular economy projects.

It followed that up with a national implementation programme, and in early 2023, published a roadmap to 2030, which includes specific targets for product groups like furniture and textiles. An English version was produced so that policymakers in other markets could learn from the Netherlands’ experiences, Tak says.

The programme is focused on reducing the volume of materials used throughout the economy partly by enhancing efficiencies, substituting raw materials for bio-based and recycled ones, extending the lifetimes of products wherever possible, and recycling.

It also aims to factor environmental damage into product prices, require a certain percentage of second-hand materials in the manufacturing process, and promote design methods that extend the lifetimes of products by making them easier to repair.

There’s also an element of subsidisation, including funding for “circular craft centres and repair cafés”.

This idea is already in play. In Amsterdam, a repair centre run by refugees, and backed by the city and outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, is helping big brands breathe new life into old clothes.

Meanwhile, government ministries aim to aid progress by prioritising the procurement of recycled or recyclable electrical equipment and construction materials, for instance.

State support is critical to levelling the playing field, analysts say...

Long Road Ahead

The government also wants manufacturers – including clothing and beverages companies – to take full responsibility for products discarded by consumers.

“Producer responsibility for textiles is already in place, but it’s work in progress to fully implement it,” Tak says.

And the household waste collection process remains a challenge considering that small city apartments aren’t conducive to having multiple bins, and sparsely populated rural areas are tougher to service.

“Getting the collection system right is a challenge, but again, it’s work in progress.”

...Nevertheless, Tak says wealthy countries should be leading the way towards a fully circular economy as they’re historically the biggest consumers of natural resources."

-via The Progress Playbook, December 13, 2023

[444forestfairy]

pick a snail pancake 🐌🥞

pick a snail pancake for an oracle card message on what is coming into your life slow and sweet! - something that’s been a long time coming but will pay off big

snail one 🌀

if you’ve been working on something with a group of people wether it’s a group project at work or a collaboration with friends I see that all the pieces will be coming together in a way that you’ll be happy with. I see you feeling strong and abundant. if you’ve been looking for someone to fill a certain roll or help you in some way the universe will be putting them in your path! extras- taurus season, something related to STEM, new piercings, puzzles, art/music, october, january.

snail two 🫐

immediately 3 cards jumped out- “lay a solid foundation”, “be fearless and bold”, and “a rebirth has assured” pile two this is definitely a message that your life is changing for the better. I see you’ve been working on yourself/your self concept for so long and it’s finally becoming comfortable and natural- your new normal is feeling good. you’ve been doing the hard work and the universe sees. your stepping into a confident energy that feels like a breath of fresh air. you feel rejuvenated because so much has been detoxed form your life. death and rebirth. extras- june, april, may, berries, planting flowers/gardening, scorpio.

snail three 🐌

wow you literally got the card turtle spirit that says “slow and steady wins the race”!!! how fitting is that. you also got turn knowledge into wisdom and trust in divine detours. If you’ve been working on something for a long time that’s requiring you to learn new things maybe you’re in school, maybe you got a new job or started a new business, i’m even seeing maybe you recently became a parent! could be a pet parent or a human parent, anyway trust in the time that it’s taking, trust you’re not falling behind or doing something wrong. literally trust the process. you’re on exactly the path you’re supposed to be on. I feel an extreme sense of calm and I feel like this is what the universe is asking you to embody as you move through this journey. you can do this and there’s no need to put too much pressure on yourself! extras- dogs and reptiles, eggs/something being born or hatched literally or metaphorically.

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜 DA:TV spoilers under cut.

Kala has heard rumors that there may be merch pins coming of Assan and Manfred [source]

(Previous comment for context - Dev Brenon: "You can sprint, there is also a dash/dodge move you can do for short range mobility - though I don't tend to use that much when exploring.") A user asked on this, "Will it be a push-to-sprint key, a sprint toggle, or other (to be explained later)?". Brenon replied with some more detail on this feature: "Right now it's a pseudo-toggle, you press it once (while moving) to start sprinting and then as long as you keep moving you keep sprinting. If you let got of the movement controls, you stop sprinting." [source: the official BioWare Discord]

User: "if a choice i made 30 hours ago affects me.. best believe im restarting the whole game". Brenon: "Uh oh''. User: "UH OH???". Brenon: "I mean... we do have "decision saves" before big choice moments, but there are still a bunch that depend on a whole mess of stuff you've done earlier... so... yeah... RIP :P" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

They hope to get a bunch more BioWare-themed emojis for the Discord [source: the official BioWare Discord]

Trick Weekes has been signing DA:TV stuff with "with love and appreciation for your patience" [source]

Carly: "theres so much id love to say, but i unfortunately can't , that being said, i hear y'all and love working on a game for such passionate people and hope y'all enjoy when it does come out 💕" [source]

Actor signing attendees report that it was amazing and that we're in good hands with this acting cast. You can see more photos from it here [source].

Dev signing attendees report that it was packed. You can see another photo from it here [source]. and here is a photo of the sign from it [source]

Another photo of the booth [source]. Sometimes at the booth the devs had a Solas statue [source] (this is done by Dark Horse). I think Dark were also displaying somewhere a Varric and a Cassandra statue too, and I think these were the ones that Dark Horse do too (Varric, Cass), but I can't find the image or video where I originally saw this anymore, sorry >.<

The companion tarot-style art from the website was shown on the big screen at the acting panel [source]

A few more details from the actor panel, from an attendee: John Epler said that this is the best group of companions written because of their relationships with each other, not just Rook. They can become friends, lovers, rivals with each other. Zach thought that Lucanis was the coolest character he gets to play. It sounds like he mentioned Illario [I'm assuming] by name. Lucanis is quick-witted. Neve is a bit of a romantic. Jessica found voice acting freeing as it felt like playing pretend when she was little. In her role, she felt like she could embrace being very powerful. Neve is passionate. On Emmrich, "wisdom, calm to group, warm-hearted, loves learning". Emmrich has some fantastic lines. Along with working with Varric to track down Solas, Harding has also been working with Rook and Neve. Ali talked a lot about how much collaboration there is between BioWare, the actors and the material they're given to work with. Harding has been through some things and has more of an edge to her, but they can't talk about it! [source]

A few more details from the actor panel, from an attendee - Jessica Clark: "A lot of the time, we kind've really all bonded in the way that we were intended to, you know? And that's why we've been so excited all week and all weekend, because we can be like 'oh my god you're here', 'oh my god you're here, you're here, you're here', finally, you know? You know, I know on a lot of projects people are like 'oh yeah, we're all like, we love each other', but we really do, we really really do, and it just evolved so organically, and there was something magical about it just being our voices in the beginning, you know, like, sort've taking anything else out of the [equation.]" [source]

A few more details from the actor panel, from an attendee - Nick Boraine: "I think I've been preparing for Emmrich all my life. I was very attracted to the role initially, and I was so, I was so, I was overjoyed when I got it, because I think it was, the writing of Emmrich is really fascinating, it's this, this man that is obsessed with death, on one hand, but on death as a comfort, death as a transition, death as something that is not scary, and that, that ability to enable people to transition and the investment that he gives in that sphere, which we don't give in our own lives. I was immediately attracted to that and I thought that that was, I'd never seen that before, so to go in these two ways, to talk about death and to talk about it in a way that is kind, and that the transition becomes a kind transition, that was fascinating to me, and I think, will be fascinating to you too." [source]

A few more details from the actor panel, from an attendee - Zach Mendez: "[before they started shooting] I did kinda get an idea about how passionate the fanbase was, which made me really excited. I don't wanna say nervous, because I don't say I'm nervous, I say I'm excited. And so, before the first day of shoot, I was very excited. And luckily, you know, Ashley and them, didn't have me do too much on the first day. I played a lot of darkspawn. I darkspawn-ed my ass off, though. I want you guys to know, I really. And when I got home, I thought to myself, 'Zach, did you darkspawn hard enough?' I was just worried. You know, and within an hour I got texts from Jeff, who's a part of this cast as well, and G, telling me what a great job I did, and then I'll never forget, I got a call from Ali Hillis down here, and I'll remember that conversation, because for thirty minutes she made me feel like I was welcome in the Dragon Age family, and it gave me so much confidence moving forwards. So thank you, Ali, so much, I still remember that." [source]

[Character limit text break!]

Varric and Manfred: "not romanceable" [source] ?

Neve mostly eats deep-fried fish [source], it makes up the bulk of her diet [source]

Bellara loves pan-fried fish [source]

John on SDCC: "thank you to everyone who came out to the signing. thank you to everyone who came out to the panel. thank you to everyone who said hi, swung by the booth, or otherwise expressed how excited you were about the game. absolutely amazing experience. was wonderful to see you all" [source]

There's a lot of lovely concept art for DA:TV [source]

Trick Weekes: "One of the things I was proudest of was inviting leads from other teams/departments into writing peer reviews and having them later say, "Wow, those critiques went deep, but everyone stayed professional and compassionate the whole time." My junior-most writer knew she could tell me I was wrong." [source]

Violet: "As we get closer to DATV, I just want to send out a reminder Var lath vir suledin 😭" [source]

Derek on the casting department: "They really did an incredible job! Every single one of these folks deliver such amazing performances." [source]

Derek: "a lot of great talent doing awesome stuff from KY nowadays. I count myself extremely lucky that I can work on such an amazing project with such a wonderful team straight from my home state!" [source]

Michael Gamble: "i know a few people on the DA team, and i want them to have a nice time." [source]

User, on the recent word count news: "Sooooo , when will I (we) get to hear all these words". Michael: "hopefully when the game is out." [source]

User, on the news of no microtransactions: "This is great news that I hope survives past the review period". Michael: "it will" [source]

User: "What class have you been playing as in DAV mostly?" Michael: "mage. i light everything up. everything." [source]

DAMP / multiplayer mode is not returning [source]

Ghil: "Im very sorry for the teasing tweet but to be very real, i really miss playing veilguard and to stop THERE and have to wait over a year is killing me tbh. Im bothered. My crops are dying. I am withering. I want to know what happens" [source]

A user asked a question around if there are dialogue options and choices available in the game that indicate a mixed or less favorable positive perspective on Solas. Bria, a Councilmember, shared: "As an Egg Cracker, I was pretty satisfied with what we saw. I don’t want to go into spoilers but I was able to play my Rook the way I wanted when it came to the Sad Egg Man." [source]

User: "would you be able to tell us if you can change your perspective while in a fight? Those circles we saw on the video were kind of hard to see from that angle". Ghil: "Like a bit- no promises but they told us a lot of stuff like that would be in an accessibility feature. I get pretty motion sick so I remember talking about backing it up a bit." [source]

Kala: "The amount of gasping, screaming, @/ElbenherzArt having to lay on the floor, @/hattedhedgehog and @/chaosbria having to stand up from excitement and us just being in shock the whole time. Yeah 🔟 😎" [source]

Kala shared that there are moments in the game that she knows people will freak out about [source], that in terms of marketing, she knows that the devs have more things planned [source], and that she found Bellara endearing, despite not usually vibing with optimistic and energetic characters [source]

Kala shared that she feels that the Lighthouse is way cooler than Skyhold [source]

Also, in early May 2024 Zach appeared on a podcast:

Zach: "I'm very excited because it looks like at the end of this year, the video game that I've been working on for about three or so years is gonna come out, and I'm really excited for that. I'm gonna come back on and I'm gonna promote that, you guys, you will have no choice, I'm coming back on." Host: "Does the video game feature dicks?" Zach: "I can't say too much about it, but it, it doesn't ignore dicks, you know what I mean? It doesn't, you know what, there might be, yeah, there's, it's a sexy video game, it's a hot video game." Host: "So are you a character?" Zach: "I'm a character in the video game." --- Zach: "I'm gonna come back on to promote the hell out of that, because I'm really excited about that. I'm still working on that, and that's been, like, I'm super grateful for that, because that's been going on for like three years and it's been consistent work." --- Zach: "I'm super excited about it [...]" "Other people help you make really amazing things, when humans get together they make pretty stuff, and this game looks amazing"

[source (acting career segment. source link isn't work-appropriate. I don't recommend the podcast)]

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Husk with Violet Evergarden!reader scenario

warnings: aged-up!reader [early to late twenties], spoilers for episode 4 to the season finale, mentions of physical abuse and attempted drugging, violence, Husk's language, dismemberment, mentions of cannibalism.

Hey guys, and welcome to another Hazbin Hotel fics, this time featuring our grumpy bartender and one of my favorite characters, Husk! :) This is a collaborated project with not just @isuckatwritingsobenice, but also with @vikkirosko, @witch-of-the-writing-desk, and @riddle-simp, who gave me honest feedback on the rough drafts and how to make it the best fic I could create before sharing it with the world.

If you would like to see more of Husk x Violet, please do let me know know in the comments section or as an ask! Like always, bullying is not tolerated here so if there is any implication of it happening here, this scenario will be taken down immediately. If you have nothing nice to say, do not say it at all.

With that being said, sit back, relax, and let's see who will win the full house at the card tables tonight :)

Reblog to support content creators!

Husk isn’t gonna deny it. It ain’t like him to deny the truth when it’s staring at him right in the fucking face. He thinks you are a little bit of an oddball. You don’t smile, you wear the same outfit every day, and you don’t eat much either unless Niffty practically drags you to the staff’s dining room from wherever she found you hiding. Normally, it’s one of two places: out in the backyard, or the greenhouse, because you’re the hotel’s groundskeeper. And that was on your days off.

 Like Angel, you worked for an overlord, but your boss wasn’t that shitbag Valentino or Vox or Velvette. Your boss is Rosie, the owner of Rosie’s Emporium in the Cannibal Colony. You were her personal secretary. You had been on her payroll for over ten years, working from nine to five unless you had to stay later. She did not seem to mind you staying at the hotel so long as it did not affect her reputation or your work ethic in any way. 

So far you’ve kept your word. Alastor actually seemed to be happy that you were around. 

Maybe. Husk couldn’t fucking tell what that son of a bitch is thinking anymore. But back to you. 

You, who believed in Charlie’s work.

You, who participated in each activity and helped around without getting paid for your time.

You, the expressionless ex-military soldier, has been on his mind recently and he did not like it. 

He lost the ability to feel anything years ago. 

Nonetheless he continued to observe you from afar. When you weren’t busy with watering plants, you were seen in different parts around the hotel with the others. 

You would sit with the princess in the parlor, comparing ideas on what tomorrow’s group exercise should be, even when the only two ideas you’ve suggested were shot down immediately by Charlie. She didn’t like the idea of group bonding through hand-to-hand combat but loved the concept of showing appreciation to one another through handwritten letters. Vaggie approved the former. The latter? Not so much. 

In the kitchen you would go through the cookbook with Niffty and Alastor, trying to decide on tonight’s dinner.  They allowed you to help out, at least when it didn’t involve cracking eggs. Apparently you were not very good at separating the yolk. 

When Sir Pentious was away from the hotel doing God knows what, he trusted you to look after the Egg Bois until he got back. You kept them busy around the greenhouse though they tended to make a bit of a mess. 

Angel started to work extra late at the studio after his show and tell presentation. Something about making a big commercial and Val wanted to make big bucks on this new product that the Vees were launching in a week. You must have noticed that something was off about him, but you didn’t say anything to him. No words of encouragement, no comforting hand on his shoulder. All you did was clench your gloved hands into fists, watching him leave and…unsure of yourself. What you should do. 

Husk heard you asking Niffty what were some of the kid’s favorite foods about that time, and she was more than happy to help you with whatever it was you needed as long as you left the kitchen sparkling when you were done. You were concerned about the kid. Least from what he could remember. He drank a lot that day. 

When he woke up much later after falling asleep at the bar, hearing your footsteps descend down the grand staircase and towards the kitchen. Groggily, probably stupidly on his part, Husk thought it would be a great idea to know what the fuck you were up to so early in the morning. Turns out you were trying to cook something, judging from how you looked at the ratty cookbook propped up on the counter and the wide array of ingredients spread out. 

He saw you cook  finely chopped onions, garlic, and minced ground meat in the large frying pan on the left side of the stove. You stirred something in a smaller sauce pan on the right side with a wooden spoon. He saw you handle all of the ingredients with great care, placing them in a baking dish  even when you weren’t wearing your leather gloves. A small shudder crawled down his spine at how the kitchen lights bounced off of the adamantium skeletal prosthetics that acted as your hands. 

He didn’t even wanna know how exactly you lost them in the Great War. 

Everything was soon laid out, layer by layer and placed in the oven. He didn’t know he stood there for so long, even when you began to clean up the kitchen with a rag. Time ticked by slowly, and then a delicious aroma tickled his nose even as he took another swing of the half-filled booze bottle he was holding. He was about to leave you alone, knowing you’d be fine when he saw you pull out the dish with your hands and no oven mittens on, you fucking moron! Then his mind remembered something that stopped him from making an entrance. You couldn’t feel anything with your prosthetics, not even as you placed it on the stove top to let it sit. 

A couple of hours later - maybe he can’t keep track of time anymore so it might have been the following morning - he saw you giving Angel a large paper bag every morning before both of you left the hotel, and telling him to have a good day. 

Angel grudgingly thanked you later on that evening when he got back…though did say your garlic bread needed some work. The next day, he gave you a paper bag, telling you to taste real Italian grub and try to replicate it. 

Guess it became a game between the two of you, ‘cause Angel was slowly being someone real and not some fake  whiny bitch. 

As odd as you are….you cared about everyone in your own way, even when the words that came out of your mouth angered someone or made them cry, you tried. You never asked for help unless it was necessary, trying to learn everything on your own. And you were smart, Husk will give you that. 

And he…he doesn’t know if he had the heart to tell you that redemption might not be possible. Unlike him, you still carried a spark of hope. You believe in the princess. He doesn’t want to be the one to see you reach your breaking point, to be dragged into a swamp of despair and get drowned in all sorts of addictions to cope with the pain. He was…anxious. No. He was scared for you. He wanted to help you but he was afraid that by intervening, he would just make matters worse.

It was better to just stick to the sidelines with a bottle of booze and watch everything happen like the bartender Alastor wanted him to be, right? Well, turns out he was wrong. 

One night after he made Angel a drink and called him out on his bullshit for being fake, the whiny little bitch stormed out of the hotel. Vaggie tried to make him go out and bring him out, but Charlie intervened. All she asked him was to make sure that Angel was okay. Do not force him to come back if he isn't ready. Obviously judging from the distraught look on her face, something happened between the princess and Angel. 

Husk did not know what or why, and he really did not want to play the role of a goddamned babysitter. Not when it was actually a slow evening and he didn’t have to hear these fucks bitch and moan for hours on end. But Vaggie’s glare, knowing Alastor would force him to do it because he fucking can and not knowing what would happen if he actually violated the terms of their contract, he left the hotel. The first place he went to were the streets. No luck. And no one had seen him. When he moved his search to the bars, he spotted Angel going inside one of them. 

Long story short, he was going to hang back and just keep an eye on Angel getting drunk off his ass with some shady sharks in a corner booth until he saw one of them pour something into Angel’s drink. He took care of the fucker, got Angel out, and listened to him. Angel Dust was not just an act. It’s who he needs to be. Drinking and getting high is his escape. He wants to be damaged so that he won’t be Val’s favorite toy anymore. 

Then when it seemed like they came to an understanding with a song, those bastards opened fire on the streets, targeting him and wanting Angel to come back to have some ‘fun’. Yeah, fuck no. 

That was when he heard car tires screeching against the asphalt, doors opening and closing with more shouting. Husk gritted his teeth. “Shit.” He turned to Angel. “Stay down. I’ll take care of this.” He pulled out his cards, ready to hop onto the roof of the pink Volkswagen they were hiding when he heard a  shnk, a high pitched squeal, then a gurgle. 

THUD.

Shnk.

THUD.

C-crack.

THUD.

“Who the fuck is this bitch?! Kill her, kill her you stupid asshats!” 

“Holy shit, toots?! The fuck - why is she here?!” Angel cried. Husk raised his brow, craning his head as far as he could without being in range of a bullet to see what was going on. There were only two people Angel called toots and he was pretty damned sure they were back at the hotel, safe and sound. Not one of them blitzing across the street, dodging bullets and slicing enemies down with a hunter’s knife in one hand, a large carpet bag in the other. 

He blinked. Nope. He was sober. Shit. He thought as you weaved between the shitheads, disarming, decapitating, and snapping their necks in no particular order. You weren’t exaggerating when you said you were a weapon for the army.  When he saw a flash of movement from the smaller grunt, twirling a knife and aiming it for your head as you pumped lead into his friend, Husk made his move. Hopping onto top of the car and threw his cards. One cleanly sliced the asshole’s neck. 

He quickly made through the growing crowd, running towards you as he threw some dice into a hammerhead’s mouth. But when he turned his back towards them, he felt something light and strong coil around his neck, cutting off his air supply. 

Fuck. Garroting wire! Husk flailed around  scratching, kicking,  and trying to get loose but the fucker was too damned strong. Black spots began to appear in the corner of his eyes when he felt a white hot stinging pain graze his left cheek, then something warm and sticky with a metallic scent. Blood.

The body behind him dropped, and so did he, yanking the wire off  him and inhaling deep gulps of  precious oxygen. Husk looked up and saw Angel with a shit-eating grin and a Tommy Gun in his upper hands. 

“Eat lead, sucker!” The porn star cackled, firing several more bullets into the corpse and his buddies that were closing in on them. Angel grinned at him, extending a hand to help him up.”I told ya. I can handle myself, baby.” Husk felt a grin stretching his own face as the fella pulled out more weapons with more arms. Well….not something he was expecting. 

Between the three of them, they made quick work with the rest of the gang and their reinforcements. Like him and Angel, you were covered in grime and blood but you were all right. 

“Are you two all right?” You asked as you wiped off the blood from your knife with a handkerchief, the carpet bag by your feet and in pristine condition. “No limbs missing that weren’t missing before you arrived?” 

“Yeah, we’re good.” Angel said, putting away his guns and extra limbs. “More importantly, why the fuck are you out here instead of the hotel?!” He interrogated, his voice lowering an octave as he glared at you, stomping towards you. Before Husk could stop him, Angel grabbed  your cheeks with his hands and pinched them. “You know these streets are dangerous, toots! How many times do Vags and I gotta tell ya?! Come straight home when you’re done with work!” Then he blinked, his face turning white, his eyes widening in horror. “Toots,” He said slowly. “Y-you ain’t hooking up with anyone around here, are ya?!” He yelled, now pulling your cheeks outwards as if you were a cartoon character. 

You didn’t flinch from the cheek pinching or pulling; instead, you looked at him in slightly confusion. “I don’t understand. What does fishing have anything to do with this except that these men were quite literally loan sharks standing outside a nautical-themed bar?” You asked. 

“Toots.” Angel said warningly. “If you don’t give me a straight answer, I swear to fucking God I am going to yeet you off a rooftop.”

“ ‘Yeet’?” You repeated.

“[First Name], just tell us why you’re here.” Husk said, already feeling a headache coming on and in need of a drink. You turned your attention to him, then back at Angel before you spoke.

“Rosie sent me out on a last-minute errand to get fertilizer for her plants. But by the time I got there, the shop was already closed. I was on my way home when I heard the gunshots, and saw the two of you being pinned down. I was not going to leave my comrades behind when I could help them. So I did. And now,” You looked over at the bodies strewn across the street. “I have what I need. Two birds with one stone, as Rosie says.”

“Ya mean ‘kill two birds with one stone’, toots?”

“Yes.”

“So, by fertilizer, ya mean these schmucks that we just totally obliterated.”

“Yes.”

“Food for plants.”

“Carnivorous plants. And if the fertilizer is fresh, the better it is for them. Rosie loves her plants very much.” You said, pulling away from Angel and grabbed the carpet bag off of the ground, walking towards the nearest body. “If you do not want to be here, I suggest you leave quickly.” You knelt down, laying the bag down and opened it, laying out assorted tools. Bone saws, knives, a large roll of plastic wrap, etc. “Rosie says I have gotten much quicker at dismemberment.” You carefully peeled off your gloves, replacing them with gray surgical ones. 

Husk glanced at Angel, eyebrow raised. It seemed like they were thinking the same thing because the latter spoke up with a toothy grin. 

“Baby, I was a mobster long before I was a porn star. ‘Sides, hacking up a body all by yourself is gonna take you all night. Better to have more hands to get the job neater an’ faster, am I right Whiskers?” 

Husk smirked. “Can’t argue with that, Legs. Guess you’re stuck with us until this job is done. You got another bone saw in that bag of yours?” He asked with a grin, somehow…happy to actually be doing this. Who would have thought a new friendship started with cleaning up bodies?

You stared at them for a moment, obviously stunned because you must have thought they’d leave you here alone, before you pulled out two more bone saws and more rubber gloves. Your instructions were simple enough: the severed pieces couldn't be any bigger than your body, and they needed to be wrapped up tightly in the plastic wrapping or else you’d have to pay a hefty cleaning bill to get the blood out of the bottom of the bag. Angel’s extra limbs came in handy for the latter task. Between the three of you, quick work was made with the dead loan sharks and everything was loaded inside the carpet bag, and no one was the wiser. This was Hell, after all. Cannibalism, gun fights, and dismemberment was commonplace in these parts. 

You thanked him and Angel profusely, bowing your head to them before you shyly asked if they would be interested in getting a bite to eat. To Angel’s knowledge, the closest place that is still open late at night is Devil’s Diner, which is half a  block from Jackpot, the casino Husk had owned from his glory days as an overlord. The food wasn’t too bad there, and cheap too. 

Now that he thought about it, Husk had worked up more of an appetite after the fight and so did Angel. Better to do that than trying to cook something and waking up Niffty. So, the three of you went to Devil’s Diner. Of course, you tried to just have a cup of coffee, but neither he nor Angel were having it. Conditioning your body to minimize nutrients to complete a mission, his ass. 

Both he and Angel persuaded you to try the day’s special with some water plus dessert. Whatever you couldn’t finish, get a to-go box. Husk himself ordered a sandwich with chips. Angel got pancakes, sausage, strawberries, and a strong drink because he fucking deserved it. 

Conversation started slow at first, but as the orders were placed and drinks were served by their waiter, words were exchanged, and stories were shared. Angel revealed he had a little brother and more family down here, though he rarely talked to them anymore after getting into the show biz. Husk confessed that he used to be a magician in Las Vegas, showing off a trick with his cards. 

They shared a good laugh over Val’s shitty eyesight. It shouldn’t take thirty minutes to count three bills, but it fucking did for the moth man.

You told them that you were once commissioned to help a playwright finish his newest script after being on a hiatus for many years, but he had been a difficult man to work with because he had no interest in doing anything else except drinking his days away. You had actually acted out a scene on the lake where the hero would journey home to be reunited with her father after vanquishing a monster. That was when you began to understand how grief affects people in different ways…and how your actions affected the people you had killed on the battlefield. People who had families and had one-day wishes that would never be fulfilled because they died by your hand. You are here in Hell because you are, you were, a weapon to be used in war. Reconnecting with people, with your emotions…it’s a lot harder than you thought it would be. 

“That’s what being human is all about.” Husk said. “Ya make mistakes, ya regret the choices ya wish ya would have made, or should’ve made, and ya need to live with it.” He knew that better than anyone. 

“The old timer’s got a point but look at how far you’ve come!” Angel exclaimed, spreading his arms out as he began listing all the good things you have done and accomplished since you came to the hotel, though you still needed to learn how to bake real Italian bread, not just heat up the cheap frozen ones in the oven. Husk silently agreed with him, taking another swing of his whiskey. In the end, you got a to-go box, but Angel said he could take it back with him to the hotel. You still needed to deliver the body parts to your cannibal superior and Husk said he’d go with you. But you insisted that you would be fine on your own, and that he and Angel should get some rest. 

“Rosie will not let me stay long in the emporium with how late it already is. She’s very particular about keeping the lights on after business hours.” You said, the corners of your mouth tugging downwards into a frown as your gaze fell upon his wings. “Husk…you were twitching a little and I heard your spine crack earlier, and your voice sounded a little raspy. I do not know what the cause of your ailments beyond the scuffle with those loan sharks could be because I am not a doctor…but it would be better if you and Angel took it easy for the rest of the night.” 

Keep in mind that Husk had once been an overlord. Yes, he’s been out of the game for a while, he won’t deny it. But he was not going to admit that you might be right.  “There’s nothin’ to worry about, I’ll be fine. If I can handle a fight, taking you where you need to go will be a walk in the park.” He grumbled, ignoring Angel’s snickering. 

He watched you raise your hand, fingers outstretched towards one of his wings, and then you pulled it away to clench your hand into a loose fist. Husk saw your hesitancy isn’t because you were disgusted at the sight of them, or his appearance. Hell, you had more bloodstains on your clothes than him and Angel combined. No. You were hesitating because you were afraid that your touch might hurt him, or make the pain he was feeling worse. 

Husk grinned as he grabbed your wrist, pulling it forward and carefully coiling the gloved fingers around the outer part of the left wing near his forearm to give it a squeeze. “See?” He flexed the muscles. “I’m fine. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.” It took him a second to realize how impulsive his actions were, seeing how your eyes widened and hearing Angel release a low, teasing whistle, muttering “Kinky~!” under his breath. Great. The kid wasn’t going to let this go, not even after a few drinks. Shit. Fuck. 

He tried to ignore the warmth flooding his face as he kept his gaze on you until you nodded your head, removing your hand from his wing. You were convinced that he was more than fine to accompany you back to Cannibal Colony, at least for the moment. You turned to Angel. “Are you going to be okay, heading back to the hotel on your own?”

Angel smiled toothily. “Toots, you should know me by now. Sex isn’t the only thing I’m good at.” He winked, holding up the to-go boxes as he turned on his heel, waving his extra hands over his shoulder. “See ya back at the bar! Ya still owe me a drink, Husker~!” Now that he left the diner, it was time for the two of you to make your exit. 

You walked down the steps and looked at him. “Ready?”

Husk nodded. “Yeah.” He then held out his paw to you. “Let’s get going.” You nodded, placing your hand in the center of his own, covering the golden-heart shaped paw  before he scooped you up in his arms, one claw under your legs and the other around your shoulders. You stared at him.

“What-”

“Hang on tight.” Husk did not give you a chance to respond, unfurling his wings to their full length before putting all of his weight on his back leg, catapulting the two of you into the crimson skies of the Pride Ring. Walking was fine and all, but as you mentioned, it was already pretty late. Why waste more time when he could fly there? 

So here you were, held like a princess with one arm wrapped around the carpet bag and your hand placed on his shoulder. But instead of screaming your head off or pleading with him to land somewhere, your attention was elsewhere. You were captivated with the multi-colored pin pricks of light down below,  your mouth partly open and [Eye Color] irises widened by a fraction. It was obvious that you hadn’t seen Hell from above. Or maybe you hadn’t traveled by air before. Either way, seeing such an expression on your face, one that wasn’t calm or expressionless like a doll who lived by someone else’s order.

You looked like a living, breathing human who had her own thoughts and could find beauty in the most bizarre of places. 

It almost made Husk consider extending this flight for a little longer until he realized he’d have to explain to you in great detail as to why he did decide to do it. So he brushed it off, and followed your instructions to your destination. 

Twenty minutes later, the two of you arrived at the stone steps leading up to the glass double doors of Rosie’s Emporium. The dimly lit streets were mostly empty, the bars were still open and echoed with raucous laughter and jazz. It was tempting to slip inside there for a drink, but Husk wasn’t too keen on being around cannibalistic drunks. Alcoholic he might be, he wasn’t that stupid. And he didn’t want you to get in trouble with the overlord who ran this place. She was your boss, not his. 

He watched you put a hand into your coat pocket and pulled out a small golden key. You put it in the dead bolt, twisting it to the left before pushing the door open. “Miss Rosie?” You called out, stepping inside the darkened establishment. “Miss Rosie, it is me. I am back.” 

A moment of silence enveloped the place, but only briefly because soon a tall, thin woman in a burgundy dress with an oversized hat and feathers materialized in front of you. She was at least two or three heads taller than you, smiling down with rows of sharp, gray teeth and pitch black orbs. “Oh there you are, I was startin’ to really get worried! Did John give you everything for my precious little sprouts?”

You quickly explained what had happened, how you could not see John because he had closed the shop by the time you got there but the fertilizer you collected from a gun fight you got into and came out victorious should be more than enough. Rosie was all but delighted, twirling in a small circle as she cooed.

“Ohh, I knew it was a good idea to hire you from the moment you came for the interview! I wish I could’ve seen you at work, using that bone saw and hacking away at corpses, but there’s always another day~! You know how many people come in wishing to have their husbands or wives ripped from limb to limb, at least the ones that taste bad! Ah?” She stopped dancing, craning her long neck to stare at him. “Who’s this you brought with you, [First Name]?” She looked over her shoulder, wagging a finger at you with a raised brow. “Come now, I know I said I wanted you to find a good fella someday, but this one’s way too scruffy for you and you’re much too young for him! Oh, I’m just kidding, I know you’re dedicated to your job! Well? Introduce us!”

You did, introducing him to the overlord as Husk and the hotel’s bartender. Alastor must have told her about him because she immediately called him ‘Alastor’s kitty cat’ and ‘how he used to be such a sophisticated-looking fella until he gambled against Alastor’. She laughed. “Well, small world, after all! [First Name], be a dear and take that bag into the back, will you? I’ll feed the little monsters myself, and you can go home! Oh, did you want some pinky fingers to go? I’ve got plenty of them and you probably didn’t eat dinner again, am I right?”

“Understood. And no thank you, though I will take up on the offer to try one of those roasted legs next time.” Husk almost gagged at your monotone words and Rosie’s cackle, but he had to keep his composure. As far as he knew, you were not a cannibal. And if you were…well, you probably wouldn’t have gone out of your way to help him and Angel, or at least order something from the Cannibal’s Section at the diner instead of force feeding yourself on the daily special. 

You might have only been gone for a few minutes, but it was awkward to stand near Rosie, the way she smiled at him like she was thinking about adding him to her menu for not dressing up in a vintage outfit. At least he hoped not. He could barely contain his relieved sigh when you appeared again, hands empty with no bag in sight. 

“It’s done.”

“Wonderful~! Now, you march up to bed as soon as you get in the door young lady! No staying up late!” She said, following the two of you to the door. “Give my regards to Alastor and tell that man he must come back soon! These halls have lost their sparkle without his lively presence! Oh! Before I forget~!” She snapped her fingers, and in a puff of dark red smoke, a large wad of bills materialized in your hands. “Here’s your paycheck! I know it’s a little early but I have a very important task for you to do tomorrow!” She grinned. “Go to town and buy yourself some new clothes for work!”

You faltered. “But -”

“Tomorrow is your day off I know, and I really, really love your enthusiasm when you try to come in to help around, but a proper lady of society cannot live on just one dress and a pair of boots! Oh, and you will also need to get a Hellphone in case something like this happens again! No ifs, ands, or buts! If Alastor throws a fit about it, I’ll talk to him! Now, shoo! Husker, be a dear and get my darling worker back to that hotel safely, all right?” She added with a wink.

Husk grunted exasperatedly but did not say a word. The last thing he wanted to do was go pissing off an overlord who just happened to be the Boss’ friend. So he just nodded, and followed you out of the door. When it shut behind them with a click, things got…awkward. Now that you weren’t carrying around a bag full of body parts, there was no need to fly all the way back to the hotel. Or at least that he thought you were thinking. 

But he told you that he didn’t mind, since Charlie was probably already worried about the two of you even if Angel had somehow managed to persuade her otherwise. So…you agreed, albeit hesitantly. Husk didn't waste any more time. He scooped you up in his arms and took off into the night skies, though with this being the Pride Ring, there was really no way to tell if it was day or night anymore. Cannibal Colony soon became another darkened spot, getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight. 

As soon as the two of you made it back to the hotel, Husk had no doubt everyone would be giving him shit. Angel would make comments on his little ‘date’ went, which he’ll deny in every possible way, and the princess might be cryin’ from anxiety or relief knowing that two of you were all right. But that was then. This is now. And…he’s come to like holding you in his arms. 

“Husk?”

“Yeah?” He felt the arms around his neck tighten slightly…but not that it wasn’t too uncomfortable. It felt…okay. Like you were trying to say something, but you struggled to find the right words to say without sounding like an ass. 

“Thank you…for everything.”

His lips stretched into a grin. "You're welcome." 

He felt the cold of your palms, it would seem, through the gloves, but it was not so important. Because as the two of you flew back to the place you called home, he saw you smiling down at the Pentagram in wonder, whispering the places you had visited and or wondered what they were or if he knew anything about them, to which he either answered yes or no. It was such a small smile, but how could he not commit not it to his memory? 

And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad to get a drink with you on a night around town. Or make one for you at his bar. He knew how to make a good non-alcoholic pina colada, even an alcoholic version of it. But who knows? He’ll take things one step at a time, and see what happens. 

What Husk did not realize at the time, not too far in the distant future, you would be the one to close the gap between them…and there would be something more between the two of you. Something that made his days in Hell just a little brighter. 

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[ryanguzmansource]

September 27, 2024

Ryan Guzman is currently filming his next thriller: Midnight and, in his talk with Xmag, he takes a tour of his professional career. Despite his current international projection as an actor, Ryan Guzman did not plan to dedicate himself to acting at first. The American actor and model began to get interested in mixed martial arts when he was only seven years old and, after winning his first black belt when he was ten, he was a mixed martial arts fighter in Sacramento until 2010. A shoulder injury prevented him from continuing with his dream and he redirected his career working as a model in various magazines and brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Affliction and Reebok. Everything completely changed when he got his first starring role in Step Up: Revolution. “It changed the direction of my life. It was as if I was launching myself into a world that I had only seen in the distance.” The dance franchise was an international success and Ryan tells us about the process he followed for the films, which, according to him, has always been the same over the years. “I try hard at something new without fear of failure. I do it this way because I know that I can fail at the beginning of anything I try. The goal is to learn from my failures and be open to new ideas when it comes to acquiring and perfecting a skill.”

His career as an actor continued in 2015 with the psychological thriller The Boy Next Door, which as Ryan explains, gave him "an invaluable perspective on the business side of the entertainment industry.” In the film, he shared the limelight with Jennifer Lopez and Ryan tells us about his experience working on the film and what it was like working with her. "Jennifer's life is something that most people won't be able to comprehend because it involves A LOT. She's a superstar. He has a million things going on at the same time. I had a great time collaborating with her and the director, Rob. They both made me feel very comfortable. It was so much fun playing the bad boy!” From a psychological drama about a woman who falls in love with her younger neighbor, Ryan jumped to play Eddie Diaz in the police drama series 9-1-1, which tells the story of a Los Angeles rescue group willing to attend to any emergency. The series underwent a big change after its transition from the FOX network to ABC and Ryan explains how that has affected his character. "Eddie's character has evolved a lot since his introduction into the 9-1-1 universe. As in any great evolution, destruction must occur in order to rebuild something new. The transition from FOX to ABC came at a perfect time for my character and I was able to represent that evolution through destruction just before another defining event in Eddie's life. Season eight is about Eddie making peace with his demons and finding self-love.” Being a series that deals with extreme and challenging situations, Ryan describes how he prepared physically and psychologically for those moments. "Empathy is the key. I draw from what I've experienced and my understanding of it; then I use the truth of those encounters to connect with the character. As for my physical fitness, I keep practicing martial arts." Recently, one of his latest projects has been the fictional comedy The Present, starring Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear. Ryan explains that the possibility of working with these two actors was one of the reasons I chose this film. “The moment I saw that Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear were involved in the film, I joined the project. These are two actors I've always wanted to collaborate with. Working with Isla was a dream, she gave me a lot of love and knowledge and Greg is someone who I have always enjoyed watching perform. Also, the theme resonated deeply with me, as I was going through a divorce at the time, which made the story especially relatable.”

Right now, the American actor is involved in the filming of the thriller Midnight. "I received the script from writer Lamont Magee and when he asked me if I would be interested in one of the roles opposite Rosario Dawson, he didn't have to say much more to capture my interest. 'Midnight' was an opportunity to show action in a way that I haven't been able to do as much as I would like as an actor.” According to Ryan, the thriller promises to be an intriguing story and one that will surprise the spectators. "I think seeing Rosario Dawson come face to face with Mila Jovovich is intriguing enough, but then you add the layers of her sister's character, played by Alexandra Shipp and the truth is that the audience is about to discover a lot of twists and surprises.” As immersed as he is in his work, Ryan ends the interview by expressing how grateful he feels to have a community of fans and followers who have always been supporting him. “I cannot fully express the depth of my gratitude to those who have found my work entertaining and have continued to support my career over the years. THANK YOU!”

[its-avalon-08]

it all fell down (ln4)

part6

multipart story! part1 part2 part3 part4 part5

✦ pairing - lando norris x female reader

summary : lando norris and y/n were friends for 20 years, fell in love and dated for five. until it all fell down. they left each others lives abruptly and never spoke again, until they met again in the most unexpected way. can they find their way back or will certain scars never heal?

A few weeks later, Y/N found herself at the Red Bull Formula One team’s headquarters. Her company had been invited for a special event, showcasing new collaborative projects. The idea of being back in the F1 world was both exciting and nerve-wracking, but it wasn’t race weekend, so she didn’t expect to run into Lando.

As she walked through the impressive facility, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Kelly Piquet, Max Verstappen’s girlfriend, was chatting animatedly with a few team members. Penelope, Kelly's adorable daughter, was playfully twirling around nearby. When Kelly’s eyes met Y/N’s, her face lit up with a warm smile.

“Y/N! Baby!” Kelly exclaimed, rushing over to embrace her. “It’s so good to see you!”

Y/N returned the hug, feeling a wave of nostalgia. “You too, Kelly. Oh my god it’s been way too long. I've missed you so much!”

Just then, Penelope ran up and wrapped her little arms around Y/N’s legs. “Auntie Y/N!” she squealed, looking up with bright eyes.

Y/N crouched down to give the little girl a proper hug. “Hey, P! You’ve gotten so big!”

Max Verstappen, standing a few feet away, turned around at the commotion and grinned when he saw Y/N. “Well, if it isn’t the famous Y/N,” he teased, walking over to join the group. “Long time no see.”

Y/N stood up, returning Max’s grin. “Hey, Maximus. Congrats on the last race, by the way. You were incredible. Cute little family you've got here.”

“Thanks Y/N,” Max said, giving her a friendly hug. “How’ve you been? We haven's seen much of you since- well yeah, missed you alot. How are you?”

“Busy, but good,” she replied. “It’s nice to be back in this world, even if it’s just for a bit.”

Kelly looped her arm through Y/N’s. “We’ve missed having you around. It’s not the same without you.”

Y/N smiled, her heart warming at the welcome. “I’ve missed you guys too. It feels like coming home.”

Penelope tugged at Y/N’s hand. “Come play with me, Auntie Y/N!”

Laughing, Y/N allowed herself to be pulled towards a small play area. “Alright, P. What are we playing?”

As she engaged with Penelope, Kelly and Max exchanged knowing looks, happy to see their friend smiling and relaxed. It was a moment of genuine connection and warmth, a reminder that some bonds remained unbroken despite the turbulence of the past.

Kelly watched Y/N with Penelope and then leaned closer to Max. “I hope today goes smoothly for her. She deserves a break from all of that. She is still hurting y'know baby?”

Max nodded, his eyes thoughtful. “Yeah, she does deserve a good day today. It’s good to see her smile again after we missed out on seeing it for months..”

Y/N lifted Penelope onto her shoulders, the little girl giggling with delight. “Alright, P, let’s go get some apple juice!” she said, feeling the joy of the moment lighten her heart.

As they made their way through the crowd, Y/N’s thoughts drifted. It feels good to be surrounded by friends again. Maybe I can finally put the past behind me. She smiled at Penelope, who was happily pointing out various sights around the Red Bull facility.

Turning a corner, Y/N suddenly collided with someone. Penelope squealed in surprise, and Y/N instinctively reached out to steady herself and the little girl. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up and met Lando’s equally startled eyes.

Oh no. Not now, not here.

Lando’s surprise quickly shifted to a mix of emotions. Y/N? Of all places, here? And she looks as beautiful as ever, You're joking. His heart pounded in his chest, memories of their recent argument and their past flooding his mind.

Before either could react, Penelope squealed with delight. “Uncle Lando!” she exclaimed, leaning over Y/N’s shoulders to hug him. This caused Y/N and Lando to be pulled closer together, their faces just inches apart, almost as if they were embracing. Lando wanted to wrap his arms around the woman in front of him and never let go. He missed this, the feeling of being loved by Y/N.

“Penelope, careful,” Y/N said, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart racing from the sudden proximity to Lando.

“Hey, P,” Lando managed to say, his voice strained. He gently ruffled Penelope’s hair, trying to focus on the little girl and not the overwhelming presence of Y/N so close to him. Why does this still affect me so much?

Penelope’s excitement was palpable. “Y/N is getting me apple juice! Come with us, Uncle Lando!”

This is not happening. Please, not now. Y/N could feel her pulse quicken, a mix of anxiety and the unresolved feelings she thought she had buried deep.

Lando forced a smile, though he could feel the tension radiating from Y/N. “Sure, P. Let’s get you that apple juice,” he said, trying to keep his tone light. Stay calm, don’t let her see how much this affects you.

They walked together, a somewhat awkward silence settling over them. Y/N could feel the weight of Lando’s presence beside her, each step bringing back memories she had tried so hard to suppress. Just focus on Penelope. Don’t think about him.

When they reached the refreshment table, Penelope squirmed off Y/N’s shoulders and eagerly grabbed a cup of apple juice. “Thank you, Auntie Y/N!” she chirped, then looked up at Lando. “Can we play a game now?”

Y/N forced a smile, her voice strained. “Why don’t you go show Max your juice, P? I’m sure he’d love to see it.”

Penelope nodded enthusiastically and ran off, leaving Y/N and Lando standing awkwardly by the table. The tension between them was palpable, neither knowing what to say.

Lando finally broke the silence. “Y/N… I didn’t expect to see you here.”

What are you even supposed to say in a moment like this?

“Yeah, I didn’t think you’d be here either,” Y/N replied, her voice tinged with an edge she couldn’t quite suppress. Stay calm. Don’t let him get to you.

Lando looked down, his fingers drumming nervously against the table. “How have you been?” he asked, the question loaded with more meaning than he intended.

“Fine,” she said shortly, trying to keep her emotions in check. Don’t show him how much he still affects you.

The silence stretched between them, filled with everything left unsaid. Finally, Y/N took a deep breath. “Lando, about what I said last time…”

Lando shook his head, cutting her off. “It’s fine. You don’t have to explain.” But his eyes betrayed the hurt he still felt. I don’t think I can handle this right now.

Just then, Penelope returned, tugging on Lando’s hand. “Come on, Uncle Lando Auntie Y/N! Let’s go play!”

Lando forced a smile, grateful for the distraction. “Sure thing, P.”

As they walked away, Y/N watched them go, her heart heavy with the weight of unresolved feelings and the painful realization that moving on was going to be much harder than she ever anticipated. Maybe it’s time to face the past, no matter how much it hurts.

taglist ---> @misspygmypie @kol67-t @sltwins @f1fantasys @sarx164 @imboredway2much @demandealalune e e @elz-xo o @bellelovesharryy @hey-there9-its-me @marauders-wife @itsjustfranzi @l-sofiamia-l @ironmaiden1313

comment to get added to taglist

[iela-0989]

Zutara Big Bang 2024

Pride and Prejudice

@zkbigbang

[ID: A digital drawing of a six-panel comic featuring Zuko and Katara from Avatar The Last Airbender. The scene took place during early in the morning, at sunrise. Both Zuko and Katara are standing while facing each other. Zuko had his long hair tied back in ponytail with a soft wave fringe. While Katara had her hair Dutch braided on the back with hair loopies on both sides. They both are wearing dark and warm long coats. Their hairs and clothes are billowing in the wind. In panel 1, Zuko is looking at Katara with sullen look and a small smile on his face. He said, "You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love... I love... I Love You." Panel 2, Katara is looking earnestly at Zuko with glistening eyes. Zuko words continues, "I never wish to be parted from you from this day on. From Panel 3 to 6, Zuko and Katara appears in one frame from their side profile view, standing close to each other. Panel 3, Katara is holding Zuko's hand and bringing it up close to her. Zuko had a slightly surprised expression on his face. While staring into Zuko's eyes Katara said, "Well then...". Panel 4, with closed eyes, Katara leans down and plants a soft kiss on the back of Zuko's hand, on his knuckles. And Zuko seems to be moved by that sudden gesture. Panel 5, Katara looking up while still holding Zuko's hand, stares into his eyes with a warm smile, and said, "Let's never be parted. I Love You Too, Zuko." Zuko staring back at Katara and smile sweetly at her. Panel 6, Zuko bows his head down towards Katara, while Katara props her head up towards Zuko, and then they lean on each other foreheads. Both have smiles on their faces. Sun shines behind them.]

(CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ THE FIC~ THANK YOU🤗❤️)

Since this is my first time joining ZKBigBang, I am so excited to share this very piece I made for this event. I always love Pride and Prejudice AU. Thus, this fic was among my top picks during the title bidding. 

The collaboration was really fun. I really enjoyed working with the team assigned for this project. Though I barely interact in the group, being a silent reader most of the time, I'm so thankful for every support and feedback the group members gave me🥹❤️❤️

Thanks to all the Mods for making this wonderful event possible🥳🥳🥳 I can't imagine the struggles you guys have to go through in order to make sure everything's going as planned. And for that, I'm truly thankful🥰🥰🥰

Also, do check out my Artist partner @ryu-slayer lovely art and give it some love. You're gonna love their unique style and how admirable their attention to details is🥰🥰🥰

[amourdivine]

𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃 🦢 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐆𝐍𝐈𝐙𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐒?

Hello! Since I wanted to cross this to Instagram, I wrote a sweet and short reading on how you'll be able to recognize your FS. I really hope this resonates! Feedback is always appreciated; If you liked this reading, please consider booking a paid reading or tipping me at @ amourdivinetarot@gmail.com! xo. ♡

follow me on my socials. youtube ✨ instagram

none of the images are mine unless stated otherwise.

how to choose your pile.  take deep breaths for a few minutes & look at each and every one of the piles separately. which pile sparks a feeling inside you? which pile gives you a strong memory or calls out to you the most? take your time and feel free to come back to it later.

♡ ♡ ♡     pick a card masterlist & information.

disclaimer. this is a general reading for entertainment purposes. tarot is a divination tool & is not a substitute for medical and professional advice, nor is it meant to be taken as such. i do not take responsibility for any choice(s) made by you or others regarding my readings.

amourdivine. 2021 - 2023 © do not copy, redistribute or edit my content.

PILE 001.

three of wands • three of cups • eight of pentacles

Before being a good anything, this person is a good friend. You'll recognize them by their hardworking nature, their cooperation and team working skills. It's likely you'll meet them during a work travel or another kind of formal situation - perhaps on a group travel for a college project or some other kind of professional setting. Your FS will be extremely skilled and knowledgeable, but humble about it. You may end up collaborating with this person on something significant here, perhaps a business or a project together. I feel like they're very prim & proper, they'll never cross boundaries and will always be respectful of everyone's beliefs, religion and backgrounds. You'll recognize them by their patience, their independent, wise and practical nature.

Planets and signs: Earth energy, mainly Capricorn and Taurus.

♡ ♡ ♡ if you enjoyed this reading, please consider tipping me via paypal @ amourdivinetarot@gmail.com!

PILE 002.

two of swords • the empress • the hermit.

So much Venus and Libra here. This person is a people pleaser, not in a terrible way, but they want to be discerning, okay. They want to be fair and diplomatic. Your FS is thoughtful - you'll recognize them by how much they always want to do the right thing, to the point where it becomes borderline unhealthy and perfectionist. They want to make sure they make the best decisions for everyone in their lives. Your FS takes everyone's feelings into account because they care deeply about their family and loved ones. You'll recognize them for their big heart, their sensitive, introspective and gentle nature. They may be an overthinker as well, because your FS is terrified of hurting someone or doing the wrong thing by themselves or someone else. They're beautiful in all aspects.

Planets and signs: Earth and Air, mainly Libra and Virgo.

♡ ♡ ♡ if you enjoyed this reading, please consider tipping me via paypal @ amourdivinetarot@gmail.com!

PILE 003.

the star • three of swords • seven of swords.

Your FS is resilient, hopeful and cunning. You'll recognize them by their ability to outsmart the people who don't mean well, by their silver tongue and sharp wit. They have an uncanny ability to get past the heartbreaks and difficult moments in their life. This person has been through it, they've seen many things and they did not let the world get to them. While they may seem smug, your FS is confident in themselves to get through anything in life. They're hopeful, but they're not passive about their hope. They don't sit around and wait for things to improve - no, this person improves their own life and crafts their own destiny. Magician card energy. You'll recognize them by their stubbornness, their desire to fight for better things and their unique sense of humor.

Planets and signs: All air signs, mainly Aquarius and Gemini.

♡ ♡ ♡ if you enjoyed this reading, please consider tipping me via paypal @ amourdivinetarot@gmail.com!

PILE 004.

page of swords • eight of pentacles • justice.

Your FS is a curious, busy and hardworking person. You'll recognize them by how many questions about life they have - they're a truth seeker. They could work in the legal or justice system. This person may be a bookworm and likes asking the hard, philosophical questions. They're not afraid of harsh truths and confronting the people who have done something wrong. Your FS may strongly believe in karma, or perhaps they have a very strong ethic and moral code. You'll recognize them by how passionate, eager and restless they seem for something greater than what the world can offer. A larger-than-life personality. Someone honest, curious, non-judgmental and principled.

Planets and signs: mainly Libra and Gemini, with a feel of Sagittarius.

♡ ♡ ♡ if you enjoyed this reading, please consider tipping me via paypal @ amourdivinetarot@gmail.com!

amourdivine. © do not copy, redistribute or edit my content.

[minus-plus-zer0]

The Bakusquad Gaming Group - Ch. 4 - It's Official

| Masterlist | The Bakusquad Gaming Group Masterlist | | Previous | Next (TBD) | ♡ Genre: Fluff, suggestive ♡ Pairing: Gamer!Bakugou x Gamer!Reader ♡ Tags: Crossover (MHA x multiple franchises), gaming AU, Quirkless AU, aged up

Many Let's Players, including yourself, marked the upcoming gaming convention on your calendars several weeks in advance.

You and the Bakusquad were both set to attend, but you were only welcomed as a visitor. The Bakusquad became big enough to host their own live panel with Q&A, set on the first day of the convention. You didn’t get one because you didn’t have a big group like theirs, but your fanbase was still hyped for your own attendance. Many commenters clamored for more interactions between you and Bakugou at the convention, and people expected you to visit their panel specifically. Your fans often asked when you would officially join the Bakusquad, to the point of irritation.

The Bakusquad secretly planned to have you join them on their trip to the convention center. You wanted your appearance at their particular panel to be a surprise for the fans, so you never confirmed any of the fan's theories as to whether you would or wouldn't visit the Bakusquad panel in particular. You just informed everyone that you would be attending the upcoming convention, and left it at that.

The Bakusquad shared their panel schedule with you. The entire group would be sitting at a long table in front of the audience with their leader Bakugou standing at a podium leading the event. First, they would start with introducing their members, after that they'd show some skits they put together, then they'd proceed to announcements for future projects, videos, and merch, and finally they'd get to the Q&A section where fans would line up to ask them questions. They planned for you to be the first audience member in line for Q&A disguised as a fan and from there, you'd surprise everyone by joining them on their panel table. But they weren't sure of how exactly this would work. You'd figure it out later.

All the Bakusquad members (besides Bakugou himself) would be vlogging throughout their trip and posting it all later on their shared Bakusquad channel. Your appearances in these vlogs would be your first appearance on their shared group channel, though nobody knew the Bakusquad had invited you at all. The videos wouldn't be posted until after you left the convention. Your continued collaborations with the Bakusquad in the several weeks leading up to the panel only built up the hype for how the group would handle your eventual convention appearance.

Over the past months that you've known the Bakusquad, you chatted with all their members over numerous streams. This would be your first time seeing your friends in-person. The group already planned to meet you at the airport shortly before the convention started. From there, you'd travel to the convention center together.

The day before the convention, you landed at the airport, prepared to join the rest of the group. Bakugou's head was on a swivel until he caught sight of you, then he flagged you down.

You rushed over to the Bakusquad, carrying your luggage and waving at them. Ashido gave you a big hug when you finally reached them, with Bakugou scrutinizing you two from the sidelines.

"I finally get to see you in-person!" Ashido cried. "You're so much different than what I imagined!"

"But you've seen me on my facecam..." you said, as you and Ashido suffocated each other in the hug.

"It's probably your height," Sero said. "Nobody imagines height correctly." Kirishima nodded.

"You're different than what Bakugou said you'd look like!" Kaminari chimed in. "He told me--"

"I didn't tell you jack shit," Bakugou snapped. "Raccoon Eyes, let 'em go. Don't wanna see you two snuggling the entire damn trip."

Ashido released you. "What? Afraid I'm gonna steal her from you?"

"You couldn't steal candy from a fucking baby!"

"Let's not fight!" you said. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, right?"

"Have you met us?" Jirou asked. "We're not exactly a group that's known for getting along all chummy and shit."

You pouted. "But I like being chummy... and shit."

Bakugou patted your head. "Don't get too chummy with the wrong crowd." He glared at Ashido, who didn't care at all. "Don't worry about them, worry about yourself. We can go over the convention plans in the car. Let's move, people."

You spent the day hanging out with the Bakusquad. It wasn't so different from your chats online except that the group was much more chaotic in-person. They loved to rib one another, and sometimes it felt like it was every man for himself. For example, Jirou teased you for getting emotional and sensitive in your last dating sim and Bakugou nearly ripped her to shreds on the spot. You held Bakugou back before he could land himself in prison.

But the group members also supported one another, including you. They always made sure to include you in conversations and it felt easy to talk with them as you did before online, like they were still your same old friends. Bakugou chatted with you most of all.

"Never heard Bakugou talk this much before outside of streams," Kaminari said, as your group walked around town. "It's weird seeing him semi-friendly."

"That's a blatant lie," Bakugou snapped. "You've known me for how long?!"

"Come to think of it," Sero said, "this is my first time hearing Bakugou speak. I usually just tune him out automatically."

"I thought he was mute!" Ashido said, shrugging.

Once again, you had to hold back Bakugou from committing murder. This continued several times throughout the day, with the other members sometimes using you as a human meat shield against their leader.

The group eventually got too accustomed to you reigning in Bakugou, soon growing cocky and taunting Bakugou even more than before. They accused him of being overly fluffy, committing various crimes, and being unable to hide his fondness for you. That last one embarrassed you so much you couldn't hold back Bakugou anymore, and the entire group ran away to avoid a raging Bakugou. You were left in the dust until Bakugou led you back to where the group hid.

Afterwards, your group ate out together at a restaurant and then finally retired to a hotel. You shared a hotel room with Ashido and Jirou, each person with their own separate bed. Bakugou had his own hotel room and the other three guys shared a room with only two beds, which was quite strange. You didn't know if two of the three boys shared a bed, if one of them brought a sleeping bag from home, or if one of them just duct-taped themselves to the ceiling for a place to sleep. You didn't ask. Ashido giggled every time you mentioned it, though.

Around late evening, Ashido and Jirou left your shared hotel room to get some late night snacks. You texted Bakugou that you were terribly bored being alone, and he texted you something intriguing.

"Come over."

It almost sounded like a command, though you knew he'd respect your rejection if you didn't want to go. Still, you went.

His hotel door was open when you reached it. "Bakugou?" You popped your head inside.

"Yo." Bakugou sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for you.

You locked the door behind you and approached him, a little jittery. "I'm so excited for this convention. It'll be my first, you know?"

"Mine too," he said, as you sat down beside him. "First time being on a panel, anyways."

"I'm so proud of you," you said. "Don't forget about me after you grow eternally famous."

"...'Course I won't. Remember what we planned. And don't get too nervous, alright? 'Cause I can tell you're nervous right now."

His hand stroked your face briefly. He smirked. You bit back a smile, but it still appeared nevertheless.

"It's not really our planned surprise that's making me nervous," you admitted. "I think it's more your doing..."

"How bad is it?"

"It's keeping me from sleeping for sure."

"Why don't you go to bed?" Bakugou asked, his voice almost a growl.

"I'm already here, aren't I?" you said, innocently.

Bakugou drew closer to you, your noses almost touching.

"That's exactly what I meant..."

Your phone rang. You both jumped back. You scowled at the wretched incoming call. It was Ashido. You glanced at Bakugou before taking the call.

"Hey!" Ashido cried. "Where the heck are you?! We have your snacks right here!"

"Yeah," Jirou chimed in. "Get the fuck back here. We're getting real hungry and we might start eating your portion. Or do you want us to hunt for you?"

Jirou must've known exactly where you went. Maybe Ashido did too. You couldn't let them find you here.

"Um, gimme a second, okay? I'm kind of busy!"

"Busy with what--"

You hung up on them. Bakugou was still staring at you the entire time. His expression was unreadable.

"Sorry," you said. "I don't want them to find me in here. They'll think--"

"I know exactly what they'll think."

Your heart was still beating out of your chest, and so was his.

"I'm sorry," you said. "I have to go. I just--"

"Go."

"Okay. Alright. Goodnight."

"Night."

You didn't get to talk to Bakugou about your little tryst the following day. You felt it was your fault for leaving, but you didn't think you could convince Ashido and Jirou to stop searching for you even if you were blunt about your situation.

The group would soon start preparing for their panel and there wasn't any time to waste. As the group's leader, Bakugou would make sure that the Bakusquad got through all their panel segments on time and generally keep the other idiots in line.

You worked overtime to help manage the group, even though it wasn't officially your job. Like a true parent, you kept everyone fed, stopped numerous fights, and made fun of them even worse than how they made fun of each other. You caught Bakugou snickering at some of your teasing.

The turnout for the Bakusquad event was much bigger than anyone expected, and the audience almost filled out the entire room. Every single one of the Bakusquad members was pretty nervous. It showed in a number of ways, like fidgeting or chattiness. Bakugou was quieter than he usually was, separate from the rest of the group. Nobody else seemed to notice.

Bakugou reassured the group throughout the day that they'd 'give the audience hell' and would 'show them what they're made of'. But you still worried about him.

You found some alone time with Bakugou before the show started. You started stroking his arm rhythmically to calm him down.

"...Are ya doing this for me or more for yourself?" Bakugou asked, quietly.

"A bit of both," you said, resting your head against his shoulder. "I know you're a big scaredy cat deep down."

"You're the scaredy cat..."

Bakugou pulled you against him for a hug. You could hear how fast his heart raced inside his chest. You buried your face in his chest, trying your best to soothe his worries. You weren't sure if you were making him more or less relaxed.

"We start in a few minutes!" Kirishima called out in the distance.

You abruptly pulled away from Bakugou. You saw him mentally snap out of his reverie, and you wondered what he was thinking regarding your hug just now. But there' wasn't time.

"Got your fill?" you asked. "It's starting soon. I know you'll do great out there, trust me. So break a leg!"

"Will do." Bakugou walked away, never breaking your gaze. "And thank you, I mean it. Watch me while I'm up there, alright? Don't take your eyes off me."

You nodded. Bakugou walked out onto the panel, where the other Bakusquad members sat at a lengthy table in front of the audience. You scurried off to your reserved seat in the audience area, putting on a unicorn mask to disguise yourself. For now, you'd pretend to be a normal fan. From your seat, you checked up on Bakugou, who still seemed to be flustered from your earlier interactions.

Many audience members wore the Bakusquad's merchandise. Most members wore Dynamight's merch, with his iconic explosion logo and faceless designs. He once told you in private he hated the idea of people wearing his face, and you always laughed at the thought of it.

Some other fans wore your merch too. There was a large overlap between your fanbases nowadays. Online, there were numerous fans asking if you were present at the convention right now. The girls sitting next to you were even reading fluffy Bakugou x You fanfiction to pass the time... You hoped none of these people would recognize you now that you were disguised as a beautiful latex unicorn.

Bakugou scanned the crowd for you and spotted your unicorn mask soon enough. You gave him two peace signs that he definitely saw. He could barely tear his eyes away from your silly disguise until Kirishima reminded him to start.

Bakugou straightened the microphone on his podium, the rest of the group sitting at a long table facing the audience.

"Yo," Bakugou said. "I'm Bakugou Katsuki, aka Dynamight, the leader of the Bakusquad. And these are the lackeys that do my bidding."

"You wish," Jirou said.

"We're more like his personal group of bullies!" Ashido said. The others nodded.

"Our videos never exactly go to plan due to this type of behavior," Bakugou said, with a sneer. "In case you couldn't fucking tell, we're a gaming group. We vlog, and we enter competitions, and all that shit. You guys wanna introduce yourselves?"

The rest of the Bakusquad members introduced themselves as Bakugou asked to varying levels of applause. Bakugou garnered the most applause by far, while the rest gathered less applause, along with more formal canned reactions. You wondered how many people would applaud for you.

After their introductions, they moved onto announcements and the skits they produced. Most of the skits were just them dicking around, and often had nothing to do with video games. But the audience liked seeing the Bakusquad get into trouble. Occasionally Bakugou glanced at you to check your reaction and he looked pleased to catch you giggling. You shooed him away if he stared too long.

Finally, the Q&A section started and fans started lining up to ask questions. You got in line first before anyone else. Many of the Bakusquad members glanced at your unicorn mask waiting in line, thinking about the question you'd love to ask them as a 'fan'.

You kind of knew what you generally wanted to ask, but you didn't form an exact script. Bakugou would be handling the questions, so you'd have to improvise a bit on the fly. You walked up to the microphone set up for the Q&A fans, facing the Bakusquad with your unicorn mask still concealing your face.

You asked them a question that Bakugou knew was coming, something that fans already asked them a million times on social media.

You asked about yourself.

"When is that pink gamer girl gonna show up at your panel?"

The audience groaned at your annoying question. Some even glared.

“I dunno." Bakugou grinned. "When are you?”

You took off your unicorn mask. The audience gasped.

"Everyone, meet our newest Bakusquad member!"

You took off your unicorn mask and walked up to the stage. The audience's groans transformed into cheers upon seeing you. The fans wearing your merchandise shrieked and you high-fived them as you walked past. Even so, their cheers were not enough to rival everyone's cheers for Bakugou from earlier. You took an extra seat besides Bakugou's podium at the long table, the bright production lights almost blinding your eyes. You overheard some audience members talking about you. "Dynamight's girlfriend joined the Bakusquad!"

"She's gonna be a permanent part of our videos from now on," Bakugou said, looking happy to have you by his side. "And since she's now officially part of our group, you can start bugging her with questions too."

"Now you guys can finally stop asking us when she'll join," Kirishima said. Some of the Bakusquad laughed at that.

"But don't go asking any shipping-related shit!" Bakugou said. "That stuff's banned from Q&A. Onto the next question."

Some of the crowd looked disappointed by the shipping ban, but most were still hyped. You were nervous, and didn't know what questions to expect.

The first real fan approached the microphone after you left it, wearing a Dynamight T-shirt.

"Um, hi!" the fan said. "Just wanted to say I'm excited to meet you all, including the newest member." The crowd let loose a few cheers. "So my question is kinda weird. But it's something I ask at every panel. Uh, how did you guys sleep last night?"

"Oddly intrusive question," Jirou said. "Me and Ashido I barely slept at all, we were up gaming."

"Did you guys know that these three boys slept together?" Ashido gestured towards Kirishima, Sero, and Kaminari. "And yet they only had twoooo beds! What's up with that?"

"Speaking of which, how did you sleep last night?" Sero asked Kaminari in a sultry tone, complete with bedroom eyes.

"I slept great, thanks to you..."

"Fucking shut the fuck up!" Bakugou said, slamming his hands on the podium. "I don't wanna hear about your creepy ass love lives!"

"Clearly someone does," you said, side-eyeing the audience. "I think it's cute."

"At least we have a love life!" Kaminari cried. "What do you have? A single hotel bedroom, all to yourself?"

You and Bakugou shared a quick glance at each other. Nobody actually knew that you visited his bedroom the other night, and you sure as hell weren't going to reveal anything here.

"My bedroom is my business," Bakugou said.

"Bet there's no 'business' going on in there," Ashido said. Jirou whooped and high-fived her. The audience laughed with them.

"Fucking shut up, all of you." Bakugou glared at the audience. "All of you."

"Aw come on you guys!" you said, desperately trying to save Bakugou's dignity. "It doesn't matter if Bakugou's got nothing going on. It's okay to be single, don't you know?"

"You're making things worse," Bakugou said.

"Wait hold on a minute! Hold on a minute!" Everyone (except Bakugou) turned to Kirishima. "So you're agreeing he's got nothing going on? Even you? 'Cause by the way the shippers talk I thought you'd--"

"Don't mention the damn shippers!"

Some of the audience cheered and shrieked, and you knew exactly which part of your current audience was the shippers. It was those people in particular.

"I thought the shipping ban was for the fans only?" Kirishima asked. "I don't ship anybody..."

"No, the ban is for everyone!" Bakugou said. "For her sake, we're not mentioning any 'shipping' for the rest of the panel." Bakugou briefly glanced at you. "No shipping questions and no shipping talk from these traitors. Or else I'll fucking 'ship' you to Africa."

"I slept fine by the way!" you said, cheerfully.

The next few questions were directed to the other Bakusquad members. You drank some water as you tried to calm down, wondering when you would be asked a question. Finally, a new fan stepped towards the microphone, his question addressed to Bakugou and you.

"Is it true that Dynamight and the new girl went to university together?"

"We actually did!" you said. "He was apparently the star quarterback on the university's sports team. Made headlines and everything. But we never talked to each other."

"It's a shame I never even saw you once," Bakugou said.

"I wish we would've met back then," you said, smiling at the boy. "Apparently you had a different haircut back in uni. Less fluffy."

"Think he would've had the same personality though," Kaminari said. "The same, awful personality."

"Shut your trap!" Bakugou snapped. "The question doesn't involve you."

"Hey, I was just kidding!"

Bakugou sighed. "Anyways, if we did meet back then, our channels probably would've turned out differently."

"Oh absolutely!" you said. "The audience may not know this, but Bakugou was a huge fan of my channel before we met. We both binged a lot of each other's videos like, all the time. And he actually modeled his channel after mine!"

Bakugou averted his eyes from you, embarrassed. Still, he didn't deny what you said.

"But your content is completely different..." Jirou said, twirling her hair. "Bakugou's never done tea time with his chat members."

"Not yet!" You wiggled your eyebrows at Bakugou.

"Not ever. Next question."

A few more fans passed around questions to various Bakusquad members before the final fan addressed you, one more time. It was one of the girls reading Bakugou x You fanfiction that you saw earlier.

"Not a shipping question, but what do you and Dynamight like most about each other?"

This question was definitely toeing the line of 'shipping', but you couldn't call it out. You didn't want to be rude to your fans. So you tried playing it off as a joke, with both you and Bakugou suddenly scrutinizing each other.

"Is there anything I like about this guy?" you asked yourself, stroking your chin.

"If you don't like me, why are you always hanging out with me? Huh?"

The audience fawned over your interaction with a suggestive "Ooooo!" You really didn't mean to flirt in front of everyone, but perhaps that was how they interpreted it. Even the fan at the microphone got excited.

"You're not gonna answer the question?" Bakugou asked.

"You first." You really had no idea how to salvage this situation.

Bakugou groaned. "I don't fucking know... I really love your hair. Happy?"

You cringed internally. Couldn't Bakugou choose a trait that wasn't tied to your appearance? You glared at him but he wasn't looking at you or anyone. The man appeared suspicious as all hell.

"Well I like your temper," you said, with a lackadaisical flick of your hand. "Makes it easy to rile you up for views."

The audience also fawned and squealed over that comment, which you didn't interpret as suggestive at all. You didn't know what ran through their minds, and you didn't want to know.

Kirishima leaned over and quickly whispered to you, "You're both really awful at this, you know that?" You couldn't even snap back a response without alerting everyone in the audience watching you.

"That's one way to fucking end things," Bakugou said. "We're officially outta time for Q&A."

"And thanks to everyone else who came!" you cried. "To the rest of you still in line, we're so sorry we couldn't take everyone's questions. We really had a lot of fun today!"

The rest of the Bakusquad thanked the audience and said their goodbyes. After the panel, your group stuck around to sign autographs and take photos with the fans. Bakugou held back unless you specifically joined him in the fan's photos. Otherwise, the boy was ready to call it quits with the panel event to explore the rest of the convention. Bakugou's eyes kept shifting back towards you every now and then.

Even after the panel finished, you wondered about Bakugou's comment. Was your hair really your best trait? Or was he hiding the real answer from the audience and you? You needed to know. After all, your own answer wasn't entirely honest. You didn't hate his temper and you did enjoy teasing him, but it wasn't your favorite trait of all time. The first positive thing about him that came to mind was his appearance, but blurting that out wouldn't have helped either.

Maybe you should've denied the fan's question entirely. Maybe you should've gotten media training prior to the panel. You didn't know.

The rest of the group split up to explore the other panels at the gaming convention. You found yourself alone with Bakugou in a courtyard close to the convention center, with fewer people around. Your heart skipped a beat.

"So... you like my hair?" you asked, a hand on your hip.

"Don't read into it," Bakugou said, quickly looking away. "I had to give 'em something."

"Couldn't you give them something that wouldn't feed the shippers?"

"You fed them too! Fuck, they would've been fed off of anything we do! If we stood next to each other, they'd assume we're married! Worry about it when we get even more famous."

"Guess so... Say, what was your real answer to their last question?"

"You're asking what I like most about you?" Bakugou folded his arms and grinned. "I dunno. Guess you're pretty cute when you're all worried like you were on stage."

You pouted. "It was a normal amount of nervousness! You were nervous too!"

"Not as much as you. Probably 'cause you helped calm me down earlier. I also love it whenever ya argue with me."

"That must be why you love pestering me," you said.

"Maybe... But if I'm being honest, there's a whole lotta other stuff I love about ya."

Bakugou stroked your face. You held still, not pulling away from him. The few other people in the courtyard didn't notice you two.

Bakugou gulped.

"So what was your answer?" Bakugou asked.

"My answer? Hm... It's probably your hair that I like most. Just so soft."

"Is that all ya like about me?" Bakugou looked at you, seriously.

"No, there's so much more than that..."

"...Guess we're the same."

Bakugou leaned in and kissed you, exhaling through his nose. His lips were warm like his body, somewhat chapped yet still inviting. His hand still cupped your face, tilting your head slightly so he could deepen the kiss better. Bakugou groaned into your mouth, kissing you like a starved man. You loved the kiss but you couldn't reciprocate with half as much pressure as he was giving; the boy wanted to immediately transform his first kiss into his first makeout session. His lips wouldn't waste this rare opportunity of getting to kiss you.

Bakugou pinned you against a nearby courtyard pillar while you were all too aware of the people nearby. You broke away from his kiss, the both of you catching your breath.

"You're lucky nobody saw that," you whispered.

"Don't care," he said, voice rough. "Wanted ya so bad."

Somebody turned towards your direction and you straightened yourself, trying to act natural. Bakugou followed your lead, scratching the back of his neck to hide his face from others. A few more people poured into the courtyard from the convention center and you couldn't resume your intimacy with an audience.

You pulled on Bakugou's arm. "How about we enjoy the convention center together? I promise we can save all that other stuff for later..."

"Oh we're definitely picking back up again later, dammit!"

Still reeling from his first kiss, Bakugou followed after you like a lost puppy. You spent the entire day with Bakugou. It honestly felt like a real date, though neither of you two said anything directly about your kiss. You didn't know where your relationship was. You didn't know whether you or Bakugou wanted to be public about your relationship yet.

Throughout the entire day, you couldn't get the image of you and Bakugou nearly making out from your mind's eye. You wondered if Bakugou was the same; he kept peeking at your lips every now and then. When he held your face with one hand, his fingers brushed dangerously close to the edges of your mouth. But you two never got another private moment to kiss with all these people around. Bakugou made sure to protect you and your privacy.

You soon reconvened with the rest of the Bakusquad. Bakugou certainly wouldn't spill any juicy details to them, instead acting cagey whenever the group members inquired on your time together. Over lunch and later dinner you two didn't have much alone time to yourselves. Bakugou kept trying to invite you somewhere more private, but you never got the chance.

It wasn't until nighttime that you saw Bakugou alone again.

Overnight, all of your members kept trying to prank and mess with each other while people tried to sleep, which led to no one getting any sleep at all. 

Bakugou was the best at staying unharmed, since he had his own bedroom as well as the only key to its lock. You were the only one allowed inside because Bakugou got you an extra key for his room.  

You saw the opportunity to strike, and you took it. 

It was late at night, far later than when Bakugou usually slept. Ashido and Jirou already caught you sneaking out of your shared bedroom, but they didn't stop you. If anything, they pushed you out into the hallway. It was very encouraging.

You knew that even though Bakugou wanted to see you alone all day long, he couldn't possibly stay up this late just for that. His old grandpa genes wouldn't let him. So you crept into his bedroom without issue.

Bakugou's room was entirely dark and you quickly closed the door behind you to prevent too much light from getting in. You snuck over to him and you could hear the lazy rhythmic breathing of his body. It was so cute.

You were dead tired from staying up this late, but you needed to prank him as this could be your only chance during the convention. You gave him one test poke. Bakugou moved and your heart leapt out of your chest, but he only rolled over to the other side of the bed. He still looked asleep. 

Frustrated, you got onto the bed to get back within poking distance of the beast. You giggled quietly as you prepared your real attack.

Then, Bakugou grabbed you by your waist. You shrieked and shrieked but he wouldn't let go.

You tumbled backwards and managed to turn on a lamp. His arms had an iron grip on your waist, alongside a devilish grin on his sleepy face, as he caught you right in the act. 

"Where do ya think you're going?" he asked, bags under his eyes. 

"How long have you been awake?" you asked.

"Since you opened the door. If you wanna prank me, don't make it so damn obvious!" 

He clung to you tighter, pulling you back onto the bed. Then he rose up on his knees, grabbed a pillow, and smacked you with it (softly). 

"Stop!" 

He smacked you again (softly).

"Hey stop!"

You grabbed the pillow before he could hit you and you both played tug-of-war with it. With your free arm, you grabbed a different pillow and them smacked his face with it, forcing him back. You sat upright, your new pillow locked and loaded. 

"Did ya come here just to kill me?" he asked, still grinning.

"No, but that option isn't exactly off the menu."

"What else was on the menu?"

You were about to answer his unanswerable question until you heard footsteps and a voice outside. 

"Who's making all that noise?" someone called out.

Both of your heads snapped to the front door, and you saw that it was still unlocked.

"You didn't lock the door!" Bakugou said through gritted teeth.

You shot him an apologetic look and rushed over to lock it properly. Once you did, you turned back to him, still wielding his hotel pillow as your temporary weapon-of-choice. But you didn't want to risk making anymore noise, not while there were still footsteps outside. And you couldn't return to your bedroom with people searching outside. So that left one option.

"You wanna actually sleep for once?" you asked, holding your pillow behind your back. 

Bakugou slammed his pillow back into its proper place. "That's what I was fucking doing before you arrived!" He looked a little nervous before he voiced his next thoughts. "...C'mon back over, if ya want. They might catch ya if you try to leave."

You walked over to him, shyly. He didn't take his eyes off you as you approached. 

Once you got near the bed you lightly pushed his shoulder. "Um, move please."

"Move where?"

"...Back to where you were originally sleeping..." 

He raised an eyebrow at you and then did so, climbing under the covers while scrutinizing you. "This is the only time I'll let somebody boss me around."

"No it's not," you said, smiling. You put your pillow back into its place and climbed into bed after him, with his eyes never leaving you. His eyebrow raised the tiniest bit the closer you got to him, his body stiffening.

"Hi." You gave him a small wave from your side of the bed, which wasn't that far from him.

"Fucking hello, I guess," he said, waving back. He gulped. "If you're comfortable with this, don't be so damn formal..."

He yanked you over (a little too quickly) to his side of the bed. You squealed. You were almost nose-to-nose now, your arms defensive against your chest but your face beaming up at his. He looked down at you softly, still gripping your arm a bit too firmly before finally remembering to release you. You both looked dead tired, and you felt it too.

"Thanks for sharing your bed with me so I wouldn't get caught," you murmured slowly.

"Thanks for stealing it from me with my permission," Bakugou said, groggily. Bakugou yawned despite himself and he looked even more tired afterwards. "Stay as long as ya want. I'd never kick you out, so you're safe with me. Don't ever feel like you need to leave." He poked the tip of your nose. "Just don't try to kill me in my sleep or whatever..." 

"No promises..." you said, your eyelids doing the same. 

Bakugou stared at you for a few seconds, as if contemplating his next move. Then, Bakugou tentatively pressed his lips against yours, his breathing a bit stilted. When you reciprocated the kiss, Bakugou pushed further with growing confidence, making sure to get his fill of love for the night before sleeping. Giggles bubbled out of you and you pulled away from his long-held kiss to peck his face several times. Bakugou grumbled then pecked your own face double the amount times you pecked him, just to prove a point. When he finished, he was staring down at you again, his eyelids drooping.

He looked at you like you were the most precious thing he'd ever saw.

"You're so pretty," he said, his voice somewhat slurred. "But are we actually gonna sleep now? Or what?"

He looked somewhat desperate, like he wanted you to say no. You weren't sure what you wanted.

"You tell me..."

You wrapped your arms around his neck, waiting for his next move. Bakugou stilled, his movements stiff as his arms wrapped around you in return, holding you even tighter than how you held him. Bakugou gingerly kissed you on the lips.

If your fans could see you two now, they'd have much more ammo for their fanfiction...

(The moment when you join the Bakusquad is based off of a real life gaming group moment, if anyone gets the reference! A lot of this story is based off of real life Let's Players but especially that part. Also holy crap it took me so long just to make this chapter, it got extremely long but I am satisfied with it for the most part!)

[kazuko-stuff]

Batsis as Vtuber and Batfam finds out, save it for Stephanie and Alfred

When you started out

You decided to try vtubing when you notice that you don’t have to show your face online

Since your family is too busy doing their nightly activities, you stream games as a way to pass time.

You usually stream FPS, retro, fashion and RPG games since it takes the most time

Overtime, you decided to try song karaoke streams after seeing other Vtubers doing singing, since you always wanted to be a singer but was too shy

You became well known overtime due to gaming content style and singing

Stephanie found out when she was watching your streams after hearing your voice and often do collabs together

If you join an agency

Overtime, you audition for well known Vtuber agencies that focus not only on streaming, but singing and dancing.

You got accepted to be part of the first generation of agency and Steph decided to join as she is also a fan of their talents.

Your avatar is based on a fairy godmother princess and your lore is being a fairy godmother in training from another world to bring happiness to others

Your fan base is known as fairies and members are part of the Designers. Your mascot is a cat name Momo

Your goals include having an original album, 500k subscribers, to meet your oshis, and perform live

If you have 1 million subscribers, you plan to coordinate a special outfit for the CEO as he is a legend, a chad and best girl

You befriend your other genmates and enjoyed being part of their projects

Because of your princess fairy-godmother image, along with Alfred raising you, you are seen the most Seiso of the group but there is still Yabai moments within the stream

You do French zatsudan, along with French classes streams, baking streams and embroidery and jewelry streams

Alfred is aware of your secret and is supporting you on the sideline. He always helps out with your projects and does contact your manager for help sometimes.

After reaching a big number of fairies, you have Alfred join your stream as a special guest star due to the fans wanting to see him

He is known as the fairy grand-pere and gave him an avatar with a lore that he is likely an envoy of family and was sent to help the royal family of all fairy guardians.

You two played Grand Theft Auto together and Alfred ended up getting to most shots along with many superchats from the fairies ( almost $5,000). He also answered the fans questions in a Q&A with him

You eventually had your first cover and did more favorite anime songs ( shojo anime)

You decided to work on your first original, focusing on a song that would match your image

You decided to due to 12 hour endurance stream for fun and that’s when your father found out

You were playing Hitman, when you were staying at the Mansion and he came to your door to see if you are alright, after hearing some game sounds thinking someone broke in, causing you to do an intermission break.

He asks why are still playing videos game in 1 in the morning and your told him that you must haven’t check the time only to notice your waiting load screen causing him to realize that you do streaming in secret, causing he go back to what he was doing, do to awkwardness

Tim found out after he watched Steph’s stream, when your gen-mates collaborated together, when he heard your voice and decided to be a Fairy to support you. He is amazed at your Japanese skills when you collaborate with other members in Japan.

Dick and Barbara found out when you were doing a karaoke stream at one point and joined your membership. You found out after seeing Dick’s super chat message

Damian found out after he overheard you during an ASMR Zatsudan, telling fairytale stories and singing lullabies, leaving him confuse why your doing this

Cass sometimes appears as a special guest in your stream and sometimes in Stephs.

Your father even sent a generous red superchat, showing he is supportive of your Vtuber activities. He is nicknamed by your fans Fairy God-daddy much to your flustered state and even got fanart based on your avatar. It didn’t help that you mention he is very popular among the ladies.

Overall they are willing to go to your concert, when you have one in person or go crazy on buying your merch. They also go to your special events as well when they have time.

Harley Quinn is also a big fan of yours and is part of your membership. She never misses a stream.

[podficbigbang]

We're BACK, baby!

It’s been too long! And that’s on mod Kit. But I’m back and ready to GO! Now, the next Podfic Big Bang will not begin immediately. The plan is to establish a yearly schedule, and I also don’t like spanning years. So, we’re waiting for the new year! That gives you plenty of time to plan. But, since it’s been a long time, perhaps you have some questions.

What? The Podfic Big Bang is a scheduled event which asks podficcers to record, edit, and post podfics of epic length. At minimum, 10,000 words. Who? Anyone, in any fandom, can participate in the Podfic Big Bang, but please make sure you have permission to record your podfic of choice. When? The signup and start date will be January 1st, and the end date will be March 31st, with check-ins throughout. Where? Announcements and check-in posts will be made on Dreamwidth and Tumblr. Twitter will also be used for backup announcements, but will not be a primary communication tool. On March 15th, the AO3 collection will open for posting, though you are encouraged to post your podfic to the PBB Dreamwidth page, as well. How? Well, personally, I recommend recording a little bit every day. But you can also go wild and do the entire thing in a weekend. Just make sure you get some food, water, and sleep, huh? Why? Because we all like more podfic, but sometimes you want MOAR PODFIC. Community I recommend you join the PodfiChat Discord group. There are multiple discussion channels, including one just for project and fest discussions, which is where you can keep in touch with one-another outside of check-ins! Rules

Minimum length: 10,000 words

A multi-part series that adds up to 10,000 or more words is acceptable, but each part posted for PBB must not have been posted by you before. Multipods are always welcome!

So, if you’ve posted part 1 of a series, you can do parts 2+ for PBB, but part 1 does NOT count towards the word total.

You may submit as many qualifying works as you wish.

Collaboration is okay, but please specify that you are on a team when signing up.

Schedule

Sign-ups begin: January 1st, 2025

Check-in #1: January 22, 2025

Check-in #2: February 12th, 2025

Check-in #3: March 5th, 2025

Collection opens: March 15th, 2025

Collection closes: March 31st, 2025

Check-ins We highly recommend you participate in check-ins, whether on Dreamwidth, Tumblr, or Discord. However, you will not be disqualified for missing check-ins. This is casual, ya’ll. Cover art At check-in #3, a separate post will be made to the general Amplificathon Dreamwidth page, allowing podficcers to request art. Posting guidelines An AO3 collection for Podfic Big Bang 2025 will be opened on March 15th. This will be a REVEALED collection, so your podfic will appear once it’s posted, instead of waiting for the 31st. BUT, once the 31st is over (UTC time), the collection will close, and no further works will be accepted. Want to talk to us directly? The best way to contact Kitsune Heart is through Discord, particularly the PodfiChat Discord! She is user KitsuneHeart#8371.

[nataliesfirefly]

chapter 1 - new year, same rivalry

a/n: hello! i’m back finally! super excited for this series, it’s definitely going to be more wholesome than my other one, and more of a slow burn! my plan is to have ten chapters, but that could change later on.. anyways enjoy and please tell me what you think! if you would like to be put on the series taglist, let me know! ♥️

chapter warnings: slight language

wc: 3.8k

series masterlist

“Welcome, year twelves. It’s lovely to see you all today, I recognize some familiar faces. My name is Mrs. Chasteen, I’ll be your teacher for English studies this year.” You set your bag down and take a seat, glancing up at the woman speaking. She’s very elegant, with her grey hair pulled into a strict bun and sophisticated tiny rectangle glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. You smooth out your black pleated skirt before crossing your legs.

“As I’m sure you all know, this year is very important. You should be considering which universities you wish to apply to, how you would like to further your education…” Your attention is side tracked when a tall figure hurries into the room, his dark eyes scanning for an open seat. You swear your heart drops to your stomach. Farleigh.

His eyes eventually fall onto you after spotting the empty seat next to you. He reluctantly walks over and sits down next to you with a big sigh, like he’s just put off by your existence. At least the feeling’s mutual.

“Your grades need to be in top shape this year, as they will determine your chances of getting into university. This year is arguably the most important for grades,” Mrs. Chasteen explains, pacing around slowly. You shift uncomfortably, scooting away from Farleigh. It’s like he’s trying to take up space on purpose as he splays his books and papers across the table. You shoot him an ungrateful look which he ignores.

“Now, enough about all that. I’m going to introduce the book that we will be studying closely this term.” You perk up at her words as she goes to her desk, picking a book up off the surface.

“This book is found on many, many reading lists for universities, namely Oxford.” You raise an eyebrow and sit up at the mention of your dream school. “A classic from the Victiorian era: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.” She holds up the book briefly and you let out a relieved sigh. “One of my personal favorites,” She adds quietly, setting the book back down.

Farleigh nudges you with his shoulder and you have to stop yourself from physically recoiling. “Would’ve thought you’d already read this by now,” He mutters with a slight smirk on his face, showing his teeth like a fox. Suddenly, a question enters your mind and now you have to ask, though you might come off as insecure. “Have you?” You whisper back, eyebrows furrowed. He shakes his head. “No.”

Okay, good. That would have been bad if he had already read it. It’s always nice at the start of the year. You’re both even, and no one’s ahead of each other in anything. Yet.

“We’ll be discussing and taking assessments over the chapters, so be certain to keep up with your reading. For your final project before winter break once we finish the book, you will be writing an essay based off of it and a prompt that I will give you. I will also be pairing you up with someone to collaboratively write said paper with.” Your eyes widen at this. A group project? Well, not a group. A duo. Nevertheless, it’s weird for two people to write an essay together. You’ve never heard of it.

“You need to learn how to critique each other and work together. It’s an important skill for uni.” Mrs. Chasteen seems to notice everyone’s looks of confusion. “Hmm,” Farleigh hums. You glance over to him shortly before observing the other students in your class. You recognize a lot of them. Just accquaintances, not friends.

“Anywho. Please come and grab a copy, then sign the sheet so I know you received one.” You quickly stand up and head over to her desk. You want to make a good first impression. But Farleigh and his stupid long legs make it there before you do, charming Mrs. Chasteen with a bright smile.

“Hello. I’m Farleigh. I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking your class,” He holds out his hand, speaking with his velvety voice while your teacher shakes his hand with a curt nod. “You’re quite tall,” She remarks with an impressed expression. You roll your eyes. Why does everyone feel the need to comment on his height? Does it make him better than everyone else? It’s just one more thing that makes Farleigh stand out more than you, and you hate that. You miss what he responds with due to your bitter thoughts.

“Please, take a book.” She steps back and gives him more space. He reaches down and takes a copy off of her desk, signing the paper shortly after with his free hand, writing in flawless cursive. You’re envious of how smoothly and quickly he can connect the letters. It looks like something out of a scroll from the eighteenth century.

“Oh, wonderful cursive,” Mrs. Chasteen clasps her hands together in approval and Farleigh just glances at you with a shit-eating grin before walking off and back to your shared table.

“Hi there,” You put on your best I’m very high achieving and hard working smile and mimic Farleigh’s actions, holding out your hand as you introduce yourself. She smiles back warmly while shaking your hand. “What a beautiful name. I’ve heard many great things about you from your previous teachers.” She almost lowers her voice. You feel your face heat up and you try not to show your pride.

“Oh, well then, I hope I live up to your expectations, miss.” You say with a beaming smile. She chuckles and hands you a book. “I’m certain you will,” She replies as you sign your name on the sheet of paper in slightly sloppier cursive, looking worse underneath Farleigh’s perfect signature.

You walk back to your spot with a spring in your step, holding your head high. Hearing just those few words from your new teacher’s mouth made your day. That’s how badly you crave academic validation. Or just… validation in general.

“You hear that?” You ask, returning his grin from earlier. “Hear what?” He asks, raising an eyebrow and turning to you with a confused expression. “Nevermind.” You don’t know why you thought he would’ve heard your conversation from all the way over here. “Mmm,” He hums in response, and there’s some attitude in his tone. You debate whether you should come up with a snarky question to ask him, but you decide against it.

Once all the books are handed out, Mrs. Chasteen walks up to the whiteboard and uncaps a marker. “So, can anyone tell me something interesting about Emily Brontë?” She asks.

Both of your hands shoot up at the same time. You mentally curse at Farleigh and shoot him an annoyed side glance. He returns the favor. Mrs. Chasteen notices this and raises her eyebrows. “Eager to answer, are we?” She chuckles and then looks around. “Anyone else?”

You glance around the room. No one else is raising their hands, they’re all just looking expectantly at you and Farleigh. You look back to your teacher with wide eyes, willing her to pick you.

“Alright then..” Mrs. Chasteen clears her throat. Her eyes land on you. She’s going to pick you. Yes. Now you can prove your intelligence and superiority to the rest of the class, and to Farleigh.

“Farleigh.” Your hand drops back down to your side in defeat and he turns to look at you. He just winks. He winks. The annoying fuck, you could probably strangle him right now-

“Well, Emily wasn’t the only poet and writer in her family. Her sister, Charlotte, wrote Jane Eyre, which was hugely successful. But Wuthering Heights was critiqued for being too clumsy or, rather, not well structured.” He explains, sounding like a fucking Britannica article. It was the exact thing you were going to say, and it pisses you off. You rest your elbows against the desk and put your chin in your hands, sighing dejectedly.

Mrs. Chasteen nods and writes this on the board, summing up the information into bullet points. “Correct. Very good.” She caps the marker again and turns back to the class. You raise your hand quickly, and she calls your name.

“I think Farleigh’s forgetting to mention Anne Brontë. She was probably the least popular out of the three sisters, but her works are seriously underrated. Her last novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, was one of the first feminist novels. She paved the way for other female authors and gave women a voice.” You explain, and Mrs. Chasteen looks surprised at your level of knowledge. You can feel Farleigh’s bristling energy next to you. You smile contentedly, watching as your teacher writes what you said about Anne off to the side.

“And have you read this book?” Farleigh suddenly asks. You turn to face him, unafraid of his challenging. “No, I have not. But I did a project over the Brontë sisters last year, and my research went quite in depth.” You explain, and he does one of those Olympic winning eyerolls. “Having extra information like that comes in handy, you know,” You grin as his eyebrows furrow, glaring sharply at you. “It’s not like it matters. We’re not even talking about Anne. She asked about Emily.” It seems like you two have forgotten completely about the rest of the students in the room, the teacher, and everything else in the world as you begin to argue. It just comes naturally.

“If I’m not mistaken, you mentioned Charlotte. She asked about Emily,” You mock him. He opens his mouth to say something back, then closes it and looks down.

“Alright.. anywho, now we’re going to read a short introduction to the book to give you all an idea of what you’re getting into.” Mrs. Chasteen explains, giving you and Farleigh a stern look.

Throughout the rest of the class, you and Farleigh remain silent and refuse to speak to each other, though you were instructed to discuss with the person next to you. You look out the stained glass window, watching the raindrops patter onto the cobblestone, the puddles illuminated by the golden light shining from the lanterns, the chatter around you drowned out by your own thoughts about the rest of today.

Your overthinking is interrupted by your teacher’s voice.

“Okay everyone, that’s it for today. I will see you all tomorrow. Could you two stay for a moment, please?” She turns to you and Farleigh as you’re gathering your things, gesturing for you two to come up to her desk. You both glance at each other before nodding and heading over after you’ve swung your bag over your shoulder.

“So… you two seem very.. competitive. You’re both very intelligent, make no mistake.” You wonder where she’s going with this. “Which makes me curious– May I ask which universities you two intend on applying to?”

“Oxford.” You both say at the same time, after which you immediately turn to each other with wide eyes. What? No. It can’t be. You’re seriously fucked if he applies to Oxford. They rarely ever take two people from the same school.

“You’re applying to Oxford?!” You both ask, once again, at the same time. He looks almost personally offended by you, with his upper lip pulled up and his eyebrows knitted together in a familiar scowl.

“Oh- Haha, well. What a coincidence,” Mrs. Chasteen chuckles nervously, glancing back and forth. “I went to Oxford. It was quite lovely there, and the professors–”

“No, you can’t. I’m applying to Oxford.” You point at yourself, and he scoffs. “Who says I can’t?” Farleigh asks, his voice dripping with sass. “Me.” You reply. He rolls his eyes and facepalms with exasperation.

“Well, the chances of you both getting in aren’t… impossible. If they see two exceptionally good students who are at the top of their class, they won’t mind if you’re from the same school. They only see the talent,” She goes on to explain, trying to stop an argument from breaking out again.

“Logically, they would pick the top student, though. Not students,” You emphasize the s at the end of students. Mrs. Chasteen continues. “You never know. And backup universities are a great option, if–”

“I appreciate the suggestion, but I’ll only be applying to Oxford. It’s Oxford or nothing,” You reply, your voice full of determination. “Me too. Oxford’s been my dream uni since I moved here from the states,” Farleigh adds. You turn to glare at him and he glares right back.

“Well then. That’s fine, just please try not to take up any more class time with your bickering.” She raises her eyebrows at you two. You nod. “Yes, miss.”

“And who knows,” She says, pushing her glasses back up to the bridge of her nose, “You two might work better together. Two smart brains are better than one,” You shudder at the word together. You and Farleigh working together? Absolutely not.

“Think about it.” She points a finger and you reluctantly nod, just to give her some temporary satisfaction. “You’re excused,” She dips her head and you hear Farleigh let out a little sigh of relief. “Thank you, miss. Have a good day,” He nods shortly to her before turning on his heel and heading for the door. You follow suit.

Shit. You forgot about the rain. Before English class, you had made it inside before the downpour had really started. Now the raindrops covered every inch of the ground. You have to cross the courtyard to get to your next class, which is in the west wing of the school. You awkwardly stand in the arched corridor, listening to the rain, slightly shivering as you try to make a decision. The weather is always bipolar in London. It’s September, and the other day it was sweltering. Now it’s freezing and rainy.

Farleigh turns around and raises an eyebrow at your hesitation. “What are you doing?” He asks. You glance down. He’s holding a black umbrella. How is he always prepared for everything?

“Well I don’t have an… umbrella,” You mumble, gesturing to the one in his hand. “Am I supposed to care?” He replies. Of course. Why did you think he would care?

“You asked me what I was doing,” You throw your hands up. “I was answering your question!” You exclaim angrily. He rolls his eyes. “What’s your next class?” He asks hesitantly.

You pull out the small yet important paper from your pocket with your classes on it, looking down and squinting. “Biology,” You reply, looking up and watching all the other students bustling around, chatting excitedly or holding umbrellas over their head as they walk through the courtyard. You look back to Farleigh, who seems to be thinking something over in his head.

“Alright, c’mon.” He nods to you, walking out into the open area, holding up the umbrella. You step forward without questioning it, just thankful for the rare act of kindness. “I’m headed to the west wing anyway,” He says as you walk side by side, as if he has to make it clear that this is not him being generous to you. It’s simply convenient.

You wish you didn’t have to stay so close to him, but if you want to be covered fully from the rain, you sort of have to get closer to him, your head brushing against his shoulder due to your almost embarrassing height difference and your feet almost tripping over his. You both remain silent, with only the sound of the rain pelting against the umbrella to keep you company.

You eventually reach the west corridor, and he’s quickly stepping away from you and wrapping up the umbrella. You begin walking to go find your class, before you hear his voice call after you.

“No ‘thank you’ or anything?” He asks. You turn around and groan internally. “...Thank you.” You respond, very reluctantly and quietly. “You’re welcome,” He smiles sarcastically and you roll your eyes before turning back around, quickening your pace to make it to your class on time.

A week later, your first calculus assessment of the year is already upon you. It doesn’t help that you share that class, of all classes, with Farleigh. Math has always been your most difficult subject. You’ve never been quick to understand it, it never comes naturally for you. But if you put in the time and work, you can make it seem like it’s effortless.

Apparently for Farleigh, it is effortless. He makes it clear that he never studies for tests or quizzes. While it infuriates you, you also find it hard to believe. How can he ace everything when he claims he doesn’t even try?

You sit down at your desk, fishing your pencil and calculator out from your bag. You nervously chew on the eraser, waiting for the papers to be passed out.

“First assessment of the year, good luck everyone. If you fail, there will be no corrections, so hopefully that makes you feel better,” Mr. Bailey says as he passes out the tests. His sarcasm somehow only makes the situation worse. You spent hours studying for this last evening, although he claimed this was all ‘mostly a review’ from your precalculus class last year. Right. Review. You should know this stuff by now.

As soon as the paper is on your desk, you begin working, starting with the problems you know how to solve. You get in that zone, completely unbothered by your surroundings or any distractions, just working, switching between writing down numbers and formulas to typing into the calculator.

You get stumped on a question and glance up to check the time. Your eyes wander from the clock over to Farleigh, who seems completely relaxed, one hand running through his hair and fiddling with his dark curls and the other working a problem out.

“Eyes on your own tests, please,” Mr. Bailey sternly calls out. Your eyes dart over to him, where he sits behind his desk, his gaze directly upon you. Fuck. Now he’s going to think you were cheating. But what were you actually doing? Staring at Farleigh? No. You were just… observing. You go back to your test, flipping the paper over to start the graphing section.

“That’s time. Pencils down, I’ll come by to pick up your papers.” Mr. Bailey announces, standing up and starting down the rows of desks and picking up everyone’s tests. He says something to Farleigh but you can’t make it out, but you see Farleigh grin. It seems that Mr. Bailey has already chosen his favorite student. You never even stood a chance.

Once he makes it to your row and picks up your test, you begin to pack up your things. “I’ll have these graded by tomorrow. Please don’t complain to me if you fail. That’s on you.” You scoff quietly at your teacher’s harsh remarks as you make your way to the door. Thank God that was your last class of the day. Now you can head back to your dorm.

Farleigh falls into step next to you. “So, how’d that go for you?” You stare straight ahead, focusing on the path ahead of you. “Good. Honestly, it was easier than I expected.” You reply. It’s half truth. It was slightly easier than you were preparing yourself for, but you usually prepare yourself for the worst. But you can’t let him know that you still struggled.

“Really. Hmm,” He hums, and you glare up at him. “What?” You study his expression. He must think you’re lying, based on his little smirk and raised eyebrows. “Nothing. It’s just… we both know math is not your strong suit,” He pauses and you stop next to him. “Okay, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be good at it.” You scowl up at him and he just grins.

“Unlike you, I actually study.” You continue walking, hoping he’ll leave you alone, but he follows you. “Aw, you actually need to study? Sad.” He pouts and you actually feel the urge to strangle him.

You turn around abruptly and he stops in his tracks. “Alright. Lovely talking with you. Bye!” You wave with a fake smile. Farleigh looks a bit surprised by your reaction. There’s only so much of his insults you can take.

“Bye,” He quietly mutters as you turn back around, walking quicker and more determined, putting some confidence into your step.

You groan and flop onto your bed once you enter your dorm. Suddenly, you realize how sleepy you are as your eyelids feel heavy You cover your face with a pillow and sigh, wishing you could rest. It sounds wonderful. But you have work to do. Reading, studying, the list goes on.

You chose this boarding school because you heard it was most similar to the Oxford experience, campus wise. It was also named the most prestigious secondary school in London. You often become very homesick, though, and you long for the comfort of your parents and your real home. At least it’s preparing you for university.

You groan once again into the pillow before sitting up and pushing the idea of sleep away. It’s time to get to work.

The next day, you wait to get your calculus test back. Mr. Bailey is handing them out while you overthink and prepare yourself for a failing grade. What would you do if you actually failed? You think you would rather be pushed off of a tall building than receive an F on a test.

Suddenly, a paper lands on your desk. You quickly glance down and see ‘97.5’ written in red ink at the top of the paper. Your eyes widen and you feel relief wash over you. Thank the Lord. You grin and pick up your test, inspecting it closer and going over your errors.

You hear someone coming up behind you. You quickly flip your paper over, hiding the grade from whoever is lurking over your shoulder. But it’s too late.

“Not bad…” A deep, American voice chuckles quietly. You turn around in your chair, and to no surprise, Farleigh is standing there with his arms crossed. He’s already seen your grade.

“Stop looking at my grades,” You hiss. “Relax, I was just curious.” He smirks at your frustration and holds up his own test. You see a ‘98’ scrawled up at the top along with a ‘good job’ next to it. You huff in response, turning back around.

“That’s not even much better than mine,” You mutter. “What’s that?” He asks, leaning over your shoulder, his breath ghosting over your neck. You shiver and remain silent, unable to repeat yourself for some reason.

“Sorry, who got the better grade?” Farleigh questions, his voice lowered. You let out a small sigh, ready to admit your defeat. “You.” You reply quietly.

“Right.” And then he’s gone, probably heading back to his own desk. What a bitch. You roll your eyes and pinch the space between your eyes, shaking your head. Yeah, he got .5 more points than you, and it doesn’t seem like much. But for Farleigh, it’s a huge win. But you’ll get him back. You always do. And you’re going to be the one who makes it into Oxford, you are sure of it.

[numinously-yours]

Free Tarot Reading: Why did X happen?

Today's free reading is going to look deeper at why something in your life happened. I am answering the following questions:

What is X?

Why did X happen?

How can/did you grow from X?

Choose an X above and find your group below the cut:

What is X? Knight of Swords

You may have started a project and, in the middle of it, it abruptly ended. You thought you had all of the resources you needed – money, people to back the project, a solid plan – so when it ended it was really disappointing. You’re not quite sure what went wrong or why the project couldn’t get off the ground. The main point of concern keeps coming back to the people. Why did people decide to stop investing?

Why did X happen? Seven of Cups rev.

At some point during this project, there were too many cooks in the kitchen. Since it was your idea originally, you took the reigns back and decided to make executive decisions. While this isn’t always a bad thing, it feels like people may have stepped back from working with the project because they didn’t feel their voices being heard. Additionally, there were a lot of short term goals as the project was getting starting rather than looking at the bigger picture, so the small things didn’t necessarily add up to reaching the ultimate goal.

How did/can you grown from X? Ace of Swords rev.

This situation is helpful for you as you move forward with other big ideas (or even if you try this one again!). You are excited about ideas so you want to get them off the ground, but this can be a reminder that taking time to plan is just as important as the execution of the plan. Create SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound), allow others to provide feedback, and find a balance between leading and collaborating. Something else that you may have/can learn from this is to wait on announcing ideas until you have a rough draft. It may have been too early in the planning stages of the original project and that made it asier for a lot of opinions to be thrown around. Come in with an outline/structure which allows for some movement, ideas, and opinions, but isn’t a complete blank slate.

What is X? Six of Swords & Page of Cups rev.

There is/was someone in your life who was holding you back. You are inspired, full of ideas and plans for the future, and have always been someone who’s been able to move forward. Someone came into your life and once they did, you felt dragged down. This person has an immature nature about them. They are a bit narcissistic and childish, but think they are mature and know what they are talking about. It has become incredibly frustrating for you. You feel like you have to put your needs on the back burner in order to avoid chaos. For some of you, you may have distanced yourself from this person for a while, but now they are coming back into your life and you don’t know what you are doing to do. You’ve finally gotten back into your groove – will they mess it up again?

Why did X happen? Knight of Wands rev.

Although frustrating, this person came into your life because the delays in your progress were necessary. Whatever you were trying to achieve at the time where they swooped in and paused your work was not going to be successful if you were to have finished it then and there. I feel like my mom when I say that this also happened to “build character”. In a less annoying sense (for me lol), this person was there to teach you patience – not necessarily patience in people, but in not achieving your goals as quickly as you want. Without this person, there would have been risk of impulsiveness and built up energy.

How can/have you grown from X? Three of Pentacles

On a personal level, having this person in your life will ultimately help you appreciate other people who come into your life. Knowing that the person came into your life to help delay progress may help you see people on another level. “There is a reason this person came into my life. Let’s find out why.” It doesn’t mean you have to enjoy spending time with them, lol, but it will help it be less frustrating when the people around you are frustrating.

Regarding the goal(s), it has been aided in growth by the delay. Now that more time as passed, you will be more objective, have a more solid plan, and know where you can get resources to help it flourish.

What is X? Two of Cups

This has “the one who got away” energy for me. Whether it was a romantic partner or a platonic friendship, someone who you loved and had a great partnership with isn’t in your life anymore. You’re wondering what the point was for this person to bring beauty to your life just for it to be ripped away.

Why did X happen? The Lovers & Nine of Swords

They came into your life because you deserved to know that this type of love exists. You deserve to know that, even in your darkest moments, you are loveable and worth the effort. This person was likely the first person in a long time that you were able to be vulnerable with. You learned how to trust again. You learned how to communicate. In terms of why they had to leave, I think it’s as simple as they weren’t meant to be. It’s not an easy answer to accept and it still probably doesn’t make sense. But the time that you had together really shaped you to be successful in new relationship(s) to come.

How can/have you grown from X? Eight of Wands rev. & Ace of Wands

This relationship is bringing you back to the root of YOU. It has probably started already. There are days you doubt your worth because the person did leave, but each day it gets easier to remind yourself that you are worthy. This person has lit a fire under you to live your life for yourself because you finally know that you deserve good things. They showed you the potential that relationships can have and that you have within them. You can move forward from this relationship with optimism for the future.  

What is X? The Tower & King of Wands

Your X was a huge tower moment for you. There was sudden change followed by chaos. Everything that you knew was turned upside down. You had a plan for your future. You could visualize opportunities ahead and see the steps to get there. It feels like you’re expected to build the tower back up but there aren’t any directions to tell you how.

Why did X happen? Justice

I’m not being told exactly what happened that caused the tower moment, but it seems like the actions that were being taken were not in your highest good or the highest good of others involved. Unfortunately, the collapse of the tower was the consequences to those actions. Someone did not stand by decisions that they made and left everyone to their own devices. There was a missing level of ethicality and fairness.  

How can/did you grown from X? Knight of Pentacles

This knight is the hardest working knight in the deck. They are methodical and driven. They may not be the most creative, but they get the job done. You are being called to be this knight as you rebuild that tower. You don’t have to be the most creative person in the room. You don’t have to be the most inspiring person and come into a planning session with a full list of new ideas. If you focus on getting the job done effectively and consistently, you will be successful. Sit down and write goals. Just like group 1 (which you may have been interested in checking out), create goals that are tangible and attainable. You can also grow by accepting responsibility for anything that might go wrong. The original tower moment may or may not have been consequences of your own actions, but moving forward you need to be aware of your actions so another tower doesn’t fall. Stick to what you know, stick to a routine, and soon you’ll see the tower is standing higher than ever.

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: daily transits & horoscopes 11/17

Sunday’s celestial setup amplifies the flow of information, with a Mars–Jupiter semi-square igniting sensationalism and an insatiable curiosity among the public. The Gemini Moon’s early opposition to Mercury and conjunction with Jupiter drives an intense hunger for knowledge and connection, though clarity wavers by nightfall as the Moon squares Neptune, creating mixed messages and foggy perceptions. With high energy early on and haziness in the evening, the day calls for discernment in navigating facts versus exaggerations.

Rising Sign Delineations:

Aries Rising With Mars in your house of communication, the Mars–Jupiter aspect stimulates bold ideas but may also lead to overstatements. The Moon’s early morning aspects heighten curiosity, especially around learning or travel, though the evening’s Moon-Neptune square may blur the lines between fact and fiction. Taking time to validate information today can prevent misunderstandings.

Taurus Rising The Mars–Jupiter influence activates your financial sector, stirring ambitions around resources, though there’s a risk of impulsive decisions. The Moon’s interactions with Mercury and Jupiter inspire ideas for income or budgeting, yet the evening’s Neptune square may cloud financial clarity. Double-check plans and avoid major investments until clarity returns.

Gemini Rising Mars–Jupiter energizes your self-expression, making this a day for sharing your thoughts with conviction. Early lunar aspects enhance your charisma, but with the Moon-Neptune square tonight, personal intentions could be misinterpreted. Communicating with extra clarity, especially in relationships, can help ensure that your message lands as intended.

Cancer Rising Mars–Jupiter stirs up subconscious restlessness, especially regarding old beliefs or hidden desires. Early morning insights may arise, yet the Moon-Neptune square in the evening blurs personal boundaries, making introspection more valuable than action. Today is best spent journaling or reflecting rather than drawing final conclusions.

Leo Rising With Mars–Jupiter lighting up your social sector, this is a day of heightened interactions with friends or communities. Conversations flow early on, sparking ideas for group projects or collaborations, though Neptune’s influence by evening suggests mixed signals. Stay mindful of boundaries to avoid misunderstandings in social dynamics.

Virgo Rising Mars–Jupiter activates your career, fueling ambitions and public communications. Morning lunar aspects bring clarity to professional connections, but Neptune’s influence at night may obscure workplace dynamics or goals. Today favors clear articulation of ideas and holding off on big decisions until there’s greater clarity.

Libra Rising The Mars–Jupiter aspect energizes your thirst for knowledge and broader life perspective. Travel or study plans may come into focus, and morning’s lunar aspects enhance learning, though Neptune’s influence by night introduces confusion in beliefs or plans. Engage with curiosity, but avoid firm commitments until details become clearer.

Scorpio Rising Mars–Jupiter stimulates your transformative eighth house, stirring intensity around joint resources or deep conversations. Early in the day, the Moon’s contacts with Mercury and Jupiter support insights into shared values, though Neptune’s influence by night calls for caution in emotional discussions. Approach sensitive topics with care.

Sagittarius Rising With Mars–Jupiter in your partnership sector, conversations with loved ones or colleagues can feel charged. The Moon’s early opposition to Mercury highlights communication, though Neptune’s influence later may create confusion in close relationships. Being clear and open-hearted in dialogues will help mitigate any evening misunderstandings.

Capricorn Rising The Mars–Jupiter influence energizes your routines, sparking ideas for productivity or wellness goals. Morning lunar interactions support practical communication, though Neptune’s influence by evening may blur daily details. Focus on grounding tasks, and reserve major decisions for when clarity returns.

Aquarius Rising Mars–Jupiter activates your house of creativity and romance, bringing excitement to self-expression and personal connections. Early on, conversations flow easily, but Neptune’s influence by night could introduce mixed messages in love or creative projects. Staying grounded in your intentions will help avoid misunderstandings.

Pisces Rising The Mars–Jupiter aspect energizes your home and family dynamics, amplifying household discussions. Early interactions feel inspired, though Neptune’s influence by evening may bring emotional fog. Clarifying intentions within family dynamics today will ensure mutual understanding amid shifting perspectives.

follow for more astro insights like this and head on over to @quenysefields or my etsy --> sensualnoiree to grab my new astrology guidebook on reading your own natal chart :)