#I know most of these are very popular and obvious and everyone has already read everything and the fandom is barely alive but whatever

[notonlymice]

90 RUMBELLE + 10 ANYELLE/ANYEM FICS I THINK ABOUT A LOT

I enjoy finding interesting fics to read through rec lists, so I decided to make one myself. I've only been in the fandom for less than two years and I still have a lot to read, but these are some of my favourites so far.

1. Acceptance by Silential

Storybrooke, 9537 words, E

Rumple has gained some weight and feels self-conscious about it. Belle shows him that she loves him anyway.

2. Accord by sira_underhill

Creature AU, 7546 words, M

Rumplestiltskin is a dragon.

3. A Little Help by Crysania

Dark Castle, 2025 words, E

Table sex (poor table).

4. All I Want For Christmas Is You by lizandletdie

Non-magical AU, 16919 words, T

Neal asks Belle to pretend to be his terrible girlfriend so that his father would say please date anyone but not this one. This doesn’t go as planned.

5. Alone In My Tower by Crysania

Enchanted Forest AU, 8450 words, E

Belle’s father locks her up in the tower until she agrees to marry one of her suitors. She summons the Dark One to help her.

6. Always One More Time by Bad_Faery

Non-magical AU, 54001 words, E

Due to certain reasons Gold has excelled in oral sex and puts an online ad offering his services.

7. Any Just Cause or Impediment by suchadearie

Non-magical AU, 15287 words, E

Belle is about to marry Whale and thinks his best man, Gold, hates her (it’s actually the opposite).

8. Anything by whereismygarden

Enchanted Forest AU, 2719 words, E

A deal with the Dark One turns into friendship and then into something else.

9. A Streak of Luck by WorryinglyInnocent

Enchanted Forest AU, 27998 words, T

Belle is cursed, and she goes looking for the Dark One hoping he could help her.

10. Baby It's Cold Outside by rowofstars

Non-magical AU, 14407 words, E

Gold and his housekeeper Belle are stuck in his house due to a blizzard.

11. Balancing the Books by BarPurple

Non-magical AU, 3302 words, E

Angry oral sex in the library.

12. Braided Leather and Smooth Skin by ZionAngel

Storybrooke, 5010 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Rumple has nightmares about Belle being whipped, and she suggests to fight fire with fire.

13. Buried Treasure by Emospritelet

Storybrooke, 19860 words, E

Lacey decides to distract Gold from his thoughts about Belle and hides his ring in an interesting place.

14. Buttoned Up by nerdrumple

Non-magical AU, 24343 words, E

Belle doesn’t feel beautiful, but it doesn't stop her from masturbating at her workplace. Gold accidentally witnesses it.

15. Chevalier by oceanofdarkness

Dark Castle, 2363 words, E

Gaston comes to rescue his fiancee and sees something unexpected.

16. Dark Castle series by extree

Dark Castle, 23354 words, G, T

Dark Castle fluff.

17. Darkest by ScarletteStarlett

Dark Castle, 1847 words, E, Rape/Non-Con

Rumplestiltskin is as dark as he claims to be.

18. Dark Heart by Emospritelet

Non-magical AU, 122667 words, E

Two years ago Gold and Belle broke up, and she left town. Now she is back, and apparently she has a baby.

+ 19. Twisted Fate by Emospritelet

Non-magical AU, 110565 words, E

Everything pre-breakup is the same as in "Dark Heart", but at some point Belle manages to tell Gold she is pregnant.

20. Dark Lover by woodelf

Storybrooke, 2932 words, E

Rumbelle roleplay (with dirty talk).

21. Desperate Souls by rowofstars

Non-magical AU, 25227 words (7/? chapters), E

Belle needs money, so she agrees to do some lingerie modelling for Gold.

22. Discreet by whereismygarden

Dark Castle, 1721 words, E

Rumple catches Belle masturbating.

23. Double the Meaning by BarPurple

Dark Castle, 1936 words, E

Flirting through double entendres.

24. Essays by RosexKnight

Non-magical AU, 3977 words, E

Instead of an essay Belle turns in an erotic fairytale retelling.

25. Fair Trade by Anonymous

Enchanted Forest AU, 3233 words, M, Rape/Non-Con

Villagers make a virgin sacrifice to Rumplestiltskin.

26. Five Times series by lizandletdie

Non-magical AU, 11644 words, T, E

Belle has a crush on her new neighbour but constantly makes a fool of herself in front of him.

27. For a Good Cause by rowofstars

Non-magical AU, 5968 words, E

Chubby Belle and the green dress.

28. From Shattered Places by lizandletdie

Historical AU (non-magical), 124553 words, E, Rape/Non-Con 

Lady Belle was raped by Nottingham. Mr. Gold offers her his hand in marriage of convenience.

29. Hang On Me by nerdrumple

Non-magical AU, 2930 words (1/2 chapters), E

Gold is going to hang himself when suddenly he sees Belle through the window.

30. Head over Heels by B_does_the_write_thing

Non-magical AU, 7338 words, E

Belle finds out that her boss Gold has never received a blow job.

31. Her Angel by Kelyon

Enchanted Forest AU, 8475 words, G

Belle flees from her own wedding and comes across a spinner and his son.

32. Homecoming by rowofstars

Enchanted Forest AU, 5850 words, G

Rumple goes home from the war and wonders if he would be welcomed by Belle and their newborn son.

33. Hot Cocoa and Stolen Kisses by Kelyon

Non-magical AU, 19715 words, E

Lacey tries to connect with Mr. Gold through hot chocolate.

34. In Dreams of Him by mareyshelley

Creature AU, 14958 words, E

Gold is an incubus.

35. In the Blood!Verse series by Megara Bee (Megara_Bee)

Vampire AU, 48780 words, E

Belle makes a deal with Gold, a local vampire, and he drinks her blood, but not in a usual for vampires way.

36. Layered by TheStraggletag

Non-magical AU, 9017 words, E

Mary Margaret, a famous actress, wants her wedding dress to be made by Gold, a famous designer, but doesn’t want paparazzi to know she’s getting married, so she asks her friend Belle for a favour.

37. Legal Binding by Of_Princes_and_Savages

Non-magical AU, 3375 words, E

Lawyer!Gold and his secretary Belle have fun in the car.

38. like an open book. by SerenaLyon

Dark Castle, 7782 words, E

Light BDSM in the Dark Castle.

39. Liminal Space by rufeepeach

Non-magical AU, 18997 words, E

Midnight bonding of two broken hearts through an act of vandalism in a parking lot.

40. Lipstick Kisses by mareyshelley

Non-magical AU, 39060 words, E

Lacey has broken up their secret relationship with Gold, but now she has another secret.

41. Love Me Before The Last Petal Falls by DeliriumsDelight7

Hanahaki Disease AU, 5697 words (1/4 chapters), M

Unrequited love makes Belle cough up flower petals.

42. Married to the Magic by Crysania

Dark Castle, 11076 words, E

Accidental marriage through drinking some strange tea.

43. Midnight Rides by Maplesyrup

Non-magical AU, 8406 words, E

Belle and Gold often take night rides in his car, both thinking that the other isn’t really interested.

44. Mr. Good Mood series by lizandletdie

Non-magical AU, 23250 words, G, M, E

Belle spends a night with an older man and soon realises he is her friend's father.

45. Necessary Roughness by Shipperqueen

Storybrooke, 8598 words, E

Belle pretends to be Lacey so that Rumple could be rougher with her.

46. Neverland by Emospritelet

Non-magical AU, 79107 words, E

Belle wants her first time to be special, so she hires an escort. She definitely doesn't expect her teacher to show up.

47. Nightcap by Mrs_Stiltskin (Lady_Belles_Teacup)

Storybrooke, 2616 words, E

PWP with lactation kink.

48. Not A Prince by LicieOIC

Storybrooke s2, 2515 words, E

At least someone comes to the library to unchain Belle...

49. Of Greasepaint and Flyers by Bad_Faery

Non-magical AU, 14041 words, E

Circus AU.

50. Old Names and New Titles by rufeepeach

Storybrooke, 4277 words, T

Belle and Gold babysit Henry.

51. One Small Spark by Bad_Faery

Dark Castle, 5471 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con 

Regina didn’t lie about the clerics.

52. On the Shores of Loch Katrine by PhoenixTalon

Non-magical AU, 53036 words, E

To inherit his grandfather’s estate in Scotland, Gold needs to get married.

53. Our Way to Fall by nerdrumple

Non-magical AU, 17670 words, E

Belle wants her mother’s necklace back, and Gold suggests her to do something shocking for it. He doesn’t expect her to agree.

54. Pages of Reverie by chippedcupwrites

Dark Castle, 2002 words, T

Belle stumbles upon a book with a sleeping curse and sees strange fairytailish dreams of herself and someone else.

55. Red Lights by rufeepeach

Non-magical AU, 30855 words, E

Gold is a 45-year-old virgin and hires an escort to finally experience sex.

56. Refuge by Fyre

Dark Castle, 13024 words, M, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Belle, desperate and scared, comes knocking at the Dark Castle doors.

57. Representation by AngelofDarkness1605

Storybrooke, 18711 words, M

Watching porn together turns out to be good for the relashionship.

58. Room to Breathe by Bad_Faery

Non-magical AU, 10124 words, M

Gold is a hoarder, Neal hires Belle to help him declutter.

59. Sacrifice by guinevere_grey

Dark Castle, 4755 words, E

When Rumplestiltskin claims her as his price, Belle expects him to have sex with her, but time goes by, nothing’s happening, and she loses her patience.

60. Santa Baby by lizandletdie

Storybrooke, 3859 words, E

Gold and Lacey celebrate Christmas with anal sex.

61. She Can't Help It by wonderwoundedhearers

Enchanted Forest AU, 7453 words, E

Ella Enchanted AU.

62. Shelter From the Storm by lizandletdie

Non-magical AU, 49605 words, M, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

They meet at a domestic violence shelter.

63. Sparks by Emospritelet

Dark Castle, 9291 words (5/? chapters), E

Rumple, Belle, and a little dragon in the Dark Castle.

64. Swipe Right by B_does_the_write_thing

Non-magical AU, 1972 words, M

Annoying loved ones make Belle and Gold try online dating.

65. Tattercloak by DeliriumsDelight7

Enchanted Forest AU, 41320 words, T

Retelling of the fairytale “Allerleirauh”.

66. Temptation by MelissaBosquez

Dark Castle, 6157 words, E

Rumple is like, be careful with my things, maid, or I’ll spank you! Belle is like, hope this doesn’t awaken anything in me…

67. The Best Ideas are Found in Books by JediAnnieScrambler

Enchanted Forest AU, 977 words, E

Belle masturbates to a picture of the Dark One and accidentally summons him.

68. The Big Tease by TheNaughtyScandalousScorpio

Dark Castle, 14537 words, E

Belle finds an interesting book.

69. The Caretaker by TheStraggletag

Non-magical AU, 23093 words, E

Sugar Daddy AU.

70. the course of our fate by bayloriffic

Non-magical AU, 53445 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Belle is a prostitute, Gold is a cop, Gaston is the worst.

71. The Cradle Will Rock by Bad_Faery

Non-magical AU, 4251 words, E

All Gold wanted was a child, not to fall in love with the surrogate mother.

72. The Enchanted Florists by B_does_the_write_thing

Non-magical AU, 4339 words, T

Belle asks her boss Gold to go to her ex’s wedding with her.

73. The Essence of Life by Bad_Faery

Enchanted Forest AU, 8727 words, E

Belle is unhappily married to Gaston and wants a child. The Dark One can help.

74. The Finfolk's Bride series by chippedcupwrites

Creature AU, 3397 words, G, T

Rumple is a merman.

75. The Future's So Bright by ThatRavenclawBitch

Storybrooke, 46183 words, E

Belle and Rumple got divorced after s6. Three years later Belle wants another baby.

76. The Gods of Our Shores by Lady_Therion

Creature AU, 9054 words, E

Belle makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin. Who lives in the sea and has tentacles.

77. The Nanny by ThatRavenclawBitch

Storybrooke, 16511 words, E

Belle and Rumple are divorced, and Belle is looking for a nanny for their daughter. Rumple sees an opportunity.

78. The One Where Belle is a Real Estate Agent and Gold is a Ghost by RosexKnight

Ghost AU, 2901 words (2/? chapters), G

Belle, a real estate agent, tries to sell Mr. Gold’s house, but it’s hard because Mr. Gold is still kinda there.

79. The Pages In Between by ThatRavenclawBitch

Non-magical AU, 30395 words, E

Gold has a crush on his new tenant. Finding a lingerie magazine with her half-naked photos doesn't make it easier.

80. The Queen's Request by B_does_the_write_thing

Enchanted Forest AU, 8550 words, E

Queen Belle has witnessed an act of oral sex between her handmaidens and wants to experience that herself. Her useless husband Gaston sends to her a peasant from a local village.

81. The Rare Books Crises by tinytorso

Non-magical AU, 3731 words, E

Books help Belle attract Mr. Gold’s attention.

82. The Safest Place by TheStraggletag

Dark Castle, 5184 words, T

Due to some timey-wimey baby Gideon appears in the Dark Castle.

83. The Spirit of the Trees by woodelf 

Creature AU, 7320 words, E

Rumple is a tree spirit, and Belle is a curious woman.

84. To Have and to Hold by ThatRavenclawBitch

Non-magical AU, 36632 words, E

Belle and Gold want to divorce but have to pretend to be together for the sake of Neal’s wedding.

85. Travelling Light by francoeurs

Enchanted Forest, 12847 words, E

During her adventures Belle meets Rumple again, and they continue the journey together.

86. True Scotsman by WorryinglyInnocent

Non-magical AU, 1559 words, E

Wearing a kilt has certain advantages.

87. Virgin's Blood by lizandletdie

Dark Castle, 5542 words, E

Belle finding an interesting book is the best premise for PWP (with BDSM).

88. Waiting Game by Emospritelet

Non-magical AU, 29842 words, E

Lacey offers Gold (her college friend Neal’s father) to wait for Neal in her room.

89. you owe me. I own you. series by SerenaLyon

Storybrooke s6, 7052 words, E

Jealous Belle decides that Rumple owes her 42 orgasms.

90. Your Mileage May Vary by Endangered_Slug

Non-magical AU, 3557 words, T

At Neal’s wedding Milah is annoyed by a loud couple in the hotel room next door.

ANYEMS

(I definitely need to read more of that lol😅)

1. Beast!Rush series by Bad_Faery

SGU, 40325 words, E

Rush has pricked himself with some alien bush and starts acting like an animal.

2. Breaking Cycles by DeliriumsDelight7

California Solo, 154826 words, E

Lachlan returns to Scotland and meets a pretty librarian (who turns out to have a lot of inner demons too).

3. Fragile by Emospritelet

SGU, 6689 words, E, Underage

Rush goes to a bar before starting a new job at a school and meets Belle. Nothing can go wrong, right?

4. How Do You Sleep? 'Verse series by ifishouldvanish

California Solo, 56286 words, M

Threatened with deportation, Lachlan contacts his estranged wife Lacey he married some years ago.

5. If Only for a Moment by ifishouldvanish

Hamish MacBeth, 5320 words, E

Cockblock brigades exist everywhere including Lochdubh, and Belle has to fabricate a crime to get some time alone with Hamish.

6. Let's Spend the Night Together by ifishouldvanish

SGU, 10334 words, E

Lacey is Rush’s roommate. Rush can repair stargates but can't repair heaters, so they have to find a way to keep warm.

7. The Books That Bind by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)

Hamish MacBeth, 3525 words, T

Belle, a new librarian, and Hamish find a shared interest in books.

8. The Fractures Within Us by Lady_Therion

Summer, 4880 words, M

Shaun is prescribed physical therapy. Belle is his therapist, and she is mute.

9. The Oldest Profession by orphan_account

The Legend of Barney Thomson, 10067 words, E

Belle is a prostitute who needs a haircut.

10. The Sweetest of Sins by snafumoofins

Operation: Endgame, The Tournament, 3220 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Hiero has a crush on a local priest.

[hedwig221b]

hello! are you still doing sterek recs? if so do you know of any good ones where stiles has no idea how gorgeous he is/has no idea how obsessed derek is with him and genuinely thinks he doesn’t stand a chance in hell??? my heart burns for the drama

Sure! May I offer you these?

Gorgeous by Asterekmess (Livinginfictions)

Derek didn’t actually notice anything strange until the middle of the pack’s second year, but once he realized how many layers of clothing Stiles wore all the time, he couldn't stop noticing it. Curiosity and worry ate away at him every time the weather turned warm, until he felt he had to do something about it.

The Courting Dilemmas of a Spark and a Werewolf Prince by greenleaf

Talia smiled calmly. “I am well aware that you are not a werewolf, my darling, but I thought this would be the best reading material for you to use as reference. After all, how would you know how to act during a courting ritual if you do not study it?” “But I don’t… I’m not…” Stiles narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you setting me up with someone?” Talia rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t be obtuse, my darling. Why would I set you up with someone –” “Oh, well, that’s good, because–” “–when I have a son who is already perfectly enamored with you?”

There's a Wolf in My Bed by halcyon1993

Three weeks after helping Derek stop his uncle, Stiles returns home from school to find the new alpha fast asleep on his bed. He doesn't know what to do about it, especially when it keeps happening.

What's Held on Our Shoulders by chameleonoverhere

Derek drops Stiles off at school, and this attracts the unwanted attention and harassment of some kid. He exploits Stiles' greatest insecurity, has him asking questions about his relationship with Derek that he never had before.

Pack nights are not for getting laid by igotdamn

Stiles goes out clubbing, Derek doesn't like that very much.

Unknown Power by LadyDrace

Stiles never really understood what Derek actually saw in him. But thanks to some filth and the scientific method, he finally starts getting the hint

Stiles is a Hottie series by dragon_temeraire

A series of unrelated fics where Stiles is just too hot. (I love this trope, so I will probably end up writing a lot for this)

it's obvious, you're oblivious by EvanesDust

Derek’s new roommate is alpha bait but seems disinterested in everyone—especially Derek. Stiles is suddenly popular, but can't seem to catch the interest of the only alpha he actually likes. …or the one where Stiles and Derek get paired together in room assignments and are secretly in love with the other.

Oh. . . you love me? by yeemo_crack

Stiles is bait. . . again. Stiles is injured. . . again. His wounds are so bad he ends up in hospital, and is shocked to find Derek there when he wakes up. What follows is a very interesting conversation with said Sourwolf where feelings are revealed and Stiles says some very dumb things. Excerpt As he traced the lines on his palm he also gradually drew away Stiles’ pain. The relief was dizzying, so as a result Stiles said something dumb. “Careful Dramawolf, if you carry on like this people might start to think you’re in love with me or something.”

How to Woo Your Local Omega by alocalband

Stiles knows a pity gift when he sees one. Mostly because that’s all he’s ever gotten from anyone since the moment he hit puberty.

erroneous manoeuvres by slippingfromreality

"Hey, Stilinski!” Stiles clenches his teeth. “What do you want, Hale?” he shouts back, not bothering to turn around. The smug smirk that’s most likely waiting for him is already seared into his mind from overexposure. “A date!” the answer comes, still as loud, and most of the bystanders giggle or snort in Stiles’ direction. Stiles rolls his eyes. This is the third time this week. He’d complain that Hale’s jokes are getting pretty stale, but he’d probably be milking this situation for all that it’s worth, too, if their roles were reversed. “Wrong aisle,” he grouses back, “try the bakery section. I hear they have fresh tarts.” Or, in which Stiles grievously misjudged his bullying situation.

Other fic recs: angsty fics + pt2 + pt3 | possessive Derek | historical AU | baby/mpreg | outsider POV | smut | mafia | hurt/comfort | magical!Stiles | Stiles gets kicked out of the pack | BAMF!Stiles + pt2 | omegaverse | witch!Stiles | creature!Stiles + pt2 | oblivious Stiles | oblivious sterek | bad friend Scott | pack mom!Stiles | unrequited love | werewolf!Stiles | dark sterek | single parent!Stiles | feral Derek | feral Stiles | arranged marriage | Stiles is underestimated | mpreg w/o abo | accidental knotting | jock!Derek | jock!Stiles | alive Hales | spanking | royal abo au | longfic | void!Stiles | sheriff dissaproves | Stiles doesn't know about werewolves | soft fics | hales love stiles

[genericpuff]

So I watched ChattyMia's Lore Olympus video which was great and everyone should watch it. It seems most people who do series reviews of the Lore Olympus don't like the comic for obvious reasons. Then I was reminded by the end that the comic is expecting a TV series which is in development hell. It made me think that Rachel might be better off not having a Lore Olympus TV show. Most praise for the series died awhile ago as the story became an utter mess. If it did get a TV show, people will see the early red flags like the age gap, the treatment of Minthe, trying to excuse cheating, Hades horrible behavior to workers, nymphs being discriminated with no pushback, etc. If some of them read the comic for spoilers they would later see the other big red flags of the series. Excusing slave labor, Persephone threatening the lower class, Hera getting with Echo a 'trash nypmh' as she once called Minthe, Apollo gets community service, the continued mistreatment of Demeter etc. Which I feel will cause everyone to go 'wtf is this series? 50 Shades of Grey mixed with Keeping Up with the Kardashians?'. Then you have to wonder if some of them will do a deep dive and find the stuff about Rachel's tie to Lolita. It would be especially bad if a bigger content creator talked about it. And we already know Rachel doesn't handle criticism the best (i.e. the struggle street tweet, the Minthe cosplay situation or even the merch). So I could only imagine how much worse it would be for her if Lore Olympus got a TV show and more eyes got drawn to it and her. It would no longer be just confided to the web comics fanbase but the much larger TV one. Unless Rachel seriously considered rewriting the TV script (or rekindling it lol) I don't see how a TV adaptation of her show would be good press for her.

Yess I've seen that video, it's great! She did a great job summarizing a lot of the biggest core issues with LO's story and art without getting too lost in the sauce (though god knows the rabbithole of LO's issues runs INCREDIBLY deep in an equally fascinating and "oh god what the fuck did I just read' kind of way), her video editing was very entertaining and her Persephone cosplay was a great touch 😎

That said, regarding the thought of "most people who do series reviews of LO don't like the comic", there is an amount of bias we have to acknowledge there - there's often a lot more to say in the negative rather than the positive. By extension, people who simply enjoy LO and don't participate much in the online discussion surrounding it or the discourse concerning it are less likely to make 2 hour videos analyzing it. So while the popular opinion of LO has shifted more towards a negative point of view, that doesn't mean that fans of the comic don't exist - it's just that most of those fans are blissfully enjoying the comic and can only sum it up as "it's very pretty and the plot is great", whereas many people who didn't enjoy it are more likely to voice their opinions as to why in far more explicit detail (though on the flipside of that, it also goes to show that there's a lot more to analyze in LO's flaws than its strengths - it's ironic that the fans often don't have much to say beyond "it's cute" or "I relate to Persephone" and anything further than that is relegated to pure headcanon pieced together by assumption and best guesses to make up for Rachel's lack of writing).

All that aside though, regarding the TV adaption, at this point it's less a matter of reception and more a matter of relevancy. The perfect time to release or at least show us proof of the LO TV show was years ago, when the comic was at its peak between 2020-2021. The second best time was at last year's NYCC when Rachel was a headlining guest. The fact they still had nothing to show for it at this year's NYCC, with Rachel nowhere to be seen and instead focusing more on the Freaking Romance adaption with Snailords filling the role as their featured guest (an equally if not even more problematic creator), is astounding, but unsurprising.

To me, LO feels like a real life case of "Tortoise and the Hare". Back at the start of it all, in 2017-2018, it was doing what no other comic on the platform was doing, presenting us a retelling of the Hades and Persephone story - which was very popular on Tumblr at the time - through a modern setting and with art that was incredibly unique for the platform. That, paired with WT's aggressive marketing, propelled it far ahead every other comic on the platform, creating a gap so massive that even the comics in second place on the trending tabs still weren't even close to LO's lead in terms of stats and money.

But then it got complacent. Quality of the comic's writing and art dropped, it was becoming increasingly obvious that LO had become no more than a marketing grift akin to the likes of Harry Potter - easily turned into books, t-shirts, socks, coloring books, figures, etc. - and that gave way to an increase of criticism towards it, criticism that had always somewhat existed even as far back as its days on Tumblr, but was now amplified by the existing ongoing proof that LO was never all it was cracked up to be.

Now, at best they shill $200+ figurine pre-orders, but the show is nowhere to be seen and, with the comic now finished and locked behind Daily Pass, its relevancy is dying out. "Rachel Smythe Presents" still has nothing to show for itself, Rachel's IG and Twitter seem to be purely for merch-pushing by the Inklore team, and Rachel has, at best, two new series that she suddenly announced but, in her words, don't even have anything written or planned for them yet beyond the taglines that were thrown together for her socials.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Greek myth retelling industry is in a renaissance. Hades is still a massively popular game, with its sequel now in early access; Epic: The Musical has been making waves on Spotify and TikTok far exceeding that of LO's in terms of audience reach, and even has more to show for itself in the way of official animations than LO ever has; and now Kaos has recently launched its first season after being in production since 2018 - yes, you read that right, it got commissioned around the exact same time LO became an Originals series which suggests the idea for it was already floating around and being pitched prior to LO - and, frankly, has beaten LO at its own game by achieving everything LO set out to do - weaving a Greek epic-style story in a modern setting, balancing romance with prophecies and world-ending stakes. It took a while, but Kaos made it past the finishing line, while LO has been dragging itself behind it, still making empty promises that a TV show is "still in the works" and "coming soon", with not a single thing to show for itself.

LO may have gotten a head start in being the "sleek, modern, sexy Greek myth retelling" by the virtue of being a weekly webtoon, but slow and steady wins the race - the productions that have taken their time cooking in the oven are now coming out as beautiful and delicious as we, the guests at the table, were told would be, while LO is simply the short-term gratification junk food that bombards us with gimmicks but sits like a rock in our stomachs and leaves us unfulfilled and wishing for a better meal.

Those better meals are here now and they were absolutely worth the wait.

[almostempty]

Hey, been thinking about your doc alot since I read it in terms of how I want to continue with my own writing and reading habits.

I hope this isn't a stupid question or too taxing for you to answer considering you just essentially wrote a dissertation, but what are your processes for finding, reading and interacting with truly inclusive 'x Reader' fics these days?

i think i suggested to start with bipoc authors and i included some questions to consider when reading/reblogging that should be in the doc, but i'll add some of my more personal opinions here today and tag some author recs while i'm yapping:

i don't think there's really a 100%-inclusive-to-everyone reader-insert but for all the reasons in that doc this is where i'd start

i'd start with bipoc authors 100% there's a rec list @javierpena-inatacvest collected recently here and @salingers made a bipoc authored rec list and tbr here and the @inclusivepedro-oscarlibrary (i'm sure there's more i'm missing)

extra shoutouts to some of my bipoc friends specifically bc they're so talented i'll dickride for them all day idgaf go read @gothcsz @yxtkiwiyxt @clubsoft @thundermartini @cxrsed-angel @lotusbxtch @letsgobarbs alsoooo read works that bipoc authors rec and share (though i imagine they're used to reading things that aren't inclusive but still support their peers so it's not like they'll have only have inclusive/diverse recs)

i'd also prioritize reading works by 2slgbtqia+ authors or authors who write queer fics or poly fics bc i'd guess they're likely writing stories outside of the colonizer script that revolves around whiteness, monogamy, and reproduction already

shoutouts to @miss-oranje-disco-dancer @for-a-longlongtime @sin-djarin @nonbinairyboi @itwasntimethatdidit40 for writing some of my fav queer fics and/or being my fav humans, i'm sure there's more of you i should be adding but i have goldfish brain soz <3

@pedrostories has some tag filters for their collection that might help too (i'm soooo glad there are organized folks among us)

(i think someone was collecting recs for stories with trans characters on monday for trans day of visibility but i don't remember who it was or if i'm remembering that right at all (?) / likely there are more directories and collections i'm just not aware of) additionally i like to read authors that are intentional about writing complex readers like @slimybeth69's girl dinner (heheh), and world building with diverse OCs like @auteurdelabre's SMTL, and by authors who are outspoken in the community about diversity and are intentional about their writing and moodboards like my girls @syd-djarin and @probablyreadinsmut (hi <3 and i know there's more of y'all too) AND make friends with other readers in the comments and share recs ! i won't put my non-writer mutuals on blast but they're full of the best recs or down to talk about fics for days <3

finally,

personally! i’d love to see more OC fics and character x character (crossover or canon) fics getting love too anecdotally, i used to only read longfics on ao3 about din or javi and felt like i saw fics with more canon/au plot beyond just the romance or smut that at the very least, felt further away from the colonial values/heteropatriarchy fantasy

finally (for real),

if the tropes you’re most drawn to are ones rooted in those colonial/patriarchal ideals, i’d guess you’re inevitably going to be swimming in fics written by white people for white people—not because they’re trying to be exclusionary, but because those are the dominant societal narratives, and they’re gonna be popular for that reason so it'll take more intentional critical reading and filtering to find what you want to read or share...i hope that makes sense

as always, i'm not perfect! i'm sure i've shared and written things that i'd reconsider now and there might be obvious suggestions i'm missing but anyway hope this helps!

sorry if anyone didn't want to be tagged

and if anyone else read all of this feel free to add your recs or self rec

[gold-rhine]

btw another thing i noticed from the fics i read is that celestia's imperialism is actually a really key driving force in shaping fontaine, and most of neuvi's mischaracterizations can be traced to people ignoring it.

for example. everyone knows neuvi is sad. rains as tears is the most popular cliche fandom has for him, so most fic writers will try to incorporate neuvi being deeply sad into their AUs. but now they need reason for why he's sad. in canon he's sad because celestia invaded his planet, wiped out his race, put humans there instead and he now has to live between them and pretend to be one of them. but ppl dont want to deal with colonialism in their fics, so instead they invent other reasons, most often that like his family abused him. they also love using scylla as like abusive relative, i guess bc hes the only named hydro vishap we have, as if my man scylla wasnt at egeria court telling her to kill herself every single day so his sovereign can be reborn. but even aside from scylla's slander, this also completely changes neuvi's dynamic from being Sovereign in exile - position of power and responsibility, adored by his people, but forcibly removed from them, - into being shy flower who needs protection bc he cant stand up for himself. that changes character into complete opposite. now they have to erase his other obvious main trait emphasized in canon - being intimidating and stern, because it wouldn't fucking make sense for him to be scary and commanding if he supposedly can't stand up to his mean bully uncle scylla. this is not to say anything about real victims of abuse, its just that all fics i saw made it completely one dimensional stereotype that absolutely does not track with neuvi's actual role of a ruler who knows how to command, but was taken away from his people.

on the other hand, some fics do emphasize his intimidating presence, in these he's usually in positions of power like a judge. in these cases they attribute his sadness to just like general burden of his position and responsibility, which is tbh fine, whatever. but then another conflict arises. first of all, now as a judge he has to love the laws. which btw canon neuvi openly says (voice lines) that he thinks a lot of fontaine laws are ridiculous and overall the whole law codex is unable to reach real justice. trials are his 9 to 5 wage slavery, not his passion. but even ignoring that, even bigger problem is that fontaine is like hugely and obviously fucked up. even if you erase the metaphor of trials as performances, the fleuv cendre and just overall obvious inequalities still stand. so now you have to answer the question why didn't neuvi do anything about these problem if he has position of power?

the canon answer is again celestia's colonialism of course. he didn't do anything bc he never saw humans as his own people bc they were not. in fact, they were against him at the beginning of his career, they ostracized him and melusines, he thought of himself as a hated outsider up until his story quest. and he's naturally kind, so he helped when asked, and he was moved by human emotions which is why it rained at trials, but he never saw it as his place nor responsibility to try and reorganize humans, esp when they already had their own god. but we can see that with melusines who he does see as his own, he is very proactive, the only laws he passed were for their protection, he staked his unstable reputation to integrate them into society, he dropped everything to go investigate threats to a single melusine, he never shuts up about how you must be nice to melusines. as authority figure, he's very involved, but only when he sees something as belonging under his authority. he's very particular about boundaries of authority, its his fundamental character theme.

but if you remove all this nuance and internal conflict, then in these fics he becomes just kind of stubborn, inept judge with very black and white worldview, whos too pedantic and loves laws too much to see how they are flawed and how the whole system is dysfunctional. and he also loses his kindness and empathy.

so like if you ignore celestia's role in fontaine's narrative, its a lose lose no matter what role you want to put neuvi in

[jokeroutsubs]

🎈🍰Nace Birthday Special🍰🎈

Nace Jordan's interview for Suzy magazine, published 14.06.2024. English translation by drumbeat and @beeoftheanxieties, proof read by TWT klamstrakur.

📝ENG Translation: Joker Out's Nace Jordan: 60 Kilograms to Happiness

Twenty-nine-year-old Nace Jordan is considered one of the most emotional, thoughtful, and responsible Slovenian musicians.

CAPTION: He’s spreading tolerance and respect to everyone.

He was the last one to join the group of four highly admired young men, but that doesn't mean he's the fifth or the spare wheel. His inspiring story makes him a great role model for teenagers, showing that working on yourself is worthwhile, because you never know when an extraordinary opportunity will come your way. After making a major change in his lifestyle, he got rid of past burdens to focus on a bright, melodic future. With the loving support of his girlfriend, the first signs of a family are already visible. They've been joined by Pino, an adorable dachshund, who brought new responsibilities and lots of joy.

CAPTION: Joker Out gained a first-class member with Nace.

INTERVIEWER: How quickly did you feel accepted as fully fledged member, considering you were not a co-founder of Joker Out?

Nace: Initially it might have appeared as if I instantly took on the role of bass guitarist with confidence, although deep down I was quite confused. The guys already had their banter, even a kind of a jargon I didn't feel familiar with. They are after all five years younger than me, almost a different generation. But they have welcomed me in a very embracing way, we have started to develop a communal story and we have become a unit. Even after we had recorded 'Carpe Diem' and I was offered a permanent place in the band, I was still haunted by the feeling that I might not be perceived easily as a part of the band by the most devoted fans.

Was Eurovision your ultimate test?

Sort of. I was told I aced it, and as a fill-in member, it made me happy when the decision to welcome me into the family was final. The whole idea was to first try and see how compatible we were, without any pressure or expectations. On stage, it was obvious that we were a perfect match. But I tended to hold back when it came to the bigger decisions. Bojan is, after all, the frontman, the dominant one, so I didn't want to interfere with the pre-established dynamics. It was only after the Eurovision euphoria was over that a new era began and with it the most precious gift - the appreciation of the entire group. They are exceptional young individuals, extremely talented, and they wanted someone who could feel their vibe and bring them together, not tear them apart.

This opportunity has come as a reward for your challenging personal journey, a tremendous transformation of body and spirit. How has this affected your self-image?

I am still trying to work on myself. I have lost 60 kilos and broken free from the shackles of a troubled adolescence, when the slightest deviation from the average is frowned upon. It is unimaginable that you can lose so many kilograms, one whole person. It was gradual. After the first ten, you are overcome with excitement. Your reflection in the mirror gets nicer by the week, you gain confidence in yourself and see that it is not difficult to follow your goal. I gained an unstoppable will to keep going, and the most extraordinary things started to happen. I got to play in the backing band of the popular show ' V petek zvečer' ('Friday Night'), and then realised a childhood dream when I managed to join a band as skillful as the Jokers. A time came when I walked around with a huge smile on my face and I hoped that it would not fade from my face for a long time to come. At the same time, I was driven to give it my best shot, because I simply couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

You have used the dark times of COVID for something bright, inspirational. When did you decide you were tired of living in a bigger body?

The stomach pains were the first indicator that I had to roll up my sleeves and work on myself. I had always been chubbier, but I got saved by my height because the kilograms were evenly spread. I was able to exercise, go hiking, [and] be active in water sports, particularly wakeboarding. I wasn't immune to the looks of naysayers, that someone with so much weight could move so capably. I had reached a point where I no longer felt comfortable. I didn't like myself, the walks were getting more and more exhausting, I didn't have a girlfriend for a while, which was a big motivation to change my lifestyle. At the beginning, I was embarrassed to work out in front of others. Would they be thinking, 'What is this fatso doing here now'? So at home I would climb up and down the stairs from the basement to the attic. For half a year, every evening. First for 15 minutes, then I progressed to 45. It seemed like a waste to ruin this effort with unhealthy food, so I changed my diet. I eliminated all the guilty pleasures and after the first 20 lost, I decided I was ready to train outdoors. By running. It might not have been the smartest idea because of my knees, but it all worked out well in the end. Something that I resented for a long time became my norm. To this day, I still enjoy putting on my running shoes to clear my mind. Whenever my mind is in a frenzy, running saves me.

Humans are really odd, shallow creatures. We can't see what's underneath the excess weight. It was only after you have transformed that the requests for more collaborations started coming in. How did you manage to heal these emotional scars from the entertainment business, where the physical appearance still takes precedence over the heart?

That's the hardest part, not to lose faith in yourself. You question your self worth because of the labels the public has stuck on you. Of course, the medical aspect of excess weight is the first signal for a radical change. The results would be significantly better, if people around us were more sparse with negative comments and dismissive attitudes towards anything that is not to their liking. I must confess that I have never felt better than I did after saying goodbye to cigarettes, alcohol, and, for a period, even meat. Imagine you are carrying a 60 kilogram backpack. And then you put it down. A different world opens up.

In all this, music has been your most faithful companion and supporter. Would it have been possible to go through all this without it?

The power of art is amazing. The bass guitar is my lifelong love. Even if I was a butcher or a carpenter, I would play and create for myself. We are used to these kind of stories in the movies, where after a difficult ordeal you find yourself in the midst of your teenage dreams. After the third concert with the Jokers, a girl came up to me and confided that she was contemplating suicide, but our songs had saved her. She thanked us for taking the time for our fans and talking to them. Their honesty is a sign that you are part of something great. The power of music goes beyond the limits of our imagination. There are countless similar confessions. This realisation is also therapeutic for us. You receive confirmation that you are doing something right.

Have you ever wondered why you play music at all?

Many times. The doubts of who will listen to my work, or now our work, are a constant in the career of a professional musician. But if you put your heart first, you quickly get the confirmation that we are not just pretty boys on stage, but individuals with depth and a message.

As a teenager, what motivated you to follow your aspirations?

I wanted to be like my cousin. He is five years older than me and he had his own band. He introduced me to foreign bands, like Led Zeppelin. It sounded rather innocent, but it was the start of a profound passion. Recently, Jan, the guitarist, and I were talking about the role models who have defined us. I told him that there must be an aspiring young teenager in Slovenia who looks up to him and has begun strumming the strings because of him. I am convinced that we have brought a breath of fresh air to the local scene and given a boost to young bands who are not yet established. It is very healthy to encourage others, to be each other's support and competition. I didn't feel that before.

When did you first feel that the stage was your everything?

We had a kind of talent show at the school camp. I wanted to sing the ballad 'Behind Blue Eyes' by The Who, but the teacher wouldn't let me because it wasn't an appropriate song. I cried with sadness, so she mellowed down. I took advantage of her faith, put on my sunglasses and a headscarf. That's when something stirred inside of me. Finally, now that we are touring Europe and are excited to discover how the power of music brings people together, I am calmed. Even as a kid I stood my ground and I am grateful to my stubbornness for getting me this far.

You have a strong bond with your mother. How does she keep track of your exceptional progress?

She is proud to say that she is my biggest 'fan'. She was happiest at Eurovision, which she has always followed. It was the first time she was able to experience it live, she and Bojan's mum cheered loudly and I have to admit that it's the greatest thing to be able to make the most important woman in your life happy. It has only strengthened our bond. We have a trusting, friend-like relationship, but first and foremost she is my mum, with all the worries and all the loving helpfulness. I was not a typical child and she had to endure all my whims. She was constantly encouraging me to take up a sport, but I preferred to stay at home and draw. She tolerated my struggles at school because she knew I wasn't like the others and allowed me to develop to my full potential. My younger sister is also responsible for making me who I am. Her kind words are a balm for a wounded soul.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

As a child, I had two things in mind - to be a zoo manager, because I love animals, and to be a singer, even though I later swapped the microphone for a guitar. Sculpting fascinated me. In short, expression through art.

Your love for animals has lasted. You have a three-month-old dachshund named Pino in your lap.

Finally! I've been longing for a puppy for so many years, and dachshunds are one of my favourite breeds. If music hadn't drawn me in, I would certainly be a vet. One summer break I was helping out at a wildlife sanctuary instead of playing with my friends. It was a wonderful experience.

You are away from home a lot. How do you maintain your long-distance relationship with your girlfriend?

Some people reassure us that technology helps because we can see each other through the camera. But it is not the same. It's important that all my loved ones and dear ones, meaning my girlfriend, my mum, my family, and my friends, believe in our work and are willing to sacrifice time with me so that I can follow my dreams. But we are in constant contact with each other and we let each other know how much we love each other all the time.

~ -~ - ~ - PLEASE DO NOT REPOST, AND IF YOU QUOTE, PLEASE LINK BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POST!

[xxpiercedprincessxx69]

"A little exchange and I fall in love"

Charlie X afab!reader

Youtuber/streamer reader who loves physical touch

Summary: Reader goes to vidcon and has to do a panel with charlie but getting too close and everyone notices

SFW but MDNI

A/N: 1:This is my first time writing a fic and it's one am rn so if it's bad, ignore it. 2:It is very overpaced and plot convenience so again ignore it. I rushed to make this and it's very obvious. 3:This will be a multiple part thing but there's alot going on in life rn so don't expect the next part to be soon. Sorry

Word count: 1k

Part one:

You knew from the first moment you got a boyfriend in 7th grade you loved physical touch. It was definitely without a doubt your love language, and yes it was definitely due to not getting hugged enough as a child but that's not the point. The second you get comfortable with someone you're holding their hands, resting your head on their shoulder, putting your legs in their lap, anything. Anytype of physical touch, you loved it.

With consent of course. That was a huge important thing to you, you never wanted to make your friends uncomfortable, always asking “can i do this?” “Is this alright?” and you knew you had to be extra cautious when you became a streamer, you didn't want anything to be taken out of context and have your legacy destroyed. Which it hasn't been yet and you're kinda popular for it, there's countless tiktoks saying how cute it is that you're always leaning on someone's shoulder or putting your legs on their lap since that's what you did most, especially at vidcon.

June 18th, you're on a plane to Anaheim and you're reading the names of the other creators that will be at the panel with you on the first day and one caught your eye. “slimecicle” you've talked to him before a couple times but only in groups and you didn't really know the other people you were doing the panel with so you were a bit nervous but figured it’d be fine.

It was the day of the panel and you were backstage with the other creators but you were kinda nervous to talk to everyone since they seemed like they had known each other so you just greeted them, talked a little about the panel and sat on the chairs backstage and it seemed like charlie was in the completely opposite boat as you which made sense since he was a more social person but he always seemed so out going in every room he was in, he was just so radiant, again just the complete opposite. You realize you had been staring at him so you pull your phone out of your pocket and look for something to distract yourself but in the corner of your eye you see someone sit in the chair next to you.

“not a social person?” his voice causes your head to perk up from your phone “yea new people scare me” you said half jokingly before he chuckles and you catch a glimpse of his dimples, damn he was kinda cute while laughing…wait no you can’t think that you guys have barely talked, his voice makes you kinda snap out of your thoughts “you kinda have to be social with a job like this” “i became a youtube to sit in my room and do the exact opposite of socialize” “That's fair, well now your stuck socializing” “yea i know well at least i know one person” “yea see it isn't all bad” you rolled your eyes playfully at his overly optimistic outlook before one of the backstage worker tells you guys to get ready since the panel will start soon.

The panel started and your stuck on a couch with everyone but things are already going better than expected with you sitting on the edge of the couch and next to Charlie so you don't have to be next to anyone you don't really know although you're struggling to sit still, constantly switching the way your sitting like every 5 minutes, crossing your legs, leaning back, leaning forward, one knee up, one ankle under your knee. Searching for the most comfortable position before you just turn to charlie.

“Can i put my legs in your lap, there’s like no comfortable way to sit” your tone was hushed so the mics in both of your hands doesn't pick it up “yea of course” you put your legs up on his lap as he placed his hand on the side of your knee to hold your legs closer to him and through out the panel his hand slowly slid up high to you thigh and stopped just above your mid-thigh without either of you noticing till way later in in the panel you notice and it's clear he still hasn't but you became hyper aware of how close you guys were and you felt your face get warm, but didn't say anything. Once the panel ends you go through the rest of the day full of meet and greets and just a whole lot of walking around so laying down on your hotel bed and just going on your phone at the end of the day felt so nice.

You open tiktok and after a minute or 2 you see a clip of you and Charlie at the panel with text over it  “YALL I CAN NOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW THIS” holy shit you just realized how bad it looked and how high his hand was. you guys were so close which you knew but from an outside view, you guys were way closer than you thought, you check the comment curiously. 

“THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER WHEN SHES TALKING”

    “YES I LITERALLY THOUGHT THE SAME THING

 “i need a relationship like this omgg”

 “Wait are they dating what did i miss???”

    “Idk but i need them to date they'd be so cute together”

“Me and who??”

Wow so way more people noticed then you thought would, to be fair it was kinda weird for people to see, not a lot of people knew that you guys knew each other so it was an odd sight for people to see with no context. But that's besides the point, how were you supposed to look Charlie in the face tomorrow knowing half the internet is questioning your guys relationship? Does he know? Should you tell him? Would it be weird to tell him? You sigh and decide to ignore it to the best of your abilities and attempt to fall asleep.

[elainsgirl]

the gwynriels that ship gwynriel not just for vibes but because they insist it is canon are in for a harsh awakening. We've known for years that elains book is being written and is next and Azriel is such an obvious love interest elriel have checked off most key aspects of a romantasy couple in the making (we even have a romantic rescue scene where the male li risks his life for her). But it seems many new readers who focus only on their selective reading of acosf took over the fandom in 2021 and started gaslighting everyone that gwynriel is real and elriel was never a thing. I'm an artist who used to make acotar content but the arrogance of especially these new readers is infuriating and has made me stop making any content for this fandom.

I used to feel bad that all these people will probably be very upset when elain and azriel are confirmed to be next. But i dont anymore. They did it to themselves. Four wasted years arguing over what was already obvious in front of their eyes. They have soured the fandom for everyone else. They have stubbornly and publically thrown a four year long tantrum with their eyes and ears covered, while yelling at everyone that their fanon is real and everyone else is delusional. It's so embarrassing i cringe to think about it. It will age worse than sour milk.

You know what I think it is? Between 2021 and 2024 - booktok popularised the “enemies to lovers” trope - 8/10 all the books being advertised, had that trope. As well as E&L, banter became really hyped up - when authors wanted to promote their book, you’ll notice they will almost always use banter scenes as that is what piqued readers interest. Along w this, other tropes such as the “sassy, badass fmc” “warrior fmc” “girlboss fmc” became popular and in demand by readers. Many antis jumped onto this train, probably consumed lots of books with these tropes therefore its reflected onto Gwynriel and Elucien as ships.

We’ve all seen their HCs, Lucien will bring out the “sass” and “fire” in Elain. Gwyn will be a badass and run her mouth off on Az which he will like etc. Both ships are filled with HCs that booktok popularised. I’ve said this so many times before - but I always think of elucien and gwynriel as lumps of warm clay. You can mold them to be whatever you want. Whatever dynamic, trope, story etc that intrigues you because they’re just not developed. They have no outline, no set dynamic that you’ll get with a canon, foreshadowed ship such as elriel. Antis have motives for shipping their ships, elriels don’t and thats another difference. Antis motives’ and biased lenses lead to them to different outcomes - 4 years later and still as a whole group, none of them are consistent with anything. Literally, can’t even decide- is it elucien next or gwynriel?. With elriels, we’ve all read the books as they should be read and came to the same conclusion. Hence why, elriels are more consistent with everything they put out.

Its so hilarious when newcomers or casual readers are so suprised to hear about Gwynriel. I mean, I thought it was some booktok cult at first- had no idea it was an actual ship. I think its funnier when gwynriels act so superior and list all the foreshadowing & “scenesl” they have only to be proven wrong by canon. Take Az rescuing Gwyn, the whole thing was romantacised. He carried Gwyn in his arms all the way to the library…when actually that was Mor. Az had left Gwyn to finish his job.

I dont have it in me to feel bad. Cause it was literally “in your face obvious” all along and as someone who was there from 2021, Gwynriel started due to Elain hate and Elucien’s main arguement for so long has always been about Elain needing to make Lucien happy as he deserves it. Yeah I can’t count the amount of times antis have given me second hand embarrassment. Some are ok. Others are just immature and entitled. I agree, the fandom increased in toxicity due to the shipwars which started because of Gwynriels/Eluciens. And not saying elriels are innocent, every side has bad stans but some antis have made the fandom unbearable. Seems like they crash out whenever Sjm posts something, they then get over it and crash out again. Its a tiring yet amusing cycle to watch from afar. I think when the announcement comes there will be silence at first from the antis before the new delusional takes begin.

[tribalauthor]

THE WISEWOMAN (roman reigns ff) <chapter 7>

word count: 1.9K

Sophia's POV

My whole life I have been a woman of logic. What I mean by that is I have never let a man play with my feelings.

I got this from my mama.

I don't believe in love from first sight. Love is a feeling that develops with time and becomes deeper and deeper every single day.

Therefore, it takes a lot for me to feel attracted to a man. It was like that with Robert. It was like that with Steven in high school.

Yup, I've had only two boyfriends my whole life. No situationships. No one-night stands. And trust me, there have been a lot of candidates but I just know how to reject them since I am very hard to impress.

I am saying all of this because I barely know Roman for a week and I already am impressed by him.

1) The surprise he made me earlier 2) the place he decided to take me 3) the way he is dressed.

He is wearing a white tight dress shirt which is not fully buttoned and he literally looks like those book main characters I always read about. It fits his muscular body perfectly and it makes him look tight and even more buff.

And masculine.

There is a slight exposure of his beautiful tattoo and his brown matte skin. His hair is slicked back in his signature man bun and he had that focused look on the menu big part of which was covered by his hands.

I have never felt like this. Probably because I dated boys in my life and not men.

Roman is the embodiment of a man - masculine, tall, gentleman, strong, highly self-aware. I understand why he is so loved by women across the world. He just has the effect.

"So what did you choose?" Roman's voice startled me and I immediately looked at the menu before he looks at me.

Damn, those prices are insane.

I was caught by surprise, so I have to think of something very quickly and not seem suspicious.

"I am puzzled. What are you thinking?" best response I could give.

"I will go for salmon." Roman declared.

"This was the one from my top picks. Okay, I will go for it too." I announced and I put the menu on the table revealing my cleavage in front of him and he immediately glanced at it.

"And for drinks?" he glanced at me with that playful suspicious look in his eyes.

"White wine?" I gave him the same look back and he chuckled.

"I guess you love wine so much, huh?" he teased me and closed the menu.

"Correct. What about you?"

"Wine as well as whiskey but I tend to be careful." he said in a convincing tone as he pulled his chair a bit closer to the table.

"Have you ever got blackout drunk?" I asked out of nowhere. Roman looked like he got a lot of war flashbacks but tried to beat them with a soft grin.

"Yeah, especially in high school."

"Mm, you were probably one of the jocks, right?" I immediately assumed what would have he been.

"Yup. Is it that obvious?" Roman looked around and then back at me innocently but who knows what that man has been up to.

"Duh." I shook my head.

"Well, what were you like then, little missy?" he teased me.

"Guess." I replied innocently while looking straight at him with doe eyes and a Mona Lisa smirk.

"Before I even spoke with you, I would say you were from the popular mean girls... BUT right now I would say you were from the nerdy girls- those who attended almost like every literature club and stuff." my jaw almost hit the floor.

"Okay, that's so specifically accurate." I said. I have to acknowledge his logic skills. "I'd like to add though that I have rejected everyone from the football team."

"Oh yeah?" he raised his eyebrows and looked down smirking. "I would be one of them if we were in the same high school."

"Most definitely." I confessed and shrugged my arms trying to surpress the big smirk that was about to appear on my face. "They tried everything. They even signed up for the literature club, they were coming to libraries but it was not working."

"Sadly, I understand them." he sighed. "And who was the lucky guy in the end?"

"The leader of the literature club." Roman rested his back on the chair.

"Of course. Of course." he seemed disappointed but in a teasing way. "I see that you like smart guys - leaders of literature clubs, professors...probably some scientists." his playful madness is bringing so much joy in me and I started laughing out loud.

"Have you decided what to order, Mr. and Miss?" the waiter came to ask us and interrupted the comeback I just prepared.

I had zero idea that Roman Reigns is such a funny guy. You could never guess he is actually like that. I usually got the vibes from him that he is a very serious, cold man but as I see for now, it's far from truth.

The stories he's been telling or more like the way he was telling them was so funny for no reason.

I just wiped another tear that formed in my eye.

"I swear to God my mascara is gonna leak." I stated.

"Better from laughter than anger or heartbreak, so." Roman shrugged and then he licked his lips trying to hide the smug that was forming on his mouth. "Actually the best option is from another specific activity." he snorted and looked down.

I pressed my lips and stared at him with playful judgemental look.

"And what exactly is that specific activity? Enlighten me." I challenged him to elaborate.

He stayed in the exact same position as he was with his eyes down and a shy smile on his face.

"Haven't drank enough for me to go into that topic." his response just couldn't be more mysterious.

Yup, he looks like the guy who broke a lot of hearts in the past, so I kinda understand that he wouldn't want me to get these vibes from him.

As for me and sex. I have been with only two guys as I mentioned. I wouldn't consider myself to be a highly sexual woman. I just did it because I knew I had to and is a crucial part of the relationship. I have never found myself enjoying it so much like my friends, for example, but they just say this is all because I haven't found the right guy yet.

Roman seems like the kind of man who would want to do this non-stop. He is an athlete, so I guess his drive must be high and his stamina too. Therefore, this makes me wonder if something even happens between us, how is this gonna work?

"Maybe some other time we can drink a bit more." I teased.

"Nope. You wouldn't wanna do that. I'm scared of myself and the things I'm gonna do." he hinted and shook his head.

"Hmm...if you say so." I bit my lips. "That wine is very good, by the way and the food. Everything. Thank you for taking me here." I started with the thankful speech since I know men really love that shit.

Roman flashed his diamond grin while I was taking another sip of my glass.

"You are weclome." he replied but then when he saw me, he put his finger on the corner of his mouth. "You have a bit lipstick on the side." I tried to wipe it off but he shook his head and got up from the chair to lean to me and wipe the lipstick stain out of my face with his thumb.

For a damn wrestler, Roman's hands feel soft to the touch.

We iust stared at each other and I fear that even people around us could feel the tension that was going on.

"Thank you." I muttered as he sat back on his chair.

Roman stopped his black Lamborghini in front of my house.

We just turned our heads to face each other, knowing that the date has come to its end.

"Good thing is I will get to see you often." he finally broke the silence and I laughed.

"Yup. Do we leave for Georgia on Friday?" I couldn't help but asked the business topics.

"I was thinking of leaving on Thursday actually since Georgia is the city where I studied. I wanna, you know, show you around. Show you the university I've been in." he suggested.

"Okay. Deal." I agreed and flashed a mysterious smile.

"Great." he grinned at me. "Hope you had a great time tonight."

"I did. Thank you so much for everything." I said once again and now my heart started beating faster because I have no idea what to do - should I hug him, should I kiss him...on the cheek?

I don't know.

"I will go with you to the door." he said and got out of the car.

Okay, now I have forty steps time to think.

I felt so cold once I got out and what Roman did is to put his blazer immediately on me which caused me to giggle.

"We are literally here." I said through the laughter.

"I don't care. I don't want my wise woman ill in any way." he stated. "By the way, have I mentioned how beautiful this dress looks on you?"

"Around two or three times." I snorted.

"Fact is a fact." now we are standing exactly in front of the door in my house and as I see my mom ain't asleep yet.

"You live with somebody?" Roman couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah, my mom." I simply replied and I hope he doesn't ask more because I don't wanna get into detail about my father.

At least not yet.

"Ah, I see." he nodded his head and looked down for a bit and then he looked straight up to me with a bit sneaky look.

"Would she be mad that you are home late?"

After his question I rolled my eyes immediately.

"I am 26, not 16." I crossed my arms. "You wanna meet her?" I was about to open the door but he caught my hand to prevent me doing so.

His grip was strong but not strong enough to hurt me. While I was feeling cold, I suddenly felt warmth going through my body.

"No. What are you going to introduce me as?" he spoke in a quiet tone and glanced at the door. He kinda looked like those dramatic guys you see in the movies. I have actually never seen him so concerned.

"As my temporary co-worker." I shrugged.

"No. I don't wanna be introduced like that." he declared as he pouted his lips and shook his head once.

"Oh excuse me. I will do the classic Tribal Chief introduction then." I finally got what he meant. He can't be real.

"Nope." he shook his head again and now I got confused.

"Then?" I furrowed my eybrows and he just shrugged with a tiny smirk forming on his face.

"Let's just wait for now." he spoke as he looked at me with that sweetly devilish spark in his eyes.

That's a man with a clear plan in his head and the scariest thing is that so far it's going well.

[danganphobia]

thinkign about laishuro but in a college au setting. mini fic kinda incoming im having brainworms.

toshiro keeps to himself and doesn't really talk to many people (but i like to think he's already good friends with kabru because they share some of the same classes together) but he shares this one class with this incredibly talkative guy that the professor absolutely despises named laios that always makes the class fucking bust out laughing. laios is the class clown but he's popular because he's just that guy that kinda knows everybody. and he sits next to toshiro and often asks him about assignments or to copy his notes because he didn't get to read all the slides on time. meanwhile toshiro's just like ok whatever (doesnt think anything of it)

since kabru already knows laios by default toshiro kinda gets roped into his whole friend group of different majors but i like to imagine they're all good friends because they're in the DnD club and toshiro's initiated like Immediately against his will. every now and then the club hangs out after classes and it's actually really Obvious that laios likes toshiro. he's like going out of his way to make sure the newbie is "comfortable" and other than kabru it's laios who toshiro ends up talking to the most. laios is sitting next to him the whole night, leaning in when toshiro needs to say something because it's super loud at the restaurant and everyone's like Lmao this is so painful.

kabru the instigator is like "guys let's add toshiro to the group chat" and he's making eyes at farlyn and marcille and chilchuck, who's just like fucking facepalming because they're horrible at being subtle, and it's laios who's like "OH YEAH TOTALLY, toshiro what's your number?????" so toshiro gives his number and he's added to the DnD group chat but really it was just a ploy for laios and toshiro to start texting each other. it works bc laios texts toshiro individually and says "hey its laios from bio i got ur number from the dnd gc i hope it's okay lol" i can see this fucking happening when kabru and toshiro are hanging out and kabru's like "bitch i FUCKING KNEW IT!!" and toshiro's like "of course i know it's him. why does he have to say that. he's very odd." kabru's just Staring at him like my dear friend laios likes you. toshiro's confused because ????? the thordens talk to like everybody on campus i think he's just friendly. and kabru says there's at least 20 other people in your class that he could ask for notes and assignments yet he always asks you. he's always asking all their friends where toshiro is when he's not around. he's like the first to look for toshiro when he walks into a room that laios KNOWS toshiro is in. he's always excited to see you to come club meetings. he texts you like every other day. he's even asked you to hang out, alone??? many times??? like how people ask each other on dates????

toshiro telling kabru its just to work on assignments together. and kabru brings up laios walking him all the way back to their dorm and giving him a hug, and toshiro can agree that's a bit Strange but it's "not even a big deal" until he's wide awake in bed at night thinking of the last time laios hugged him after walking him home and he's red in the face like FUCK. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME.

anyways toshiro unable to handle the fact that what he has, as kabru calls it, is a Crush(TM) and refuses to believe it so he begins avoiding laios until it becomes a big thing. laios is genuinely upset and thinks he did something wrong. so he tracks toshiro down to ask him about it and he's rambling on about being an idiot and thinking he did something to make toshiro uncomfortable, toshiro doesn't rlly know what to do bc all his feelings the past few weeks have been piling up and is about to explode and he just. grabs laios and kisses him square on the lips.

a minute passes and they stare at each other. and laios is just like. Wat. toshiro's internally freaking out. and when he opens his mouth and says "laios-" laios cuts him off and very shyly asks, "can you... uh, can you do that again?"

toshiro just feels himself relax. laughs. and laios laughs. and toshiro kisses him again.

anyways i need fanart of this so bad bye

[remotepixel]

Hi, how would yandere avengers react if their platonic teen obsession threatens to disclose their yandere tendencies or has actually done so to the media?

Hii, thank you for requesting!!

Tw: yandere themes + kidnapping mentions

-I’m assuming this is somewhat far into the obsession, enough where it’s obvious to you that something is very wrong, but not to the ‘they’ve gone completely off the rails and everyone can tell’ point.

-Getting the evidence would already be pretty hard. Sure, you have the obvious fact they’re always hanging around you, but, they’re superheroes, people are naturally going to support their side unless you have enough proof (or, sometimes, no matter what).

-Any clear red flag (e.g. trackers) would be specially manufactured by a world-renowned genius, so a casual police search likely wouldn’t find anything, and it’d be pretty nerve-wracking to try and record a conversation with a superspy.

-However, if you do collect enough, it still wouldn’t be easy to get rid of them.

-If you threaten them, the amount of guilt-tripping would be mental. Some of them are more self-aware than others, but all of them share the same sentiment that, at the end of the day, they’re (or, think they are) helping you. They know some of their behaviour crosses normal lines, but look how much your life has improved since they’ve been around, isn’t it a good thing someone cares about you?

-All of them would be hurt by your threat, and likely back off at least for a while if you strike some sort of deal (e.g. you leave me alone, I won’t tell). But they’ll be back, or still lurking around in parts of your life.

-I think members like Natasha and Bruce, who are more self-aware yet never speak out against the more delusional ones (since they’re still working together at the end of the day), would back off the most. They don’t want you hating them even more, and, currently, your relationship is on a thin line - it’s better to back off and subtly guide you back to them then force it.

-None of them fully take your threat seriously, even if it hurts their feelings. They know they have the upper hand here: government links, popularity, influence - you’re completely out of your depths even if you think, or act, otherwise.

-If you’re still very consistent on disclosing everything to the media despite their efforts to chill, you’re likely getting kidnapped. Drastic, obviously, but it’s the only way to guarantee you’re both in their grasp and others aren’t concerned.

-If you already disclosed it however, the methods you used to go through with it play a big role in the outcome.

-As I mentioned, there’s probably trackers in your phone, both for location and general monitoring, e.g. a keylogger. The second you post your blog, or send your email to the news, it’s getting deleted and completely wiped if possible. In this case, it’s probably going to follow the same route as before, but with extra emotional pain because you didn’t even “try talking” to them.

-If you focus more on meeting up with reporters in real-life, maybe getting them to collect their own evidence in the background, there’s a higher chance of success. However, that does require having insiders in a hopefully-popular newspaper company, something a teen probably wouldn’t have.

-Assuming the avengers haven’t noticed the news coming out about them, for at least enough time that citizens are able to read and share this, panic would ensue the second they realise.

-They would experience a range of emotions, most mentioned above but some would also hold a bit of rage (not necessarily at you, your actions more so). They have one, very obvious thing they need to do now though: address the ‘rumours’.

-Deleting the reports would raise more suspicions, and they can’t just admit everything the news is saying is technically true, so they decide to try and twist this into their favour. They’ll (mainly Tony as he’s probably dealt with this sort of thing before) make up some sort of story that puts you into the wrong - like you’re lying for attention or were trying to purposely ruin their reputation for petty revenge.

-If they’re feeling really nice they may try and chalk it up as a misunderstanding, but I think it depends who has a role in writing the response. For example, Steve would think it’s slightly too far, while Tony would just think of it as a necessary outcome - he also just doesn’t like listening to Steve’s advice so.

-You become a pretty big talk in the media, but, when people start believing the avenger’s side, it’s mostly snide comments or dragging your name through the mud. The avengers would probably feel bad for the amount of slander you’re getting, assuming they didn’t before, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they deleted a few, just plain evil comments. But you forced their hand, if you haven’t had ‘lied’ in the first place, this would have never happened.

-In a way, this may just bring you closer to them. With what feels like the whole world against you, the only people who really seem to care anymore are the avengers. They might even offer you a deal - you admit you were lying to the media, apologize, and they’ll publicly support you. Sure, it won’t get everyone off your back, and you’re be scared to even go outside in case reporters are there, but it means you have the most powerful team in your corner again, and isn’t that what you need?

[twink-remus-lupin]

❤️💛💕

For marauders era <3

apologies in advance anon i wrote way more than i meant to!!

❤️- which character is the most egregiously mischaracterized by the fandom?

This one is a hard pick between remus and sirius so i’ll just do both.

remus - oh dear lord. I could go on about this forever but I already have so many posts about it so I’ll try to keep this short. now i’m not the most canon-compliant person but the way remus is treated by this fandom drives me up a wall in a way no other character does. he is disabled, shy, quiet, and a follower. fanon has turned him into a borderline abusive asshole/alpha daddy bad-boy and it’s the most insane thing ever. where are we getting this from? oh! I know the answer actually. so many wolfstar fans see a werewolf and long haired guy and decide that remus is the “masc one” in the relationship and sirius is femme. I genuinely think there are some underlying internalized homophobia issues in the way they’re portrayed but i’ll focus more on that when I talk about sirius. for now, i think it’s important to address the inherent ableism in remus’s current popular fandom portrayal. he canonically experiences extreme pain from his lycanthropy- in what world would he feel comfortable using acts of strength in a dominant way? (ie- choking sirius in a sexual way, picking him up, etc.) this also largely ignores the fact that he likely wouldn’t even be able to do a lot of this. he’s weakened from his transformations. as a disabled person myself I will never understand how people can so blatantly ignore the negative aspects of what he goes through so they can have their alpha dom romance. moving away from that for a moment, it’s also just ridiculous to me that he would ever let himself show true anger to anyone he loves. he hates his lycanthropy and anything that would make him seem more “monstrous” is completely off the table. Also just because this pisses me off- let the man bottom! It’s genuinely so rare to see bottom!remus content and i’ll talk about why I think that is in sirius’s part as well. I have a lot more to say but I also don’t know if I phrased any of this well in the first place so i’ll end this part here.

sirius - oh boy. I’ll try to make this shorter than remus’s section but no guarantees. sirius as a submissive femme twink is genuinely one of the worst things to happen to this fandom. first of all, we are completely ignoring his canon body type while simultaneously infantalizing him. that is a grown man with a BEARD. it’s one thing to have your headcanons, but why is it that I never see femme sirius topping? I’m so convinced it’s a product of some sort of internalized homophobia. ignoring sirius’s canon masculinity for a moment, even if he was hyper femme he could still top. It’s so obvious that people have a very fixed view of what a gay relationship looks like- one masc and one femme. which- by the way- is a homophobic stereotype. sirius can be femme! if that’s your head canon for him, it’s not my thing, but okay. But then why make remus hyper masc? when that’s straight up against his canon personality? Again, this is something i’ve talked about in other posts on my blog and likely will be talking about in the future. Anyways- my main point is there’s no need to completely change his personality just to fit a stereotype. I also way prefer top!sirius / bottom!remus to the reverse, which is what’s more popular right now. (again, fitting right into the femme/masc ship stereotype.) Although I do believe in my heart of hearts that they’re switches that’s the only dynamic i’ll read because their personalities tend to be more accurate in those fics. Sirius can bottom! but holy shit let him be muscular and a little chubby and put some fucking hair on his face. I truly believe everyone is a mix of masc and femme traits, and i’d never fully deny sirius of any form of femininity. but you can dress feminine and still have masc traits or vice versa. Anyways the main takeaway from all of this is that i hate the way wolfstar has become a stereotype of gay relationships.

💛- what is a popular ship you just can’t get behind and why?

okay this is definitely an unpopular opinion but i’ve made myself very clear on my hatred of this ship so hopefully my moots won’t mind!! I can’t stand jegulus. like with a passion. I see jegulus on my insta feed and audibly sigh. To me jegulus is a crackship that should have never gotten popular. first and foremost, i see james as heterosexual and regulus as aroace so immediately that wouldn’t work even if I liked their dynamic. HOWEVER! i truly don’t believe james would ever betray sirius like that. james was more of a brother to sirius than regulus ever was and the idea that james would go fuck him is crazy to me. they probably barely interacted in school, if at all. also jily for life!! idk how people can’t like jily if you want enemies to lovers they’re literally right there.

also not super popular but remadora. that’s a gay man and a lesbian. what are we doing here jkr.

💕- what’s an unpopular ship you like?

remus x kingsley (i can’t remember their ship name) It used to be more popular and i remember reading a few fics in like 2019 but I can’t find it on tumblr really. I like the idea of them meeting and getting together after sirius is imprisoned- i think they have a good dynamic together. Wolfstar is still endgame to me but i think they could have had a cute relationship. Honestly i’ve thought of drawing them together so if that’s something anyone is interested in let me know because i’ll do it. also if anyone has fic recs!

i hope this wasn’t too much i got a bit carried away lol- i have a lot of thoughts on wolfstar’s dynamic so this was kind of cathartic to write out. i’m not looking to debate anyone, these are just my personal opinions so keep any comments kind and thoughtful please. :)

[shadowqueenjude]

Before we begin, please note that I have high respect for all people who have completed a degree, especially women, and I myself am a woman pursuing a degree.

Honestly this whole “degree” discourse occurring within the Elucien-Elriel-Gwynriel ship war is highly amusing to me because of this: the author in question is SJM. Typically, I’d say that someone with an English degree would be the best fit to analyze the text, but truthfully, often times it feels like not even SJM knows what she’s going to write. Plus she barely remembers what she wrote previously which leads to a high number of retcons. I have read her three most popular book series to completion: Throne of Glass. Crescent City, and ACOTAR. And I must say she is a very easy author to interpret, yet also incredibly frustrating because she so often forgets her own writing (a feat that is most prevalent in ACOTAR). From the bonus chapter and all the other context clues throughout the series, it seems obvious to me that Elucien and Gwynriel are endgame. Yet SJM has also laid out some hints of Elriel. Do I think she killed the ship and it’s a red herring? Yes. But Tamlin also showed mating instincts towards Feyre in book one (pursuing her on Calanmai and somehow everyone knew he would, plus the bite on the neck which was a mate claiming ritual according to SJM. Rowan claimed Aelin in the same manner) and SJM retconned that so thoroughly that Tamlin hardly reads as the same character.

Truthfully, the biggest sign to me that Elucien and Gwynriel are a go are the following: A, when she pitched the side books, she was put on a contract for three books: Elain, Azriel, and likely, Mor. Which means that their stories will occur in different books. Which means they will wind up with different people. B, if Elain and Lucien didn’t wind up together, it would undermine her precious mating bond. It would prove that love is greater than any mating bond, which might be a powerful moral in another author’s hands, but not SJM. It would wreck the legitimacy of ALL her endgame couples in her books. Having the mating bond snap instantly for Elain and Lucien, a first, is SJM’s chance to explore the mating bond and PROVE that it is indeed legitimate.

It would ALSO undermine the mating bond if Lucien and Elain’s mating bond was supposedly “fake” because she already did that once and if a mating bond can be faked so easily how much does it really mean?

Additionally, Azriel’s character is highly insecure. He would forever wonder whether Elain is thinking of Lucien, and also wonder if he lost a chance at his own mate.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[imaginesbymk]

MARSTON. ━︎━︎ ZSAKUVA STRICT PROFESSOR !

chapter eleven - ❝what do you really want?❞

← previous chapter: chapter ten - "new friend." next chapter: FILLER CHAPTER - "ICEBREAKERS." →

fanfic info / read it on wattpad

SYNOPSIS — Fed up of waiting, Andrew finally confronts Y/N about his feelings and where they stand. Y/N has to make a decision.

──────── ✧ ────────

A N D R E W

"IT'S A COMPLEX field of contradictions and paradoxes that you can exploit. The influence of poetry is never summarized by a few words. It seeps into its very foundation." To some students who are only there to pass, it seemed like absolutely nothing to them. But when I spoke into the lectern mic, there was a rush of passion through my teaching as I spoke about poetry.

"But, it also pulls from your own ideologies whether you're aware of this or not, and so poems are always subjective in writing just as they are in interpretation, and time can also change it because of shifts in the dominant, societal culture. Now when these contradictions occur, in theory, you need to understand the breadth of obvious persuasion versus rooted ideology."

That last sentence I gave was something I had learned in my younger years. I credit the poets who were so lovesick and miserable that they poured it onto paper. The amount of ink used for a person they could but couldn't have. It was something I never thought I could relate to until I met Isaac.

Literature club wasn't too popular at the time. When I walked in the first meeting, only ten students showed up. If it was varsity, there would be twice the amount. Out of everyone who seemed to get along with each other right off the bat, Isaac was the first man I saw- and he was the only person who spoke to me the most.

As far as I know, the university has clubs, just not a Literature club. The Dean commented that having Literature and English composition courses were enough that there would be no point of even starting one. If I were to open one, I'd be the first to run it, and I wouldn't be as strict to these students in extracurricular. I'd laugh more, show a different side of me that everyone doesn't see often. With Y/N, we could probably talk about Astrophel and Stella for hours. I'll never forget the last time we had a tutorial. Y/N passionately rambled on the reading list they came up with themselves, as if they were the ones giving the lecture.

But as usual, I was. "So, the next poem I would like you to analyze is If by Rudyard Kipling. It's already uploaded onto Moodle, so give it a read. I want you to write down your initial interpretation, and then ask a friend for their interpretation, and then bring the results next week to see if they differ and why." I looked at my watch, then closed the slides on the projector with the tablet. "Okay, that'll be all."

I stepped away from the lectern, gathering the extra files and booklets I had piling on the desk. From the corner of my eye, Y/N was already heading out. It's been a couple of weeks now since they and [STUDENT NAME] started hanging out. They sat beside each other again today, and I'm hoping some day I'd call them out to answer a question if they weren't paying attention.

But Y/N can be sly and still be caught up in their work.

"Oh, could you stay behind to help for a moment? I need another pair of hands to bring these to my office."

Y/N nodded, walking over to help me collect the materials.

"How's your studies so far?" I ask.

"So far so good," they reply.

"Good. How's the new module? Poetry is definitely a sharp change from 12th century literature."

They nodded. "It's been more interesting than the last term."

I hummed. "Yes. There'll be a lot more chances to explore creativity in the coming weeks. I don't know if you saw on Moodle, but there will be one week where I ask each of you to anonymously submit a poem that we can dissect in the lesson after to see if any subconscious ideologies bring forth. They will also remain anonymous so even though we'll be speculating as a class, we'll never know the truth, which I think is needed for something like poetry."

I opened the door for Y/N, letting them exit the hall first.

"What about you?" Y/N asks.

"Have I? I've written some poems," I pause. No one has ever read my poetry, before. I don't go digging through my old books just to find them if they were all that poor. I can't imagine people's reactions whether they were good or bad. "Maybe I could share some with you, definitely not the ones I wrote as a teenager. Those will, uh, never see the light of day."

Y/N laughs. "I'm sure they're not bad."

"It's natural to be a skeptic of your own work and not live up to the expectations you've set yourself, especially when you go review them years later. As I said in class, societal ideologies change with time, but so do internal ones. Your view on life changes as you gain more knowledge and your mindset shifts, and then an outlook you thought you'd have forever can change with one strange encounter." I jiggle the keys into the lock of my office, letting Y/N enter first, then me.

"And you've experienced that yourself?" they ask.

"I've had too many to count. But I'd encourage listening and being open to change." I hung my shoulder bag near the chair, then my laptop. I looked at Y/N, waiting to be instructed with the books in their hands. "Set them down on my desk." They do so.

"Actually before you leave, I wanted to have a word with you. Well, not anything related to your work but a more... personal conversation."

Y/N stops. "Yeah?"

"Since the last time we spoke here, I'venoticed that, um, you've been hanging out a lot with that friend of yours. You frequently sit next to them too now."

"Yeah?" they shrug. "What about it?"

"Well, I can't help but wonder if there's anything between you two."

"What are you talking about?" Y/N shot me a look, folding their arms.

I had to remind myself again. It has been weeks, and all I've done was mope around in silence while Y/N drank flavoured milk teas with someone who skips lectures just for the hell of it.

As selfish it may sound, I deserved assurance. I deserved an explanation.

"You know fully well what I'm insinuating," I said, annoyed. "After what we've done together and now that you know how I feel, suddenly you've taken an interest in a classmate that you've only started talking to."

"How do you know all this?"

"I'm observant, and you know I am. So," I folded my arms, too. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Y/N responded exactly how I thought they would. Y/N shook their head.

"Are you sure? Because if I were to take a guess, I'd think that you're purposely flaunting this new friendship in front of me."

And giving the smirk forming on Y/N's face, all that overthinking and overanalyzing for weeks on end just proved I was right all along. "I was just testing to see how you'd react. What have you noticed?"

"You're testing me? What sort of validation are you looking for?"

Y/N rolls their eyes at me. "C'mon..."

"Fine, I'll humour you. It started a couple of weeks ago, they had an interest in you before that, and I saw. Obviously you noticed, too. It was the day after you were here last that you decided to change tactics, and you made sure to do it so openly, it would be difficult for me to not see." I stepped closer to them. "Convincing them to sit at the front with you, borrowing stationery, forgetting to bring your book to class so you can share and get closer..." That annoyed me the most.

Y/N eyed me up and down.

"Like I've said before, I watch you on occasion. Maybe occasionally isn't the right word to use. I'm interested in you, so naturally I'm going to want to look at you even when I'm focusing on the other students. You're always in my peripheral so I see when you do something and turn my way to gauge my reaction."

"Oh, so you have been noticing that, too."

"Yes, I see that you're sly, but not invisible. So, I need to have a talk with you once again, it seems." I frowned down at their level. "What is your end goal here? What do you really want from me? If you're leading on someone just to get my attention, that's a little problematic, isn't it? Or are you just having fun? How do I know you're not doing the same to me and just seeing where the chips fall?"

Whatever their answer was, mine would remain the same. I've came to terms with myself about my feelings for them, even though I tried to brush them off, even if I tried to fight them when I tried to sleep. If Y/N doesn't give me a straight answer by today, I would not know where to go from there.

They shook their head again.

"Y/N, love. I would like an answer. To be quite dramatic, it's driving me nuts. It's been driving me nuts. Did you suddenly change your feelings about me?" I ask.

"Are you seriously putting me on the spot here?"

"I honestly feel like I have to, because you confessed to me over an assignment, and just a couple weeks ago, you and I had that talk in my office. But now you have your eyes for someone else."

"There's no one else I have eyes for."

I was genuinely taken back. It was a baby step of what I wanted as proper closure. "Ah, so you do like me? But I think you should let your friend know that you have no intention of building a relationship with them. It'll only prove to hurt them further down the road once they realize what you've been doing."

"Like what?" Y/N asks, chuckling. It could only mean I had to be the one to step up and ask the big question for something we're sure we both want.

"You know exactly what. You say you like me... what if I offered for you to be with me?"

Y/N stopped smiling, looking at as me as if though that question would have never been asked by someone whose job was to grade their paper. "Surprised? I'm sure we can make it work."

I don't see them when I close my eyes, but I leaned down and cup their face to pull it closer. I kiss them, imagining the look on their face still being as in shock when I made that offer. An offer I knew anyone at campus would accept, given what they say and think about me.

"You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?" they ask, breathing for air.

"I think about it all the time, don't you?"

Y/N nodded.

"There's a version of this that doesn't go our way," I tell them. "But there's also one where we have a chance to make something out of it every day. I think about you when I'm home. I wonder what you're doing, if you're studying well, eating well. Sometimes you're in my thoughts more than anything else... and I'm starting to understand what it really means - that this is not just a fling or a curiosity for me."

"But are you sure you feel this way for me? Sometimes your heart can deceive you. We could end up being just a fling or curiosity and nothing more."

I sigh. "Here," I grab Y/N's hand and placed it on my chest. "Can you feel it? How fast my heartbeat is? I have to uphold a certain look for the sake of keeping my job, but when it's obvious to me that I desire someone who seems to want me as well... there's only one thing left to do."

"But people will talk about it. They're not dumb."

"Yes, people will talk. I am your Professor, you are my student. It's not unheard of for relationships to occur in universities, and if I'm correct, I'm only a couple of years older than you. So, with all that said... what do you really want?"

Their eyes twinkled up at mine. I know what they want. And I wanted to hear it. "I want you... to kiss me again."

I chuckled. "I can give that to you." I did as they wished. I pull away once more. "But you have to break it off with that friend. Don't give them anymore hope."

"Already halfway," they say. "We weren't that compatible, anyway. I didn't think you would be so jealous of them, jealous of what I was doing."

When I checked their status, [STUDENT NAME] was indeed still my student. I can't remember what exactly their grade was, but it was likely a passing grade, a saving grace. But disregarding that person, I couldn't bare to go on another week of Y/N forgetting their textbook again and having to touch hands and knees with them in front of me, again.

I scoff. "You think I wouldn't be jealous? Of course I am! You can flirt so openly with them and there won't be a problem. The only time I can really spend with you is in here where no one can see us." We kept kissing. "Teaching-" Another kiss. "Is the best part of my day. Not because I'm a Professor who should like their job, but because I know that you're guaranteed to be there, watching me. So, the fact that your attention suddenly shifted to someone else is... annoying. If you truly like me, then don't look at anyone else the way you look at me during class or outside of it. You can hang around with others as much as you like, but I'm losing out on that. Not anymore."

We kiss again, grabbing their hand. I trail my kissing down to their neck and back to their lips as I spoke in between. "So say it to me." More kisses. "Say-" Another one. "That you want to be with me." Once more. "And you will."

Y/N looked up at me. "I want you, and I will be with you."

I hummed. "Good answer."

This sensation felt more victorious than when I even got hired at the university, or when I opened mine and my brother's Christmas gifts our parents got us when we were kids, which was Finding Nemo on DVD. My anxiety over whether my feelings were reciprocated had finally vanished, though I was here, alive and well, for many more to come. But I could assure nothing could go wrong.

"There's a museum that I'm thinking of visiting in a couple of weeks and I was wondering if you'd like to join me."

"The British Museum?"

I nod. "I'm writing another thesis, it's strictly a hobby at this point, but I wouldn't say no to having another mind there. I've heard there's a new exhibition opening and I'm eager to see it. We could go at the weekend so no using university hours."

"A lot of students go there."

"I've accidentally bumped into plenty of students outside classes so it's not uncommon, and something tells me you'll like the exhibits. I want to be there when you experience them."

They paused for a moment, then nodded. "I'm down."

"Good. Well then, it's a secret date. I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, I'll see you in class tomorrow. Oh," I quickly dug through my bag, pulling out something not as valuable for a gift, but the thought of giving back was considered after I was given candy and a written note gestured on Halloween. For Y/N? I'd give them the world. "Happy birthday."

Y/N blinked, accepting the small present. "How'd you know-"

"[STUDENT NAME] has a big mouth." I roll my eyes a bit having to credit them for knowing.

"It's not until Sunday."

"I don't see you on weekends. Well, except for our date that's coming up. We could treat that as a belated birthday date, just for you. But until then, eat lots of cake for me on your big day." Y/N giggles in response. "Er..." I shook a bit in my voice. "I'm gonna need your cell. Emailing seems too formal for a date, and kind of odd. Especially since this is gonna become something more." I said since, not if.

Y/N smiles and pulls out their phone. "If you wanted my number all this time, you could have just asked, Professor."

I now had Y/N's name in my contacts, and I could already picture them calling me at 1 in the morning just to hear my voice. "I'm not that eager," I joke down at them, wanting to trace my finger on their cheek. I could melt. "Just call me Andrew."

I peck them on the lips one last time and they walked out, bringing the small gift with them.

"Make sure you bring your books this time," I sternly remind them as they peaked their exit. They let out a faint chuckle, shaking their head as the door shut. As I was finally alone, I exhaled a shaky breath, unfolding my arms and nearly falling off my chair as I took a moment to sit down. I could really use coffee, or just a glass of water. The wind was knocked right out of my soul.

It was starting to kick in. I have a date.

──────── ✧ ────────

[ariscats]

Jameson analyzes part 2: Traumas (or a very long rant against Emily Laughin, who I cant be bother to learn how to spell her last name)

“Cause I've made some real big mistakes/ But you make the worst one look fine/ I should've known it was strange/ You only come out at night/ I used to think I was smart/ But you made me look so naive/ The way you sold me for parts/ As you sunk your teeth into me, oh/ Bloodsucker, famefucker/ Bleedin' me dry, like a goddamn vampire”

So there is this girl, who comes at his house every summer and has a heart diesse. She cant live so everyone has to do whatever she asks to make it up for it. Then one day she gets a surgery and now she gets to live, and who is her ticket to living? Jameson and Grayson.

Emily is his first kiss. However, 3 seconds after SHE KISSES HIS BROTHER WHO HE ALREADY INSECURE ABOUT BECAUSE OF HIS F. GRANDFATHER. And you have to be pretty dumd to not realize that what emily really wanted in the scene is Grayson to kiss her and she just used Jameson because she could (I still can’t believe that Emily did “loved” Gray more than Jameson).

Then she moves to his city and goes to his school. And, as far as a bitch she is, she must have been rl something because she became the most popular girl at school.

(Now, this is where things get tricky. I’m going to use the version fo what I believe happened. If you have another version you can picture like that)

Then they start dating. They borh want to live and do things because they can rather because they should. She got her golden ticket to freedom and he got the attention he’s been craving his whole life. They do everything together because she wants more and he wants more and nothing is never enough for them. So Jameson takes her to do everything they have the right to because Jameson is, at te end of the day, a good boyfriend.

But, its still not enough for Emily. Because she goes after fucking Grayson AND HE DOES THE SAME TING AS JAMESON BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OPOSITE SIDE OF THE SAME COIN.

Then they start fighting. Best friends for their whole life, but they slowly start to hate each other because fucking Emily turned everything INTO A GAME, MAKING LOVE A GAME THE SAME WAY TJEIR FAMILY HAS BEEN TRAUMATAZING THEM THEIR WHOLE LIFES. AND SHE KEEPS A FUCKING SCORE OF WHO HAS MORE POINTS, BY VOICE RECORDING.

Then one beautifull day Rebecca decides that betrayl by both ends doesnt hurts and tells Jameson about the scores and sends him the audio Emily made.

Jameson Hawthorne had to listen the girl he ruined his life for for over a year sumarize him and his love as some points. He breaks up with her, and she decides to go after Grayson. And then she jumps. But he is also there, because love and family are never that simple and jameson is a tiny bit (read in the level of therapy) of a masochist. And then SHE BLINKS AND LAUGHS AT HIM AND WHEN HE FINALLY MANAGES TO GO AWAY SHE START HAVING HEART PROBLEMS. BUT SHE HAS PLAYED HIM SO MUCH THAT HE DOESNT KNOW WHAT REALITY IS ANYMORE, and she hadnt had any heart problems for the past 4 years. So he leaves and she dies, and hell breakes lose.

He lost a girl he has know his whole life. He just “learned” that his love arent worth more than some points, he just got out of a increadibly toxic relasionship that ruined his life. The healthy thing would have been if he had some safe space to talk about what Emily did to him and have a strong support system. But everyone he knows is muroning her. They see her as an angle, so everything she did to him goes under the traps because how do you even dare to say something about dear angle Emily. And he has to live with the fact that he belives he killed her. And he cant also talk about anyone about that, for obvious reasons (but his grandfather knows and uses that against him).

Remember what I said about him being a masochist? Now is the era of his great self destruction (with an almost suicide attempt there, that his grandfather was present again and used that agaisnt him, *again*). Its all buttom up in him and he feels angry and sad and nothing. And between these 3, he chose anger. Also, Thea blames the Hawthorne for a death they didnt cause because who dares to say something bad about angles emily? So she puts the whole school agaisnt him and makes school unberable to him. Everyone likes to joke about Jameson missing school but has anyone ever wondered why he hated there so much? He didnt skiped class because he was a rebel ��🤘but because everyone f. hated him and made his life hell.

[warbliers]

Huge OC/Lore Dump!!

Extremely long, rambling post ahead.

These are quick bust concepts for characters for a ttrpg story I'm planning that hopefully I will get to play with my friends one day. (If not I simply plan to make more lore and perhaps dump it all into a narrative on ao3)

Last year, taking a manuscripts class, I spent a good portion of the fall researching a service book for an unknown flagellant confraternity. Based on some of the prayers it contains, it is very likely from Tuscany and more specifically the city of Pistoia. Like most cities, it dealt with its fair share of plague and famine during the late medieval age, but also faced conquest by neighboring Florence. Additionally, at the very end of the 14th century it was one of the major cities through which the Bianchi movement of flagellants processed. These Brotherhoods have long been of interest to me: the concept of self-abasement and mutilation in the name of peace. I read a lot on the "liminality" of these rituals (see Ronald F.E. Weissman working out of the scholarly tradition started by Arnold van Gennep) - these moments of group ritual which equalize all, suspending social hierarchy. That these movements and religious fervors became increasingly popular during moments of plague or war is quite telling! Additionally, I was in the height of my obsession with Pathologic at the time so... all that to say:

This ttrpg takes place in a mashed together conceptual reality of 12th-14th century rural Tuscany, heavily inspired by the city of Pistoia and its own unique geography and history. The concept of a "sick town" I obviously owe to Patho, and I really did just start by saying "what if everyone could get the Black Death, AND leprosy, AND the dancing plague, but also this is medieval Italy so theres obviously biblically accurate angels and demons and possessions." My loyalty to historical accuracy definitely has its holes but I do my best to research and not be too terribly anachronistic, unless it's to exaggerate certain effects of the horror, but this is all still under development after all.

My biggest inspirations here are, of course, my own obsession with religion and art history and southern Europe. As stated before, Pathologic is a huge inspiration, but so are Fear and Hunger, especially for its misrable atmosphere and dealings with higher beings/gods, and games like Blasphemous and Bloodborne.

The major theme as I've developed this has come to be "Do you know who you are praying to?" From the beginning it is obvious that the sickness here, though manifesting biologically, is obviously enhanced by something worse. I enjoy the concept of manifestation but taken up to a religious degree, that the prayers we shoot out into the empty universe are heard by someone somewhere, and that the worst of our thoughts can be heard by something powerful enough to make them true. And with that, I think I can now get into my characters!

Don Emiliano Merlo: My dear Emi is where it all started. He is a priest sent to the town by the Vatican to investigate the appearance of what the people have been calling "a Living Saint." He finds the town already in the throes of its many illnesses, and finds himself deeply entangled with the Saint (il Santissimo) on his mission to save others. He recognizes that this level of plague cannot be natural and has to be the work of something fouler, and he is inclined to work toward the spiritual salvation of this town. He is a highly sensitive soul, cut from a different cloth than many of the wealthier Roman priests and cardinals. His only issue now is that God seems to be deaf to his prayers, and he cannot figure out why.

Otello Aiello: Normally seen in full plague doctor garb, Otello is a well-known doctor among the common folk in the town. Lacking much religion, he represents a more scientific desire in solving the town's illnesses, though, as he watches things get worse, it is very hard not to sometimes wonder if these are bacteria or demons. He becomes close friends with Emiliano before falling out over disagreements regarding putting their trust in Santissimo, who Otello despises. He and Fortuna are married very happily, in an open relationship.

Duilio Boveri: A character based partially on the historical figure of Corso Donati. He is a wealthy Florentine who now forcefully controls the town after a recent Civil War. His relationship with one of my friend's characters for this game is something I am especially excited to develop: he is a young boy who works as a hired sword for Duilio, and his devotion to his "Master" has been very fun for me while developing this character more, as it falls within my favorite theme: obsession bordering on the religious.

Aldo: For plot reasons he remains mysterious, though he's one of my favorite characters. A young orphan boy who found his way to the town from the German states, he now works as a gravekeeper. He finds himself more at home with the dead; his mentality is something akin to Cotard's syndrome, though he is not distressed by his detachment from the living. He is antagonistic towards others, as seeing bodies simply left to lay in the streets amidst all the disease has shown him the lack of respect for "those like him." The townspeople dislike him for his attitude and find him offputting, as he tends to smell a lot like the bodies he spends time around.

Lady Fortuna: She is more commonly known in the public as the courtesan Properzia, and her biggest client is Duilio. Her real passion and life are as a fortune teller and a mystic, and though her husband calls himself a man of pure science, he cannot deny that what she divines tends to come to pass. She has more story significance, but her main function to start the game is to gather the players together and read their fortune, thus placing them all on this quest of fate. She starts as a tutorial character, essentially, but her importance will remain throughout.

Il Santissimo: As mentioned earlier, Emi is in town to investigate this figure, who appeared shortly after the diseases struck, promising help and miraculous healing. He is very taken with Emiliano, whether that is to the detriment of the poor priest is up to interpretation. The relationship between the two is what originally sparked this plot, they were my initial concepts: a beautiful miraculous being spawns in a town of death and disease, and here is man who loves everyone so much he blindly follows the promises of such a figure. Otello came in next as a counterpoint, his conflict with Emi over Santi creates the full spectrum.

I have two more important characters: a merchant, Pippo, and a flagellant, Giacomo. But I have no time to to draw recently, and they are both more elderly characters, and I am too much of a perfectionist to deal with the stress of drawing them now (I have always had trouble properly depicting agedness). But trust, there is more to come.

If you've read this far, I thank you for indulging in my rambling. I am always happy to talk more if you ever come across this post and it piques your interest.