#I did in fact post this publicly AND link it in the notes at the end of chapter 6

[aster-draws]

Couldn’t get the image out of my head so taKE THIS

AHDSIOSHDGOIHDSOFKDJNOKASNFOJDSBGODJASFNC AH oh my GOD? You're kidding this is INCREDIBLE

it's so perfect you captured the vibe IMPECCABLY i'm?????? literally speechless holy shit?

Also tim's bewilderment is so spot on that's his face literally for the entire fic

SIDhvnodhnvoafdnvaoAPOS:OAJBDS god. anyways. I'm chewing on this like a dog on a bone

[therealcocoshady]

Hi coco , I don’t know if your still doing requests if not juts by past this .

Fem reader x Marshall

Reader is some sort of celebrity and her and Marshall’s sex tape gets leaked

SECRETS OUT - ONE SHOT

Eminem x Celebrity Reader

Author’s note : Thank you so much for your request. I Hope you like it ❤️. I thoroughly enjoyed writing one shots and HCs so if you have requests, feel free to send them to me in my Ask.

Synopsis : You’re a prominent influencer, having a secret relationship with Em for years. None of you intend on making it public… until your sextape gets leaked.

When you started dating Marshall, the two of you had a serious talk about how important it was to him that your relationship remained private. He knew that you shared a lot of your life online - hell, it was kind of your job as an influencer - and respected it, but he was adamant about not being featured on your social media accounts and YouTube channel. You respected his wish. To be honest, you were a little relieved : your last relationship had ended because of public scrutiny and you didn’t want history to repeat itself. Especially since the person you were dating was a megastar. No offense to your ex, who was still a very successful influencer, but next to Marshall Mathers, he was chopped liver. If publicly dating someone with ten million YouTube followers was hard, you couldn’t imagine how it would be if everyone knew you were dating Eminem.

You actually did a good job at keeping your followers and his fans in the dark about your relationship. To everyone, the both of you were single and, even though they were rumours about the two of you dating other public figures, you had never been linked together. No one expected you, a twenty-something fashion and beauty influencer to date Eminem. From the looks of it, you didn’t have much in common and didn’t run in the same circles.

So your relationship flew under the radar for years and you even managed to get married without the public knowing. You had the most beautiful wedding, held in a secluded location with only your closest friends, with a lot of logistics and NDAs involved. Everyone joked that you had to be the only influencer who didn’t share the most important day of their life on social media. Especially when the wedding was so insta-worthy. A few years ago, you would have been a little bummed about it, but being with Marshall kept you grounded and reminded you that not everything was meant to be shared online. If anything, the secrecy of your wedding and the « no phones or camera allowed » rule allowed everyone to enjoy the moment instead of focusing on filming it or snapping pictures of their plates or outfit. That didn’t mean there were no pictures taken though. The only person who immortalised the wedding was the photographer and, though guests were sent the pictures, they were asked not to share, and everyone respected your wishes.

Just because the two of you didn’t share pictures online didn’t mean you didn’t take plenty. In fact, your phones were full of cute selfies of the two of you. At the beginning of your relationship, he often made fun of your habit to try and immortalise moments, but he ended up getting into it. When the two of you met, he was still using an old BlackBerry and took the crappiest selfies, but you managed to turn him into the perfect Instagram husband. In fact, he was the one who helped you do your daily outfit posts and he was more than decent at telling you how you should pose. And if he was a bit judgy of influencers at first, he had come to understand your line of work and your love of fashion. He was extremely supportive of every thing you did and his eyes were gleaming with adoration when he was watching you film your videos, though he still liked to tease you.

One evening, during your honeymoon, you found him filming himself in the mirror as you walked out of the bathroom in your finest, sluttiest lingerie.

- What are you doing ? You giggled.

- Immortalising the outfit. So, it’s simple, the boxers are Givenchy, fall collection… care to share yours ? He chuckled as he pointed the phone to you.

- So tonight, I’m wearing a gorgeous Dita Von Teese set, you said as you posed and played along. We have this gorgeous corset, and the panties are amazing, too…

- Turn around and show the back, babe, he instructed. You’re gorgeous.

This became a little game that you played during the whole honeymoon. Each night, Marshall filmed you in your lingerie, under the pretense that he wanted to remember your honeymoon as vividly as possible. This made you laugh and you let him. It started as « innocent » « outfit of the night » videos but, on occasion, you both felt frisky and ended up filming a literal sex tape, or rather a series of them. Nothing especially elaborate, just one of you holding the phone while doing the deed, just for laughs. You didn’t even watch them after or think about it. It was really just the two of you clowning around, making fun of your own IG account and enjoying your honeymoon. Once you got back home, you didn’t keep it going and eventually came to forget there were videos of you and Marshall having sex on his phone. Until the videos were leaked, that is.

You had been married for about six months and enjoyed your weekly brunch with Marshall’s daughters when they suddenly went silent, after Stevie showed her sisters something on her phone.

- Oh my God, I’m going to puke, Stevie said.

- Girls, no phone at the table, Marshall groaned.

- Have you guys… seen the news ? Hailie asked.

- What news ? You asked back, a tad confused.

- The Pistons headline, Alaina said.

- What’s wrong with the team ? Marshall asked with a raised eyebrow.

The girls frowned and stayed silent for a second before handing the phone to the two of you. There was an article about you and Marshall, soberly titled : « Detroit’s ultimate Piston : Eminem sextape leaked (featuring influencer Y/N ». The headline was enough to make you want to die. The article wasn’t much better. It commented on the videos and showed a few screenshots of tweets reacting to the leak such as « Bro can’t take a decent selfie but you can trust him to point the camera at his dick correctly 👀 » or « Damn. He’s 51 but Y/N’s the one who’s gonna need hip replacement surgery with these trusts 💀». You and Marshall stared at each other while the girls were looking at you. You felt humiliated. Not only were the videos leaked online, you were confronted by your step-daughters - though they were old enough to be your sisters - about it. You looked down, absolutely mortified.

- Don’t watch these, Marshall told his daughters.

- Like we’d want to see that, Stevie pointed out.

- Really, guys, a sextape ? Alaina asked. Dad, you’re 51 !

- I’m going to be sick, you said as you left the table and headed to your room.

You heard Marshall calling your name but there was absolutely no way you could face anyone right now. Once you were alone, you anxiously checked your phone. Of course, everyone was in a frenzy. Your manager was texting you and your social media accounts were flooded. Both in the comments and your DMs, people were going crazy and talking about the videos. You already had a huge following, but it was something else entirely. You immediately called your manager, who was beyond pissed. Apparently, some brands you collaborated threatened to sever their ties with you. Of course, you getting rammed on video didn’t really fit in with your usual good girl image and it wouldn’t be a good look for them. Now, not only were you ashamed but you were also terrified. You had worked too hard for your career to crumble that easily.

- What should I do ? You anxiously asked.

- For now, nothing, she said. I’m going to consult with a few people to see what we can do for damage control. Though if I were you I’d get ready to film an apology video.

- I didn’t do anything wrong, you pointed out. These videos were not meant to be shared.

- You know how it is, Y/N. I’ll get back to you ASAP.

- Thanks, you said sheepishly. Talk to you soon.

When you hung up, you couldn’t resist the temptation to go and check other articles. Obviously, news traveled fast and you were now a trending subject. Marshall being the more famous of the two of you, his name was on every headline but, from the looks of it, you were the one whose reputation was suffering the most. While everybody seemed to praise his performance - and impressive physique - you were deemed a slut by the Internet. Even worse, some people were already making memes with your face and some rappers beefing with Marshall were reposting them. You had always been a « glass half-full » type of person but you literally wanted to die. In a flash, it seemed like you could kiss your career and reputation goodbye.

After about an hour, Marshall joined you in the bedroom and took you in his arms while you were sobbing.

- Hey, he said sheepishly.

- I-I’m sorry, you said. But I can’t go and face your daughters. I just can’t. I can’t face anyone right now, I-I…

- It’s fine, he replied before kissing your forehead. I sent them home.

- Im sorry, you said. I know how much family brunch means to you…

- As it turns out, having your kids lecture you about your leaked sextape isn’t as fun as people make it out to be, he said sarcastically.

You couldn’t help but chortle. Even in this type of dramatic situations, you could always count on Marshall’s dry humor. He placed another kiss on your forehead and wiped your tears with his thumbs.

- We’ll be fine, he said reassuringly. Don’t worry, babe.

- Why aren’t you freaking out ? You asked. You should be freaking out.

- Oh, I’m freaking out, he said. I mean, I’m livid. But on a practical level, I know people will forget about it eventually, you know.

- Easy for you to say, you pointed out. The Internet is raving about the size of your dick and commenting about how in shape you are for an older dude… meanwhile, people are calling me a slut.

- You’re not a slut, he said as he rolled his eyes.

- Tell that to the thousand of people calling me a rapper groupie or whatever that is, you groaned.

- Doesn’t matter, he shrugged. We both know that’s not true. You’re not a groupie, you’re my wife.

- Well I’m about to be a stay at home wife, you said with tears in your eyes. I had my agent on the phone and sponsors are already breaking contracts… I-I’m losing everything, Marshall…

The tears started streaming down again. Mentioning the situation out loud was upsetting, it only meant it was real. You were really on the verge of losing everything. Your husband knew better than anyone how much your career meant to you, the work you put in and everything you had invested to be successful. To you, it wasn’t just a job : it was your dream. You had always tried your best to have a pristine reputation as an influencer and stay out of drama but now, people were looking down on you and calling you names. And you dreaded the perspective of doing an apology video. It was humiliating. In most recent years, you had focused your content on beauty and fashion instead of your private life but now, it was up for public consumption. Marshall held you tight as you told him about the comments you received and how sad you were about losing collaborations you were looking forward to.

- You don’t need these people’s money, he said.

- You know it’s not a matter of money, you replied curtly. It’s never only been about money. It’s more than that.

- I know, he said. But look, these videos were stolen from us. And if these brands who put that much effort into building a so-called relationship with you drop you easily, it’s not worth it. They should be sending you flowers and publicly supporting you.

- You know that’s not how it works, you sighed.

- All I’m saying is that it’s unfair, he said. And I’m sorry you’re going through this. But I know you. You’re strong and you’re resilient. And your followers love you. You’re not going to lose your career over this.

- I’ll do my best, you shrugged. My agency wants me to film an apology video.

- Are they serious ? He groaned. You don’t have to apologise for shit. These videos were fucking stolen, Y/N !!!

He was clearly mad. Funnily enough, he seemed more angry over the unfairness of the situation than the fact that everyone could see him having sex on video. But then again, it probably had something to do with his reputation being pretty intact. Sure, that would probably earn him a few lines in diss tracks people might be tempted to put out, but there wasn’t much to be ashamed of, as far as he was concerned. First of all, the videos clearly made a good job of shutting down rumours about his size, and he still came across as someone who had sex. On the other hand, you were more visible on the videos and earning a reputation of an easy and slutty influencer, hungry for fame. Typical double standard. You cursed whoever had managed to steal these videos. And deep down, you were mad that they had been so easily stolen.

- Why were they stolen in the first place ? You groaned.

- What ? He asked. You know how it is… people’s phones get hacked all the fucking time. Whoever did that was probably hoping to get their hands on new music. Joke’s on them, though. We only function with CDs to avoid this type of leaks.

- Joke’s on them ?! You almost yelled. The joke is on me !!! I couldn’t care less about your CDs. No offense but I’d rather have your album leaked than my career ruined, Marshall !!!

- Sorry, he said as he nervously scratched his beard. Poor choice of word. Of course it’s worse. What I mean is… hacks happen all the time. Every month there’s a new story about a celebrity’s phone or computer or cloud being hacked.

- And I’m usually over here, making fun about people who don’t know how to protect their data, you said as you rolled your eyes. The most basic thing to do is to at least put this type of photos in a folder that requires double authentication.

- Double what ?

He looked at you with big eyes. Of course, he had no idea what you were talking about. « That’s what you get for marrying a dummy when it comes to technology », you thought. You didn’t want to get mad at him, but you were pissed. You rolled your eyes at him and let your head fall on the pillow.

- I have to go and call Paul, he said. We’re both going to have to do damage control. But we’ll be fine, I promise you.

- Mmmmh, you groaned.

- I’ll do my best to find whoever did that and sue their ass, he assured you. And whoever shares these videos, too. When we got married, I swore I would protect you and you best believe I’m making good on that.

- Thanks, you said sheepishly.

The following couple of days were especially tough. News had obviously traveled fast and everyone in your life knew about the videos. You thought facing Hailie, Alaina and Stevie was hard, but FaceTiming with your parents was even harder. You could tell they were disappointed, and mostly worried for you. Both of your management teams were trying to find the best way to get through it. Unfortunately, crisis management wasn’t the same for a rapper as it was for an influencer. Marshall’s team advised him to stay silent while yours was almost begging you to address the elephant in the room, preferably with your husband, who was an ogre about it.

- I’m not appearing in your damn apology video, he groaned. It’s stupid enough that you have to do one of these.

- I have to do what’s best for my career, you pleaded.

- You always said these videos were disingenuous, he pointed out.

- Well, yes, but what am I going to do ? You groaned. Disappear and kiss my career goodbye ? And I’m not you, Marshall. I can’t just ignore it and go back to posting videos as if nothing happened.

He hummed and you kept talking about it, trying to come up with a solution. You weren’t thrilled about the idea of addressing the situation and he was right : you had nothing to apologise for. And he was fully against the idea of standing next to you like a First Lady while you filmed something so silly. Of course, it turned into an argument. There was only so much pressure you could take. And you knew Marshall was doing his best and keeping in touch with his lawyers, but you were mad that he wouldn’t support you publicly.

- I’m asking you to stand next to me for a damn video, that’s all, you sighed. I’m not asking for the moon, here. You don’t even have to say anything.

- Then what’s the point in me being here at all ? He shrugged. We agreed that I would be kept out of your content, Y/N. That was clear from the start.

- Because everyone thinks I’m a whore ! You yelled. I was fine with people not knowing about us, but I am not fine with people calling me a rapper whore. And I am not fine with my husband not supporting me. You said we were a team ! You promised to care for me and protect me for the rest of our lives. Or were these vows just words to you ?!?!

You knew he would be pissed off by your words. He had always made it clear that his vows were absolutely serious and solemn. And you knew for a fact that he had put a lot of heart and thought into writing them. He didn’t say anything, just sighed and left the room. Obviously, you both needed to take time off because this escalated into an argument. You groaned and stayed in the bedroom, which you had barely left since the videos had leaked.

A couple of hours later, you went downstairs and found Marshall watching some boxing match on TV.

- Hey, you said sheepishly.

- Hey, he simply said.

- Look, I’m sorry, I…, you began.

- Don’t sweat it, he shrugged as he gestured for you to come sit on his lap.

You sat on him and watched with him in silence, enjoying the sensation of his arms wrapped around your waist. When the match ended, he turned off TV and smiled at you.

- I took care of things, he said.

- You did ? You asked.

- I did, he confirmed. You don’t need to film that stupid video.

- What did you do ? You asked with a raised eyebrow.

He seemed pretty sure of himself, proud even, and you tried hard not to show it, but you were still a bit doubtful.

- Check Instagram, he simply said as he handed you your phone.

You nervously checked your account. You were tagged in thousands of new posts. Only these weren’t posts of the sex videos. Your account was flooded with pictures of your wedding, posted by your friends and reposted by tons of fan accounts. Your closest influencer friends had posted the beautiful pictures of them with you at the wedding. Marshall’s friends had done the same : 50, Dre, Porter, Royce… everyone was posting about your nuptials. The most beautiful shot was the one shared by Marshall on his account : a gorgeous black and white shot of the two of you after the reception, holding hands and staring at the fireworks, captioned : « For better & for worse. Happy 6 months anniversary. ». Everyone was going absolutely crazy in the comments, not failing to show their surprise and mentioning that he was now following one account : yours. You looked at him, almost crying and took him in your arms.

- Oh my God, you said. I can’t believe you did this.

- Called in a few favors and asked our friends to post the wedding pictures, he said with a smile. I figured the Internet would focus on these rather than the videos. So far it seems to be working…

- You didn’t have to, you said emotionally. I know you wanted to keep the wedding a secret.

- I also wanted to keep our sex life secret, he chuckled. But I care more about you and supporting you. Now, everyone knows I have your back. Until death do us part. And if anyone dares come for you, I will end them. I promise.

- I love you, you said emotionally.

- I love you too, he replied before kissing you. I’m sorry I was grumpy about the whole thing. You were right, these vows were never meant to be just words. I want to put them in action.

You kissed him passionately and you both took a minute to enjoy the posts everyone made about your wedding, reminiscing about that special day.

- I’m happy I don’t have to make that stupid apology video, you confessed.

- Me too, he chuckled. I did make an apology though.

- You did ? You asked in surprise.

He showed you his IG story. A black screen with simple text - in true influencer fashion : « I want to take a minute to apologize about the videos that have been leaked. I am sorry if anyone was confused. They were misleading and I want to state that the boxers were actually not Givenchy but Calvin Klein. Sorry for the confusion. 👀». You chortled and kissed him.

- What ? That was the only thing worth an apology, he pointed out with a smile.

- You’re such a troll, you said as you playfully rolled your eyes.

You spent the following days in bliss, showered with love from both your followers and his fans. Everyone was going crazy about your wedding and, even though there were still mentions of the sextape, most of the attention was focused on your relationship. Both of your management teams were also happy to put the incident behind them, though now they had to deal with plenty of interview requests. However, you agreed that even though your secret was out, nothing would really change. You slowly got back to business. Though nothing didn’t really change for Marshall - who was always in hermit mode in the studio - you had a lot of new followers and tons of collaboration requests. The sponsors who had been quick to drop you even came back and attempted to suck up to you, though you absolutely refused to work with them again. You were in your home office, reviewing partnership requests when you came across the biggest offer of your career : none other than Calvin Klein wanted you to be the new face of their underwear campaign, offering you a shit ton of money. It was the biggest opportunity you had ever received but you were a bit nervous when you mentioned it to your husband.

- What do you think ? You asked after you brought it up to him.

- I think we’ve established that you look good in underwear, he grinned.

- Yes but that would be banking on our sextape, our relationship… would it be ok with you ? You asked.

- I’ll cut you a deal : I’m ok with you doing that campaign if you’re ok with me using your moans as ad libs, he said with a smirk.

- You can’t be serious, you giggled as you rolled your eyes.

- What ? He chuckled. We’re partner in life, we might as well be business partners.

[lukolabrainrot]

What are your thoughts on the Emmy’s weekend regarding N, L and JD’s activity? To me L’s silence and the fact we haven’t seen him at the London fashion week or anywhere indicates that he probably did not want to take the spotlight away from N. JD’s post was also serving that purpose because he is a good and supportive friend. I am puzzled though by N’s complete silence and lack of posts.

Here are my thoughts based on all the information I've seen:

JD's stories he posted or was tagged in yesterday DEFINITELY SERVED AS A WAY TO SHUT DOWN THE RUMORS ABOUT HIM AND N. No one can convince me otherwise atp. Now, does that mean he's in a relationship with the man that shared the story of him? No, not necessarily. I personally think they were just being cutesy, but it was definitely a MESSAGE. To me it was saying, these rumors about me and N are not true, we're good friends and I am really proud she is going to be presenting at the Emmys, we should all focus on that, and my "husband" and I are going to go out and have fun in London tonight. I also want to note that if you go on SM, JD has been publicly linked to this man (who is openly gay) MULTIPLE times. They hang out a lot, and often with other openly gay men and in gay male spaces. This post by @fiamat12 perfectly sums up my thoughts on JD!

L's silence could be for MULTIPLE reasons. He hasn't been super active on SM in general lately, and him not going to London fashion week could also be for a bunch of different reasons. I don't think it's DIRECTLY tied to N. I do think his silence yesterday though could have been strategic. If he had posted any sort of congratulations, the energy in the fandom would have shifted from her success and accomplishment at the Emmys, to more speculation about L/N. Although I know I was trying to manifest L showing up to the Emmys, I knew there was like a 98% chance that wasn't actually going to happen. I think they still need their privacy and space before going public. However, IF they are together currently (which I'm pretty confident they are after EVERYTHING I've seen this year), then I stand by my thoughts that they will have to go public sooner than later.

I don't think N's silence is any type of bad thing. She has posted some things in her stories and been liking some posts. I think she's just REALLY busy, and now that she's a lot more famous, I think she is learning that unfortunately she will need to change HOW she utilizes her public SM and what type of information she chooses to share to the masses.

[something-tofightfor]

Locked Down Part 22: The Decision

Pairing: Dieter Bravo x Female Reader

Word Count: 10,921

Rating: There's nothing graphic, but we'll go with M because I mention a couple things briefly.

Summary: Being home for the holidays for the first time since the pandemic began is a definite change for you. While Dieter can't be there for Thanksgiving, the promise of his Christmas arrival means that it's time to begin publicly appearing together. It's definitely something that you want, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

Along with navigating an official relationship with Dieter, there's also plenty of other life - and career - choices to consider.  

Author’s note:

Two full years later, here's another chapter. Is anyone still interested? Was anyone waiting to find out what happens next for these two? I hope so. This chapter has been halfway done for about a year, I just got super sidetracked... but not anymore.

I've missed writing for Dieter, so it was nice to get back to this story.

Catch up on the other parts here: Locked Down Masterlist

Settling into life in Georgia after getting back from Vancouver was more difficult than you thought it would be. Your flight was smooth, and your apartment was just as you’d left it, but from the moment you landed, you felt like you were on the go. 

You scheduled your meeting with Carmen for the Monday after the holiday, which meant that you had plenty of time to prepare yourself for it. In the email confirmation, she included a single extra line of text - It seems like we have a lot more than the job offer to talk about  - but didn’t elaborate, and even reading through it, you couldn’t stop smiling. 

Whatever happened in the future with Dieter, she was partially responsible for it - and you knew that she wouldn’t ever let you forget it. 

When your third COVID test came back negative the Tuesday after you got home, you sent a quick text to Dieter that morning letting him know that you’d be unavailable for part of the day. That done, you headed for your parents’ new place, grocery list in hand. 

Your mother added to it, and without talking about anything in detail, you headed for the store, determined to get in and out as fast as possible so that you could start baking. There won’t be too many people this year, but we still need a ton of food. 

You navigated the aisles with relative ease, thankful for the fact that the mask you wore hid your annoyed expression. But you froze when you got to the checkout line, your eyes locked on one of the tabloids displayed on the endcap. 

Dieter Bravo’s Dating Dilemma was the headline. 

Beneath it was a picture taken in Vancouver - and after you’d left, if his haircut was any indication - of him talking on the phone as he walked down the street.

It was a smaller blurb next to his picture that really caught your attention, though. Instagram posts say one thing, but past behavior says another! And below that was an inset picture of the two of you taken from a distance at the airport - along with two photos of Dieter and other women. Christen and Tina. 

You knew that it was a bad idea. But you still reached for the magazine and tossed it into the cart, fighting back the urge to open it and flip to the article while you waited in line. But that would be weird. 

So you forced yourself to wait until you’d paid for your groceries and were sitting in the parking lot, grabbing for the magazine and finding the correct pages. 

As you read them, you couldn’t contain your laughter. The “article” was little more than a few paragraphs picking apart Dieter’s social media posts, as well as Tina’s, and then pictures next to brief mentions of multiple other women he’d been linked to in the past - including Jennifer Pearson, Carol Cobb and Mara. You - like Christen - were simply listed as a “mystery woman”, and by the time you finished reading, you were upset that you’d shelled out the money to buy it. 

Then, you did the only thing you could think of and held the magazine up next to your face, grinning as you raised your phone and took a selfie. Attaching it to a text message, you sent it to Dieter, along with one sentence: Baby’s first tabloid cover! 

Still laughing as you put the car into drive, you wondered if anything would come of the cover as it related to your social media or privacy. It’s not like some people don’t know who I am, I’ve been on TV for years. 

Just as you pulled into your parents’ driveway, your phone rang, Dieter’s face on the screen. “Hey.” Answering it through your car’s Bluetooth, you put the car back into park, leaning against your seat. “You didn’t need to call.”

��Yeah, I did. I didn’t even know that issue was going to print those. I usually get a heads up.”

“Dieter, it’s fine.” Rubbing at your temple, you grinned. “I’m actually kind of annoyed that I’m listed as a mystery woman. These people must not watch Informal Eats, or know how to use Instagram, because -” 

“You could start tagging yourself in pictures.” He laughed and then you did, too. “The one you sent me would be kind of funny.” You hadn’t even considered that, but if Dieter was suggesting it, it was at least worth a thought. 

“Wouldn’t that be an official confirmation, though? I thought we weren’t doing that.” He sighed, and you heard the honking of a horn on his end of the call. Shit, I didn’t even think about where he might be. “Dieter? Are you busy? I don’t want to keep you.” 

“I’m walking to get coffee.” He cleared his throat. “We’ve got a night shoot tonight and then we’re taking a couple days off for the holiday. They don’t celebrate it up here, but a lot of the cast and crew are American, so…” 

“Who are you spending Thanksgiving with?” Chewing on your lower lip, you waited for his answer. 

“Michael and Jenna. He came in on Monday, and they invited me over for dinner.” Good. “Maybe next year we can spend it together.” His voice was quiet but you heard it nonetheless - his apprehension clear, even over the phone. Does he think I wouldn’t want to? 

“We should see how Christmas and New Year’s go, first.” Trying to decrease the tension, you nodded, eyes on the front door. “You might not like my family, and your friends might not like me.”

“I don’t have any real friends.” He laughed, saying your name again. “I made damn sure of that over the last couple years.” Oh, Dieter. You hadn’t really considered that - you’d seen pictures of him with people, heard stories of the time he spent hanging out with them while he was in LA between jobs. But are they really friends? Or is it just … “That’s the thing. When you’re not on the hard shit all the time, it gives you time to think.”

“Dieter, I -” He cut you off, though, his tone not unkind. 

“No, it’s alright.” The sound of a bell came through the speaker and you knew that the conversation was about to get cut short. “It’s the truth. I have people I can call friends, but it’s not … shit, I’m closer to Jenna and Michael than any of them, and I’ve gotta pay her to -”

“You do not.” Laughing, you sighed. “I mean, yeah you do pay her, but she’d still care about you even if you didn’t. These last few years have been weird for everyone, Dieter. Once you’re home for a while, you’ll see.” I hope I’m right. “I’m helping my mom cook for a while, and then I’m going home, so if you want to give me a call later, you can.” 

“I won’t be done tonight until at least 3, so that would be what, 6 am your time? I’m not going you call you that early.” He scoffed. “Too fuckin’ early.” 

“That’s one thing we can agree on.” Getting out of the car, you popped the trunk open, pausing next to it. “But seriously, call me whenever. I like hearing your voice.” He didn’t reply for a few seconds, and then Dieter said your name, waiting a couple breaths to continue. 

“I’m really sorry that they printed that picture. It’s been a week, and I didn’t think they would.”

“Dieter, you kissed me for a solid two minutes out in the open.” Laughing, you tilted your head back, the memory of his lips on yours widening your smile. “I’m surprised they didn’t post a better one.” He snorted at that, but you didn’t give him a chance to reply. “I’m not going to tag anything or post anything. I’m sure some people have already done it for me, but I have everything on silent except for alerts from people I follow, so if it’s up, I haven’t seen it.” 

“Alright.” He cleared his throat. “What are you making today?”

“Pies.” Pulling the trunk all the way open, you eyed the bags. “And we’re brining the turkey. And I’m sure I’ll have to prep at least one or two other sides, even though we’re only having a couple people over. There’s always way too much food.” 

“I’m sorry I won’t be there to help eat any of it. Or to answer questions.” He meant it - you could tell. And I appreciate it. “I should be.”

“No, you’ll be here for Christmas, and there will be way more people there to explain things to.” Tilting your head to the side to trap your phone between it and your shoulder, you paused. “Sorry, Dieter.” 

“I’m not.” You laughed again, fingers closing around the bag handles. “I’m looking forward to it.” So am I. 

—

By Monday morning, you were exhausted, despite the fact that you hadn’t done anything all weekend aside from eat and shop. 

You’d had to explain more than a few things to your relatives - a younger cousin in disbelief that you’d actually worked with Krystal Kris, and one of your aunts loudly questioning why, if you were seeing Dieter, he wasn’t there for the holidays. But aside from that, there hadn’t been much in the way of unexpected conversation, or prying from your family. 

It’s just having so much to do around so many people after so long of … Groaning as you tightened your hold on the steering wheel, you shook your head. “Too much socialization.” 

Once your family left after dinner and a few rounds of cards, you’d called Dieter, video chatting with the three of them for a few minutes and telling him to call you when he was back at his rented apartment. And when he’d done that, it had taken a while to rehash the conversations you’d had with your relatives - and the reactions you’d gotten. It would have been easier if you’d been together, but unexpectedly, just telling him about it had helped ease your stress level over how it had gone. And that’s a good thing.

After so much time spent secluded from the majority of the people around you, the holiday season getting started in full swing had been a shock. The stores were busy, the roadways were busy, and people - including some of your family members - were already unpleasant, even though it was still only November. 

And now I’ve got this meeting with Carmen. Pulling into the parking lot, you searched it for her car and parked next to it. You were a few minutes early, but you wanted to get things over with - because you wanted to know whether or not you’d still have a job in the coming months. Or if I’ll be starting over from scratch.

As you walked toward the doors, your phone rang, the sound pulling you from your thoughts. There was a familiar picture on the screen, and you couldn’t keep the smile off your face as you answered. “Dieter, you’re calling early. Why are -”

“It is really fucking early, but I wanted to wish you good luck.” He sounded half asleep and you could picture him, stretched out on his side and still under the blankets - hair wild and lines marking his skin from pressing his face against his wrinkled pillowcase. “I’m going back to sleep as soon as we hang up, but -”

“Thank you.” Leaning back against the low wall, you nodded. “I’m happy to hear from you.” 

“They’d be stupid not to agree to let you move somewhere and keep working.” He was mumbling, obviously still half asleep. “But even if they don’t, I’ll take care of you until you find something. Want to.” What? You froze at the words, unsure of whether or not Dieter even realized he’d said them, but when he continued, you knew that he had. “Won’t be able to afford you using Uber Copter every day, but…” 

A loud burst of laughter broke the tension and moments later he joined in, the sound low and rumbling. I miss you so much, Dieter. “Go back to bed. You won’t need to take care of me. Promise.” 

“I love you.” You didn’t say it every time you hung up, or at the end of every text conversation, so hearing the words from Dieter still hit just as hard as they had the first time. Who am I kidding? They always will. 

“I love you too, Bravo. Now go back to sleep. Can’t have you looking like a raccoon on set today.” 

You hung up moments later, and after giving yourself a few seconds to compose yourself - and to remind yourself to bring up Dieter’s offer to take care of you at a later date - you headed inside the building and straight for the elevator. One thing at a time, though. 

Carmen was waiting for you in her office, her desktop covered with folders and a few stacks of paper. “It’s good to see you again.” She looked up at you, gesturing for you to sit. “Have a good weekend?”

“I did. This is the first real holiday I’ve spent at home since before the pandemic.” Sinking into the chair across from hers, you scooted it in, resting your elbows on the desk’s edge. “It’s weird to get things back to almost normal, though.” She agreed, her smile understanding. “How about yours?” 

“It was great. Just the two of us.” She sighed. “I cooked and we just watched movies, and it was amazing to turn off my phone and laptop for a couple days.” She sighed, flipping through the papers directly in front of her. “Now I just have to get through everything for the next couple weeks, and then Nate and I are going to be in Rome for the holidays.” Oh, I didn’t know that. 

“Well, then…” Licking your lips, you took a deep breath. “Let’s not waste any time.” The glint in her eyes told you that she’d been waiting for you to start speaking, and so you didn’t disappoint. “I’m…” Glancing down at your hands for a few seconds and then reaching up to touch the pendant you wore, you steeled yourself for what was coming next. “Carmen, Dieter and I are together. We pretty much have been since… well since Christmas last year, but we just made it official when I was in Texas.” 

“Congratulations.” Her smile grew, the woman reaching across the table to squeeze your hand. “That’s got to be the worst kept secret in the world, but…” Both of you laughed, Carmen pulling her hand back and picking up one of the folders before holding it out to you. “You seem happier.” 

“I am.” Taking the folder, you flipped it open, eyeing the same contract that she’d already emailed to you. “But the reason that I wanted to meet with you in person was because I have a couple things that I’d like to talk with you about before I sign anything.” You tapped the papers. “There’s not really much in here about -”

“Are you quitting?” She leaned in, frowning. “Informal Eats wouldn’t be -” 

“I don’t want to quit, no.” Head shaking back and forth, you blew out a breath. “I just … I guess the only way to say it is to say it.” Here goes nothing. “I’m thinking about moving out of Atlanta, Carmen. Either to New York City or to Los Angeles, and I … I guess I’m wondering if it would be possible for me to keep doing what I’ve been doing, but not live here.” You paused, trying to gauge her reaction, but the Carmen’s face was impassive. “You’re based in Atlanta, and I know that won’t change, but …” 

She said your name, the look in her eyes changing to one of amusement. “Are you moving in with Dieter?” Well that was blunt. 

“I’m thinking about it.” You covered your face with both hands, the folder dropping to the desktop. “He’s got a house in LA and an apartment in New York, and he offered me either of them if I could work something out with you. I know there’s offices in -”

“Congratulations.” Carmen leaned back, tilting her head to one side. “There wouldn’t be any relocation assistance or anything, but …” She shrugged, wrinkling her nose. “Just because I’m based out of Atlanta, that doesn’t mean that you need to be.” She gestured at the paperwork on her desk. “Why would you even think that it would be a problem?”

“I don’t… I don’t know.” You frowned. “I guess because I’ve always lived here, and this is where I signed the first contract, and I started out … here, so…” So I just assumed I had to stay. “I will be honest with you, though, Carmen. At some point, I’m going to want to do something else, and I have been actively looking into more projects like the one I worked on in England.” You held up the folder again. “But according my agent, the way this is structured, it’d be easy for me to find something in the months that I’m not shooting the show, if I wanted to.” 

She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “We can amend the contract.” The woman took a deep breath, pressing her lips together. “I can have it rewritten, so it’s only one season at a time instead of two. The number of episodes per season will be the same, and we can make it so that you just have to electronically sign the -” 

“No.” You made the decision almost immediately, leaning forward and resting your hand atop the document. “No, I’ll commit to two more seasons. Sixteen total episodes.” Flipping through the pages, you ran your finger down the outline. “Starting in February and running through until next January?” She nodded when you glanced up. “I can do that. I want to do that. I love the show and I love working with you and the crew, but I also… I love him, and being so far away all the time is…” 

“I know.” She smiled, opening her desk drawer and reaching inside for a pen. “The one good thing this pandemic did was show us that we can do most of this shit remotely. Hell, you could move to Minnesota and you’d still be able to keep your job, as long as you could check in when we needed you to.” She grinned, holding out the pen. “Here.” 

“It can’t be this easy.” You took the pen, though, drawing in a deep breath and holding it, meeting her eyes. “Carmen?” 

“It is this easy. The only thing that would change is the airport you fly out of and back into at the end of your trips.” Her smile widened. “There is one thing, though.” Of course there is. “I want to meet him. I am the one that got you the job on Cliff Beasts, and I think I deserve to -” 

Your laughter drowned out her speech, and as you leaned forward, putting the tip of the pen to the paper, she laughed, too. “Yeah, you do, Carmen.” Finishing your signature and adding the date, you dropped the pen and stood, waiting for Carmen to do the same. “He’s coming here for Christmas. I know you’re going to Rome, but if he’s here before you leave, you can meet him then.” 

“Good.” She stepped around the desk and toward you, the woman holding her arms out. “Congratulations on your contract renewal.” Yeah. You were surprised at how much relief you felt at the realization that you were gainfully employed for another year - and that you hadn’t had to sacrifice either your job or the potential to be closer to Dieter to accept the position. “And congratulations on Dieter, too.”

When you hugged her, it was a tight one, the embrace similar to the ones you’d shared before - after meeting for the first time, after filming your pilot, after signing your other contracts - and you were thrilled that it felt just as good that time, too. 

The two of you separated and when you met her eyes again, you were smiling - and so was Carmen. “I’d ask you to come out and grab a drink with me, but…” You glanced at the clock. “It’s barely 10 in the morning, so…”

“Yeah, I’ve got a bunch of stuff to get through today anyway.” She pushed you away gently, her gaze still focused on you. “Plus, from what it sounds like, you need to start figuring out where you’ll be living a couple months from now.” At that, you froze, both eyes going wide. 

Yeah… I guess I do. 

— 

The closer it got to the holidays, the more nervous you were. 

It wasn’t that you were worried about seeing Dieter again, because you knew that he was just as excited as you were. It wasn’t even that you were worried about him meeting your family and some of your friends, because he’d told you that he looked forward to it. 

You were afraid that when Dieter saw how you lived, he’d change his mind about everything. You’d only known each other in temporary housing; rooms designed for short-term use, and the idea of Dieter in your space - using your bathroom and making coffee in your kitchen and sleeping in your bed - was overwhelming. Because we’re used to different things.

You decorated before he got there; stringing brightly colored lights around your windows and on the branches of your tree. Ornaments joined them, and so did a few garlands strategically placed throughout the main rooms of your place. And when you were done, everything felt homey, the soft glow of the tiny lights casting warmth throughout the space and making you feel better. I didn’t realize how much I missed decorating last year.

In the days leading up to Dieter’s arrival, you got some shopping done. Not only did you restock your fridge and cupboards, but you bought gifts, too, figuring that you wouldn’t want to go out to too many places with him there. It wasn’t because you wanted to hide Dieter. You wanted him to feel comfortable no matter where he was, and stores and malls would be busy so close to the holidays. And I don’t want to put him on the spot if anyone recognizes him. 

You were checking things over in the few minutes before you had to leave to pick Dieter up from the airport when you heard someone knock. I’m not expecting anyone. Frowning, you made your way from your bedroom to the front door, peeking through the peephole before opening it. 

All you saw were flowers - a large bouquet, from the looks of it, and so you sighed, pulling the door open. “Hello? Can I -”

“Special delivery.” You froze at the sound of the voice, eyes going wide as you watched the flowers move to one side to give you a glimpse at the man carrying them. “Thought I’d bring them to you myself instead of having ‘em delivered.” His smile widened but you couldn’t move, instead just staring. Dieter’s here. I was supposed to pick him up, and - 

“You’re here. But I was just getting ready to … how? How are you …” 

“Took an earlier flight.” He bit down on the inside of his lower lip, the look in his eyes shifting to one of disbelief. “I wanted to surprise you.” 

“You did.” You finally moved, reaching out and taking the flowers from him before turning to put them on top of the table against the wall. “Dieter, this is the best fucking surprise ever.” Once both of your hands were free, you reached for him and twisted your fingers in the material of his jacket, pulling him into your apartment. “Come here, Bravo.” 

Dieter reached behind him and grabbed the handle of his suitcase, dragging it after him and over the sill, only letting it go to pull on the knob to close the door behind him. Then he reached for you. 

When his arms wound around you, you sighed deeply, turning your head so that you could press your cheek against the front of his shoulder. Closing your eyes, you just held him, focusing on the way that even though he’d just come from an airport - and a cross country flight - he still smelled like Dieter, and you knew that within a night or two, so would your bed and your blankets. He’s in my apartment. He’s here. “I’m happy to see you, too.” He murmured the words, one hand moving up the center of your back and coming to rest between your shoulders. “You scared me for a second there.” 

“I did?” You stepped backwards without letting him go. “I didn’t mean to. I was just … shit. I guess I was in airport mode.”

“That’s one of the reasons I did what I did.” He moved his hands to your arms and slid them down, squeezing your hands before he let go. “Didn’t want you to have to go anywhere near that goddamn place so close to Christmas.” You laughed, rolling your eyes. “No, seriously. I know it’s a fucking nightmare. I filmed a movie here a while ago, and it was bad, and that was on a regular day.” 

He toed his shoes off, and you watched as he looked around, eyes narrowed and his tongue visible where it poked into his cheek. He hates it. It’s too small. “How was your flight?” You were nervous, and you knew that it was irrational. You and Dieter had been through plenty together, and had gone much longer between visits before. Do I really feel like this because of my apartment? “Did -”

“Can I tell you something?” He turned to face you, putting one hand on his hip. “I’ve seen pictures of this place, and I’ve seen it when we FaceTime and …” He wet his lips. “I knew what it looked like, but …” Dieter moved closer, both of his hands rising so that he could hold your jaw between his palms. “It’s even better than I thought.” 

“What?” You were confused, even as his thumbs swept over your skin. “Better? It’s just an apartment.” 

“Yeah, but it belongs to you.” He leaned closer, your foreheads touching. “And you invited me to see it and to meet your family, and …” He hummed, lips moving against yours. “And I still can’t fuckin’ believe it.” Believe it, Dieter. You wanted to laugh at that, but he didn’t let you, the gentle press of his mouth turning more insistent as he kissed you for the first time since Vancouver. “Love you.” He paused long enough to speak, nodding twice as he said it. “I’m so goddamn excited to be here with you.” 

“Yeah.” You kissed him one last time and then pushed him away with one hand. “But we’re going to be busy, Dieter. We have a couple parties and the actual holiday, and -”

“We’re not busy tonight though, right?” No, we’re not. “Because I’m pretty sure that I saved us a couple hours by getting here early.” His smile widened, and Dieter’s gaze dropped from your face to your body and then rose, the look in his eyes changing to a heated one that you knew well. “And that means we have extra time now.” 

“Do you have something in mind?” You had an idea where he was going, but giving him shit was something that you enjoyed. “Do you want a tour of my place? Or need to take a nap? Or want to - “

“Tour later.” He stepped forward and you backed up, heartbeat thumping. “And I’ll sleep tonight. But right now…” He sucked air through his teeth, hands moving down and to your hips. “I’ve been thinking about you since I dropped you off at that airport, and I wanna do something about it.” He slipped his fingertips beneath the top elastic of your leggings, the warmth of his skin making you gasp. “If that’s alright with you.” 

“The bedroom is -” He shook his head, cutting you off. “Ok, the couch -”

“No.” Dieter chuckled, more of his fingers pushing between the material and your skin and then pushing downward. “No, you’ve got a counter right behind you, and if you sit on it, you’re the perfect height.” You gasped again and felt your stomach lurch, but instead of letting him continue to remove your pants, you grabbed for him, one hand making its way to the tangle of curls on his head and the fingers of the other curling around his arm and gripping him tightly. That was accompanied by a bruising kiss, Dieter meeting you in the middle with his lips already parted, his tongue peeking through. 

It was shocking to you how much you’d missed him, and how much missing him was amplified by having him right in front of you - and in your arms again. The kiss went on, turning sloppier by the second, and you felt the elastic snap back into place when Dieter moved his hands up, sliding them along your sides and pushing your shirt up with them. 

You didn’t want to let go of his hair, but you did, raising your arms above your head so that when he pulled away to breathe, breaking the kiss, he was able to remove it completely. He touched you greedily, fingers stroking over your bared skin, and when he ducked his head down so that his mouth could trek across your upper chest, you tilted your head back and sighed, one hand gripping the edge of the counter and the other once again tangled in his hair. 

“Missed you,” he mumbled without backing off. “Missed you so goddamn much.” You agreed, looking down again, and when Dieter straightened up all the way, you saw that his eyes were shining. “Never missed anybody as much as I miss you.” Oh, Dieter. 

It was a shocking admission - and entirely unexpected coming from Dieter, but it was genuine, his jaw clenching as you absorbed the words. “I love you too, Dieter. And I was going to wait to tell you until later, but …” Biting your lip, you took a deep breath. “But if it’s alright with you, when I come out for New Year’s, I think I might stay a while, so you won’t have to miss me.” 

He hadn’t been expecting those words from you, either, but his reaction was immediate. Dieter encircled you with his arms, laughing as he pulled you against his chest. “Alright with me? Fuck, there’s nothing that would make me happier.” His voice was shaky, and even though you knew it was because he was just happy, it made you sniffle, too, as you closed your eyes and hugged him tightly. “Bring your whole fucking apartment if you want.” 

“I mean, I won’t have time to pack it all with you here, but…” You laughed again, meeting his eyes and reaching up to swipe away a tear from one of them. “My lease is up in February, and I really don’t want to sign another one, so…” 

“Yeah, I know.” He rolled his eyes and turned his head so that he could kiss the heel of your hand. “I’m just saying.” The two of you stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, and then it was Dieter that spoke, brows knit together in thought. “You mean it? You want to come stay with me?” 

“I do.” Twisting a curl near his temple around one finger, you nodded. “We’ve only been official for a little while, but it’s been … I’ve… we’ve …” 

“We coulda been together before I left England.” He shrugged. “I was just following your lead.” You groaned when he winked, but Dieter went on. “I get it. I want you there, too.” He tilted his head to the side, not breaking eye contact. “But I’m not easy to live with.” 

That made you laugh, and you waved him off, looking away briefly and then back at him. “I think if we made it through quarantine and not being allowed to leave each other’s presence for more than a few hours at a time, we can handle living in the same house and having options, Dieter. We’ll be fine. Besides,” you leaned closer, releasing your hold on his hair and gently tapping his cheek with your palm. “You’ve got a guesthouse, right?” 

That got a bigger laugh out of him, and Dieter lowered his head as he agreed with you, his hold on your hips tightening just enough that you could feel it. “I do.” When he looked up, all signs of amusement were gone from his features and he instead looked serious, his attention focused. “Now how about you get up on that counter and let me show you exactly what one of the benefits of living with me will be.” 

“Pants on or off?” Your desire for him grew again, warmth filling your belly and spreading. You’d never tire of Dieter looking at you the way he was that night, and part of you knew that he knew it, too. He needs to know it. 

“Off.” He nodded, stepping backwards. “All the way off.” You did as he asked without question, which left you only in your bra. You were quiet while he grabbed for one of your chairs and dragged it closer to you, but you gasped in shock when he sat down backwards on it, leaning forward and pressing his chest against the tall back, both of his hands reaching out to settle on your calves. “Get comfortable, because you’re gonna be here a while.” He arched a brow, locking eyes with you before he dropped his gaze to your waist and then lower while pulling your legs apart. “Fuck.” 

You pressed your lips together and then inched forward, hooking your legs over his shoulders and using both hands to brace yourself on the countertop. “That’s fine by me, Dieter.” The chair scooted forward a few more inches, which brought him closer, too, and when Dieter nodded, turning his head to the right and licking the inside of your thigh, you tensed, fingers curling against the laminate. Oh, that feels incredible… I missed him so much. 

“Mmmmhmm.” He turned his head the other way, and repeated the motion on your other thigh, his hands sliding up your bare legs and to your hips, pulling you even closer. “Fucking perfect.” 

— 

You hadn’t wanted to go, but Dieter insisted that the two of you head out to a get together one of your friends was hosting a few days before Christmas. 

It was at a local restaurant, and the text message you’d received explained that the entire upper floor was reserved for your group. The sentiment was nice, and you had gotten along well with her for a while, but you knew exactly why she’d reached out after so long. 

“Meg wants to meet you, Dieter.” You were getting ready in the bathroom while he got dressed in your bedroom, both of you fresh out of the shower. “She wants to use it as an opportunity to network, and I’ll bet you $100 that she flirts with you right in front of me within the first fifteen minutes of being introduced.” 

He poked his head in a few seconds later, and you caught his frown as a reflection in the mirror. “How does she know I’m here?” 

“I don’t know, maybe because of the pictures you posted the other day from the Coke museum and the aquarium?” Arching a brow at him, you tilted your head to the side. “Or the caption that very specifically said ‘a much different world of Coke than I’m used to’ with the emoji that’s laughing so hard it’s -”

“Ok, yeah, that might have been what did it.” He fully entered the room, and you took a few seconds to watch as he wrinkled his nose, raising both hands to drag them through his hair and push it into even more disarray. “I still think we should go, though.” 

“We’re going, Dieter. You said you wanted to, and that’s fine, I’m just telling you what to expect. This isn’t LA or New York, and the people I know here aren’t exactly drowning in celebrities, so … just be prepared for people to be a little overeager to impress you.” 

It would be the first real test of your relationship, and the first time Dieter met anyone in your life. And the fact that we’ve known each other for so long at this point makes that feel… fuck. It’s strange. You’d existed in a bubble of sorts for almost the entirety of your relationship, and with him visiting you, that was coming to an end in a very final way. 

“‘I’ll be fine.” He stepped up behind you, one hand on your shoulder and the other arm winding around your body to pull you back against his chest. “And so will you.” Dieter spoke into your ear, his voice quiet. “And if she flirts, I’ll shut that shit down right away, because -”

“No.” You bit your lip, turning toward him. “Don’t.” He was confused, but you didn’t let him stay that way. “I think it might be funny to watch her try to handle you.” 

“Handle me?” He scoffed. “You can barely handle me and you’ve known me for over a year.” That made you laugh, and you used one hand to pat Dieter’s chest gently. “What?”

“I learned a long time ago that handling you is impossible.” You blinked slowly, trying to school your expression into nonchalance. “I tolerate you.” It took about three seconds for Dieter to respond, and when he did you caught the roll of his eyes before he leaned in, mouth meeting yours. 

“That’s what you call it now?” He mumbled between kisses, his hands roaming over you. “Tolerating me?” You nodded, winding your arms around his neck and laughing against his lips. “Fucking unbelievable.” 

Having Dieter in Atlanta was better than you could have ever hoped for, and it seemed like he was enjoying himself, too. You’d spent plenty of time alone together, but he’d also wanted to go out and explore, asking you to show him the parts of the city and suburbs you liked most. It was easy to blend into the larger than usual holiday crowds in public places, and when Dieter wore a hat pulled down low over his ears and slipped on a pair of glasses, it disguised him almost completely. 

He wasn’t doing it on purpose, either, and that was what made it better. 

You hoped that you were able to settle into LA just as easily, though you didn’t think it would happen quite so fast. We’ll see. You pulled back with a sigh, closing your eyes. “As much as I’d love to stand here and do this all night, if you want to go to this thing, I need to finish getting ready.” You looked down and then gestured to your robe and slippers. “I don’t think I pull off this look as well as you do.”

“No.” He backed away, arms dropping from you before he raised one ringed finger and pointed it at you. “You pull it off much better.” It was a joke, but at the same time, you understood that it meant that Dieter truly didn’t care what you wore or how you looked, and if you chose to actually go out in public wearing the robe, he wouldn’t have batted an eye. “But I should probably put on a shirt to go into a restaurant, so I’ll stop annoying you now and go do that.” 

He winked and then turned away from you. As he made it to the doorway, you called out his name, waiting until he’d turned back in your direction to say anything else. “I never want you to stop annoying me.” 

— 

You’d barely taken a step into the room, and you were already ready to leave. But we’d have to wait for another Uber, and it’s surge pricing and … It wasn’t that it was loud in the room, because it wasn’t, or that it was overly crowded, because it was still early and people were filtering in - it was just that you knew exactly what you’d be dealing with for the following few hours. 

Dieter was beside you when you headed over to the bar, and after you both ordered, you carried your drinks over to a small, raised table with a good vantage point. You spent a few minutes pointing people out to Dieter, but after the third “I met them in college,” you stopped, shaking your head. “Are you even going to remember any of these names if you talk to them? It’s pointless, you won’t ever see them again after tonight.”

“I will.” He sipped his drink, angling his body toward you and resting his elbow on the table. “It’s just like memorizing lines.” That made sense to you, and you were somewhat irritated that you hadn’t made the same connection. 

“This feels kind of like that first Thanksgiving after high school where everyone’s home from college and pretending they didn’t just see each other a few weeks earlier.” He drank again, watching you from over the rim of his glass. 

“Or like a fucking Hollywood circlejerk where everyone’s too fucking excited to tell everyone else that they know someone and can get them in touch with -” You snorted, reaching up to cover your mouth to hide your laugh. 

“It’s so good to see you!” A cheerful voice interrupted Dieter, and when you looked toward the source, you saw Meg approaching the table, a necklace of blinking Christmas lights resting against her chest and highlighting the low-cut top she wore. “I’m glad you made it.” You caught the way her gaze moved from you to Dieter and barely stopped the roll of your eyes at how obvious it was. “And you, too. It -”

“Dieter Bravo.” He held his hand out, smiling. “Are you the one that organized this?” The smile stayed on his face, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nice to meet you. Meg?” She took his hand and shook it, her giggle audible even over the music playing through the speakers. 

“That’s me.” She bit her lip and tossed her hair over one shoulder. “I’ve met you before though. When you filmed here? We were eating dinner at the same restaurant, and I sent a drink over to your table.” She cleared her throat, leaning in, and for a few seconds, you were horrified at the thought that she was going to remind him of something happening between them. That would ruin everything, even though it was so long ago. “You came over and talked for a few minutes, and -”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember that.” He pulled his hand back, lifting his drink to sip from it. “That was a while ago, and I probably had a lot going on.” You watched her recoil slightly, Meg’s eyes dropping and then rising again to meet Dieter’s as he reached over to put his arm around you. “Thanks for the drink, though.” 

It shocked you how dismissive he was being, because you’d never seen Dieter act that way before. Not even with David. “I… you’re welcome.” Meg took a long drink from her wine glass, and you could tell she was nervous - and a little surprised at his reaction. “How long are you in town for?” She looked at you then, wetting her lips. “Are you back for good? You’ve been busy; it feels like you haven’t been home since before the pandemic.” I didn’t know you kept tabs on my travels.

“I’m back for a little while.” You finally spoke, shifting your feet and shrugging your shoulders. “I just signed a new contract for the show, so I’ll be working on that starting next February.” But I won’t be doing it from here. “And Dieter’s just here for Christmas. He wanted to meet my family and couldn’t make it out last month.” 

“I was filming.” He grinned again, wiggling his eyebrows. “TV show.” You knew what he was doing - trying to throw Meg off balance by flipping between being aloof and almost too friendly within the same conversation. I think it’s working. “But we’re going to LA for New Year’s, so I won’t be out here for too long.” He laughed, his fingers circling slowly against your lower back. “And between the three of us? I hope she likes LA enough to consider staying.” 

His words surprised you almost as much as they surprised Meg, and you knew with certainty that that was exactly what Dieter had hoped for. Sneaky little shit. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” You turned your head and Dieter did the same, meeting your gaze. I see you, Bravo. “But we’ll see.” 

He smirked for a second and then closed the distance between you, lips soft when they met yours. “We will.” He spoke so that only you could hear, and when you looked back at Meg a few moments later, you saw that her eyes were wide. That just confirmed everything even more than anything we’ve said here. “You married, Meg? Or dating anyone?” 

It took all of your self control to keep from laughing at Dieter’s abrupt change in topic, but when she spluttered out a response and then pointed back over her shoulder, you followed the gesture, moving in your seat to see who she was pointing at. “I hope it’s not weird, but I’m here with Sam, and -” 

You froze at her words, and suddenly it all made sense. Dieter stiffened beside you, and when you reached for your drink, your heart was pounding. Sam as in… fuck. It made sense - you’d all known each other for years, but no part of you had realized that Meg and Sam had kept in touch. Or that they liked each other enough to date. He told me last month that … what the fuck. 

She excused herself to go and get him, and once she walked away, Dieter pivoted toward you, concern written all over his face. “You alright? That went from zero to fucking 60 in -”

“I’m fine.” You paused. “It’s going to be a little weird for you to meet the last guy I was with, but … it just took me by surprise.” Dieter’s other hand rose, fingers bent, and he trailed his knuckles against your cheek. “And she was flirting with you, just like I said she would.” 

“She was, but do you blame her?” He fluttered his eyelashes, the genuine smile back on his face. “It’s me after all.” That made you laugh, some of the tension leaving your body. “And it won’t be weird. I promise.” He shrugged and then leaned in so that he could speak directly into your ear. “Think about how fucking weird it’s going to be for him to meet me, though.” 

You hadn’t considered that - but he was right. It will so much weirder for Sam. Dieter kissed the space just in front of your ear before straightening up and scanning the room. You did the same, eyeing the buffet table set up a few feet away and frowning. I wish we’d stopped to grab snacks. “What was that, by the way? I’ve never seen you act that way with anyone, and I’m surprised you were so quick to pull the I’m not into this card.” 

“She fucked herself over.” He sniffed and finished his drink, tossing the last swallow back before sucking an ice cube between his teeth. “Flirting is one thing but being fucking rude to you and bringing up sending over that drink? Fuck that. It’s a game to her, and that’s not what you are to me.” 

His words hit hard. Dieter’s playfulness was one of the things that drew you to him, as was his sense of humor and his ability to read a situation and play off of it. But with you, from almost the beginning, he’d been honest with you, speaking his mind and giving things to you straight. He’d never led you on or made your friendship the butt of a joke, and while you hadn’t thought he would do it regarding your relationship, either, that night was proof. I needed that. I needed to know. 

“Thank you, Dieter.” You reached out to take his hand, linking your fingers with his and rubbing your thumb over the ring you’d borrowed. “That means a lot.” He squeezed your hand and then lifted both of them, bringing the back of yours up so that he could kiss it. You were no stranger to Dieter’s tiny moments of intimacy, but after keeping yourselves hidden for so long, them happening in public took you by surprise. 

Movement out of the corner of your eye caught your attention, and you sighed as you watched Sam and Meg heading toward you, their shoulders touching as they walked side by side. You wondered how long they’d been dating, or if they’d talk about it, and then you wondered if it was strange for you to ask. But she said she was here with him, not that they were dating. Maybe I jumped to conclusions. 

Sam spoke first, saying hello to you and then sticking his hand out to Dieter as he made an introduction. Dieter moved smoothly, keeping your fingers linked as he reached out to shake Sam’s with his free one. “It’s nice to meet you, Dieter.” He retracted his hand and then leaned against the table, nodding before he looked over at you. “And it’s good to see you again, too. Sorry I haven’t had a chance to get ahold of you, the holidays are just…” He rolled his eyes. “You know.” 

“I do.” You exhaled slowly, giving him a wary smile before you turned your attention to Meg. “We were supposed to meet for lunch, and we just … haven’t.” She seemed surprised, her lips parting as her eyes flicked to Dieter. He doesn’t care, but nice try. “I didn’t know the two of you were still in touch.” You arched a brow and sipped your drink as your attention returned to your ex. “You didn’t say anything about it when we last talked. How’d this happen?”

“We did a lot of Zoom game nights.” Sam reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. “We couldn’t do bar trivia because everything was closed, so…” He shrugged. “Kept in touch that way for a while, and then a couple weeks ago...” Sam trailed off, and even though he looked slightly uncomfortable, he didn’t try and overexplain anything.

“We had our first few conversations over a balcony wall.” Dieter rolled his eyes. “Well, after we met in the hotel lobby, anyway. We weren’t allowed to leave our rooms for two weeks before we started working on the movie, and she was in the room next door.” 

“You make it sound like you settled for talking to me, Dieter.” Nudging him with your shoulder, you laughed. “Ouch.” 

“You were quarantined with him?” Meg leaned in, her attention fully on you. “Oh, I didn’t know that.” 

“It’s all going to be talked about in the documentary.” You scratched the side of your neck. “I can’t really go into it now, but yeah. I only got the job working for Cliff Beasts because I got sick filming my show, and got stuck in the hotel. So I actually ended my quarantine just as the cast got there to start theirs, and it all worked out.” 

“I’d sit on my balcony and watch her walking around the hotel property.” Dieter let go of your hand and put both of his on the table. “She was the only one that wasn’t hotel staff that wasn’t stuck in their damn room. It was fucking depressing.” 

“We got through it, though.” You finished your drink, too, and then pushed the empty glass to the center of the table. “And now we’re here.” Sam nodded, eyeing you and then looking over at Dieter. What are you thinking about? 

“Is it weird for you, Dieter?” He smiled, nose wrinkling. “To be standing here, talking to -”

“No.” There was no gestation on Dieter’s part when he answered, the hand that had been holding yours moving to your back. “Not at all. I’ve heard a lot about you, and I figured we’d meet at some point.” That surprised Sam - and Meg, too, the woman sucking in a breath as she straightened up. “And since we’re out of here in a couple days, now’s as good a time as any.” 

“She’s going to Los Angeles for New Year’s.” Meg reached over and touched Sam’s arm. “And maybe for longer.” Well shit. You hadn’t counted on her bringing it up again so quickly - or having to explain yourself to your ex. But I’m going to have to tell my family so fuck it, I guess. 

But as silence hung between the four of you, you felt yourself sway, anxiety building in your chest. It’s too much. It’s happening too fast. 

“Well, this whole thing is weird for me, to be perfectly honest.” You reached for your glass again, picking it up and then staring down into it, like your wish for a refill would make one appear. “But yes. Meg’s right. Christmas in Georgia. New Year’s and beyond in California.” You set the glass down and then backed up, lifting both hands. “Right now, though? I’m going to get another drink.” 

You left the table without saying anything else, heart pounding in your chest while you headed for the bar. What the fuck was that? You’d gone from being totally at ease and joking around with Dieter to being overwhelmed in seconds, even though you had no real reason to be. 

It wasn’t that telling Sam bothered you. It wasn’t even that the two men were face to face. So what is it then? Why do I feel this way? You ordered your drink and then waited patiently, fingertips tapping on the bartop. 

“Are you Dieter Bravo?” A woman’s high-pitched voice reached your ears, and when you turned toward the sound, drink in hand, you saw that one of the other party guests was gaping at Dieter, who stood a few feet away, one hand in his pocket. “I loved you in -”

“Yes. I am. Thanks.” He flashed her a quick smile, and then pointed at you. “I’m just trying to get to my girlfriend, though.” It was the first time he’d referred to you in that way, and even though the crowd was loud, you heard him clearly. He called me his … 

Your unease faded as Dieter approached you, concern in his eyes. “Dieter, I -” 

“Come on.” He reached out, taking your hand and leading you away from the bar. “Come with me.” He opened a door that you hadn’t noticed that led out  into a back hallway. Once the door shut behind you, he backed away and leaned against the wall, loosely crossing his arms. “I’m not going to ask if you’re alright, but I’m going to ask if this is better.” 

“Yes.” You closed your eyes and nodded. It is. “Yeah, Dieter, I don’t … I don’t know what happened in there. It -”

“I know exactly what happened.” He said your name, waiting until you opened your eyes to say anything more. “You got ambushed. And you had to answer questions you weren’t expecting because you shouldn’t  have expected ‘em five minutes after you walked into a Christmas party.” He moved closer to you, reaching for the drink you held and taking it from you. “It wasn’t what you answered that fucked you up, it was that you felt like you had to tell them anything in the first place.” He took a drink and then handed it back to you, waiting. 

“I didn’t have to answer. I could have changed the subject. I should have. But when she said she was here with Sam, it threw me off, and I felt like I should say something back.” You couldn’t even pinpoint why, exactly, but it was the truth. “Dieter, what if this happens in California? These are just people I know. Out there, it’ll be people you’ve worked with or might work with in the -”

“I don’t care.” He reached for you, putting one hand on each shoulder and squeezing. “I won’t care. Say whatever the fuck you want. That’s what I’ve done for my entire career.”

“But I’m not you.” You felt tears welling up in your eyes. “And if this is what happens to me at a party like this with people I know, LA is going to … fuck, Dieter. What if I fuck it all up? I’m going to embarrass you.” That’s it. This… this makes it real, and when it’s real, it might fail, and I don’t want that failure to be my fault.

“It takes a hell of a lot to embarrass me.” Leaning in, he pressed his forehead to yours and shook his head slowly. “I almost fucking died in front of you, and you’re worried about saying too much or the wrong thing to someone you may never see again? Fuck that. And fuck anyone that makes you feel like that.” Dieter’s hands slid from your shoulders to your biceps, the motion soothing. “Sam congratulated us, by the way. And I think it surprised Meg that he’s cool with it, but they still walked away together, so… who knows.” 

That made you laugh, and after you took a deep breath to steady yourself, you cleared your throat. “Maybe she thought that I’d get jealous seeing them together, and it would leave you free.” He widened his eyes and then made a face. What, is she not your type? “I heard what you called me by the bar, Dieter. I … I didn’t realize how much I’d like hearing that.”

“After telling you I love you, calling you my girlfriend seems pretty damn inadequate, but…” He lifted and then dropped his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “For now, it’s the truth.” For now? What does that mean? “It’s going to be fine. All of it. I don’t care if every single one of those people out there fucking hates me. I’m here for you and for your family. They’re the important ones.” 

Dieter wet his lips and then pulled the lower one back between his teeth, frowning as he eyed you. “What?” You took a small drink, swallowing and then taking a deep breath. “What’s that look for, Dieter?” 

“I knew what coming out here meant.” He gestured at the door behind you with one hand, his rings catching the light, silver flashing as his hand moved. “I knew that being here unannounced and ‘unplanned’ was going to get people talking. I can handle it, because I’m used to it, but I didn’t… fuck, I didn’t think about you not being used to it or the attention or the questions. I’m fucking sorry. I should have. I’ve been deflecting bullshit for years, and it’s like breathing for me, but you … shit.” 

“Dieter, no, it’s fine. I’m… I’m going to have to get used to it, right?” You rubbed at the bridge of your nose with two fingers, sighing. “There’s a public aspect that comes along with being with you, and even though some people are familiar with me, if I go places or to premieres or events with you, I’m going to get asked questions, and -”

“If?” He scoffed, his smile returning as he stepped closer. “You’re not gonna be able to get rid of me that easy. As far as I’m concerned, you’re coming to everything with me.” What? Is he serious? “So get ready for it.” 

That made you laugh, and as the sound escaped your lips, you realized that you actually felt better. You were calmer and more collected, your heartbeat almost back to normal. “I love you, Dieter. I didn’t mean to … I don’t know. It’s just a lot.” 

“It is.” He slid one arm around your waist, the other going around your shoulders as he pulled you in for a hug. “And I’ve got a secret to tell you.” He kissed your cheek before turning his head, his stubbled cheek rubbing against yours as his lips moved to hover just over your ear. “I’ve never cared so much about whether or not something goes well in my entire life.” He paused, and despite the muffled noise of the party just beyond the hallway, you heard that his inhale was shaky. “So you’re not gonna fuck this up. That’s not even an option.” 

“If you say so.” His words stunned you, but you believed them, and could feel the sincerity pouring off of Dieter as he held you close. “Thank you. I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend tonight, so…” You nuzzled against his cheek, tightening your arms and being careful not to spill your drink down his back. “I appreciate it.” 

When you separated a few seconds later, the two of you took deep breaths, but it was Dieter who spoke first. “Do you want to leave?” He shrugged. “We can stop on the way home for food, or just go back and order something.” He paused, cocking his head to the side and then grinning at you. “Or, do you want to stay and spend the next couple hours listening to me come up with new bullshit stories about making movies and filming TV shows and being friends with half of Hollywood?” 

He was giving you an out - two of them, if you were truthful. Because if you left, you’d both have a relaxing night in your apartment doing what you were already so comfortable with. And if you stayed, he’d volunteered to do the heavy lifting for you with the party crowd, turning on the charm and keeping them occupied. It took a lot out of him - and you both knew it - but you also knew that Dieter wouldn’t have made the offer if he hadn’t wanted to. He’d do that for me. 

“How about this.” You flattened one hand on his chest, and then used two fingers to undo another button on his shirt. “We go back out there and get something to eat and mingle for a little while.” He nodded slowly, eyes locked with yours. “And then, when you’re ready to leave, you tell me it’s time, and I’ll walk out of here with no questions asked.” 

“You sure?”

“I am.” Sliding your fingertips under his shirt, you rested them over his heart. “I just needed a minute, Dieter. It got real all of a sudden, and I wasn’t expecting it to.” 

He leaned in, pressing his lips to yours. “I know.” He nodded twice. “I’ve been there.” When he backed up, you let your hand drop from his body. But Dieter didn’t let it fall all the way, catching it and linking your fingers together. “But the difference is that I didn’t have someone like me to step in.” 

He didn’t say anything more, but he did turn and head for the door without letting go. His words hit you hard; it was always the little things that he added as almost an afterthought that impacted you the most. He revealed the most about himself in small doses - Dieter’s admissions giving you a more thorough picture of exactly what his younger years had been like. And he trusts me enough to tell me the truth. 

You’d need his help navigating the new - and much more public - lifestyle that being with him would bring, and you both knew it. Nights like that one and other firsts would be difficult for you, but as you re-entered the party, the music and sounds of people talking growing louder, you understood that it wouldn’t always be that way. 

The two of you joined the small crowd around the buffet table, and Dieter finally let go of your hand to reach for a plate, handing it over to you before taking one of his own. You watched him fill it with finger foods and dips, turning his head and making an offhand comment to the man next to him, both of them laughing as they reached for pretzels. 

He fits in here. It was the final thing you needed to calm yourself entirely, and when he looked over at you, his smile wide, and winked, you laughed too. He can do this, and so can I. It would take time and effort to make your relationship work, but it was worth it. No question there. 

And the more comfortable you became with things, the more both of you would be able to relax and just enjoy being together - as you had in the months you’d spent getting to know each other. Once all of the formalities - and introductions - were done, it would be easier to focus on the future, whatever that entailed.

And you might not have had anyone before, Dieter … but now you do.

—

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alex Nguyen at Mother Jones:

Long gone are the innocent days when media outlets claimed the independence and nuance of the politics of Elon Musk. Now, amid myriad X posts spreading far-right propaganda on immigrants, trans people, and, well, just about any other topic, it has become obvious where one of the richest men in the world stands. This week, there was more proof that Musk has put his money where his mouth has been. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Musk poured tens of millions of dollars into Republican campaigns and conservative groups even before he publicly endorsed Donald Trump in July. Conservatives helped conceal Musk’s contributions through so-called social welfare or “dark money” groups that do not have to disclose their donors and can raise unlimited funds. (Musk did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.) One piece of reporting stood out. The newspaper found that the tech billionaire donated more than $50 million in 2022 for campaign advertisements by Citizens for Sanity, a group connected to former Trump aide Stephen Miller and his non-profit America First Legal, which bills itself as “the long-awaited answer to the ACLU.”  Ties to Miller back in 2022 illuminate Musk’s current penchant for posting about immigrants. Musk has increasingly aligned himself with xenophobic anti-migrant plans and trans hysteria championed by Miller within the Trump administration. 

[...] In recent months, Musk’s posts have sunken to lies of mass voter fraud to help Trump win. As I reported, the billionaire recently posted a rant about how Democrats are the true threat to democracy by fast-tracking asylum seekers for citizenship so that they can vote in swing states. Simple fact-checking finds that asylum seekers are not being flown to battleground states, are not being given a facilitated citizenship process, and are not being allowed to vote—it is all false.  As we previously noted, these statements fall within the 2024 iteration of the Republicans’ “Big Lie.” If Trump loses in November, then Democrats stole the election through noncitizen voters.  Musk has also directly aligned himself with Trump, founding a super PAC called America PAC to get 800,000 people to vote for the former president in key battleground states. According to the Guardian, Trump’s ground operation in swing states are now mostly outsourced to America PAC, and Business Insider said that Musk is now shelling out millions to Republicans in 15 competitive House races. Yesterday, Politico reported that America PAC was teaming up with Turning Point Action, the political advocacy division of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA, to fund hundreds of “ballot chasers” in Wisconsin. 

A Wall Street Journal reports that right-wing X owner Elon Musk has been funding anti-immigrant propaganda, including funding $50M to right-wing group linked to Stephen Miller called Citizens For Sanity (or more accurately, Citizens For Insanity).

[bb-kawa]

Kiss Cam <3

Crossing posting from my ao3 since i think ppl will like this fic. a03 link if you prefer reading there.

What will Falena do when Leona seems to be hiding the  fact that he has a girlfriend? Rig a magical kiss cam to publicly  embarrass the two, of course.

f/n = first name, third person

Did I steal this prompt from sporting events kiss cams and make it more dramatic? yes.

anyways Falena is hilarious in this.

side  note: I interpret twisted wonderland as being an actual University  where magical men and women attend. I don't think that matters for the  specific fic though. reader can still be interpreted as being yuu.

Falena was annoyed. Irked. Displeased. Leona had finally, finally, brought home a love interest, or at least that’s what Falena thought she was; However, Leona refused to admit or even discuss the possibility that she was his girlfriend.

It was the Festival of Love after all in Afterglow Savanna, a three-day event that celebrated all types of love within the kingdom. Why else would Leona have brought home a girl if not to celebrate with her, but Leona didn’t specify if she was his girlfriend or not upon introduction. Furthermore, when Falena prodded Leona for answers, he basically told him to shove off and leave him alone.

When Falena tried to investigate, follow them around, and send spies after them, they always coincidentally appeared to be just platonic friends. A woman holding a man's arm could still be considered friends after all. That wasn’t a big enough clue either way. And when Falena had finally thought he was going to catch them sneakily kissing in a dimly lit hallway, they’d always be conveniently separated from each other.

However, Falena could smell them on each other. Her light perfume blended into Leona’s skin and when she passed by, Falena could clearly smell the earthy scent of Leona’s hair products. They must have been coming into at least close to close contact to justify smelling like each other!

There were other times too, that were as plain as day, that the two were so obviously in love. Leona would laugh with her. Falena could hear their snickers and teasing during various festival activities. Leona rarely laughed as much as he did with her. He looked at her with a sort of happiness Falena hadn’t seen since Leona was a child. Leona would also talk to her, speaking far more than he had the past four years since going to NRC and starting his work as a Prince of the Afterglow Savanna. Falena could barely get Leona to say more than a sentence to him sometimes, but here he was having these long-winded conversations with her.

So why was Leona hiding it? Was he ashamed of her? No that couldn’t be it. Leona would not have brought her otherwise. Was it because he knew it would annoy the entire family if he was as vague as possible about it? That was a possibility but seemed to be a bit of a stretch. They had apparently known each other since NRC but Leona hadn’t thought to bring her around until now? How could Leona decide to enlighten his family with a girl and then proceed to not introduce her as his girlfriend?

Furthermore, every time Falena tried to get the girl alone for a quick chat, Leona would somehow always swoop in like a knight in shining armor here to sweep his obvious lover away from revealing any sort of truth to the matter. Leona always pulled her away with a groan of ‘Don’t annoy F/n with your questions.’ Really, how could Leona consistently be so grumpy about it?

It really was starting to get to Falena. He was determined to find out the truth and the perfect opportunity to do so was going to occur later that evening. A special event was planned called ‘The eye of love.’ It was a yearly activity where a magical camera would pan the crowds showing couples that exhibited a blossoming love. It was an ancient spell mainly used for fun to embarrass couples and had been a main part of the festivities for centuries.

Falena politely, strong armed the yearly caster into making sure, no matter what, the camera would focus in on Leona and his friend. Was this perhaps a bit petty? Yes. Was this also a small invasion of privacy? Also yes. Falena was determined though, to thoroughly ignore his brother's reluctant feelings to find out the truth.

Why, one may ask, was Falena so determined to find out whether Leona had a girlfriend or not? The answer was simple, Falena wanted to make sure the one person that seemed to make Leona happy would be welcomed into the family. Instead, Leona had been corralling the girl away at any possible moment. Two could play this game. Leona wasn’t the only one that could play dirty.

Soon, the roar of the crowd killed Falena’s train of thought concerning his brother. He walked out onto the stage waving, sending out well wishes and hopeful phrases. The general announcements occurred as well as the small speech about hope and encouragement for the love season. Normally Falena wasn’t so impatient during this part, but he really wanted the excitement to start.

Finally, the magical camera, naked to the eye, zoomed around homing in on various couples of various ages. It was quite cute. The first couple to be shown was an elderly pair that seemed to finally admit their love for one another. The next two couples were younger, around mid-age, and were showered with the traditional flower petals for the event during their kiss.

Falena could barely contain his excitement as Leona’s face appeared on the magical screen. The crowd instantly recognized the second prince with a slight cheer. Excitement was strumming through the air. Falena’s smile slightly dropped though, when it appeared that Leona wasn’t at the event at all, but seemed to be walking in some sort of foliage area with F/n.

————-

“If you get in trouble for missing the eye of love event, I’m not gonna defend you.” F/n said. A smile appeared on her face as Leona helped her step off the rocky ledge.

“What do you mean? You’re my accomplice, you’re breaking the rules with me.” Leona responded as he looked back with a smug grin.

“That’s not what I’ll be telling King Falena.”

F/n didn’t have to be looking at Leona to know he was rolling his eyes as she trotted up behind him.

They had been walking for a good thirty minutes. Winding through a rocky path, up various hills. Honestly if F/n knew Leona was going to take her on a full blow hike she would have worn different shoes.

The path soon widened and appeared a large opening filled to the brim with green foliage and blooming flowers. There was a small opening to the left that looked over the grasslands. The sun was just about to set, yellow and orange hues filled the sky.

“Wow… it’s beautiful!” F/n said, running up to the opening admiring the view and the flowers. An excited smile graced her features. “This is what you wanted to show me? How romantic.”

“Always gotta get a tease in, huh.” Leona shuffled back and forth on his feet. He took a few steps towards her, grabbing her hands. His features softened and a slight anxiety bubbled in his chest. “F/n, I… wanted to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

“Actually, I wanted to give you something.” Leona said, reaching into his clothes to pull out a small box. He flipped the lid up revealing a red jewel hanging delicately on a golden chain. F/n's eyes widened, and she glanced back and forth from the box up to Leona’s eyes.

“This… this is for me.” F/n asked. She was shocked, while Leona often gave her gifts, they were usually just things F/n had recently said she wanted. While it was incredibly thoughtful of him to always indulge her whims, his normal gifts weren’t as elaborate. They were flowers, or a blanket for them to share during naps, not an incredibly expensive looking necklace.

“In my culture, giving a gift like this is… 2nd to a marriage proposal. It’s a declaration of intention. An intention to love forever.” Leona explained, bringing a hand up to F/n’s cheek. Leona was a bit scared, nervous to ask this. He had never met someone as wonderful as F/n. While he didn’t think she’d say no, there was a possibility she would maybe not prefer this life with him. “If you accept this, it also means you… feel the same.”

F/n smiled; a nervous feeling fluttered through her. She couldn’t believe it. Leona and her had been serious for a while. While she knew he took their relationship seriously and she did find the whole ‘annoy Falena as much as possible’ schtick funny, this wasn’t what she was expecting.

“Leona… are you sure? I’m… not royalty and well… I don’t want you to be put in a bad position because of it. You care for your kingdom, and I just want to make sure you’re always happy.” F/n responded. She really was worried. She loved Leona and didn’t want to make his life more stressful. What if the kingdom didn’t accept her? What if he regretted it?

“Tch, what happened to that lecture you gave me the other day, huh?” Leona asked with another roll of his eyes. He handed her the box as he wrapped his arms around her. “You told me the world was full of possibilities and that there was always hope. You’re not gonna fight for me now after saying all that?”

F/n laughed, her body shaking in Leona’s arms. He always had to be so cheeky.

“Well that doesn’t count. Don’t use my words against me.” F/n responded, leaning in closer. She could see Leona’s eyes soften. Who was she kidding? She would do anything for him, even if it led to tough times. “You promise to take care of me every day?”

“Of course.”

“Alright then Leona Kingscholar, I accept your love.”

She saw a smile appear on his face, the brightness behind his eyes gleamed, as she leaned up to give him a kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he squeezed her tighter. Leona kissed her back passionately. A laugh bubbled out of her as Leona slightly raised her body off the floor spinning her around.

“Perfect, my love”

——

The camera cut out. Falena could hear the deafening silence as the crowd, as well as himself, processed what they had just seen. It took about three seconds before cheers broke out. The silence turned to rancorous chants and screams. Flowers were thrown up into the air as music started to ring out.

The crowd seemed to fully support Prince Leona’s plight for love if the chanting of his name was anything to go by. Falena was quite happy as well. Now he could finally get to work and plan a wedding. As well as devising a separate plan to make sure Leona didn’t kill him after finding out the entirety of Afterglow Savanna witnessed his love confession. Perhaps Falena should go on an extended trip to a neighboring kingdom to avoid Leona’s wrath.

Well, it’s not like Leona would find out that Falena was the one to order that the magical camera be rigged. It was just a very very unfortunate coincidence. Well, Falena would find a solution soon enough. Perhaps Leona would be so enraptured with his newfound love he’d be too busy to plot murder. Falena was content to enjoy the festivities for now, maybe he’d get lucky, and Leona would never know.

The luck of the draw always fell towards the king after all.

I hope you liked it! reblogs appreciated.

[pub-lius]

WAKE UP ITS HAMILTON TIME (hamilton pt 1)

everyone thank richard for getting me to put all my knowledge about alexander hamilton in one place. if you're at all new or confused, @thereallvrb0y once asked me 3 years ago to tell him everything about every historical figure i can, and since then i have been doing that. now we are onto the last one on the list he gave me, and studying hamilton is literally my life's work, so here it is. on tumblr.com. for free.

my sources for this are Ron Chernow and Hamilton himself and a strange amalgamation of knowledge from different museums, documentaries, interviews with historians, and other otherwise publicly accessible knowledge that i have compiled into the vast library inside my mind! you can find my notes in the link in my pinned post. let's go (this historical research is sponsored by the ghost of freddie mercury and my aunt who made me a whole pot of coffee)

Background Information

Ron Chernow loves to talk about how the island of St. Kitts and Nevis was formed, but that's not fucking important. What's important about Hamilton's birthplace is that it was positioned in the Caribbean in such a way that made it a very easily accessible port, however the coastline was pretty smooth which made it generally unideal for mooring ships.

Source: The St. Kitts' Scenic Railway; Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy by Ian W. Toll, p. 112 ("Basseterre Roads was not a good natural harbor. It was little more than a dent in the otherwise smooth coastline that ran along the western side of the island. There was no pier- visitors were obliged to run their boats directly onto the beach, sometimes surfing in on waves that broke heavily as they reached the shore.")

Now, notice that St. Kitts and Nevis is, in geographic terms, to the right-ish of the Caribbean. That means when you're coming from Jolly Ole England, you might make a pit stop in St. Kitts and Nevis. So if you ignore the fact that the island has no natural harbor (at least not a good one), it might be a good economic prospect for a young merchant, right?

Well, not if that merchant is James Hamilton, because he was an idiot. And I say that lovingly, or at least more lovingly than Ron Chernow did. Ron Chernow also emphasized that St. Kitts and Nevis was filled with the 18th century version of Shameless, and also Jewish people. Ron Chernow might not hate Jewish people, but he does hate the character archetypes in Shameless. In Shameless terms, James Hamilton was like Frank Gallagher.

Disclaimer: knowledge of Shameless is not necessary to understand that being compared to a guy named Frank is not a good thing

I've already made posts about Hamilton's parents and brother (here, if you'd like to read that ig. weirdo), but I want to talk about the things that Hamilton would have learned from his parents. Later in life, Hamilton vaguely alluded to his father's failings in business being due to an excessive amount of generosity and not really understanding where he should and shouldn't spend his money. This did not by any means make Hamilton stingy with his money, or even smart, for that matter, but it did make him want to be something specific: independent.

James Hamilton's tragic flaw was his dependence on other people, whether it was his older brother or Rachel Faucette or his business partners, etc. Due to the position and order in which he was born, James was never destined to be a leader. He wasn't exceptional academically like other non-first-born-sons, such as James Madison, or dispositionally inclined to organize and inspire, like George Washington. He was just a dude, and he was a dude who was not built for 18th century society, especially not in the Caribbean. From what we can tell, James Hamilton was a gullible, moderately intelligent man with symptoms of autism and non-descript mental health issues. He was basically fucked from the get-go.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (p. 12-16); Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 25, p. 89, letter to William Jackson, August 26, 1800 ("In a capacity of a merchant he went to St. Kitts, where from too generous and too easy a temper he failed in business and at length fell into indigent circumstances.")

Rachel Faucette was like James Hamilton's polar opposite. She was forced to learn how to provide for herself, not being able to rely on anyone, because that could be ripped out from under her feet at any moment, and the only thing concrete in her life was herself. She was a woman, and that was what most women had to learn at some point.

Rachel was also perfectly poised to be the clear moral guide for young Hamilton. When James Hamilton left, he basically sacrificed any reverence his son might have for him, and instituted Rachel as Hamilton's sole role model for his developmental years and i just burned the shit out of my hand with coffee.

Disclaimer: James Hamilton had nothing to do with me burning the shit out of my hand with coffee, I promise. You can't blame all your problems on deadbeat dads

If you're a Sigmund Freud fan, (good opener, I know), you're aware of the Oedipus Complex, and that's not exactly what I'm talking about, but yk. look it up. This theory proposed by Freud was only partially rejected by the psychological field (due to the fact that not everything is about wanting to fuck your mom and kill your dad, and also that's not the story of Oedipus Rex like. at all??), but the part that still rang true was that children do have a unique attachment to the opposite sex parent.

Psychological studies show that children tend to describe their opposite sex parents more favorably than same sex parents. Why? I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, I'm an 18 year old who drinks coffee like he was 5 kids to raise.

Source: "The Relation between Attachment to Opposite Sex Parents and Attachment to Romantic Partners" by Gary L. Grogan and Dr. Mary E. Pritchard, p. 10 ("However, most significant for the present inquiry were the findings that respondents described their opposite sex parents more favorably, and same sex parents more critically.")

This statistic is visible in Hamilton's descriptions of his parents, and must have been enhanced by James Hamilton's early departure in his son's life, the consequences from that which seemed constant, but also by the reputation his father had built on the island he left Hamilton on. Hamilton would grow up to see his mother not only providing for herself and her children, but also overcoming the consequences of James' actions, which provoked resentment towards his father, and admiration towards his mother. This will develop as a theme throughout his life, but we'll touch on that as he grows up. He isn't even born yet! So let's get on to that.

Source: so when I say Hamilton's description of his mother, I really mean HIS son's, but JCH most likely got this description from his father, Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, vol. 1, pg. 42 ("...a woman of superior intellect, elevated sentiment, and unusual grace of person and manner. To her he was indebted for his genius."); for the sake of my reliability and reputation, I'll include JCH's description of his grandfather for comparison, Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, p. 13 ("Hamilton's father does not appear to have been successful in any pursuit, but in many ways was a great deal of a dreamer, and something of a student, whose chief happiness seemed to be in the society of his beautiful and talented wife, who was in every way intellectually his superior.")

Early Life

Alexander Hamilton was born ginger on January 11, 1755, and I don't entertain the argument that he was born in 1757 because I'm not an anarchist and I believe society has laws (I'm actually lying, I'll talk about the birth year debate in the college section). Hamilton was not, however, born black or Jewish. He was also, potentially, born not James Hamilton's son.

"Wh- WHAT?! *cries*" I hear you say, and I know, it's shocking information, but yes. First off, Hamilton was not black in any percentage more than the Pillsbury dough boy is black. This theory comes from the fact that Rachel Faucette was a lower class woman and therefore we have no proof that she WASN'T partially black. I don't even have to dispute that for anyone with a gram of critical thinking skills to see that that isn't a valid historical hypothesis.

The Jewish thing has a little more merit to it, and there's a whole book about it that I haven't read. There is some evidence to suggest that Rachel Faucette's ex husband, Johann Lavien, could have been a secret Jewish person, and possibly caused Rachel herself to convert, and she tried to pass on that to Hamilton by having a Jewish woman educate him when he was a toddler (that last part is a true fact, and is the earliest piece of information we have about Hamilton's education). If this is true, (and it's nearly impossible to prove true or false because well if Lavien was a secret Jew, it was a secret), it did not impact Hamilton's religious beliefs in any way, and he identified as a Christian throughout his entire life.

We'll do a paternity test on Hamilton later, just hang tight. See, this is how I get you, I say something controversial, and then I don't talk about it until 16 paragraphs later.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 9 ("A persistent mythology in the Caribbean asserts that Rachel was partly black, making Alexander Hamilton a quadroon or an octoroon. In this obsessively race-conscious society, however, Rachel was invariably listed among the whites on local tax rolls. Her identification as someone of mixed race has no basis in verifiable fact. (See pages 734-35 [this is in Chernow's Acknowledgments, and he just talks about how he used a paper trail to come to this conclusion, and thought genetic research would only confuse the evidence. He also discusses that there is a small chance that Hamilton fathered a black child named William Hamilton, but I can go ahead and tell you that's false due to the fact that Hamilton had just arrived in America when William was born -HWS]) The folklore that Hamilton was mulatto probably arose from the incontestable truth that many, if not most, illegitimate children in the West Indies bore mixed blood."); Life of Alexander Hamilton by John Church Hamilton, vol. 1, p. 42 ("...rarely as he alluded to his personal history, he mentioned with a smile his having been taught to repeat the Decalogue in Hebrew, at the school of a Jewess, when so small that he was placed standing by her side upon a table); Ibid., vol. 7, p. 710-11; Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 26, p. 774, "Comments on Jews"

Hamilton's education began with his mother, who is almost definitely the person who made him fluent in French by the time he came to America. Despite limited access to books (34 books in both French and English to be specific), Hamilton still studied everything he could from a young age, with an early love for learning new things and proving that he was smarter than you. However, most of his education was in the School of Hard Knocks Community College, which was amply provided by the environment around him.

In the height of the British Empire, the Caribbean was essentially a social prison for anyone who broke the moral laws of the colonial, Eurocentric society of the time. This included pirates, prostitutes, drunks, thieves, and basically anyone who didn't fit the mold for a member of high society and/or someone who could serve high society and their lives of luxury. Hamilton, by birth, was one of these people.

Hamilton's father moved the family to St. Croix right before he left, which was a dramatic shift from Hamilton's life on St. Kitts and Nevis. In St. Croix, everyone knew Hamilton's mother as the disgraced ex-wife of Johann Lavien, and therefore knew her two sons as "whore-children", which was a word usually given to illegitimate children. Here, Hamilton was roped in with the degenerates of society, and it was practically said directly to him that he was destined to be unholy, unclean, worthless, and disgusting. Could you believe that this would have an impact on his mental health?

Along with seeing the poor lifestyles of the inhabitants of the Caribbean, Hamilton also saw glimpses into a very different world: ~rich people~. There were few rich white people on the islands, and they owned vast amounts of enslaved people, with the black to white ratio being 8:1 in the Caribbean. These enslaved people were forced to live in horrible conditions, and Hamilton saw it everywhere- his mother owned three people, but they were often rented out to garner profit for the white family, rather than working a plantation as others in the Caribbean did. Violence towards enslaved black people was only part of the violence young Hamilton witnessed in the Caribbean, some of which came in the form of dueling *insert ominous music*

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 18 ("To the extent that dueling later entranced Hamilton to an unhealthy degree, this fascination may have originated in the most fabled event in Nevis in the 1750s [a duel between two men where one of them was killed"); Ibid., p. 19; Ibid., p. 23-24

James Hamilton abandoned the family in 1765, and the reasons he did so are debated, but most likely are due to debt. However, there's another possibility that I've alluded to before: Hamilton's paternity.

So, remember, Rachel Faucette is not a perfect angel, and she also didn't particularly care for matrimony. There is a chance that she was with other men besides Hamilton and Lavien, and though we have no evidence that she was, there is an interesting character I'd like to throw into the mix.

Thomas Stevens, a moderately rich guy, was a merchant who lived on King Street in Charleston, St. Croix, with his wife Ann and his son Edward, who was born a year before Alexander Hamilton. Thomas Stevens was a very generous guy, and Edward Stevens would later be lifelong friends with Alexander Hamilton. And uh. They looked almost exactly the same. I really wish we had a portrait of Edward Stevens, but according to literally everyone, it was hard to tell the difference between him and Hamilton. Now, statistically, we all have some kind of doppelganger out there, but like what are the chances that they grew up down the street from each other and their parents had suspiciously close connections? Now, I'm not saying that Hamilton should have been Alexander Stevens, I think that's pretty irrelevant, but it is possible that Thomas Stevens... you... ARE THE FATHER!!!

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 27-28 ("Nevertheless, in the absence of direct proof, the notion that Alexander was the biological son of Thomas Stevens instead of James Hamilton would clarify many oddities in Hamilton's biography.")

The Hamiltons' life post-dad-desertion was actually somewhat comfortable due to Rachel's kickassery. She established a little store for a source of income, relocated a couple times, rented out the enslaved people (as one does, i guess, that's such a wild phrase), and kept a pet goat for milk and cheese and idk soap or whatever else people make with goat milk. Her sons would help out, possibly providing an origin for Hamilton's incessant need to be productive at all times without resting. At times, they were supported by his aunt Ann Lytton Mitchell, who he would remain loyal to until his death. During this time, as he was old enough to understand what his father did, is probably when his fiercely loyal, chivalrous and family-driven attitude developed.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 22-23; Ibid., p. 28

I'm so hopped up on caffeine I could do a triathalon.

Hamilton and his mother were both afflicted by a strange and unspecified illness in the winter of 1768. The primary symptom was a severe fever, and they were treated with purgatives, medicinal herbs, and bloodletting. Nothing helped, and Rachel died at 9 pm on February 19. Hamilton miraculously survived.

Immediately, Hamilton and his brother James had everything they owned taken away, indebted by bills charged against them by local debtors. Their half brother inherited whatever else belonged to their mother, which brought up the marital scandal all over again, beginning a legal battle that lasted for around a year. In the end, the two Hamilton brothers were left with two things: jack shit and fuck all.

Custody of the two boys was appointed to their cousin, Peter Lytton. In my notes, I described him as "white trash" and "insane", including the quotes, so idk who said that. Peter Lytton lived with his black mistress and their illegitimate child. He killed himself on July 6, 1769, and what's strange about that is that we don't know if he shot or stabbed himself. I don't know who got confused about the difference between a knife and a gun, but that isn't my problem.

To make a bad situation worse, Peter Lytton didn't leave the boys anything in his will, and neither did his father, who did "his best" to help. His best could have been even just mentioning the name Hamilton in his will, but whatever, I guess.

These events held very important lessons for the young Alexander: 1) nothing lasts forever; 2) everyone dies; 3) the legal system is terrible; 4) rich people hate you; and, most importantly, 5) the only way out was up.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 22-27

On His Own

This marked a split between Hamilton and his older brother, but this didn't seem to affect him as much as what happened with his parents- possibly because he wasn't biologically his brother, but I don't really care about that. What's more important is that Hamilton was almost entirely on his own, with inconsistent housing, so he couldn't always rely on the Stevenses. He was in a very similar situation that his mother was in at one time not long ago: alone and self reliant.

Hamilton was already working for the mercantile company, Beekman and Cruger. This company was later renamed, so I'll just say that Hamilton worked for Cruger, who was a business man with ties to New York. Hamilton worked as a clerk at this import-export business, giving him the responsibility to monitor intake and outtake as well as the organization of papers and just generally keeping everything in line. Due to the international relevance that was St. Croix, Hamilton often used French in his business dealings. Here, Hamilton perfected his handwriting into that elegant mess we know and can't read, picked up information on shipping/navigation, and learned his famously proficient math skills, particularly in relation to finance and economics.

Hamilton's famously maniacal work ethic began here, but so did his yearning for military valor. The first piece of personal correspondence we have from Hamilton is a letter to bestie Edward Stevens, and was made very famous from The Musical.

"Im confident, Ned that my Youth excludes me from any hopes of immediate Preferment nor do I desire it, but I mean to prepare the way for futurity. Im no Philosopher you see and may be jusly said to Build Castles in the Air. My Folly makes me ashamd and beg youll Conceal it, yet Neddy we have seen such Schemes successfull when the Projector is Constant I shall Conclude saying I wish there was a War. I am Dr Edward Yours Alex Hamilton (sic)"

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 29-30; Alexander Hamilton to Edward Stevens, November 11, 1769, St. Croix; Library of Congress, Image 13 of Alexander Hamilton Papers: General Correspondence, 1734-1804; 1734-1772

When Cruger left St. Croix for New York due to medical reasons in 1771, he left 16 year old Alexander Hamilton in charge of his primary source of income. And you're probably thinking that's a stupid idea. Because it is.

BUT ITS ALEXANDER HAMILTON. SO IT WAS FINE??? Well, fine for everyone besides the captain of the HMS Thunderbolt.

The Thunderbolt pulled into St. Croix's busy harbor after crossing the ocean and manned by a veteran captain, however Hamilton was not satisfied with the outfitting of the ship nor the quality of the goods that had been transported.

"Reflect continually on the unfortunate voyage you have just made and endeavor to make up for the considerable loss therefrom accruing to your owners." -Alexander Hamilton to Captain Newton, February 1, 1772

You can really see Hamilton's "I'm better than you and I know it" attitude shining through, made more shocking than ever than the fact that he was SIXTEEN YEARS OLD and talking to a man who was LITERALLY TWICE HIS AGE. The only reason he didn't lose his job over this is because he was right. The mules that had been transported were in such poor health, Hamilton had to pull strings to get them sold, and the wood was too waterlogged to be sold on the open market, so he sold it to a private buyer who was able to find something to do with them. He showed quick thinking, confidence in his abilities, and managerial skills. It was these skills that would later appeal to George Washington, not his financial abilities, and led to his most important appointment.

Source: Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 1, p. 23, letter to Tileman Cruger, February 1, 1772 ("It would be undoubtedly a great pity that such a vessel [the Thunderbolt] should be lost for the want of them [cannons]."); Ibid., p.4, letter to Captain Newton, February 1, 1772; Alexander Hamilton: A Biography by Forrest McDonald, p. 128 ("Taken aback, Washington replied, 'I always knew Colonel Hamilton to be a man of superior talents, but never supposed that he had any knowledge of finance.")

Cruger's firm also engaged in the Atlantic slave trade, as did the majority of trading firms in the Caribbean and the American south. It was this exposure to the abhorrent conditions on slave ships and the violence African people faced in the triangle trade that shaped Hamilton into a vocal opponent of slavery- when it was convenient. More impactful was the fear he developed of slave revolts, as was very common in the Caribbean because of the disproportionate slave to free/black to white ratio in the islands, and this would later define his views on the French Revolution and public protest in general. He and Thomas Jefferson had this in common.

Hamilton continued studying books in his free time, and the local newspaper, the Royal Danish American Gazette, began publishing poems from an anonymous young writer- obviously it was Hamilton. His poems ranged in subjects, and aren't particularly good, but they're better than any poems I've written angrily in my journal about my evil exes, so that is to his credit.

Hamilton's poems took a religious turn, most likely traceable to the arrival of Reverend Hugh Knox, who took in Hamilton as a mentor. Clergymen were a hot commodity in the hell hole that was the Caribbean, and Knox had a lot of work on his hands, but he took a particular interest in Hamilton, specifically in getting him out of the aforementioned hell hole. He saw that Hamilton was incredibly intelligent and hard working, almost to a fault- he was probably the first person who was genuinely concerned for this dude's health over how much he worked.

Fun fact, Knox also had personal ties to the Burr family, but that is literally only a fun fact and not a sign that Burr and Hamilton were star-crossed lovers in fair Verona or whatever Chernow has deluded himself into thinking.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 32-33; Ibid., p. 34

Source: National Guard Bureau, "Examining Lessons from Katrina 10 Years Later"

Then, a massive hurricane struck the Caribbean on August 1, 1772. It was incredibly damaging, causing mass destruction in St. Croix, and this is most definitely one that we in the south would evacuate for. Even my dad would evacuate for this one, and it took a lot of convincing to get him to evacuate for Katrina.

In reaction to this event, Hamilton wrote his famous letter to his father detailing and reflecting on the storm. And finally, I'm giving y'all my analysis of this letter that I keep saying I'll do. However, this post is already incredibly long, so I'm going to do it in a google doc and attach it here.

Source: Alexander Hamilton to The Royal Danish American Gazette, September 6, 1772

The letter was published to The Royal Danish American Gazette, which spread around the afflicted community. Knox's congregation gathered money for the anonymous young author (now not very anonymous) to sail to the American mainland for his education. Originally, Hamilton went to study medicine, due to the high demand for doctors in the Caribbean (his knowledge of anatomy would remain helpful throughout his life). However, at some point he decided he would not be going back to the Caribbean, and switched his focus to law, but we'll discuss that more in part two.

Source: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, p. 37-40

Well, there's part one. I did all of this in one day because um. I don't know, but it is now one in the morning and i have to wake up earlier than normal. so that's fun. i hope y'all enjoyed. shout out to my mom for proofreading half of this, and shout out to my aunt who gave me coffee, that was a horrible idea. i'll be back with part two at some point, which will probably be more concise because hamilton's childhood in the caribbean is where most of the theories are, so yeah. love y'all.

[lightofraye]

glen powell glen powell GLEN POWELL!!!!!

i wannahear what u think of him and the gigi paris mess!

... my gods, I've turned into a gossip columnist. 😏

All joking aside... there's really not much to tell. Glen, Gigi, and Sydney all kept it out of the public eye. Lots and lots of gossip magazines went nuts, so did fan speculation. I think it was later addressed, eventually, with very vague interviews that only stated something along the lines of "It just didn't work out" and Sydney insisting that she and Glen were only really good friends (that and she was happily engaged, with her fiancé being right there as a producer as they filmed).

As I said, the gossip mags and tabloids made a lot about it.

Whenever Glen and Sydney weren't filming on set, they took tours and trips around Australia. They went to local Sydney (as in Australia, not the actress) sites, Taronga Zoo, and even the Sydney Swans locker room.

There was a behind-the-scenes clip of Sydney on Glen's lap that apparently sent fans into a tizzy.

What's interesting--and noted by many--is that when a lot of those couple-y photos of Glen and Sydney came out, Gigi came to visit Glen in Australia. And he greeted her with flowers.

Anyway, back in April 2023, rumors of affairs stirred up when someone noted that Glen's then-girlfriend, Gigi Paris, unfollowed him and Sydney on social media.

That happened right after Glen and Sydney finished filming Anyone But You.

To many a fan, that meant that was confirmation of an affair. That and Gigi's "break-up" IG post, which was cryptic as heck but also very pointed to anyone who could read between the lines.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gigi Paris (@msgigiparis)

(Interestingly, Glen actually 'liked' that post.)

Gigi and Glen had been dating since 2020. They had a ton of cute photos on Instagram (both of theirs) and in public. But roughly around the time of filming wrapping up, Gigi and Glen hadn't been seen together since she came over during filming.

Sydney and Glen were also incredibly flirty during the press tour. When they appeared at the 2023 CinemaCon. During an exchange, Glen joked that the actors love to see themselves on screen, and Sydeny responded with, "Oh please, Top Gun."

Glen replied with "I love when she calls me that."

Eventually, June of 2023, Sydney said the supposed affair was just good acting. She claimed that the photos they saw were all of them on set, in character.

While social media and gossip magazines and paparazzi fanned the flames, Glen admitted the intense speculation took a toll. During an interview with Men's Health in November 2023, he admitted, "When all that stuff happened, you know, publicly, it felt disorienting and unfair. But what I'm realizing is that's just a part of this gig now."

He spoke about it six months after Sydney addressed the rumors.

Of course, Sydney fans were puzzled: wasn't she engaged? Yes… yes she was. And still is.

Sydney became engaged to her long-term partner, restaurateur Jonathan Davino, in February of 2022. When she guest hosted SNL in March of this year, she confirmed that she was in fact still engaged with him, and he was on-set for the entirety of Anyone But You. (They co-produced via her production company, Fifty-Fifty.)

Glen made a special appearance on SNL in the audience, and during Sydney's monologue, the camera zoomed onto him instead of her fiancé. A lot of folks found it funny. I found it cringe-worthy. (Link to her monologue.)

Thankfully the rumors began to die down, though there were smatterings of gossip about Jonathan being seen without his ring and "moving" out of Sydney's place. But that too died down.

Meanwhile, Glen's been busy with a number of movies--Hit Man, Twisters, and apparently working on a mini-series (I think) about Chad Powers.

I do remember Glen talking about how finding love is hard when he's constantly working. There's aspects of the industry that makes it hard to have a relationship, especially when they're on the go. He said, in an CBS Mornings interview:

“This is a time where life is moving so fast that I don’t even know if I could bring someone into it … in a healthy way, even if I tried,” the Twisters star explained.

“If love comes and hits me in the face and knocks me over, I welcome it with open arms because that’s something I really want,” Powell said, noting that he wants a family and kids. "At the same time, I realize that it’s going to take a very specific type of person to navigate this. It’s a lot.”

For now, Glen has his adorable dog, Brisket, to keep him company.

[kangals]

Boone merch update/backstory:

-in 2014 I posted a picture to this tumblr of Boone with a stick on his head, it for whatever reason got popular (350k notes as of now)

-picture got picked up and memed with on Facebook and Reddit (some were funny, some sucked, I wasn’t too thrilled but whatever, that’s the internet). a few times I commented on them like “hey this is my dog” but nothing much.

-up until now I still see it reposted every several months but I just assumed it was relegated to the life of an old, minor meme. fine.

-then yesterday I get a DM on Reddit from someone saying (verbatim) “as I’m sure you know this picture has gone viral on discord over the past year” ….no I did not in fact know that.

-they send me several screenshots of what is clearly at least one thriving discord server dedicated entirely to this picture (which they are calling Der) and some Etsy links to patches. -they ask if they have my permission to make Der merch

-tbh my gut reaction was “no, fuck you” so I asked for clarification and they said that they’re just being distributed among server members and using Etsy for order convenience, and not selling publicly/for profit. (idk if these servers are 10 people or 10k)(edit: it’s 14k) -idk maybe I’m just super gullible but I’m going to choose to take this in good faith. I told them as long as it’s just kept among server members and it’s not commercial or turning a profit I’m fine with it, which they agreed to. I also suggested they look into donating to their local greyhound/galgo rescue which they seemed excited about.

-so yeah that’s it for now. and like I said I might just be overly trusting, but the fact that they tracked me down from like a handful of comments in all of Reddit + seemed genuine about it, yeah sure I’ll let them keep memeing and have fun with it. i don’t really have the emotional capacity to get angry about it tbh.

-if you’re familiar with these discord server and know what the hell they’re on about it, lmk?

[suzyq31]

Example of what Harmony authors face

Hi,

I know a lot of you who follow me or are mutuals in this space are more Jily writers/readers. But I just want to share an example of the reasons I'm no longer comfortable engaging in the main Harmony fandom space run by HMS Harmony. I'll be blocking and deleting this user/commenter. I did however want to post this here as a concrete example of why it is that I'm not eager to continue and will be focusing on writing other pairings.

Also want to reiterate that I am not against discussion of fics, I just think entire post dedicated to talking about what we dislike about a fic in public fandom spaces don't adhere to a culture of kindness or respect. Fandom is about having fun, engaging with something we all love. That doesn't mean we all have to like the same things. But I also think we can do better about treating each other decently. I have not sent a single person after this user, or to attack any moderators of these groups. But again, this is the response and while I haven't been there to see it, I do know that I'm being dragged on there. Which does make me afraid to speak up, but sometimes we have to do things or speak up even when we feel anxious about further retaliation.

One last thing about fandom culture/critique. I saw a post on here that I'll try to find again that basically said that fics aren't a meal at a restaurant where you pay and specify what you want. They are more like a home cooked meal. If you don't like it that's fine, don't eat it, but you also don't need to throw it back in the person's face. So anyways, this wasn't the best way to start my morning but I'm going to focus on the positives in my life, like going to a job where I get to plan Harry Potter themed activities for kids ❤️ Hope you all have a lovely day!

The comment can be viewed below:

Let me say this as clearly as possible and hope you don’t construe this as disrespect for the sake of disrespect.

Get over yourself. Really, do that.

Your entire author note is self contradictory to the point that it makes me laugh. You said it wasn’t meant to cast blame but you posted the link to the thread I made on reddit. You said you don’t always expect the internet to be a safe space yet you’re trying to make it that way by not only brigading your friends and supporters against the mods but making an author note to air your own grievances about a thread that did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to rip apart publicly and regularly.

If you think I’ve ripped apart BFL with that thread then I shudder to think what you’ll think when you see something actually being ripped apart. What I did was voice my confusion and frustration at not being able to understand what that story was trying to accomplish. What I did was seek out others to either see if they felt the same or see if they felt different to me. You conveniently ignored that latter part.

And now you’re giving yourself time and grace to make a decision on what you want to do in the fandom. So with all due respect again, GET OVER YOURSELF. You post a work into a public space and expect it not to be critically discussed? The absolute worst thing I could have done was “RiP aPaRt” BFL directly in Emerson’s thread but I didn’t. Instead I went to reddit and sought out others in the community to try and understand. The fact that she ended up seeing that and then announcing that she’s leaving the fandom just to put heat on me is crazy but I’ll let it slide.

I honestly do not know what I could have done better other than shutting my mouth and saying nothing but the truth is that I was a fan of the author and I absolutely refused to believe the story she put out was what it was. Do I regret offering up a discussion on Reddit? Hell no. I wanted to understand so I sought understanding.

Another contradiction. You said you were no God but you are a human but yet you’re asking others to change the subreddit to what you 🫵 want it to be. You want it to be changed to an echo chamber where sensitive people like you won’t be exposed to criticism or discussion of your work. The same bloody work you posted on a public site to hundreds, thousands, of readers. Give me a break.

If you’re so afraid of negativity, as you call it, then may I suggest a policy of perhaps not being on Reddit and not seeking out posts that discuss your work? It’s either that or get over yourself and roll with the punches.

Discussion isn’t always going to be complimentary or kind. If your work is controversial, best believe it will be discussed. And make no mistake, I DISCUSSED BFL. Never once did I levy harsh accusations or insults just because I didn’t like the story. The fact that it has 41 upvotes and counting echoes that. So many people agree with me and I love it. I think that’s what Reddit is about. Promoting discussion and understanding of things.

Once again, please either get over yourself or adopt the fanfic author’s sacred mantra: “Don’t like, don’t read.” You don’t like the way your work is read and discussed, then leave. Join a new subreddit that is the echo chamber you want it to be. Or even leave the fandom like your friend Emerson did. Join the Dramione community because apparently their subreddit is better than Harmony’s according to all yous. Or even join the Nevmione subreddit, I’m sure they could use a few more authors and are “nicer” than Harmony.

Make a note of how stupid and unfair it sounds when I tell you to do all of those things. Make a note of how you feel when I say them. And then ask yourself why “don’t like, don’t read” is a bullshit rule. You can’t just decide to fully dislike a story without reading it all the way through. Stories get better and they win you over as you read them. The fact that BFL didn’t do that after I read it 8 odd times is a testament to me trying to find some positives because that is who I am..

That being said, continue to give yourself time and grace after you read this. Give yourself both of those things which, honestly, could have saved BFL if Harry was given some of it.

[petefromarma]

same anon, to clarify wasnt criticizing you specifically im moreso just like shocked at Everyone (online)‘s behavior towards those old men being on two opposite ends of a spectrum where it’s either like slightly insincere outrage or no (verbal) outrage and just like a “oh haha we know they suck what can u do 🤷🏻‍♀️” vibe. def agree that the only way to get genuine results is to stop supporting them financially but i dont think a majority of the people who regularly buy merch etc have the balls to stop, but tbh i cant see them even making a statement i feel like their pr strategy has always been just avoiding discussing shit and waiting for people to start ignoring it again (which they always do!!), and even if they were to say something regardless of how sincere it might be (it won’t be) i really dont think i or a lot of other people can go back from that 😭 like i’ll never see them the same again, n e ways yes he said that shit’s crazy i don’t remember it word for word but he quoted someone talking about the death toll with some bs about how a genocide needs to involve a Certain number of people killed and the death toll hadnt reached that number yet……… crazy shit but like to end on a lighter note andy hurley (as the only member who’s explicitly talked about the genocide) (using talked very loosely bc all he did was post on his story lmfao) in particular is a chickenshit pussy bc how you gonna command a doomsday commune during the apocalypse when youre too shy to tell off your associates w shitty politics 💀 kid on twitter talking abt revolution but they cant ask for extra ketchup packet vibez

again under a cut

no you're good i figured it wasn't about me specifically i just thought maybe i should elaborate on my perspective. also yes i agree with all of this; i will say the reason i think it could be realistic for them to, like, throw up a donation link on their insta is that it's not something that's related to their personal lives (as in, there's other points of criticism they will never ever talk about because it has to do with their own actions) and they do, occasionally, respond publicly to fans. but i completely understand why that wouldn't really change anything for you and i am sorry that this happened and that you're not able to enjoy them or feel the same connection to them that you once were

also yeah speaking of i did notice that no one has had any heat for andy despite the fact that he's shown up for at least two of the three cobra shows. i think patrick is an easy target rn bc he's the one most visibly involved and everyone is too scared to criticize pete but no one has said anything about andy except to praise him and it's like, i think we're maybe past that point lol. and yeah i do maintain that if he wasn't in a band he would be the world's most annoying accelerationist larping on twt about violent revolution

[foxtricksterwriting]

Yijun Bai

Author's Note: this is 1 of 3 mcs, I'll link the others when they're posted.

Credits: This is a mc for the interactive fiction game-thingy Infamous. Find it here @infamous-if

Preferred Name: Yijun Bai

Alias: Juniper

Gender + Pronouns: man + he/him ("I know I look feminine, you don't need to tell me")

Singing/Voice Claim, if any: Cowboy Malfoy for his singing voice and his speaking voice lol

Age: 26

More About Him: Yijun Bai and Juniper are like two completely different people. Juniper is Yijun's stage name/act, as such he acts very different. The change is so stark it's often jarring to strangers, acquaintances and even friends.

Juniper is portrayed as a flirty drunken fool. He acts drunk or tipsy even when it's been days since his last drink. He flirts with everyone; fans, interviewers, other bands(👀). He often seems clueless as to what happens around him and acts overly laid back. Contrasting Yijun's usual punk-grunge clothing Juniper wears loose, flowy shirts and pants in various shades of wine red, purple and black. He has a sense of careless laziness that clouds everything he does.

Yijun himself is serious and has a no-nonsense attitude. He seems to despise the stage act he's made, but can't seem to shake it no matter how hard he tries. He has a 'devil make care' attitude and does mostly whatever he wants. He's loyal to a fault, and once you make it into his inner circle it's hard for him to hate you. Yijun is willing to do anything for his friends. He tends to be very calculated and aggressively blunt.

Two things that don't change between 'personas' is his general non-conformity and his love of nature. He strives to stand out in as many ways as possible; the blatant promiscuity and generally flowy-ness of his stage act and his normally aggressively in-your-face view points about the world are the first examples that come to mind. And his love of nature. He does everything he can to lessen his effect on his environment and cares a great deal about the wilderness. He hikes when he has the time and is known to go camping regularly. He's stated that sometime after he retires he wants to live in a cabin in the woods, away from people and engrossed with the forest around him.

Fun Facts:

His Pinterest here.

His(and the others because I'm ✨uncreative✨) band is called The Cult of Dionysus, specifically so he can call his fans Dionysians since he thought that was cool as fuck. Does NOT promote any of the shenanigans that actually went on and is willing to publicly denounce someone if they try something. ("Guys, don't try to replicate anything the actual fucking cult did. For the love of fuck, do not. That's a warning.")

He's fairly superstitious, thanks to his family also being superstitious.

He has a routine he tries to follow closely and if it gets messed up somehow it ruins the rest of his day.

He tends to suppress his emotions and gets frustrated when he does end up feeling them. This also makes him kind of oblivious to some things and a little insensitive, but he's quick to apologize. He's emotionally constipated, please bare with him. ("I'm sorry I said something hurtful to you, I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I don't have a excuse, but I truly am sorry.")

He wants to be covered in tattoos and is getting there slowly but surely. If you ask about them, he'll explain why he got them and what they mean.

Yijun is not close to his family; they're very traditional and conservative people while he's the exact opposite. ("My family? You don't need to know about them")

He likes photography and specifically favors those polaroid cameras. He'd like to have a photo wall, but hasn't settled in a place long enough to build one up.

Yijun doesn't like interacting with his fans, not because he doesn't like them but because he's scared he'd say something wrong and hurt or offend them. Will happily give hugs and pose for pictures if asked.

While Lani wants a PO Box, I feel Yijun would actually have a PO Box and treasure each and every little thing sent to him. You could send him a rock and he'd be 🥺🥺🥰🥰🥰

You know the way parents embarrass their kids by constantly bragging about them? Yijun does that with his fans lol

He's a fucking tsundere lol would absolutely accidentally say some variation of 'it's not like I like you or anything!' lmao

Yijun is one of my regular ocs and has his own story. His 'pre-made' backstory is that he met Lani when he was like 8. In high school he met Storm, and shortly after started a band. In said band he's the lead singer and drummer, among other things.

"I'll stick with you from now on, so you better not fuck this up."

[karlie-what-you-want]

Hi bestie, loved your last post about the hypocrisy behind defending Joe versus Karlie. Are you a Kaylor historian? 🤭 Or do you know someone who is? Does anyone have sourced reasoning tied to why people turned on Karlie? Or was it all purely based in rumors and hearsay? I just don’t know the history that well surrounding what caused the (supposed) rift (both them drifting apart publicly and anything that’s as said). Just the general fallout.

Calling on all Kaylor experts too!!

I just have always been curious because it feels like people always say she betrayed Taylor by telling Scotter personal details but is there any “proof” or “evidence” people use to base those claims in? Thanks!!

- ❣️ curious Kaylor/gaylor who doesn’t believe Karlie is the villain some fans make her out to be

Hi lovely anon! Thanks for the support 🥰

I am far from a historian, but I have enjoyed studying up on this myself. I’ll give it my best, and if I miss any important details, everyone else is welcome to chime in as well! We’ve got a great community around here with lots of knowledge. (If anyone has links to the many Tumblr posts documenting the below in more detail, please share! I know we’ve got so much of their timeline mapped out with photos and evidence. This is just my overview, as I’m currently in the office working.)

In short, the rumors were largely unfounded.

To fully get the context of the “rift” between them, I think it’s important to note that their public friendship which had once been very loud and affectionate dimmed significantly after they were caught on video kissing at the 1975 concert in December of 2014 (kissgate). People were already speculating that they were no longer friends anymore, but they were still occasionally seen together, and Karlie maintained in an interview that she and Taylor were still very close.

I think that background is important, as it had Swifties on high alert and ended up setting the scene for what happened next.

Come the masters heist just as Lover era kicked off, Perez Hilton posted a gossip tweet alleging that Karlie might have shared information with Scooter. This was a baseless claim which came only from the fact that she was contracted with Scooter as her manager at the time and thus was seen at gatherings where he was present. It’s worth noting that as soon as her contract with Scooter was up, Karlie ended that business relationship and found new management.

Swifties, however, ran with that narrative. From one gossip column whose author is known to create drama, rather than reporting news. This was not at all like with Taylor and Joe’s “breakup” news, which was reported by reputable magazines and publications that Taylor has always had positive relationships with.

The only proof these Swifties have of these rumors comes in the form of Ashley Avignone and Claire Winter, two friends of Taylor, “liking” Perez’s tweets regarding this. Those likes are gone now, though, and the tweets wiped from the internet (though their legacy unfortunately has lived on and mutated into something vile). I think it’s very interesting and important that the tweets are gone, because one has to wonder why. Who had it removed? What happened to those “likes?”

Meanwhile, Karlie has always denied any claims that they fell out, and she famously tweeted “I will not allow the media to misconstrue my words. Taylor has always had my back, and I will always have hers.”

That tweet is still there. Taylor did not have that one wiped from the internet.

And, as Taylor Swifts friends and family are quickly jumping ship and unfollowing Joe on social media (Austin, Ryan Reynolds, and the Haim sisters all did in the last day), many of Taylor’s closest friends continue to publicly support Karlie (including Ryan, Haim, and Selena Gomez, who is supposed to be Tay’s best friend). Even Abigail (Taylor’s childhood bestie) still follows Karlie, which I think is the most telling thing of all. If these people would all be moved to unfollow Joe because of an allegedly amicable breakup, it would make even more sense for them to unfollow Karlie and keep as much distance as possible—if there really had been this big, world-ending betrayal, that is.

But there was no betrayal. Just one—ONE—rumor started by one man, and an entire misogynistic generation that went on a witch-hunt to make Karlie as miserable as possible. To this day, people harass Karlie over it, and she remains polite and strong.

The treatment of Karlie has always bothered me, but it stands out even more now as I see the same Swifties jump to Joe’s defense over far less egregious claims (with far more evidence of truth to them).

Again, if anyone has links to outlines of kissgate, early lover era (or even how it appeared Taylor was about to come out at that time), or anything else I’ve mentioned here, please share! I know there are so many resources here on our little hellsite, but as I’m working right now, I don’t have time to dig for them.

Anon, I hope this was helpful and enlightening! There is so much history and context here that it can be kind of like opening a hot oven door and getting blasted with the heat 😅 but I encourage you to take your time and explore what the Kaylor community has to offer here on tumblr, because there is so much right at your fingertips.

Thanks for reaching out!

[saintmeghanmarkle]

The passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II - How early was the first chapter in Scobie's book planned (?) - the aggressive tactics to be at the late Queen's bedside. Was TW planning to film the death? Attempts to merch of Queen Elizabeth II's passing??? by u/narcwatchkiwi

The passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II - How early was the first chapter in Scobie's book planned (?) - the aggressive tactics to be at the late Queen's bedside. Was TW planning to film the death? Attempts to merch of Queen Elizabeth II's passing??? I couldn't help but notice that the very first chapter of Scobie's horrid new book talks breathlessly about the late Queen Elizabeth's passing, and is titled - 'Elizabeth II's final Days'.How early did the Harkle's plan with Omid - on the first chapter - about the late Queen Elizabeth's passing?As we all know, Omid is not at all truthful about the real extent of his links to the Harkles.Rules about Harold's recent visit to the Late QEII's tombI also note that Harold's recent visit to the late Queen's tomb at the George VI memorial chapel at Windsor Castle, was only allowed under the strict provisions that the visit remain private, and that it was last minute.I am wondering whether these strict stipulations were to help to prevent TW from going to the tomb, and of course, Harold already revealed morbid and inappropriate details of the late Queen's passing in 'Spare', and publicly criticized his father for not allowing TW to be at the late Queen's deathbed.Lack of interest in visiting QEII while she was aliveDespite numerous attempts by the late Queen Elizabeth to spend more time with Harold, and wanting to see her great grandchildren, and despite her very painful, numerous medical conditions, Harold and TW repeatedly turned down her invitations - to spend time with her while she was very elderly, frail, and some say, terminally unwell.Attempts to commercialize QEII's meeting with great-grand-childDespite this, the Harkles asked to film the first time that the late Queen (finally) met Princess Lillibet - which was fortunately turned down. They also seem to have wanted to commercialize other aspects of their relationship with the late Queen, possibly even her death.Extremely aggressive attempts by MM to be at QEII's deathbedListening to the reports about the very aggressive tactics that MM employed to attempt to be at Queen Elizabeth's bedside, such as issuing press reports stating that MM would be at the Queen's bedside - after she had been told 'no', and the resultant tantrum from Harold about her not being able to come along, makes me wonder.“The fact that you think that you will be welcomed at the Queen’s bedside as she was passing away,” Ms Schofield told Sky News host Rita Panahi. “They even go as far as to claim that Harry and Meghan’s press team released the fact that Meghan would be attending to force the royal’s hand. “That’s not the way it works – you do not force these people’s hands at such a difficult point in time – in history.”Links to Omid's new book?I am wondering whether this epic tantrum about MM's attendance at the late Queen Elizabeth's passing, was to gain material for the planned first chapter of Scobie's book.Personally I believe this is only due to the fact that MM may well have wanted to secretly film or otherwise record the late Queen's passing, and Markle likely had secret cameras or recording devices hidden on her person, for later use in a book or even in a Netflix documentary, or even for blackmail purposes. Am I going to far with this? I do think that Harold has at least some little shred of decency when it comes to his granny, but I do not think TW has any. I personally just find it SICK that they would want to share details about a loved one's death, for commercial gain. Am I wrong here?! post link: https://ift.tt/a0yZoSg author: narcwatchkiwi submitted: September 24, 2023 at 08:12AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[horizon-verizon]

What I like about Alicent and what I will always like about her is that she and Corlys Velaryon were the only ones to say at any point during the Dance, “You know what, let’s put down our swords and talk.” By that time, Alicent could recognize that there was clearly a disputed (and disputable) point of law in the Dance, stemming from the Great Council of 101 AC. Jaehaerys had in 92 AC set the precedent that a king could name his heir, over the dictates of traditional Andal-First Men succession rules. That’s fine and dandy, until 101 and the apparent precedent that a male-line claimant comes before a female-line claimant. Viserys named his heir as Rhaenyra, but his male-line claimant was Aegon. Which precedent was more correct ? With three great lords (Stark, Arryn, and Tully) declaring Rhaenyra to be the rightful claimant, and three others (Tyrell, Lannister, and Baratheon) advocating for Aegon, the answer was obviously not as clear as either side had previously believed it to be. 

So what does Alicent do when Rhaenyra flies into KL ? She says “Let’s call a Great Council”. She put a lot on the line here; there’s no second try or appellate court for a Great Council’s decision. Now, did she think Aegon would probably win ? That’s a fair guess, Viserys had won 20 to 1 over Rhaenys and her children in 101 AC, but it’s not a guarantee, or the Green council would not have pored over the records of the first Great Council to note which lords would and would not support Aegon. Still, Alicent was willing to risk losing in a very public Westerosi legal forum to end the bloodshed and destruction in the realm. That takes courage and wisdom, the wisdom of a woman who saw her eldest son crippled and horrifically burned in his first battle, her eldest grandson coldly beheaded in the name of vengeance, and her daughter descending into madness.

So I like Alicent. She’s no saint, she’s not a good person, and she fought hard to place her son on the throne over his half-sister. But she offered to back down, and that takes guts.

Maybe a post responding to this recent one.

You: "But she offered to back down, and that takes guts."

AND

You: "Still, Alicent was willing to risk losing in a very public Westerosi legal forum to end the bloodshed and destruction in the realm. That takes courage and wisdom, the wisdom of a woman who saw her eldest son crippled and horrifically burned in his first battle, her eldest grandson coldly beheaded in the name of vengeance, and her daughter descending into madness."

No. Absolutely not.

Always Remember:

If we compare her to Alicent, Alicent is a heavy-duty blood purist who never looked out for other women, even seized power from another woman entirely for herself and her house's patriarchal prestige and power. No matter who Rhaenyra was before King's Landing or after, Rhaenyra was "vulnerable" to this due to her gender's inequitable access to higher positions of power in Westeros. Rhaenyra was never a tyrant before King's Landing and the greens' usurpation.

.............................................................................................................

And to the second bold text, refer to section A of the post I linked above, where I provided evidence of her doing very much the opposite and did it to deceive, bide time, or because she was angry. Not for "the realm"!

Aside from the fact that Alicent had been after & had been actively publicly (subtle and unsubtle) undermining Rhaenyra years (since she was 10) before the Dance and Viserys' death, there is so much that shows that no one can trust Alicent to be so self-sacrificing or diplomatic towards Rhaenyra and most blacks.

Grand Maester -- Geradys (Rhaenyra's candidate) vs Alfador (Alicent's candidate)/her saying Rhaenyra was "meddling" despite Gerardys saving Viserys' life

Alicent enlisting Criston Cole after he killed Joffrey, seeing the separation bt him and rhaenyra

her making as if she were concerned about Rhaenyra's well-being concerning Cole years before, but really trying to get Cole separated from her/dismissed and Rhaenyra's prepubescent virginity questioned in the minds of others

try to get Aegon married to Rhaenyra not for Rhaenyra's sake, but Aegon's...as Viserys himself pointed out

Rhaenyra had no reason to think Alicent would be so, and we even have more information proving that!

A)

1.

You: "So what does Alicent do when Rhaenyra flies into KL ? She says “Let’s call a Great Council”. She put a lot on the line here; there’s no second try or appellate court for a Great Council’s decision."

Quote to which you refer ("The Red Dragon and the Gold"):

...anon, did you skip over the "Upon seeing that resistance was hopeless, the Dowager Queen Alicent emerged from Maegor’s Holdfast" part that shows she only came out bc she saw there was literally nothing else she could do? There was no graciousness about her motives for doing this, nothing but defeat for herself and survival.

And like the anon from before mentioned, she was doing all she could to keep Rhaenyra and her armies back right before Rhaneyra took KL. She had every intention of winning and resisting to win before Rhaenyra put her into a corner...as well as biding time for Aegon and his kids to escape.

Why is it so hard to remember that Rhaenyra is the one to have tried to negotiate for the throne that is already hers through Viserys' ruling and by being firstborn? why do you, anon, and others think Alicent & Aegon were the ones gracious 7 rational when they sent those terms for Rhaenyra's surrender way before any fighting began? ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

Rhaenyra vs Aegon - Negotiations (Alicent and the green council's Terms, really) ->

Oh and, this lovely line of her wanting Rhaenyra to die in childbirth is so "gutsy" and a sign of her willingness to "back down" ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

Is it so hard to contemplate that Alicent hated Rhaneyra?

I'll say why: bc you actually think the sexist customs and feelings against women leading are in themselves valid enough to bar women from leading. Apparently, "culture" wins against logic and actually figuring out how to create safer environments for more people and not just a select few.

You'd say bc the Great Council? Once again, Jaehaerys muddied succession by allowing subjects to participate in selecting their new king/monarch when he was all about consolidating power for his own dynasty...this precedent he set for strengthening male primogeniture is actually both self-contradictory AND relatively new. Yes males are preferred in Andal succession customs, but there were female heads of house in their own right while male relatives existed. Or female candidates that were eldest but actively barred from ruling without Jaehaerys' precedent and despite women having some ability AND her being older than the 8 yr old male candidate. A few named ones are in TWoIaF: Shiera & Agnes Blackwood.

It's quite obvious that misogyny worked against these women to their deaths or inability to use autonomous power and leadership despite some becoming leaders. Alicent comes from these actions becoming president, Jaehaerys' actions reaffirmed the feeling against female rulers. To try to minimize the detrimental effects to not only the target of misogyny but wider society is ridiculous.

2.

You confused either show!Rhaenys or show!Corlys for book!Corlys ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

Corlys only did the "You know what, let’s put down our swords and talk" thing after Rhaenyra died and the Greens had Baela in custody. Remember that she tried to kill Aegon above Dragonstone when he came on Syrax.

Again, Alicent only did something similar when Rhaenyra was going to kill her sons/her side could lose ("Bastard blood shed in war") AND after Rhaneyra dies she has the luxury of conceding...bc Rhaenyra is dead and her supporters hadn't really grown enough for her to be vicious or worried as much as she would later be. Neither were really doing it for the sake of peace for smallfolk or social peace & harmony. Nor were neither against violence for their own ends (section B, mentioning what happened right before and after the Battle of the Kingsroad).

There is this maybe-rumor--but in my eyes, a very believable one considering her words about Rhaenyra's labor death and her wanting to mutilate 10- year old Aegon, and her actions putting KLers more at risk than you seem to think--of Alicent laughing at Tumbleton death and rape, including children's in her anticipation of it coming back at the blacks/Rhaenyra ("Rhenayra Triumphant"):

B)

QUOTES of Alicent and Corlys actually being at odds on how to go forward (her never actually trusting him, being annoyed at him for holding her back) and her actually not being "gutsy" but calm enough to listen to others (who were conspiring against her for their own ends after she and Aegon became more and more resilient to some advice, eeven threatening Aegon III and Baela), and despite when she did "listen", her insistence on killing all of those who supported Rhaenyra AND harming Aegon III/Baela leads to Corlys and Larys working together to kill her son:

Larys:

C)

You: "By that time, Alicent could recognize that there was clearly a disputed (and disputable) point of law in the Dance, stemming from the Great Council of 101 AC."

AND

You: "Viserys named his heir as Rhaenyra, but his male-line claimant was Aegon. Which precedent was more correct ? With three great lords (Stark, Arryn, and Tully) declaring Rhaenyra to be the rightful claimant, and three others (Tyrell, Lannister, and Baratheon) advocating for Aegon, the answer was obviously not as clear as either side had previously believed it to be."

Anon refers to Alicent after Rhaenyra dies and Corlys switches before he kneels to her and they are negotiating, which I already showed she wasn't that willing to accept his particular terms.

Anyway, how does Alicent see what you think she is seeing? Where is that proof? Especially in the face of the total opposite happening that my quotes show, anon? In order to argue that she somehow "changed her mind", you need proof and a reasonable argument using said proof, not pure conjecture.

This, the debate over which precedent was "more" correct, was never an issue for Alicent. She never philosophized over it, nor doubted that the throne should have gone to her son, Aegon. Not once. Ther eis no suggestion that she had a change of heart. Just as Rhaenyra in her last words affirmed her right to rule Aegon by emphasizing her firstborn status, Alicent' never expressed her thoughts's thoughts about the succession in regards to her own son never deviated from what she said in the following quotes:

("A Question of Succession")

("The Blacks and the Greens")

She went to her grave trying to kill Aegon III and spite Rhaenyra and her legacy, willing to use anyone and anything at her disposal. How many times do I need to repeat this?

Conclusion

NONE of what you say, anon, was an honest or observant reading of the text!

You have not used context and past events nor seen tone and mood in the language given to you to see that Alicent remains as she was, even becoming more determined to get to her goals/desires. To realize her enmity against Rhaenyra.

[olderthannetfic]

The tmnt especially rise of the tmnt fandom has suuuuuch a big problem with harassment. There are three or more artists who worked on the actual show that were harassed and bullied off all their social media platforms. Because they drew t/cest and posted it privately. People actually dragged those pictures out and linked them publicly and it was EVERYWHERE. Kids were reposting those links.

Even before rottmnt, when a 2012 tmnt character that one of the turtles had a crush on was revealed to be the bio daughter of the man who adopted the turtles—making them technically step siblings because they share the same father, despite the fact that they're not blood related and were never raised as sibling—you would not BELIEVE the shit the studio got bombarded with. I'm in a server with one of the people who worked on rise of the tmnt and they specifically said the team (which carried over a lot of people from the last reboot) agreed to avoid all romance because everyone could remember that absolute disaster.

They're not even the same species. I do agree it might have been a bit weird to put in a kids show, but iirc they did drop off the crush thing after a while. It really was not that big of a deal at all and did not deserve the amount of violent backlash it got.

--

rot/tmnt anon here, I actually just forgot to circle back to the relevant point sorry 😭, which is that scrolling through tmnt on ao3 is literal hell now. Every other fic screams "T/C*ST DNI" in the tags and the notes are full of walls of text about how gross it is and that anyone who ever even entertains the thought of being neutral on it should not touch their profile with a ten foot pole!!!1!!11! and should also drop dead.

Tumblr is not in a better state, but tumblr is tumblr so that’s not anything new. twitter just a couple weeks ago dragged some 16yo through the mud for drawing two of the turtles giving each other goodbye kisses on the mouth, which is a thing a lot of families do. And so to clear up the misunderstanding, the artist and their friends spent days posting about how disgusting t/cesters are and how every one of you is gross for even thinking it could be anything else. So yeah. Things are going great 👍

They should be grateful there's nothing more problematic to get upset about.