#I chose Arnold

[sun-lit-goth]

They can never make me hate you Wikipedia

[arnold-layne]

look at the card and bookmarks my coworker gave me today. they are perfect

[turnwashingtonsbaddies]

a set of statistics hasn't made me this concerned about my mental health since i got my spotify wrapped and saw lana was my number one artist.....this is what insanity looks like

anyway i am now officially gatekeeping the peggy hysteria scene. it's only for the 14% sorry luvs <3 (the rest of you can have mary burning her house down tho so still pretty slay)

[yawansomecheekinlad]

phone battery is at 66✨which means🙃a trent assist😍and uuuh three(?) goals😤😤😤

[ineffable-rohese]

Please click the link. Aardvark-verse Neil has healed something in my heart.

(Mostly the part that was despairing over never writing anything worth sharing with the world ever again. But also something about falafels.)

[tired-duckling]

"She want me BAD" (WBB players x reader)

I am so sorry, but unfortunately I am not a good writer....I am simply a good idea machine so I won't be posting full-fleshed out works just yet. So till then, pls enjoy a new idea to ponder about with our girls. Idk if any of ya'll are on wlw tiktok like me but there is this trend going around with the audio all like: "She want me bad", and it's usually the mascs with their significant others just touching and caressing their face. (Might link a tiktok if i find one) but yeah, how about we try it with the girlies? (Might be a little OOC if that's fine?) Paige Bueckers Was the one who wanted to do it, paid for your nails too and everythinggg. Had you sitting on her lap, and for sureeeee this girl is all smirk and making eyes at you as she lip synced to the song, might even wink at you and tease you while recording. You would first caress her face then down her neck and shoulders before moving back up to smoosh her cheeks together to make her laugh and in the end just pull you to her for a kiss. Nika Mühl You had the idea, but she wanted to be the one caressing your face, she would just giggle the whole time alongside you as you recorded and in the end gives you a sweet kiss on the cheek.

Azzi Fudd Having a private not secret relationship with Azzi also means that you rarely post about her. She wanted to do it, but insisted that she wanted to be the one caressing your face. It was posted on your account a bit later but not many missed the iconic neon nails of Azzi Fudd.

KK Arnold It was KK who suggested it and wanted to be the one to lip sync. You both tried your hardest to keep it together but you both are just laughing your asses off. You guys had so many takes that you guys gave up and just posted one where you both tried to keep a straight face but failed. Comments were having a field day with this post, especially the team teasing how you can never take things seriously. Aubrey Griffin Was the one who suggested it, paid for your nails to have it done just the way you like it. Recording was hotttt, like you both couldn't believe how hot she looked especially since she recorded it while in between your thighs and with your superior hand placement as you caressed her face and neck. (Morgan screamed when she saw it pop up on her fyp)

Kate Martin

Ohhh I have smth very specific in mind for her, you suggested it but she had a vv different approach to recording. She sat you on the counter, stood between your legs and recorded it while looking directly at you within full view of the camera as you caressed her face and neck, not breaking eye contact even biting her lip after lip syncing for a bit because she just found you too hot.

*Newer Additions!!!*

Emily Engstler

(ik ab the controversy, but we have to keep in mind that she is doing this for work and profit, the one truly at fault here is the lack of structure and opportunities for Women Sports that forces players to look elsewhere for money, I agree it is sad that she chose to accept that deal but it is what it is)

You suggested doing the video to Emily, but instead you wanted to show off her hand tattoos so you had her do the caressing part instead. She reluctantly agreed and you opened up your phone. As you recorded, Emily might have understood the assignment a little too much. She caressed your face for a bit before moving down to enclose both her hands on your neck which moved further down and then went back up again. When you posted, everyone lost their mind over Emily’s hand placement and her hand tattoos.

Caitlin Clark

She was vv slick w suggesting this idea, she paid for your nails and asked if you wanted to show it off. And when you said yes, she suggested making a tiktok. You were ofc very much on board, she was all smiles while recording as you looked up at her while caressing her face and down her neck. You gave her a peck on the cheek after and posted it on your account. She actually reposted it on her instagram w the caption: “Wanted her to show off the nails I paid for ❤️‍🔥”

(can u tell im making a dig at the mediocre post of her bf 💀🤚)

*will add more when i think of more hihi*

[deartrent]

mum's emotions — taa

summary: pent-up emotions and frustrations as a first-time mom finally surface when you find yourself in the familiar arms of trent

pairing: trent alexander-arnold x fem!reader

notes: my first ever post on here. didn't really come out the way i intended, idrk if i like it, but let me know what you guys think!!

what you felt was wrong. you knew it was wrong on so many levels. you couldn't help but feel the way you did though. seeing trent take care of your baby so naturally, as if he'd experienced being a father before, sparked something inside of you that you didn't know you were capable of feeling. you couldn't tell if it was anger, disappointment or jealousy. all you could think of was how come i carried that baby for 9 months, just to be the worst mother of all time?

trent noticed your frustrations. he could tell when he'd come home from training and you'd greet him coldly or shoot daggers when he'd steal the baby from you, the cries stopping as soon as he held her in his arms, so gently. you were never the type to verbalise your feelings and trent knew not to push you to that point either, but he also knew you were slowly reaching your limit. he wished he could stay home more often to help you out, to take some of the workload off of you, but his schedule didn't allow him to.

"look she smiled," trent turned your daughter to face you, unaware that you had been observing them for the past two minutes. their smiles resembled so much, something you had prayed for way before getting pregnant.

it took everything in you to fake a smile, masking the emptiness you felt inside. trent could sense your mind was racing, your silence speaking louder than words. his heart ached seeing you in this state, reminiscing on the bubbly version of you prior to giving birth.

"she can sense your emotions you know," trent spoke after getting no reaction from you, walking over to where you stood, with your daughter against his chest, "when mum's stressed, she will be too, i read it somewhere." you felt vulnerable as trent towered over you, trying his best to read your facial expressions. you hadn't been too verbal lately, with trent having to rely on body language. he had no clue the reason you hadn't been verbal was the inability to hold in tears whenever trent would try and have a conversation about anything baby related. instead of confiding in him, you chose to distance yourself.

you didn't know how much longer you could hold everything in though, and without a single warning, you felt your eyes well up, a burning sensation confirming that your tear-filled eyes had turned bloodshot red by now. trent was caught off guard, not knowing what to do next. this was the first time you'd shown a different emotion than anger and annoyance since the baby had arrived.

trent's first instinct was to put the baby down on the playmat, before engulfing you into an embrace you didn't realise you needed until your face sunk into trent's chest, the all too familiar scent and sense of warmth, comfort and security washing over you. you sobbed into his shirt, his large hands caressing your back as he tried soothing you.

"please talk to me babe, tell me what's on your mind," trent begged and for the first time since bringing your daughter home, you thought of trent, instead of yourself. you thought about how he must've felt, being a first time parent himself and having to deal with taking care of the baby on one hand, but on the other hand having to deal with an angry, irritated girlfriend, not knowing what exactly is going on because you simply did not communicate with him. you could only imagine how scary and lonely it must have been for him.

"i just need a break," you sobbed, barely audible but you knew if anyone would understand you, it would be trent. "i don't know what i'm doing, i don't know if i'm feeding her correctly, i don't know if i'm dressing her warm enough, all she does is cry and i have no idea what she wants. i'm just a shit mother, i wasn't made for this." you took the opportunity to dump all of your frustrations.

"stop, don't say that," trent pried you off of him to create a little distance as he held your face with both hands, wiping away your tears with his thumbs, "you're doing great, i promise. she's alive, she's healthy, that means you're doing a good job." trent tried reassuring you, your breath shaky from all the sobbing. "she's crying, because she senses your emotions," you melted into trent's hands, the eyes you were so in love with fixated on yours, making your surroundings disappear, "she just wants you to be happy, we both do." guilt was the next thing you felt.

you felt guilty because you'd left trent in the dark, taking your frustrations out on him, while all he wanted to do was help, "i'm so exhausted trent, i can't remember last time i slept a full night," you continued your rant, "i miss just cuddling with you and not be interrupted," you could see the corner of trent's lips turn upwards, igniting the same warm, fuzzy feeling you'd been feeling ever since the first day you'd met; the one thing that hadn't changed since the birth of your baby. trent placed a gentle kiss on your forehead, before placing your head on his chest once more, "you know, i have a day off tomorrow, i can ask my mum to babysit and we could just stay in bed all day," trent suggested, earning a chuckle from you.

you could feel trent's heart beat against your temple and as you further sunk into his arms, you realised just how blessed you really were. you couldn't imagine having a baby with anyone other than trent, the idea of building a family with him easing your mind. he was everything you wanted and from the moment you told him you were pregnant, you knew that you and your baby were in safe hands. and that was all that mattered.

"i would love that," you looked up, pressing your lips to his luscious ones in a kiss you didn't know you craved.

[judes-hoe]

Monaco air ~ TAA66

Parrings ~ Trent Alexander Arnold x reader

Summary ~ you go with Trent to the Monaco gp!!!

Warnings ~ teasing, other than that fluff

A/N ~ HIS ARMSSS MONACO AIR BLESSED US

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something in the Monaco air had done something to Trent! He looked so good it took everything in you to not jump on him. You were happy to accompany Trent at the Monaco Grand Prix with his brother. It was fun going into the garage and learning stuff. Especially since you liked f1 and watched when you could.

The first night you were there you and Trent went out on a dock. You sat with you feet dangling next to Trent. Watching as the sun went down. The sky turning into a beautiful pink, purple, and orange color.

The next day was when you went feral over him in the outfit he chose. The wife-beater with the overalls. His arms exposed looking big and juicy. “Trent you can’t wear that in public!” You tell him minutes before leaving to go to the paddock. “It’s hot as hell out though!” He complained. “Okay fine, but if anyone hits on you I won’t hesitate to make sure they know your mine.” You spoke in a grumpy like tone. “I know you will love.” He said with a smile.

When you got to the paddock Trent had his arm around you the whole time, his hand would mess with the noodle strap to your greenish blue sundress. “I have the hottest boyfriend.” You tell him once you got a moment to yourself. “Yeah, you sure do don’t ya sweetheart?” He teased and lean down close to your face. “And I have a very beautiful girlfriend.” He said and kissed your lips. “You’re a tease.” You mumbled as he only gave you a quick kiss and not what you wanted.

The day was sun you ran into Virgil and talking to him with Trent for a few minutes. Finally the race started and your sat next to Trent watching the race rambling about it.

“I hope Charles wins his home race this year, I’ll be so happy for him, he deserves it, have you heard of the rumors were Daniel did bad in the Monaco race and two years later he won the Monaco race, o think the same with happen with Charles, he did bad two years ago in the Monaco race and here we are two years later, do you think he’ll win?” You ramble to Trent and he just shush’s you. “Yes sweetheart.” He said just wanting you to stop rambling.

Not that he didn’t like it. He always thought it was cute how you’d ramble about something when you were passionate about it.

The whole race you and Trent sat next to each other just keeping the other company. Talking here and there, Charles ended up winning the race and you told Trent out you think the allegations are true.

It was later that night, you and Trent were at the same dock watching the sunset again. Just as the pink, purple sky look beautiful Trent pulled out something from his pocket. “I want to give you this, we’ve been together for almost a year and I love you so much, this relationship and what we have.” He said opening this small box that had a promise ring in it. “Can I?” He asked mentioning to grab you hand.

You happily let him grab your hand and put the promise ring on. You smile and look at it as he puts it on and kisses it. “I love you.” He said looking at you. “I love you too Trent.” You said giving him a loving kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: sorry this took so long to get out lol!!!

[ailichi]

[Interviewer]: Which Oasis member has the strangest taste in music?

[Noel, immediately]: Him

I've been fascinated by this question for ages: every major interview, ask Liam Gallagher what music he likes, and he'll just say the Beatles and the Stone Roses, those two, and do his best to give the impression that he basically only listens to them. but in quieter interviews or when he’s just talking on camera, he’ll talk about others as well, and I've been taking some notes:

the Beatles are genuinely the be-all and end-all; understandable

[edit to add]: I don’t know what his favourite Beatles album is but it might be Revolver. when they were asked to choose between the two, Noel said the Red album and Liam said the Blue album. also, it was his suggestion that Oasis cover Within You Without You when the BBC gave them the choice of anything off of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

the Stone Roses favourite tracks: Love Spreads, I Am the Resurrection, Sally Cinnamon (etc.) — also was into The Seahorses after the SR split

favourite post-Beatles album isn't anything of Lennon's, apparently, it's All Things Must Pass

favourite John solo song is off Double Fantasy, of course: Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

obviously does like the Rolling Stones too: I believe that when Oasis covered Jumpin’ Jack Flash it was because it was Liam’s total favourite

loves Sex Pistols too, obviously - mentions this often

has named Quadrophenia by the Who as his favourite ever album

likes As Tears Go By by Marianne Faithful. sidenote: Marianne Faithful was Noel’s first pin-up

really likes Bo Diddley (disparate sources for this, he just mentions him frequently)

loved the Specials, even before he joined a band

loves that song, The First Cut is the Deepest, by P.P. Arnold

Led Zeppelin, obviously — mentioned When the Levee Breaks (also notice that one of his favourite Stone Roses songs is Love Spreads which is quite heavily influenced by LZ)

likes the Shangri-Las (The Leader of the Pack is on his women of rock n roll playlist)

likes the Doors, his favourite track is Mr. Mojo Risin’

loves the Kinks, especially really likes The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, said it was “like a Lowry painting” (<3)

it’s like a dream to me that I heard he doesn’t rate Neil Young or at least was put out that Noel performed with NY + Crazy Horse in London

likes Lou Reed solo? never heard him say something about the Velvet Underground, but mentioned Perfect Day in particular

favourite Pink Floyd is Shine On You Crazy Diamond (loveable choice <3)

bit of Siouxie Sioux on his playlist of his favourite female artists :)

the Cure: “the cure for what?”

favourite album by the Jam is Sound Affects.

seems on the surface to not be mad about Paul Weller's solo stuff (or at least teases Noel for being so friendly with him), but also said: “There’s only a few songwriters that really inspire me. People like John Lennon and Paul Weller.”

chose Many Rivers to Cross by Jimmy Cliff from Jools Holland's archive when he was on in 2022

used not like Primal Scream in the very early days, but enjoyed Screamadelica (I like that he changes his mind on bands if they bring out something new that interests him)

generally lets on to be easy about the Smiths but just isn’t a superfan … likes them doesn’t love them

favourite Smiths song is The Boy with a Thorn in his Side (ah Liam <3)

on the record as saying he both likes and dislikes both Morrissey and Johnny Marr as solo artists

mentioned Electronic quite warmly (this was in 1994)

loves that Vaselines song that Nirvana covered, Jesus Don't Want Me For a Sunbeam

loves everything Richard Ashcroft has done, and seems to prefer the softer songs - a Song for the Lovers, Break the Night with Colour …

had the fairest U2 take I’ve ever heard, to paraphrase: “they’re pretty good but they were the biggest thing in the universe there for a few years, and to merit that they really should’ve been just a little bit better” (2019)

the Strokes: Liam says Noel and himself saw them, together, in San Francisco, when they were just starting out (‘setting up their own equipment’). probably the 7th of August 2001. I don’t get the impression he was overly taken with them. “Good songs but not classics”.

[hopelesslydevoted2paige]

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

please don’t plagiarize or post any of my works on other platforms!!

requests: open

PAIGE BUECKERS

drabbles

live moments

bags

height difference

fics

casual, get her back! — paige makes drunken mistakes and you figure out where you both stand

imgonnagetyouback — you bump into paige at the bar after breaking up with her.

there for you — paige wakes up from her surgery and sees you by her side.

series

emails i can’t send

KATE MARTIN

fics

close to you — kate has to deal with celebrating her birthday without her girlfriend, or does she?

CAITLIN CLARK

headcannons

sparks fly

EMILY ENGSTLER

drabbles

compliments

bruises and falls

fics

my girl — emily and reader go live and answer questions that lead to cute moments

overdrive — you decide to vlog your road trip with emily

stuck with me — a normal day in the life of you and emily

for me — after you read some comments, emily reminds you why she chose you

on-screen — emily gets a little protective while watching the new series that you star in

graduate — your parents find a way for emily to be at your graduation

NIKA MUHL

drabbles

bad days

fics

on and off court — you and nika decide to bring your daughter to one of your games

eye on you — nika has a hard time finding your short figure at the bar.

KK ARNOLD

drabbles

tiktoks

RAFE CAMERON

fics

invisible string — rafe goes to meet his new neighbor, not knowing they’ve met before.

afterglow — you interupt rafe’s meeting on accident and he snaps

CHARLES LECLERC

social media aus

lover — y/n and charles agreed to keep their relationship private, but what happens when false rumors spread about her and his teammate?

[leviscolwill]

glue song

pairing: trent alexander arnold x reader

summary: after going picnicking with your little cousins, you feel like your relationship with your boyfriend has taken a new step (wc: 1k)

contents: established relationship, talk abt having kids, so fluffy you might die in it, suggestive ending i guess ??

note: i'm in a trent mood lately, just look at him being so babygirl. i want to be his controversially young gf so bad (gasly core)

reblogs and feedback are very very much appreciated 🫶

now playing: glue song by beebadoobee and clairo

when your cousin asked you to babysit her kids for the afternoon, you immediately accepted. you were very close to your family but still felt like you didn't see your cousin or her twin daughters enough so you jumped on the occasion.

trent had already met your family quite a few times but when you told him the news, he was already planning the whole day ahead wanting to make the most out of the afternoon you'll spend with olivia and amalia.

he'd prepared custom sandwiches for them according to their taste and he forced you to bake cookies with him for them.

"come on it'll be fun." he practically pleaded.

"but trent you know that we can't bake to save our life."

"we ? who is we ? i'm a great baker." he replied side eyeing you while grabbing every ingredient needed. it was the truth, sort of. trent was not a great baker but he was definitely better than you, his cookies were edible (most of the time) and even good, sometimes.

but baking with trent was always a hustle, you tried to focus on the recipe while he wanted to wing it, saying it would taste better this way.

"you should listen to the real chef here love, it's not a big deal if we don't put the exact same amount of vanilla you know. now, be a good sous-chef and grab the whip for me please" he told you with a cocky grin, he knew how you would react to his words, exactly how he wanted you to.

you grabbed the whip only to playfully hit his shoulder with it while trent dramatically whined that you wanted him injured for the start of the season.

it didn't surprise you that your boyfriend was this excited about spending his day with actual kids, the way he was behaving like one right now.

after at least an hour of battling with trent, and cleaning your flour-maculated kitchen, your cookies were ready. and after tasting one (for research purposes, of course), you could say they were good, 'probably the best thing ever baked' in your boyfriend's words.

after a while, your shared house's doorbell finally rang, and trent nearly jumped out of his seat to open the door, you followed him and welcomed your cousin and her 7 year old daughters.

"thank you so much for babysitting them today, they're very happy to see their favorite aunty and uncle." your cousin beamed while giving you their bags, heavy with toys.

"we're also happy to spend some time with them, we have a great afternoon planned." you replied with a smile. trent who had his hand on your waist was quick to agree with you too.

after olivia and amalia hugged their mum goodbye, trent was already grabbing your bags full of sandwiches, sweets, and freshly baked cookies.

"uncle trent did you know my team won the school's football competition in may." amalia beamed at trent while she told him how she scored the winning goal for her team, thanks to her sister's brilliant assist. seeing trent and your little cousins get along this well made your chest feel warm at the scene, you almost wished for today to never end, although it was far from over.

once you settled your large blanket in the park, your boyfriend chose. you gave olivia and her sister their sandwiches with a kiss on their forehead. you turned around to take your own when you met trent eyes and his lovesick smile.

"why are you looking at me like that ?" you asked him with a shy smile as you felt the blush creep up your cheeks.

"do i need a reason to stare at my girl now ?" he answered, quickly pressing a kiss on your lips.

"ewww." olivia covered her eyes in disgust, while amalia pretended to throw up.

you laughed at their dramatic reactions and took a bite of the sandwich prepared by trent.

after the girls finished their sandwiches, they tasted the homemade cookies and absolutely loved them.

"of course they're perfect, they were made by liverpool's best baker." trent beamed pointing at himself. you rolled your eyes while olivia and amalia laughed at his ridiculous claim.

when it was finally time to go, you cleaned up everything while your cousins started walking to the car holding each other's hands.

"come on let's go home, my three princesses." he said, while bringing your hand to his lips to kiss the back of it and kiss the side of your head while you started walking, holding hands like teens.

after your cousin picked up olivia and amalia, and thanked you again, the house seemed oddly silent. not the awkward kind of silence but a comforting one, the kind of silence you often shared with trent when words weren't needed.

"i really had fun today you know." trent broke the silence, stroking your hair.

"yeah, i noticed that, i'm glad you get on well with them."

"i think you'd be a great mum." he said almost in a whisper. you did not expect this. trent and you have been together for over a year already, but you've never had this talk.

"are you trying to tell me something ?" you asked, looking up at him.

"i don't know, not really, i was just thinking that maybe-" you put an end to his suffering quickly when you noticed his stammering.

"i'm joking trent... i think you'd be a great dad, the best actually."

he looked at you lovingly and kissed you in a manner that was definitely different than when the girls were here.

his kisses started trailing down your neck as you moved your head to the side, implicitly telling him to keep going.

"should we start practicing then mmh ?"

[kamii-2]

KK FIC WHERE HER SND READER GET A DOG AND THEY GET INTO A PLAYFUL ARGUMENT BC KK WANTED TO NAME THE DOG TRU FU

the dog looks a different color in one of the pics but let’s just act like it’s bc of the lighting (it probably actually is from the lighting 😭) also act like the dog is a boy bc i couldn’t find any pics that looked similar that the dog wasn’t a different gender in each pic. also idk how to do realistic comments so i gave up, i tried it on the app and it looked like booty and on here i dont know how to do it 🥸

warning(s): cussing

genre: fluff

pairing(s): kk arnold x reader

==================================

“kk we should get a dog.” you said randomly as you were on face book looking at pitbull puppies for sale. “oh my gosh, yes we should.” she gasped while looking over at your phone and seeing the adorable little puppies. she grabbed your phone and looked at the facebook post closely, looking at all of the little puppies, “this one is so cute!” she yelled while turning the phone to you, it was a grey boy with white on his chest and he had the cutest little blue eyes, “oh my gosh kk we need that one like now!” you gasped while getting excited. “i’m texting the lady right now and i’ll let you know what she says.” you told kk, she nodded in response.

since it was late at night, you guys went to bed a little bit after and when you woke up you checked your phone and seen that the lady had responded 15 minutes before you woke up. “kk wake up.” you nudged her, “what.” she replied with her face in the pillow, “the lady said we can come get the puppy at 2 and it’s 10:30 so we need to get up and get ready because it’s a 2 hour drive.” kk nodded and turned over on her back, getting up and headed to the bathroom while you went to the your closet to find some clothes to wear after your shower. at 11:50 you both got in the car, you set up the gps and you two were on your way to get your new baby.

-

when you reached the destination, you were in and out, she gave you the dog and you cashapped her the money. kk was so happy and asked you to drive so she could hold the puppy. “what are we gonna name him?” kk asked while hugging him. “i don’t know.” you said while shrugging and pulling into the nearest pet store. you two got out and went inside to get all of the necessary supplies. you bought him a small bed, small kennel you’ll use until he’s trained, puppy pads, toys, puppy food, and whatever else you needed. the ride home was full of kk squealing, the puppy snoring while he sleeps, and both of you laughing.

-

the second you posted your instagram post, kayla texted you asking to come over and see the new puppy, you obviously said yes and somehow you ended up with the entire team at your apartment. the puppy was loving all off attention he was getting, licking people and getting excited when someone pet him.

“so what’s his name?” caroline questioned while petting the small dog, playing with his paws as well. “uh.” you replied while look at kk, she was already looking at you. “tru fru-” “no.” you quickly cut her off. “why.” she whined, dragging the ‘y’ out. “he doesn’t have a name and his name will not be tru fru.” you said while trying to think of other names for him besides the ridiculous one kk chose. “you guys should name lloyd because it means grey in welsh.” morgan suggested, “wait that’s literally perfect because of lloyd the musician too.” you gasped while shaking kk, “who the fuck is lloyd?” she asked, “are you dumb?” your eyes brows furrowed while dropping your hands off her shoulders, “oh wait it’s the guy who made all those freaky songs.” kk said while gasping and suddenly agree to it.

-

after everyone went home you two went to bed and the puppy slept with you, right in the middle. the night was peaceful, sleeping in the bed with the puppy made you two feel complete, like he was your child.

==================================

sorry it’s kinda short but i wanted to get something out. i hope you guys enjoyed it and i hope you have a good day/night, love you 💋💋

[cameronspecial]

Shy reader that goes up to her bf Zach to give him a cute little crochet flower she made while he’s with all his college friends and he’s just in awe. He loves her so much and now he just focuses on her and forgets whatever he was doing. 🥰

My Crafty Baby

Pairing: Zach MacLaren x Reader

Warnings: N/A

Pronouns: She/Her

Word Count: 0.7K

Masterlist

Y/N has been working on Zach’s gift for a few weeks now and it is finally ready for him to see. She could just wait for him to come over to her dorm after he plays a friendly soccer match with his friends, but she really can’t wait to show him. The sound of her feet rustling through the grass fills her ears with the sound of the boys yelling at each other. Zach pauses when he sees her on the sidelines and runs over to her, ignoring the yells of his friends that they are still playing a game. Her hands are behind her back and this intrigues him. “What are you doing here, Baby? Is everything okay?” he asks, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looks around at the players on the field and sees that the attention is on them. Her chin finds her neck as she feels nerves bubble in her stomach, “I’m okay. I’m sorry I interrupted your games, I just want to give you something.” Zach smiles at her, lifting her chin so he can see her eyes. “You don’t have to be sorry. I love seeing you. What did you want to give me other than happiness in your presence, Baby?” he reassures. 

Her hands come out from behind her back to show him tulips made out of yarn. He is amazed by the gift, taking it into his hands with a peck to her cheek. “Baby, these are beautiful. How did you make them?” he praises, resting a hand on the dip of her waist. Her hand finds her front and she fidgets with her fingers, “I crocheted them.”

“Is that like knitting? I’ve never heard of it.”

“A little, but you use a hook instead of needles.” 

“Really? That sounds really cool. Will you show me how you do it, Baby?” 

He takes her hand in his and is about to drag her to her dorm. Y/N looks back at Zach’s friends on the field, waiting impatiently for Zach to resume the game. “Zach, what about your game?” she mutters, shrinking at the feeling that she is doing something to bother the players on the field. Zach’s eyes widen at the sudden remembrance as to why he is on the quad in the first place, “Right, well… you can show me after the game. But will you at least tell me why you chose to make me flowers?” Her eyes find her fingers and she gives him a small smile. “Boys never get flowers, so I thought you deserved some. But I didn’t want them to die so that’s why I crocheted them. Now, you’ll have flowers you get to keep forever,” she explains, nervous to meet the gaze. Maybe he will find her reasoning silly. “Baby, these are incredible. Thank you so much. I love them. I love you,” he promises. His lips meet hers and he stays like that for a second. He wraps his arms around her shoulder, bringing her closer to him.

He again forgets his previous task at hand, too distracted by his girlfriend. “Zach, are you coming back to the game or what?” Arnold calls out. Zach looks back at him, “Oh, yeah. I am, just give me a second to say bye to my crafty baby.” He turns back to Y/N with a smile. “I’m going to go back to the game, but you can stay and watch if you want.” She gives a small nod, looking around for a place to sit. “Great. Could you watch my flowers for me, please? I don’t want anything to happen to them,” he inquires and holds out his gift to her. She takes it into her hands, watching as he runs back out to the field. Zach’s team definitely didn’t win that day. How can he focus with such a distractingly beautiful girl cheering him on from the sidelines? 

Taglist: @winterrrnight @loves0phelia

[heyjudeb]

Lake Secrets - Jude Bellingham

Chapter 4: We're Lost

Summary: Grace Alexander Arnold, an architecture student, looks forward to a quiet summer at her brother Trent's lake villa. Her plans change when Trent's best friend, Jude Bellingham, arrives with his family. As Grace and Jude spend more time together, a secret romance begins to grow. Amidst the peaceful lake and family gatherings, will their hidden feelings last, or will they fade away with the summer? Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: fluff, crying, angst

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. I could hear the faint sound of footsteps fading away. I knew it was Grace. My heart ached to open the door, to see her standing there, but I couldn't. It wouldn't be right to Trent, my best friend. I had to keep my feelings in check, no matter how much I wanted to be with her. I don't know why I wanted to give her hope with that poem. It's just stupid. Maybe she didn't read too much into it, considered it as a coincidence.

When morning came, I woke up feeling more tired than ever. I rubbed my eyes and decided to head downstairs for breakfast, hoping a cup of coffee would wake me up.

As I reached the kitchen, I found Trent and our parents already seated at the table, chatting and eating breakfast. I scanned the room, but Grace was nowhere to be found.

"Morning," I greeted everyone, trying to sound casual as I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Jude," Trent replied with a grin. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, not bad," I lied, taking a sip of my coffee. "Where's Grace? I don't see her around."

Trent shrugged, not seeming too concerned. "She hasn't come down yet. She might've stayed up all night reading, knowing her."

I nodded, trying to hide my worry. "Yeah, probably. She does love her books."

Our parents continued their conversation, not paying much attention to us. I tried to join in, but my mind kept drifting back to Grace. What if she was upset? What if she needed someone to talk to?

I decided to check on her, hoping she was just lost in one of her books. I didn't really care if this brought suspicion in anyone. "I'm going to see if she's awake," I said, standing up from the table.

Trent glanced at me, a hint of suspicion in his eyes, but he didn't say anything. I made my way upstairs, my heart pounding in my chest. I knocked on Grace's door softly, not wanting to wake her if she was still asleep.

"Grace? You awake?" I called out, waiting for a response. She didn't answer. I tried knocking softly one more time, "Grace? I just want to know if you're okay."

The door opened slowly, and there she was, still in her pajamas. I couldn't tell if it was just her beautiful swollen morning face, or if she had been crying. "Why wouldn't I be?" She gave me an exaggerated smile.

"Um... Just checking," I said, trying to read her expression.

She nodded and walked right past me, clearly trying to avoid me. I knew I shouldn't have sent her any signal, but I couldn't understand why she was upset. She didn't go in my room either.

I gently grabbed her arm, spinning her around before she stepped on the stairs. She turned to me with an angry yet sad expression. I keep doing things without thinking them through. I don't know why I stopped her when I had nothing to say.

"I just... Why are you avoiding my gaze?" "I am not, I'm just really hungry." she said almost like a question, not really looking sincere to me right now. "I want to rush down for breakfast." "Grace," I grabbed both her arms, and got closer to her. "You were behind the door too. And you also chose to walk away, why are you mad at me then?" She seemed shocked by the fact that i mention last night's situation. She shifted in arms but didn't get out of my grip. She gave me those green eyes again, looking straight into my soul. "For the same reason you did, I guess." She took a deep breath. "Jude, if... if..." she trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"You can talk to me, Grace."

She hesitated for a moment, then mumbled a quiet "fuck it" under her breath and began speaking rapidly. "Maybe you don't think about me the same way I think about you. Maybe all these little interactions, the lake, your looks, everything was just my crazy imagination. So, it's better for me to just keep things cool between us." No, it wasn't just your imagination. You clearly have me at your fingertips with your beautiful eyes and your smile. If it was up to me, I would have kissed you the first day I saw you here.

Is what I wanted to say. Is what I failed to say.

Trent was the only thing on my mind. She's his sister. His baby sister he loves dearly. If a single thing goes wrong between us, I could lose him too, lose his respect for me. "Grace, I..." I let go of her arms slowly. "I'm sorry. I should've been more clear about my intentions with you."

"Yeah, no worries," she replied, giving me a death glare. As she was about to head down the stairs, she turned around once more. "Also, this little confession that happened right here shouldn't scare you. We're good, lad." She turned away again, each step down the stairs echoing loudly with her frustration.

I wanted to kick everything in my sight, scream loudly. She just slipped away from me. She wasn't even mine anyway, but I could've kept my thoughts to myself and not affect her. But this is for the best. ..... Grace has been avoiding me ever since that morning. Our conversations have become limited to the bare essentials, mostly when she's calling me for meals or asking about something she can't avoid.

I've been trying to get that spark of happiness back in her eyes. She made it clear that morning that she wanted to keep things "cool" between us. My fear of giving her false hope has kept me from seeking out moments alone with her. But no matter how much I try to respect her wishes, my mind and body still long for her presence, her touch.

Trent, ever the outdoorsman, proposed a hike along a trail about ten minutes away from the villa. His enthusiasm was infectious, winning over even the few of us who were hesitant.

"I'm telling you, bro. It's the best view ever," Trent said, patting my shoulder with a confident grin. "Trust me on this." Grace came down the stairs with a heavy backpack, almost causing her to tip backward.

"Hey, sis, are you moving out to the woods?" Trent chuckled at the sight of her.

"I'm just bringing all the essentials for our primitive life in the wilderness," she said, dead serious. "And we're a group, so I had to pack extra."

Everyone burst into laughter. "Grace, honey, we won't need any of that stuff," her mom said, shaking her head. "It's just a short hike, not a survival mission."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Well, you never know. What if we get lost? Or what if a bear shows up? I’m just prepared."

"Yeah, for an episode of 'Survivor,' maybe," Jobe teased, earning another round of laughs. "Let's see if you're still laughing when you're in need of my emergency snacks," Grace retorted, a sassy grin crossing her face. Jobe chuckled nervously. "I'll keep that in mind, Grace. I might owe you an apology then."

The playful exchange added a humorous touch to the preparations for their hike.

We set out early in the morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. The trail was beautiful, winding through dense forest and opening up to stunning vistas. Grace walked ahead with Trent and Jobe, while I stayed back, trying to keep my distance. The whole family seemed to enjoy the hike, taking in the fresh air and the breathtaking scenery.

We stopped at a lookout point halfway up the trail. Trent was right; the view was incredible. We could see the entire valley, the villa nestled among the trees far below. Everyone took pictures, chatted, and enjoyed the moment. I found myself stealing glances at Grace, who seemed more relaxed than she had in days. She was smiling, her laughter echoing through the trees. I couldn't help but smile too, even though a part of me ached to be closer to her. "Do you want me to carry the backpack?" I asked Grace softly as we fell a few steps behind the others.

"No, I'm good, thank you!" She gave me a quick smile before turning back to face the trail. Her breathing was heavy from the weight of the bag.

"Grace, come on. You're breathless," I said, reaching out for the backpack. "Take a quick break to catch your breath, yeah?"

She seemed convinced after feeling the relief when I lifted the bag from her shoulders. "Yeah, okay. Fair enough! You're right!"

Her breathless state made me chuckle. I turned to the others to let them know we were stopping for a bit. "Hey guys, you keep going. We're going to take a break here!"

Everyone nodded and continued on the path. I sat next to Grace on the ground, taking a water bottle from the backpack and handing it to her.

"You can keep going, Jude," she said after gulping the water. "I can rest here by myself."

"I don't want to leave you alone."

"To be honest, I'm not really sure if you know what you want."

"Grace—" "Let's go, I don't want to be so far behind from them." She stood up, reached out her hand for me to grab, without facing me. After our rest, we resumed our hike, the trail stretching ahead of us. The forest was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves, and the morning sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Grace seemed more relaxed after the break, but the weight of our earlier conversation still lingered between us.

As we continued, we came across an intersection where the trail split into two. "Um, what do we do?" "I'm sure it's the one on the left. I remember it." she said softly, not sounding too convincing. She chose the path on the left, and I followed her, trusting her instincts.

We walked deeper into the forest, the trail becoming narrower and more overgrown. The trees grew taller and closer together, their branches forming a thick canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight. The air was cooler here, and the sounds of the forest grew louder, almost echoing around us.

"Grace, are you sure this is the right way?" I asked, noticing the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

We continued walking, but the path seemed to disappear, leaving us surrounded by dense underbrush and towering trees. My concern grew with each step.

"Grace, I think we might have taken the wrong trail," I said gently, trying not to alarm her. She stopped and looked around, realizing the same thing. "Yeah, you're right. ", her face showing a mix of frustration and worry. " You win." "I win?! This is not a competition, come on." I said looking at her trying not to smile.

I took out my phone to check for any signal, but we were too deep in the forest. "No signal. We should probably head back the way we came." I started walking back the way we came, Grace wasn't following me behind. I turned around to see her with a worried face expression. She looked around. "Hey, it's okay. We'll figure it out together," I reassured her, giving her a comforting smile, reaching out to grab her hand.

She took my hand but kept glancing over her shoulder. "There's something there," she whispered, her voice tinged with fear. "What if it's a bear?"

I squeezed her hand gently. "It's probably just the wind or a small animal. Let's stay calm and head back."

Grace nodded, though her eyes still darted nervously. We began retracing our steps, the forest feeling more imposing with each step. I don't think Grace realized I was holding her hand until after some steps, because she immediately pulled it away. As we walked, the silence between us was heavy. I couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Grace," I began, trying to keep my voice calm, "why are you acting this way towards me?"

She shot me a sideways glance, her eyes flashing with irritation. "Oh, you want to talk about behavior now?" she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes, I do," I said, frustration creeping into my voice. "One moment, it feels like we have something special, and the next, you’re avoiding me like the plague. What’s going on?"

Grace stopped and turned to face me, her hands on her hips. "Maybe it’s because you send me mixed signals, Jude! One minute you act like you have feelings for me, and the next, you’re all 'let’s keep it cool.'"

I opened my mouth to respond, but she had already turned around and started marching ahead, clearly fuming. "Grace, wait!" I called out, but she didn't stop.

"Grace! I don't know what to say!" I sounded frustrated, my words failing me. I didn't know what to say to make this right.

"You don't have to say anything, Jude," she snapped, turning quickly to face me. "It was a misunderstanding on my part. I apologize."

"No, it wasn't. I mean—" I trailed off, seeing a tear run down her cheek. "No, Grace, please. Don't cry."

I walked toward her, cupping her face in my hands and kissing her forehead. She didn't fight me; she just stood there with her eyes shut, tears flowing freely.

"Grace, it's true. What you felt is true. You're the prettiest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. I'm drawn to you. It's like my body is constantly craving you."

She opened her beautiful green eyes, looking up at me, our foreheads still touching. More tears started running down her cheeks after I confessed to her.

"But it's—" I inhaled deeply. "It's Trent. You're his baby sister, the one he loves to death. If things didn't work out between us, he would hate me."

"I know," she whispered, her voice so low I could barely hear it. "But, what if things work between us?"

"That would be the best thing that could ever happen to me," I said softly, lifting my forehead from hers and looking into her eyes. I gently wiped away her tears, my fingers lingering on her cheeks.

For a moment, we just stood there, lost in each other's gaze, the forest around us fading away. The air was thick with unspoken words and emotions. I leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to, but she didn't.

Her breath hitched as our lips met, a tentative, gentle touch at first. I felt a shiver run down my spine, my heart pounding in my chest. Her lips were soft and warm, tasting faintly of salt from her tears.

Grace responded, her hands sliding up to my shoulders, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent and hungry. It was as if all the tension and longing we had been holding back finally burst forth.

We broke apart for a moment, both of us breathing heavily. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, and a soft sigh escaped her.

"It's decided then," I whispered, a smile tugging at my lips. I leaned in and kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment, savoring the closeness.

She opened her eyes, looking up at me with a mixture of happiness and uncertainty. "What do we do now?" she asked softly.

"We take it slow," I said, my hand still resting on her cheek. "We figure it out, together. One step at a time."

She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Together," she echoed, her voice filled with hope. .....

We finally made our way back to the villa, the familiar sight of the backyard coming into view. I could see Trent standing there, looking relieved but also a bit worried as he spotted us.

"What happened?" he called out as we approached. "You two okay?"

I forced a casual smile, trying to keep my nerves in check. "Yeah, we just took a wrong turn and got a bit lost," I said, glancing at Grace.

"Lost?" Trent raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "You had us worried."

Grace nodded, avoiding Trent's gaze. "Sorry about that. I’m going to take a quick shower," she said quickly, excusing herself and heading upstairs before Trent could ask any more questions.

Trent watched her go, then turned back to me. "You sure everything's okay, Jude?"

I nodded, trying to keep my tone light. "Yeah, just a bit of an adventure. Nothing to worry about."

He studied me for a moment, then sighed. "Alright. Glad you're both safe, bro."

"Will do," I promised, feeling a wave of relief as he seemed to accept the explanation.

Trent relaxed a bit, a hint of a smile on his face. "Anyway, we were about to start lunch. You hungry?"

"Starving," I said, hoping the change in topic would keep him from probing further. ......

After her shower, Grace joined us downstairs, looking more relaxed and composed. The air had cooled, and the late afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow across the room. I craved her soft lips, especially after I've tasted them. Trent suggested we play a game of cards to unwind, and everyone agreed.

"Alright, everyone ready for some good old-fashioned card games?" Trent announced, shuffling the deck with a flourish. "Let's play some rummy."

Jobe grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Prepare to lose, everyone. I’m feeling lucky today."

Grace rolled her eyes, sitting down beside me. "You say that every time, Jobe. And every time, you end up losing."

Jobe feigned offense. "That's because you all cheat."

Trent chuckled, dealing the cards. "No one’s cheating, mate. You just have terrible luck."

We settled into the game, the atmosphere light and filled with laughter. At one point, Jobe dramatically threw his cards down, groaning. "This game is rigged! I’m calling it now."

Grace smirked, glancing at his cards. "Jobe, you’re holding three queens. How is that bad luck?"

"Because I need kings!" he shot back, causing everyone to laugh.

From the backyard, Grace's mom called out, "The pizzas should be ready by now! Can someone go get them?"

Grace stood up. "I’ll get them." She glanced at me.

"I'll help you" I said, rising from my seat.

We walked to the kitchen together, the warmth from the oven hitting us as we stepped inside. Grace grabbed an oven mitt and carefully took the first pizza out, setting it on the counter. I couldn't resist wrapping my arms around her waist from behind, unable to hold myself back any longer. She looked amazing in her shorts and oversized sweatshirt.

She let out a surprised laugh, her body tensing slightly before relaxing against me. "Jude," she giggled, her voice a mix of amusement and slight panic. "What are you doing?"

I leaned in, pressing my lips gently against her neck. "I can't help it, Grace," I whispered, feeling her shiver at my touch.

"You're crazy," she muttered, but I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I know," I replied, kissing her neck again, more slowly this time, savoring the softness of her skin. Grace's breath hitched, and she leaned back into me, her head resting against my shoulder.

I could feel her heartbeat quicken, her body melting into my embrace. "Jude, we... we should get the pizzas to everyone," she said, her voice breathless and lightheaded.

"Just one more moment," I murmured, giving her one last gentle kiss before letting go. She turned around, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and nerves.

"Alright," she said, a little breathless, "let's get these pizzas out before someone comes looking for us." ..... As the night settled in and everyone retired to their rooms, I lay down, replaying the day's events in my mind. The kiss, the confession, the shared laughter. It all felt surreal, like a dream I didn't want to end. I pictured her beautiful, angelic face looking at me. I had to physically stop myself from going to her room and holding her in my arms while we sleep. As I closed my eyes, a noise caught my attention.

It was coming from Grace's room. I could hear muffled voices, one of them clearly Grace's, but it was the other voice that made me sit up. It was her dad.

I strained to listen, curiosity and concern mingling in my chest. Grace's voice sounded strained, like she was holding back tears. I couldn't make out the conversation, but the tone was unmistakably serious.

Then I heard her dad say something, his voice calm but firm, just as he closed the door of her room. "You can't just follow your heart without considering the consequences, Grace." ..... Hello :) Let me know how you like the series so far and if you want to be tagged. Enjoy! @fbdt2002

Coming up next: Chapter 5

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss Is Betting Big on Maybe Happy Ending, the Musical You're About to Fall in Love With

Darren Criss on the Timelessness of MAYBE HAPPY ENDING

Darren Criss has danced up the corporate ladder as J. Pierrepont Finch, stripped down to his skivvies as a queer East German rock star and tackled the “profane poetry” of David Mamet. And still, he says, there’s one thing he hasn’t done: “I haven’t taken any risks on Broadway.”

That ends this season with Maybe Happy Ending, a new musical on a mission to draw audiences to the Belasco Theatre without the benefit of a recognizable title, popular source material or songs that have already spent time on the Billboard Hot 100. “It's a really, really hard market right now to be making art,” Criss says to Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek, chatting at So & So's Neighborhood Piano Bar. And commercial Broadway theater? It’s “tedious, expensive and a gamble.” So naturally, Criss is going double or nothing as both star and producer of Broadway’s next thrilling crap shoot.

Maybe Happy Ending takes the trappings of a classic love story and inserts futuristic robots with outdated software. Criss plays Oliver opposite Helen J Shen’s Claire—a pair of Helper-Bots who, on a quest to contact their former owner, evoke a kind of Millennial-Gen Z mismatch. But rather than getting swept away by love, the two retired machines take the concept itself and try to break it down to its zeros and ones. As Criss explains, “[It’s] two computers trying to computationally synthesize and process what love is and why human beings do this.”

The musical was a hit when it debuted in Seoul, South Korea nearly a decade ago, and now, writers Will Aronson and Hue Park have a crafted an English-language version that Criss thinks has the potential to ascend to the proverbial Heaviside Layer of musical theater. “This is the seminal version that I hope can last in perpetuity for the ages,” he says, adding confidently, “I do feel like this is a timeless piece.”

Original musicals have the most challenging road on Broadway. But when you look to grassroots successes like Urinetown, or Dear Evan Hansen, or even The Prom—which ran in New York for less than a year but inspired a starry film and a slate of regional and international productions—you see how quickly an unknown quantity can become canon. “People are always like, ‘There’s no one creating original things,’” Criss says. “They are. It’s just really, really hard to produce them because you really have to believe in something hard enough to be OK with the risk.”

The fact that Maybe Happy Ending has earned that belief from some of the theater’s heaviest hitters is telling. Director Michael Arden, hot off a 2023 Tony Award for his revival of Parade, chose the piece as his next musical. And producers Jeffrey Richards and Hunter Arnold, with nearly 20 Tony Awards between them, have given Arden free rein to make a capital “B” Broadway meal of it.

The show’s cast is deceptively modest (Marcus Choi and Dez Duron complete the four-hander), but there’s nothing minimalist about Arden’s vision for Maybe Happy Ending or the high-tech space he’s worked out with set designer Dane Laffrey. In short, “They don’t f**k around,” says Criss. “This show is very technologically advanced. I think it's kind of the ace in the hole that people aren't expecting.” He tosses out comparisons to Miss Saigon’s descending helicopter and The Phantom of the Opera’s haunted chandelier—emblems of the bygone ‘80s megamusical. In an era of subtlety and economy (think recent Tony winners Kimberly Akimbo or The Band’s Visit), this, Criss promises, is “a big-a** mother**king spectacle.”

It's another bold, all-in move from the Maybe Happy Ending team, but Criss is determined to hedge no bets this time around. He looks back at his Broadway resume: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (“Glee was white-hot and I was going in for three weeks after Daniel Radcliffe”); Hedwig and the Angry Inch (“People love that show. With or without me, it would be just fine”); American Buffalo (“A beloved and respected American play”).

“They're all classics to some degree,” he concludes. “This is not that.” Of course, understanding what Maybe Happy Ending is not is less of an issue than getting audiences to understand what it is. Right now, Criss says, there are rumblings around town that it’s “the cute little robot show.” The thought puts a mischievous grin on his face: “You have no idea.”

[libraryspectre]

Ugh ok fine I'll talk about my murderbot casting opinions

Awhile back I noticed people getting irritated with Kevin R. Free as the audiobook narrator because he's a man with a Man Voice and it really rankled me. People of any gender can have any voice, and anyway, Kevin R. Free's voice IS fairly androgynous.

This is more or less how I feel about a man being cast as Murderbot. It would have been nice to have a nonbinary actor play Murderbot, because nonbinary actors need more roles, but Murderbot is not nonbinary. Murderbot is nonhuman and human labels are N/A. Gender is N/A. You could argue that is splitting hairs from a representation standpoint, but I think it's core to the theme of the series. (Also, it's great that nonbinary people relate to and claim murderbot as representation, we just need to acknowledge it doesn't experience being genderless in the same way a human does). Because of this, I don't think the studio was ethically obligated to cast a nonbinary person.

I think, from a worldbuiling standpoint, I would have liked someone with a fairly androgynous voice and facial features. This is because we know murderbot is sexless, with no secondary sex characteristics. As far as murderbot's flesh parts, the only relevant features I can think of are voice and lack of facial hair.

So, I'm actually pretty fine with a man being cast as murderbot? I think to follow the logic of secunit biology he should stay clean-shaven for the roll, and maybe avoid the deeper registers of his voice (I haven't heard him speak so I don't actually know what he sounds like.) His features are pretty traditionally masculine but that doesn't really matter, and he has big ol eyes that could help them play into the androgynony if they chose to.

My bigger initial problem was with Murderbot being played by a white actor. I think a lot of the readers' image of Murderbot has been shaped by the Tommy Arnold illustrations where it's dark-skinned. It doesn't actually say anywhere in the books, from what I remember, what Murderbot's skin-tone is like, but we do know it's made from a slurry of donor DNA and the Corporate Rim has people with a wide range of features (I avoided alluding to racial diversity here because we have no idea what concept of race the CR or any of the other settings actually have. Edit: to clarify, the characters are definitely racially diverse from our viewpoint. I just felt the need to caveat because the concept of race is very cultural and we don't actually know what cultural concepts of race the setting has, if any at all. This is my anthropology degree showing lol). It makes little sense for Murderbot to be white if its DNA is built from a pool of people with, most likely, a wide variety of physical features. At least.....I think it is? I realized after thinking about this for awhile that I don't actually know if Murderbot's DNA came from one human donor or a variety of people. So this whole argument could be moot. (If you could direct me to evidence for or against this I'd be grateful).

So, Murderbot being white might be technically fine, from a worldbuilding standpoint, but at that point I think it's just kind of disappointing to see another show with a really diverse supporting cast and a white lead. That being said, there's actually interesting commentary to that, considering Murderbot was created to be a cop. I actually think, if handled well, the image of a bunch of white secunits policing the enslaved masses could be some really effective commentary. And to some extent, it doesn't matter if Murderbot's DNA came from one person or a pool of people, if you take the stance that the Company is intentionally choosing white features for their SecUnits. The commentary stands.

My other concern was that they would whitewash other cast members, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Finally, the series having Martha Wells' stamp of approval encourages me that they've made these choices with intention and will handle them thoughtfully. I saw another fan point out that there is some power to the idea of seeing an actor on screen that most people would read as male, asserting again and again that it doesn't have gender, and now that I'm feeling more optomistic I agree.

And hey, I'm actually feeling optomistic!