#I don't need to be told I'm feeling feelings wrong.

[angelinthefire]

So I don't want to pick on op. But I think that this post is just such a clear example of a tendency in fandom that I wanted to directly on the post.

The trend being a really poor method of analysis, where the argument is entirely in-universe, without stepping back and considering what kind of story is being told. And, I strongly suspect, starting from the point that one wants to prove and marshalling facts to support that point, instead of starting from a general understanding of the story. I'll explain what I mean.

In the above post, op makes the argument that Caitlyn's use of the grey was super-targeted at the chem barons, and by using it against the chem barons Cait and Vi stopped a civil war, and that Ekko was aware of what they were doing and approved.

I think there's several leaps in logic in the post, but that's not the point. The point is that if you want to understand what the significance of Caitlyn using the grey is, you need to start from a more general perspective.

What is the story being told? In the first act of season 2 we see Caitlyn's fall from grace and the disintegration of her relationship with Vi. Cait's use of the grey therefore needs to be consistent with that story. That is, her choice to use it is part of her fall.

In season one Caitlyn was very much defined by her sense of justice and her righteousness. But whenever she tried to act on that sense of justice, she was blocked by those in positions of authority.

Season 2 puts Caitlyn to the test. It starts with her feeling tortured over her mother's death, and feeling a lot of guilt, anger, and hatred over it. But she still has her sense of justice, worrying about civilian casualties. And again, she's blocked, she's kicked out of the council chamber.

Then the memorial attack happens. And Caitlyn gets angrier. She's beginning the downward spiral that will continue to the end of the act. She calls the attackers "animals" with a snarl, with an unsettling close-up of her teeth, similar to some shots of Silco in season 1. Hatred is starting to be a real driving force for her.

And after that, Caitlyn is done letting authority figures tell her what to do. She takes authority for herself, and does what she thinks is right.

Which is a plan to capture Jinx while trying to limit the civilians who get caught in between. As Vi explains, they used the grey to get people off the streets (which, it should be noted, *necessarily* means using it on civilians. People are in the streets, and they're cleared out by the grey). Which does seem logical for their purposes.

But you also need to consider the way the decision is portrayed. The first time we see Caitlyn going through her family's archive to learn about the grey, "heavy is the crown" is playing which is quite a dark song, and the image of a skull is projected onto Caitlyn's face. When we come back to that moment in s2e3, the music is again quite dark and aggressive-sounding. The song starts with the lines "Can I do the right thing for the wrong reason? / Is it bad that I'm making friends with my demons?" We are shown graphic illustrations of the effects of the grey. The suffering that the people of the undercity experience due to the grey is shown on-screen and visually paralleled with Cait and Vi's current actions. The musical segment is book-ended by a clip of Caitlyn's ancestor saying "the people of the undercity deserve to breathe" - a very clear and deliberate juxtaposion, putting Caitlyn's actions in opposition to those of her predecessors. When characters see the grey approaching, it literally looks like a monster.

So this is obviously a bad thing that Caitlyn is doing, because it's portrayed as such. Which makes sense with her trajectory, she's continuing to spiral. She has an outburst of frustration in the arcade. Her behaviour is concerning to Vi (who is also in a downwards spiral btw). She hallucinates the flower petal when she has Jinx in her sights. She gets carried away in the fight. And then again, someone blocks her, only this time it's Vi. Which leaves Cait feeling frustrated and betrayed. And then when Cait's offered a position of even greater authority, to do what she thinks needs to be done in the way that she wants to do it, she takes that authority.

And then Caitlyn fails. Her story is about her failure to live up to her own principles. She gets into a position of power and finds out that it's not so easy. She's hemmed in by her alliance with Ambessa. But even more importantly, there's no good decision that she could make in her position. There's no good way to run a police dictatorship.

Just like there was no good way to lead a police invasion of a city. Either she release toxins into the air and avoid casualties, or she refrains from using the grey and risks civilian casualties. Liked Singed says, "no one in power is innocent." Not because everyone in power is a bad person, but because it's impossible to weild power innocently. That's what Caitlyn learns. So in the end she gives up her power, she gives up her seat on the council.

But before that, she reckons with her failure, through the battle with Ambessa. During which it's no coincidence that Maddie appears like a monster through the grey when she betrays Caitlyn; it's a reminder of Caitlyn's first betrayal of her own principles.

So, given all of that, how would it make sense for Ekko to approve of Caitlyn's use of the grey? How would it even serve the story for him to have a position on it? There is actually zero indication of what Ekko thinks about it.

Given that the use of the grey is part of Caitlyn's fall from grace, how would it makes sense for it to be a net positive?

To understand a character's actions, you can't just think about them in-universe. You need to understand where they fit in the narrative arc. You need to test your interpretations against the story to see if they make sense as part of the story or not.

If using the grey was so reasonable and acceptable, that would make the story way less interesting. Caitlyn's fall would be less sharp. There wouldn't be any basis for a role reversal between Jinx and Vi, with Vi taking on the role of the monstrous one, which is necessary groundwork for them to renegotiate their relationship in act 2. And it wouldn't make sense for Jinx turning the grey back on Piltover to have been so inspiring for so many people. It just doesn't fit the story.

An Analysis of the Concept of 'The Grey' in Arcane.

Also, I forgot to mention, but here's another confirmation that Jayce knew about The Grey, as he completely redesigned the mask.

The versions on the left were the last ones before Jayce, specifically designed for the concentrated gas. These still had a pipe outlet and an oxygen tank. In the version designed by Jayce, there was new technology that helped see through the dense Grey via lenses, and it directly filtered the air, eliminating the need for pipes and extra oxygen tanks.

This mask is closer to the one used by the enforcers, with the distinction that the lenses in Jayce's version are even more advanced, not only protecting the eyes but, as I mentioned, offering better vision. (This feature is visibly switchable on and off in ep 2 of s 2.)

Also here's one more thing about the grey:

It disperses quickly, even within a closed office, when it comes into contact with the air. The Grey back then was only present in Zaun because: 1. There was no ventilation system. 2. Since the factories were still in operation, they continued producing the Grey non-stop. Later, these factories were closed, and the Chem-Barons began using it for different products. The only remaining places where the Grey was still present were the closed pipe system and the fissures in the mines where it got trapped. Also, when the Grey was present in Zaun and the ventilation system was running at the same time, what do you think they did with the Grey? They let air flow from Piltover to Zaun, so that the Grey would dissolve as quickly as possible.

The Grey is a fictional gas in a CREATED show where the laws of physics work differently than in our world. Just like magic (Arcane), the Grey cannot be compared to the laws of our universe.

....

False, one-page or one-sentence ragebait posts always spread faster than detailed content, even though, to get an accurate picture,

it's important to examine the details, not just take something out of context without meaning.

If you're interested, you can find more in-depth analyses on my profiley such as why it was Heimerdinger, whose 200 years of neglect and inaction created the entire conflict between Zaun and Piltover.

(or there is the youtube link: https://youtu.be/y7Y__xyDyG8?si=Td3EuTLMMdcFkTko)

Thank you for reading it!

[allfearstofallto]

If Childe’s darling got injured and lost her memory, would he just roll with it? Diluc seems a lot more hesitant due to his guilt, but would Childe see it as a good thing? Like “yup we are married and u love me! Mwah!”

I WROTE MORE THAN I WAS SUPPOSED TO FOR THIS 😭

Yandere! Childe x Fem! Reader

Forced Marriage AU

The man in front of you made you flustered. Almost to the point of silence. As he eyed you over cautiously, you were eyeing him as well. Taking in his unfamiliar features, his handsome face, strong jawline and big hands that felt you all over, checking you for more injuries. Did you know this man? Internally, you hoped you did, and he was sure acting like he knew you. His face was so close to yours, you could feel his breath against your lips. And it excited you.

His palm pressed to your forehead, a look of curiosity on his face, "You don't have a fever," he muttered beneath his breath, "Why is your face so red, love? Are you hurting anywhere."

Love?

Well, that solidified your mind that there was something happening between the two of you, making your heart beat excitedly in your chest.

"Just a little confused," you said back. Even your voice was foreign to you. This being the first time you'd spoken since you woke up in this large, oranate room. In a bed so plush and warm, you were getting buried in blankets and soft pillows. Next to a man so handsome and charming, you were sure he was some sort of model.

"You hit your head pretty hard out there. I told you to pace your steps when walking on ice. You don't have to try and keep up with me, I won't leave you behind," as he scolded you gently, his hand cupped the back of your head. His fingers gently caressing a knot that you didn't know you had, making you wince in his hold.

"I'm sorry?" You weren't sure what answer he wanted from you. Weren't even sure who he was or what you'd done wrong, but you felt like apologizing was the best option. Although, when you looked up at him once more, you were met with a frown and furrowed eyebrows.

"You're...sorry?" He questioned with a hum and you nodded, a little too quickly. Your head began to hurt again and you groaned from the throbbing pain.

He sat next to you, hit bottom sinking into the mattress. His touch, while gentle, seemed hesitant. He reached forward, eyeing you the entire time like he was waiting for you to snap and bite with a sudden change of heart. When you didn't, the orange haired man held your hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of your palm before pressing a kiss to it. The entire time gauging your reaction with those blue eyes. He saw the way you flushed from the affection and his lip quivered ever so slightly.

"Who am I to you?" His question had a hint of malice behind it, but you truly couldn't tell.

"My- my boyfriend?"

"Your husband," He corrected with a smirk, pulling you a little too harshly into his firm, built chest. You hugged him back, squeezing him in an embrace that was supposed to be comforting, yet it felt so wrong. So unfamiliar to you.

Your husband's name was Ajax, although, everyone called him Childe. The two of you met in Liyue, where you were from, during an event called the Lantern Rite. Those words triggered something in your mind, a sense of familiarity that you hadn't felt in days. A sense of excitement and the smell of fireworks and greasy street food. When you looked to your husband, with a big beaming smile, telling him that you thought you remembered the event, he frowned.

"Don't force yourself to remember anything you don't need to," he said while patting your head. Words that were supposed to be spoken in comfort had such a dark foreboding energy to them, one he couldn't mask even if he tried.

Ajax worked as a trader of goods localized in Snezhnaya. That's why he typically was away from home. When asked what you did for work, he just gave you a signature smile and cupped your cheek in his hand, "Look pretty for me." You giggled bashfully as you were pulled into another one of his dominating kisses, sinking into his touch. He always kisses you like this, he told you, with his tongue in your mouth, lapping away as if he were trying to devour you whole. He always kisses you like that and you loved it. Even if there your fight or flight always felt triggered when he approached.

But was that the truth? The maids, they whispered often about how different the lady was acting. You were the lady of the house weren't you? Ajax assured you that you were always like this. Yet, he seemed less and less honest as the days went by.

Coming home late at night with the coppery smell of blood on him and a dark, hollow look in his eyes. He was just trading butchered meat, that's all it was. So why couldn't you believe him?

And his touch, was just so cold, to a scary degree. Why did you flinch every time he touched you? And why did he seem to stare into your soul when you? Like he was waiting for something, but when it didn't happen, he would just smile and pepper your face in kisses. Like he was trying to distract you from the part of yourself that needed to remember.

You lay awake at night next to Ajax. He'd long since fell asleep, but you couldn't get your heavy eyelids to stay shut. You'd been having nightmares, but you didn't tell him that. Nightmares about him, that felt more like a memory than a dream. He'd noticed that you'd began to pull away at each passing day and that only made him pull back harder. Your hands trembled as you thought of just what you were getting yourself into. When you looked over at the portrait of you two on the wall, a wedding painting you assumed. You and him, dressed head to toe in white. You looked at it and wondered if there was a reason why you weren't smiling in the painting? Why you looked scared instead?

[be-xkyy]

How about the Yanderes training their little babies to be the perfect yanderes to keep an eye on their darling when they aren't around? And I'm talking them telling what you did down to how many breaths you take. Full on lil snitches to anything you do!!!

Hi dear anon, well I think everyone would have their kids keep an eye on reader in one way or another 🖤

Would the Yanderes train their children to watch over Reader?

Tagging list: @kthehoeforfictionalmen ★ @dreamlessnight ★ @riawrld ★ @darkuni63 ★

Yandere Farmer Link

Yes, this man would have his children watch you 24 hours a day. He would teach them from a young age to be completely aware of you when he is not around, he would train them to tell him everything, EVERYTHING, who comes home when he is not, if you talk to someone (whoever), who you call on the phone and he would even make sure his children inform him if you do something that he forbade you to do at some point and you did anyway thinking he wouldn't notice.

Every after he comes home with his older children following close behind after a long day of work on the farm, his younger children would already be waiting for him sitting on the porch steps, they jump to their feet when they see him approaching, they run up to him and start quickly telling him everything that happened while he was gone.

"Enough. Speak one at a time, we can't understand each other. So your mother was on the phone, huh? Well, everyone go feed the horses while I talk to your mother."

Yandere Cowboy Link

Yet another one who shamelessly makes his kids watch you, he finds it funny and might even joke about the fact that his kids watch you, he would call them "his little spies" but if you scold him he would tell you that it is a "cute" thing that his little ones care so much and that just shows how much he and the kids love you, he doesn't need anything else to convince you.

His older kids (four and five years old) come over to tell him everything you did that day, he listens intently while rocking his daughter (one year old) on his hip and kisses her chubby cheeks from time to time, he laughs as he hears his kids fight each other over who tells the "wrong" story, he ends up calming both kids down before they start fighting and get your attention.

"Come on, come on kids, stop fighting before mom finds out and scolds us all, how about we go see your beautiful mother and ask her what happened today?"

Yandere Dilf Link

I think in his case it's more about his worry, paranoia of losing you, something happening to you or you leaving him rather than really wanting to control you, his son and especially his daughters will tell everything about the day to their father since they hate seeing him so worried (he's a good father) if you are more reluctant to talk to him and still don't accept your new life, your children would try to keep their father in the loop.

When he comes back from work and steps foot inside the house his children would already be there ready to ease his worries about you, they would take him to the couch and he would start telling everything to their father who would relax when, he hears nothing strange or suspicious happened in his absence, he would pat his son on the head and kiss his daughters on the cheeks before getting up from the couch to look for you.

"Here you are, honey. The kids told me that today you planted the daisy seeds I gave you... I'll bring more for you tomorrow and if you want something special, just ask, okay, honey?"

Yandere Sugar Daddy Link

He has no shame as I said, he would have no qualms about putting security cameras all over the house so he can see everything you and the kids do when he is working in his office, he would even ask the kids in front of you what they did that day, what YOU did that day, even though he has already seen everything, of course. But he wants to see if they are honest.

His son is more vague with his answers, although the boy wants his father to feel proud of him, he does not want to betray you, his daughter on the contrary tells her father everything from what she did that day, what her brother did, what you did, what the maid did, what the neighbors did... she rants happily while her father listens attentively with a smile on his lips.

"Look at that dear, our little princess is quite an observer, she sees everything. And she would never hide anything from her daddy, right little princess?"

[bugisastranger]

a/n: writing this while in my zoom lecture - very self insert-y (reader is a musician - can be anything except drums / i tried to make it as vague as possible!) if i don't meet a drummer and form a band soon i will freak out!!

"what do you think about me learning the drums?"

you jump as clark speaks from behind, shutting the door of your locker for you. "sorry," he laughs. "didn't mean to scare you." he watches as you turn to face him, leaning your back against the closed locker, trying to calm your heartrate. "c'mon, what do you think?" clark grabs two pens out of his shirt pocket, hitting them against your bicep gently, urging you to answer.

"it would be cool," you shrug, trying to fake nonchalance, as if you hadn't just told clark a few days ago about how you always liked musicians.

"that's it? 'it would be cool'?"

"yeah, i don't know. where are you planning to get a drum set from, anyway? they can be expensive."

"my mom was telling me that someone was selling their set, so..." clark sighs, practically shrinking. this is clearly not the answer he was expecting, and that becomes clear quickly. "well, i just thought you'd be more excited. you're always talking about wanting to make music."

"i am excited, don't get me wrong, i just... well, you've never really talked about wanted to play an instrument before. and i can't play drums, so i can't really teach you."

"oh, so you're underestimating me?" clark challenges. "just you wait. a few days and you're gonna be thinking i've been playing for months."

"it's an exercise. not that i'd know, but that's what people say."

"yeah, and? i help my dad with stuff on the farm every day. i can handle it," he says, raising his arm in a half-flex. he pats his arm for emphasis before, putting his arm over your shoulders, dragging you away from the locker. as much as this action drives you a little mad, you can't deny that you wish he was doing it in a romantic way and not to annoy you. "it'll be fun. we can write little songs."

"okay, okay, it would be really cool," you concede, trying to fight back the smile on your face.

"i can see you smiling! i knew you'd be excited." clark drops his arm, poking your side. "you can't fool me. i can already see it—" he starts to set the stage, announcing your name and then using your shoulder as a faux-drum, hitting it with the pens once again. "and their drummer—clark kent!"

"you are so getting ahead of yourself. what if you're bad at the drums, huh? and stop hitting me with these," you laugh, snatching the pens out of his hands.

"come over after dinner," he urges. "i've been saving money anyway, i'm gonna pick up the set after school."

"okay, kent. i'm gonna have to teach you so much musical terminology; you'd better get your listening cap ready." clark rolls his eyes, taking the pens back from your hand, and you try to ignore the way you feel when his hand grazes yours.

"oh, please. i listen to you all the time, i don't need a hat."

[kittendreaw]

Supermassive Black Hole

04: Season of the witch

Werewolf! Yuji x Vampire F! Reader

Words:1.6 k

Mainlist

You've got to pick up every stitch Oh no, must be the season of the witch

When I look over my shoulder (what happens then?)

You don't just were craving Blood anymore, you NEED it.

The lack of blood in vampires could cause a lot of things, you weren't at a very advanced stage, so it was the equivalent of when a human had a bad cold.

Your skin turned gray, as if you had a light layer of ash on you, it was less soft and glowy, Your eyes lost their lives and the dark circles became noticeable, your lips cracked and your hair seemed dry, but definitely the worst thing was the cold, you were always cold being a vampire, but you never felt cold.

You were freezing, it was horrible, the sweater you were wearing wasn't enough, you were shivering.

As you hugged yourself, Yuji walked into the classroom clearly noticing how sick you looked, but he doubted that an living dead could get sick.

"Hi, you don't look very good." His tone of voice was soft and slightly worried, he took off the jacket he was wearing and placed it on your shoulders, he didn't need it it was just for fashion.

"I don't feel really good."

"What's wrong?"

"You know, Girls **like me** stuff." You emphasized and Yuji wasn't so stupid not to take the hint, they were surrounded by people and no one was speaking loud enough to cover you so it was better not to mention anything.

"oh, well, I'm going to take you out to eat after this class, You know, to get you back to some energy."

The mere thought of some fresh blood definitely making your stomach growl and your fangs wanting to come out but you were still a little reluctant to the idea of spending so much time with Yuji.

For a lot of things, You just still felt a little embarrassed about being vulnerable with him, you were still sensitive about Maki's issue, and you were still irritated by Satoru's teasing.

"I would be okay."

"I wasn't asking you, pretty."

"Stop running away from me, pretty."

You weren't running away, you were simply the first to leave class and walked with hurried steps without stopping at yuji's calls. "I'm going to catch up with you anyway." He wasn't even trying to catch up with you, he was just letting you walk ahead waiting for you to stop somewhere.

"I'm not running away."

"You're doing it, little bat."

Finally there was nowhere else to go, every step you took Yuji followed you so it was completely useless, you stopped in your tracks and turned. "I told you it's not necessary."

"And I told you I wasn't asking, come on, it's just a little blood." He took your arm, firm but without applying force. Yuji's hand was big and warm and the fact that he was considerably stronger than you definitely made you feel things.

"I'm serious, I don't need to."

"You look more dead than usual, clearly something is not right."

"I think I can take care of myself." You were too stubborn but not that bothered Yuji, it was part of your charm.

"Fine, but let me help you." He never imagined having to beg someone to let him get them food, but now there he was.

You hated him, you hated him so much, you were used to doing everything alone, to never receive help and much less to accept it but there was Yuji and no matter how hostile you were he just wouldn't leave.

Proud and repulsed by the unasked help (although much desired deep down) you enjoyed an impromptu feast for Yuji; You enjoyed the fresh blood of three whole hares. Little by little you felt that life was coming back to you.

"I'm full." you leaned against the tree and held your stomach, eating so fast always made you bad but you couldn't help it when you were this hungry.

Yuji, who was sitting next to you, took his thumb to the corner of your mouth and wiped away the traces of blood and then sucked it. "You're a mess eating."

Your eyes followed his every action, you felt like it took you longer than usual to respond, you cleared your throat. "you are not better." Maybe you were messy but Yuji was worse, The few times you'd seen him as a wolf and eating he was completely disastrous.

He chuckled. "I'm not better." They immersed themselves in a comfortable silence in which neither did anything but their gazes remained fixed on the other. It was akward for you but it seemed that he didn't share the feeling, he seemed much more relaxed than you.

You looked away and got up from the ground Dusting off your clothes. "I think we'd better go back, it's too late."

"Is it? I think we could stay a little longer, In any case, I doubt you'll need to graduate from high school for the fifth time."

True, you didn't care about classes or being late but you didn't want to be there anymore, because Yuji made you feel too strange, you didn't understand what you were going through with you but it couldn't be good.

Especially since you doubted that vampires had any real capacity to love, so you didn't understand why you felt that way, it was horrible, the worst thing you'd experienced since your near-death.

"Maybe I don't need it but I don't want you to affect your grades."

He got up too and you took a step back, you knew you were being obvious and you hated yourself for it. You were a vampire, a man-eating creature of the night, a cursed being, a blood-sucking monster, but there you were, feeling nervous in front of that big puppy.

"I want to stay with you a while longer, Yn." His voice was soft, he took your hand gently, your cold palm met his warm one making him feel chills. "Please, it will only be a moment."

You didn't stay in the forest with him, you went to his house. He told you that his pack was out of town so you wouldn't have to put up with their questions. The reality is that Yuji had already told his brothers a lot of things about you and although they didn't seem very happy with the idea of you being a vampire they weren't going to argue with Yuji about it either, wolves were more sentimental and even if they didn't like vampires they weren't going to stop another wolf from following his instinct.

You left your bag on his desk. You felt too out of place, you didn't remember if at any point in your almost 100 years you had gone to a friend's house, you didn't remember if you had ever had friends.

Yuji couldn't help but smile, not that he was making fun of you but it was definitely endearing that the confident and Conceited you who always said how superior you are now were acting like an awkward teenager.

"You can sit down, you know."

"oh yeah, I just- yeah." You muttered lightly and sat down across from him on his bed. What should you do? What should you say? You cursed yourself for having accepted.

"You don't need to be so nervous, I don't bite,  I swear."

"Stop, I just." You sighed lightly and crawled to his side, sitting against the Headboard and resting your head on his shoulder, it wasn't the first time but the fact that you were at his house, on his bed, made it different. "I'm not used to this, I don't think I've ever been to a non-vampire's house, I don't live much with vampires outside the clan.

" Oh, little antisocial princess? I think I noticed."

You rolled your eyes, you looked up so you could look into his eyes. "You are so stupid."

"You love that."

"I'm far from it." One of Yuji's favorite things was how you were always defensive, he just had to press a little and you were already sticking out your fangs like a wild cat.

"Really?" He pinched one of your cheeks and you complained. "Look how pretty."

"Stop!"

"i don't think so."

You struggled with him until you ended up lying down and he was on top of you, with one hand he was still holding your face and with the other was stopping one of your wrists so that you would stop trying to escape. "This is not fun!"

"I find it very funny." Yuji was bigger and stronger than you, so no matter how hard you tried to run away, it was going to be useless being under him. "Come on! I thought vampires were more powerful than this, Draculaura." The more he teased you, the more you struggled and the more you struggled, the more trapped you felt.

"I could rip your heart out and eat it!"

"Oh you're so sweet." He mocked, He knew very well that you could do it but he also knew that you wouldn't. Yuji had never feared you, even if at some point it was clear that you had seemed intimidating, the reality is that fear had never been in him.

His hand left your face and went to your other wrist, you stopped struggling. He didn't say anything else and neither did you, the silence wasn't awkward but you felt tense. What should you do? What should you say? You had no idea and your mind couldn't think of anything, not when Yuji was looking at you that way.

"I want to kiss you, can I?"

[maxdibert]

Honestly, I thought you were exaggerating about how the maradeurs fandom is, but I just saw a post that proved me wrong. They really do make up the craziest scenarios.

So I saw this Jegulus post that stated that Regulus' mother used crucio and imperio on him every school break until he joined the death eaters. And I don't wanna be mean, because I'm all for people creating headcanons. But my issue is: Why do they have to invent the most dramatic, over-the-top torturous scenarios to explain why he joined the cult?

He was a teenager, raised in that world—he likely agreed with those beliefs because it was normalized in his family. And you know what? That's okay! It makes sense that he would join. But you don't need to invent tortured backstories to convince yourself that he was never really 'bad' in the first place. It's okay to admit he made a poor choice, because that's how growth works. What kind of development is there if he was perfect from the start?

And even if the mother was abusive, that doesn't mean she was some kind of evil caricature who would torture her child. Abuse can take many forms, and we have no proof it was that bad.

Besides, that statement is absolutely inaccurate. Sirius talks about Regulus, and although he does so briefly, he tells us everything we need to know: that Regulus was the favorite, that he always did what his parents told him, and that Walburga constantly reminded him, the older and rebellious one, that his brother was a much better son.

How is it possible to conclude from that that Walburga abused her son when Sirius explicitly says the opposite—that Regulus was the one his mother held up as an example of good behavior? Why do they feel the need to twist and make up facts when it’s so much more interesting that a boy who was completely aligned with his family’s ideology fanatically threw himself into a war he didn’t understand, only to back out when he realized he was in over his head?

Can they not just like a morally questionable character? We’re talking about a kid who literally had posters of Voldemort in his room like the Death Eaters were the One Direction of his time, for the love of God—stop mutilating the damn canon, it’s nauseating.

[heart-of-ep]

Elvis: Through Her Lens (Chapter Three)

(Elvis Presley × OC Reader)

Character/Fandom: Elvis Presley

Read More Here: Elvis: Through Her Lens (coming soon)

Prompt: You are Minnie Jones, an aspiring photographer working for the LA Sentinel. Your chief editor is looking for a story that will help boost the popularity of the paper, so an opportunity comes knocking when Colonel Tom Parker approaches him with a new 'snowjob.' After a tentative first meeting with the Colonel, and his star Elvis Presley, you are hired on to follow Elvis around as his personal photographer in an attempt to catch lightening in a bottle twice with the earlier success of the Alfred Wertheimer photos. Along the way, you develop a close bond with Elvis, leading to complications in your relationship when the issues of his marriage and eventual drug usage start to put a strain on your relationship. Constantly fighting your ever-growing feelings for him, you are swept up into the whirlwind of Elvis' world which forces you to see the King of Rock 'n' Roll through a new lens.

Tags: Slow burn. Angst. Drama. Friends to lovers (sort of).

TW: None. Cussing?

Rating: PG-13 (ish) (may get spicy but won't be explicit as I don't enjoy writing smut lol but cursing, possible violence, and infidelity will appear throughout the story)

Word Count: 5.6k

Author's Note: Alright yall, things are starting to kick off with this chapter, and I'm very excited about it. It's quite a bit longer than the previous two chapters so I hope you enjoy!

I have to say, I had a blast researching the Houston Astrodome cause 1970 is a major hyperfixation for me, and I actually learned a lot while looking up all the info for this chapter (and the next 👀) so I'm just gonna be living vicariously through Minnie. 🤭

I apologize in advance for the slow burn nature of this fic, but I promise things will get spicy/angsty soon! ♡

Elvis at the Houston Airport for a press conference on February 25th, 1970.

After reviewing the contract with you, and making sure you were absolutely sure that you still wanted to do it, Pierce had you sign it, hesitating to sign it himself. He was more than a little skeptical of Colonel Tom Parker, which you couldn’t necessarily blame him for. You did your best to reassure him once the two of you left the Hillcrest home.

“Don’t worry, Pierce. The Colonel might be a bit…strange, but Elvis seems interested in the project.” You told him as he drove you back to the office to collect your camera and film before heading home to pack.

“I just can’t put my finger on it, Minn. He just rubs me the wrong way.” Pierce frowned before sighing. “But I suppose Elvis seems nice enough. Though, I wouldn’t fall for his charm. He’s had a fair few scandals involving women he works with.” He pointed out.

You rolled your eyes. “I’m not worried about Elvis Presley seducing me. For one, he’s married.” You reminded him.

“Yeah, ‘cause that’s stopped people in the past.” He said sarcastically.

“Pierce, I’ll be fine. I’ve been around my fair share of charming men, it doesn’t mean I’ll fall for it.” You said, though you secretly knew that Elvis was very different from any other man you’d ever met.

Different and very beautiful.

You shoved the intrusive thought from your mind, refusing to let yourself get hung up on how good looking he was. You weren’t about to be one of many other women who fell for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. After all, you were there to do a job, and you weren’t going to get distracted along the way.

Once you collected your things from the office, you quickly drove back to your apartment to get your clothes packed. Elvis would be in Houston for at least a week for the Astrodome shows and any of its corresponding press conferences, so you needed to figure out everything to take. And you weren’t familiar with Houston weather which presented a problem of its own. After a while of debating what to bring, you decided to call up your girlfriend, Vivien to get her advice, and quite frankly you just needed someone to talk to about all of this.

“Elvis Presley?!” Vivien practically squealed, causing you to pull the phone away from your ear.

“Yes, Elvis Presley.” You said, rolling your eyes as you lifted your suitcase up onto your bed.

“Wait, hold on, Minn. You can’t be serious. I mean, you’re kidding, right?” She asked, sounding skeptical now instead of excited.

You frowned a bit. “Why would I be lying, Viv? Look, it's not a big deal.” You paused for a moment. “Well, it is sort of a big deal, but it’s just a job. A very exciting job, but a job nonetheless.” You explained.

“Just a job? Minn, are you sure you’re not high right now?”

“Very funny.” You rolled your eyes again. “I know it’s a lot, and I am excited, but I have to keep a leveled head about all of this. I don’t think Elvis wants another screaming girl bothering him.” You pointed out.

“Hm…I suppose you’re right, but this is still a huge deal! God, do you know how much I’ve dreamed about meeting Elvis?” She groaned. “Tell me, does he look just as good in person?” She asked curiously.

You hesitated for a moment, thinking back to those beautiful blue eyes of his, his soft pouty lips, and that full spirited laugh that made you feel warm inside…you quickly snapped out of your daze before the thought could go any further. “I uh…I didn’t really notice.” You mumbled.

“Sure you didn’t.” You could just hear the smile on her lips.

You sighed. “Can we focus? I have no idea what I’m supposed to wear. Business or casual?”

“Well, you’re not exactly going into the office.” She pointed out. “Besides, you’ll be traveling with Elvis Presley. You have to pack in style.”

You wanted to tell her that it was silly to dress to specifically impress Elvis, but you figured everyone in his company (especially the women) dressed to fit in with his style. You recalled seeing a few photos of Elvis with Priscilla in the paper and remembered how pretty and stylish she looked. But you quickly reminded yourself that you were working as his photographer, nothing else.

“So when are you leaving?” Vivien asked as you pulled out a coat from your closet, the only coat you owned, and folded it up neatly into your suitcase.

“Tomorrow.” You sighed. “Pierce is losing his shit, you know. He thinks this whole thing is going to end up exploding in our face because of that manager, Colonel Parker.” You shook your head as you sat down on the edge of your bed.

“Pierce always has a stick up his ass.” She reminded you. “Besides, you’ve done celebrity pieces before this. I can’t imagine this will be any different. That is unless you plan on sleeping with him.”

“Viv!” You shot back before shaking your head. “I’m starting to think that telling you about all of this was a bad idea.” You muttered.

“Oh, trust me it wasn’t a bad idea. And you’re going to keep me updated on all of this.” She said as a matter of fact.

You frowned a bit, but realized she was probably right. It’s not like you could talk to Pierce about any of it. You glanced at the clock, sighing when you noticed how late it was already. “Thanks, Viv. I’ll call you once I get settled in at the hotel.”

“Just try and have fun, Minn. I know it’s your job, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

You nodded a bit and smiled. “Yeah, I’ll try. I’ll talk to you later.” You said before hanging up the phone. You sighed and looked over at your suitcase before pushing yourself to finish packing the rest of your clothes, placing your extra packs of film on top.

You had no idea what to expect when you showed up at the airport tomorrow, but you knew it would be the beginning of something new and exciting.

~*~*~

When you showed up at LAX in the morning, after Pierce picked you up from your apartment, you could hardly contain your excitement. “Just think about it, Pierce. We’re going to have photos that no other paper in the world will have. The LA Sentinel will practically fly off the shelves.” You grinned.

“It better, or there won’t be an LA Sentinel.” Pierce muttered. “Just keep your head on straight. And don’t let this Presley fellow distract you.”

You rolled your eyes. “Pierce, you act like I’m just going to bend over the moment I see him.” You shot back. “Elvis Presley might be the world’s biggest flirt, but all I care about is getting the perfect picture.”

“I suppose. I guess if any woman can reject his advances it would be you.” He smirked a bit.

You slapped his arm playfully, smiling again as he parked the car on the private hanger that the Colonel had directed you to meet them at. You were surprised to find out that Elvis didn’t have a private jet, even Frank SInatra had that, but that didn’t stop him from being able to borrow one to fly him and his whole crew to whatever city he needed them in. You looked up at the jet as you stepped out of the car, ignoring the general nerves that attacked you every time you had to fly somewhere, and instead focused on the excitement of the whole situation.

You immediately noticed a couple cars already parked and waiting around the jet, a handful of men that you assumed worked for Elvis standing around waiting for him to arrive while someone loaded the luggage onto the plane. Pierce pulled your suitcase out of the trunk and walked with you over to the group, his gaze immediately searching for any sign of Elvis or the Colonel.

“I don’t think it would be such a bad thing if that Colonel got left behind.” Pierce muttered, and you jabbed him in the ribs, an amused smile crossing your face. You almost wished he was tagging along so you wouldn’t be going completely solo, but you knew you didn’t have much choice. The chief editor couldn’t exactly leave the office for a week. “Looks like Presley has six shows lined up in Houston, so you’re going to be pretty busy, Minn. Remember, we need to get photos that no one else will have.” He reminded me.

You nodded. “I know. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.” You smiled confidently.

He nodded and cracked a small smile. “I know you won’t.” He said before clapping me on the shoulder. “Keep your head on straight. Remember, a reporter trusts no one.” You nodded, though you didn’t exactly take that too close to heart. Unlike an official reporter, a photographer was meant to get close to their subject.

You turned your gaze away from Pierce and surveyed the group of men, immediately recognizing a couple of them from Elvis’ house. Charlie, the shorter fellow, was standing around laughing and talking with the other guys and standing close to one of the Cadillacs was an aging gentleman with grey hair and a small mustache. You didn’t recall seeing him at the house, nor did he seem to fit in with the other guys, which struck you as curious.

You only looked away when you heard a car pulling up behind you, glancing back to see the white Cadillac from yesterday coming to a stop. You immediately felt your heart leap in your chest (for some inexplicable reason) and quickly stood up a bit straighter as you clutched the handle of your suitcase. After a moment, the door to the car opened and first stepped out the Colonel, much to Pierce’s dismay, and then the other door opened and out stepped Elvis, glowing and smiling just as he had the day before.

The first thing you noticed was his attire, as it was incredibly different from what he had on the first time you met him. Unlike before, this outfit was anything but casual, and it much more accurately represented the stylish and over the top nature of Elvis’ more recent wardrobe from the International. He wore an all white, karate gi inspired ensemble, with a bright red ruched shirt underneath and around his neck, much like his stage wear, he wore a printed scarf that hid his exposed chest underneath. A karate style belt hung low around his waist, tied at his hip in a knot, pulling the whole outfit together with the clear inspiration. It was really unlike anything you had seen someone wear before, but you resisted the urge to snap a photo too quickly.

When you looked up at Elvis, you noticed he looked a bit more tired than he had yesterday, dark circles under his eyes and a bit of sweat on his brow. You casted him a concerned look, but he smiled through how unwell he seemed and walked over to where you were standing. “Hey, Minnie Mouse.”

You rolled your eyes. “Hello, Elvis.” You said as you shook his outstretched hand before looking at the Colonel as he hobbled up behind him, one of those comical cigars sticking out of his mouth as he approached Mr Pierce to discuss something with him in private. When you looked back at Elvis, he was still staring at you, sending a shiver running down your back. “Um…I’ve never been to Houston before.” You said in an attempt to break the ice.

“I’ve been all over Texas.” He said as he directed me toward the stairs leading up into the plane where the rest of his group was waiting. “I think you’ll like it.” He reassured me.

You glanced back at Pierce, catching his gaze for a moment before you looked forward and smiled as Elvis began introducing you to the different guys. “This is Minnie Jones. She’s a photographer that’s going to be accompanying us on the trip to Houston.” He explained before gesturing to the men. “You met Charlie already at the house. This is Red and Sonny, they work as my bodyguards. Joe, he’s my road manager. Gee Gee, Jerry, and Cliff, they help keep everything running smoothly. And this is Lamar, he’s my lighting technician and a general pain in my ass.” Elvis said, laughing a bit at his own joke, though Lamar didn’t necessarily seem amused. “And this is my father.” He added as he gestured at the older man you had noticed earlier. Now that they were standing next to each other, they looked very similar.

You awkwardly waved hello, doing your best not to seem completely out of place. “I know all of you are probably used to a bit more privacy, but just pretend I’m not even here. That’s what most politicians do before I snap a real embarrassing photo.” You said jokingly.

Elvis laughed out loud, and soon the guys were laughing too (something you noted as interesting) before he just looked at you and smiled. “She’s funny isn't she? Don’t worry, Minnie Mouse. You’ll fit right in.”

You felt a little more at ease, nodding as you followed Elvis up the steps onto the plane, the guys following behind as they carried yours and the rest of his luggage on board. Elvis moved along to his seat towards the back of the plane, and quickly made sure to keep up, clutching tightly onto the strap of your camera bag.

“Have you flown before, honey?” Elvis suddenly asked as he leaned his hand against the carry-on cubbies overhead, looking down at you curiously.

You nodded a bit and looked away, unable to meet his piercing blue gaze. “A few times, yeah. Though it doesn’t really get any less scary.” You admitted before opening your camera bag. “You don’t mind, do you?” You asked, trying to be courteous regardless of why you were there.

He smirked a bit. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” He teased you before he slipped down into his chair, crossing his leg over the other as he looked out the window.

You watched him for a moment as he leaned on his elbow, chewing on his fingernails as his leg bounced up and down in what seemed to be a nervous tick. You checked to make sure there was film in your camera before raising the lens to snap a photo, smiling a bit at just how human he looked. “Does everyone know that the king of rock ‘n’ roll bites his nails?” You asked as you sat down next to him.

He snorted, turning his gaze back toward you. “There’s a lot of things people don’t know about me.” He said vaguely.

You raised an eyebrow at him before sighing. “I bite my nails, too.” You said after a moment. “Bad habit I’ve had since I was a kid.” You shrugged as you showed him your nails.

He viewed your hand, chuckling a bit before he held out his own hand. “I guess we have at least one thing in common, Minnie Mouse.” He smirked a bit.

You smiled, already feeling less nervous. Something about being so close to him just made the unease inside of you disappear. You raised your camera again, snapping another photo of just his hand before you took the opportunity to look at the rings that decorated his fingers. A beautiful golden ring sat over his pinky finger, engraved with an intricate embossing and set with a glimmering black sapphire gem while another gold ring in the shape of a lion head sat next to it on his other finger. Dangling across his wrist hung an ID bracelet (once more in gold) with his name encrusted in diamonds along the band, somehow looking perfectly sensible on him and not at all gaudy.

You looked away when you suddenly felt the plane start to move, your nerves instantly returning as you grabbed hold of the arm rest instinctively. You chewed on your lower lip as you sunk back into your seat, but then you felt something warm settle over your hand. You looked down, swallowing a bit when you saw Elvis’ hand now resting softly over yours, the cold metal of his rings grazing over the top of your fingers.

“It’s okay, honey. As long as I’m here, nothin’ bad will happen.” He said, and from the look in his eyes, you believed him. You believed he could somehow control the weather and ensure a safe flight all the way to Houston. You ignored the flutter in your chest and the way his touch sent electricity running up your arm, and instead just focused on the warmth of his hand as the plane took off, suddenly feeling a lot less terrified.

The rest of the flight ended up being rather uneventful, and once you were up in the air, Elvis had let go of your hand and went to chat with the other guys about the upcoming shows and the press conference planned for later that day. You were glad for the space, unsure of how to feel about the weird feeling he had left you with, and focused on snapping some photos from your seat. It surprised you to see how relaxed he seemed, even with a camera around. You assumed he was probably used to it by now.

When you arrived in Houston, you could practically see the excitement radiating off of Elvis as he found his way back to his seat. “You alright, honey?” He asked as the pilot started to descend for landing.

You nodded, thankful for his presence next to you as you rested your hands on the arm rests. “What about you? This is your first time performing outside of Vegas isn’t it?”

He sighed, glancing out the window at the city below. “Yeah, it is.” He pursed his lips. “I’m not sure what to expect.” He admitted. “What if nobody shows up? Vegas is a helluva lot different.”

“You’re Elvis Presley. People will show up.” You said as a matter of fact. “Besides, I’m pretty excited to see what you’ve got up your sleeve.” You teased him.

He relaxed a little, smiling as he looked at you. “Thank you, Minnie Mouse.” He said before once again holding your hand as the plane hit a few bumps in the air.

Once the plane finally landed, you were happy to have your feet firmly on the ground and breathing some fresh air that didn’t smell of Elvis’ musky cologne, which you definitely didn’t notice while sitting with him. You followed him down onto the tarmac, and from a distance you could see a large group of fans that had already gathered nearby at the small terminal in an attempt to see Elvis up close and personal.

“I thought we were going somewhere, man.” He said with a grin as he waved at them before his bodyguards led him toward the airport terminal with his father, Vernon, and the Colonel following closely behind.

Waiting inside the airport were several reporters and photographers from different news outlets where a press conference was set up. You stood off to the side, watching as Elvis sat down at a table to answer their questions. He did it with ease, and it quickly dawned on you how natural he was at speaking, despite his stutter and the nervous way that he coughed and joked through some of his responses. It was charming and instantly made him feel a lot more personable.

Once he finished, he snapped a few photos with the Mayor who had come to welcome him to Houston before he was whisked off to a car waiting out front to take him to the hotel. The Colonel and Vernon accompanied the two of you with one of the guys driving while the rest took a separate vehicle. On the ride there, you tried not to pay attention to the way the Colonel seemed to be watching you like a hawk, squirming a little in your seat at the heavy air that hung in the car. During the flight you noticed just how little Elvis seemed to talk to his manager. Whenever you overheard a conversation between them, it was always about business, and even now, Elvis made no attempt to start a conversation.

Needless to say, you were thankful when you were finally able to check-in at the hotel, already exhausted from the day of travel. Elvis made sure everyone got a room a floor down from his penthouse suite to make things easier, but when you took your hotel key and started walking toward the elevator, you felt Elvis’ hand around your wrist.

“Wait up, Minnie Mouse.” He directed his smile down at you as he flicked his wrist at Charlie. “Charlie, take her luggage up to her room.” He said, his gaze fixated on you. “It ain’t too late yet. Why don’t you come up to my room?”

You swallowed, the invitation feeling far too intimate, even if you logically knew it didn’t mean anything. For some reason, though, the look in his eyes sent a shiver down your back, his fingers still softly gripping your wrist as he waited for a response.

“Well, honey?” He asked softly.

Damn it, Minn. Just say no.

You stared at him for a long moment. “Sure.” You heard yourself say, barely even recognizing your own voice.

Jesus Christ, this is a huge mistake.

You weren’t entirely sure what had come over you, or why you decided to say yes, but before you could even process what was happening, you were standing in the middle of Elvis’ lavish suite while he sent one of his guys to grab the two of you dinner from downstairs. You didn’t hear what he ordered, but right now you couldn’t exactly focus on anything, least of all food. You folded your arms across your chest, chewing on your nails as you instantly thought of everything that could possibly go wrong.

Calm down. He’s just having dinner with you.

Logic told you that you were probably right, but you weren’t about to forget who it was that had invited you upstairs for dinner. You remembered what Pierce had said about his reputation, causing you to pace a little as you waited near the sofa. He was probably just being courteous, and knowing Elvis, he couldn’t exactly go downstairs and have dinner in public without causing a commotion. But the lack of anyone else being present in his suite made you worry that this was just his way of trying to make a move on you, his marriage be damned.

You glanced across the room, watching as Charlie left the room to go pick up the food before Elvis shut the door behind him. In that moment, you resolved to keep your chin up and not allow his charm to instantly disarm you.

He’s just a man. A very beautiful and charming man, but just a man.

When he turned your way and walked over, his long strides closed the space between you in seconds, leaving you a bit flustered when he suddenly stopped in front of you. “You can sit down if you want, honey.” He said, gesturing to the sofa.

You glanced at the lush piece of furniture and simply shook your head. “I’m okay. I’m still a bit stiff from the flight.” You said as you folded your arms. “What did you order?” You asked after a moment.

He smiled. “Steak. It seems to be the only good thing they’ve got on the menu.” He said before sinking down onto the sofa and crossing his leg over the other. “You seem nervous, honey.” He noted, looking me up and down with one sweep of those brilliant blue eyes.

You frowned a bit. “Well, a married man invited me up to his suite for dinner, alone. Most women might be a bit nervous.” You pointed out.

His expression shifted a little. “Miss Jones…I-I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.” He said, suddenly the southern gentleman you had met a couple days prior. “It’s not exactly easy for me to find privacy outside of my room. I just thought this would give us an opportunity to talk a bit more.” He explained.

You felt yourself blush a little out of embarrassment, realizing you had definitely miscalculated his intentions. “Oh…I’m sorry, Elvis. I just thought…” You trailed off, quickly shaking your head before you decided to sit down next to him on the sofa. “I guess I’m not used to men having manners.” You smirked a bit.

He chuckled, glad to see you relax a little. “You’re a smart girl, Minnie Mouse.”

You smiled a little. “You must be excited.” You said, deciding to change the subject. “Everyone seemed pretty amped up at the press conference.”

He nodded. “This is the make or break moment, honey. If these shows fail…” He whistled as he made a downward motion with his hand. “Fourteen years shot to hell.”

You furrowed your brow a bit. “Why do you think they’d fail?” You hadn’t seen Elvis perform live, but you also knew that he was an absolute powerhouse. After all, this man was able to captivate audiences all over America for more than a decade through the silver screen. And the NBC TV Special was a raving success. You remembered Vivien forcing you to sit down and watch it with her when it aired. Needless to say, you couldn’t picture him failing at anything.

You watched his brow furrow a bit, as if he was contemplating what to say. “What if I just can’t bring it in like I used to?” He finally said, shaking his head as his leg started to bounce up and down in that little nervous tick of his. “There’s a lot of folks out there listenin’ to all kinds of music now. What if I just can’t shake it anymore?” He looked at you, surprising you a little with the vulnerability in his eyes.

You bit your lip for a second before sighing as you reached over and touched his hand. “Elvis, I can’t sit here and tell you what will happen, but I do know that you’re one of the most loved and adored stars in the world. I mean, my best friend just about fainted when I told her I was going to be working with you.” You smiled at him. “Trust me, you can still bring it in. Besides, I know I’m pretty excited to see my first Elvis Presley show.”

He seemed to relax a little, a boyish smile crossing his lips. “I’ll make sure I give you one hell of a performance.” He winked.

You laughed a little before looking over your shoulder when you heard a knock at the door followed by Charlie walking in. “That must be the food.”

“Better be a damn good steak. I’m starvin’.” He grinned before getting up and walking over to see the food that had been brought back.

Once we had our food and gotten the chance to eat, the rest of the night went by like a blur. You found yourself talking to him about the most mundane things, whether it be your frustration of being stuck taking photos of politicians, or the fact that living alone in LA definitely wasn’t all it cracked up to be. He listened to everything you had to say, his focus solely on you the entire time. You couldn’t recall ever having a man give you so much attention, as if you were the only thing in the world that mattered. It left you with this strange feeling that you didn’t really want to acknowledge yet.

Elvis also opened up about his life, giving you the background of how he started out in Tupelo and then moved to Memphis as a teen before eventually beginning his rise to fame at Sun Studios. The way he recounted it felt like he was explaining something that had just happened yesterday, and he really seemed proud over his earlier success during the fifties. It was only when he began talking about his movies that his tone soured. He didn’t completely dismiss them, admitting that even his movies had fans, but he knew that he was capable of doing more. He wanted to do more. But he didn’t linger on the topic, deciding once again to speak about something he was proud of as he brought up his success with the NBC TV Special and his debut in Las Vegas.

“I missed the contact with a live audience.” He explained. “The electricity you get from performing in front of an audience…it’s like nothin’ else.” He said as he sat back against the cushions of the sofa.

You smiled as you curled up on the other end of the sofa, folding your knees up against your chest as you watched him. There was a glimmer of excitement that twinkled in his eyes whenever he talked about his music or performing. You could tell he loved it, and you knew he just wanted to give his fans the best that he had. It was so earnest and so real, something you hadn’t really experienced with any other celebrity that you had met.

“Well, I have a feeling you’ll blow their socks off.” You teased him before reaching over and grabbing your camera off the table. You raised the lens, snapping a photo of that little smile on his lips before he made a funny face for the camera and you snapped a photo of that too. “I think that one is worthy of the front page.” You giggled.

“Nah, honey, second page at best.” He smirked, but the smile slowly fell from his lips and he regarded you with a long look that took you off guard. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

You bit your lip before nodding. “Of course.” You sat up a little straighter.

He looked you up and down, his blue eyes surveying you carefully as he leaned his cheek against his fist, his other hand drumming its fingers against his knee. “You said you weren’t really a fan before, so why did ya take the job? Ain’t a photographer supposed to feel passionate about their subject?” He asked curiously.

His question struck you as odd, but you figured he probably did have a point. And the more you thought about it, you weren’t sure why you had been so drawn toward saying yes. Aside from the obvious reason for progressing your career, you had never really thought much about Elvis Presley prior to Pierce’s proposition. But something about him drew you in. You just knew that it wasn’t an opportunity that you could pass up.

You were silent for a long moment, and you could sense his growing impatience as his fingers started tapping faster against his leg. “I guess it just felt like the right thing to do.” You said quietly, looking down as you fiddled with your hands. “You changed the world, Elvis. I just figured it was time the world saw the real you, whatever that may be.” You shrugged.

Something flashed in his eyes, disappearing far too quickly for you to register what it was, before he laughed, running a hand through his hair as he looked away. “Damn, Minnie Mouse. Are ya sure you ain’t a poet or somethin’?”

You smiled as you relaxed a little. “I did ace English in high school.” You joked before you glanced at the clock and saw what time it was already. “Shit…it’s almost three in the morning!” You said as you quickly stood up. He looked up at you, clearly not seeing the issue in that. You hadn’t even realized how much time had passed, or how inappropriate it was that you were alone with a married man for several hours in the middle of the night.

“You’re not leavin’ are you?” He asked as he stood up, taking a step toward you.

You bit your lip before sighing. “Elvis, it’s late. We’ve both had a long day.” You said in an attempt to reason with him.

He pressed his lips together, but he relented and took a step back. “You're comin’ to rehearsals tomorrow.” It wasn't a question. “Just make sure you're ready, honey.” He said before leaning over and pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek.

You blushed, your heart skipping a beat as the sensation of his soft lips sent a shiver racing down your spine. “Don't worry, I won't miss it for the world.” You said quietly as you looked up at him before quickly stepping past and walking to the door.

“Goodnight, Minnie Mouse.” You heard him call from behind you. You paused at the door, looking back at him for a moment and smiling a bit as you caught the boyish grin that flashed across his face.

“Goodnight, Elvis.”

You weren't entirely sure how you even made it back to your room, feeling so deliriously tired, but also so…happy. It was a strange feeling, and you didn't really want to acknowledge the reason why you were feeling that way. But as you fell asleep in your plush bed, all you could see in your dreams was the warm smile on his lips or his ocean blue eyes that were deep enough to swim in.

Yes, you were certainly delirious.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Likes, comments, and reblogs are much appreciated! Let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list ~

Taglist: @60svintage @moonchild-daniella @ken-kenzie-zie @presleyhearted @eapep @i-r-i-n-a-a

[marq-lynch]

As someone who got into AEW via fixating on MJF and has spent the last eight months obsessed with Hangman and Swerve this upcoming feud was made for Meeeee and I cannot Wait to watch MJF beat the snot out of Hangman's hypocritical face in person in a couple weeks.

There are so many layers to this feud and things they could have made the core, but the one they're going with is Authenticity? No. Even better. It's Verisimilitude. Possibly my favorite word in the English language: having the appearance of truth. It's not about who's most Real. Things that are verasimiliar are often not factual but portray a Truth, like a fake blood on TV that's the wrong color because humans don't want to believe that real blood is that candy coated firehouse red, they want something more sensual with a bit of chocolate syrup mixed in to make it darker. It's about what, and in this case Who, Feels Most Real and is therefore most deserving of our appreciation.

Is it the bullied little boy who never had a friend and shoved everyone away before they could hurt him first and who just desperately wants unconditional love, and who has been rejected every time he tries to reach for it from the audience, mentors, mentees, fiances, & his one and only friend? Who opened himself up to the world and tried to grow, to improve, to let himself be vulnerable one more time in the spots he knew were softest only to have everything he loved and valued ripped away.

Or is it the other ball of self-esteem issues, the anxiety riddled ball of imposter syndrome that has whittled itself down to a core that has always been there, of burning Rage at himself and the injustices of the world around him that he has allowed to consume and isolate him, feeding his worst tendencies for addiction and obsession.

The relationship both have with the audience is Insane, and neither is healthy. They both obsessively need us and shape their entire identity around what the world thinks of them, while insisting to themselves and us that they aren't. They're just aware of their responsibility as a champion, or no longer going to care what people think, but somehow those 'I don't care what you think' protests only last so long and they're caught up in obsessions over audience chants and signs against them again.

And then there's the Swerve of it all. My 'Swerve the Realest'. The Other Man who just about one year ago also had the audience decide 'yes, you're a heel, but you're so damn cool we've decided you can do whatever the fuck you want'. Swerve, genuinely, did nothing wrong. Except... He lost at Revolution, and stood in a ring, in front of Tony Shiavone, and admitted, "I've done some pretty terrible things here" and "I'm not a good person... But for the first time ever it felt like people were really rooting for me."

Swerve, as far as we know, has never lied to the audience. He's beaten up teenagers, broken and entered, broken arms, and left things out, but never lied. He is Swerve the Realest.

Meanwhile Hangman, who raged that "[Swerve] never paid for it, and they loved him for it" is now having crowds cheer itemized lists of his crimes from an irate MJF, and staring him in the face telling him that he's never run from his problems (which has been his entire arc) or ever once lied to the audience, all while he wears the same outfit through Feb 2025 he wore March 2nd 2024, the day before Revolution last year, when he first hobbled to the ring on a crutch, told the audience he was always truthful with them, that he couldn't compete the next day. Then when Swerve came out and listed his own crimes flat out to Samoa Joe the day before his first title shot, Hangman beat him unconscious with the crutch, showing he'd been fine, and screaming an apology later for lying but saying he would Rather Die than let Swerve win it himself, and Rather Die than not win it himself.

The next day he tapped out to Samoa Joe. Y'know. Like a Liar.

[masters-of-void]

woe, midnight anyu/aoi breakup & introspection upon u. i may add this to a drabble covering their whole one-month relationship but i just wanted to post some writing now cause i been so busy with it 🥲

xX GLIMMER Xx hey, can we talk? Driftin' Sure. Everything okay? xX GLIMMER Xx um. so listen, there isn't an easy way to say this, but I've been thinking. I hate to bring it up when things were going so well, but I think we'll do best as just friends Driftin' Oh. xX GLIMMER Xx I'm sorry Driftin' Was it something I did? xX GLIMMER Xx no not at all! it's me, I promise do u have that turn of phrase in the future? "it's not u, it's me"? Driftin' I... wouldn't know. xX GLIMMER Xx gosh okay look, ur AMAZING and I'm probably being REALLY stupid here. I'm just not ready like I thought I was. it's not fair to u to be expecting "Arthurisms" one way or another when ur just trying to be urself with me I don't want to string u along Driftin' Aoi, you don't owe me an explanation. xX GLIMMER Xx no, I do. u've been nothing but sweet and understanding. I can't tell u how much that means to me so again, I'm sorry. I truly did enjoy our time together Driftin' Yeah. Same here. Thank you for it. xX GLIMMER Xx ur gonna make someone really happy one day ^_^ friends? Driftin' Always. xX GLIMMER Xx ( っ˶´ ˘ `)っ xX GLIMMER Xx went offline

Drifter stared at the screen, unsure of what he felt. His gut instinct was to default to 'nothing,' so he knew that had to be wrong. There was definitely something he needed to feel about this.

Glimmer went offline.

He read the tag over again once. Twice.

It was a firm rejection. A...new experience for him, at least in this context, and it stung. Bitterly.

She'd said offhand a few days before he asked her out to go talk to Lettie if he ever went through a breakup, when he'd been curious about their friendship. She'd regaled him with the tale of how Lettie had helped her settle her feelings about ending her last relationship. That there was no one better besides, well, Aoi herself, if he also...had the opportunity to want help with that.

Well, they hadn't told anyone they were seeing each other. It was too early and "complicated because of Arthur and this whole situation," so they just didn't bother. Not until they were sure. Hmm.

It seemed she'd decided what she was sure of.

Eleanor probably knew, but it was so casual and now short-lived that it hardly seemed appropriate to talk to her or anyone about how 'heartbroken' he must be. Nope, this was a little thing. He could handle it on his own.

But digging deeper, he found...relief? Like a weight lifting he didn't notice was there before.

Her cheerful personality was what drew him to her almost from the start. Everything about her was a bright spark of color in the ancient gray of his life, and he'd reasoned after Kalymos gave him a second chance on that first New Years night that maybe this was it.

Maybe this is what I've been waiting for.

She was brilliant. Beautiful. A glimmering star to marvel at, just like her KIM handle implied. She'd said yes. And he thought he'd never felt so happy in his life when she did.

But if he were honest with himself, sometimes it seemed like her happiness was a mask she put on, even after they'd talked about it. And that reminded him far too uncomfortably of Mathila.

He loved Aoi's joy, that she wanted to share it with the world, with him, but if she also used it to shut him out, what could he do?

She obviously had an inner world she'd decided she couldn't trust him with, at least for now, so cutting him loose was a favor in some way. If she were only happy all the time and never let him look under the surface, then he'd just fall into another spiral trying to draw her true self out of her.

He was very acquainted with how that always turned out, and he still didn't know what he was supposed to do about it -- to stop someone from turning into a great murderous Orowyrm when faced with the part of themselves they didn't want to change. It was something he'd need to learn before he tried again, and he simply counted himself lucky that she pulled the plug before it got that far. Maybe she'd seen it coming already.

And how exactly would he 'try again'? Would he reset the loop and go about their relationship differently?

No, he probably shouldn't. That was a power he reserved only for fixing the mistakes he'd made alone, and it sounded like part of Aoi's decision was because of things that had nothing to do with him. He wouldn't rob her of her free will like that. He'd have to find another way to fight the Indifference then.

He stopped short on that thought.

Ah, maybe that's what he did wrong. What she wasn't telling him.

If it wasn't about her, then it wasn't for her either. And maybe she'd picked up on that from him. So this did indeed circle back to being his fault, but that wasn't her problem.

As much as he wanted to indulge in these feelings normal people got to have for each other, maybe he wasn't ready either. If it was even in the cards for him at all, he knew that if he were to have a relationship with someone, it needed to be completely real. Both parties had to be, regardless of what the void planned for their world.

No masks, no tangential intentions, nothing that would put his mind and soul separate from the person he loved. He couldn't do it otherwise.

It was a strange sensation, to be ashamed, relieved, and hurting all at the same time.

He sat there, hands in his lap, meditating on it, adapting it to his psyche to hold onto when-- if, IF the loop here turned gray.

Eventually, he caught himself tracing his thumbnail over his lip absently. Enough time had passed that the screen went dark, snapping him out of the meditation. He shook the mouse to power down his computer properly and read the tag one last time.

Glimmer went offline.

Shit. He was going to miss her kisses.

[jedi-enthusiast]

As much as I hate the type of super religious people that are like- “you can’t watch spongebob, it’s satanic” -I also really hate the type of atheists that feel the need to prove every religious person wrong.

Like I just saw a video where the topic was that, if G-d exists, why doesn’t he stop bad things from happening? I personally struggled with the same question a while back and i found a good answer in a book called “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” by Rabbi Harold Kushner, which got recommended to me when I first started looking into converting to Judaism, so I just commented something along the lines of:

"Only partially related, but if you're struggling with this subject but still want to have faith/follow a religion, [Kushner's book] puts forward the idea that G-d is loving but not necessarily 'all powerful' how we think of it---he can't interfere with rules that he's already put in place, like gravity and free will. I'm not explaining it very well, but it's a good read and I recommend it if you're interested in the subject."

I just figured that the book recommendation could help someone the way it helped me, but no one had to interact with my comment if they didn't want to---so it was harmless, right?

Then some random girl starts commenting under my recommendation, basically trying to debate me on what I said and whether or not G-d is real based on what I said about him not necessarily being all powerful, just based on the ideas put forth in Kushner's book. Saying random shit like- "did he or did he not preform miracles in the old testament?" -and- "oh so you think him parting the red sea was a metaphor?" -to try and have some "gotcha" moment on me.

I even told her that I wasn't explaining the book very well and that, if she wanted to, she could give it a read if she was actually interested in the subject---but I impressed upon her that she 100% didn't have to read it or believe the same things I did or believe in G-d at all, it was her choice and none of my business.

Still, this girl was adamant about arguing with me and kept being like really smartass passive aggressive, like the type where they act like you're stupid, and I just...I genuinely don't know what the fuck her problem was. I tried asking her why she felt the need to "debate me" and be rude under a comment she could've just ignored, but she just responded with- "you people will find any excuse" -and like??? What???

People just need to mind their own business, frankly.

If someone isn't religious and isn't hurting anyone, leave them be.

If someone is religious and isn't hurting anyone, leave them be too.

Like, seriously, what happened to basic fucking decency? Why are people so concerned with what other people believe? Just mind your own damn business and go about your day!

[thevoicefromanotherworld]

"AS YOU DESERVE"

Soooo I wrote another bucky fic because… do I need to explain it? LOOK AT HIM

Summary : Bucky takes care of you after a tough day at work

I hope you like it!

When you came back from work and entered the house, the expression on your face told Bucky that something wasn't right.

He quickly approached you and held you in his arms, leading you both to the couch.

-Doll - he whispered, his metal hand kneading your hair lovingly - What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?

-It's nothing Buck - you assured, shaking your head slightly - a couple of colleagues told lies about me to my boss - you lowered your head - but I've already solved it, everything is fine

-No, it's not okay - he growled - tell me their names, I'm going to kill them - he said decisively, making you smile -

-It's not worth it for you to waste your energy on people like them, honey - you whispered - besides, now I need you here, with me

-You have me, princess - he murmured, connecting your gaze with his - you know that, right?

-I know- you whispered softly, watching the beautiful sparkle in his green eyes-

-And, since I know you've had a very hard day… - he murmured, tracing your lower lip with the thumb of his metal hand- How about I help you release all that tension? - he sketched a smile that he knew you couldn't say no to-

-Sounds good to me- you answered timidly-

He placed a lock of your hair behind your ear, brushing against your earlobe, one of your most sensitive areas.

-I'm going to treat my girl the way she deserves- he whispered, making you shudder with pleasure, both from his tone and from the intimate nature of his touch- sweetly, like a princess- he continued- you've been enduring too much stress- he whispered- but now I'm going to take it all away from you- he assured- just relax and let me help you-

You nodded, enraptured by his presence.

-Why don't I start by massaging your shoulders? -he whispered-

His hands rested on you, putting a little pressure on your shoulders and moving his thumbs over your neck, where you had accumulated more tension.

You arched back against his touch, feeling how some of your tension was already dissipating with each pass of his fingers. For his part, Bucky noticed how you relaxed, becoming like putty between his fingers that he could mold at will.

-Does that feel good, honey? -he asked, you nodded slightly- I see it -he whispered- how your skin relaxes as well as your muscles under my fingers -he murmured- you are starting to lean against me -he observed- which makes me think that you don't just want me to massage your shoulders -he smiled- Am I wrong?

-You know I don't -you answered letting out a low gasp-

-You're right, I know -he seconded- Would you like that, honey? -he whispered, his voice dangerously hoarse and deep- My hand between your thighs, slowly approaching your pussy?

-Yes- you whispered, unable to say anything else-

-I wasn't lying when I said I had you, doll- he murmured- relax and lean on me- he whispered in your ear- let me take care of you- he asked- let yourself go while my hands do all the work- he said- I'm going to slide my hand into your panties, slowly- he added-

You felt his long metal fingers slip under the waistband of your underwear. The coldness of the metal made you shiver at his touch. You loved feeling him like that against you.

The fact that not long ago he was afraid of himself when he remembered what he had done with that same hand, and now he was touching you so delicately, made you want to cry.

-I'm going to be so good to you tonight - he continued - my girl needs to calm down - he whispered - so I'm going to help you

He slid a couple of fingers inside you. You threw your head back resting it on his shoulder, while a broken moan left your lips. The cold of his hand against the heat of your center, made you slowly lose your mind.

-Can you cum on my fingers, baby? - he asked - Can you do it for me? - you nodded unable to do anything other than gasp - that's my good girl, let me do all the work - he repeated - relax and cum when I tell you to - he murmured inserting and removing his fingers with such delicacy that it stole your breath - I'm going to take good care of my princess tonight

He curled his fingers inside you, making a squeal escape from between your lips. He rested his fleshy hand on your hips.

-That's it baby, you're almost there - he whispered - caressing your clit with my fingers - he murmured massaging it firmly - while they sneak deeper and deeper inside your pussy - a new moan filled the air, making the super-soldier's smile grow wider - that's my good girl - he praised - you're almost there - he announced - but not yet, doll - he whispered - look at you, tightening around my fingers like the good girl you are

-Bucky… - you sighed moving your hips slightly against his fingers - please… I can't…

-I know, doll. I can feel you - he murmured - cum for me, baby

That's what you did, you unloaded on his fingers feeling how a little of your stress went away along with the release he had just given you.

-I know you love my fingers, precious - he murmured as you caught your breath - but I'm not done with you yet - he whispered, fixing his intense gaze on you - there's still a lot of tension in you - he observed, while pointing behind you - lie down on the bed, honey - he ordered delicately -

He didn't say anything as you positioned yourself on the bed, his green eyes scanned you for a moment, before nodding his head pleased.

-That's it, lie down while I take off your panties - he did, the contact of the fresh air against your still sensitive center made you shudder - there it is - he whispered - your pussy is still wet for me - he observed while he took off the belt of his pants and took them off along with his underwear -

-I need you Buck, please - you gasped as you watched him position himself on top of you - please - you begged -

-You know you don't have to beg, doll - he whispered - I'll give you everything you want

He slowly entered you. It wasn't long before your movements became erratic, hips moving against each other seeking your release.

-I love you, baby - he murmured in your ear while panting - I'm going to cum - he warned - Are you close?

-Yes - you seconded digging your nails into his back - I love you too Buck

That was enough for both of you to unload hard.

-I love it when I fuck you like my dirty girl - he confessed - but sometimes I need to do it slowly and gently, treating you like a princess, just like you deserve to be treated - he smiled pulling you towards him to leave a tender kiss on your lips - thank you baby - he whispered - thank you for letting me do it that way

[thxnymph]

What was it like? It was a loaded question. George's immortal existence had begun with sorrow. He only knew dread, sadness and pure rage. Some vampires had told him they felt euphoric after the fact, like they were invincible. All George wanted to do was walk into the sun, spare himself from the long, agonizing life that awaited him. But the idea of death, the endless darkness beyond. It scared him more. "It feels...empty." The vampire said honestly. "It's like someone took everything you had inside you, and just left you an empty shell. It's not really fun." He laughed. It was all a joke, a big fucking joke.

"Don't get me wrong. I have my fun. Knowing that you're not running out of time is a perk, but it doesn't feel the same as being alive..." George missed the warmth of human skin, the thumping of the heart after a long run, the feel of the exhaustion after a long night of partying.

The vampire watched with regret as the ghost told her tale. He shouldn't have asked. "I'm sorry..." He said. "And I'm sorry for asking. You probably didn't need that memory coming back up again." He said. "You can't leave the house, can you?"

Hovering next to the couch, Vanessa watched George as he stretched out, an amusing sight the more she thought about it. He was far from what she envisioned a vampire to look like, having always expected some old guy in a cape with a deep set widow's peak, brooding in some damp and dreary castle. He, on the other hand, seemed like just some regular guy she'd pass by on the street. She had to admit, he was quite handsome too.

Her curiosity was only further piqued when he confirmed that he was immortal and she wondered how long he must have been around. Luckily for Vanessa, she didn't have to wonder about that for too long as George soon after revealed how old he was when he was turned into a vampire. However, she hadn't quite expected to hear that he'd been around that long. The revelation made the ghost's eyes widen in shock, jaw dropping open.

"Wait really?" She asked in a mix of fascinated and disbelief. She tried to imagine what that must be like, knowing that the fivty years she'd been here still had almost been torture for her -- she couldn't even want to imagine being stuck here for that long. She wondered for a moment if that was destined to be her own fate. "You've been around for that long?.... what's it like?" She had to know, worried for what she may have in store for herself.

When the conversation turned back to her death, Vanessa's smile dropped a bit. She lifted her arms, wrapping them around her waist in a comforting gesture as her focus seemed to go distant, as she remembered that night. "My husband was away on a business trip, I was home alone." She closed her eyes, the memories playing out before her. "It was a home invasion -- guy broke to rob us, thinking no one was here because the car was gone -- but then he ran into me and panicked. I tried to run but he caught me before I could make it to the door. I tried to scream for help and that's when he put his hands around my neck and began to squeeze, trying to make me stop screaming and eventually I did stop." she sighed, opening her eyes to meet his again. Even after all this time, it was a bitter memory. | @thxnymph

[squid--inc]

....

[lazylittledragon]

Random thought/question: what would your Tavs/Durge and their significant others like... legit fight about? Not bicker, not argue, but actually get mad and say things they don't mean and have to cool off and talk about it later when calmer heads prevail and they're able to apologize without it sounding forced?

this is such a great question that i needed a whole 24 hours to think about it akdhdjhd

i think gale and cyra probably have small things blow out of proportion (because honestly. kids and work and Tired) and then a Lot of stuff they haven't talked about comes up and it ends with 'how the fuck did forgetting to change the bedsheets turn into This'

i actually feel like dorian and astarion are pretty good 90% of the time but sometimes one of them is in a bad place and is like 'i actually really need to be left alone with this thing right now and i don't want to talk about it' and maybe they're not always great at taking the hint

ashe and halsin have never had a fight ever

[kittendreaw]

Has Anyone Else Died For You? | Megumi Fushiguro

02: IFHY

Words: 2.9 k

Mainlist

I fucking hate you

But I love you

I'm bad at keeping my emotions bubbled

You're good at being perfect

We're good at being troubled

New friends! And also a new reason for megumi to hate you... Will this boy ever get rid of you?

Maybe you told Choso that he didn't need to ask Yuji to have lunch with you, but did you really think he was going to listen to you?

In his defense he did not have to ask her, at least not so directly. Choso only had to mention that you spent the break alone and Yuji as the knight in shining armor that he was couldn't allow that, such a sweet boy.

That day Megumi didn't attend classes and you were happier than you'd like to admit, it was a quiet morning where you could be at peace without feeling the need to smash your head against the wall.

As you put your things in your bag you noticed that Megumi's friends were at the door just like always, it seemed strange to you that he hadn't told them that he wouldn't come.

You walked to the door but they stopped you.

"hey Yn!" Yuji walked up to you with a big smile on his lips. Although he was your best friend's brother, you guys had only exchanged a few words in the past, but it was a well-known fact that Yuji was a good boy.

"hey."

"Don't you want to come with us? It's always good to eat in company."

"Yes, of course." you replied with slight shyness although inside you were cursing Choso, it had been some time since someone had invited you to join them in the break.

"Nobara Kugisaki by the way." the brown-haired girl next to Yuji introduced herself, she didn't look as cheerful as Yuji but she looked nice, Megumi didn't fit in with them at all.

"Yn Yl" You smiled at her back, you couldn't say that you were excited about this but you weren't going to put on a bad mood. It's not that you disliked them or that you were a hermit, but the fact that Choso had to intervene made you feel like they were talking to you out of pity and you hated that feeling.

Because you didn't need to be anyone's act of charity.

Yuji who was walking to your left put his arm around your shoulders, he was closer than you were used to but you weren't going to complain.

"And how are you doing with being Megumi's Seatmate?"

"Okay, I guess."

"If it gets tough you can tell us and we'll put it at bay." Although it was a joke you could feel that what he was saying was serious, Yuji was his best friend and he knew better than anyone the attitude he could sometimes have.

"Because he's an asshole." Nobara added, making the three of you laugh.

The break was nice, you laughed a lot and they definitely made you forget that feeling that you were just a commitment, they made you feel included, Yuji and Nobara seemed really interested in you. They accompanied you to your classroom and said goodbye, but not before making you promise that the next day you would also go with them.

There was a warmth in your chest, a feeling that you had finally found people you really liked and not just people you pretended to fit in. Probably because they didn't pretend to be someone else, didn't bother to look cool, didn't show the best and most fake version of themselves only to then attack you from behind. This felt as natural as with Choso.

Promising that you would spend more time with them was not complicated and it was not a lie either, you meant it and it felt good to say something serious after so long.

A week and a half went by where Megumi completely ignored you during classes and didn't bother to get close to his friends. he was acting like a jealous child, you didn't say anything, Nobara was mocking, and Yuji was worried.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, I swear he's not like that."  Yuji had been talking about megumi for half the break, you weren't paying attention, you were more focused on the protein cookies that were originally part of yuji's lunch but that he always gave you because it was rarely the time you ate anything. "He doesn't even answer my messages."

"He's just throwing a tantrum."

"He's not like that, nobara."

"Yes, he is, but you always try to defend it."

You didn't bother adding something to the conversation Everything you knew about Megumi up to that point was negative and you weren't quite sure if you wanted to know more. Yuji ran a hand through your hair, by this point you had gotten used to how touchy he was.

"I know that if he tried to talk to you more he would like you."

You didn't care. "I hope so." and you smiled at him.

Even when you refused several times saying that it wasn't necessary, Yuji had accompanied you home every day claiming that the streets were dangerous, it was clear that he had been half-raised by Choso. of course Megumi had noticed that now his friend was waiting for you at the end of the day.

"Are you with him now?" After days of silence that was the first thing Megumi said, you couldn't say you were surprised. You ignored his comment You knew fighting him wasn't worth it.

"Wow, I thought you forgot how to talk." You teased and he just snorted.

"Forget it."

"Count on it." But you wouldn't, if he was bothered by the fact that his friends spent time with you or the fact that Yuji might be interested in you, you didn't know it clearly yet but whatever it was you were going to use it to your advantage. Megumi had already been annoying enough and giving him back a little bit of that wouldn't hurt you.

"Stop with this shit, both of you, I'm serious." Megumi burst into the library where you were sit with Yuji and Nobara, speaking directly to them and ignoring you who were in the middl.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Nobara rolled her eyes, she was tired of this, it was clear that it was not the first time that Megumi did the same. "And we don't care, Megumi, you're being ridiculous."

"You don't get it, she's evil." He pointed at you and the best you could do was put on your face of disbelief and innocence. "She's fooling you two."

"Evil?" Nobara sneered. "Come on Megumi, you can do better than that."

"Why are you defending her? You literally hated her."

"Yes, when I was in high school and I didn't have any thoughts of my own and all I did was follow other people's opinions. Maybe you should grow up too and stop listening to stupid rumors that are just that, rumors."

"It's not just rumors, she's two faces cunt." You felt Yuji tense up next to you and put his hand on your thigh as if trying to calm you down, you didn't give a fuck what Megumi had to say about you but if you had to act like the poor little princess being attacked you would do it.

"People talk just for the sake of talking without worrying about the damage they cause. Besides, Choso is her friend and I know he wouldn't be so fond of her if she was a bad person." He tried to make Megumi make a little sense.

You just stood silent, leaning slightly towards Yuji as if seeking protection.

"Just look at how she throws herself at you after a couple of nice words, she's a slut."

Yuji loved megumi and could tolerate a lot of things and attitudes but he was not going to be permissive with this attitude he was taking.

"You shouldn't say things like that." He muttered, Yuji's attitude was very cheerful most of the time always trying to be in the best mood but now that was getting too complicated for him. This definitely bothered him.

"I'm going to say what I want, that bitch and your brother are friends because no one else wants them around, they don't have anyone else." Yuji gave your thigh a squeeze before getting up from his seat and heading towards megumi with slow but firm steps.

"Megumi." He tried once more to get his friend to stop.

"If your brother is still with her, it's because he's a fucking weird pig who wants to fuck that cheap whore."

Yuji punched him in the cheek, he was not violent and practically never used force but Megumi had driven him crazy in the worst way.

"I don't want you to talk about her and Choso like that again, you shouldn't talk about anyone like that." It was a warning, Yuji wasn't playing and was going to Prove it if was necessary. Yuji returned to the table, took his things and your bag, while with his free hand he held yours to help you get up from your seat.

You didn't know how to feel about everything that had happened but one thing was clear and that is that Yuji Itadori was hotter than you thought. You gave megumi one last look over your shoulder, so sad and scared, as if you weren't suppressing a smile as you walked away.

"I'm sorry, I'm not like that." Yuji finally spoke after Nobara left for her classroom. "really."

"It's okay, I understand that you got a little angry."

"I don't want to give you a wrong image of me." He was clearly embarrassed by the small scene he had set up. You put your hands on his arm and gave a small comforting squeeze.

"You didn't, I know you're a good guy." You smiled at him and he smiled at you, he seemed almost shy something unusual for someone like him.

You were in the courtyard sitting on the grass while yuji's head was on your lap, you were both enjoying a little sun, it was strange the time it wasn't cloudy and rainy in the town.

"Megumi tried to talk to me." Yuji broke the comfortable silence.

"And what did he say to you?" You didn't give a fuck but he didn't have to know that.

"Not much, I think he thought things would be the same as before but I don't know, I can't, not after how he talked to you and everything he said about Choso." You just hummed waiting for him to continue, it was clear how much he cared about this issue. "And I told him I wouldn't talk to him again until he apologized to you."

"Not necessary."

"It is, what he said was very out of place."

"Yes, but I'm not upset, Yuji."

"He already told me that he would." The last thing you wanted was to talk to Megumi again, but it seemed like life just hated you.

"Good."

It was Friday when you decided that three weeks of classes had been enough and that you deserved a little extra break from the short weekend so you didn't go to school.

You wanted to wake up late, take a hot bath, spend the whole day in bed watching movies and wearing your favorite pajamas.

What was not part of your plans was megumi's unexpected visit, although Yuji had told you that he had agreed to apologize to you, he did not warn you that megumi would come to your house to do so.

"What are you doing here?" you asked in a slightly pained tone as if you really cared about what happened.

He was standing in front of you with his hands in his pockets and his cheek still slightly swollen, though he looked as stoic as ever, you noticed a small frown on his face as he looked you up and down without trying to hide it.

But megumi didn't expect you to open the door with that 60s-style babydoll and the little rosary that you always wore showing on your cleavage.

"Really? You wear that and then you open the door without caring about anything? You definitely don't have common sense." It wasn't his plan to come and attack you, but somehow or other he had to hide the effect you'd had on him.

You avoided rolling your eyes. "What are you doing here?" you asked him again, although you already knew the answer.

"I came to see you."

"Well, you already saw me."

He rolled his eyes and snorted, apologies were definitely not his forte and he really had no idea how to get started with this.

"I need to talk to you."

"What for?" You didn't want to let it be so easy, it was the least she deserved after calling you a whore for weeks.

He was silent for a few seconds, the tension was noticeable, Megumi took a deep breath.

"I think maybe..." His words were slow and leisurely, he cursed himself for not having practiced before this." Maybe I was too rough."

You raised an eyebrow. "Maybe?"

He rolled his eyes once again and you wanted to slam the door in his face. "Look Yn, can I come in? I want to apologize properly, there are many things to discuss." He tried to remain patient but found it increasingly difficult. "But I can't do it if you don't give me the chance."

"And why should I let you in?" Now it was Megumi who wanted to slam his head against the wall.

"Because. I. want. to. Apologize."

"Good." You let him in and he followed you to your room, closed the door and sat on your side over your bed, Taking a strand of your hair in your fingers and starting to play with it. Megumi knew that you definitely knew what you were doing, there was no way someone would look like this and be innocent.

You didn't say anything and neither did he, youu both looked at each other, both waiting for the other to start but you weren't going to help him apologize. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, I was mean and shouldn't have treated you like this, I had no reason."

"That's it?"

The growl. "Don't pressure me, I'm trying."

"You can do better."

"Well, I was a bitch, you didn't deserve it, I got carried away."

"Yes, you're right."

"and?"

"What?"

"Are we okay or not?"

You tilted your head. "I don't know, are we?"

"You're being difficult on purpose."

"And I'm not half as bad as you were."

"Well, you're right, I deserve it but I really want to fix things and I can't do it if you behave like this, I'm sorry Yn, I promise I'll do better from now on."

Not that you believed him, you weren't that stupid but Megumi was friends with your new friends, well, he was your new friends' best friends so you knew that the best thing you could do was to be okay with Megumi.

"Fine, we're okay."

He looked at you, well, actually he had been looking at you since he arrived but paying a little more attention he saw that you looked tired, maybe it was the lack of makeup but he had never seen your dark circles under your eyes, you looked slightly emaciated. I notice that there was a hint of sadness in your eyes, she wondered if she had always been there or not but you seemed different from that first time she had seen you.

He was always quite perceptive. "You look different, is it just school stress or is there something else?

"Don't start, Megumi." You couldn't help but get defensive, the memory of what had happened the last time he'd been in your bedroom was still fresh in your mind.

He rolled his eyes. "Up there, I'm serious, you look stressed but I think I can help."

You raised your eyebrow in disbelief "how?"

You saw how he took a small metal box out of his jacket when he opened it, you saw a few pills, you didn't use any drugs but you could get an idea of what it was.

"I'm not going to do that." Although it was a resounding denial, Megumi could notice a hint of intrigue in your eyes, although your parents had always taught you how to have them and of course they had forbidden them from the lightest things like alcohol, to heavy drugs, fear of substances, curiosity was in you want it was really strong.

"Why? I do it all the time when I want to relax, nothing will happen to you." You thought about it for a few seconds. It was true that the last few days (or months) you hadn't been feeling well and the idea of something to calm your anxiety was definitely quite appealing even if you knew it was wrong.

"Are you sure?"

Notes area:

>Comments, suggestions, and feedback are welcome.

Taglist (open)

@iluv-ace @fishrene @lloversss @julieannah

[lord-squiggletits]

I'm not completely opposed to making Pharma a weird guy in general pre-Messatine, the main issue I have with it is that a lot of that type of fandom is less "what if he was just a weird little guy" and more seems to be written with the implication that Pharma went crazy because he was just always a little crazy (or a little evil, or a little heartless, etc). Basically, to me it downplays the fact that Pharma underwent massive trauma for two years straight that other characters barely survived for a few hours/days and instead frames Pharma snapping as some sort of... I don't know, genetic/fated downfall because he was just weird, he was always off, is it really any wonder Pharma ended up Like That because I mean there was always something a little weird about him.

It just seems to accidentally imply that Pharma snapping under the pressure of years of torture was some sort of moral failing or sign of him being weak/immoral. You know, Pharma was always kind of a little creepy/insane/evil deep down which is obviously why he killed people. If he were just a normal, not-weird, good person then he would've been mentally strong enough to Not Go Insane. Like uhhhh it just seems kind of fucked up to imply that the reason some people are unable to cope with long-term trauma and have violent/unhealthy coping behaviors is because there's just something innately wrong with them, and then try and look back on their whole life trying to contextualize how they were actually unstable and evil all along instead of just accepting that like. Normal people (tm), yes normal and good people, can be put in situations where they're slowly turned into broken monsters because they had no escape and no good choices.

And also it's equally fucked up to imply that like. Whether or not you can deal with psychological torture without snapping is some sort of function of how innately moral or mentally strong you are. Incredibly victim-blamey to basically go "well the reason Pharma went insane is because he was just always cracked in the head, unlike our good buddy-pal-friend-hero Ratchet who's the perfect doctor and a good Autobot who's never done anything wrong which is why when he's an asshole/hurts people he's not nearly as destructive or Weird About It."

It's not that "Pharma was always kind of crazy" can't be done, because anything can be written well with enough thought. But I think in terms of writing, it's a very difficult and nuanced line to balance and most people literally just can't do it without implying that trauma victims/mentally ill people are evil or something. And Pharma is already unfairly villainized enough as-is, and in canon his trauma was already downplayed in favor of "haha crazy doctor chainsaw go brrr look how weird and quirky and craaaazyyy he is." So it's one of those things where 1. Most people just aren't good enough to write it and 2. "Always a little crazy" Pharma is already oversaturated enough in the fandom anyways and it's enough of a battle to get people to recognize that he's a tragic character and not just an evil asshole.