#Best on-Screen/-Page Chemistry (no Couples)

[siilent-wanderer]

Lights, Camera, Us

Summary: During a magazine photoshoot, rising actress An Yujin and her co-star Kwon Y/N ignite fan theories with their undeniable chemistry. But behind the lens, what started as on-screen tension quietly blossoms into shared mornings, soft kisses, and the kind of intimacy they’re no longer sure how to hide — or if they even want to.

Genre: fluff, mutual pining, a little suggestive if you squint, azzo

Word Count: 3.1k words

actress!An Yujin x actress!fem reader

A/N: yujin brainrot

The photoshoot had barely started, but the atmosphere was already buzzing.

Y/N and Yujin, co-stars in a hit drama, were booked for an exclusive magazine cover spread. Their on-screen chemistry had kept fans hooked for weeks, and now, with cameras flashing and the styling team fussing over every detail, it was clear their off-screen dynamic was just as captivating.

The photographer barely had to direct them.

“Closer,” he had started to say, but before he could finish, Yujin was already shifting in.

Y/N moved naturally, leaning into the pose, but she couldn’t ignore the way Yujin’s presence wrapped around her like second nature. Her hand hovered near Y/N’s waist, not quite touching but close enough to be felt. The tension, the ease — it was all instinctive, effortless. And the camera caught everything.

One of the standout moments came when they were told to hold an intense gaze. Y/N expected it to be just another pose, but Yujin? She held eye contact like it was an indirect, silent confession, her lips curling just slightly at the edges. Her fingers brushed over Y/N’s wrist, a featherlight touch that sent a shiver up her spine.

“Perfect,” the photographer murmured, snapping away. "Ah, we should’ve just let you two pose yourselves from the beginning."

Y/N huffed out a small laugh, barely audible. “You don’t even need cues anymore.”

Yujin grinned, her dimples deepening as she tilted her head just slightly. “Why would I? You make it easy.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but the warmth creeping up her neck betrayed her. And the cameras caught that, too.

When the teaser photos were posted on social media, chaos erupted.

[ellekorea]: A love story too captivating for just the screen. Witness Y/N and Yujin’s effortless chemistry in our upcoming cover feature.

Attached were two photos:

The first: Y/N and Yujin in sleek, monochrome outfits, standing close, Yujin’s fingers grazing Y/N’s wrist. Their eyes locked, their expressions unreadable but charged.

The second: Y/N with a soft smile, her head tilted just slightly toward Yujin, who was looking at her with something dangerous in her gaze — something that made fans lose their minds.

[saintyujin] HELLO??? WHY DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A COUPLE SHOOT??? [_missyn] these two could date and i wouldn’t even be surprised at this point [ayjdotcom] This is either the best acting I’ve ever seen or someone’s got a crush and it’s NOT Y/N [kwony23] Y/N’s expression in the second pic… oh she’s in trouble. LIKE BIG TROUBLE

And then, Y/N posted on Instagram.

She wasn’t the type to post much outside of work, keeping her page clean and professional. But this time, she uploaded a carousel of the shoot — behind-the-scenes moments, teaser shots, and a final slide that sent everyone spiraling.

It was a black-and-white close-up of her and Yujin, foreheads almost touching, eyes laced with something just beyond reach. The caption? Simple.

[kwon_yn] 🎬📸

But it wasn’t just the post itself that set fans off — it was the fact that this was the first time Y/N had ever posted someone else on her account. And that someone was Yujin.

[forynonly] Y/N NEVER POSTS PEOPLE… YUJIN YOU ARE SO SPECIAL OMG [popo__yuj] Is this Yujin’s soft launch? I need answers. [yudingsz] this is giving “my girlfriend is so pretty” energy I’m going insane agajkdhagh [ynmuse] y/n dropping this post like it’s normal and expecting us to be calm. gurl we are NOT

As if that weren’t enough, behind-the-scenes videos from the shoot were released. One clip showed Y/N fixing Yujin’s collar before a shot, making Yujin blink in surprise before breaking into a small, fond smile. Another clip captured Yujin gently brushing Y/N’s hair back out of her face before their close-up shot, murmuring, “Your hair’s in the way.” Y/N simply let her, a soft look passing between them. In another, they were caught laughing at an inside joke, completely oblivious to the cameras around them. Another clip showed Y/N reviewing shots on the monitor, nodding along, while Yujin stood beside her, arms crossed. Y/N didn’t notice, but Yujin? She was just watching her, smiling absentmindedly, like she forgot the cameras were still rolling. Their joint interview was the final nail in the coffin.

Interviewer: “Your dynamic is amazing. Was it like this on set too?”

Yujin: "Working with Y/N is really easy. I mean, we don’t have to force anything because our chemistry is just there."

Y/N: "I think we just understand each other well, so even in photoshoots like this, we don’t really need much direction. Yujin actually makes it really easy. She’s just really comfortable to be around."

Yujin (grinning): “Y/N is saying that, but she’s the one who always took care of me during filming.”

Interviewer: "Fans have noticed that you two are really close even off-screen. Has your friendship grown beyond the drama?"

Y/N (glancing at Yujin): "Yeah, I think we became close. We still hang out when we can."

Yujin (smiling): "We do."

The rumors only intensified when Yujin, despite her packed schedule, somehow found the time to take Y/N to a museum. Fans noticed when Yujin posted a story of their museum visit, followed by a meal at a quiet restaurant. Y/N shared Yujin’s post on her own story with a simple white heart emoji. Later on Bubble, Y/N sent pictures of her at the museum, marveling how pretty it was in person.

— "Yujinie remembered how I always mentioned wanting to visit this museum while we were filming, so she got us tickets."

“She REMEMBERED Y/N mentioning this during filming. It’s been MONTHS. HELLO????”

"Y/N posting Yujin first. Yujin taking Y/N to a place she’s always wanted to visit. WHAT KIND OF FANFIC PLOT IS THIS???"

"pls just say you’re dating already, we’re tired"

But the biggest hint came when Yujin accidentally posted a Bubble update. The image showed her laying down, watching When Life Gives You Tangerines on a TV screen. But fans quickly noticed something in the reflection — a shadow, a faint silhouette of someone sitting beside her. The internet immediately exploded with theories.

“Is that… is that Y/N??”

“wait didn’t y/n js recently say that was her favorite drama these days?”

“ok so Yujin watching Y/N’s fave drama with Y/N next to her?? This is so domestic I can’t do this”

“No thoughts, just Yujin and Y/N hanging out in someone’s house watching a kdrama”

Neither of them addressed it, of course, but at this point, they didn’t have to. Their actions spoke louder than words.

The night was calm, the city outside buzzing with distant life while Y/N and Yujin sat side by side on the couch, wrapped in the comfortable quiet of each other’s presence. The low glow of the TV cast soft shadows across the room, but neither of them was really paying attention to the movie playing. Not when there was something else lingering in the air between them — something unspoken yet undeniable.

Y/N felt it first, the weight of Yujin’s gaze on her. It wasn’t unusual for Yujin to look at her, but this time, it was different. There was an intensity in her eyes, a quiet contemplation mixed with something softer, something hesitant.

When Y/N turned to meet her stare, she caught the way Yujin’s eyes flickered down to her lips, just for a second, before darting back up. The moment stretched between them, drawn out and delicate, as if the air itself was holding its breath.

Yujin swallowed, her fingers twitching slightly against her lap. "Can I…?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

She didn’t need to finish the question. Y/N understood. And instead of answering with words, she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

That was all the permission Yujin needed.

Slowly, she leaned in, her breath warm as it fanned across Y/N’s lips. There was no rush, no urgency — only a gentle pull, as if gravity itself was guiding them together. The moment their lips touched, everything else faded away. The world outside, the sound of the movie, even the soft hum of the air conditioner — none of it mattered.

Yujin kissed her once, testing the waters, then again, a little firmer this time, a quiet sigh escaping against Y/N’s lips. Y/N responded in kind, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, her hand reaching up to cup Yujin’s face, thumb grazing over her cheek.

Yujin’s hands found Y/N’s waist and without a word, she gently tugged her closer, guiding her to sit on her lap. Y/N straddled her, knees tucked on either side, their bodies pressed close. The kiss deepened as Yujin tilted her head, lips parting slightly. Y/N followed her lead, the softest brush of their tongues igniting something warm and slow between them. It wasn’t rushed — it was exploratory, patient, and tender.

Their breaths mingled, lips moving in sync as hands roamed with care. Y/N’s fingers slid into Yujin’s hair while Yujin’s held her firmly by the waist, grounding her, anchoring them both in this quiet, charged moment.

They broke apart briefly only for air, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. Yujin’s lips were slightly swollen, a teasing smile playing at the corners, and her eyes hooded as she gazed at Y/N with something unspoken but so obvious in her expression.

Yujin blinked at her, dazed. “What?” she asked, breathless.

Y/N chuckled, brushing her fingers lightly against the strands of Yujin’s hair. “You’re cute.”

Yujin blinked at her, processing the words, before groaning and burying her face against Y/N’s shoulder in embarrassment. "You can’t just say that after…" She trailed off, her voice muffled against the fabric of Y/N’s shirt.

Y/N only laughed, wrapping an arm around her, pulling her closer. "I just did."

Yujin peeked up at her, a lazy grin spreading across her face. "How are you so gorgeous?”

"That’s funny, I could ask you the same thing," Y/N teased, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of Yujin’s lips, watching as a faint blush dusted over her cheeks.

Yujin sighed dramatically, but there was no hiding the happiness in her eyes. “Hmm," she hummed, nudging their foreheads together. "I beg to disagree.”

A beat passed before Yujin’s gaze flickered back to Y/N’s lips, as if drawn to them against her will. Y/N noticed, her lips quirking up in amusement. "You want to kiss me again, don’t you?"

Yujin huffed out a soft laugh, tilting her head as she traced her thumb gently along Y/N’s jawline. "Maybe."

Y/N didn’t make her wait. She leaned in first this time, pressing her lips to Yujin’s with a newfound confidence. Yujin met her eagerly, hands resting at Y/N’s waist as the kiss turned deeper, more desperate in the best way. Their movements grew slower, more languid, the weight of their emotions settling between them like something warm and undeniable.

Yujin's fingers traced gentle patterns along Y/N's back, sending a pleasant shiver through her. Y/N sighed against Yujin's lips, tightening her hold around her, not wanting the moment to end. Yujin pulled back just enough to rest her forehead against Y/N’s, her breath coming out in soft, uneven pants.

"I like this," Yujin admitted, her voice low, intimate.

Y/N smiled, brushing her fingers lightly through Yujin’s hair. "Me too."

Yujin chuckled, pressing one last, lingering kiss to Y/N’s lips before pulling her into a warm embrace. "Good. Because I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon."

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, soft kisses exchanged like secrets. At some point, Y/N's attention drifted to the gentle slope of Yujin’s neck, where a small, faint birthmark rested just beneath her jaw. She traced the shape with the pad of her finger, delicate and slow.

She smiled softly, reaching up to brush her fingers over it. "This is cute," she murmured, her touch feather-light.

Yujin turned slightly pink. “What is?”

“This,” Y/N whispered, leaning in to press a kiss to the spot. “This little birthmark. It’s so you.”

Yujin tilted her head to the side, eyes fluttering closed, silently offering more access. Y/N continued her soft trail of kisses, but after a moment, she pulled back and pouted.

Yujin opened her eyes at the sudden absence of touch, lifting a hand to gently hold Y/N’s chin and tilt her face up. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her thumb brushing against Y/N’s bottom lip.

Y/N sighed dramatically. “I’m just jealous because I don’t have one.”

Yujin blinked, then smiled slowly, something playful and fond dancing in her eyes. “You can have the other one,” she said softly.

Y/N tilted her head in question.

“There’s a bigger one,” Yujin explained, taking Y/N’s hand and guiding it under the hem of her shirt, placing it gently over her stomach. “Right here.”

Y/N’s breath caught slightly as her fingers felt the smooth skin there. The birthmark was warm beneath her touch, soft and personal. She glanced up at Yujin with wide eyes, then bent down to press a kiss to it as well, lingering a little longer.

When she looked back up, Yujin was already staring at her with the kind of gaze that made Y/N feel like she was the only person in the world.

“I love these,” Y/N whispered, brushing her lips once more over the mark. “Like little constellations that only I get to see.”

Yujin reached up, cradling Y/N’s face in both hands, thumbs stroking along her cheeks. “Then you can keep it,” she said softly. “It’s yours.”

The morning light poured through the window in soft, golden streaks, casting a gentle glow over the shared bed where Yujin and Y/N lay tangled in each other’s warmth. The night before had been filled with stolen kisses and quiet laughter, whispered confessions between kisses and featherlight touches. Nothing too much, just enough to make the air feel thick with affection.

Yujin had whispered it while brushing a strand of hair behind Y/N’s ear, her thumb tracing along her cheekbone, "Let’s go on a date tomorrow."

Y/N’s lips had curved into a soft smile. "Only if Azzo comes too."

Yujin chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Of course. He wouldn’t forgive me if we left him behind."

Now, in the early hours of the morning, Yujin stirred first. She blinked slowly, careful not to jostle Y/N who was still curled into her side. She didn’t want to leave the warmth of the bed, of Y/N’s arms, but she had plans. Groceries to grab. A picnic to prepare. She was determined to make their first real date something special.

Yujin tried to gently ease out of Y/N’s hold, slipping her arm free from under Y/N’s waist. But just as she started to sit up, she felt a tug. Y/N, still half-asleep, pulled her back down with surprising strength.

"Where are you going?" Y/N mumbled, her voice raspy with sleep.

Yujin leaned in, brushing a kiss to Y/N’s forehead. "Just gonna grab some groceries. I’ll be back in an hour. Go back to sleep, baby."

Y/N peeked one eye open, blinking up at her. "I wanna come."

Yujin paused. "You sure? It’s so early."

"Consider it the first part of our date," Y/N said, a sleepy grin tugging at her lips.

And really, who was Yujin to say no to that?

A few minutes later, they were both out of bed, the air chilly on their skin. Y/N stood barefoot in Yujin’s room, looking around with messy hair and eyes still heavy with sleep.

"I didn’t bring any clothes," Y/N yawned.

"Pick whatever you want from my closet," Yujin said as she opened the wardrobe. "Seriously, anything."

Y/N wandered over and peeked inside, but then turned to Yujin with a mischievous look. "You pick something for me."

Yujin tilted her head. "Really?"

Y/N nodded. "I wanna wear something you’d pick."

Yujin smiled, cheeks tinged pink. She pulled out a soft, oversized hoodie and a pair of comfy sweatpants, both well-worn and smelling faintly like her. She tossed them to Y/N. "You’ll look cute in these."

"I always look cute," Y/N teased, slipping them on.

Yujin watched her with a quiet kind of awe. There was something so intimate about seeing Y/N in her clothes, moving around her space like she belonged there. Maybe she did.

Azzo barked once from his bed in the living room, tail thumping against the floor.

"He’s ready too," Yujin laughed.

Y/N slipped her hand into hers as they walked toward the door. "Let’s go buy some strawberries."

And Yujin, entirely smitten, nodded. "Yeah. Let’s go."

The morning was still quiet when Y/N and Yujin found themselves walking through the quiet aisles of a neighborhood grocery store. Yujin pushed the cart lazily, one hand on the handle, the other loosely interlaced with Y/N’s as they strolled side by side. It was barely past 9AM, but the warmth between them felt like midday sunshine.

“So, strawberries,” Yujin repeated dutifully, steering them toward the produce section. “Anything else, your highness?”

Y/N playfully bumped her shoulder. “Maybe something for Azzo, too.”

Yujin grinned. “Azzo’s definitely part of this date.”

They paused in front of the fruits. Y/N reached for a container of strawberries, but Yujin beat her to it. “Let me,” she said softly, plucking the best-looking one and holding it up to Y/N’s lips.

Y/N blinked, then leaned forward, taking a small bite and trying not to smile too wide. “Sweet,” she said, chewing. “You’re good at picking.”

“I have taste,” Yujin replied, with a wink that sent a wave of heat to Y/N’s cheeks.

They made their way through the store, bickering over which sandwich bread was better and sneaking extra snacks into the cart when the other wasn’t looking. At one point, Y/N disappeared down an aisle and returned with a bouquet of tiny sunflowers.

“For you,” she said, offering them to Yujin. “To match your smile.”

Yujin tried to act unfazed, but the way her ears turned red gave her away. “You’re gonna kill me with your sweetness,” she muttered, taking the flowers and tucking them gently into the cart.

Eventually, they reached the checkout line, their cart filled with ingredients for their picnic: fresh fruit, bread, cheese, juice, and a few pastries they couldn’t resist. Yujin glanced down at Y/N, who was quietly humming to herself and rocking back on her heels.

“You really consider this the first part of our date?” Yujin asked softly.

Y/N looked up, eyes warm. “Yeah. Waking up with you, getting groceries, sharing strawberries in the fruit aisle… it feels like the beginning of something.”

Yujin smiled — soft, genuine, and completely smitten. “Yeah,” she echoed, “it really does.”

And somehow, even before their picnic had started, it already felt like the perfect day.

[angelluv16]

Rumor Has it

✩: Kaia Jenner, the youngest Kardashian-Jenner, is an up-and-coming actress. When F1 driver Charles Leclerc casually calls her his favorite actress, the internet goes crazy. What starts as rumors turns into a whirlwind of drama, chemistry, and public scrutiny.

Part 4

faceclaim: Cindy Kimberly, girls from Pinterest

Want to be added to my taglist?: Click here

pairing: Charles Leclerc x Jenner!reader

request: no!!

warnings: Hate, fluff, Angst, Language,

previous part | Main Masterlist | next part

I should’ve known better than to run errands alone.

The second I stepped out of the coffee shop, I heard them—paparazzi, already waiting by the sidewalk like they had some sixth sense that I’d be here. I kept my head down, my sunglasses covering half my face, but it didn’t matter. The second they saw me, the shouting started.

"Kaia! Have you talked to Charles since your little Instagram exchange?"

"Are you going to a race soon?"

"Is this the next power couple?"

I forced myself to ignore them, walking quickly to my car while pretending not to hear a single word they were saying. My iced latte nearly slipped out of my hands as I unlocked the door, sliding into the driver’s seat as fast as I could.

The second the door shut behind me, I let out a deep breath. Jesus.

I sat there for a second, just gripping the steering wheel. It wasn’t like I wasn’t used to this—I grew up in this world. But it still felt weird to have my name tied to someone else’s like this. And not just someone else—Charles freakin’ Leclerc.

My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen. A notification from Twitter.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked on it. The trending page popped up immediately.

"Kaia Jenner and Charles Leclerc—F1’s new ‘it couple’?"

I groaned, tossing my phone into the passenger seat before leaving the parking lot.

By the time I got home, the house was too quiet. The girls told me they were going to come to my house to hang out. But I guess they haven't gotten here yet, which was fine. I needed a second to breathe.

I kicked off my shoes and flopped onto the couch, finally picking up my phone again. The article was still open on my screen, and I hated how my eyes immediately searched for Charles’ name.

"The F1 star recently engaged in a flirty Instagram exchange with Kaia Jenner, sparking dating rumors. With her Hollywood background and his racing success, fans are already speculating about the nature of their relationship."

Speculating.

Yeah, that was one way to put it.

Before I could overthink it any further, my phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t Twitter. It was a text.

From Charles.

Charles: Soo I guess were dating Now?

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

Kaia stared at her phone for a second after Charles’ last message. Of course, I'll see you soon.

Her heart did a weird little flip. She wasn’t about to overthink it—well, actually, she totally was, but that was beside the point.

Charles Leclerc was coming over. To her house. To teach her how to pool race

Was this normal? No. Was she freaking out? Absolutely.

With a deep breath, she pushed herself off the couch and made a beeline for her room, already scanning her closet. What does one wear for "swimming lessons" with a Formula 1 driver?

A swimsuit, obviously. But she had to look effortlessly put together—like she wasn’t trying at all, even though she definitely was.

She settled on a simple bikini with an oversized white button-down over it. Casual, cute, and something she wouldn’t absolutely die of embarrassment in.

Just as she was about to grab her towel, her phone buzzed with a text from the sister group chat.

Kaia tossed her phone onto her bed before they could interrogate her any further than they already had.

Now all she had to do was wait for Charles to show up.

And pretend she wasn’t about to spiral over it.

A/N: I'm sorry it's short. The next chapter will be longer, and they will meet.

Taglist: @anamiad00msday @Ale-522 @sarx164 @gottalovesae @meadhbhcavanagh @fulla02 @fanficfanatic77 @ihtscuddlesbeeetchx3 @golden-hoax @poolclaws @hadidsworld @perfectmenarefictional @lottalove4evelyn @edgyficuselastica @nebarious @mbioooo0000 @fanny2811 @greantii @norstappenvibes @mary-op81 @jiggly-puff-12 @Karmahnicolas @ana-23-03

[mugglebornmarvelite]

Rescued from a Paper

Paring: TASM!Peter Parker x Fem!Reader

Summary: When you are frustrated and overwhelmed with your paper, your boyfriend comes over (almost as if his spidey senses were attuned to you). At first, jokingly, Peter offers to do it for you (he’s brilliant, and he’d actually do it for you). But all jokes aside, he rubs your head and gently coaxes you to take a break from your computer. Although you resist, he ultimately wins.

Word Count: Roughly 1.4k 

Warnings: Fluff, mild language, talks of stress due to assignments, suggestive flirting, and awful but cute chemistry puns

Note: I had the worst time writing a 30-page paper for this semester. My brain is a bit fried at the moment and I tried to edit this as best as possible. So, to everyone finishing up projects, presentations, and papers before the holiday break, this is for you (everyone really) :)

Navigation

The blinking cursor on the screen taunts you, its rhythmic pulse mocking your every attempt to continue writing. You curse under your breath, your frustration at its peak. You’ve been sitting at your desk for hours now; the only time you left your room was for coffee. Your eyes are red from staring at research articles to support your hypothesis. Typing sentences of analysis for your cited evidence and deleting them just as quickly as they came. 

But no matter what you do, the words don’t come. 

Your deadline is a week away. 

A week? Manageable. 

But coupled with studying for finals and a part-time job? Agonizing.

You sigh, wanting nothing more but to tell your professor to eat shit. But you couldn't. Well, you could, but that probably wouldn't go over very nicely.

Despite all your best efforts, the mountain of work before you feels overwhelming. You've got about 10,000 more words to write, then you have to circle back and do the abstract. 

You glance outside your window, greeted with darkness. You lean back in your chair, letting your shoulders slump, wishing for some kind of relief.

“This is hopeless.” You mutter, throwing your crumpled notes in the trash. 

You fought the urge to cry or commit a crime. Either one would work at this point. Or both.

"Hey, pretty girl," a familiar voice called out, and your body instantly relaxed. "It’s your handsome, handsome boyfriend. Your mom said I could come up."

You rolled your eyes at the sound of Peter’s voice and walked toward the door with a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips. 

Dressed in comfortable sweats, his brown hair a fluffy mess, his cheeks flushed a bit from the cold, and his glasses slightly crooked on his nose. 

"Hi, Pete," you said, trying to sound nonchalant, though your heart was already racing. "You’re looking extra nerdy tonight."

“Well, thanks.” Peter smiled, his eyes lazily scanning over you. “I thought it was perfect for spending the night with my amazing, smart, undoubtedly beautiful and stressed-out girlfriend.”

You rolled your eyes, leaning against the doorframe. “If you keep talking about how amazing I am, I’ll have to give you an A+,” you teased.

“Now I really have to live up to my perfect boyfriend status.” Peter winked, stepping into your room, his eyes quickly scanning the pile of textbooks and papers strewn across your desk. “Still stuck on that paper, huh?”

"Yeah, it sucks the life out of me," you muttered, running a hand roughly through your hair, “I’ve been stuck on the same paragraph for the last hour.”

You sit back down at your desk again, glaring at your computer as if it has insulted your entire bloodline. But Peter bought it for you and added the stickers himself. It was perfect. Just like your Peter. While your professor was like a spawn from the depths of hell, who added 5 pages to the requirements the week before it was due.

Peter chuckled, the sound of his voice like a soothing balm to your weary mind. "I see. Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m pretty sure you could write a paper on the properties of your stressed brain and still get an A." He walked up to your desk, giving you a cocky little grin. “I mean, I could totally do it for you, y’know. I’m pretty good with words, my fingers, my tongue and my ability to ramble on endlessly about, well, everything?”

You blush and roll your eyes, amused despite yourself. "Really? You think you could just write it for me?"

Peter shrugged, leaning against your desk, the cocky grin still on his face. “Oh, absolutely. I could take this whole thing and turn it into a masterpiece. I’m Peter Parker after all, baby. You could just sit back and relax, while I do all the heavy lifting, which is easy for the guy with certain cool abilites. You could even, y'know, take a break,” he added.

You laughed, but it was more of a tired chuckle than anything truly amused. 

“You’re ridiculous,” you said, trying to focus on your laptop again. “You don’t even know the topic, Pete.”

“True.” He pretended to think about it for a second. “But it could be something about molecules or atoms?” He gave you a sly smile. “I mean, I’m practically a walking periodic table. And if chemists do it on the table periodically, we can too.”

Your cheeks flushed at his implication. “You’re such a dog.”

Peter grinned, a little glint in his eye as he took a step closer. "Well, if you are about to combust, let’s just say I’m the perfect solution. After all, I’m all about bonding chemistry, especially with you," he said, winking.

You snorted, despite your frustration, your cheeks flushing from both the playful flirtation and the weight of the work still looming over you. "Stop it," you said, unable to keep the smile off your face. “You’re so corny.”

Peter leaned closer, his hand brushing your hair back from your face, and his smile softened. “I can’t help it. You bring out the best in me,” he said, before adding, “and the worst, apparently.”

You rolled your eyes, but this time, there was no hiding the grin that tugged at your lips. "You’re gonna distract me with your terrible puns. But I’m behind. If I stop now, I won’t get it done.” 

Peter’s smile faded into something softer as he gently rubbed your head, his hand moving in slow circles on your scalp. 

You fold faster than a lawn chair for this man as your eyes close, a protest dying on your lips.

“I get it, sweet girl. I do. But you’ve been working that pretty little ass off for hours, and you’re only going to make yourself more frustrated if you keep going like this. I’m not saying you can’t finish it because that would be a lie. I am never not in awe of you. But just take a break.” He paused, watching you with those warm, brown eyes. “Let me help you relax for just a little bit. Then, you’ll have the energy to kill this paper.”

“I’m fine,” you muttered, though your resistance was weakening. “I don’t need a break.”

Peter’s hand moved to your shoulder, his warm fingers easing the knots with praticed ease. He knew every spot to hit to make you melt. “A quick break will help you, baby.” You were all but purring.

You hesitated for a moment, but when your eyes locked with Peter’s warm, brown eyes, you were a goner.

“Okay, Pete,” you mumbled, giving in. “Fine. I’ll take a break. But only for a little bit.”

Peter grinned, victorious, and without hesitation, dragging you to your bed. “I knew you’d see things my way, baby,” he said, his voice full of smug satisfaction. “Now, let’s get you properly relaxed. In more ways than one.”

As soon as your head hit the pillow, you sighed in relifef. You looked up at Peter, who was taking off his jacket, revealing the softest sweater. You needed him. 

Peter crawled up beside you, grinning down at you like a prey in his trap. “I promise, I won’t let you do any more work until you’re feeling like yourself again. Then, we can tackle that paper together. Not a moment sooner.”

You laughed. "Yeah, right," you teased, rolling your eyes. “Sure, and then we’ll write a paper about quantum physics and why it’s best enjoyed with cookies.”

“Ah!” Peter gasped, his eyes lighting up. “Quantum physics and cookies? Now that’s a bond I can get behind. Who needs regular chemistry when we’ve got this kind of reaction?”

You snorted, your frustration finally melting away with Peter's playful jokes and gentle teasing. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, then your nose, and then finally, your lips.

“See?” he whispered against your lips. “Much better.”

Then, without warning, he starts peppering you with soft, quick kisses all over your face, making you laugh despite yourself.

“Peter!” you exclaim, trying to push him away, but his hands hold you gently in place, the kisses relentless and warm.

He pulls back just long enough to look at you, eyes glinting with mischief. “You need to smile more, you know? Seeing my girl happy always makes me happy.”

A warmth spreads through your chest. And just like that you are reminded that you are the luckiest girl ever.

Peter’s grin widens at your smile, and he leans in again, this time planting a soft, sweet kiss on your lips. You melt as his tongue slips into your mouth.

And for the first time all night, you feel light. Peter Parker was your solace.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he murmurs, pulling away just slightly. “And neither is your paper. So how about we just focus on this for a while? Just you and me.”

Peter rubs your back as you relax into him, your world shifting from stress to calm in the span of a few minutes. His voice is soft as he whispers jokingly, “Just relax for me, okay? Let me be your hero.”

“You always are.” You smile and pull him closer, letting the weight of the paper slip away for a little while longer.

Thank you so much for reading. My professor did, in fact, add five pages to the requirements for the paper a week before it was due, so this was totally self-indulgent.

But I hope you enjoyed this :)

If you'd like to be added to my taglist

Much love x

- Maeve

[moonlitconfessions]

Episode 7 — The Ripple Effect

You were still half-convinced it had all been a dream.

The trending tags. The behind-the-scenes buzz. The way the crew glanced at you differently—like they saw you now. Not as a stand-in. Not as a disposable extra. But as someone who might actually belong.

And then, the invitation came.

You were called into a formal table read—not just any table read, but one with the full main cast, the director, the producers, and a few casting executives from the network. There was even a reserved nameplate waiting for you at the end of the U-shaped table.

[Y/N] – Temporary Role: Yoon Hana (Doctor)

Your fingers trembled slightly as you reached for the script packet. Clean. Stapled. Highlighted. It was real. They wanted to see you do it again—but this time, on purpose.

Zayne arrived just as the last person sat down. No grand entrance, just calm and quiet confidence as always. But when he passed behind you to take his seat, he paused.

“I meant what I texted,” he said softly.

You turned, blinking up at him.

“Don’t look away.”

He didn’t elaborate. He didn’t need to. The entire room watched him take the chair beside you instead of across like the seating chart indicated. You could feel the tension ripple through the space, as if everyone noticed the subtle shift in gravitational pull around him—and around you.

The read-through began.

Your lines came fast, sharp, heavy with emotion. Scene after scene, you fell into rhythm—not just with the words on the page, but with Zayne himself. He met every glance with equal fire, responding to your delivery with an intensity that made even the seasoned cast members falter in their lines. There was something electric between you two, and it wasn't in the script.

The director cleared his throat midway through. “Let’s pause there.”

Silence.

You felt your stomach drop. Had you gone too far?

But then, he smiled. “That was… unexpected. In the best way.”

One of the producers leaned forward. “How long has she been doing this?”

Another responded, “She was background talent. Brought in last-minute last week.”

“Unbelievable,” the director muttered, eyes still fixed on the script. “That scene came alive because of her.”

There it was again. Her. Not even your name. But it was coming closer.

When the read ended, the cast filtered out in twos and threes. You lingered, unsure if you should pack up or wait for dismissal. But Zayne didn’t leave. He stood, pulled out his phone, and before you could stop him—

He took a photo of the nameplate in front of you.

“What are you doing?” you asked, alarmed.

He didn’t answer right away. Just typed something, thumbs flying over the screen.

Your phone buzzed a minute later. One new notification.

@ZayneLiOfficial If talent speaks louder than status, this woman should be on every poster by now. Don’t blink. 📸 [Photo attachment: Your nameplate and script packet]

Your jaw dropped.

You stared at the post, already racking up thousands of likes and comments in real time. The replies were filled with a mix of confusion, speculation, and praise. Fans were already dissecting the mystery.

“WHO IS SHE??” “Zayne never posts about costars???” “No way she’s just background. Look at how he looks at her.” “This is giving main couple chemistry.”

The public spotlight was no longer just flickering in your direction—it was burning. And Zayne had aimed it straight at you.

“What are you doing to me?” you whispered, overwhelmed, heart racing.

He met your gaze, serious. “Leveling the playing field.”

Before you could respond, a voice called out from behind the director’s monitor. One of the casting assistants.

“[Y/N]? The EPs want to see you.”

You glanced nervously toward the hallway.

Zayne caught your hand—not tightly, just enough to stop your steps.

“You’re not just being seen,” he said. “You’re being chosen. So stop shrinking.”

Your breath hitched.

And this time, you didn’t look away.

Taglist: @nezuswritingdesk @regalillegal @zainaaryam @bidisasterforevermor @iisjihye @yourcaleb @zaynessbeloved @rione-x @plsdonutpercieveme @creator-freak @lunia-likes-pomegranet @beaconsxd

[shitpostingsapphic]

As a lesbian I really don't understand the heterosexual mentality and I hope I never do.

Let me explain.

This page is one that discusses mostly sapphic couples in media, and I can't imagine not feeling the elation of watching a lesbian couple on screen. I can't imagine watching all this buildup, all this tension, all the strife that comes prior to two characters uniting in sapphic passion, and not feeling euphoric about it.

I can't imagine not feeling THAT feeling, yet feeling it for a heterosexual couple that didn't have the same buildup, didn't have the same hard hitting storyline, didn't have the same tension, and feeling more passionately about them.

Don't get me wrong, being a lesbian doesn't mean I don't enjoy heterosexual ships. A good ship is a good ship. And I still quite enjoy any ship that has chemistry and emotional pull, no matter the history and buildup. It's the separate standards, though. Like, what is it like to accept the bare minimum from straight ships and demand the whole world of lesbian ships and it still isn't enough?

I hope I never understand the heterosexual mentality of feeling that way. Sapphic joy is the best part of being a lesbian. There's nothing in the world better than that feeling to me. Even if you're not a lesbian, I don't understand how a person could watch two people clearly with so much chemistry and turning my nose at it. Why? Because they're women? Because they're sapphics, because they're lesbians?

Yes, I can acknowledge that being a lesbian, that's likely why I think that's the best part, but I just don't really understand what's not to like about watching two women desire each other and be in love. I don't understand this societal bias against that. I don't get why people are inherently more critical of women desiring each other and loving each other. And I truly, truly hope I never do.

[noraigo]

some days ago, i started watching we are the series, since a friend of mine tried to convince me for a long time to tune in. we are isn’t exactly the type of series i would watch. not disregarding its charm, i must admit it’s even endearing, i’m just more keen on the angsty, adult queer love. however, there’s a certain couple that’s been running nonstop in my mind ever since i started the series and, of course, it’s no other than tan and fang.

tan is certainly unique as a whole, because if anything — i think it’s the first time i see such a loud but not annoying character, and that’s hard to portray. his excitement seems genuine all the time and i feel his happiness is shared through the screen. that doesn’t brush off his emotional intelligence and i think people underestimate this trait of his: just because he seems silly and party-loving doesn’t mean that he is insensible. he can be serious if it’s needed and he cares for the people around him. it’s safe to say that cheerful characters are often overlooked because of it and, as viewers, we shouldn’t take it for granted.

fang, on the other side, is the total opposite of him, yet it doesn’t make him less interesting. his background is implied to be unstable, which made both phum and fang be more closed off emotionally speaking. even so, fang is trying his best to be on the same page as tan, though tan adores him when he’s serene and quiet. most of the time, characters like fang are misunderstood and it’s a little saddening. he is kind and tough, but it’s not hard to love him. something tan understood from the very beginning.

their dynamics keep me pushing watching the series. now that fang has been softening more and more, their scenes became even lovelier to watch, if that was ever possible; their kisses, clear eyes of infatuation, playful banters and words of love show it. i’m not a fan of sex scenes, they underwhelm me a little (might be the acespec in me), but tanfang’s was just perfect. not too much, not too little. just enough to show that these two desire each other. possibly, it could be not their first time as a couple, which is refreshing and new in thai queer shows as far as i've seen. (aouboom definitely enjoyed kissing and touching each other a little too much but, didn't the same happen with hidden agenda? just saying.)

people like them could be too much for others, but for each other, they are an absolute match. fang knows tan loves him unconditionally and so does tan. tan tries to push him for the better without overstepping his boundaries whilst fang apologizes if his behavior might be irrational when he’s angry and accidentally lashes out on tan. that’s actual respect and patience in a relationship. none of them are trying to change the other to fit their own personality, they have already changed once they realized they were into each other back then when they were problematic teens. ain’t that sweet?

just look at these sweet two blorbos, just in their own world, happy and in love.

on another note, though, i’ve gotten to know aouboom since viceversa era and i could already smell the cute chemistry between both, yet it’s very sad to know they suffer from secondary couple syndrome. how many series have they starred in as a second or even third couple? very unfair, gmmtv, you better give them a nice series, regardless of its length. as long as they don’t keep acting in college settings, i would give my entire scholarship for a coffee shop or any other ordinary plot. they are just THAT good and i will never get tired of their chemistry. they have a kind of spark i see very rarely and if gmm doesn’t give them a shot, they’re losing a potential gem.

please, give us more tanfang content and especially, an aouboom series. thank you very much.

[rosesradio]

i think one of the reasons a lot of the pjo couples outside of percabeth fall flat is because they don’t get together on screen, and frankly having a relationship build up only to become official off-screen is one of the most bizarre writing choices i have ever seen.

i get that it’s not always narratively easy to fit in the part where the characters get together, but like…if you have the time to build them up but not the time to actually show like the first kiss and/or them actually getting together, you can always dedicate the page time to enhancing platonic relationships instead. (richard. richard. your platonic relationships richard)

like this happened with jiper (hot take of the day, outside of the comphet of it all they actually had chemistry 😭 i’m sorry 🧍), this happened with solangelo (and then they had to go back and like retcon & show how they got together? with the most Foul Getting Together Story of all time?? tacky at best??). i don’t remember how frazel got together though i would not be surprised if this happened with them as well, don’t quote me on anything.

to give richard credit where credit is due he didn’t do this with caleo. no, he showed us all of their…19 pages of…amazing “development” for their…amazing “relationship”…someone help them

[lol-jackles]

Since you’re in casting, I’d love to pick your brain a little about selecting actors. I love that Jared is a constantly rising star, but in the most loving way possible, he really isn’t the best actor. 80% of the time when I’m watching him, it feels like I’m watching someone acting. He’s not the most natural Versus someone whose performance I get lost in. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to watch everything he does, and it kind of seems standard for cable network TV (for example, I feel the same ways about Nathan Fillion, David Boreanaz, Matthew Daddario - but it doesn’t make me like them any less). Honestly, the only network TV show they didn’t make me feel that was is Hannibal, and even that was only the leading actors.

I would have assumed that acting ability would be the most important part, but your page has made me realize it’s more than that, and let’s be honest, Vampire Diaries wouldn’t haven’t gotten that far if acting was the most important skill set needed. I’m guessing for the Jared’s and David’s their entire history counts most, but what about for someone just getting hired - the Jared getting the Gilmore Girl’s role or the David getting the Angel role. If they’re acting seems…stiff (wrong word?) what makes a casting director say, ‘you know what, let’s give it to them anyway.’

It’s just such a hard world to break into and I’m guessing there are auditions from people with a little more natural talent, so what makes that final decision?

(Asking as someone who is about to start the audition process)

I think what Jared (and Nathan, David, etc) has doing for him is he acts from his authentic truth. I'll expand on it later in this post. With that said, Jared is a character actor trapped in a leading man role, it's why he's not the "best actor" because people tend to believe that good character actors disappear into their roles by diminishing their screen presence, which you can't do when you're a leading man. You may be picking up on this conflicting issue. Think of Brad Pitt who works best as a supporting actor (X), and struggles a bit as a leading man so he has to throw out nuances and reply more on his raw charisma.

I haven't seen Gilmore Girls but I read Jared was the 2nd or 3rd Dean. Dean was recast because the OG Deans' chemistry with Rory wasn't up to snuff. So that answer your "final decision" question, which is chemistry. David Boreanaz had good chemistry with Sarah Michelle Geller. His chemistry Emily Deschanel in Bones was fine, bordering on good, but it was more fun/odd couple vibe whereas his interaction with Michelle had depth. Whenever Jared and Jensen tell their chemistry audition story in front of the producers, I'm pretty sure they're leaving out that Jared likely had chemistry auditions with other various Dean actors.

My advice on auditions is walk into that room like you’re going to solve their problem. 

Most casting directors talk about wanting auditioning actors to "make bold choices" because they believe it will get in touch with their authentic self and therefore, make them a captivating performer. My advice is adjust the text to your authentic emotion so that you're reacting to the events of the story from your internal truth. It doesn’t matter if the story is a sci-fi, comedy, or a period piece drama: if we don’t believe the actors, we won’t care what happens to them in the story. The audience is an incredible lie-detector: the average person has, for their entire life, been storing countless passive data on how normal people react to various situations, so you can’t fool them.  

My CD used to say that it's easier to tell the truth on camera than it is to lie because once you believe in yourself, then you're not acting anymore. I don't 100% agree with her but that seems to be what most CDs think.

The more confidently you use yourself as a canvas and let the context of the scene speak through your own emotional repertoire and point of view, the more compelling and interesting you are to watch. The most interesting or captivating actor is the one whose next movement, facial expression, or line reading is unpredictable. That's the difference between Jeff Bridges (unpredictable) and Beu Bridges (reliable).

[mezzy-1]

VALORANT UNIVERSITY HEADCANONS

@eviethelesbian once again thank you for the Headcanon List. Also shoutout to @darthladyofillusions because I included ur OC :)

Harbor is a history professor dating Astra, the archeology professor.  Both of them met on a trip to a site in India

Both of them reached for the same the brush at one point and they laughed it off later

Both of them are excellent teachers in their own way.  Varun has a habit of going on tangents about stories and is super nerdy about his subject.  Efia’s classes are fun and her energy is infectious

Cypher has a family and does cyber security for the University.  Nobody knows his actual name.

Nobody knows him that well but when he comes out of his office he’ll say hello to anyone nearby.  He goes home quickly though and usually avoids working late.

Cypher’s office is full of pictures of his family, drawings from his daughter, screens, and the scent of imported Moroccan teas

He and his wife and kid see the students off when they graduate, and all of the students are amazed to realize that this guy has such a good family life.  (They thought he was a no-life kinda guy)

Liam ‘Brimstone’ Byrne is the university’s Dean and basically runs everything as much as possible for the good of the students.  Tariq and him are the brains and guiding hand of the university

He retired from the military after he was given an educator’s license and became a professor of tactics at a military academy.  He then took his skills elsewhere and turned the college into what it is now

Liam keeps the students at the forefront of any policy changes and takes an interest in professors that are considered brilliant but difficult to work with.  He’s an expert of recruitment and reining in the right people

Has snacks in his office for students but they can only get them if they complete a pull-up on an pull-up bar he has in his office.  One arm only.

Sabine worked at R&D at a pesticide company but is the only Organic Chem teacher that the Valorant U could get.  Somehow is a good professor despite hating students and no general teaching

She doesn’t really hate them but it isn’t a good idea to get on her bad side.  It’s rumored she poisons the students she hates.  

Stared daggers into the first person (Jamie), to make a Breaking Bad reference and since then nobody brings it up

Classes with her are pretty tense but if a student actually tries and gives their all, she’ll notice and be kinder to them.  Especially students who study chemistry.  Double for O-Chem.

Sabine’s style of teaching could use work, but when she tries to explain complex ideas she’s genuinely in her element.  She once explained how tetrodotoxin and nerve ion channels worked to Zyanya’s little sister 

Zyanya is a professor for sure, probably the best Spanish teacher ever.  Beyond terrifying to new students

She will not let students forget proper accents and grammar, and god help the people that do.  Somebody once forgot their homework and Zyanna was literally this close to killing them

Her Spanish is specifically Mexican, and that extends to the class through some of the words she teaches.  Especially bits in culture and authenticity

Zyanya’s idea of testing people is borderline an interrogation.  10 minutes of extensive and stern conversations and multiple pages of writing.  People say it feels like their souls have literally been drained

Students come out of the classes fluent or scarred for life

Ling is a professor of medicine and completed her PHD around the same time Viper completed hers.  They were amazed to see each other teaching

She does Tai Chi for relaxation but did at one point learn Kung Fu while living abroad in a monastery for a couple of years.  She once broke a board in front of her class just to prove it

Hosts meditation hours during finals week and her office hours are always super useful for all of the medical and nursing students.  Calming as hell to anxious people

Tala got a scholarship via cross country and another from basketball, and wants to major in physical therapy.  She also got a job doing late night shifts at the library as security.

Hazal is in a band called Nightmare.  Her and several other introverts got together and started one.  Only perform in the most obscure venue.  She can play bass REALLY WELL

Tala found out and now shows up to every performance the band has.  If it weren’t for the lights flashing red and blue, you could see Hazal blushing when she spots Tala in the crowd

That’s how she met Hazal.  Tala was approached by her because Hazal wanted to study late and the two became acquainted

Both of them love the late nights that they share and Hazal is always at one of Tala’s games.  Tala picks her out of the crowd every time, and at the end Hazal always kisses her 

Mateo is a veterinary student and is everyone’s friend.  Except Iselin because some of his patients got into her office once and trashed her latest project model

He keeps fish, dogs, lizards, cats, and nearly everything else.  At one point he was in charge of a project that kept some monkeys around at one point 

The animal counterparts are a chameleon (Dizzy), a Chinese High Banded Shark (Thrash), a bullfrog tadpole (Mosh), and an Axolotl named Wingman

He has a crochet version of his (radivore) crew, courtesy of Omen being bored one day

Mateo is a Gen Z kid, and his vocabulary beyond salvaging

Jamie is an English major, I mean, obviously

Everyone likes Jamie, he brings a certain energy to everything he does and it resonates well with people.  His writing has a level of power and rhythm that makes it both easy to listen and layered

He is a songwriter, and poet, and even has a collection of published short stories.  His mums are proud.  His scripts are also incredible and his goal is to get his own musical to Broadway 

When Jamie is in a play, it’s usually as the protagonist or the main antagonist.  It is wonderful to see him on stage, especially because he’s trained as a Shakespearean actor

Tayane is THE art student and the reason most of the faculty drinks.  And also the reason why most of the students drink too

Absolute ragers getting thrown anytime Tayane is involved.  This woman does not stop until the sun is up

Her graffiti portraits are inspired, colorful, and almost always on government property or university property.  Brim started commissioning her in order to stop her from painting everything

The commissioned murals are a lot better for her, and gave her legal access to make huge projects on some of the older buildings

One of the walls is a silhouette of a woman with big circular glasses, geometric pink and yellow patterns around her, and surrounded by flowers

Vincent Fabron is the art teacher and Viper HATES him.  He’s also that one teacher an unreasonable amount of people of have a crush on

He was a tattoo artist while taking art lessons in France, then moved into high class art.  His gallery pieces gained a lot of attention and he gained a lot of money from them.

Now he teaches art, and has done graphic design for many upscale companies.  His own business card has won awards from design and art societies though

Omen is a guy in a scarf and hoodie that is somehow in everyone’s classes.  He crochets in the back sometimes.

Texts notes at 4am to anyone who needs it and is incredibly nocturnal.  He doesn’t need sleep he needs friends

Students never remembered or learned his name, so they just started calling him Omen after the laptop brand he uses

Erik ‘Breach’ Torsten is a coach they brought in and actually manages a paralympic team.  May have criminal past according to some of the athletes he manages

He will scream at people in Swedish during games, practice, going over strategies, and if he sees them in public.  Friendly but so loud

His prosthetic arms were a courtesy of the university’s science program.  They were partially a gift and partially a test to see what they could do.  Erik made sure that he could flip people off with the arms

Iselin the professor of Industrial Design, and she is the most stern professor ever.  At times she works for a wilderness recreation company and does product design for them.  

She is very organized, and her lecture presentations are always available, she lists the pages to read, dates for every assignment are posted a month in advance

Iselin’s a professional and rarely eases up, but the few times she’s been out with the other faculty she’s been surprisingly fun.  Especially with Ling for some reason

Kirra is a Biology professor that has so many plants in her room.  Has a parakeet, dog, and fish tank at home too.  Does wildlife photography on the side.  

Kirra protested in college and was arrested once for sabotage.  So she is totally chill with people missing class for stuff, and gives extra credit for students involved in causes

Goes on wilderness expeditions with some students for a class and memorized several survival books worth of information and knows every plant, animal, and fungus she comes across

Klara is an engineering major and Tayane just comes to those classes because she can.  It usually results in the equipment being plastered in stickers and paint.

They met when Tayane decided to tag the garage that Klara was keeping her final project in.  Both of them sort of caught feelings as soon as they saw each other

Klara fell so damn hard, and realized this while Tayane was doing a kegstand.  Klara whispered ‘she’s perfect’ mindlessly and then realized Sunwoo was right next to her

Sunwoo finished what was in her cup, patted Klara on the back, and said ‘good luck’ before walking away and pretending she didn’t hear

Her final project has been her ‘Lockdown’ which is basically an EMP crossed with a massive DDOS hack.  It went off once and downed the college’s internet for a week.

She’s going to switch it to something a little less destructive at this point, and Tayane is helping her brainstorm.  Currently it’s a robot but she’s trying to figure out what to make it do

KAY/O is Tariq’s gamertag.  The man is a CS:GO fiend and has crazy flashes due to muscle memory

Liam and him are MARRIED.  I’m not budging on this one and you will find me dead in the ground before I let this go

Tariq’s good at a lot of random stuff and doesn’t help out too much at the college but is well-known as the ‘guy who Brim allows to help grill things’ because nobody else is allowed

Helps Liam plan out things for the students and assists in any sort of set up that he can do

Ryo is studying Japanese History and works as a mechanic at a chop shop.  It is shady as hell over there but Yoru will hook people up if needed.  They definitely steal parts though

He takes business classes and there’s a real chance he might double major.  His business acumen and aggressive nature would make him the ultimate CEO

Sasha is the professor that most students simp for, and he teaches Russian Language classes.  Throws things at students that don’t pay attention and rarely misses

He has an owl nesting outside of the window to his classroom, he named it Matrioshka after the nesting dolls.  It had owlets so it seemed fitting.

His babushka lives out of the country but gets a continuous stream of gifts from him

Sasha is that one professor that has a weird story for everything in his room.  The bow he has? killed a grizzly bear with it.  Glass eye on display?  It was a gift from a glassmaker that was caught with illegal firearms.  Weird rock?  It was at the sight of a historic battle and has a bootprint in it

Has SO MANY books from Russian writers he reads in his off time.  Also does archery at a cabin he has in the woods.

Nobody could handle Novikov at the cabin, the sheer hotness of him splitting firewood, bow hunting, and chopping trees would send people into a simp coma

At the end of the year, he writes each student a short note in Russian telling them something worthwhile.

Sunwoo is an amazing sprinter and also amazing at darts.  Loves adding photos to the corkboard she has in her dorm

She isn’t really sure what she wants to study at the moment or even if she wanted to go to college.  Gotta love families pressuring college on their kids right?

It isn’t as depressing though, she shows real talent and enjoyment in studying Business but surprisingly is leaning towards learning Journalism as well

She writes stuff for the school paper, a blog, and even has a (somewhat inspired by people around her) science fiction story.  She hasn’t thought of a name yet.

It’s about secret agents that fight against an alternate dimension that tries to steal a powerful crystal from them.  It’s quite popular with the people who she let read it and people are constantly asking for updates

Sunwoo is trying, and hopefully she’ll manage to find somewhere she can feel comfortable

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kayra is studying botany, and started a garden in one of the common areas.  At first it was small but cute, then after a few weeks the flowers and bushes spread outside of the garden and overtook the common area.

It's now her favorite place to get away from people because trellises were added in and nobody can see through the vines.  There’s a chance she keeps patio furniture in the garden too

Has been living in an apartment with Hazal.  Tala has been the only one in there and says its overrun with houseplants and hanging lamps.

(@darthladyofillusions I hope this is accurate to some extent)

[ren-rambles-often]

Ladies, Gentlemen and all those who don't fit....WE'RE SO BACK!!!

And all it took was TWO (two???) FUCKING WEEKS of me refreshing the page where I watch!!!

If whoever's reading this has been following my budding Yatagarasu addiction you would know absolutely how much I adore this series and if there were no redeeming qualities I would stay purely for Yukiya and Natsukihiko's little fights.

Which is why I just have to gush over them a bit first before getting to every other good thing about this shit.

Y'all the amount of time they took revealing this bastard's face like it's some big secret is way too funny, like who else would Yukia react that way too. Happy to see my baby boy again but why are his actions always so y/n code lmaoooo. Waking up late for an event, running into his former boss slash situationship who he left cuz the job was more important, being so fucking sassy and pretending he wants nothing to do with said boss??? He's so perfect I love him 😭😭

(Also if your running to the comments to type out Yukiya's age or tell about how you don't like that I ship them...take the hands of the screen now as I do not care 🥰)

Yukima onisan being the best wingman was arguably one of my favorite moments, boy saw something and said "nah you bitches do your thing" in the nicest way possible and I respect that.

I literally just love seeing them together, the chemistry is just all over the place and they're so funny to watch. Natsuki (who's honestly the least Natsuki-looking Natsuki I've seen in all anime) just have the most obnoxious look when he's messing with Yukiya and I relate to that so much, his deadpan expressions are the cutest thing.

All in all the boys are back to stop an illegal drug trade and no one around me is hearing the end of it. The summer Line up has genuinely done little to impress me this last couple weeks. Tasuuketsu isn't all too bad but I do be confused, Wisteria ward and sword is just mashle with isekai visuals and no gag humor to interest me, and Twilight out of focus although enjoyable is the millionth slice of life drama BL to exist so might as well just thank the yaoi gods we were considered thus season. There's also Isekai suicide Squad but that's like its own thing I do not want to unpack rn lolol.

If you read my rambling this far....why did you??? Save your braincells and leave now <3333

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hey I absolutely love your page and IPKKND is literally the only Indian serial I've watched a multiple times. I moved on in my life and not once thought about this show until recently when I saw some clips on Insta and bro the chemistry is truly something. I know this serial had so many of us in a chokehold in childhood but what I am surprised at is that it still has similar effect on me and still stands the test of time for being the best TV romances from ITV. What are your thoughts?

Hello hello,

Thank you so much for your love <3

See a few things happened, one is that Indian television has not improved. In fact, gone downhill. To a point that I truly appreciate things released prior 2019 far more than anything else (exceptions being half of Chand Jalne Laga, Channa Mereya and half of Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum).

So storytelling, tbh, was far more active in that era than now.

Second, when it comes to angsty love stories, IPK is perhaps one of the few with a really good compelling structure for plot and an excellent male lead characterization. Arnav is the limit of what can be accepted for a grey character. Khushi's character, in hindsight, is a weakness that's largely forgiven and forgotten because of Sanaya Irani's brilliant acting.

The world building was very strong in IPK - from Shyam to Anjali, Lucknow to Delhi, the family structures, the side plots - it was just a very very rich world.

Also the show had some excellent set ups and brilliant executions of tragedies. I love how messed up some of the characters got and just the show's on delay in romanticizing the relationship between Arnav and Khushi.

And the show is GORGEOUS to look at. We were coming to cusp of the way technology began to change in ITV - HD cameras, aesthetics, etc.

And IPK was the first to take the risk and spend a lot of time and energy to bring that on the table. Visually the show is STUNNING.

If you are a consistent tv watcher, you'd be shocked the visual difference delivered in 2011.

Here's a list of all the shows and how they looked on 4th November, 2011

This was IPK in 4th November, 2011

The difference is visible

That's why it is so watchable even now. Romance wise, my fondness for Khushi has been affected over time, however the chemistry that Barun-Sanaya shared, with both really fitting in what the characters needed (Barun is better in layered roles, Sanaya almost always captures the attention on screen) and given they both just have beautiful, evocative eyes, makes all the sense.

If not for these actors, or if, to be honest, the show didn't end when it did (right after Arnav-Khushi achieved their happily ever after) then this show would have NEVER developed the status it did.

Some shows have a right time to end, and this one did at the right time. And we have a LOT of good stuff to remember. A lot of romance to enjoy. The show indulged its viewers by giving us romance that mattered.

Once Arnav and Khushi are sure about each other's feelings - they're actually kind of solid as a couple. Legit 1/3rd of the show is them being in love.

And when a show has spent sustainable amount of time showing your leads being in love, without any major misunderstanding or separation in between - the fondness and escapism remains :) I feel peace watching them because they just spend a significant amount of time being a couple.

That's it.

Best,

JWB

[flapperdame16]

my top tv couples ever

best chemistry ever- fictional couples

Aunt Becky (Donaldson) (Lori Loughlin) and Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) Katsopolis- Full House 1987-1995 and Fuller House 2016-2020. Forever! Married in the episode: The wedding part 2 (Season 4)

(DR) DJ tanner (candace cameron bure) and (Dr) steve hale (scott weinger) Full House 1987-1995 and Fuller House 2016-2020. Married in the final episode of fuller house.

Miss Phryne Fisher (Essie davis) and DI JACK Robinson (Nathan Page) Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries 2012-2015 and Miss fisher and the crypt of Tears 2020

Sarah Addams/Nordmann (Marta dusseldorp) and George Bligh (brett climo) a place to call home 2013-2018. Married in season 6 Episode 1.

Carolyn bligh (Sara wiseman) and Dr Jack Duncan (craig hall) (real life husband and wife from 2005-2020) a place to call home 2013 2018. Married in season 4.

John bates (brendan Coyle) and anna smith (joanne froggat) Downton abbey tv and movies (2010-2025) Married in season 2.

Matthew Crawley (dan stevens) and lady mary Crawley (michelle dockery) Downton abbey (2010-2025) Married season 3 Episode 1.

Tom branson (allen leech) and lady sybil Crawley (Jessica brown findlay) Downton abbey (2010-2025). Married off screen between season 2 episode 8 and 9 (the 2011 christmas special)

Daisy Robinson (Sophie McShera) and William Mason (Thomas Howes) downton abbey 2010-2025 married season 2 episode 5

anne shirley (megan follows) and Gilbert blythe (Jonathan crombie) anne of green gables 1985/ anne of avonlea (the sequel) 1987 / anne of green gables the continuing story 2000. Married in the continuing story.

Gus pike (michael mahonen) and felicity king (Gemma zapronga) road to avonlea 1990-1996. Married in season 7 episode 13- the final episode, So dear to my heart

zane bennett (burgess aberthany) and Rikki chadwick (cariba heine) h2o just add water 2006-2010

cleo sertori (phoebe tonkin) and lewis mccartney (angus mclaren) h2o just add water 2006-2010

Fiona 'Fly' Watson (sophie luck) and Heath Carroll (adam Saunders) Blue water high 2005-2008

Mr carson (jim carter) and eloise Hughes (phyllis logan) downton abbey 2010-2025. Married season 6

Lady Kenna (caitlin stasey) and sebastian de poitier (torrance coombs) Reign 2013-2017 married season 1 episode 16 monsters

Lady Lola (anna poppelwell) and Lord Stefane Narcisse (craig parker) - Reign (2013-2017) married season 3 episode 3 extreme measures

Leith Bayard (jonathan keltz) and Greer of Kinross (celina sinden) - Reign (2013-2017)

Jasper dale (R H Thomson) and Olivia king dale (Mag ruffman) road to avonlea 1990-1996. Married 3x01

eric tanner (ryan corr) and amy reed (gabrielle scollay) -blue water high 2005-2008. Season 2 characters/ cast

[pepperstories]

Dirty Talk | Joseph Quinn | Best Friend Series

I'm thinking about making this a series. Basically, I have the idea of two best friends, in loads of movies/tv series together normally as a "couple" because of chemistry. But this will be angsty and fluffy...but yeah. Poll below, please tell me what to do!

Enjoy a taster! ❤️

warnings: smoking, coffee, sex chat, vagina's, coffee, joe has a best friend who is also a co-star.

“Seagull saves helpless kitten from Dam.”

“Kim Kardashian slays again with latex all in one.”

“Man cheats on wife with toaster.”

“How well do YOU know your body? It’s all about the A-spot.”

 

As far as online new headlines went, your perked interest at the last coveting heading had her hooked. It was a sweltering Sunday morning in London.

The flat you shared with your room mate was basked in early morning sunrise and ever window was opened to ease the tempering heat. The small flat sat adjacent to the bustling Borough Market and already queues of local’s and tourists anticipated the opening of the various street vendors and markets.

You could hear the cries of babies, the excited chatter of friends and the roller shutters slamming to welcome the growing crowds.

Although London was not your homeland, you basked in the sweet atmosphere that the growing City had to offer. And Sundays were always filled with greasy pub made burgers, ice cold pints in the beer gardens and the soft stagger home at teatime for toast and tea in front of the telly. You could hardly wait.

The article, however, pulled your attention away from the light commotion outside. The Cosmopolitan hyperlink page attached to the “How to make your sex life unforgettable” flashed bright on your screen. The various light pinks and borderline provocative images of peaches with thongs wrapped around them indicating to you what sort of article you were about to read.

An article highlighting that you did in fact have NO idea about your own anatomy. A new erogenous zone located in furthest region on your intimate anatomy that engrossed you further. The “wet zone” was the cute name that referred to this new piece of information.

 

“You reading fanfictions about yourself again?” The startling voice of your best friend and current roommate caused the phone to slightly jump from your hands. A hand to your chest, you threw a glare at the bed headed male strutting towards you with a flat white in one hand and an unlit cigarette in the other.

 

“I done that ONCE and don’t pretend you don’t read smut about yourself.” Too preoccupied with the article at hand, you took no notice of him sitting across from you. The small patio set they purchased just days before and placed into the small nook by the large bay windows.

“I have and I do, on a regular basis because that’s the only action this stud muffin is getting.” He sipped his coffee after the fact and proceeded to light the perfectly constructed roll up. Slightly offended that he never rolled one for you.

“Join the club mate.” Although it was only a mutter, the article itself hammered home just how deprived you really were.

“What are you reading anyways? You’re all hunched up over there?” He inhaled the smoke and released through his nostrils like a dragon. His steaming hot coffee took turns on his lips with the much needed nicotine stick. 

“Oh, just an article telling me how clueless I am about the female anatomy.” Shrugging at your own words, you weren't wrong. His eyes seemed to perk slightly, an intrigue that caused him to sit forward more in his seat. 

“Well, look no further. I am the man for the job.” 

Making grabby hands at his friend, Joe decided that this article would further fuel his knowledge on the female anatomy should he one day have a day off to use it. Staring at him over the bridge of your nose, you handed your iPhone to him. He glanced and read. He pondered and hummed. His face showing the same level of surprise and slight arousal that you had when you clicked on the link. 

“Jesus, how many fucking zones do you have? You’re all worse than the London Underground.” He laughed at his own attempt at a joke but realised the woman in front of him was still processing the information. 

“If there really is an area in the vagina that makes you instantly wet, how in God’s name does it take so much effort to actually get there?” Your sudden frustrated outburst gave Joe the insight into his best friend and co-stars sex life.

You both had conversations like this all the time. You grew up together, you had scenes together similar to a loving relationship and he only just realised the predicament. You both haven’t had a proper relationship in years. 

“You don’t get wet during foreplay?” He was always brash with his questions. He never liked to tiptoe, especially with her. 

“I mean, yeaaah, but the “Wax on, wax off” motion only gets you so far.” Doing the motion with your hands caused him to choke on his coffee. The cheeky laugh echoing in their small flat making you smile.

It was true. You both had "relations" but never anything past a second or third date. Get in, get the job done and "see you later". With scheduling issues and consistent travelling, you realised that your one night stands were whittling away all the sexual desires you used to have.


“When was the last time you had sex?” You asked him. His face was still buried in the phone, zoomed in on a detailed pdf of the inner mechanisms of the female anatomy. He seemed to look off slightly, like he was calculating a large sum in his head. 

“About 4 months ago?” He winced slightly. The interaction with said female was awkward and downright…forgettable. You nodded slightly, tugging a chapped bottom lip between your teeth. 

“You?” His eyebrow raised slightly, locking your iPhone, and placing it in the middle of the table. You didn’t go for it right away as you too calculated the exact moment you had sex. 

“About 8 months ago.” He hissed slightly, drawing a breath in through puckered lips as he felt the pain in his stomach for you. You huffed slightly and picked up the phone to scroll further into the supermassive blackhole of the Cosmopolitan website. 

“How many orgasms is too many?” You repeated out loud, huffing again at the article title, you threw the blasted contraption back on to the table. That got you thinking. 

“I had sex 8 months ago, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not satisfied.” You laughed slightly. His eyes peaked as he laughed the smoke out of his mouth. The end of the roll up was always your favourite and you made a peace sign towards him, and he simply cradled the wrinkled cigarette in between your fingers.

“Getting yourself off isn’t the same as sex. It might scratch the itch, but it certainly doesn’t satisfy.” He rolled the “s” out a little too long as he sat back in his chair, watching you eb the remnants of his cigarette. 

“Yeah but, the sex I had 8 months ago was basically me doing all the hard work. Sure he was fiiiiine but there was no…earth shattering, knee quacking, burst of white light orgasm at the end of it." You pulled your legs down from the seat and faced your friend head on. He leaned further forward, matching you. Your elbows on the table and leaned close like they were gossiping schoolgirls.

"Have you ever had that? That laying on your back afterwards, no words coming to mind. You can’t quite catch your breath and process what just happened.” It almost came out like a sigh and Joe heard the longing in your voice. It was captivating. 

“Maybe when I was 18?” You knew who he was talking about. Samantha Smith, a twenty-four year old post graduate law student whose name fell right out of the pages of Nuts magazine. A minor in gymnastics and a major in blow jobs as he described it one day. 

“Did you ever hook up again with Sammy Sizzler?” Your childish nickname for the woman was only given in jest as you knew the woman was quite smitten with a young Joseph.

“Did I fuck. She was shagging half the rugby team at her university and had a terrible habit of thinking that ever guy liked a finger up the bum.” The hysterical laughter couldn’t be helped. You imagined your best friend flinching at the very prospect of a sneaky backdoor fingering. Wiping tears from your eyes, your cringing friend sat crossed armed and looked pained from the memory of it. 

“You said she gave the best blow job AND that she could contort herself like a balloon animal.” You said this whilst laughing and he decided to join you. It was an experience to behold and as an 18 year old, shy drama geek, he was opened to all opportunities. He wasn’t exactly in the position to be picky, and he just decided that the older woman’s taste in sexual prowess was too rich for his blood.

“She did but it was slightly off putting. She contorted herself so much that I couldn’t find where I was supposed to go.” This started another round of high pitched laughter and table slapping from his best friend.

“Have you ever had the "earth shattering, knee quacking, burst of white light" orgasm?” He swooned when he quoted you, and you didn’t appreciate the mocking in his voice. 

“I haven’t. That’s what I’m getting at.” Placing your palms flat on the table, you pulled yourself out of the seat. You needed a coffee and a cigarette to further fuel the very conversation you were about to have. You couldn’t be sat in front of your best friend whilst describing what you really experienced. 

“You remember Evan? Tall, blonde with the birthmark on his forehead?” He nodded.

“Evan Almighty?.” He added for dramatic effect, using the same mocking tone you used earlier when describing his “best orgasm”.

With a roll of your eyes, the few paces it took to enter the small kitchen wasn’t far enough away for your liking. A balled up tea towel was launched at his head and when he caught it, he waved it like a white flag.

“He done this thing with his mouth. I can’t explain it.” Leaning against the counter, you looked up at the light as you began scrolling through the many pages of your brain for a verb best to describe the man’s talent.

Switching on the coffee machine, the loud hum of the machinery as well as the drumming of your fingers on the counter distracted you slightly from the thoughts. 

“He was so attentive. It was like he was going to stop at nothing. It went on for so long that I can’t even remember if we actually had sex.” You laughed at yourself. You were 19 when you met Evan at the pub. You left Joe at the bar with your Mum and Dad to speak to the Welsh soon-to-be accountant.

Exchanging numbers, you both left it the right amount of time to contact each other before meeting up for dinner and drinks. 

“What happened?” Joe stood up from his seat and walked to stand next to you in the small kitchen, placing his empty cup beside the coffee machine like the queue of cups you see in Starbucks. You simply shrugged at the question and replaced your now full cup with his and switching the coffee pods. 

“He never called. Never texted. Just…vanished.” You realised now that you never had sex because he had been going down on you so long, that he finished against your university hall bedsheets and didn’t quite have the stamina to go again.

“I think he was dry humping the mattress and finished too fast.” You were breathy and clammy at the thought. It could have been minutes or even hours, but you felt absolutely exhilarated after it.

Like the first real draw of a cigarette without the coughing or the taste of an artisan coffee on holiday with new rich flavours and ceramic cups that just added to the tasing pleasure. 

“Rookie.” Was all he muttered as he flipped the switch of the coffee machine.

You simply rolled your eyes at his clear showmanship of masculinity. Grabbing the pouch tobacco and the utensils for rolling, you sat back in your patio chair again. 

“You’re telling me that you’ve never had a “quick draw” moment?” Scoffing at Joe, he sat heavily into his seat, sploshing coffee onto their new table. He pondered slightly. 

“Maybe when I was fourteen.” He sipped. A smug looking smirk on his face when you side eyed him. Rolling expertly, you flicked a cigarette in his direction and continued rolling for yourself.

“Fourteen? Really? You do realise I’ve been your best friend for near 18 years, and I never seen you even remotely interested in women at that age.” The last couple of words were mumbled as you placed the cigarette between your lips. Lighting it with the shared zippo, you leaned back on your seat as you watched him gasp. 

“We’ve been best friends for 18 years?” He was genuinely surprised at the revelation. Although you came from different parts of the country, you met during a Junior induction week at LAMDA. Yet to finish school, their parents encouraged both of you to pursue your dream of acting and decided the necessary cost was there to help them achieve it.

Meeting every summer for 6 weeks to do your summer courses before finally enrolling in your undergraduate course. You both worked alongside each other in just about every series and movie given to you. You never had one without the other.

“Yep. 18 years of knowing you babe.” Winking at him, you raised your cup to cheers him. His eyes softening at the gesture as he clinked his “Don’t fucking talk to me before coffee” mug with your “Don't look at me cunt” mug. Christmas gifts you both got for each other when money was tight. 

“Jesus, that long eh? How can we stomach each other?” He jested. His coffee seemed sweeter and more aromatic because you made it for him. The bitter taste of Columbian Roast still heavy on his tongue as he sucked the cigarette. 

“I know right?” You sighed contently into your coffee mug as a comfortable silence eased between you both. 

“So…” He started. 

“What was the thing he done with his tongue?”

Remember to follow, reblog! Interact with me! I love to write and I have so many ideas...but I need a baseline!

[sandrayofsun]

Only Friends ep.6 thoughts

Alright everyone... It's taken me a minute to make this review because frankly I can't believe episode 6 happened. I literally have rewatched it only twice because the first time I had to rewatch to process and the second time I knew I couldn't handle watching this more than twice.

Let's get into it!

I cannot deny the fact that I primarily watch this show because I'm a big fan of FirstKhao's acting as a couple and individually. They are really crafting a story together that is miles ahead of the other couples in terms of complexity, chemistry and pacing.

So, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get as much screen time of them together, HOWEVER, I will say that they both did so well individually. First's emotional control as Sand with his mother at the hospital, his confrontation with top, and his interaction with Nick.

This show has made it clear that there is no clear good and bad, but it does an incredible job of showing the reflection of what relationships/friendships can go through. I think for a lot of the show, Sand was presented as the 'better' character, but this episode really showed that no matter how good someone is, they are still capable of doing morally grey things.

IMO this is most reflected in the scene at the pool table with both Sand and Ray following the sad events of the last episode.

As much as Sand cares for Ray, he was still able to manipulate him by using his feelings for Mew to get revenge on Top for stealing his ex. This is the first morally grey things we've seen him do (long overdue if you ask me lol).

Ray on the other hand, I would argue isn't as morally grey, because he seems to have a stronger grasp of his intentions. Kissing Mew, going after Sand, fighting Boston, etc. He knows that he is an alcoholic, an addict and he believes that he is a jinx to others. Making him a little more self aware than the other character (and honestly him and Sand are on the same page on this).

Khaotung does an immaculate job of showing all of the emotions that are plaguing Ray. Wanting to protect the best friend that you think you're in love with, feeling like the boy you could potentially love is pulling away, and violated by the fact that someone who he believed was his friend is betraying him.

Look at this poor baby face:(

I am patiently waiting for next week to know what happens next and see more of their relationship grow. I'm sort of loving that their relationship is hitting the fan now, because that means they have time to rebuild it during the rest of the show.

Bye!

[eponymiad]

For Yuletide this year, I wrote this pseudo-Vox article for @newtsoftheworldunite's gift. The premise is a modern-day feature article in the QT universe where Shakespeare wrote a play about the king who married the queen who cut off his hand, and what the modern discourse about their real relationship would look like in both historian and fandom circles.

I had a lot of fun with it, and I crammed it full of both fandom references and non-fandom references. I made a list of all the ones I could find when I reread it (I'm sure I overlooked a few), which you can check out below the cut.

Princess Bythesea novels by Phresine are a reference to in-world bodice rippers from @hoeratius's Princess Diaries AU, for which both she and @hippolytas have written fic.  

The Genny Diaries is a play on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries 

The Setran Eugenides & Ira is a nod to my beloved Bride & Prejudice, a Bollywood Pride & Prejudice adaptation (and imo the best P&P adaptation) 

Wikipedia talk pages are basically a discussion page on every Wikipedia article to help editors behind the scenes make decisions, fix citations, and discuss what should/shouldn’t be included on the page 

Clothing references: the birds and twigs are a canon reference (thanks, Pheris), the wild fennel robes are a nod to a comment on a post MWT reblogged that someone else later made art for (she also reblogged the IRL coats which are beautiful), and the “ornate, traditional” clothing was a reference to Greece's really stunning regional clothing.

The rings were inspired by posy rings, which were popular in England and France in the late Medieval period. The inscription on Irene’s ring—Yours to command—was a legit inscription I found on a list so you can imagine how fast I added it in.

The poem is heavily pilfered from Sappho fragment 94, although it’s been edited to pay tribute to the most beautiful woman on earth 

The “life size statue” fights were @hippolytas's idea (among other things in this fic, but that’s what I remember most clearly) 

The Friends finale reference is a little joke for myself. Ross/Rachel were *the* will-they-won’t-they couple of the 90s and 00s, and I told some friends earlier this year that I think if Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox had had 20% less on-screen chemistry, the romance narrative might’ve shifted to who Monica would ultimately pick and let that be the big finale moment (and, frankly, have given Ross and Rachel’s storyline more creating room—but I digress). 

The RPF fics are all references to QT fanfics. The missing scenes and wedding night fics are obvious, but the two AUs are are this sci-fi one where the Attolia AI trains the guard and one of my own, Where Did You Come From, Where Did You Go? 

I'll update the list if I notice any others, but feel free to ping me if you think I've missed one! There are some other easter eggs in there, so if you think you spotted something else—you're probably right!

Thanks to everyone who has kudosed and commented on this fic, and to @thecrenellations and @cartograffiti and @hippolytas for their help and cheerleading, would legitimately have lost my mind if not for them <3

[dankusner]

BLACK BAG

MOVIES — A

Move over, Mr. and Mrs. Smith: There’s a new sexy spy couple steaming up the silver screen, courtesy of Steven Soderbergh.

Say hello to George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett). In this thrillingly twisty romantic drama inspired by spy novelist John le Carré, their chemistry might be cerebral, but it is no less carnal.

The screenplay is by David Koepp, which marks the second, and superior, feature collaboration between the writer/director duo in 2025, the first being the ghostly thriller Presence .

If Koepp and Soderbergh decided to keep churning out 90-minute genre exercises for the foreseeable future, movie culture would be the richer for it, because Black Bag is one of the best — and most fun — films of the year so far.

Black Bag is the story of how married spies stay married, which involves a lot of trust, a lot of mutual surveillance and a “till death do us part” level of loyalty that extends beyond the job.

“That’s hot,” gasps underling Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela), who has found herself entrenched in George and Kathryn’s strange web of deceit and devotion. And indeed it is hot.

Fassbender brings a simmering intensity to his portrayal of the nerdy, fastidious George, who hates liars so much he has no problem surveilling his own family, including his glamorous, elusive wife.

Kathryn is on a list of possible leakers of sensitive information to foreign agents, so he will begrudgingly, but meticulously, investigate her potential involvement.

A terrorism plot may be what initiates the conflict, but it is secondary to the primary question of the film, which is about relationships, fidelity, trust and truth.

Soderbergh surrounds his two powerhouse actors with an equally dreamy ensemble cast, including Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page and a former 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan.

The internal workings of the script deliver dizzying suspense, while Soderbergh offers up delectable surface pleasure as director, cinematographer (under his alias Peter Andrews) and editor.

Black Bag is pure fun, but also deeply layered with larger existential themes, making for a delightful romantic spy drama that cannot be missed.