#HE LITERALLY IS NOT DOING ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!!!!

[dramadramallama]

Final thoughts and trying to organize my feelings around Heesu In Class 2.

It truly felt like a "regular," quality kdrama, except for one thing. One very important thing: two of the main characters are gay, and endgame. Like, I don't think we realize how unthinkable a (mainstream) Korean show like this was, just two or three years ago.

It might not be 100% faithful to the source material but it is 100% faithful to the story it sets out to tell. It had a clear direction from the start, hit the mark several times, and never lost sight of that finish line: @lurkingshan and @twig-tea put it very succinctly and pertinently when they said the drama had, respectively, "a legible narrative" and was "carefully calibrated."

On top of that, it has a great re-watch value with a lot of blink and you'll-miss-it details, and beautiful direction. A lot of care went into how the scenes are set up and shot and it shows.

I completely understand that some people might prefer a drama with a different, more "targeted" focus (i.e literally everything converging towards Hee-su narratively) but that doesn't mean anything else is automatically wrong/bad. I feel like you can find that elsewhere so easily; it's just not that kind of story. I also think it's such a restrictive way of looking at things... Gay romance does not need to be locked in the confines of your average BL. I don't want to watch the same arbitrary BL tropes being applied like it's the law. How boring. We finally have a high budget, high quality Korean drama with—I cannot stress this enough—A GAY TITLE CHARACTER that gets the same treatment a straight coming of age romance kdrama would... and I, for one, am delighted in, and celebrate the creative liberties they took. It was a risk, but it paid off.

It only feels like other characters take "too much space/time" away from Seung-won and Hee-su than they actually do because 1. the show has a longer runtime, and more episodes and 2. the show does not follow the "classic" boys love formula. Hee-su does not exist in a bubble where everything that happens happens only TO HIM. However what happens around him definitely serves to highlight his struggles, his fears, or his emotions in general. I'd go even further and say that not everything happening in relation to Hee-su has to be about Seung-won... Characters can exist outside of their love interests. It's one of the reasons the drama felt so well-rounded to me.

Hee-su is the hero of this drama, but the show does a wonderful job of reminding us the other characters are not NPCs, not puppets, not props. And they also are orbiting around their own centers, and that does not diminish Heesu's character or his relationship with Seung-won. In fact, the drama makes a point of underlining how extraordinary it is that they (tiny specks of stardust) could find each other (in the vastness of the universe).

I love metaphors and the cosmic theme threaded through the episodes was just the cherry on top. I don't want to focus too much on the criticism I've read for the show but I will admit that most of what seemed to rub people the wrong way is actually what made it special to me.

Yes, we get more perspective from different points of view, and we get to see the other characters struggle and grow up too, but the drama never loses sight of, or erase Hee-su. It's more like the narrative sometimes switches to a broader lens, and we have access to a wider spectrum of colors. Everything (Hee-su included) gets to feel more three dimensional. When ep1 and 2 aired, I said the show felt "full" but maybe a better way to put it would be that it's not flat.

I can argue about it ad nauseam, but the matter of the fact is Hee-su is The Main Character, and he's GAY, very GAY, and it's his story and his struggles being told. The actors did a wonderful job and made me feel so much. And it ends well!

It was lovely.

[actual-changeling]

we do not talk enough about the moment right before crowley puts his sunglasses back on. the "nothing lasts forever" is devastating and if you're like me your eyes were so full of tears you couldn't see the screen the first time you watched it (just like crowley, look at us all twinning in sadness!).

there is a shift that happens in his eyes and i think it is absolutely fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.

we begin with crowley averting his gaze from aziraphale's face and staring off into the distance instead, and you can see his spirit break. that crowley just lost the one thing in the world he cannot live without and we can see it written across his face like a neon sign.

then, as you'd expect, he gives into the need to cover up his pain, to try and make himself less vulnerable, and even before he lifts his glasses he looks down so aziraphale can no longer see his eyes.

now, the next part is what would not let me out of its grasp all day. we know it happens because of his demeanour afterwards and up until the kiss, but you can actually watch as crowley makes himself numb to the world.

i am intimately familiar with dissociation as a trauma and stress response, and while you can never fully control it, you do eventually find the switch in your mind that makes you snap back into the haze. crowley has had six thousand years to get really, really good at leaving reality behind when he needs and/or wants to.

that's exactly what he does.

he still looks sad, and yet there's just something distinctly distant in his eyes, the shift from openly heartbroken to "i don't want to feel any of this let me leave".

glasses? on

emotions? off

hotel? trivago

i have stared at those four frames more than any person probably should and i don't know if it's the light, if i am going insane, or if there is a single tear sliding out of his right (our left) eye. i'm probably insane and the light is a bitch so if anyone has some high resolution shots or anything that could answer that question without a doubt PLEASE do add it.

by now you are probably ready to threaten me with a knife in a dark alley but before you do that or drive your car off a cliff, let me tell you the best part:

aziraphale notices.

they might be communicating on two different frequencies but aziraphale knows crowley. he knows and loves him, and, most importantly, over the last few years he has gotten used to seeing crowley without his glasses. aziraphale could probably write a book on the expressions in his eyes alone and watches that shift happen and is devastated.

look.

he tries to make himself hope the same second, tries to convince himself crowley is putting on his glasses so they can leave together, but he knows.

aziraphale sees the light leave crowley's eyes, sees crowley leave, knowing that he is quite literally running away from him. you and me against the world, angel, but in that moment crowley firmly pushes him back to "the world" (or tries to, anyway).

the entire season we see crowley take off his glasses whenever he enters the bookshop to the point where he's running around without them on in broad daylight with jimbriel right there.

can you imagine how hurt and confused aziraphale must be?

because what crowley is telling him, if we really, really break it down, is that aziraphale is no longer a safe person for him. and repairing that trust is going to take time and work, no matter how much crowley loves him, how badly they love and need each other.

anyway to seal this off and really rub in the pain - how it started vs. how it ended. <3

oh one last thing: now crowley no longer has a single person he can be himself around, no one that knows him, no one he trusts. no one in whose presence he can take his glasses off.

and outside of the bentley and his own flat, he no longer has a place to do so either. the bookshop was theirs. with aziraphale gone, is it really a safe place anymore? is it somewhere he can just let himself be knowing he will be looked after and protected?

easy answer: no.

alright, off i go. see y'all on the next angst post or in the tags.

[soundop-central]

the megasoundopstarshock polycule exists for a reason

I need to know everything you HC with them stat

ive made two posts about them!! the initial introduction and the cuddle puddle

General Headcanons

The Soundwave Chaos Polycule (also known as the Soundwave Harem) exists less to explore Soundwave's relationships with each member, and more to explore the dynamics that each of the members have with each other

I think its very funny to make it that Soundwave is aware of literally everything that goes on between his partners (spymaster goes brrrr). He's like a scientist watching his ant colony interact. He's watching the bacteria grow in a petri dish. He's a wildlife conservationist studying a pack of wolves.

I cannot stress how much Shockwave hates Optimus and how much Optimus just wants to be his friend. Optimus will find him outside of work (he knows better than to disturb him in their home lab), sit next to him, and start yapping. OP yaps about anything and everything, usually about whatever archivist project he's working on. Shockwave could not be less interested. Sometimes, OP will start a friendly debate with Shockwave because that's the only way he can get him to conversate. Shockwave immediately tries to shut him down, but it never really works. They are in an eternal struggle.

Optimus is super monogamous. He supports Soundwave whole heartedly and is secure in their relationship. Still, he can't help but get a little jealous when Soundwave chooses to spend the night in someone else's berth when its his turn to have the 'Wave. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes Soundwave has a rough day and needs to sleep next to his fellow weird cryptid scientist. The next morning, Soundwave always makes it up to OP though through gestures like bringing him extra energon, giving him the Cybertronian equivalent of a massage, or with a morning frag. It's really up to Optimus as to what he gets. Soundwave is more than happy to do whatever he wants him to. What matters is that Optimus feels reassured, which he always does.

Megatron and Shockwave are very good...uh. its complicated? They honestly don't know either. Both of them are too weird about feelings to be able to put a label on their relationship. But they enjoy each other's company in all contexts. The tenderness that Megatron is capable of is not saved for Soundwave only. He often shares it with Shockwave; gentle touches, soft spoken praise, showing a genuine interest in his work. Shockwave, likewise, will give to Megatron in his own way. He occasionally will invite him into his lab for "intellectually stimulating exercises" in which really he just enlists Megatron to be his lab assistant for the day. He teaches Megatron about science and engineering, and Megatron high key loves it. He loves that Shockwave recognizes his intellect beyond his military prowess and poetic craftsmanship.

Starscream, on the other hand, has a strained relationship with both of them. Because it's Starscream. Starscream, quite frankly, thinks its funny to annoy them at this point. He will pull pranks on Shockwave, like breaking into his lab at night and moving everything slightly to the right, or hiding an inconspicuous tool. Shockwave doesn't even know about the latter until he actually needs the instrument, and then all hell breaks loose. Starscream will walk in a couple hours later, ask what's wrong, pretend to look for about ten minutes before magically finding whatever it Shockwave is looking for. Shockwave suspects him HEAVILY, but never has enough empirical data to accuse him.

Star is a little seductress too, so when he's feeling especially spicy, he will try to egg Shockwave on in all the right ways. They've spent so long doing this dance that Starscream knows exactly the right buttons and when to push them to get Shockwave in his berth. Though, usually, it's Starscream sitting on a lab table with Shockwave between his legs.

Star and Shockwave are also lab "partners". I use that term very loosely. It's more that they have separate labs that are adjoined by a small hallway and they occasionally run into each other. Sometimes they collaborate on projects. Star proves to actually be quite skilled at being professional, something that surprises Shockwave. 

Starscream and Megatron are...they sure are!! They still fight like cats and dogs, but there is a sexual tension there now (as if it wasn't always there). Starscream doesn't really prank Megatron like he does Shockwave. But, he also doesn't try to kill him anymore which is a megastar W. Soundwave insisted that they go to therapy before they were allowed to move in, and after a few years (human years, i like to think human years are like months to Cybertronians) they managed to work out the Major Issues between them. Still, there is no fixing their clash of personalities.

Still, Starscream and Megatron are charming, and a lot of times their fights look like a battle of wits. Whoever loses gets to top. I cannot stress this enough: they solve their problems by fucking.

Still, there are strangely sweet moments between them too. It feels wrong for everyone involved, but it happens.

Starscream and Optimus are BESTIES. They love going out on the town and doing things together. They'll grab brunch and go shopping. They'll go to the library. They'll go to parks and people watch. They do literally everything together. Optimus is a secret gossip, and Starscream LOVES tea, so during their brunches Optimus talks about office drama and Starscream punctuates with gasps and "oh no she didn't!"s accordingly.

I honestly dont have a lot of thoughts about the megop angle (im not a megop shipper), but i think its really funny if Megatron pined after Optimus and optimus acts oblivious. he knows that Megs is pining. He does not care. He has all he needs with Soundwave.

TL;DR theyre all gay, your honor

[spicyvampire]

Let's talk about Mark & his upbringing, mental illnesses, vampireness and emotions processing, can we talk about Mark & his upbringing, mental illnesses, vampireness and emotions processing, please I've been dying to talk about Mark & his upbringing, mental illnesses, vampireness and emotions processing all day

Putting this under read more cuz it go way longer than I planned, okay So

Part 1 : The only child curse

So last episode we learned that Mark grew up in similar ways to Tong but worst, only child, no mother, there really is only him and his dad (probably the people who occasionally visit the infirmary perhaps?) And Mark has been bedridden for so long no outside people can possibly know him (ep 3)

And this is what is way worst than Tong, cuz even if they stopped Tong from doing literally everything ever, at least he was always surrounded by people his age in the orphanage and at least he does have Tonkla (ep 3)

And while Tong feels betrayed right now, Miss Nuan was probably a warm motherly figure too, where as Mark had no one but his father and when he got turned into a vamp (and his dad died) he had no one but Khun Milf

Part 2 : Maybe the real curse was the depression we got along the way

This means multiple things, first of all, the loneliness and depression Mark is feeling as a vampire probably started way before he got turned aka since he was a sick human, it just was what he was used to, being bedridden for years, and it just got prolonged when his life also got prolonged because he knew nothing else (ep 3) (also lol so Mark was sick & frankly dying until he got turned into a vampire, Edward Cullen getting turned by Carlisle cuz he was dying of the Spanish flu anyone?)

Second of all, Mark was probably never properly socialized as a child or before he became an adult vampire, and I think we can all agree that while Khun Milf is a Mother figure for Mark, she is not exactly the poster person to help someone figure out what the fuck emotional processing is (which okay not her fault, alright, she has an entire vampire empire to run and children to grow for their golden blood 😤, go queen), and as a vamp, as he is basically Khun Milf's personal guard dog he doesn't really have friends either (ep 2)

Like Auntie Wan is there and would probably make for a better teacher for all of this emotion stuff but when you've always been a way, you aren't necessarily aware that something is wrong and u need to change it, and again Khun Milf has no advantage in Mark getting better (she got a bag to get, as is her Vampire Empress God Given Right), so I don't see her pointing him in that direction, except that by making him Tong's main guard, she kinda accidentally did?

Part 3 : The Bodyguard (1992) starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner

While since Mark got close to him the changes in Mark have been accelerating (thank you Tong and your fluids we are forever grateful), Guarding Tong has been changing Mark for a while now, emotionally I mean, and how I know this? First of all, the goddamn guitar (ep2)

Like yes it is important you dumbass, like I cannot stress enough how to guard Tong it was not necessary to give him gifts, like this isn't anywhere in the bodyguard handbook, in all those years watching over Tong, Mark genuinely took interests in Tong as a person (which is something Tong craves, because he feels like people consider him as a breakable object needing protection more than a person with an agency), and for someone who has no feeling for anything or anyone, that is a huge goddamn step towards caring for something/someone else, second of all the rose necklace (ep 1)

This fucking necklace, while it was given accidentally at first, is also a genuine gift for multiple reason, like obviously after ep 3 Mark gave that to Tong consciously and permanently, but when it stopped Mark dead in his Golden Blood Lust, it wasn't, and yet that necklace had became of symbol of who he protecting and caring for, so he could not hurt Tong any further

Part 4 : feelings vs vampire senses, unstoppable force vs immovable object (or is it more like hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby?)

So we've established Mark doesn't know how to process emotions or feelings, but the thing is, Mark does know what being a vampire is, he has been that for a while now, so when the emotional changes in Mark started being noticeable by Mark, there was a very huge fucking problem in the way

Tong, being the resident Vampire Tasty Fluids Fountain that he is, a fountain that Mark has sampled multiple times at that, is making it fucking impossible for Mark to differentiate between his feelings for Tong that are slowly growing stronger and the effect of those goddamn fluids on his vampire senses, so when Tong got angry, Mark could not tell why he cared so much about it and immediately blamed it on The Tong Fluids Intakes (ep 3)

But the thing is Mark does genuinely like Tong outside his duty as a vampire bodyguard & the delectable nectar of Tong's various bodily fluids (sweat, as the one that is the most recent), and we know this not only because of the gifts (see part 3), but also because Tong genuinely makes Mark laugh which we only see him do around Tong, and Tong brings out his sense of humor too

He wants to show Tong that he can really take cares of him, and want him to try new things (ep 3)

He also sees how sad Tong is to only be filming a video for Miss Nuan's birthday and immediately decides that he is taking Tong there to see her instead, he let Tong go back to the dorms and to Tonkla, after seeing how restless, bored and lonely Tong is with him and the fight in ep 3, because he thinks that's what Tong would like, even if he thinks Tong would be safer in the house with him

Again Mark doesn't need to be doing all of this, like his job IS to be a bodyguard that's all, but for some unknown reasons (to him at least, my eyes are wide open) he is doing his best so that Tong is comfortable and happy, because he likes seeing Tong comfortable and happy

[lovequartz]

where our fingers meet.

✵ pairing: town doctor!wonwoo x fiancee!reader

✵ genre: fluff!

✵ warnings: none

✵ word count: 701

✵ crush me in your arms give me a lovelier kiss, lover

✵ notes: yeah i am back with more of this couple <3 i literally cannot stop writing for them

the week before the wedding is stressful, and not for you but for your mother and sister. you are still trapped in somewhat of a daze, you can’t believe you’re getting married let alone who you’re getting married to. your sweet sweet wonwoo, you’re sure you must’ve dreamed him up for it is madness that a man so perfect exists. in thinking of your wonderful fiance you’re awash with a sense of longing that sits heavy in your chest. 

it’s been a little less than a week since you’ve seen him, due to all the planning madness your mother and sister have swept you up into. not to mention the fact that wonwoo had left town for a stretch to visit his parents and travel back with them so they could attend the ceremony. you wish you could’ve gone with him, to have a bit of privacy between the two of you before you were to become spouses. 

silas has been lovely as he usually is, but you suspect that he’s coming to understand that you won’t always be with him so he has been making sure to take up as much of your attention as he can. which is why he currently lays sprawled across your lap while he doodles on the edges of his math notebook, and the accompanying math textbook sits abandoned across the room near your bed. 

you run your fingers through his hair for a few passes, “i thought you promised your mother that you would have a page done by bedtime?” 

silas hums, you feel it against your thighs where his upper body is positioned, and he puts his pencil down and lays his head against his open notebook, “too sleepy,” he murmurs.

your hand moves from his hair to rub his back gently, it was just about his bedtime so the sleepiness was understandable. you leave him be and when you’re certain he’s asleep is when you tuck him into your futon, making sure the blanket covers him. gathering his things, you stack them neatly into a pile and set them near the door. 

as your nephew sleeps you busy yourself with getting ready for bed yourself, changing your day dress with your sleep gown, and running a comb through your hair. 

a few minutes into brushing you hear a faint knocking at your window, its seems too quiet to be actual knocking but doesn’t quite sound like the branches that sometimes scratch at it. you slowly make your way over, and try to peer out the spaces in the slats. after not really seeing anything, you carefully slide the window open just a crack and the sight you’re met with makes you gasp. 

“wonwoo?” you say in disbelief, staring wide eyed at your fiance that stands just outside. 

he gives you a shy smile, and rubs his hands together nervously, “sorry for the abrupt and unannounced visit.” 

you shake your head, still dizzy with disbelief. “what are you doing here?” 

“i wanted to,” he pauses as if embarrassed by his actions, and you notice how red his ears are, “see you.” 

your face heats up at his admission, and you stare silently at him for a few moments before telling him to stay put. assuring him that you would be right there.

you grab a shawl from your closet and throw it over your shoulders before quietly making your way out of your bedroom and out of the house. your slippers kick up loose rocks as you hurriedly round the corner to where your fiance waits. 

he smiles when he sees you, holding out a hand that you take as soon as you’re close enough. both your fingers weaving together seamlessly. 

“is everything okay?” you ask breathlessly, still a bit worried over this unannounced middle of the night appearance. 

his free hand comes up to cradle your cheek, and you melt as his thumb brushes across your skin. “everything is fine,” he replies, “i fear that a week without you is far too long for me to bear.” 

“wonwoo…” you mumbled, flustered over his words, “you could’ve called.”

he shakes his head with a grin, “and miss this lovely sight before me? never.”

notes: okay my lovelies thank you as always for reading and there will most likely be more of this couple from me! let me know what you thought <3

[cremdotexe]

Heard season 4 is coming back in July and suddenly boom, my demons are back.

Haven't drawn them in years though, so here's the sextuplets in my style, with my headcanons. More in-depth details under read more :D

Whenever I draw their full body, I'll go more into detail on those, but for now it's just the face and general stuff

Osomatsu

Doesn't do anything special with his appearance usually because 'I'm the original, I don't have to make the effort to stand out', and partially because he cannot be bothered to.

Literally just woke up like that, and doesn't really care. He'd wait for it to just go back to its usual style on its own, and somehow??? it works???

Have considered getting piercings after Karamatsu and Totty went to get theirs, but hasn't committed his mind to anything specific, and probably won't for a long time.

Karamatsu

Congratulations to my canon bisexual king.

Takes good care of his appearance, very clean-shaven, and intentionally style his hair and bangs. Shares some cleanser with Totty, who surprisingly let him because he's aware Karamatsu also wears make-up and 'you getting another acne breakout would be embarrassing for both of us'.

Have his brow pierced to accentuate it (and because he thought it looks cool). He also considers getting ear piercings, but is kind of nervous to because the first one hurts LMAO.

Puts on eye shadow, literally the most sparkly, shimmery, glittery one in blue, along with a little bit of eyeliner. Botched it the first few times, doesn't care, and is now really good at applying it. Said it's to amplify his beautiful eyes.

Choromatsu

The most put together appearance wise. He combs his hair and always keep it neatly trimmed. Still thinks about getting his hair dyed, but has been afraid of going there again ever since The Incident.

Have short sighted vision and needs glasses, however, doesn't actually wear them very often. Usually, he'd just live with his vision being slightly blurry, but also have contact lenses and back up glasses, just in case.

Refuses to get any kind of piercings or tattoos specifically because he wants to appear as professional as possible.

Ichimatsu

Definitely care the least about his appearance. Does not comb his hair at all and leave it messy pretty much everyday, and unlike Osomatsu, his hair will stay like that.

Rarely shave. So much so that even though the brothers were already not very hairy to begin with, he still have stubbles around his jawline.

Have eyebags because he is a light sleeper and is prone to getting woken up late at night, usually because one of his brothers being noisy or snoring. Even on nights he's well-rested, his eyebags simply will not go away.

Jyushimatsu

Although hard to tell, his hair is a little longer than his brothers. He doesn't take care of it much necessarily, he just doesn't trim it as often.

Will often have a bandaid plastered onto his body, sometimes face, from sliding on the floor outside for baseball and not being careful enough. (I actually forgot to add this oops).

Has intermittent hypertropia, a type of upturned cross-eyedness that happens when he's particularly stressed or tired about something. He doesn't actually know what this is called though.

Todomatsu

Really enjoy accessories, so constantly wears hats, hair clips, etc. Eventually, when he found out Karamatsu was planning to go get his brow pierced, Todomatsu decided to tag along to get his ears pierced too.

Takes extremely good care of himself, the best at this of all his brothers. A lot of the money he have saved is for his 7 steps skin care routine and face masks. Combs his hair, but only enough to be cutely neat.

Uses mascara to make his bottom lashes more prominent. Sometimes uses eyeliner as well, but not as often, since he prefers to be more subtle with his make-up.

[rentenwins]

silly little excuses (newneighbour!leehan x reader)

masterlist link | next chapter

synopsis: the boys catch onto what's happening. with a ittle jab and detective skills, and nothing that the ever-so-helpful taesan would do anything about it...

content: banter banter and banter!!, the bnd members <3, mild cursing, a lot of dialogue tbh, descriptions of food eating, taesan is a schemer ong, taesan and sungho are a cheeky duo, a very clueless jaehyun, woonhak n riwoo mention!!

a/n: this one is goofy... calm before the storm trust me on this one pls. if you would like to be part of my taglist to get notifs on a new chapter, please send an ask in my inbox <3 my updates are not the most consistent apologies :( but thank you for sticking around nonetheless!

wc: 1448

taglist: @haechology @jenuinne @saintriots @badaspookie @yveol @yunextdoor @lailols @rawrbamgyu @amarecerasus @pandorahearts19 @luvvhaerin

chapter 3: i got a plan

“Bro, I’m being so serious.”

“Proof or it didn’t happen.”

“I LITERALLY CANNOT SO JUST TRUST ME ON THIS ONE.”

Jaehyun seethes at Sungho across from him. The boys were at their usual outdoor cafe table, just outside the university. It was a miracle that they would get the same table almost every week.

“Woah, woah slow down. What’s going on?” Taesan suddenly appears and nudges Sungho to make room for himself at the table.

“Sungho’s not believing a word I say—“

“Believe it or not, it’s quite easy to.” Taesan replies nonchalant before Jaehyun gets a chance to defend himself.

“Oh my god, Taesan I will kick your ass.” Jaehyun groans while Sungho almost chokes on his drink and Taesan smirks.

Jaehyun was observant, but he was amazingly dense too. He was intelligent, but a bit too much speculation causes an inability to recognise the obvious in front of him. This was one of those cases.

After you had left Leehan’s place that evening, Jaehyun went over to Leehan’s to drop off dinner from Sungho since he hadn't had the time (or the budget really) for his grocery shopping just yet. So Jaehyun, the loving friend he was, kept the boy company for the evening while he was at it.

Sungho turns to Taesan, “Jaehyun said he found one of y/n’s containers in Leehan’s kitchen. So now he’s a little curious as to how it magically made its way there.” Jaehyun had oftentimes teased you for your mismatching containers, and the one he saw in Leehan’s apartment was definitely yours. Who else would’ve owned a container with a Pororo lid?

Taesan scoffs, “Y/n probably made cookies like she did last time for us. Remember that?” Sungho squints at Taesan before he remembers, “OH! THOSE! That makes a lot more sense.”

Jaehyun waves his arms dramatically in front of Sungho and Taesan. “Hello? What am I missing? Am I suddenly chopped liver to you all?”

“You know? Y/n’s cookies? The ones they make every now and then?” Sungho says, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jaehyun looks like he’s been smacked across the face. “Why do I not know of this? What cookies are you two on about?”

Taesan rolls his eyes. “It’s y/n’s thing. They probably made them for Leehan since he just moved in and whatnot. Nothing too out of the blue.” Taesan nonchalantly says as he eats a cracker from his bag.

Just as Jaehyun was about to protest about his apparent lack of knowledge, a silent ‘yo’ came from beside him as the figure makes himself comfy in the chair beside Jaehyun.

“Speak of the devil…” murmurs Jaehyun as he leans back in his chair, not loud enough for Leehan to hear but enough for Sungho to almost choke on his drink again. Leehan feels the stares on him as he opens his little blue container of… cookies? Dipped with chocolate?

You loved making cookies for your friends, and Taesan knew it was a way for you to blow off steam. One time last semester, during submission week, you were so stressed that you stress-baked three batches of chocolate cookies and gave a whole load of it to Taesan and Sungho. Taesan had so much he had to give some to his other neighbours, Woonhak and Riwoo, just so they'd still be enjoyed fresh.

And yet, with all the baking you've done, Taesan has never seen chocolate dipped cookies since the day Woonhak started senior high school. It wasn't long ago, but you had sworn that they were 'too messy' and you were 'never going to do it again unless it was as special' as that day.

“Aha!” Jaehyun leaps from his seat, other tables turn to look at Jaehyun’s unwarranted reaction as Leehan almost drops the cookie he had just bit into. Leehan’s bewilderment was understated: he stared at Jaehyun, then at Taesan and Sungho looking amused at his container of cookies. Sungho elbows Taesan and he slaps him back.

“Is there something on my face?” Leehan murmurs, and when no one gave him an answer he took a bite of the cookie. He looks at Jaehyun, who finally sat back in his seat after his mini freakout. Sungho swears he could see stars form in Leehan's eyes as he chewed the sweet treat.

“So y/n’s baking isn’t bad huh?” Sungho breaks the silence, Taesan barely suppresses a smirk next to him.

“Yeah!” Leehan replies enthusiastically, not quite looking up at Sungho. There was a smile that reached his eyes as he spoke, “these really remind me of these butter cookies I used to have back in Busa— wait, y/n?”

This time, Taesan actually laughs. Jaehyun looks on, confused. Leehan turns red, “Hold on... how'd you know it was from y/n?”

If he was an outsider, Sungho would think this mini interrogation was too much. But alas, what’s a little friendship without a little jabbing here and there?

Sungho shrugs and sits back in his chair, “Eh, just a little hunch.” Taesan lightly smacks Sungho's arm.

Frankly, Leehan was stunned and didn’t know what to say. So he did what any other person would do and continued to eat his little cookies and scrolled through his phone. Though the redness in his ears never really went away.

Why did he blush when Taesan and Sungho mentioned your name? I mean, the cookies were good.

“Jae, you good bro?” Taesan eyed the uncharacteristically quiet boy next to Leehan, who seemed to be staring at Leehan’s (read: your) cookies. Jaehyun looked at Taesan, then Sungho, then the cookies again before his eyes went comically wide.

“OH I GET IT NOW!” Jaehyun says a bit too enthusiastically again as he pretends to smack his head with a closed fist, eyes squinted as he finally realised why they were teasing Leehan in the first place.

Taesan couldn’t help but remain bemused as he looked at Leehan, almost apprehensive in giving Jaehyun one of his cookies.

“Hey, don’t give me that look,” Jaehyun playfully shoves Leehan, “just one cookie I promise! y/n’s your neighbour, she could probably make some for you anytime!”

“Then why haven’t they given you any, Jae?”

“Shut up, you nerd!”

———

It was a given that interior design was a pain. Yet here you are, studying interior design in university, where your budget was blown for art supplies, and throwing your pride away so you could walk down the street with unnecessarily large poster boards under your arm.

“So where are my cookies?” is the first thing you hear when you stop at the stoplight on your way back home.

“Your what now?” is your reply to Taesan, who was at the stoplight before you were. You were too checked out from a long day of classes to realise it was him standing there. You threw him an incredulous look.

“Cookies? Butter cookies? Seriously, I didn’t even know you made those. And the chocolate? You hate washing dishes and yet you decide to go the extra mile and dip the damn cookies in the chocolate.” Taesan drawls teasingly in a way that he knew pissed you off the most. You roll your eyes,

“If you’re talking about the cookies he made Leehan, then yes. I made him some damn housewarming cookies dipped in chocolate. You know, get him settled. What’s the deal?”

Taesan laughs a little as he reminisces the scene at the cafe earlier, “He brought some with him today and it was the happiest I’ve seen him. Probably ever, if I’m being real. Or maybe since he's moved here.”

You glance at Taesan before failing to suppress your laugh, “Nice try. Taesan, if you’re trying to do what I think you’re trying to do—“

“Woah, woah! Who said anything about me? I’m just relaying you… some… important information. You know, maybe... to your benefit" He stage whispers the last few words.

“What’s so important about my cookies then?” This is going nowhere. You have never wanted that damn stoplight to turn green so badly in your life.

“I got a hunch. A big one. I suggest you take my advice if you want this to go… somewhere.” And with perfect timing, the stoplight turns green and Taesan walks off.

A hunch? My cookies, neighbour, Leeha—

“Taesan!" The board under your arm almost slips when you take a step forward, " Get bac—my god, we live in the same building. Come back here!”

Taesan decided you suddenly didn’t exist when he walked off (in the most friendly way possible, of course). He pulls out his phone and texts Sungho,

‘I got a plan’

next chapter.

[doux-amer]

Am I the only person dissatisfied with Irving's arc this season? It may be because he's been my bias since day 1 in S1, but we barely got to see him and when we did, he barely did anything! Yes, he unmasked Helena posing as Helly. Yes, he found out about the export hall and where it is. Yes, he went to dinner at Burt's. But...none of those threads went anywhere in the end, when it comes to moving Irving's story.

Sorry, I love my old man yaoi—and I enjoyed the dinner scene (it's one of my favorite parts of S2) and I got emotional over the farewell scene in S2E9—but I'm not blinded by it and I got increasingly vexed by the writers because it seemed like they were going, "But isn't that enough? :)" Irving felt so passive this season, other than during the ORTBO and even then, I wasn't happy because it felt like his suspicion came out of nowhere instead of being built up after him questioning Helena about the night gardener in the first episode.

He just goes "hm...Helly's not herself" and "hm...something's up here with these two (Burt and Fields)" and then literally does nothing. Who was he talking to on the payphone? What were Irving's plans going to be had he not been contacted by Burt? We had this guy listening to angry, loud metal while obsessively painting the same haunting, black void of a hallway over and over and depriving himself of sleep, with a whole trunk of research. He doesn't seem like he's from Kier (at least that's my interpretation for a few reasons); he seems like he's there for the sole purpose of digging into Lumon. Why did he choose to sever himself? When and why did he decide to investigate into Lumon's misdeeds? What is he trying to find?

It's heartbreaking that Irving and Burt clearly care for each other, or want to anyway because of the glimpse they had of the happiness and love that eluded both of them and continues to, but you're really telling me, this is all we get of Irving this season? It feels like Irving's more of a plot device than a character this season, other than episode 1 and the tender moment between Felicia and him.

That last moment between Irving and Burt touched me (while stressing me out because I couldn't trust Burt fully until the end jflkasdjflasj), but I feel like you learn more about Burt than you do about Irving, other than Irving's desire to be loved and seen which...we already knew because of innie Irving, but I know it's different because outie Irving is confessing that out loud, probably for the first time. Burt tries to wash his hands of his culpability in Lumon's machinations, but he cannot let any danger befall Irving, however much of a stranger Irving is on the outside, so this was his solution to getting rid of Irving: ensuring that Irving is safe and far, far away from Kier. That readjusts and adds to the outie Burt we know so far who's super mysterious!

Meanwhile, we just get Irving shipped off to who knows where. Literally into the sunset! I mean, sure, I would hope that we'll see him in the finale and I'm sure he'll come back in S3 (he has to, right?), but ....??????? Why is he lacking any agency of his own? He feels like he's floating around until the plot needs to move him somewhere. :( I want more of my favorite old man. :(!!!!

[alexihollis]

Mirror Images

Ajax did not mean to overhear the argument. Sincerely, one hundred percent, overhearing the argument was the last thing she meant to do. But she happened to be passing by the room on her way back from the bathroom and the yelling was loud that close to the door and...Well.

Ajax didn't love yelling.

So.

She stopped. For a second.

You know. Just to make sure everything was okay.

It became pretty obvious it was Swan and Mercy - made sense, she was stopped in front of their bedroom after all.

"-don't need to!" Swan.

"He fucking cat-called you!" Mercy.

"Yes, I am well-aware! That did not give you the right to throw a can in his face!"

"You weren't doing anything about it!"

"Nothing needed to be done!"

"Something did! You deserve better than that-"

"You cannot start a fight with every man who disrespects me, that's ridiculous-"

"I'm sorry, is this a regular occurrence?!"

"We live in New York!"

"He's affiliated, he needs to fucking know better. What would Cleon say?"

"That I didn't have my colors on? And I cannot stress how little that is the point."

"Whatever."

"Where are you going?"

"Smoke. We'll talk about this later."

"Wha- Wait, Mercy-"

There was a moment of quiet. Then, Mercy, softer, but loud enough for Ajax to still hear: I still love you."

And Swan, small in a way that caught Ajax completely off-guard and reminded her of someone, though she couldn't put a finger on who: "I love you, too."

Ajax barely managed to rush five steps down the hall before the door opened, throwing herself into the living room in a desperate attempt to not look like she had been eavesdropping. The look of complete bewilderment and exasperation she earned from Rembrandt from almost crushing Cowgirl on the couch told her she did not entirely succeed.

"Jesus, get off me," Cowgirl grumbled, shoving at Ajax.

Ajax settled on the couch when Mercy walked in, shrugging on one of Swan's corduroy jackets and fiddling with a packet of cigarettes.

"Where you goin', Mercy?" Cochise asked.

"Roof. Smoke," Mercy jiggled her cigarettes. "Anyone want to join?"

She shouldn't. She really, really shouldn't. "Yeah. Need one."

"You literally just sat down," Cowgirl said.

Ajax ignored her, though she caught the slight furrow in Mercy's eyebrow. Mercy did not say anything, though, as they left the apartment and hiked up the stairs to the roof. Once there, it was quick work sitting with their backs against the small ledge and lighting up their respective cigarettes, Mercy letting Ajax borrow hers.

"Heard you threw a can at some guy's face today," Ajax said. Because she had no impulse control.

"Where exactly did you hear this?" Mercy asked.

Ajax shrugged. "Around." At Mercy's unimpressed look, "The door is not that thick."

"...Wait, did you hear us from the living room?" Mercy asked. Looking more than a little concerned that-

Oh.

Fucking great.

"No. I- I was standing outside your door," Ajax said.

Mercy blinked. "Why?"

"...Heard shouting. Wanted to make sure everything was okay." Ajax hated this.

Mercy sighed, heavily. "Yes, I threw a can in a guy's face. Go ahead, lecture me, gonna say the same shit that Swan did, probab-"

"Good for you," Ajax said instead.

"What."

Ajax shrugged. "Cat-called your girl. He earned a can to the face. Especially if he's affiliated, Swan's not a nobody."

"Can you please tell Swan that?!" Mercy exclaimed. "She thinks I overreacted!"

"Oh, you definitely overreacted."

"But you just said-"

"I agree with the overreaction, which should tell you something," Ajax said. "It already happened, I'm not gonna sit here and say you shouldn't have done it, but Swan's gonna be pissed about it and Cleon wouldn't be too happy either."

Mercy groaned, slumping against the wall. "This is stupid." Then, "I'm stupid. I didn't even mean to throw the fucking can, it just happened!"

Ajax laughed, low, "Yeah. Definitely been there."

"What if it was Rembrandt?" Mercy asked. "What would you have done?"

"It's been Rembrandt," Ajax said. "And- yeah, I've thrown worse things than cans. And Rembrandt gets mad every time."

That was when it clicked very suddenly. Who Swan sounded like at the end of her and Mercy's argument.

Rembrandt.

"Rembrandt says it scares her when I do that, because there's so much that could go wrong," Ajax said.

Mercy took a moment, before saying, "Swan said the same thing." Then, "Does Rembrandt do that thing where's she's like, its not about your ability to do whatever, but I get freaked out and blah and it makes you want to never do that thing just so she doesn't look at you with that sad, scared, puppy face ever again?"

Unfortunately, Ajax knew exactly what face Mercy was talking about, "I hate that face."

"I do, too." Then, "I mean, it's a cute face-"

"Adorable."

"But it's so sad and makes me feel like a monster."

"Scum of the Earth."

...

"Ajax. Has your girlfriend been giving mine lessons on how to guilt me into not being impulsive?"

"I really cannot think about that right now, I'm too focused on the fact that I have way too much in common with you."

"Does that mean we can talk about that silent agreement you and Swan have that involves you never letting me punch people?"

"Yeah, no, that was a verbal agreement with Cleon, because she thinks you're going to be snapped like a toothpick."

"I held my own against the Furies!"

"...You had a bat."

"...I can get another bat."

"Absolutely the fuck not, that is a terrifying idea, neither of us need bats and fuck you for making me the responsible one."

--------

Here's a bit of a funnier drabble to make up for all the angst lol

[joi-me-hoi-me-noi]

Xavier x Reader - Blurbs

A/n: I'm sorry that I haven't been posting, I was getting stressed out about a bunch of shit going on. I apologize but please enjoy :)!!

We all know Xavier is an amazing man with amazing talents

But he cannot do one thing to save his life

And that is...

Cooking

Mans would burn down your kitchen if you left him alone in there to watch bread bake...

But for his sake (and yours), you told him you'd teach him how to cook with the Food Network App not sponsored

It went a little something like this:

"Xavier, all you have to do is follow the instructions on the video. It's easy and we get baked ziti out of it." "...You're right. I'll give it a try." You smile at him then sit at your kitchen island, watching him work around the kitchen. Occasionally, he'd turn to you to ask if he was doing a certain task correctly. You'd guide him through it and then continue to watch him cook. After about 15-30 minutes, a plate slides in front of you with a glass of Cola. You take a small bite after blowing on the food. It tastes divine. "It's really good. Good job Xavier." "Thank you." After the dinner, you both decide to watch a random movie and cuddle on your big beanbag. He fell asleep after a while and that's when you smelled the air. "Hey Xavier..." He simply hums at you, rubbing his eyes. "Something smells like it's burning." His eyes shoot open and he jumps up from on top of you. He grabs gloves quickly and pulls out burnt pieces of bread. "I forgot about the garlic bread!"

Bro literally forgot that he made garlic bread...

And he didn't even serve it with the baked ziti...

I would've been big mad without that damn garlic bread.!

He would've gotten a piece of my mind!

I also believe he'd would leave food outside for the stray kitties that stop by

What's worse is that he names them all crazy cat lady confirmed?

"Xavier, where are you?" You finally find him crouched down and feeding a stray cat from your balcony view. "Xavier...why are you feeding the cat?" "It's a cat." "I get that but why." "It's a hungry stray cat." You soon get dressed and go outside to greet your boyfriend. More cats have approached, mewling at him. "Babe, that's enough. You literally are about to have them follow you inside." "Free cats." "No." With a sigh, Xavier leaves the open cans of food outside, right in front of his balcony. Needless to say, mans literally was perched outside.

He feeds them everyday

And if there happens to be a new one, he'll name it

There are so many names, you lost count

But another thing you love doing together is sleeping/napping.

You wanted to take a nap before you went to work but you awaken to Xavier piled on top of you.

"Xavier, I need to get up." "..." "Xavier, I don't want to be late for work again. You made me late the last time." "Then call out." "We're both out tomorrow anyway, Xavier." "..." "I promise that we won't do anything tomorrow and we can just stay in." His head perks up and his sleepy eyes look into yours. "Ok." He finally gets up and watches as you rush to get ready. You plant a soft kiss on his lips and leave. To him, it felt like years when you both didn't leave at the same time to work.

He's a little bit silly

But we love a silly lil clingy Xavier

[ametrictonofaudacity]

Gaps

Platonic Yandere Batfam x Mentally Ill/Forgetful Reader

Warning: This work is a yandere work, hopefully part of a series, as as such will contain themes of manipulation, abuse, violence and obsession. Stay safe, and enjoy!!

Your ID was missing.

You stand in the middle of your room, every drawer open and rifled through. You had gone through every bag, every purse, every wallet it might have been it. You had moved the bed, moved the couch, moved every piece of furniture that it might have fallen behind. Nothing had worked.

“Fuck..” You groan, sinking onto your couch. “Fuck, this cannot be happening. I’m so screwed.”

You had a doctors appointment coming up, to get your anxiety meds refilled, and you were already starting to run low. You had been hoping to manage, but with your ID missing and no way to find it, you were shit out of luck.

Your phone rings, and you glance down, staring at the caller ID. It was Dick.

“Hey.” You greet, trying to force the appropriate amount of cheer into your voice. The older man was nice, pleasant to talk to and attentive, but he had the irritating habit of picking up on your moods eerily well, even over the phone. That would lead to him fussing, and while you appreciated the thought, you were an adult and would prefer to be treated like one.

“Hey! Everything alright? You sound stressed, kiddo.”

“I’m fine.” You huff, putting the phone on speaker. You, for whatever reason, despised things touching your face, even phones.

“Uh-huh. What’s going on? You’re never this quiet.” Dick presses, and you press your lips together into a fine line, starting to put up your stuff. It wouldn’t do to have someone come over when you had torn apart your apartment. You may live in Gotham, but you refused to have your apartment look half as bad on the inside as it did on the outside.

“My ID is missing. Don’t have a damn clue what happened to it.” You hear Dick suck in a breath, and you curl your shoulders in, wanting to sink into the floor and die. Dick was always so nice that any time you upset or disappointed him, it was like a punch to the gut.

“(Y/N)…” He starts, and your shoulders twitch up higher, and you dig your nails into your forearms.

“I know! I can’t find it anywhere, but I know it’s in the apartment because I literally had it last night.”

“Hey, it’s alright. Me and Dami will come over, we’ll help you look, alright.”

You groan. You didn’t want them coming over, especially not both him and Damian, and seeing you so freaked out and panicked. While Damian was, you knew, extremely mature for being 14, he was also judgemental as all hell and had the very annoying habit of implying that you shouldn’t be living alone. Which wouldn’t bother you all that much, he was a kid, but Dick seemed to be of the same opinion and it drive you absolutely insane some days.

“You guys don’t have to bother, really. I’ll find it, and if I don’t find it, I’ll set something up at the DMV to get a new one.”

“Just let us come over, (Y/N). Maybe we can help you find it.” Dick wasn’t asking now, and you huff, crossing your arms.

“Fine. Just let yourselves in when y’all get here, I guess.”

You hear Dick snicker, probably at your use of the word “y’all” and roll your eyes. For someone who was nearly a decade older than you, he sure had a childish sense of humor sometimes.

“Alright. We’ll see you than.” The phone beeps when he hangs up. You set it down, an ugly knot in your chest.

“Damn it.” You had been trying, so hard, to distance yourself from the Wayne family. They were nice enough, always willing to help even if they were always busy at some point or another, but they had the irritating habit of inserting themselves into anything you did. If you went out shopping, they were somehow there. Doctor’s appointment? They somehow met you outside the office. On a date? They were at the same restaurant. You weren’t sure if it was intentional or accidental but anytime you tried thinking about it you would nearly spiral so badly you had to stop.

“Fuck.” Your chest was tight, and you snarl, frustrated at the way your heart rate was starting to pick up and your hands were starting to shake. You knew, well and good, that the likelihood of it being anything nefarious was low, the Wayne’s were reknowned for being good people, from a multitude of backgrounds. That didn’t stop the way your mind latched onto the possibility though. You tried to ignore it. Your meds had been getting less and less effective, lately.

The doorbell rings. You get up off your couch, ignore the mess, and open the door.

“Hey.” Dick ruffles your hair, and you scowl. He doesn’t seem all that put off, but you suppose he wouldn’t with Jason and Damian as his brothers.

“Hey. You know I said to just let yourself in, right? I gave you a key for a reason.” This had been early on, in knowing the Wayne’s when you hadn’t realized that giving Dick a key meant surprise visits without a call and very little warning.

“Yeah, I know. I left it at the manor, though, I was using one of Bruce’s cars and don’t have my keys.” He explains, and steps inside, not even waiting for you to open the door further. Damian follows silently, and you mentally curse the fact the kid was 14 and already your height. He was going to be so damn tall, it was almost insulting.

“Cool. As you can see, I’ve been looking for it, and..” Your hand motions uselessly. Surprisingly, Dick nods, his face sympathetic. You had expected more scolding.

“Why don’t you just go and sit down, yeah? Me and Damian can search. Did you take your meds today? Set your alarm and everything?”

“I took my meds, Dick. All of them.”

“Including the Methylphenidate?”

“Dick, if I didn’t remember to take that, I wouldn’t remember to take anything else. I took all my meds today, and not only did I take my meds, I actually went to therapy this week instead of forgetting.”

“Good. You need it.” Damian hums, rooting through the couch cushion. You begin to get up to help him, and he sends you a sharp look. You sit back down.

“When do you need your meds refilled? Did you have it in the house?” Dick asks.

“It was in the house. And I need them refilled soon. I can probably try and stretch them out-“

“Don’t. We can get you your meds if we need to, just keep taking them on schedule.” Dick rebukes, and you cringe. You didn’t doubt they could, but you didn’t like feeling like a charity case

“Dick, y’all really don’t have to do that.”

“Relax.” He huffs, standing and squinting at the drawer angrily. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it. ‘Sides, you’ve helped me out more than a few times.”

“Yeah, by covering a shift not by buying your psych meds. These are not at all the same.” You laugh. You and Dick had met working at the YMCA in Bludhaven, and when you had moved to Gotham due to the extraordinarily cheap rent, you both had stayed in contact.

“May as well be.” Dick shrugs. “You cooking anything tonight?”

“Was gonna put some meat out to thaw.” You admit, flushing. The judgemental look Damian sends you says more than enough.

“Why don’t you come on over to the Manor to eat? I know Alfred has missed you helping him wrangle everyone together.” Dick offers, and you want to protest. What about your ID, which he had offered to help find? Wasn’t it late at night?

“Sure.” You say instead, reaching for your keys even as Dick cheers, and Damian smiles.

You can’t shake the feeling something is wrong even as you close your front door, locking it behind you, and let Dick lead you to the car.

[thesparklingwriter]

the sun's sweltering glare

“We can’t possibly stay in here all day and do nothing,”

tags: this is literally nothing but fluff, there is no plot, they don't do anything, they just lounge around in bed together and talk about things, i literally mean nothing happens i cannot stress that enough, this is one thousand words of nothingness

masterlist | taglist

When you wake up, the house is quiet. Aside from Zhongli’s gentle breathing, or the birds you can hear chirping outside your window, time might as well have frozen for you . The sun glares through your windows, pummelling you with heat, warping your vision with tiny waved distortions. You sit up, ripping the covers off yourself, desperate to get some air, but of course, the sheer heat almost drags the energy out of you and you flip back on your shared bed, defeated.

“What’s the matter, dearest?” Zhongli asks as he wakes, gently taking your hand in his. The heat has never bothered him as much as it does you and his hands are cool to the touch as he gently caresses your face.

“It’s too hot.” you complain, leaning into his touch. He chuckles, pulls you closer to him, and plants a kiss on your slightly damp forehead with an indulgent smile. If you didn’t know any better you would have assumed he had demanded the sun to work overtime, especially with the way he smiled smugly like the heat was his doing. “How are you even alive?” You ask him, noticing he’s still under the covers, dressed as if it were still the chilly early spring that seemed to last forever.

“I’m not as averse to the heat as you are,” he says softly, absentmindedly tracing shapes down your arms, making you shiver at his touch. If you were to ask him, he’d claim he had no idea of what he was doing, that it was never his intention to make chills run down your spine the way they do. But of course, you know better than to question him. You’ll most likely be greeted with faux innocence, a reminder of his mischievous ways. You relish in the way the cool silk of his pyjamas soothes your clammy arms as you pull him into a tighter hug, the way he lets you profit from his coolness, despite the fact he has places to be.

“You’re not averse to anything.” You groan. “It’s like you’re made of rock. Nothing bothers you.”

“Nothing will bother me for as long as I have you by my side.”

“You’re such a menace.” You smile, as he runs his hands through your hair. When you’re with him like this, it’s as if time stops for you, all the worries of the mortal world condemned to irrelevancy. “Don’t you have things to do today?”

“No one would come by the funeral parlour in this heat,” he says, with finality. It seems that even if anyone were to come to request his aid, he wouldn’t grant them his time anyway. “And furthermore, Hutao won’t be working.” He says with finality, gently kissing your cheek.

“Surely someone with a pyro vision would be accustomed to the heat,” you say, enjoying the air of peace the heatwave has brought with it.

“Are all who have been blessed with a geo vision as stubborn as the element they’re gifted?”

You stare at Zhongli. “Your arms are wrapped so tightly around me that I don’t dare even think about moving for fear of them getting tighter. I think I have sufficient grounds to argue that even the most relaxed wielder is significantly more stubborn than the average person.”

He laughs at that, so heartily that you feel his chest vibrate with it. “I suppose you have a point there, my dear.” The smile he gives you is indulgent, so charged with affection that you almost have to look away, embarrassed by the way your face takes on a pleased flush.

“We can’t possibly stay in here all day and do nothing,” you say finally, gently threading your hands through his hair and twisting it between your fingers.

“We certainly could.” Zhongli retaliates. “Who’s to stop us?”

“My boss.”

“You are your own boss.” He retorts, watching you with unleashed curiosity.

“I have a work ethic. Unlike someone I know.”

Zhongli doesn’t respond to you for a while, instead burying his face in the crook of your neck. “My interests aren’t currently aligned as firmly with work as much as they were in my youth.” He says finally. You take this to mean that you’re going to be stuck between his arms for the next two hours. But to be honest, is there really anywhere else you’d want to be?

© 2023, thesparklingwriter. please do not copy, edit, repost, or translate.

notes: big thanks to @auraxins for hosting another super fun event! i had a blast writing this!

taglist: @ainescribe @thelonelyarchon @aixaingela @medusuu @tartigglez @atlaincorrect

[smidgen-of-hotboy]

I'm not the person who asked but 👁👁 may I inquire as to the spoilery season 5 problems

Understand that everything I'm about the say Under the Cut, comes from a place of bias. Bias that truly does love the Juno Steel storyline, bias that absolutely hates the plot direction Kabert took with the last two seasons

Slip Jackson. He is the plothole they wrote, the corner Kabert backed themselves into and had to write themselves out of. The one NO ONE ASKED FOR but they wrote in anyways to explain "this is what happened After Nureyev saved NK and killed Mag". I cannot stress enough how pissed off and annoyed Slappery Junkyard makes me from a plot standpoint.

Too many plot devices disguised as characters. Every other episode the listener and Juno is introduced to someone new. And every other episode they are forgotten about and we move on to the next. This is the equivalent I feel to early TMA and early WTNV monster of the week and even early TPP where Juno is solving one case after the next-

Only this time Juno's chasing after Nureyev across the fucking galaxy. I love Juno with all my heart, but it still is super annoying that all of season 5 is spent of him chasing after Nureyev, getting tripped up, chasing after Nureyev, getting tripped up, wash rinse repeat. Especially more annoying and upsetting when you factor in that Nureyev blatantly does not want to be followed (but me and every other listener is a fucking sucker for a hopeful fool and dramatic love story. If this happened to someone you actually knew, you wouldn't encourage or condone Juno's behavior, but because the Lady isn't real and it's all a work of fiction and Juno is the Hero, ofc we're all cheering him on)

Grandpappy's recipe. We're given a hint of worldbuilding to the rest of the galaxy, and Juno shows some appreciation towards Rita, but it is not her storyline. It is not Rita-centric. And the depiction of Nureyev in these couple of episodes (i don't know how anyone else felt) came so far out of left field for me, that I almost didn't believe what Juno and Rita were saying about him. Something along the lines of Nureyev is a con, and he sweet talks and seduces all of his targets into falling for him, before ultimately turning on them and stealing from their pockets. The Homme Fatale thing gets really pushed, and it's like everything discussed in Man in Glass never happened.

The amazing moment in Heart of it All when he reminds Buddy "a legend is a dead thing" (and by extension the discussion he had with her in Man in Glass) might as well never fucking happened. Peter goes the entirety of season 5 with his head so far up his own ass, he can't see past his own bullshit, until it's literally 10 minutes too late.

Nureyev is deliberately rude towards Juno (who did cross a boundary MULTIPLE TIMES) but is also extremely fucking dismissive of the Ruby7 being anything but a car (it's not, it's an alien from outside of this galaxy and Nureyev cannot accept that for some reason, but he can totally get behind reviving his long lost first love???)

OH AND RITA!!! POOR POOR FUCKING RITA OMG- Juno is a massive fuckin dick to her in Season 1, he promises to do better for her at end of Season 2, and she is the first Aurinko he rescues in Season 4 because he knows without her he won't be of much use. Rita is supposed to be Juno's backbone, but she's more like the brace he wears when he needs it. The Rita episode in Season 3 is framed as a good thing for her character and meant to be a confidence boost, but it's really not. And Season 4 I don't remember, but literally in Season 5 Rita is sidelined and put over on the bench because she "makes too many mistakes" on missions. Juno dresses it up as "You're our ace in the hole" but cmon. Come the fuck on.

[mxtantrights]

Famous dc!au (dick's version)

TRACK EIGHT: POPROCKS AND COKE

The offer is staring you right in the face. You could literally pay for a year’s rent with this opportunity. You could have a little bit left over for fun or for a big emergency. You could do so much with this offer.

But you really don’t want to take it. You feel like if you do, whatever is happening between you and Dick can’t happen. If he keeps kind of being your boss, you cannot ask him out. There is no way.

You’d probably look like a fool. And maybe you’d be laughed of the industry, having to find a normal job somewhere doing things you don’t like. Could you see yourself being a music video actor for the rest of your life? Of course not. But since you’ve started you want to see it through. 

You sigh and shut your laptop. The stress had been lingering since you got the notification on your phone last night. Just thinking about it turned you in knots. Did Dick not see you in that way? Even though Theo theorized that he might feel the same way you do, you aren’t sure that’s true. And if he wants you to work on another video with him how could it be true?

You pick up your phone from the couch and decide to leave your apartment. Working on autopilot you lock up and take the elevator down, and there on the sidewalk in front of your place is an older man with a box.

“Can you help me?” He asks you directly.

You look up and down the block first. There is no one else outside on this street but the two of you so it would be mean to ignore him. Then again this could be som weird stunt and you didn’t want to get yourself hurt. 

You look at the man again, “What’s in the box.” 

“She’s all yours if you want her.” 

You want to back up and walk away from the man. But he’s quicker then you and leans the box down so you might look inside of it. Your eyes catch a glimpse of something moving inside , underneath a read blanket. Your mind thinks the worst.

“Sir, is—if that’s a baby maybe we should drop it off at a firehouse.” you say. He shakes his head, “it’s a puppy.”

And sure enough the pup pokes it’s head out of the blanket. It’s not facing you at first. It’s head turns left then right and then all of a sudden the pup looks at you. A gray and white puppy with familiar blue eyes. 

You were done for.

-

Dick is listening to the final mix of the song and he feels like something is missing. The words are great and they feel real and authentic. The production is like nothing he’s ever tried before and yet it works. But there is something that is glaringly missing from the overall song.

He sits back in his seat. 

Then he turns to the producers, Dinah and Constantine. He can’t believe he’s sitting in room with Constantine but stranger things have happened. Zantana recommend him seeing as this was a new sound in his wheel house.

“Something is missing.” Dick says.

“I agree, but I can’t pin point what it is.” Dinah replies. Constantine suddenly gets up from his seat with out another word. He’s up and then he’s standing right in front of Dick. Dick isn’t sure why but honestly the three of them have been the studio for four hours now so he’s not thinking clearly anymore.

“The person you wrote this song for, do they know it’s about them?” Constantine asks.

Dick sheepishly looks around, “No, but I was planning on telling them—hold on what does that have to do with anything?” 

Constantine smiles, “It has everything to do with it. Music is a secret langue between people. If you’re making a song for someone there needs to be something in there to let them know it’s for them.” 

Dick shakes his head, “I’m not changing the lyrics.”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying maybe there’s an instrument they like, or a sound. Something you can include in the song that would only be between the two of you.”  Constantine says.

Dick sits and thinks to himself. Well, he can’t go asking you what your favorite instrument or sound is now. You’d for sure know the song was about you, and he wasn’t sure he could do that yet. Not with the offer hanging over your head too.

Was there something else?

Constantine walks away, further into the studio. He has a bag of chips, halfway gone already, that he wants to finish. 

Dick shuts his eyes to think. He knew your favorite color. He knew how you took your tea. He knew plenty of things about you. But that would be too forward. What was one thing the two of you shared that wouldn’t make this whole thing weird?

Then it hits him. He knows exactly what the song is missing. He opens his eyes and fishes his phone out of his pocket. He starts texting his assistant for b footage from the music video.

“Dinah, it’s the intro.” Dick says.

Dinah doesn’t say anything. She just moves the track to the beginning and presses play. The start of the song floods the room and Dick doubles down on his idea. His assistant sends over a folder of videos. He knows which one to look for.

The one he took of you standing in the middle of the blocked off street. He had managed to record it while you were staring off into the distance, and no one on set was making noise. It was just the sound of wind on grass, a faint airplane maybe. 

“Let me airdrop this to you, maybe we can put it at the begging and have it fade into the song.” Dick says.

Dinah nods, “Alright Richard, I like where you’re going with this.” 

“Me too.” Constantine says with his mouth full.

-

You’re scrolling on your phone trying to find the nearest pet store when you see a link to one of those trashy news sites. You don’t want to click on it but you feel like you have to when you see Dick’s name. 

You wish you hadn’t. 

The article, if you can even call it that, is just a run down of his former relationships and some speculation. But another thing catches your eye. Once towards the beginning and then again at the end. Donna Troy and Zantana. You look at the images again and then it hits you. 

Those pictures are new. He went to Donna’s house. Zantana went to his house. Theres one of him and Donna hanging out at a food place. And there is one of him leaving the studio with Zantana. Your whole body deflates. 

A part of you, a very small part, thought you had basically no chance with Dick. It was the more ‘realistic and sensible’ part. The part that told you to not over spend incase you might need the money later, and to not over drink because no one likes a hangover. That part of you is almost always right. And these pictures all but confirmed it. 

You exit the news site and tap your way on to your email where you draft up a response to accept the offer. Yes it’s really going to suck to have to be all lovey dovey in a video with a guy you know you have feelings for. But on the other hand at least some of your bills would get paid.

A soft whine comes from your side. You look down at the gray baby pit bull laying on your couch who is looking up at you. 

“I’m gonna find a name for you, I promise.” You say, as if the puppy can understand you.

And yet, she yips and runs off your couch like she does. You sit back and type on your phone. Maybe this will be the last time you see Dick Grayson and you can let your heart move on. Maybe you weren’t cut out for this business at all if you fell in love with a heartbreaker.

[thepolyamorouspolymath]

I am begging you, remove the notion that the President carries the right to do whatever he wants when it is your party in power -- whichever party you belong to.

I heard so many people saying they weren't voting in the last election because they were displeased about this or that, and my friends, you are giving the President powers in your head that he does not have.

Hey, the President does NOT control the economy or prices. Nope, that belongs to the corporations and nominally the free market.

Hey, the President does not have unilateral control over foreign policy. Nope, treaties belong to Congress, both ratifying and terminating unless specified in the treaty itself that the executive can terminate it by order. Congress also sets the budget, so funds earmarked for something like aid have to be used for that -- whether or not they can be withheld without the agreement of Congress is an open question, but the powers are not, they are enumerated in the Constitution.

The President really does not have the ability to dictate to other countries what they can and can't do, absent direct military invasion and occupation by US forces.

The President does not have any control over state and local police departments. No, those belong to states and municipalities.

The President does not have the authority go order the National Guard to do fuck all while on US soil, except for in DC without a formal declaration of war. When nationalized (when the President controls them), they are part of the US Army, which is not allowed to operate on US soil during peacetime under posse comitatus -- this also applies to the Air Force but does not apply to the Navy. Not this either, on US soil during peacetime, control belongs to the governor of each state, which is why DC is an exception, as it has no governor. If you see Marines breaking up a protest or shit, then the President sent them. Anyone else, he's not in charge of.

The President does not have authority over state laws. No, rights are generally considered as belonging to the states unless specified or implied by the Constitution. This also applies to state regulations, state funded anything, state taxes.

The President does not have the right to create or dissolve entire departments. No, this too belongs to Congress, as it would have to be funded or defunded.

The President does not have the authority to overrule or ignore a judge's order. No, the judiciary is the final authority for everything.

The President, from either party, has LIMITS. Lots of limits, in fact. He does not bear the blame or deserve the credit for everything that happens during his tenure. He cannot just wave his hand and make shit happen.

The President is literally just SOME GUY. To get anything actually enforced he has to have people carry them out, and they can absolutely refuse. Even the military is not only able to refuse a direct order if it is illegal, they are obligated to do so.

Donald Trump is just some guy. Yes he's issuing orders left and right, but they are being disregarded or overturned by judges. He can't even fire some people -- the 12 Inspectors General he attempted to fire sent a very nice email telling him politely to fuck off until he met the legal requirements to do so. He can't abolish departments, that is expressly forbidden by the 1918 Overman Act. He can't defund them, because Congress. Controls. The. Budget. (Can't stress that enough -- the executive has 3 weapons: money, soldiers, and the DoJ. None of which he actually controls.)

This is not to say he can't do any harm. He definitely can. But mostly because people follow his orders. Which they don't have to, he is just some guy.

The resistance is not just left wing activists. It's the Pentagon saying no, absolutely do not report a damn thing to DOGE or anyone else outside your chain of command. It's the DoJ lawyer who says while defending a Trump order that he has no idea what it means and doesn't want to speculate. It's people refusing to resign because you need grounds to fire them. It's State Department diplomats doing the quiet work of holding together alliances that the administration is trying their best to sabotage.

It's the AG telling prosecutors to fucking run with it if they can make a case. It's Senators who tell a President that he can resign or be removed.

It's citizens who show up to city council meetings and town halls and do phone campaigns even if they dont normally align with you but do on one thing. It's protests that can't be stopped. It's governors saying "absolutely not". It's state AGs filing lawsuits against federal overreach. It's judges who still recognize the rule of law, regardless of who appointed them. It's staffers and law clerks who drag their feet.

It's 330 million tiny cogs in the machine, each one having a ripple effect if it snags.

Government derives its power from the consent of the governed, those working for it as much as those living under it. That's as true today as it was in the Declaration.

Joe Biden did not have absolute authority, not the credit or the blame. Neither did Barack Obama, or George W Bush or Bill Clinton. Neither did Reagan or FDR or even Washington.

And importantly neither does Donald Trump.

[tijuanabiblestudies]

ok bullet points in roughly chronological order. i reserve the right to reblog later and add anything i've forgotten

was significantly anxious when i got there--the uber driver had trouble finding the place, so i told them to let me out on the sidewalk and i'd just find it myself. had a skosh of trouble myself at that point--it's a local pizza chain, and the sign outside did not look remotely like the ones at the other locations Max and i have driven past. this one was noticeably A Bar, and i suspect it may have been the original location.

venue had been touted on the fetlife event page as "the home of [city]'s okayest pizza," but i got a chef salad and some garlic bread and both were delicious. the salad in particular was made with really nice, fresh, mixed greens (as opposed to, say, just iceberg, as one might expect from a mediocre pizza place) and had Just the right balance of various proteins and they had a perfect golden italian dressing and left off the tomatoes like i asked, so that just really hit the spot

(the garlic bread was yummy too, but then it's hard to fuck up garlic bread unless you burn the shit out of it or something, imo)

...wow the very recent Food Memory is hitting harder than expected. might need a snack before bed. ANYWAY

...ok i'm back. guess i lied about the meds-and-crashing; got myself a whole-ass cream cheese bagel. was initially just snacking on some goldfish, but then i felt the need for some Serious carbs and lipids. i must say it is really nice to have my appetite back, even if it gets inconvenient at times, what with the Voracious Hunger every few hours. wowzers, i am getting extremely off-topic here. ENN-NEE-WAYS

as i was saying before i so rudely interrupted myself: it turned out i was waaaaayyy more stressed about the Max covid sitch than i needed to be. event organizers were like "it's a public event, don't even worry about it." mildly irresponsible of them tbh, as was the fact that i was Literally The Only Person wearing any kind of mask. but i felt super secure in the double masks--only took them off briefly to horf down my salad--and i think i will continue to wear the double masks to as many of these munches as i am able to go to (because i am ABSOLUTELY hella going back). they make me feel Safe in more ways than the strictly practical, and also they act as a kind of pop filter for the karaoke. plus the decorative cloth Venom one makes me stand out in a way i really like

(sidenote: as i was getting ready to leave the house, i showed Max my outfit [masks, combat boots, eyeliner and all] i was like "do i look like a handsome stranger?" and he was like "yes. also kind of intimidating" and i was like "PERFECT")

...that said, i do not think anyone was intimidated by me at the function, or if they did, i was not aware of it at all. in all honesty, i behaved like a complete and total attention whore--probably acted significantly drunker than i was, just from tiredness while also wanting to keep the playfully sexy funtimes going. i even got kinda subby with it at moments (slapping my own ass, doing Dramatic Bows while other people were singing, crawling around on the floor, etc.) which is typically not my vibe At All, but i was feeling it, so why not

because, the thing is, literally The Entire Night i felt 10000% encouraged and not shamed at all, at least by everyone in the karaoke room and not the quiet room in back (which i did not even feel the need to go near, except the two times i went to the bathrooms which were nearby--for those who don't know me well, i cannot stress enough how unusual that is for me) and....quite honestly the Total Encouragement is blowing my mind, now that i think back on it from the quiet of my apartment

i started out sitting at an empty table by a window by myself, but i was very quickly joined by two lovely strangers, a she/her (L) and a she/they (J)--actually J was like "i prefer she/her but they/them is okay too," so i made sure only to "she" her for the rest of the night. also i'm glad i asked "what are y'all's pronouns?" in a way that didn't single her out. i've only recently hit the point of consistently "passing" or whatever more often than not, so i feel a need to be extra supportive of fellow transes who are Not There Yet, if ever, and this gal was noticeably transfem.

i also made a point of coming out as trans myself--once i said "i transitioned from a mezzo-soprano to a baritone, if ya catch my drift," which is a turn of phrase of which i am proud.

...wowzers bowsers, i am getting sleeeeepy. haven't even taken the meds yet. think i'm gonna hit post and pick this back up tomorrow