#But he's a love interest so his future is already written in stone and what's written there is a single word: Bloom

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I wouldn't really agree that boys are just arm candy in magical girl shows and only there to look cute. Yeah, sure the girls' friendships are the focus, but the boys are usually very much involved in the plot and most shows do explore their feelings about the odd things that happen due to magical shenanigans even if they aren't in the know (It's why ML baffles me even more with how they screwed up Adren's arc when he's the deuteragonist, when all these boys are supporting cast and get well rounded arcs)

I'm not much of a winx fan, but the specialists were very much not arm candy. Did the girls talk about them being cute? Yes, it's what teenage girls do. Did the narrative suggest they were good looking? Yes, but that's standard for most love interests in any genre. But we still got scenes with them talking amongst themselves about how they themselves feel and they got a fair share of badass fight scenes even if they wield no magic. A large amount of episodes actually included the boys and girls working as a team solving a mystery or fighting a villain. The girls might deal the finishing blow but the boys were still integral to the plot.

I hope this doesn't come across as hate, it definitely wasn't my intention. I'm just a bit too passionate about the magical girl genre.

I do think you have a good point with ML having a problem choosing a genre or blending two genres successfully.

For the CCS fans, I will add though that Cardcaptor Sakura had both Tomoyo and Syaoran serve as sources of motivation for Sakura. And both Sakura and Syaoran collecting cards even if Sakura is the only one who could seal them and yet never made you question whether Syaoran was even necessary for the job the way ml does with Chat.

I wasn't trying to say that boys have no part to play in magical girl team shows or that they're always treated as having no lives beyond the girls, that's why I mentioned that the Winx Club boys - aka, the Specialists - have their own (mostly off screen) lives and occasionally show up help the girls:

the boys are usually off doing their own thing and only occasionally show up for a date or to give the girls a ride on their cool bikes or magical spaceship

Even then, this is certainly a simplification of the roles that they play in the story, but I kind of had to simplify their roles down to their base components for the original post's discussion as I was talking in broad strokes of how these stories are written.

In terms of those broad strokes, the Specialists are absolutely only there for shipping fodder. That's why each one is assigned to a girl from the start and why their main role in the narrative is supporting their assigned love interest or causing relationship-based drama for their assigned love interest. If it weren't for shipping, then the Specialists would not exist.

While the Specialists do have fleshed out characters and may even effect the plot, the execution of those elements is designed around the girls. A really obvious example of this is the character Timmy, who has character development as the boy's tech guy. Why is he into technology? Because he's the designated love interest for the fairy of Technology and we have to show why they're a good match. Along similar lines, the boys don't really get plots that are removed from the girls because this is the girl's show. Every episode features one or more of the Winx, but the boys are optional and often don't appear.

This is because, narratively speaking, the boys are just love interests and that brings us back to Miraculous' big problem. You can't have a show where Adrien is written like a Specialist while also being part of the Winx Club and where Alya is written like she's part of the Winx Club while technically being more of a Specialist in terms of power set and actual narrative role.

I'm was thinking back to my memories of various Winx Club plots to find one that really highlighted what I mean here and I remembered that one of the big dramas in season one was the reveal that Bloom's love interest - Sky - was in an arranged marriage and had just never told her. As it turns out, that's a great example of what I'm talking about re Adrien!

Is that plot line technically based around Sky and letting his life effect the plot? Sure, but the fallout of that reveal revolves around Bloom, not Sky. The story doesn't really care how Sky's feeling as the conflict progresses. Instead, it focuses on how it affects Bloom and her friends because of course it does! She's the main character. It would be really weird if that plot suddenly focused on her side character love interest and his friends during one of her darkest hours/biggest moments.

Think of that and then consider how the ending of season five is written. Notice any similarities? Sure, this is Adrien's family drama, but because he's just a Specialist, the focus isn't on him. It's on Winx Club member Marinette and Adrien only shows up at the end for a kiss. That is the problem. That is what I'm talking about when I say that Miraculous will randomly write him as if we're watching a magical girl team show where Adrien is just the love interest.

In fact, let's really dig into this example because it's a good one.

You can have a look at the transcript for the finale episode of Miraculous season five here and see for yourself that Adrien doesn't even show up on screen until the final scenes when the big drama is over. The Winx Club wiki also has episode transcripts, so I took a look to see what happened in Winx land during the arranged marriage reveal plot (I love that this is a thing. It's so useful for fact checking myself!) This is the script for the episode after Bloom learns the truth. Sky does not appear even though his lies and family drama are the fuel for this episode's events, which are a major part of the season's arc. Note how perfectly that matches Adrien's writing?

Similarly, Sky's dialogue in the reveal episode is all about Bloom. He's worried about her learning the truth and thinking less of him. To match that, here's Adrien's only real dialogue in the penultimate episode of season five (full transcript):

Adrien:(Covers his ears.) I cannot transform... (Looks at his ring and tries taking it off.) Plagg: What are you doing?! Adrien: I'm not in my right mind. I'm too angry — at myself for falling short of Marinette's love, at my father for sending me here in London, at this stupid app and these rings that use my image... it makes me sick! This nightmare is giving me the horrible feeling that, if I transform, I'll get akumatized and destroy everything with my Cataclysm ��� Marinette, Ladybug... (Takes off the ring and hands it to Plagg.)

Switching back to Winx. After Bloom learns the truth about Sky, bad things happen because she's depressed. This results in her and the Winx going off on a journey to learn the truth of who Bloom is. After the girls share this big plot moment and Bloom gets her mojo back, the boys show up to be their ride home and to give Bloom her romance moment where Sky wins her back by declaring that he broke off the arranged married because he loves her.

Sky notably doesn't get an arc about choosing between his arranged marriage and his true love. We don't even know that the marriage is broken off until he tells Bloom because that was never really a conflict as far as the narrative was concerned. Of course he's going to pick Bloom! He's her designated side character love interest! He only exists to be with her. We don't need to treat this as a serious thing for him. The arranged marriage plot was never about him anyway. It was about giving Bloom a reason to have a darkest hour moment that moves the plot forward. Similarly, Sky calling off the marriage is nowhere near as important as him telling Bloom that he's called off the marriage to be with her in a grand romantic gesture.

This perfectly mirrors Miraculous' season five ending where Adrien doesn't appear until after Marinette is done fighting her big girl power fight against his father. As far as the writing is concerned, that fight isn't about him. His connection to the villain only really matters in terms of how it affects Marinette's actions during the final battle. Then, when the battle is over, Adrien shows up to give Marinette her big romance moment because, while the plot may be driven by Adrien's family, he is not a Winx club member. He's just a Specialist. Or, in the words of the head writer:

[image text: She's Barbie, he's Ken. You don't like it. I get it. It won't change. Anything else?] (The full, even more damning context of this tweet can be found here.)

What else can I say other than, "I rest my case."

Oh, and also that I didn't take this as an attack. I just thought it was a good opportunity to really dig into the nuances of this and what I was talking about in that original post as I never know how obvious this stuff is if you don't closely study story telling. As this case study hopefully shows, if a show is about a group of girl friends using the power of friendship, then their love interests may have important roles, but the boys are never going to be more important than the girls and most of the boy's screen time will be focused on romance and how their existence effects the girls because it's ultimately the girls' world. Without them, the show wouldn't exist. Without the boys? Well, then we just wouldn't have a romance plot.

[remembertheplunge]

We cannot unsee what we have already seen--the 1980's

April 28, 1988

It’s now a Thursday—

Some post scripts from somewhere in the “last” night and from yesterday by Judge David Vander Wall “The 1970’s don’t seem that long ago. The 80’s are just passing me by…” DA Mike  Stone replied “The 70’s weren’t worth anything anyway.”

I watched last evening “a A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyer. The 1920’s" :

Flappers and fun flanked by Fraud and Famine. Poo Poe Pee Do! The truth was that the poor (in the 20’s) didn’t realize they were poor until long after they weren’t!. They had a general feel of contentment despite their financial situation.

What about us in the 1980's? In the KPFA Radio Folio program guide,Life in 1968 is compared with life in 1988. The 80’s were condemned as the 1950’s relived. 1988 Yuppies are the men in charcoal grey suits. Ahhhh! But, what bridged the years is the depth of awareness setting in. We cannot unsee what has been seen. We close only to heal and tp grow internally. The individual reform we know is the only true change. Only true “life” takes place on an individual basis. More and more we learn "..oh..when I had the Mercedes and miserable marriage I was poor. Now, I am…,Me!" 

To me, 1980 or 1981 were just about like 1988 in terms of styles, attitudes, money, etc. Pretty much the same. Music hasn’t changed much. Nothing has really. And yet, imperceptibly, everything has irrevocably changed, improved. Come a bit more into its own. 

Only you, the future, may be able to give it perspective. What, if anything, do the 80’s mean to you? Don’t forget us. We are a part of your past and thus a part of you.

I offer up this diary entry to you as a revelation of one person- traveler’s time notes written during  his time-space journey.

End of entry

Notes: 9/21/2024

I love the fact taht I included the line “We cannot unsee what has been seen” in the above 1988 entry. 

That has been my fight song passing through these turbulent times where the Republican Right is attempting to cancel our collective progressive progress. They can ban and burn our books and the Supreme Court can strip us of our rights. But. We have seen. We know. We will continue to live our lives and assert our  values despite and because of their orders. We have seen. We will act. We have agency.

I also think that it’s interesting that I said in the above entry that there was not much difference between life in 1980 or 81 and life in 1988. In 1980, I was not yet a. Lawyer, I was way in the closet and Aids was not yet publicly known about. By 1988, HIV  had been  known about for 7 years in which time it decimated many lives. In 1986, I began working as a volunteer helping men with Aids through their illness and death. I had been a lawyer for 7 years by 1988 .I had been emersed in the heavens and hells of criminal law defense. I had married in 1982 a woman who I left in 1984 as I began to emerge as a gay man. By 1988, I was fully out. So, actually I was a much more evolved person in 1988 than I had been in 1980. But, maybe because the evolution took place slowly over  years, I wrote about the decade as if very little had happen.

Judge Van Der Wall was a judge in Modesto California. I spent my 40th birthday in a murder trial in his court. His clerk, Linda, gave me a happy birthday cup cake that birthday morning in court! They have both since died. I just thought Judge Van Der Wall and Mike Stone’s  take on the 70’s and 80’s was interesting. Time was  just passing them by. Have you noticed the no one now in the mid 2020’s ever talks about the 20’s? I mean the 2020’s. We are living it . We can’t see it This now has no name . It just  is. But, I imagine in 20 years, they will be screaming about “The Outrageous 20’s!"

Flappers were the early forerunners of the women’s empowerment movement. They wore shorter dresses than their predecessors had and advanced women’s rights through word and action. 

Bill Moyers was a Public TV host. He did stories on interesting people and events past and present.

Per Oxford Languages Dictionary, a Yuppie was "a young person with a well-paid job and a fashionable lifestyle."

[merlin-slut]

all the different arthurian legend related books ive read

so these are just books ive read that are either based in on the original stories or reincarnation related!! i have no ranking system so this is just based on vibes and is mostly in the order of when i read them, with the most recent at the top (except for the mary stewart series but im just very passionate about it lmao)

The Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart: SO GOOD i loved it so much it was amazing HIGHLY recommend!!! it was more historically based and is so so so so so well done!! i read this about a year ago and im already thinking of rereading it!! the first book, the crystal cave, focuses on merlin growing up and learning about his visions! it covers up until arthur being conceived. it was SO GOOD and i desperately want to watch the cursed looking tv show based off of it!!

The Once and Future King by T.H. White (this included the Book of Merlyn): there was something about this i didnt quite vibe with. like i mean it was pretty good until the book of merlyn so maybe just skip that and leave it incomplete lmao definitely had more of the whimsical vibe attached to the legends, as its what the disney the sword in the stone is based off of. so, i would say it was only so-so for me

The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider: okay so i was tricked into reading this by tiktok because i saw the author saying it was waaaaaaaaaay more gay than it was and very merthur inspired and please dont read it if you think thats the case. it does have some interesting concepts about sexism in magic (though not entirely in the way you think) and focuses on the merlin you're thinking of's children. it was alright on its own, as long as you separate it out from bbc Merlin. the advertising of the book skewed my perception about what it would be. so yeah, its not the best but its still a fun story!

Camelot Rising series by Kiersten White: ooooooooo these ones were fun!! its told from Guinevere's point of view but it isn't actually Guinevere!! she's a changeling who was sent to Camelot to marry Arthur and was told she would be his protector from something working to destroy what he was building! it was interesting and so fun to be in guinevere's mind while she tried to figure out who she is and what is trying to destroy camelot!! so fun!!

The Dragon's Call by Simon Forward: honestly no notes! so fun! its a retelling of episode 1 with some added details!!!! excellenttttttttttt

Gwen and Art Aren't in Love by Lex Croucher: ooooooo this one was fun too!! and is actually queer as advertised!!! so gwen and art HATE each other until they discover that they're both gay and decide on an alliance to help each other out and protect themselves!! so yes!!! actually gay!!!!! however i do think so bits were a bit slow and so it def couldve been paced a lot better but overall, wasnt bad!

Potions and Poison by Jacqueline Rayner: again another book thats a retelling of the show!!! it covered s1 e3 and 4! and is part of the younger readers collection so it def was written for young audience but it had some full illustrations and was still fun to read!!!

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cory McCarthy: sooooooo I read book 1 but have not read the sequel! its set in space, in the future, and Ari is the 42nd reincarnation of King Arthur. so yeah, its a little different lmao. this one is also fun with ari discovering who she is, both as a reincarnation of king arthur, and with her queer identity! she meets a teen merlin, who, like in white's the once and future king, is aging in reverse, so it creates some fun dynamics! I read this one over a year ago so the details are a little fuzzy but i remember liking it, although some bits were slightly confusing i think??? i remember them trying to take down an evil government and ari being an illegal immigrant! so maybe i should reread this and then read book two?????

Avalon High by Meg Cabot: so yeah this is what that dcom is based off of but the book is pretty different!! i feel like the book is more stereotypical in the way arthurian legend retellings go, especially compared to the movie! still it was a fun and very fast read!! very like YA style book though, but its meg cabot so its to be expected and very much a 2005 book!

i think this is all of them???????? but im going to list what's on my tbr and if yall have an recs PLEASE send them my way!!!

the rest of the bbc merlin episode retellings

le morte d'arthur by thomas malory

bliss and blunder by victoria gosling

sir gawain and the green knight (are there any specific version recs???)

the fall of arthur by j.r.r. tolkien

[yazthebookish]

Here's the thing about speaking on canon especially when it comes to an incomplete series:

Canonically, Celaena and Chaol fell in love.

Canonically, Celaena and Chaol kissed and slept together.

Canonically, by the end of Crown of Midnight Celaena tells Chaol she will always choose him.

If you hold on to that quote especially if you didn't get to Heir of Fire or Queen of Shadows yet, you'll assume Celaena will return because she said she will always choose Chaol.

Did she in the end? No.

The next book planted the first seeds of a potential relationship with Rowan that came to fruition by the following book and specifically towards the end of Queen of Shadows.

This is a big example of how the author is in control of what happens in canon and can shift canon to her own liking (which she did multiple times).

So, when talking about future scenarios and dismissing theories and opinions based on the recent canon information we get (ACOSF) in favor of the canon information from books that were published years ago, that comes off as being selective. That is like choosing to cling to what Celaena says about always choosing Chaol and dismissing the crumbs that are sprinkled in Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows because you're not a fan of the eventual outcome that is Rowaelin (that explains the Chaolena vs Rowaelin ship wars back then from what I was told were quite aggressive).

Just because it's canon that Azriel with Feyre saved Elain (as he did others) or carried her bridal style (which he did with Lucien and I mean she was barely a living being in his arms) or staying up late to discuss garden plans whether people take it as platonic or romantic, but let's take it as romantic—it doesn't mean that it eliminates any future changes in canon from a romantic perspective for Azriel and Elain ending up with different people. Just because people use it as canon doesn't mean it's set in stone especially if the series is incomplete.

Knowing what was foreshadowed in canon can't be done until the series is complete and you get the bigger picture of how the author wrote it. @bookofmirth has an excellent post on foreshadowing and I'm one of the people that fell in the trap of calling things already foreshadowed when it didn't actually happen, that's a theory until proven true to be a foreshadowing.

Readers are not in control of canon, the author is. So people might get disappointed if they cling to past canon to the point they'll be upset if the author decides to take a different direction than what they expected because—again—the author is in control of canon and what she decides to write is what becomes canon and not what the readers assume (even myself).

It doesn't mean past canon does not matter but there are certain plot points such as romantic interests that are easy to switch if the author decides it regardless of what she established canonically in the past—Sarah as an author is known for this it should not come as a surprise. She herself says that she doesn't confirm any couples until she writes the book because she is surprised by where the characters lead her, and in another interview she says she could be in the middle of writing a book and a ship pops up and she sinks the one she originally intended in favor of that. No ship is safe.

So using canon as a defense mechanism is not really that effective when it comes to a future romance until the book for that couple is written on paper.

Also, @acourtofthought did a brilliant post explaining canon that you should check out! This sort of is inspired by hers 🫶🏼

[13eyond13]

In your reply about how L is written without a lot of inner world for lack of a better term, I totally agree. I think L is genuinely a hard character to write because he's both an enigma and highly specific in his mannerisms and speech. It's easy to both go really overboard with how he's strange and off putting and at the same time under write him as a person with ideas and desires. When I see L being essentially written to revolve around Light as either his gay awakening/nemesis/boyfriend/ force that shakes up his life I call it the inverse of a manic pixie dream girl. Depressed Goblin Nightmare Boy L who doesn't really want anything except Light and who exists to do something for Light's character growth. I personally love when fics take the time to give him a past, and a life outside of Light and expands on him as a person and not just a detective. This is a long ramble but anyway, do you have any head canons about L's past?

Depressed Goblin Nightmare Boy ahahaha so true

I think part of the issue that shippy fic writers might run into with L is kind of also that he's not the focus of the source material in terms of like. Having a character arc that needs to be satisfied somehow, really? It's not about L having an emotional journey because it's about Light having one, and L is almost more fun in some ways when he DOESN'T change a whole lot as a character (he's fairly iconic in how stubborn and arrogant and seemingly unmoveable he already is). He's there mostly to oppose Light and make things really difficult for him, as well as to represent things in the story that come up as part of the themes and ideas and whatnot - an equal/intellectual rival that Light can actually feel threatened by and come to respect, a person who already reached the peak of power for his job of bringing criminals to justice and yet does so without necessarily adhering to any sort of noble ideals or worrying about whether or not he's being moral or a hypocrite of some kind, etc etc etc. And a lot of the appeal of his character in canon can also be how vague and cryptic and difficult to fully know he is as well, hahaha. So you're right, he's pretty difficult to fully flesh out in terms of his life outside the Kira case and so on, especially if you don't find him easy to intuitively read.

In terms of headcanons about his past, I feel almost as though it might not be totally set in stone and change a bit for me just depending on what kind of fic I was writing? I might give him certain life experiences and memories and beliefs and so on that would serve a certain purpose in the story, like contrast or parallel things that Light has experienced or believes in or whatever else. So unless I have a specific story in mind I'm not sure I have a ton of them that I'd stick to absolutely no matter what.

However the broad strokes of things we were told about L's past and childhood in the one-shots do make for decent scaffolding to work from for L to me. Like I DO think he probably made himself useful and interesting to Watari at a young age with his smarts, and that he never quite knows if he would have been taken care of or protected or had his needs met properly if he wasn't exceptionally talented in some way, which would definitely be kind of fucked up for him emotionally to dwell on a bunch. I headcanon that he doesn't really like to dwell on the past or the future a whole lot maybe in part because he finds it pretty depressing stuff to contemplate, and that living in the moment is by far his favourite thing to do.

And I for some reason feel like he isn't maybe an orphan in the sense that he has no living relatives left so much as maybe that he was given up or abandoned by them at an early age or taken away from a rough/abusive home life of some sort, and maybe was thought of as much too difficult to care for by them. I think the tension between L's extreme and more difficult traits being both his biggest asset and thing people admire about him most, and also the thing that causes him the most alienation and trouble in his life, or his own belief/understanding that this is the case, might for me be the most interesting stuff to explore more thoroughly with him.

[bxngthedoldrums]

a petekey reading of so much (for) stardust

aka you knew i'd do this aka i didnt take four literature classes in college for nothing aka make sure your tinfoil hat is SECURED to your noggin aka dear lord forgive me for committing sins of petekey in the year of 2023

look. i have to do this or i don't deserve this blog. amen

~ love from the other side

okay. yea, immediately the "you were the sunshine of my lifetime" thing is sort of sus, because we all know pete wentz and anytime sun or summer is involved it's Something. this is solidified in "summer falling through our fingers again" in verse 2, but it's interesting that he uses "ours" in this lyric bc i feel like recently most of pete's summer lyrics have been pretty self-inflicted. it's impossible to not note the whole "inscribed like stone and faded by the rain" in the bridge v. "the tombstones were waiting" line in bang the doldrums. i shant even elaborate u can pick up what i'm laying down!

~ heartbreak feels so good

i think this song is pretty light on petekey imagery but "light from a screen of messages unsent" kinda reminds me of "some nights it gets so bad i almost pick up the phone" in ginasfs but i could be reaching for Sure. let's be real that's all i do

~ hold me like a grudge

honestly i think this is one of the worst petekey offenders on the album. this one had me gawking at my screen as i read the lyrics. "thaw out my freezer burn feelings for twenty summers" ??? be SERIOUS pete... "part-time soulmate, full-time problem" yeah I GET IT I GET IT !!! the whole thing reeks of 2005 summertime fling

~ fake out

"do you laugh about me whenever i leave?" bonkers ass line,,this reminds me of pete's lj writing in those years after 2005,,,"my mood board is just pictures of you, but i'm not sad anymore" YEAH. this is SO pete holy fuck. that classic wentz obsession,,"we did for futures that never came and for pasts that we're never gonna change" this line's got me on the fuckin FLOOR. also classic pete!!! his perchance for nostalgia is just insane and he really feels it huh

~ heaven, iowa

i dont even know how to get into this one. "kiss my cheek, baby, please/would you read my eulogy?" SICK and TWISTED evil!!! evil!!! "i will never ask you for anything except to dream sweet of me" jesus h christ the melancholy is off the charts but holy fuck this song is so,,,tender? i dont know wht to say but i know this was written w summer of love intention. i know this in my heart. "scar-crossed lovers, forever" OKAY I KNOW !!! this song is DEVASTATING verse 2 is fucked UP and the bridge is too!!! "closed my eyes inside your darkness and found your glow"???? i cantr og on

~ so good right now

i can't really discern any particularly petekey lyrics in this one right away but the whole "i cut myself down to be whatever you need me to be" is pretty fucking wild

~ i am my own muse

there's some really sad lyrics in this one ab the whole future-not-going-as-planned thing that comes up so frequently in pete's writing but honestly the whole "let's twist the knife again, twist the knife again like we did last summer" thing made my head explode. every lover's got a lil dagger in their hands!!!

~ flu game

im not gonna sit here and type out ths whole fucking song but oh my GOD bro. this song to me is a really nice callback to pete's older style of lyricism but that comes with the self-deprecation and all the other really sad shit. it's beautiful! it's horrible! i love it!!! its about mikey i cant even pul out a few lyrics just LISTEN

~ baby annihilation

another fucked up one that literally anyone else in fob should have vetoed but OKAY?? "time is luck and i wish ours overlapped more or for longer" MAN SHUT UP. "self sabotage at best, under your spell/but you know what they say, if you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself" ..........dude. if you're like me and you've poured over pete's oooold lj posts from the mid 2000s you already get it, but if you havent,,,go do it and get back to me bc this is TOO MUHC im unwell. "what is there between us if not a little annihilation?" i think i hauve covid

~ the kintsugi kid (ten years)

this song is really fucking sad actually. there's so much fear of being forgotten on this album and it's showcased really beautifully in this song,,,mayhaps not the most obviously petekey song but god damn

~ what a time to be alive

this song's about covid and quarantine n it's pretty easy on the whole suffering from a fling in 2005 thing! good job pete and fob

~ so much (for) stardust

this song is kinda suspicious but there's very few lines that really solidify it as a petekey song,,, altho "i think i've been going through it, and ive been putting your name through it" is a really interesting lyric. and OF COURSE, "in another life, you were my babe/in another life, you were the sunshine of my lifetime" happy xmas war is over

[coldercreation]

Hello, I hope you have a good Day or night or what ever time it is for you :)

I finished reading "close your eyes" and I am in love with the Story and the characters.

At the moment I am very stressed about important exams and I don't have much time to do fun stuff between working and studying. But this Story never failed to pull me in and I really forgot about all my worries and I could relax while reading ❤️

I also read that you take Story ideas and I kept asking myself about something after that one scene where Isac and Nathan talk about fighting in the bond: Like how would they fight now that nathan is with them and about what do they fight and how would they solve these things.

I would find that really interessting to read and it could definitely strengthen their bond ^^

I look forward to reading much more of the boys and finding comfort in your storys. Thank you so much for sharing them ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful following week. Bye!

Helloo!! Thank you so much for you sweet messages!<3 I'm sorry it took me so long to get to responding, I'll combine responding to your first message with this one, I hope that's ok! I'm trying to catch up with messages and there's still tons left, but I'm slowly working through :')

In the other message you asked about the order in which the series takes place! I know you said you finished reading CYE already but I figured I'd still respond heh! There's not really a set in stone order to the parts, but some of the summaries will mention things like "takes place after Close Your Eyes" etc. Baseline is that CYE is "first", as it's the How they meet story, everything else kind of builds after that. Nowadays anything new I might write will most likely be "new" in their timeline as well. So sad!Kitty aka With You (For You) would be the latest point in the timeline (unless I've forgotten something lmao) as of now.

Ohh boy, I think delving a little into how fights, disagreements, and conflicts might go for them would be fascinating! There'd be quite the difference depending on how soon after Nat joining the pack these would take place I'd imagine, but either way I think it'd be very interesting. I'll definitely add this to my Ideas Doc! I have also been thinking about the fact that I haven't really written about Nathan's triggers or anxiety showing up in a... not so "pretty" way? when it comes to pack. Yes, he tends to internalise many negative things and just shuts down instead of lashing out or showing his feelings outwardly, but the closer and more comfortable he gets with the pack, the more likely it is that he might get snappy or short with them when he's overwhelmed (like he does with his parents or Sammy)-> followed by lots of angst and self-hate and shame and guilt etc. and a journey into learning how to communicate when he's reaching a point that he needs some space to calm down etc. So yeah, with that in mind too, there's definitely potential in this prompt of yours for a snippet or something in the future!

Sending you lots of good energy and vibes, I hope your exams go well and hopefully you'll find the time to relax and take it easy in between even when it's busy! SO glad the series has been able to offer a comfy resting place xx

[remywrotethis]

Illusions Club

Illusions Club

Children of The Sorcerous

A college of wizards

The stars hung high in a cold distant sky. Stars held such little significance for Roen. Despite knowing people would use them to divine the future, the sentimentality and uncertainty which that art held never appealed much to him. The heavens in general were of little interest to him until now in this very moment as they appeared so out of reach. Roen stood there for a while in the cool night air, gazing up into infinity, waiting for nothing in particular. His warm breath formed tiny clouds and the icy snow crunched under his boots as his weight shifted. Finally he let his eyes wander back down to the characterless gray block of a building in front of him, eventually settling on the heavy wooden door. Engraved on the face of this door were the words society for the young practitioners of conjurations ethereal and transitory in nature and slightly below that, written in charcoal chicken scrabble, was the single word illusion.

Roen gripped the door handle and — with a slight pang of anxiety — pulled. But the door would not budge. He tried again and again and a few more times with growing exasperation and as great a force as he could muster. Eventually tiring, Roen went to lean against the door in sullen defeat but to his bewilderment he nearly fell face first into empty air where the door should be. Abashedly he laughed out loud as his hand passed through to his elbow without resistance. Now slightly embarrassed he stepped beyond what was not a door but, in retrospect, a very obvious illusion into a moderately spacious room lit only by a single oil lamp burning in the far corner and the magic happening throughout. The chamber was occupied by about fifteen individuals drawing symbols in the air with gem-tipped wands. For a moment he stood there transfixed by illusory magic painted in flecks of gold. Miniature waterfalls, dancing beings, small winged stags passing through people and objects with impunity as they flew, and the stars somehow plucked from that distant sky and allowed to float dreamily about the room. Even for a sorcerer accustomed to seeing magic every day since he was a child this place seemed beyond magical. A space filled with the pure art of imagination, flickering like firelight melting into skyward drifting golden sparks.

The room filled the entirety of the small building and was furnished with well worn wood floors and unadorned walls. A single mediumish round wooden table with to many chairs was set in the furthest corner under the rooms single window. Though the fireplace remained unlit the room still felt uncomfortably warm to Rowen after the long cold walk, from his dormitory over snow-covered cobbles and through the snow-covered field. The warmth and humidity of the room was due to the movement of human bodies which crowded in just a little bit too close. Through the crowded Roen spied Maura grinning unabashedly as she coaxed little sparkling flecks of light into the shape of a rotund cat. 

Looking up, Maura beckoned to him enthusiastically.Rown hesitated, biting the inside of his lip. Caught in though he did not want to have to brush past the crowded having to touch other young mages to get to her. Despite only knowing her for such a short time he already envied her ability to engage with any and everything that interested her with such abandon. Maura was impatient and Not having time for Roen’s constant contemplations Maura sent her pudgy little feline illusion over to hurry him along. Going and sitting on the floor beside her, Roen noted how nice the cool stone of the wall felt against his back. It felt comfortable sitting next to her too, her warmth somehow less cloying than that of the rest of the room.

“Don’t you love it?” asked Maura, puckering her lips and tilting her chin in gesture towards the enchantments throughout the room.

“It is undeniable,” replied Roen.

“Have you had a chance to take any conjuration classes yet?”

“Yeah, but classes still feel so unnatural for me. I know I keep saying it but learning directly from the Fey is so different.” He rubbed his shoulder with thumb nervously. 

“Here, take my hand.” Maura extended the hand closest to him expectantly. Taking it delicately, he watched her set down her wand and grasp an amulet worn on a chain around her neck. For a moment there was a hum as the room seemed to shift in and out of focus around him. Fighting back a feeling of nausea Roen felt his eyes open even though they had not been closed. Roen now saw written as plainly as if on paper the runes and symbols drawn by the wands, and flocking to them like moths to a flame were little bright pixies. The room was absolutely packed with will-o'-wisps. Maura surreptitiously took the amulet from her shirt, revealing a perfectly round stone with a perfectly round hole, and held it up for him to look through. To his amazement, Roen was able to read the runes for the very first time. As if compelled, he began to speak in the language of magic and which only Fey and maybe Maura knew.

“I call upon you, beings of light, give me your light so that I may conjure with it what all I desire, letting my magic manifest and the world before me be shaped by the illusion I weave.”

[sisididis]

I recently finished Richard Ford's “Gatherings from Spain”, the condensed version of “A Handbook for Travellers in Spain”, which he based on his experiences as a foreigner travelling through Spain in the early 1840s, a time when Spain was considered terra incognita by Britons.

I know that travel writing isn’t for everyone, but this one was particularly good because it captured the mood of the people and the historical period.

The locals’ intense anti-French sentiment is explained by the fact that “Gatherings from Spain” was written just thirty years after the Peninsular War. If Ford’s descriptions seem unflattering or critical at times, please remember that he was an upperclass Englishman with his own biases. And, despite his criticism, Ford also had a lot of praise for the Spanish and their values.

As usual, I’m saving the parts which I found most interesting for future reference. 

But also to confirm some of the headcanons I have about Toni shhh~ The extracts below only reinforce the image that I already have of him: proud, warm, hospitable, bright and credulous. 

The author also mentions how everything is “ito or ita at Seville” (e.g. carmensita, graciosita, chico, chiquito, chiquitito). Which is so cute! The part about how chocolate is to a Spaniard what tea is to a Briton confirms everyone’s headcanon that Toni has a sweet-tooth.

And I was so happy when I saw that we share the same saying with the Spanish. In Romanian we say: “Țin la tine ca la ochii din cap.” I love you like (I love) the eyes in (my) head. 

Ford also wrote that Castilians “are sparing of words, since by them men are compromised: a word once spoken is like a thrown stone, and can never be recalled—Palabra y piedra suelta no tienen vuelta”. 

Some interesting bits about the French

The author goes on to explain that it was the French who introduced the use of passports or cartes de sureté (as well as the police) during their occupation. 

Bonus

Can you imagine being so polite as to use “usted” instead of “tu” when swearing? Romanians could never asdfghjkl-

[thedancingwalrus-blog]

AO3 first lines tag game

Tagged by @caparrucia

Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

Decided to use the monster Durarara!!! fic that I’ve been working on as well because dammit any encouragement to finish this thing.

1: With Teeth and Fingernails I’ll Carve a Place, You’ll See (Durarara!!!)

He wakes up in a room with a high ceiling, his heart already racing as though he'd just had a nightmare.

For a moment he just breathes. His head feels... strange. A pins and needles sensation that isn't quite pain.

He does not recognise the ceiling, which is interesting. He sits up, finds that he'd fallen asleep on a stylish black sofa.

He does not recognise that either.

He wonders whether he's been kidnapped and then it strikes him that the thought is absurd. Who would want to kidnap him? Why is that his first thought?

2: Think of Yourself as a Future Mushroom (Pokemon)

The first time Akari saw it was in the Floaro Gardens. She had lost track of time, then the sun had started to set, and in the distance, the golbats began to shriek.

She crouched as low as she could in the grass. The base camp wasn’t too far, so she’d be alright if she was quiet, if she was careful. If Pikachu listened.

Through the circle of flowers, past the trees, east hugging the rock face and then north west up the steep bank. And Akari was creeping carefully east, one hand on the rock when she saw it.

3: Patience and Persistence (Critical Role)

He did not promise that He would be merciful. He did not promise that He would be kind.

He did not promise that after so much agony He would carry the world in gentle hands. He never claimed that He could.

What He said, what He swore, what He promised, was that He would remember Zerxus Ilerez.

4: A Tree and a Stone (Hotel Del Luna)

There are different ways to love someone. Thousands of different ways.

She loved her daughter fiercely, helplessly. Like a tiger swept out to sea. Loved her with soothing songs and with gentle rocking. With hands pounding on doors until they broke and with bitter tears.

How could anyone not love their child this way? Wholly. Consumingly.

This is not how she loves Jang Man Wol.

5: They Call it Hootle (Tales of Arise)

Teela is from Menancia. She was ten when Dohalim il Qaras became a Lord and she believes in coexistence with her whole being. She remembers the uprising when the Blazing Sword and his companions revealed the conspiracy in Viscint. She knows that Vil el Sardis her fellow representative went out without armour during it to protect the Dahnans of the city. She knows this because their hospital beds were next to each other. The point is she's invested in the talks going well; she's worked and strived and given a number of people black eyes in order to be here. And she's no coward.

Neither is Vil. Neither are the other representatives around them, all minor members of the various delegations.

Even the Lenegis representative has a little steel.

And yet they are all hovering anxiously in a doorway, The room is not the problem, the problem is-

6: Larceny, Jailbreak and Running Red Lights (Megamind/Lupin the Third)

“Have you had sex before?”

There, Roxanne said it. Directly so that Megamind can’t sidestep it. Even if he says he doesn’t want to talk about it that’s still something. She expects that or a ‘no’ or may be an explanation of ways they’ll never be compatible in spite of all the ways they obviously are-

He surprises her.

“Not with a woman, why?”

Well that’s unexpected.

“I wondered.”

And they should have had this conversation weeks ago. They would have done but everything’s been up in the air in the months since Titan and he’s not even used to walking outside wearing his own face.

7: And We’ll Dance Again Next Year (The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf)

They're not lovers. It's not a concept that easily applies to Witchers and the idea of applying it to Vesemir is-

Well.

Vesemir has a heart. Somewhere, under his ribcage, but Luka has never known him to share it. He's generous with other things, stories, laughter, wine. Coin if you catch him in the right mood and the year's been bad.

Vesemir likes attention, he likes being liked. No, Vesemir likes being admired and he’ll settle for being envied. It doesn't matter whether it's because he killed a basilisk single handed, came back to Kaer Morhen for the winter with the heaviest purse or caught the attention of the prettiest girl in the tavern. What matters is the eyes on him. Their number and the intensity in them.

Which is straying from the point.

8: The Thing about Ganimard (Lupin netflix series & Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc)

The thing about Ganimard, the bit that everyone forgets, is that he’s honest.

It’s easy to see why people forget it, Arsène Lupin is the hero after all: Lupin always wins.

So of course Ganimard gets angry, of course he gets frustrated. He’s made a fool of over and over again. Why in the case of Number 514 Series 233 Lupin goes so far as to imply he has slept with Madam Ganimard.

Anyone would be tested by this cocksure renegade who, despite it all, always has an answer and is always laughing.

But the thing about Ganimard is that he’s a good man.

9: Cinder Toffee (Pokemon)

The first time Allister saw a ghost he was four years old.

They had gone down to Hulbury for the weekend. The sun was shining brightly, the sea sparkled and his cousins were catching krabby off the pier. His mother had told him to go and play with them, he remembered that and he remembered that he hadn’t wanted to.

They were older then him, his cousins, old enough that Nelson and Abbie had pokemon. They were all so big and strange and Allister had found that he couldn’t talk to them in more then a whisper. Anything else and he felt like his head would burst.

So he’d sat down alone at one end of the pier. His cousins clustered at the other end, tying pecha berries up in string and dangling them into the water, hoping to entice.

It was hot that day, he remembered that. He remembered the sweat and the salt and the icky, slippy texture of sun cream slathered over his skin.

And then his cousins had dared him to go to the sweet shop.

10: Devşirme    (The Witcher) *

The first time he saw Geralt was two days walk out from civilisation. In a stream.

He was washing and Jaskier- Well Jaskier had never been very good at resisting temptation.

And for the most part it had been much as he expected. Unnaturally chiselled muscles, yes, a plethora of scars, yes, an abundance of masculine hair-

He hadn't really registered what Geralt was missing when the Witcher had turned and that look. It had been downright murderous.

*For those who don’t get the reference the title is from a historical Ottoman practice of taking children in lew of taxes.

Since I don’t think I know ten writers on this site.... @wordsandrobots @phynali, do you want to play?

[yhwhrulz777]

Today's Daily Encounter Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Meaningful Work

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."1

The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, "What are you doing?" The first replied, "I'm cutting stone for 10 shillings a day." The next answered, "I'm putting in 10 hours a day on this job." But the third said, "I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London's greatest cathedrals. Perspective makes a huge difference and will influence our attitude towards the work at hand.

I worked in education for 16 years - First as a teacher, then I moved into the administration department. Teaching children from all different backgrounds and family structures can present certain challenges at times. When I first started teaching, I remember having a student who was extremely uncooperative and disrespectful. I started dreading going to work every day because I knew the difficulties and frustrations I would experience, and honestly, I had already accepted the fact that this is how the rest of the school year would be.

However, one day during my personal Bible reading time I came across the passage of Scripture for today, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…" This was my "Aha" moment and I realized that I was going about my job all wrong. My students deserved more from me than what I had been giving them. I had been focused on helping them meet the school year requirements and getting them ready for State testing, but there was so much more to my work than that. For a whole year, I had the opportunity to speak truth and love into their lives. I had the privilege of helping them learn, and meanwhile show them the love of Jesus. For some, that one year in my classroom may have been the only time someone was "as Jesus" to them. Since that moment, the love I had for my students grew. I started thinking creatively on how to teach the curriculum in an interactive and meaningful way that would encourage participation and cooperation from every student, even those that struggled at first. That school year will always hold a special place in my heart, and it has influenced the way I looked at any future work opportunities.

Are you in a place of discouragement in your workplace or ministry? How does God want to use you where you are? We cannot change other people, but we can change our perspective and attitude. Let's choose to work whole-heartedly as to the Lord and leave the rest up to God.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you for the work you have given me. It is not always easy, and I have grown discouraged at times, but I pray that you would renew my attitude and perspective. Allow me to see how you are working and how I can be part of it. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV).

Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B.

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by ACTS International, a non-profit organization, and made possible through the donations of interested friends. Donations can be sent at: http://www.actscom.com

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When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2005-2023 ACTS International

[dyketrewho]

Rose Tyler running away with the Doctor makes perfect sense.

And I don’t blame Jackie or Mickey for being upset! But when we look closely at the events of the episode Rose, it’s so obvious why she decided to run away.

But let’s start with where she’s at in life. Rose left her schooling and never finished A levels because of a man, Jimmy Stone, who’s implied to be an older man (there’s more conclusive information in other media, but I’m just using the material in Doctor Who itself), and is no longer with him. This makes sense, she was a teenager and got together and gave up her schooling for an older man who probably didn’t want to be with her long term, but that limits her options a lot.

She’s together with Mickey, who happens to also be a good bit older than her. As written in canon, Rose is 19 at the start of Doctor Who and Mickey is 24. When she was together with Jimmy Stone, Mickey was already done with secondary school and likely working. This doesn’t mean their relationship necessarily isn’t healthy, but it’s not a good place to start. Especially given her history of relationships with older men.

Then there’s Jackie. And don’t get me wrong, Jackie Tyler loves her daughter more than anything. But Jackie doesn’t exactly listen to Rose. She ignores and talks over her, and talks down to her quite a bit.

A good moment to look at to see Rose’s dissatisfaction with her life, there’s the scene of her and smooth Mickey (hereon referred to as Smickey) at dinner together. The conversation starts with her talking about options for her future. She could go back to school, find a new job somewhere, lots of options. At this point, she’s not thinking at all about her initial meeting with the Doctor! In fact, she’s kind of pointedly ignoring it as something weird as fuck and interested in just moving on with her life. She isn’t instantly in run away with this strange man mode, she’s trying to figure out her life from here on out. Then, Smickey brings him up. Rose’s response is: “Oh, sorry, were we talking about me for a minute?” Given the relationships she has around her and in her past, this says a lot. Rose isn’t listened to; Jackie loves her, but doesn’t seem like the type to listen to her a lot. Mickey likes dating her and she’s very close with him, but her reaction is to get defensive when he changes the subject. It implies she doesn’t get to talk about herself much, and that she doesn’t expect to be asked either.

So this is the environment the Doctor meets Rose in. Rose is 19, lost her stable job, doesn’t have someone who listens to her, and doesn’t have any equal relationship in her life. Her boyfriend is older, her mother is her mother, and she’s just lost one of her most grounding things.

Then Rose meets the Doctor. He saves her life, which definitely wins points, but afterwards when she pushes, he answers her. He resists her, sure, but when she really asks about what’s going on, he tells her. Straight up tells her the information and that her life is in danger and why she can’t go to anyone about it. And then — crucially — asks her if she’s okay. He not only tells her important information, he checks in about her feelings! He doesn’t perfectly continue this trend, but she’s being consulted about what’s going on.

He saves her life again from Smickey at dinner, and she runs off with him, and he’s trying to figure out what to do, and she contributes. She helps him figure out the transmitter issue. She saves his life in turn in the end by defeating the Nestene Consciousness, but when she points this out, the Doctor thanks her! He genuinely acknowledges her contribution as an equal even if he started smug about the whole thing.

So Rose, 19, feeling like she’s never listened to, meets an alien with a magic travel machine who listens to her and acknowledges her contributions. Not to mention he’s handsome.

Is it any wonder she ran away?

[bukojuiice]

—  genshin boys + their little sibling trying to get the two of you together

ೃ ft. childe, albedo, and xiao x gn! reader (ft. klee, teucer, and qiqi)

ೃ tags: character description spoilers, cute sibling moments, headcanons + short drabble,  future friends to lovers. tooth-rotting fluff

ೃ 200 to 300 words per character.

ೃ genshin masterlist  ♡ mha masterlist  ♡ aot masterlist

ೃ note: if you enjoyed this, please do reblog! and if you want to be a part of my taglist, answer this form! ♡

CHILDE:

-  “(Y/N)! Did you know that not only is big bro the greatest Toymaker in Snezhnaya, but he’s also the greatest love machine in Snezhnaya!?”

- Teucer wholeheartedly believes that you’ll end up with Childe in the future. It’s set in stone. It’s fate. Periodt. Perioditiscm. Periodic Table.  As a little kid who continues to grow up reading Snezhnayan fairy tales, he believes that you and Childe will have your happily ever after.  Soon. Very Very soon. He’s already planning the wedding as we speak. A traditional Snezhnayan wedding in a winter wonderland where you and Childe will complete your wedding ceremony by making snow angels and commencing a snow ball fight? Perfection. Teucer has already scribbled down that plan with his crayons and his lucky pencil. Childe’s got the funds with his Fatui job too! So it was going to be perfect!

- He may not be as wholesomely creative as Klee or as obliviously innocent as Qiqi, but he at least understands why his big bro hasn’t confessed to you yet. (Although he promises to not deal with his crushes and love interests like Childe does in the future) “I want to take things slow with (Y/N), okay Teucer?” were the words of his very own big bro that constantly played in his head over and over again. Since then, Teucer vows to help Childe and soon becomes his self-proclaimed little wingman. He wasn’t being painfully obvious whenever you were around, but sometimes you notice him stare at his big bro indignantly. As if waiting for the older sibling to say something important to you. There was a time when his big brother isn’t too busy with Fatui work, so he drags him to Qingce village to pick and collect some glazed lillies. Not telling his big bro what it’s for, they quietly return to Liyue harbor. As soon as Teucer sees you walking around the harbor, he runs to you with the glazed lillies in his hand. 

“(Y/N)! (Y/N)! This is for you! Big bro picked these out!” He beams, probing you to take the messily wrapped bouquet in his hands. Childe running after him shortly after.

“Thank you, Teucer!” You gingerly take it from his hands and pat him on the head. You then avert your gaze to his older brother, smiling brightly. “Thank you to you too, Childe. These are beautiful.” 

 A faint blush appears on the harbinger’s cheek as he scratches the back of his neck, “It’s n-no problem! A lovely person such as you deserves a-” 

Childe is suddenly cut off by Teucer’s light nudge on his ribs. The older brother gulps, kneeling down to the little one’s height. Teucer whispers into Childe’s ear and they exchange a quiet conversation for a bit whilst you stand there, albeit awkwardly. 

Teucer clears his throat and stands in a dignified pose, his hands resting on his hips. “(Y/N)! Big bro has something to say to you!”

With a heavy sigh, he picks a Glazed Lily from the bouquet and slides it at the side of your ear and into your hair. Admiring your beauty, he then speaks: 

“(Y/N)... I like you a lot. Will you go out with me?”

Safe to say that both Childe and Teucer went home with the biggest smiles plastered on their faces that day.

XIAO:

- Qiqi is the only one who vaguely remembers which of the Liyue Adeptus saved her that fated day. It was none other than the Vigilant Yaksha, Xiao. After all, the incident that befell her was written off of Liyue history. Fast forward to 100 years later, after she had encountered Baizhu and started working at the Bubu Pharmacy, she had finally met the Adepti again after she stumbled upon him in Wangshu inn when she was collecting Silk Flowers. Since then, Qiqi has considered Xiao as her older brother. Not necessarily the word she used but Qiqi calls him “Tofu” as she cannot remember names nor faces, but... she does remember the presence and aura of others. It was the closest name she could use to address her “big brother.”

- Whenever Xiao saw her in the outskirts of Jueyun Karst as she is tasked to find herbs and Qingxin flowers, Xiao gives her piggybacks to ease her struggles in her travels. (Yes, that meant Qiqi is on his back whilst they are climbing up the highest mountains. It was a talent that only Xiao could do. He was the best big brother ever.) During your constant visits to Wangshu Inn, Qiqi had noticed the lovely tension emanating between you and Xiao. Her older brother was absolutely pining over you but couldn’t possibly find a chance to tell you how he feels. If Qiqi was able to feel love from those around her, then her big brother Xiao deserves it too! And although she was not good with conversations, she does know how to make things less awkward with her oblivious sayings and zombie antics. And so on a particular day...

Xiao took you up to Qingyun Peak, the floating island that overlooked the entirety of Liyue. Qiqi tagged along with the two of you, her hand holding yours as the three of you quietly admire the sites below you.

“Xiao, this is beautiful...” You say in awe, Qiqi is tugging at your hand as she continues to sip on her cocogoat milk. “This is nothing like I’ve never seen before.”

“Is it?” Xiao tilts his head to you, his mouth curving into a small smile as soon as he turns to see your blissfully bewildered expression, “I-I hope you like it.”

“Like it!? I love it!” You correct him, your eyes glimmering in wonder. 

Qiqi suddenly puts down her milk then untangles her hand with yours. She stands in the middle between you and Xiao as she grabs your hands and his, clasping them together. “Qiqi thinks you and Tofu love each other. Please get married.”

“Qiqi! That’s not-”

You chuckle heartily at the little girl’s innocent remark, “It’s too early for that Qiqi. I need to know first if Xiao returns the feelings I have for him.” You then look up at Xiao, a tight-lipped smile and a nod greets him as you wait for his answer.

“Y-yes. Yes I do. I like you very v-very much.”

ALBEDO:

- Practically everyone in Mondstadt knows about the adorable sibling relationship between Albedo and Klee. Despite not being blood-related, Albedo will do anything for Klee and Klee would do anything for Albedo. It’s common knowledge at this point. They are one of the cutest siblings to ever walk Teyvat and you’re smiling with glee knowing that you were a welcoming addition to their lives. Klee always invites you to their humble home whenever her big brother isn’t busy because that meant he had time to mingle and possibly find a chance for him to confess to you. It’s not rocket science for Klee to realize how much big of a crush Albedo had on you ever since he met you. She was a smart kid. And although nothing could get in the way of Albedo’s research and experiments, but if it’s for you... he would stop the world if it meant helping and assisting you whenever you were in need.

-Whenever her big bro wasn’t too busy to have dinner and they’d eat Woodland Dream (Albedo’s special dish) from the fish that Klee had bombed earlier that afternoon, the Chalk Prince would babble on and on to his little sister about how much of an amazing and beautiful person you are. You were his muse and he  hopes to find the time to sketch and draw you for his next masterpiece, Klee had decided to take matters into her own hands. When her time in Solitary confinement is done for the day and as Albedo picks her up from the Favonius Headquarters, she finally spots you in front of the library, sighing in relief as she has been looking everywhere for you. 

“(Y/N)! (Y/N)! She approaches you with a cute wave, jumping around and hoisting her backpack on her shoulders, “Me and Dodoco wanna invite you to our drawing and coloring competition! It’s tonight! Big bro Albedo is competing too! You have to be our judge!”

“Oh! Sure! I’d love to be the judge of your competition, Klee!” You giggle at the little girl’s sweet invitation. You then turn to Albedo, shooting him a smile too. “I guess I’ll see the both of you at 7PM?” 

“Yes, of course.” Albedo nods approvingly, trying his best to keep his cool and proper facade. “If you’d like, we’d love to have you for dinner too.” 

“Sure! See you later, then!” You disappear into the library, to continue your work. 

Klee looks at her big bro with a devilish smirk, wrapping him in a big hug. “I hope you’re excited for this, big bro!”

A blush creeps up Albedo’s cheeks as he sighs contentedly, “Yes, I am. Now, let’s get home and get things prepared shall we?” 

And on that night....

“TADA!” Klee playfully presents her artwork to you, as if it was a masterpiece that deserves to be shown in a gallery. You begin to analyze her drawing, noticing that it was an art piece of you, Albedo, and Klee holding hands. You are in the middle and there are hearts drawn around the caricatures of you and her big brother. 

“I’m done too.” Albedo says nonchalantly, trying to get your attention. You turn to him and began to analyze it. It’s practically the same drawing as Klee’s but much more detailed and looking more like it actually came from a gallery. Observing it a little more, you observe the words hovering about the drawing figures.

“(Y/N)... I like you. Is it possible for something to happen between us?”

taglist:  @mignonextte @inlovewithadeptusxiao @duhsies @qimiie @kozu-zumi @volleybloop @latteshinsou @catgirlkomi @reaped-winnower @monaa @dibhachu @sugurus-princess​ @midnightangelfox​ @call-me-moonflower

[inknopewetrust]

Like a Rolling Stone

summary: Eddie gets interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine. [wc: 2k] warnings: giving Eddie the interview of his dreams, very slight eddie x reader but its brief (no use of y/n or you, gender neutral terms), language. quick links: Masterlist

Turning the World Upside Down: Fame, Metal, and Roots with Eddie Munson.

Article written by: Stan Carmichael

Photos taken by: Lisa Erickson-James

The record that Eddie Munson has precedes him.

On a cold Wednesday morning in New York City, I sat across from the man who helped make Corroded Coffin become a household name. Metal retaking its place as a genre of substance—both in lyricism and musicality—and transcending the boundaries of what music has been. In the corner of the room his agent [Bill Philips, WMD] sat talking on the phone booking venues in Spain as the band prepared for their second European Tour.

At first, I observed the guitarist with a cautious eye. His nervousness unmasked; a production assistant fumbled with the microphone in their own anxious haze. After a few seconds, the assistant nearly clipped the skin underneath Munson's dress shirt and grew as red as a tomato, yet the guitarist brushed it aside. He gave them a kind smile and I knew then and there that the image of “Eddie Munson” was different from the man.

Born in Hawkins, Indiana in 1966 to parents Helen and Paul, Munson’s childhood was far from average. Prior to the town becoming infamous with the Four Paths Earthquake of ‘86, Munson’s mother passed when he was seven and his father was funneled in and out of prison after that. He moved in with his uncle, Wayne Munson, who helped raise a budding musician with an interest in fantasy and automobiles [Wayne noted in a letter he sent Rolling Stone that he was certain Eddie would have become a mechanic if he had a bit of practice, but he could never get him off the guitar]. Munson ran a Dungeons and Dragons Club during his high school years which labeled him an outcast—a lable which he now wears proudly with the members of his band.

When he finally graduated from high school [after three failed attempts], Corroded Coffin fled for the west in an attempt to find work as an up-and-coming metal band and with a stroke of luck, their first gig performing before Whitesnake led them to meet their band manager who signed them with Warner Music in 1988. Since that year, the band has only grown and with that, Eddie Munson has become an enigma. Millions of people swoon over his dark eyes and hair, scream the lyrics of their songs until their vocal cords go silent, and question why they don’t know more about the man who shreds their favorite solos?

The enigma of Eddie perplexed me. He had a record—breaking and entering, theft, and one instance of grand theft auto—but talking with him made me realize that any normal person would not know such a thing had it not been exposed in a salacious article four years ago. Munson was timid, a bit shy when I asked about his origins in Hawkins and the legacy that it’s had on adulthood; joyous when I recalled the infamous ‘89 World Tour; and reflective on the friendships and relationships he’s maintained over the years. As he prepares to turn thirty this coming year, I asked Munson about the future of Corroded Coffin, his personal life, and the wishes he hopes to have achieved by the time he is ninety [an age seven year old Eddie never had fathomed could be reached].

Take me to 1988. Corroded Coffin had just been signed their first record deal, a tour was already planned, and radio stations across the country were playing your first single, ‘Mistress of Ghosts.’ What was that like for a couple of kids from the Midwest?

It was strange [Eddie laughed, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck]. Fame is a complicated monster in its own right, so for us, these… nobodies from Hawkins to be thrust into the spotlight and respected in a community that we loved so much was really special. I remember Bill [Philips] said that we would never be prepared for what was going to happen. He was right. I’m not entirely sure we’ve ever grown accustomed to it.

Fame is a monster.

A scary one. It made our hometown like us when at one time, they called the cops every weekend when we’d practice at Gareth’s [Miller, drums]. Now our songs play on the radio and when we visit, they smile and ask for handshakes. When I was sixteen all the mother’s would rather burn their hands then shake mine.

Hawkins wasn’t the best town for an emerging metal band to start in?

Oh, hell no. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.

In previous interviews you’ve mentioned the close group of friends that supported you living your dream. Are they the ones running the Corroded Coffin fan club in Hawkins?

[This is where I knew Munson had become comfortable. His smile lit up at the mention of the people he considered close enough to be family] No, they’re not but in the states that they do live, they have all of our records. The whole lot of them have given us more support and faith than anyone else. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have made it.

Were any of them members of your Dungeons and Dragons Club?

Some and they're very proud about that. We still play when we’re not touring. Every Christmas we get together and hold a massive one-shot that fulfills the void while there is no campaign. I think this Christmas we’ll be in Seattle with a pair of newlyweds—so it should be interesting adding a new player.

No time for anything else when your touring?

Just the menial things in life. Keeping in touch with people, doing press, deals and endorsements. I went to the MET Gala this year and I was so out of my league that I don’t think I’ll ever go back. A bit too fancy for my taste.

[Munson attended the Gala as part of Gianni Versace’s invited guests. He wore a three piece suit that had the only flare of metal in the entire museum]

But we try to make time for what is important. It’s what keeps us sane and willing to write more. You can’t write music if you don’t experience life.

Experience is what drives music.

Something I’m a firm believer in, yeah. I write what I know. If I didn’t, everything would be artificial and no one would connect with it. Even with all the noise, we’re still storytellers that want good stories to come across in our music and, dare I say it, it’s what sells people on our records, albums.

Your album ‘Saga Nether’ led you to win a Grammy in 1993. It is not often that a metal band wins major categories but Corroded Coffin did. How?

It’s anyone’s guess, man… all I know is that I have a Grammy sitting on a bookshelf in my house and it’s a great paperweight.

Hawkins is not the town you call home anymore. You settled into a house outside of Los Angeles a couple years ago so, asking as a native Californian, how do you like it? Is it better, worse?

Better. A million times better.

No raging anti-music police banging at your door?

Hasn’t happened yet. If it did, I think my dog would chase them away. She likes the music.

Arwen.

She's the perfect dog, Stan.

Named after The Lord of the Rings character.

Does it show how much of a nerd I am? She doesn’t care that I’m famous. I’m her dad and if I don’t feed her at a specific time everyday, she’ll sit on the floor and stare at me, no matter what I am doing, until I look at her. She knows she’s spoiled.

The fans of Corroded Coffin are always looking to know more about you, about all of you. What is something you can tell me about Jeff [Daniels, Electric Guitar]?

Jeff? Oh, man… [Munson thought long and hard about this question] He had braces twice. And I think he’ll need them again.

And what about you? What is something that no one knows about Eddie Munson?

There’s a lot of things they don’t know.

Favorite song? We’ll start easy.

Master of Puppets. Is that a cliché now? I know it’s popular.

Favorite color?

Black. No, blue! Maybe red? I like them all.

Madonna or Blondie?

One, do you want me to end my career early? And two, how can a man choose?

Favorite movie?

It would be untruthful to say it wasn’t Rocky Horror… but I have a soft spot for Aliens.

Aliens?

Sentimental value.

First love?

Absolutely connected to that movie [Munson blushed like a school boy. His dating life is one subject of curiosity among fans]

Is it difficult to maintain a love life when touring and obligation keep you away from home?

Not if you have a partner who is willing to understand the circumstances of the job. They don’t have to be part of the industry to get the gist of things but if they can at least pretend to walk a minute in my shoes, it works out just fine.

So, do you want to give fans hope?

Hope that they can walk a mile in my shoes?

That Eddie Munson is looking for love?

Love never left the summer I saw Aliens at my local theater. I’ve been very lucky. It’s not been easy—especially in those early years of financial and success uncertainty but I got very lucky.

They’re not in the spotlight?

No. We keep things simple. When I’m home, it’s as though nothing is out of the ordinary. I talk about my day like any other man does and they tell me about theirs. We have a dog, a fish now too actually. There is nothing I like more than remembering I’m not the image I put on when I’m on stage. It’s still me but also not me, does that make sense.

Yeah. Like an alter-ego of sorts.

Exactly. When I walk through the door, they humble me real quick. All of them, my friends, family… sometimes I don’t think they care I ever won a Grammy or that I’m being interviewed by Rolling Stone [that was a joke. Munson mentioned after the cameras rolled that his friends were very excited about this].

What’s next for Eddie Munson? You have a dog, a fish too. A partner, a house, a band that is growing every year and rumors of a biopic being conceived by filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Where is life taking you?

All of what you said sounds absolutely nuts. Could you imagine having a movie made about your life and someone like Tom Cruise or whoever could play you!? I don’t know if it’s still in the works, but I want to be a part of it if it happens.

Noted. I’ll let Mr. Spielberg know.

We’re working on a new album that will be out next year. I won’t give anything away but I’m very proud of it and think people will like it. As for everything else, I don’t know… I’ll take what life gives.

Kids? Marriage?

If those are in my cards, I wouldn’t say no to them.

If you could tell ten year old Eddie one piece of advice, what would it be?

Just fucking go for it, kid. None of it matters in the end. If you do what makes you happy, that’s the best reward.

Keep playing D&D, blaring music from a stereo?

Absolutely. If it keeps you sane, keep on with it. You're a child for less time than you are an adult, so there shouldn't be this stigma that enjoying games or rocking out to music in your living room is a ridiculous thing.

What about ten years ago? What would you say to Eddie at twenty?

There's a lot I would say to Eddie at twenty.

Be prepared?

Probably everything will be okay. Twenty was a difficult year and it was hard to see the other side of it sometimes, but I had these little sheep that looked up to me and knew that everything would be fine in the end. Two years later my life moved in a much different direction so without those years of struggle, I don't think my resolve would be as strong.

In hindsight, struggle is not always as bad as it seems.

In the moment, it feels awful. But if anyone can get through it, the resolution is rewarding–especially when you have a good, loving circle around you.

And if you could ask ninety year old Eddie one question, what would it be?

Ninety? I don’t know if all the drugs I used to do would like to hear that I’m going to live that long but if I do, shit…

I guess I’d ask if he was happy with the life he chose? And I’d hope that answer was a resounding, unwavering yes.

This interview was conducted on 14 November 1995 at the Rolling Stone Headquarters in New York City. Corroded Coffin’s new album ‘Sins of My Father’ releases on 21 March 1986 with preorders beginning 1 March 1986. A special thanks to Eddie Munson, Bill Philips, and the team at Warner Music for organizing this interview.

[junikicker]

A Love That Lasts - Bellatrix Lestrange x fem!reader

A love that lasts – Bellatrix Lestrange

pairing: Bellatrix Lestrange x fem!reader

Summary: Your secret partner, Bellatrix Lestrange dies in the final battle. Knowing you cannot interfere with the destiny of either Harry Potter or The Dark Lord, you decide to avenge her with killing someone else...

warnings: mention of torture, death, mention of emotional abuse and i think that’s it

a/n this is the firs piece i wrote so no hate pls. send in requests if u want

It had been quite a while since the final Battle at Hogwarts and you were happy that you won. You really were but there was one thing that, when you thought back to that day, made you sadder than anything in your life ever did. Losing her.

Losing her was the worst thing that ever happened to you and you had been through a lot. The Dark Lord had tortured you and he had tried everything to get to Harry. You weren’t particularly a friend of Harry but you knew better than to tell him where the boy was. You knew the future written wouldn’t be happening if you were to spill. And when he decided you weren’t worth any more of his precious time, he sent her. Bellatrix Lestrange. Sister to Narcissa Malfoy. Wife of Rudolphus Lestrange.

She was intimidating. Even more than the Dark Lord himself. But you kept your mouth shut about that towards him. Around her on the other side, you did not even bother to put a filter to your mouth. “Have you ever considered taking revenge on him?” Was the first words you spoke to her after she had circled you for solid ten minutes. “Who?” The raven-haired woman asked.

“The Dark Lord. We both know that if you were the one holding the reins, we’d be in a much different situation right now.” You spoke, avoiding to look her in the eyes. Even though you thought of her as intimidating, it did not mean you couldn’t see the pain behind her eyes. The facade she kept up. The fake smile, her voice. You could read her like an open book.

“And what do you think this situation would look like? - If I were to be The Dark Lord?” She asked clearly interested in your thought process as she stepped closer towards you.

You were put up against a pillar made out of cold stone. The fabric of your clothes already full of holes due to your back rubbing against the pillar when he tortured you.

You smirked. “You tell me.” You offered, cocking an eyebrow at her in an attempt to make her think of how powerful she could be if she wanted.

“Hmm. Let’s see. How about a throne? A big throne. Everyone would fear me. I’d reign over every which and wizard there is. Only one would be the one to reign over me.” Bellatrix brainstormed while playing with her curls. “And who would that be? Rodolphus?” You inquired, blowing a strand of hair out of your face.

“Merlin, no! No man shall ever! And clearly not Rodolphus! I’m thinking more of a queen on my side, next to me on the throne.” Hell, she did not seem to like her husband. “Why not Rodolpus?” You pushed further.

“Because.” She hissed. “He isn’t worthy. He never was and he never will be. It was all arranged from the beginning. Mother wanted me to marry wealthy and now see where this has gotten us.”

That day was somehow the best of your life, looking back at it. That day was the day you met her. The woman who turned out to be the love of your life. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. You were still against The Dark Lord and she was convinced she must help him. You tried and tried. You tried to turn her and she tried to turn you. It was an up and down and down and up. But in the end, everything stayed as it was.

There were times when you weren’t fighting. Those were your favorite. Times when in winter, you would secretly meet up and spend a weekend together, doing things that every regular couple did. It was your favorite thing when the two of you were being domestic. When you would sit at the fireplace of a small house in the forest, cuddled up and reading a book to the other. You would cook together and have snowball fights. It was all so perfect. And then it all started.

The final Battle: Dumbledore’s Army against the Army of The Dark Lord. Good versus Evil. Bellatrix had always been a confident woman. She would always run into the fire rather than away from it so she threw herself right into a fight with Molly. You were only a few meters away, fighting one of the other Deatheaters but it was the wrong time. If you were in front of her instead of Molly, you might have been able to give it all a last try. To try to convince her that she didn’t have to do all this. She didn’t have to help Him. But it was no use. You saw how Molly was stronger than her and you threw a last spell at the Deatheater in front of you, knocking them out.

Then you ran over to Bellatrix. “Bella! You don’t have to do this!” You screamed at the top of your lungs, trying to make her hear your voice over the sound of all the other people crying out in pain or yelling at their opponent.

The witch’s eyes met yours. “I will always love you, Y/n. I’m with you!” She shouted back and that was it. Molly’s spell hit her and suddenly she was gone. Not even her body was left. You sank to your knees. Molly was already fighting the next Deatheater coming her way and didn’t notice you falling to your knees, hands covering your face as you gave in in the fight against your emotions.

That was it. You were going to kill someone who had something to say. Knowing that Severus was already dead, you thought of the next best person on the other side. You knew that The Dark Lord was meant to be killed by The Boy Who Lived, and you couldn’t interfere with his great destiny. So the Deatheater of your choice was: Lucius. You never liked him. He was a false snake, always threatening people in order to get his son to be successful.

You knew better than anyone that Draco could get what he wanted just well without his father’s help. And that he wasn’t always this cold, arrogant boy. Like Bellatrix, he had put up a facade in order to fit into the role the Malfoy’s wanted him to play. They treated him like a puppet. Maybe even like a dog or a house-elf. You also knew that if Lucius were to die, Draco would finally be able to live without the pressure provided by his family. As Narcissa was Bellatrix’s sister, you knew very well that she was forced to marry Lucius just as the raven-haired beauty you had called the love of your life had been forced to marry Rodolphus Lestrange. Simply for the reason to marry wealthy and keep the bloodline clean.

You stormed your way out of the castle, knowing you would find Lucius outside with some other of the most loyal Deatheaters. You were also more than sure that Rodolphus would also be there. You had never seen him in your life. Not even on pictures. Not that you would have wanted to see the face of the man that was married to the love of your life.

You stepped through the large wooden doors onto the court. “Lucius Malfoy!” You yelled and suddenly all the eyes were on you. The tall man turned around, his cold eyes locking onto yours, his expression just as cold as his eyes.

“The destiny of The Dark Lord might be written, but yours, Lucius Malfoy, is not. You are going to pay for everything you did. To your son, your wife. To everyone you ever hurt in any way!” You shouted, walking up closer to the man.

Another man with darker hair tried to step in front of Lucius. “No, Rodolphus. This is not your fight. This is all mine.” He ordered the man to step back. So that was Rodolphus. Perfect. The man you were going to kill and the husband of the love of your life.

Lucius stepped forward. “How dare you say that I am hurting anyone I love! I am protecting them from people like you. Mudblood!” He hissed.

“Because I know that you do. I have seen with my own eyes how much pressure you put on your son. How your wife cries herself to sleep when you are on yet another mission. Lucius, you are so focused on helping The Dark Lord that you have completely forgotten about what it takes to be a father. To be a husband.” You explained to him. To the average eye, it might have looked like you were about to convince him to be a better human, but your plans were carved in stone. You were going to kill him. And if it was the last thing you did. At least you would be reunited with her again.

Lucius raised his wand. “Don’t you dare say another word, Mudblood! Confringo!” The spell left his lips but you were quick to fight it off. “Oh, Lucius. My parents may have been ordinary people. But they were better parents than you could ever be! Locomotoer Mortis!” The spell rushed towards Lucius faster than he would have imagined it and it hit him straight in the stomach, suddenly his legs were frozen and he struggled to stand upright. Though with the stick up his ass you would have imagined it would be easy for him to stand straight.

You walked closer to the taller and much older man. He raised his wand carefully as you walked over, trying not to fall in the process and he shot another spell towards you, which you dodged with ease. The recoil of the spell made the blonde man lose his balance and eventually fall to the ground. The man you had learned was Rodolphus was tempted to step between you, but he didn’t. He knew he would be in trouble if he did.

You stepped closer and closer until you were above Lucius. Then you kicked his hand with your foot, making his wand fall from his hand. The foot that kicked the wand away was now placed onto the man’s chest. It was slightly moving up and down due to the heavy breathing on Lucius’ side. “Lucius, you have failed your boy. And you have failed your wife. Your family and now you are going to pay for it. Avada Kedavra!” You whispered the spell and all the life left the man’s body. Gasps from every side.

“She’s dead, Rodolphus.” You said as you lifted your food from the dead man’s body. The dark-haired man looked at you with a questioning face. You huffed. “Of course. You don’t care. You never did. She was your wife, Rodolphus! You are the reason she is dead. You made her become a Deatheater. You are the reason she is dead! You are the reason That I lost the Love of my Life. All that I wanted was a Love that lasts. If you hadn’t made her what she was, we would have been happy. If it wasn’t for you, she’d still be alive! You had absolutely no fucking right, to make her join the dark side. Maybe if you didn’t this all would have never happened!” You exclaimed, pure anger in your voice. Everyone was shocked. Either about how you had just killed one of the most loyal Deatheaters or how you had just accused Rodolphus Lestrange of the murder of his wife.

Tears were streaming down your face. But you kept your composure. You were not going to be vulnerable in front of them, no. Not even after what happened. You turned around and walked away.

[figmentof]

So the ‘eager to please’ biscuit spit choice was kind of an interesting one for me. Like obviously Rebecca isn’t seeing Ted in that way yet, that’s how slow burn works. But she’s also eating his biscuits, she knows damn well he’s eager to please (and how fabulous that is). She just hasn’t thought about it in that context and it takes her by surprise. And there’s really no reason for them to go so hard (no pun) on ‘ted is good in bed’ unless it’s going to be relevant!

If we’re talking directorial choices, please can someone come up with a platonic explanation for Rebecca fussing with her hair and jacket towards the end of the Xmas episode (literally the ep after the biscuit spit). Oh right there is none, she is flustered as hell and not sure why.

i might as well get "THE SACRED TEXTSPARALLELS" tattooed in block letters across my gotdang forehead but lest we forget that both Ted and Rebecca had sex on the same night (albeit with different people), the same day that was also the wedding anniversary of Rebecca's failed marriage AND the day Ted's divorce was finalized. it was written in the script (by the war criminal that is Jason Sudeikis) that even though Rebecca's was eyeing the attractive waiter, Ted was on her mind the entire time. i ask, once again, why these parallels? why does the show need to let me see the morning after and their various "walks of shame" of these two friends if not to subliminally imply something? no one goes that out of their way to showcase incompatibility between two people; that makes for an awfully dull and redundant story

Rebecca spitting out the biscuits could have so many different interpretations and like, none of them would be wrong? is she disgusted by this trivia about her gaffer/employee? that's possible. did she spit it out by surprise at the "this people pleaser's need to please extends to the bedroom"? yeah. did her mouth suddenly run dry at the fact that "oh wait Ted is indeed a man that has sexual needs!"? perhaps.

if you went to anyone else and told them Ted's really eager to please in bed, 99% of the response would be "oh ew gross why tf did you feel the need to tell me that?!" so in my opinion, it isn't solid enough of evidence to use as an argument against Ted/Rebecca. and just like you said anon, Rebecca doesn't see him that way yet, mostly because.... she's his boss, her revenge plot (albeit already in shambles) is still going, and she was, and still is, the only person who saw him at his most vulnerable having a panic attack. she's not Keeley who gets off on her man crying lmao but even that is played for comedic effect of how Roy's usually so stoic that him being emotional is refreshing

LET US TALK ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS EPISODE. let us talk about how given two extra episodes that a holiday rom com inspired Christmas episode is what Jason and co. decided to give us

let us talk about parallels yet again (triple edition): Leslie and Julie showcasing how their healthy and happy 25+ years of marriage has created such a warm and safe space that the players all want to be there because they make them feel at home (a future all couples should strive to have); Roy and Keeley as an established couple showcasing how good of parents they'd be through Phoebe (next stop: marriage); Ted and Rebecca as two lonely souls during a holiday of love and gathering, coming together to share a tradition that Rebecca used to do with her ex-husband that she knew would make Ted happy because it was an act of actively spreading love, thus showcasing how their core values are the same (next stop: kiss kiss fall in love 😌)

let us talk about how Rebecca throws stones at Ted's window like she's a teen boy in the '90s trying to get his crushes attention, and uses tinsels to spell out "HI TED" in direct response to his "HI BOSS" (everyone in Richmond Greens watching these two idiots chase each other like they're in a rom com 💀). Ted's "oh no should i change?" and Rebecca saying he "looks perfect" taking a page out of those guilty pleasure Hallmark holiday flicks. the end of the evening with them walking with zero (0) personal space between them and Rebecca's fidgeting with her coat lapel that isn't a single thread out of place while Ted has his hands in his pockets because you know these two want to h*ld hands but they can't yet but they wanna and like at some point their hands are gonna touch and we might as well get a 2005 Pride and Prejudice Mr. Darcy hand flex shot from one of them oh god oh fuck i'm fully feral now

but getting flustered after spending an entire day with a very lovely man is totes platonic behavior y'know