#I might be American now and maybe i don’t have much of a connection but I want to know! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

its-time-to-write · 2 years ago

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this is 100% self indulgent. no one asked for this except me and I have zero excuse for how it turned out. i have no defense, no witty rebuttal, no nothing. i wrote this because i wanted to, and at the very least i hope this inspires someone to write their borderline-self-insert fic and post it publicly.

this fic is set after season 3. enjoy😂

(oh now might also be a good time to mention how much I love Man City. bc it’s a lot.)

can’t hear my thoughts (i cannot hear my thoughts)

Calling Lake Como beautiful is like saying space is big. It’s true for sure, but it feels like an understatement. It’s June and the weather is absolutely gorgeous, perfect for the wedding you’re attending. It’s for two good friends of yours, and it’s going to be a party full of football royalty. You’re mostly excited to see friends who are WAGs from other teams who you’ve connected with over the past year and a half.

Oh, and you suppose it will be a nice vacation with Jamie, too.

You’re staying at a beautiful hotel that’s been open since 1910, and you swear you’ll never stay somewhere as beautiful again.

“Getting ideas for the house?” Jamie teases, and it sends a thrill down your spine with the way he refers to his house as your collective home.

You grin as he spins you around the Suite Greta. Everything is golden, from the drapes to the pillows to the sun catching on his face.

“No,” you reply, “but maybe for a vacation home?”

Jamie laughs as he catches you up in his arms. “I could see us here in the next off-season. Not sure we’d get out much,” he muses and you wrap your arms around him as tight as they can go.

You’re here for a full week but Isaac’s wedding is only one day. You and Jamie have plans to see everyone who’s in town, as well as have some time to yourself.

“Sasha wants to go out for dinner tonight,” you tell Jamie as he unpacks his suitcase.

“Girls only, or will Jack be there?”

“Let’s see,” you hum as you scan the group chat. “Isabel said she and Erling will be there, so looks like it’s a couple’s thing. That’ll be fun, right?” you ask with just a hint of anxiety. Jamie and Jack are friends, they’ve run in the same circles for years, but you’re not sure how he’s going to feel about being outnumbered two to one, City to Richmond, at dinner.

“As long as Rodri ain’t there, I’m fucking chuffed,” he says as he lays out his suit on the bed.

“Chuffed? Is that a thing you say now?” you ask, flat on your back on the bed.

“Yep,” he replies. “I’m posh now, babe. Sorry you Americans can’t do it as well as we Brits.”

“I have it on good authority that we do it very well,” you smirk. “But I don’t think that’s something you’ll get to experience tonight. I haven’t seen Sash or Isa in ages, so we’ll probably talk for a long time and then I’ll be tired when we get back to the room.”

Jamie groans. “You’re sadistic, woman. The shit you put me through.”

You smile and remind him, “You’re the one who picked me, remember?”

—

Jamie is technically the one who picked you. You had just moved from America to London, got a temp job at a Richmond FC, and the rest is history. You don’t work at Richmond anymore, haven’t for a while, as you’ve been able to start your own thing in between attending matches and events and whatever else Jamie’s invited to. Being Jamie’s girlfriend is a full-time job on its own, and he definitely spoils you beyond what you’re used to. He’s the one who bought your dress for the wedding and it freaked you out just a little bit until you called Sasha (an angel, by the way) who laughed and talked you off the ledge.

“Comes with the territory, babe. They’re just boys with more money than they know what to do with. Jack’d buy me the moon if he could figure out how. Enjoy it. It’s been a while since anyone’s seen Tartt this happy.”

So you do. You had been living together for almost a year now so you’d think that a dress wouldn’t push you over the edge, but there you go. You’re trying to be calmer about it. It’s better ever since you met Sasha and Isabel.

You had been stuck in a room while Jamie talked to his old manager, and they had noticed your deer-in-the-headlights expression. You’re right in the middle of the two, age-wise, and from similar enough backgrounds.

“Here’s my number. Come over to my flat tomorrow for brunch. We’ll get you settled, babes,” Sasha had said. You went and it had been amazing to finally make real friends, even if they were technically on the opposing team.

You’re excited to see them, excited for Isaac to finally get married, and excited to spend a full seven days with Jamie by your side. It’s going to be the best.

—

You enter the venue arm-in-arm with Jamie, practically dancing across the grass. The sun’s shining and there are all sorts of people you know and love. It feels a little surreal to be here.

Earlier, back in the room, you had slipped into your dress carefully to avoid getting makeup stains on the front. The skirt fell just at your knees and puffed out ever so slightly, with thick straps instead of regular sleeves so you could fully enjoy the warm weather.

“Do a spin,” he had said, voice full of glee. You’d acquiesced, twirling around to let the blue tile print billow out before he caught you, kissing your shoulder so as not to ruin your makeup.

Now, you’re holding onto him and trying not to wrinkle his linen suit when you hear someone shout your name.

“Sasha!” you screech, running toward her as best you can with your shoes on the grass. You squeeze each other into a tight hug, uncaring about about the state of her hot pink dress.

“Hey man,” Jack says to Jamie, who grins and shakes his hand. “You’d think they haven’t seen each other in fucking ages.”

“It’s been twelve hours,” you say. “And before that it’s been like two months. Anyway, don’t you two have some football to discuss or something? Or headbands? Or-”

“Really short socks,” Sasha helpfully supplies.

Jamie shakes his head. “Fuck off, Attwood.”

“Fuck you, Tartt,” she replies.

“Oi, you two wouldn’t even be friends if it weren’t for me. You could be a little nicer,” Jamie says.

“Oh is that Hughes?” Jack asks before either Sasha or Jamie can escalate. Their entire friendship is based off sniping one another and neither you nor Jack are particularly in the mood for it today.

Jamie turns to look. “Oh mint, looks like things are starting. You saved us seats?”

“Yeah, with Haaland and Isabel,” Sasha returns, linking her arm through yours. “C’mon, did you get yourself a parasol?”

—

It’s the most beautiful wedding you’ve ever been to. Stella looks stunning in her gown, Isaac stoically sobs his eyes out while Colin surreptitiously hands him a tissue. Even Roy seems to be having a good time, but then again Keeley once told you that he “really fucking loves weddings.” You hadn’t believed her, but his lips are in a straight line instead of a frown so maybe she was right.

There’s a group of City and Richmond players together, and it’s a little strange to see how friendly they are off the pitch. Dani is explaining something with lots of hand gestures to Phil while the rest of the group jokes around.

Sasha sneaked you and Isabel away to get drinks for yourselves and you were about to get away unnoticed when Erling caught Isabel’s arm and asked for a drink too, so now you’re ordering for your boyfriends as well as yourselves.

You don’t really care, there’s a part of you that’s reveling in the sheer joy of being young and hot. Sue you.

“Cosmo, please,” you say while the girls order drinks of their own. Sasha raises an eyebrow so you shrug and say, “Jamie likes what he likes.”

She rolls her eyes and scoffs “Tartt,” but it’s with the affection of an older sister so you elbow her and ask, “What did Jack want?”

She makes a face. “Heineken. He also likes what he fuckin’ likes.”

You wheeze out a laugh as Isabel comes to join you. She smiles as she sips from something lavender colored in a martini glass. She cuts an elegant figure in her yellow, billowy dress. You smooth your dress and open your mouth to say something when a voice calls your name. You look to see your ex walking up, hand-in-hand with his wife. You know, the one he left you for.

“Jake,” you say in surprise. God, you need your brain to form coherent thoughts right now. “What are you doing here?”

He grins, far too wide and goofy to be real. Not like Jamie, you think.

“Oh, you know, Emma’s loosely related to the bride on her dad’s side. She asked for an invite, so here we are. Who are you here for? Bride or groom?”

“Both, actually,” you reply automatically. Jake’s words are grating, not so much in content as they are in tone. He always had a way of saying things condescendingly, like everyone else was a stupid little kid.

“Oh,” he says in what you think is supposed to be surprise, “that’s funny. I didn’t know you knew anyone out here. You’ve been living in England all alone, right?”

Emma just hovers by Jake’s shoulder. She’s not contributing anything to this conversation except a snooty little smirk.

“No,” you say. “I’m not alone. This is Isabel, by the way.” You look around for Sasha, but she’s disappeared. Smart girl.

Isa doesn’t extend her hand. “Nice to meet you,” she says and Jake takes her at her word. He puffs up his chest a little bit as he asks, “Where are you from? You don’t sound British.”

“We’re from Norway,” a voice behind her says. “I’m Erling.”

Sasha has reappeared with Jack, Erling, and Jamie in tow. You mentally congratulate her with a well done, Sash as you feel Jamie’s arm loop around your waist.

He feels like a solid wall against your back, a glimmer in an otherwise garbage moment.

Jake takes stock of the three men who are looking at him with less-than friendly stares. You’re not sure what Sasha told them, but you’re absolutely positive Jamie recognizes Jake. You can practically feel the hairs on his arm bristling.

Jake finishes his assessment and deems it appropriate to talk. “So, how do you all know each other?”

Jamie scoffs and looks away, while Jack stares at Jake like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

You wonder what it is with your affinity for J-names.

“We’re footballers,” Erling says before anyone can take more offense.

“Premier League footballers,” Jamie adds, as if it means anything to Jake.

Jake’s American, like you, and he’s never been much for sports anyway. He wouldn’t even recognize David Beckham if the man were standing under a poster of himself.

Jake says, “Right. Hey, weren’t you on one of those trashy dating shows?” and Jamie stiffens.

Sasha mutters, “Fuck’s sake,” under her breath as Erling and Isabel take pointed interest in something in the distance.

“No,” Jamie replies shortly. “The fuck were you talking to my girl?”

Jake looks to you in surprise. “Oh! You two are together? That’s… well, that’s… I guess I just didn’t expect her to be whoring around like that. But hey, move to another country and all morals go out the window, right?”

That’s the thing about Jake. He never speaks as if he’s actually trying to be offensive. He just says what’s on his mind. And you’re a little concerned that what’s on his mind is going to land Jamie (and quite possible Jack) in jail. Neither of them are especially known for backing down from a squabble. “Cut from the same cloth,” Pep was rumored to say.

“Fuck off, mate,” Jack interjects. “Just fuck off. Everyone here loves her, and you can’t talk about her like that.”

Your ex reevaluates the situation at hand and decides the best thing to do would be to take Emma’s hand and walk away.

“Strange that his wife does not speak,” Erling remarks.

You grimace. “You could’ve stopped at ‘strange.’ No idea what I ever saw in him.”

Jamie has a crushing grip on your waist so you wiggle a bit to get him to loosen up.

“Prick,” he mutters. “How the fuck did he even get here, anyway? He’s in fucking America.”

“His wife’s loosely related to Stella. They asked for an invite,” Isabel volunteers.

Jamie rolls his eyes. “Oi, if he tries to talk to you again, I’ll grab Roy and we’ll fucking kill him.”

“Yeah, ‘cause McAdoo’s never been above a little violence at a party,” Jack grins.

You return his smile and say, “Thanks, but I’m pretty sure his mother-in-law would kill you.”

Erling huffs out a laugh. “Never a dull moment in the Premier League, is there?”

Isabel grins and loops her arm through his. “I’m tired of all this,” she says. “Let’s go dancing. There’s a band and we don’t have to think about anything other than celebrating, yes?”

“God yes,” says Sasha.

Jamie still looks murderous, but you squeeze his hand once and whisper, “I’m fine, babe. It’s fine.”

He looks like he wants to argue, but he lets you pull him along to the dance floor with the group.

—

There are so many people that you don’t even catch a glimpse of Jake and Emma. You’re not sure what they’re up to, and fairly certain they don’t know anyone else here. You on the other hand, are living your best life as Jamie sings along to “Ain’t No Mountain.” He’s swinging your arms around as he sways in time to the music. You just let him lead you however he wants. The song ends and he presses his lips to your ear so you can hear him over the sheer volume of everyone talking. “D’you want a drink? I can go get you something.”

You nod and mouth my usual, please, so he salutes and begins weaving his way through the crowd. You watch him as long as you can before spinning back around with a smile.

A smile that quickly fades when you realize Emma is right in front of you.

She says, “Cute dress,” and for a moment, you believe she’s being sincere but then she follows it up with, “Did you borrow it from your grandma’s closet? I’ve seen people do that.”

Right, because grandmas are known for wearing dresses like this.

“What? No, Jamie got it for me,” you say.

“Oh cute, is it from Walmart? I think I saw something like it there last week.”

Emma is trying to draw blood. You suppose she’s taking her shot now as opposed to back then because she thinks there’s no one around to call her out. No one who knows her.

You say, “They don’t have Walmart here,” instead of “It’s Dolce & Gabbana,” because the second phrase would make you sound like a prick. There’s a part of you that wants to be a prick, though, wants to channel that part of Jamie that’s ruthless, vicious and cruel, messing with the opposition before he cuts them down.

The first time you saw it, it was hard to believe the Jamie on the pitch was the same Jamie who played with your hair while you cooked, or put a sticky note on his fridge titled “Babe,” detailing everything you’d ever said you liked.

Emma sees she’s not getting to you, so she changes tactics. “Must be hard being here without any friends,” she remarks. “All alone. And you’ve never been especially extraverted. Are those people the only ones here you know?”

God, Jamie, where are you?

You open your mouth to respond but are cut off by someone with a distinctly midwestern twang say, “I heard one of my favorite countrywomen was here.”

You turn to see Ted Lasso grinning at you in a black suit. It’s the same smile you remember, albeit his eyes are a little sharp. You’d bet anything he knows exactly what’s going on between you and Emma.

“Ted!” you smile as a rush of relief floods your system. You step into his arms for a hug as he says, “Hey, sweetheart. How’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know,” you say. “Kind of great, actually. I wondered if you were going to be here! Have you seen Jamie yet?”

Ted shakes his head. “Y’know, I haven’t. Why don’t we find him together?” He offers you an arm and you take it gratefully, choosing not to spare Emma a glance.

“She seems like a real bucket of laughs,” Ted remarks.

“You have no idea. That’s my ex’s wife.”

Whatever Ted thought you were going to say, he certainly wasn’t prepared for that. He opens and closes his mouth a few times before settling on a short, “Well I’ll be danged.”

You laugh and stand on tiptoes to try to see Jamie. You don’t see him, but you catch a glimpse of an especially tall, blond head.

“This way,” you tell Ted. You brush past Phil who smiles at you, past Colin and Michael, and past someone you’re pretty sure is a Beckham.

You make your way to Erling and Isabel as they dance to the music in their own corner.

You frown. “Have you seen Jamie?” you shout.

Isabel shakes her head. “He was looking for you,” she calls back.

“Oh,” you say, “Ted, this is Isabel and-”

“Erling Haaland,” Ted says, hand outstretched. “Pleasure to meet you, son. Big fan of the way you play the game.”

You miss Erling’s response, startled by a hand on your shoulder. You turn to see Sam standing behind you.

“Sam!” you exclaim with a grin, “You look so handsome!”

Sam returns your grin and strikes a pose. “I’ve been sent on a very important mission. I am to retrieve you and bring you to Jamie and I am under no circumstances allowed to let a small rat man named Jake speak to you.”

You raise an eyebrow.

“Jamie’s words, not mine,” Sam clarifies. “Although I must admit, I have seen this rat man. I do not like him very much.”

“You and me both,” you agree. You wave to Isabel and pat Ted on the arm before following Sam.

He leads you away from the crowd of people to a stone path illuminated by small lights. This can’t be right, you think but Sam points down the path and says, “This is where I leave you.”

He turns to leave then changes his mind and spins back around. “It was lovely seeing you today, albeit for a short amount of time. I hope I will be seeing more of you while we are here. It is not often I meet someone who makes Jamie more tolerable.”

He speaks with a touch of humor and it’s just enough to dispel any apprehensions about what’s waiting for you in the dark.

You say, “Thanks Sam. Love ya,” which he returns before he disappears back to the main party.

You take a breath and head down the steps.

It’s dark, the light barely shining enough for each step, but as you get farther you see a shadowy figure sitting on a bench under a tree. You smile. You can tell exactly who it is by his silhouette.

Jamie stands as you get closer and pulls you into his arms.

“Thought we’d sneak away to make out a bit,” he says. “And maybe to you wouldn’t yell at me in front of all our friends.”

You groan. “What did you do? Please tell me it has nothing to do with Roy. Or Jack. Oh my god, did you two start convincing people you were separated at birth again? Because it’s really only funny one time.”

“Well…” Jamie hedges.

You pinch his back. It’s the only part of him you can reach at the moment. “Jamie Tartt, you’d better tell me what you did right now or so help me you are going to be sleeping on the couch for the rest of our lives.”

“Oi, don’t fucking do that!”

He reaches back to grab your hands and holds them flat on his chest. “We- Roy, Grealish, and me, might have gotten your prick ex kicked out.”

“You what?” you gasp.

Jamie starts speaking in a rush before you can say anything else. “Look, y’know how protective Grealish gets, especially because Sasha fucking loves you, and then Roy heard that your prick ex was here (not the twat ex) and he said it’s easier for him to get in and out of fights on account of him being a fucking manager but then Grealish said that it’s pretty much expected that fights happen so might as well and anyway, no one’s gonna fuckin’ snitch on any of us because (hate to break it to you babe), but you’re, like, everyone’s kid sister. They’d fucking kill for you so it’s possible that we channeled that into threatening to break all of his bones if he ever ended up in the same country as you again.”

You’re processing all of the things Jamie said plus the incredible speed at which he said them, so all you can manage is a single “Okay,” before he’s talking again.

“Ehm, it’s also slightly-fucking-possible that someone did break his foot.”

“What?” you all but shout.

“Coordinated effort between Isa and Haaland,” Jamie says. “Lad’s a fucking wall, don’t know if you’ve noticed.”

“Jesus, Jamie,” you groan. “I don’t know if I should kiss you or pinch you again.”

“You can do both,” he suggests.

You sigh. “I’m going to kiss you. Like, a lot. And I’m not going to worry about getting caught and after we’ve snogged like a pair of kids in high school- sorry, secondary school, then we’re going to eat a bunch more food and dance with our friends. And if you want to get sloshed, I promise I will only take funny videos for myself, and I will not send them to your mum this time.”

Jamie says, “Liar,” as he kisses the tip of your nose.

“Fine,” you concede, “I will most definitely send them to your mum. And Simon. We’re on a group chat.”

“Not even gonna fucking ask,” Jamie says as he threads a hand through your hair so he can get at a better angle to kiss you.

—

You wake up the next morning (ahem, afternoon) to Jamie’s foot in your face.

“Excuse me, sir,” you say.

He hiccups himself awake. “Yeah?” he rumbles. “What fucking time..?”

“Late, I assume,” you say.

He groans and flips himself around so your heads are on the same side of the bed. He wastes no time in tangling your limbs together.

“Oi, koala boy. Some of us have morning breath.”

“No y’don’t babe,” he mumbles.

You scratch his head and a shudder runs through his body. “I know,” you say, “my breath is perfect. I meant you. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Cruel woman,” he returns before lapsing into silence. The sun slips through the curtains, and you’re sure it’s going to be another gorgeous day

“Jamie,” you begin then stop.

He says, “Yeah, love?” while looking up at you with his gorgeous blue eyes and you take a moment to freeze this image in your head.

Jamie Tartt, in bed, hair tousled from sleep. Pillowy white duvet, golden freckled skin, warm body pressed to yours.

He kisses your shoulder, rousing you from your thoughts.

“Jamie,” you say again, “I wanted to say-”

“Don’t,” he interjects. “You’re not fucking allowed to say thank you for the bare fucking minimum.”

“But it’s not,” you reply, opting to skate over the fact that he apparently can read your mind. “Bare minimum is like, making sure I’m not alone with him, not getting your friends together to scare him off and break his foot.”

Jamie’s been kissing your skin wherever he can reach as you speak, so his words are interspersed with pecks. “Technically, the foot was an accident. Ask any one of our witnesses. And besides, they’re your friends too. You’re the one who got ‘em all to like ya despite the fact we’re mortal enemies on the pitch.”

“You’re the one who goes tanning with Jack,” you remind him.

“Lies told by the press,” Jamie grumbles. “This is my natural sexy glow.”

You say, “Okay little British boy,” as Jamie decides that his current position is not enough and he wants to lay on top of you.

He says something but his face is buried in the crook of your neck, so all you can feel is vibrations.

You ask, “Hm?” so he lifts his head.

“What if it were us next year?”

“Tanning or breaking feet?”

“Getting married.”

Jamie goes back to having his mouth on your neck as if the air weren’t just punched from your lungs.

You’re quiet long enough that he lifts his head again to ask, “Is that good quiet or bad quiet?”

“Good!” you hastily confirm. “Good, but, babe- you haven’t even asked me yet.”

He says, “I’m going to,” as if you should have known already.

“Okay,” you breathe, “can you give me like a little heads up or something so my nails are done?”

“Uh-huh,” he says, “At the end of the week. Been planning it. Ring’s in my bag, even asked Stella if she’d be pissed that it’s the same week she took on the most un-sexy last name in history. She said she don’t give a shit as long as it’s not at her actual wedding. So.”

“I love you,” you tell him. “Not just because of yesterday or right now. I just think you’re great.”

“I am great, babe,” he says like it’s obvious. “Picked you, didn’t I?”

You crack a smile. “Alright, that’s enough out of you. Do you want to get out of bed or go back to sleep?”

“Sleep,” he replies immediately.

“Thank God,” you groan, “I didn’t want to move. You’re like a weighted blanket.”

“It’s me sexy muscles,” Jamie says. You wiggle under him to get more comfortable.

“Uh huh,” you agree, but the words are hardly out of your mouth before you’re both back to sleep.

#jamie tartt x reader #jamie tartt fanfiction #jamie tartt imagine #jamie tartt x y/n #jamie tartt x you #jamie tartt #ted lasso

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duckprintspress · 6 months ago

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Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with 7 Queer Books We Love

November is National Native American Heritage Month! We’re celebrating with books (as always, lol). We asked our rec list contibutors for their favorite queer books either by Native American authors or starring Native American characters. Most of these books (maybe all, I couldn’t confirm for all the authors) are both! Contributors to the list are Nina Waters, hullosweetpea, D.V. Morse, Shea Sullivan and an anonymous contributor.

Indiginerds edited by Alina Pete

First Nations culture is living, vibrant, and evolving…

…and generations of Indigenous kids have grown up with pop culture creeping inexorably into our lives. From gaming to social media, pirate radio to garage bands, Star Trek to D&D, and missed connections at the pow wow, Indigenous culture is so much more than how it’s usually portrayed. These comics are here to celebrate those stories!

Featuring an all-Indigenous creative team, INDIGINERDS is an exhilarating anthology collecting 11 stories about Indigenous people balancing traditional ways of knowing with modern pop culture.

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Díaz

Postcolonial Love Poem is a thunderous river of a book, an anthem of desire against erasure. It demands that every body carried in its pages – bodies of language, land, suffering brothers, enemies and lovers – be touched and held. Here, the bodies of indigenous, Latinx, black and brown women are simultaneously the body politic and the body ecstatic, and portrayed with a glowing intimacy: the alphabet of a hand in the dark, the hips’ silvered percussion, a thigh’s red-gold geometry, the emerald tigers that leap in a throat. In claiming this autonomy of desire, language is pushed to its dark edges, the astonishing dune fields and forests where pleasure and love are both grief and joy, violence and sensuality.

Natalie Diaz defies the conditions from which she writes, a nation whose creation predicated the diminishment and ultimate erasure of bodies like hers and the people she loves. Her poetry questions what kind of future we might create, built from the choices we make now – how we might learn our own cures and ‘go where there is love’.

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Nina is a Lipan girl in our world. She’s always felt there was something more out there. She still believes in the old stories.

Oli is a cottonmouth kid, from the land of spirits and monsters. Like all cottonmouths, he’s been cast from home. He’s found a new one on the banks of the bottomless lake.

Nina and Oli have no idea the other exists. But a catastrophic event on Earth, and a strange sickness that befalls Oli’s best friend, will drive their worlds together in ways they haven’t been in centuries.

And there are some who will kill to keep them apart.

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear–and even follow you home.These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.

The Witch King (Witch King series) by H.E. Edgmon

Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from–but a kingdom demands its king.

In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.

Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important–his people or his freedom.

Elatsoe (Elatsoe series) by Darcie Little Badger

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky series) by Rebecca Roanhorse

A god will return When the earth and sky converge Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

What are your favorite queer books with Native American representation?

Want to chat your favorite reads with us? Join our Book Lover’s Discord server!

Update your Goodreads TBR with any of these books by visiting our queer Native American books shelf on Goodreads!Shop books with Native American rep using our rec list on our Bookshop.org affiliate page!

#duck prints press #native american heritage month #queer books #queer book recommendations #book recs #rec list #book recommendations #native american characters #native american authors

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pen-pal-ideas · 3 months ago

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📮 Letter-writing activism

Recently I became interested in the role that letters have played in activism throughout history (especially black history!), and was considering how this might be effective today in the U.S.

Who could we write letters to?

Neighbors. Invite your neighbors to local protests and activism events, inform them of boycott efforts, and just generally let them know how they can help. Much like a medical emergency where someone needs to delegate and say “YOU IN THE GREEN SHIRT — call an ambulance!” for anything to get done, your good-hearted neighbors might be frozen with anxiety, uncertain of what to do or how to help. A letter personally inviting them and letting them know their community needs them might be all it takes to get them to show up. (Bonus: you could hand-deliver to a neighbor, no postage needed.)

Elected officials. Yep, we’ve all heard this one before. But guess what? The few officials who are actually working their asses off for causes you care about need to hear your support and be assured that they are indeed serving the public. And some need to hear that you need them to step up. Others may not be able to hear much, but who knows, maybe you can pick an issue they might care about, i.e. taxes, print a graph on your envelope and demand to know why tax cuts are disproportionately benefiting the rich when you were told they were going to help the everyday American. And fun fact: You can make any issue into an issue politicians should care about by connecting it to “big government,” “American values,” “family,” etc.

Churches and religious leaders. Religion is unfortunately becoming intertwined with politics in the U.S. in an increasingly negative way. Challenge those local religious leaders who use their faith to justify hate. Ask, “how can we claim to love our queer neighbors if we are too busy pretending they don’t exist?” Draw on values that they claim to care about, challenge them, and let them know specifically how they are directly harming the very community they claim to shepherd. (If they don’t have a mailbox and you’re really brave you could go in and drop a letter in their donations baskets.)

Now on the one hand, letters are no longer as common a communication method as they once were. But on the other hand, this also means that receiving a letter can be a unique and meaningful moment. You also might have a better chance at reaching 75-year old Nana who doesn’t see your social justice instagram stories, but who personally remembers activism during the Civil Rights movement (for example) and can share valuable insights and knowledge.

If you’re interested, here’s a page (this is also the source of the image above) from the Smithsonian’s learning lab about the history of letters and activism, as well as tips for writing a letter of your own and making it stand out.

Haven’t sent much physical mail before? Here’s a guide from the USPS on how to address and mail a letter. A standard stamp costs 73¢ currently. Buy a sheet of stamps and share with your friends so that everyone can write a letter!

Lastly, I want to say I’m definitely not any kind of expert on activism, and I’m not usually active about it on social media. But as an avid pen-paller, I do feel there is a unique power in letters. As I watch the attacks on basic human rights and the grabs for power in the U.S., I figured making this post and sending a letter of my own was the very least I could do.

Please feel free to add on and share your own knowledge and experiences! Who else could we write to? What makes an effective letter?

I will be honored if anyone reblogs, and even more so if you commit to sending just one letter of your own!

🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

#snail mail revolution #politics #snail mail #pen pal

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teenwolfbywitchofhellridge · 6 months ago

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My little crush on Tyler Hoechlin

Alright, let’s talk about Tyler Hoechlin, my inexplicable (or maybe very explicable) crush, wrapped up in a mix of his roles, his genuine charm, and his whole vibe that just gets me—a Polish introvert who finds herself absolutely smitten by this effortlessly warm American actor.

Let’s start with the roles that first hooked me in. Obviously, Teen Wolf’s Derek Hale, that brooding, growling, protector-with-trust-issues, instantly stole my heart. I’m here for all that tortured, misunderstood energy, wrapped up in a leather jacket and a stare that could probably kill vampires, if it came to that. And then, fast-forward to Superman & Lois, and suddenly Tyler is this open, clumsy, adorkable Clark Kent who’s trying to keep his life together with a dimpled smile and big-hearted sincerity. Talk about a range! From intense alpha werewolf to the world’s sweetest superhero, he’s got both ends of the spectrum covered—and he nails them both, effortlessly.

But it’s not just those headline roles. No, the crush really deepened when I started to notice him in some of his lesser-known projects. Take Bigger, where he plays Joe Weider, a guy with this quiet resilience, building a fitness empire from the ground up. It’s a subtler performance, filled with understated glances and moments that could easily go overlooked if you’re not paying attention—but Tyler makes you pay attention. He brings this determined vulnerability to the character, making you believe that Joe really did have what it took to change the world, one dumbbell at a time. It’s not flashy, but that’s what makes it so good; he gets the art of holding back, of letting the quiet moments do the talking.

And speaking of talking, don’t even get me started on his interviews. Tyler’s one of those rare actors who doesn’t just go through the motions; he brings a thoughtfulness to his interviews that’s downright magnetic. He’s humble, insightful, and introspective, the kind of guy who makes you want to listen to his perspective on, well, everything. He’ll casually talk about how he’s drawn to roles with depth or explain why certain characters matter to him, and suddenly I’m nodding along like I’m in a mini philosophy class. He’s clearly someone who cares about what he does, and that sincerity shows in every role he takes.

And then, the cherry on top: how he is with his fans. Now, as a Polish introvert, I’ve always marveled at that American openness, that effortless way of connecting with people without a second thought. Tyler takes this openness to another level, especially when he’s meeting fans. He doesn’t just do the polite smile and nod; he’s actually present. You can see it in the way he takes his time with each person, his expression saying, “Hey, it’s totally okay if you’re a little starstruck—I get it.” It’s like he understands that fans might be a bit nervous, maybe even overwhelmed, and he doesn’t just brush it off; he embraces it. He’s calm, kind, grounded, making everyone feel seen, even those of us who’d rather be hiding under a table than meeting a celebrity.

I can’t quite explain why that resonates so much with me. Maybe it’s my introverted heart that’s secretly in awe of someone who can be that open and kind, or maybe it’s just him. Because while I’d be mentally preparing for hours to hold a decent conversation, he seems to connect with people from all walks of life in a heartbeat. There’s a sincerity there, a genuine warmth, and it makes me admire him not just as an actor but as a fellow human. So, yes, call it a crush or maybe a bit of a fascination, but I’ll happily admit that Tyler Hoechlin isn’t just a talented actor or a charismatic presence on screen. He’s someone who’s got this blend of thoughtfulness, authenticity, and warmth that somehow manages to charm even the quietest, most introverted corners of my Polish heart. There’s something comforting in knowing there are people out there like him—kind, grounded, and entirely okay with meeting fans in whatever emotional state they’re in. It’s rare, and it makes him more than just another celebrity. He feels, honestly, like a genuinely good human.

And hey, I’m not usually one to get sentimental (okay, maybe a little), but if we’re talking about life and last wishes here… well, it’s pretty clear. If I were dying and somehow had one final wish, some precious wish granted through one of those hospice programs for kids (and fine, I know I’m not a kid, but bear with me!), that wish would absolutely be dinner with Tyler Hoechlin. Just a simple meal, no glamor or glitz, where I could sit across from him, laugh, and maybe get to see up close if he’s really as down-to-earth as he seems.

A part of me thinks he’d make it unforgettable, not just for me but for anyone lucky enough to be there. And even if my introvert soul would be struggling to form coherent sentences, it’d still be perfect, just for the chance to see that kind smile in real life, even for a little while.

#teen wolf #tyler hoechlin #derek hale #clark kent #superman

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loversj0y · 2 years ago

Note

For your 200 follower event you should do Invisible String with Wil! Maybe inspired by him being on tour, and once you guys connect, you realize all the similarities/close calls you’ve had to each other?

invisible string

event masterlist

pairing: wilbur soot x gn! reader

tws: bars/references to drinking

notes: this might be tphe longest one bc it felt wrong making it Not long, i guess so i hope you enjoy :3

word count: 2.5k

taglist: @l0veb0mb1ng / @core-queen / @zooone / @lillylvjy / @melunnek

You hated heartbreak and the way it seemed to accompany you like an old friend. Several bad breakups led to the collective feeling of needing to leave, wanting to run, so you did. It wasn’t hard to find a university you could study abroad in and accommodations, especially with the proficiency in your courses meaning a scholarship wasn’t hard to find. Choosing a place to go was the hardest part; you knew you wanted to go to the UK, but you didn’t know where. Thankfully, there was a pretty simple solution: throwing a dart at a map. Leading you here: Brighton. The taxi drove you to your new apartment, and there was a rock song playing you’d wished to have gotten the name of before you got dropped off.

After a week of unpacking and settling in, you’d gotten notably bored. So you decided to look for a place to go, or something to do, and you stumbled across a pretty small club that seemed quite nice. You walked in, and at first it reminded you of the dive bars back in America, but a bit nicer. You went up to the bar and ordered quickly, trying to speak a bit quieter given the glaringly obvious American accent. It wasn’t enough to entirely hide it, though. Once you got your drink, a blond boy who’d been next to you at the bar spoke up, loudly.

“Are you American?”

You looked at him and nodded. He seemed a bit younger, but given that he was in here meant he was probably at least 18. “Yeah, I just moved here.”

He perked up, grinning, “Follow me!” He didn’t give you much a choice before grabbing your arm and dragging you over to his friends, “My name’s Tommy, by the way! My brother Wilbur loves America, so he’ll be excited to meet you, c’mon!”

You chuckled, allowing yourself to be dragged over by him. He brought you to a group of five people, two of whom were incredibly tall. All five of them were giving an incredulous look at Tommy, making you laugh a bit.

“Wilbur!” Tommy basically yelled as he pulled you over, “I found an American!”

You fought the urge to hide your face in your hands, instead taking a sip of your drink.

One of the taller guys, who you presumed was Wilbur, sputtered at Tommy, “Tommy! You can’t just drag someone over because they’re American, for fucks sake.”

“Yes, but you love America and you needed some cheering up, so ta-da!”

Wilbur just facepalmed, sighing and looking over at you now. He was an attractive guy, light brown curls and a tall frame, plus a good fashion sense if the Doc Martins were anything to go off of. “I am so sorry he abducted you. He is a child with no sense of manners.”

You chuckled softly, especially as Tommy gasped dramatically in response. “It’s alright,” you smiled softly, “Beats the alternative of sitting alone at the bar for an hour, so.” You shrugged.

Wilbur gave you a bit of a thoughtful look, but before he could speak up, the girl next to Tommy spoke.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, even if he literally just dragged you over. I’m Molly, Tommy’s girlfriend.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” you smiled softly, before Tommy took charge once more.

“Yes, right! Introductions! I’m Tommy, obviously the coolest one here, Molly is my wonderful and only wife, Jack over there is an dick, don’t be friends with him, but that’s his girlfriend Ellie, she’s too cool for him. You spoke to Wilbur, my lame brother, already, and the only one taller than him is the very gorgeous Ranboo,” he explained.

Not a single person looked pleased with his explanation, but they also didn’t exactly look surprised by him.

“Right, well, nice to meet you guys. I’m Y/N.”

“So, you’re actually from America? Are you visiting?” Jack asked, a kind smile on his face.

“Yeah, uh, I just moved here actually. I just needed a change of pace, I guess, so I actually transferred to the university out here.”

He nodded, and you could feel the entire group’s eyes on you for a moment. It was a bit unsettling, but that was more just the nerves.

“Cool, fellow American,” the tallest one, Ranboo, spoke up. You looked up at him (he was really tall), and you smiled.

“Glad to know I’m not the only one out here. How’d you end up out here?”

“Uh… work, actually. It’s kind of a long story, but I had to move out here for my work stuff, so I did.” He shifted his eyes a bit as he spoke, and you just nodded, assuming he didn’t want to be pressed on the matter.

“Wilbur,” Tommy spoke, “tell them some cool America facts.”

“Tommy, they very likely know them better than me given that they actually lived there.” Wilbur chuckled softly.

I smiled softly at Wilbur, “I’d still like to hear them. Maybe I can tell you if you’re mistaken about any of them.”

He looked over and gave you a grin, and the conversations paired off. You and Wilbur discussed America and where you lived, and the fact that Americans need to stop building parking lots, which you agreed with.

After nearly an hour and a half, he disengaged, turning to Tommy, “I have to head out now, Toms. I’ll see you tomorrow though, yeah?”

Tommy nodded, then gave Wilbur a bit of an evil grin, turning to you, “Did Wilbur tell you he’s a big musician? He’s got to leave early because he’s got a gig tomorrow and has to do boring musician things.”

“Really?” You grinned softly, “That’s really fucking cool.”

“Yeah, well, Wilbur’s lame, but his band is cool. You should come to the gig!” Tommy exclaimed, and Wilbur’s cheeks dusted red, eyes widening at Tommy.

“I’d love to, but, only if it’s okay with you, I guess,” You looked up at Wilbur, raising your eyebrows.

He nodded a bit stiffly, “yeah, no, that’d be great. The more the merrier. I’ll see you both tomorrow then.” He waved, heading off quite quickly after.

“Is… he going to be mad at you for inviting me?” You chuckled, looking over at Tommy.

“Eh, he will be at first. I’ll probably wake up to an upset text, but it’s just because he gets nervous playing in front of people he wants to impress. Once he does fine after, he’ll text me all ‘Oh, Tommy, you’re so smart and right, thank you for inviting them since I was too much of a pussyhole to ask myself,’” he mocked Wilbur’s voice, and you laughed a bit. You blushed slightly at the implication that Wilbur wanted to impress you.

After a bit longer, the group dispersed, and you headed home. You actually ended up living pretty close to Tommy, who was about two blocks down from you. As you headed inside to your apartment, you smiled and got excited at the idea of going to the gig tomorrow and seeing Wilbur again. You fell asleep excited and wondering what type of music you’d hear from him and pleased with the people you’d happened to find.

You managed to get to the gig without too much trouble the next day, and you were shocked by the sheer amount of people waiting outside. Tommy had texted you about going to a back entrance, which thankfully wasn’t too hard to find. He was waiting by the door to help you in as well, and you felt immediately starstruck.

The place was pretty big, and Wilbur was already standing in the centre of the stage, practicing something on his guitar. The lights were hitting him perfectly, and he looked like an angel. You struggled to look away, until Tommy came up and basically draped himself against you.

“Stop simpin’ after Wilbur, c’monnnn, we’re heading backstage. He needs his little ‘rockstar-practice time’ or whatever.”

You flushed, turning away from Wilbur, “I’m not simping, I’m just in awe. This is really cool.”

“Yeah, yeah, well,” he walked further backstage with you following him, “you should’ve seen how long it took him to get used to it. Whole band did a bunch of fake shows to get used to performing.”

“Really? That’s smart, actually.”

Tommy just shrugged, taking you to room backstage where there was a much larger group of people than the night before. You recognized Molly and Jack, but the other three were complete strangers.

“Oh, Y/N, you came!” Molly grinned, waving. You waved back at her, nodding a bit.

“These lot are more of the band. They are much cooler than Wilbur, you’ll find. That’s Ash, Leandra, and Mark.”

You waved, saying a quick hello, before allowing yourself to become an observer of the conversation.

The show started not too long after, with you, Jack, Molly, and Tommy watching from the side stage. You quickly discovered that the band, Lovejoy, was incredibly popular, and their music was fantastic. And Wilbur.

Wilbur was something else on stage. He was fully in his element, lights covering him in halo glows. His voice was melodic, and it made you want to melt. From the side stage, you could see how he leaned against the mic, the passion in his voice, and the intensity he matched in each song. It was about halfway through the show though, that you felt you blood run cold.

The song you’d heard in the cab when you moved in. It was their song. And if that wasn’t just the biggest coincidence slapping you in the face than god knows what was. You didn’t know what to make of it, other than feeling incredibly overwhelmed by fate and the new friends you’d made.

By the end of the show, you felt strange. You felt incredibly uncertain about your place in the world most days, but for some reason, as you watched Wilbur approach you and the group, you felt like there was no where else you belonged.

“Hey,” he walked over with a grin, “You came! What did you think?”

He looked almost nervous as he asked, sweat still dripping from his forehead as you chuckled, “It was amazing! I actually recognized one as well!”

A startled look crossed his face for a moment, “You did? Which one?”

“The, ah, I didn’t catch the name of it originally, but I want to say it’s Call Me What You Like if the setlists are correct. It was playing in my cab when I was dropped off in Brighton.”

He grinned, “Really? It was on the radio?”

You nodded, “Yeah! I thought it was fantastic, but I didn’t have time to catch the name. At least now I don’t have to worry about forgetting it.”

“Oh, trust me, I wouldn’t let you,” he gave you a grin that shined brighter than any light on that stage, and you felt butterflies flood your stomach as you considered that maybe it was fate that brought you here.

Sometimes you didn’t consider the ways that time worked. In the span of one year, so much more had changed than you’d ever even considered. You moved to a new country, started a new school, made new friends. You cut your hair, changed your wardrobe, got a better music taste. You became much more social, started dating Wilbur, learned to feel more confident in yourself.

The relationship probably was the most shocking of anything to happen. But it happened quickly, and it felt so right and so easy, as if your previous heartbreaks never occurred. You still had problems, mind you, however, there was something within you telling you it was fate constantly.

You thought about fate a lot when you thought about your relationship. The random effect of the universe tended to have a weird way of making you think about stuff like that. The statistical chances of choosing to move to Brighton by throwing a dart at a map, of hearing Wilbur’s song play in your cab. Then there were the numerous things you’d learned over time, small coincidences that pointed to a string of fate tying you together. Of the color of his first album being the color of your first prom dress. Of the time he visited America and ended up staying twenty minutes from where you lived. Of your first boyfriend sharing Wilbur’s middle name. Of all these tiny clues of parallel moments within your lives that you could only see now in retrospect.

The biggest thing within this string was the connection you felt to him that first night. It felt like that little string pulled you straight into that bar. When all of a sudden, all the stress and feelings you’d had about heartbreak and needing to run felt soothed, all past mistakes feeling fuzzy in comparison to something that was so right.

“Darling,” Wilbur chuckled softly, “What are you thinking so hard about?” He smiled, walking over to where you were already laying down, ready for bed.

“Do you ever think about fate?” You asked as he gently pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Not often, I guess. Why?”

“I just think about us, and I just feel like there’s been a string connecting us, tying us together, and we just couldn’t see it.”

He smiled softly, slowly getting into bed next to you, “You think?”

“I don’t know for certain. But I know that there’s way too many coincidences to be normal. And that in one year, just by moving here… I don’t know it feels like I wasn’t living before being here, and even more now that I’m with you. I actually feel in charge of my life. Like time just changed everything for the better, and I have to at least believe that maybe it’s because fate brought us here.”

He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you into him, “Yeah. I’ve never quite thought about it like that. I like that idea though. I mean, the chances of us actually meeting were so slim. As much as I don’t love the concept of fate, I’ll love fate for this. Because if fate is what brought me to you, then I owe it so much.”

You smiled lovingly at him, leaning forward to kiss him gently, “I owe it so much too. That- that little thread of gold tying us together.”

He held you a bit tighter, turning off the lamp next to him, “You think it’d be gold?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

He chuckled, “Why is that?”

“Because it’s your last name. And the leaves were gold when I moved here in the fall. What about you?”

“Hm,” he hummed, “Gold could be fitting. But I think it’d be some sort of blue or purple, like the sunset we watched on our first proper date.”

“That’d be nice,” you smiled softly, “I’m just glad it was there, if it is real.”

“Me too, love,” he whispered, before pulling you into a slow and gentle kiss.

#mar's 200 follower event #mar writes #wilbur soot x reader #mcyt x reader #dsmp x reader #wilbur x reader #wilbur soot #wilbur soot x you #wilbur x y/n #wilbur #wilbur soot fluff #mcyt fanfiction

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swlyf-24 · 10 months ago

Text

The Exploding Star

Oscar had learnt astronomy just for Logan. He never cared for it, finding it boring to engulf yourself in the lights of the sky. But ever since Logan had told him that he loved astronomy, he had a desire to learn more to just connect with Logan about it. Logan had been Oscar’s North star, Polaris; Oscar’s way back home. Logan was Oscar’s home. Everywhere he went, Oscar sought out. Polaris was bright, shining brightly despite the dark that tries to dim its light. It reminded Oscar much of Logan; despite all the challenges on and off track, Logan seemed to get through it with that smile of his. His eyes would crinkle and his lips would curl into a toothy smile, and his American accent. The way words would sculpt themselves into those that fit Logan’s voice.

Ever since F1 started for the both of them, Oscar found it hard to cope. Difficult to maintain the relationships that he once had, to even have time to himself without burying himself into data and training. Fortunately, Lando was like a lifeline, pulling him from the isolating grip of F1. Oscar never felt so sequestered anymore, his days spent shouting and laughing through video calls with Lando and his friends. His once silent and kept-to-himself nature was gone, replaced by a personality that was all smiles. Some might even call him a cat.

Despite everything that had been going on in Oscar’s life, he had never felt like he was trapped in a dead end before. Not until this one race. He hadn’t scored the place that he wanted to, his expectations burning at him. How difficult was it to even make it to the podium? P4? Really? Oscar knew he could do better, he must. Anger stirred and boiled and popped in his blood, his anger controlling him like a pawn on a checkerboard. Of course, his day had gotten so much worse. He just wanted to take a walk around the paddock, to try and relieve his anger. But someone had been careless enough to bump into him. A scoff left his lips before he could even think of a response.

“Watch it.” Oscar lifted his head, ready to give the other person a piece of his mind. How dare-

Oh.

“Oscar.” The American accent weaved its way into Oscar’s heart once more, pulling at his heart like a guitar. It had been so long since Oscar last seen Logan. His hair had grown out, he was visibly thinner. Logan’s sunglasses did little to hide the tentative hope in his eyes. Oscar’s anger still boiled in his mind, wishing to attack like a predator just to have a sense of feeling normal again. “Oh,” he muttered out, pulling his lips into his mouth, teeth pulling the skin apart. “Logan.” Oscar offered, he nodded hoping to conceal his anger. He couldn’t mess this meeting up. But with every passing second of the silence, his anger grew again like a relentless wave.

A streak of disappointment painted Logan’s face before he schooled it into an unreadable one.

“How are you-”

“I have to go-”

Oscar didn’t want to lash out at Logan, he didn’t deserve any of it. It only broke his heart further, knowing that Logan wanted to reconnect again, to fill the drift that they had created. The sun seemed to shine brighter, reflecting off Logan’s sunglasses. “If you don’t mind..” Oscar shuffled his feet past Logan, trudging towards Mclaren. Maybe after they could talk once more, to contain the void that was created.

Polaris seemed to drift further.

You

Hey

Sorry for today, I had a meeting. You’d get it.

A meeting, yeah right. Oscar wanted to delete that last message. “You’d get it”? “You’d get it”?

You

Hey

Sorry for today, I had a meeting. You’d get it.

Seen 11:46

Fuck.

Logan

Oh yeah dude. No worries.

Oscar couldn’t mess up now. He had everything on the line.

How have you been

He could only hope Logan found peace in Williams, that his team was treating him well. Even through his challenges on track.

As well as I can in a WIlliams haha

You?

That could mean nothing and everything. Was Logan well? What about his relationship with Alex? Were they on good terms?

Great

Meeting Lando had been the best day since

Lando and his friends are great, they’re practically my everyday life now

Was it too far? Did Oscar hurt Logan just by talking about Lando? They hadn’t talked for what felt like years and all Oscar could talk about was his new friends.

Oh, really? I’ve never met them before

Tell me

Maybe it wasn't that bad of an idea. Oscar went on a rant of every person he met through Lando, their personalities matching one another bringing them endless adventures and jokes in their everyday life. Before he even knew it, he had talked Logan’s ear off for 1 hour and possibly more.

It’s late, I hope I didn’t bore you with all the stories

Thanks mate, night

The void, much like a terrorising fire, was doused, contained.

Yeah, no worries

Ever since that night, Oscar had found it more difficult to talk to Logan due to his busy schedule and his lack of communication skills. He couldn’t embarrass himself in front of Logan, what kind of new impression would that be to him? Oscar just hoped that they would have a chance again, not letting a fire of some sort burn them.

Logan

Happy birthday

¼ to 100!

Logan had remembered Oscar’s birthday and even went the extra mile to wish him at exactly midnight where a new day arrived. He would cry if he weren’t so drunk in that bar in Montreal.

Maybe Oscar should’ve replied, not getting wasted in a bar.

Logan

Im sorrru

Sorry

I thitjk i drank ttoo mkcuh

tqhaks for evryerhting

Your’e my best friend eveb id im nit yousr

yorue my south satr the octiatis

Everything went by in a blur. Oscar had broken into Logan’s hotel, in his bathroom. He tried making Logan vomit the pills and alcohol out of his system, but Logan only flopped around like a fish out of water. He wept for someone out of reach yet the body was in his hands.

If Oscar was Logan’s Octantis, then Logan is his Polaris. The North star to his South.

#oscar piastri #logan sargeant #formula 1 #octantis #polaris #stars #fiction #One wanted to unleash something that is uncontainable while the other wanted to contain something impossible #they just weren't meant to be #South and North are always directly opposite one another but they never can close the gap

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catholic-character-tournament · 2 years ago

Text

Round 1 - Side A

Propaganda below ⬇️

Abuelita Alma Madrigal Propaganda:

There's a church in the Encanto as well as a priest and given how strong her grip is and how much of a control freak she is, I would very much doubt she'd allow people to believe in other miracles than Pedro's if she wasn't, herself catholic. Also I mean south american turn of the century family they're probably catholic.

Listen at least Alma is!!! The candle!! The importance of the church!!! The vibes are just there!!!! The idea of being a savior by sacrificing yourself (or at least your personality/grief) for your people? That’s SO catholic coded PLEASE

Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler Propaganda:

good lord where do i start. in the animated series he converts logan to catholisism and then fucks off basically thats the main thing he did there. i think one time they tried to make him a demon to explain how he looked but everyone hated that. he sold his soul one time to help his friends out after he died. he and logan have a weird little gay thing. he was a priest one time but he was made a priest by a fake bishop from a religion that hates mutants iirc so he just wasnt a priest. like 3 people have written him in a way i like and one of those is my friend just talking about how they view him.

wow marvel loves making catholic characters dress/look like demons

Kurt is a mutant who was born to mystique who looks a LOT like a devil (technically is half one but that cannon truth isn't real go back to bed), his mother dropped him off a cliff when he was born and he was picked up by a Romani group/circus (fuck old comics man) however he then narrowly escaped being sold to a freak show and found himself in a small German town. There he met a kind priest, who showed him God, and he quickly grew attached to the idea- However, it wasn't long before people began labeling him a demon and soon the whole town was against him with pitchforks and fire. Cornered and injured, Kurt thought this might be the end for him- maybe he would see heaven so long after finding it- but he was then saved by Charles Xavier who invited him to the X-Men. AND ITS BEEN SO MANY YEARS AND HE HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH THERE. SO MUCH. SO GOD DAMN MUCH. BUT THE MOST AAAA THING TO ME CONCERNING HIS FAITH HE WHEN HE LITERALLY DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN BUT THEN BECAUSE OF DRAMA WITH HIS FATHER HAD TO BRING HIS FRIENDS IN WITH HIM FROM THE BEYOND. THEN WITH ALOT OF TROUBLE THEY FOUGHT HIS FATHER AND THE ONLY WAY KURT SAW TO STOP HIM WAS IN A MOVE THAT STRIPPED THEM BOTH OF THEIR SOULS AND PUT THEM BACK ON EARTH. SO KURT CANONICALLY HAS NOW LOST HIS ABILITY FOR ETERNAL PEACE, LOST HIS VERY SOUL, TO SAVE PEOPLE- AND ALSO TOLD NO ONE NOT EVEN HIS GAY LOVER WOLVERINE.

Nightcrawler is a mutant vigilante who looks like a classical demon. He can't even go to church without people panicking and trying to exorcize him. Despite it all, he's so full of faith and hope and compassion, and he wants to believe the best of everyone. Also, he's bffs with an extremely angry Jewish sword lesbian. That has nothing to do with anything, but it's important to me that you all know that.

What if you were a devout christian and literally looked like the devil? He nearly became the pope, which was a plot by some supervillains that also involved faking a rapture? There is nothing like comics I swear to god.

A catholic who is half demon I don’t think I can better explain a struggle than that. But his character is so relatable to people who feel unwelcome with their congregation because of something that is a part of them but still feeling a connection to the faith. Kurt actively engaged in his faith and shares how his faith helps him through all the things he has faced in life and how he found a home with those of the church who leave the judging to God.

so they made kurt a priest briefly before deciding to retcon it, resulting in nightcrawler actually being part of a plan by villains to promote him to pope then reveal to the world that the pope is a demon. wild.

I have a side blog and a tattoo about him and i really really want him to win

Wisecracking devil-appearing devout Catholic with the Best superpower (teleportation)? HECK YES

German Catholic circus acrobat who looks like a demon & can teleport through a hellish alternate dimension with a puff of sulfur. Character of all time.

hes catholic and his dad is the devil. what could be funnier than that. also hes my silly little guy.

Nightcrawler is the world’s most fun catholic priest. I first was introduced to this kindhearted teleporting acrobat while he saved a boat full of stowaway refugees from inter dimensional pirates with swashbuckling gusto!

#encanto #alma madrigal #abuela madrigal #x men #kurt wagner #nightcrawler #marvel #cct polls #tumblr tournament #tumblr polls #tumblr bracket

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margaretkart · 4 months ago

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I love Roman mythology

I don’t like how the planets are in their names. Maybe it’s honourable, maybe it’s a trap manipulating people that we’re honouring your culture. Or the “we don’t have a culture so we don’t know what to name the planets let just use others” and yes they also did these to Greeks. Plants? Flowers? Butterflies? American Actors and people? There’s more.

I wanted to ask, do any of the gods have any adventures in like space, not really a sci fi since it’s ancient, come on now. I know there are like star gods, but I’m also focusing on the fact how would the Ancient Greeks call the planets if they ever found out. I’m really curious ‘bout that.

You’re absolutely right: there’s a fine line between honoring a culture and overusing it without understanding the deeper context. The ancient Greeks weren’t the only civilization to study the skies and assign meanings to celestial bodies. Civilizations like the Egyptians, Chinese, Babylonians, and many others also had rich mythologies and names tied to the stars and planets. For example, the Egyptians connected celestial movements to their gods like Ra and Osiris, while the Chinese used detailed constellations and named them based on their unique cosmology, often tied to elements of daily life and spiritual beliefs.

Unfortunately, much of this incredible diversity gets overshadowed by the dominance of Greek and Roman mythology in Western media. This isn’t because other cultures didn’t contribute equally or even earlier—it’s largely due to how Western history favored Greek and Roman narratives during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. At that time, European scholars drew heavily from classical sources, and those names stuck as "universal."

This can feel frustrating, especially when we think about how these choices erase or downplay the contributions of other ancient cultures. For example, how often do we hear about Babylonian star charts or the Chinese system of constellations compared to Greek myths? It’s not that Greek mythology isn’t incredible—it absolutely is—but it’s important to recognize that other ancient civilizations also had sophisticated understandings of the cosmos and unique ways of naming and interpreting it.

So while using Greek names for planets might feel "familiar" or "classic," we have to ask ourselves: is it truly honoring the culture, or is it just taking the most popular option without acknowledging the others? Expanding the conversation to include multiple cultural perspectives would create a more balanced and inclusive view of how humans throughout history have seen the universe.

#ask

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neufer · 7 months ago

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No one asked for this, but I wanted to go through my outsiders playlist and talk about my thought process behind each song. I love making playlists for characters and stories and think making the connections between them and the songs is very fun. If anything this is just for me to have my thoughts actually articulated and written down, but I figured someone else might enjoy it too.

Here is the playlist I’m talking about.

Okay so the first two songs are obviously from the movie and are there just to set the tone.

This next group of songs is all about being a greaser. Sort of wild and crazy because of the circumstances. Specific lyrics that demonstrate this: “I used to be such a sweet sweet thing ‘til they got a hold of me” (No More Mr. Nice Guy) and both choruses of Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked and Youth Gone Wild. The others songs are based mostly off of vibes, and I saw a post on here one time headcanoning some of the gang jamming out to Respect, and it’s like, yes give them their respect.

This group of songs is similar but it gets a little more deep and specific to certain characters. I really love Ethel Cain so I wanted to include American Teenager partly because of that. It might be a reach but I think “a long cold war with your kids at the front” is pretty outsiders coded, same with “it’s just not my year” and the whole second verse. The lines about being wasted and handling liquor remind me of Two-Bit, and the mention of Jesus reminds me of Ponyboy and Johnny. Patches by Clarence Carter is a new addition and it gives me Darry having to take over vibes. Point of Know Return for me is Ponyboy wanting to get out of Tulsa, kind of like, how long until he reaches the point where he can’t stand not to leave, until the point of no return? The lines “Your father, he said he needs you. Your mother, she said she loves you. Your brothers, they echo your words,” are also very Curtis bros coded. Standing Outside The Fire and The Poet are both very Ponyboy, specifically his passion and heightened sense of emotion and him being that way in the rough neighborhood he grew up in. I guess you could say those two songs also apply to Sodapop, and Standing Outside The Fire is also very greaser vs soc.

These two songs are about Cherry and Bob. Specifically about his drinking and other wild habits and how she knows they maybe aren’t the best for each other. “Them boys are out and they’re angry and they’re lookin’ for blood” in Oklahoma Smokeshow is also SO soc coded it’s crazy. I’m pretty sure I saw a post on here about that song relating to the outsiders so that kind of gave me the idea.

Class of 2013 is Johnny Cade, simple as that. I also think “you have so much to do and I have nothing ahead of me” in Your Best American Girl is kind of Johnny to Pony/the rest of the gang, but I also saw an edit to this song where it was Darry to Ponyboy, and that is so valid as well. And, if you’re a Darry/Paul truther, it’s also Darry to Paul (the rest of the song too, not just that one lyric). Now Runs in the Family is kind of hit or miss. Like the song in the musical, it talks about being doomed from the beginning, but I see it more as Ponyboy’s tendency to overthink and his breakdown at the end of the story. Also not being able to run from his family. There’s some more in the lyrics about the family kind of exploiting the person whose pov is the pov the song is from, and I don’t think that relates to the outsiders in any way.

This is where it starts to get serious. Obviously we have two songs from the musical. They, and another one that comes later, are in my opinion the ones that sum up the themes of the outsiders perfectly, so I wanted to include them. Fly To The Angels is about Johnny’s death and the other characters having to let him go, specifically “heaven awaits your heart and flowers bloom in your name.” Mama I’m Coming Home is about Dally’s death. I’ve been thinking of it as Dally’s pov, and while it may not work perfectly, I think it still works. Specifically, “times have changed and times are strange, here I come but I ain’t the same.” I also really like “lost and found and turned around by the fire in your eyes” but I don’t really know who that would be about from Dally’s pov. Maybe Johnny?

These next four songs are all Ponyboy mourning Johnny and Dally and longing for them to still be alive. Tuesday’s Gone is a bonus because it talks about a train and the phrase “gone with the wind.” I saw an edit of the three of them to Crab, so that’s where I got the idea for that. There’s nothing in particular about Comin’ Home, just a vibe. Copperline is all about a sense of nostalgia for a place/time you can’t go back to and if that’s not perfect idk what is. The line that does it for me the most is “I tried to go back as if I could, all spec house and plywood. Tore up and tore up good, down on copperline.”

Then these last three songs are obviously the epitome of Johnny’s message about staying gold. Stevie Wonder’s Stay Gold from the movie is a little less optimistic than the one from the musical, but I think it still fits well here at the end. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) is actually very similar to Stay Gold from the musical in that it’s about having a better outlook (“you’re the one they can’t beat and you know it”, “just take your best shot and don’t blow it”). Obviously it applies to Ponyboy but I also think it could apply to Darry as well. And then of course Stay Gold from the musical. It’s tied with Throwing in the Towel as my favorite from the soundtrack so I would have included it no matter what, but what else would I have ended on? To me, Stay Gold perfectly encapsulates one of the main messages of the whole story. It’s the biggest message that I’ve taken from my recently renewed interest in the outsiders, so it only made sense to end with it.

If you made it this far or skimmed this far, thank you! I hope you enjoyed reading and hearing my thoughts.

#Spotify #the outsiders #the outsiders broadway #ponyboy curtis #darry curtis #sodapop curtis #johnny cade #dally winston #two bit mathews #steve randle #cherry valance #bob sheldon #the outsiders playlist #throwing in the towel #little brother #stay gold #stay gold ponyboy #se hinton #song analysis

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spaceorphan18 · 1 year ago

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My Season 3 Diatribe

for @wowbright who gave me a platform that I really didn't need but took anyway. ;)

The thing about Glee was that it started with a woman being fake pregnant for thirteen episodes and then ended the season with a baby being born while Bohemian Rhapsody blared in the background. It was weird and crazy and insane and just edgy enough that it was being talked about but not too niche that it couldn't find an audience. It also hit in the sweet spot of the Obama years when, as a nation, we could get on board with being a little different and a little crazy.

Ryan Murphy is both a genius and insane at the same time. I'm not really fond of him, and I think his tendency for going big sometimes obscures the nuances of really good storytelling. But he knows how to make a loud statement. And Glee was that loud statement.

And then it got big. Too big. It got more money, an awards, and the national stage, and then all eyes were on it. And Ryan Murphy got tired because that's also Ryan Murphy - being distracted by American Horror Story where he could be abstract in the way his brain really wanted to go. And so, new writers were brought in, but having all eyes on it meant you had to dial it back, and the new writers didn't jive the same way, nor could they really juggle all of the new network notes, ballooning cast, mandates of the Glee project and responsibility for now having to be a 'role model' for all the new outsiders who were hanging on.

The show was once about being an awkward kid in the 80s. And then it was forced into becoming a mouthpiece for the changing times of the 2010s.

And that... doesn't work.

The funniest thing is way back when... after I had stopped watching the show for a while, Season 3 is what brought me back. I did think, for a moment in time, that I liked it better than Seasons 1 or 2. I can't exactly tell you why. But The First Time is when I fell in love, and maybe you feel connected to something when you fall in love with it that you can't really discribe.

And I hated Season 4. and I was listening to a podcast of the day (Those of you who remember Lima Heights Adjacent?) and the group of people were talking about how, with all of its faults, Season 4 was at least NOT Season 3. And I was confused because at the time - I much preferred Season 3. Because my favorite couple was at least a couple back then -- because the cast was people I liked. Because the episodes were easy to digest and the structure of it, while being bland and predictable, fit into a nice, uniform way of storytelling.

And then time moved on, and I left my twenties, and digested the entire story (the second half, with all of its faults, does not get the recognition it deserves -- despite it falling apart at all times) and got a lot better at critical analysis and media analysis and being open to the ideas of others and just... shake my head.

When you look at the whole, Season 3 isn't AS bad as I make it seem sometimes. There's a good chunk of it, right in the middle, that is... more watchable than what's at the beginning and end.

There is, however, a laundry list of reasons why it's not good -- from questionable story telling choices to dulling the edge of a more biting comedy to just not being able to service all the characters it has in a satisfactory way. They botched Santana's story, which had been set up nicely in season 2. They threw in guest stars and special episodes to throw off that they didn't really know what to do with the story other than praise Rachel Berry and get those kids winning nationals and graduated. They took Kurt and completely neutered him in a way that went against everything they had built him up to be in the first two seasons. And so on and so on and so on.

But I suppose most egregiously -- they played it safe and it was no longer interesting.

I don't fully understand why people love it so much. But I will say - part of the reason might be why I liked it at the time. There's a huge influx of newer fans always coming to the show. And like Klaine, Brittana (which has a following unlike it ever did when it aired) remains together and having the most screen time in Season 3. All the original characters are around, and the story structure, if nothing else, is secure and sound and plays out exactly as its supposed to. Rachel Berry gets the crown, Will gets the teacher of the year, and they all win nationals - hell, even Sue gets a baby. Cue the music and roll credits.

To each their own.

Season 4 comes next with its awkward new characters and its break ups and its wild ups and downs. And then season 5 with its grief and queer in a way that's not accessible but fuck it who cares and season 6 that just wants to go back to the beginning and end it all like the weird creation it was when it started. And as complicated as all of that is -- it's not as digestible as Season 3. I like the afterwards better. But I understand that some people won't. It has, after all, taken me years to get to this level of appreciation.

Who knows how people are going to look at it in ten, fifteen, fifty years. I'm sure, as streaming shows continue to go on and on and on and nothing dies any more, it'll take on different tones and different meanings.

Maybe this time around - those people just need that comfort.

I can't tell you.

But it won't ever be my favorite. And that's fine. As always, ymmv.

#that's how s.o. sees it #feeling reflective tonight #if you want specifics hit me up #though i'm sure most of you have been around long enough to know and understand #maybe you just had to live through it #or maybe you just need to be in a different place #or maybe none of it was good to begin with #glee history i suppose #as i sit in my rocking chair on my porch and talk about yesteryere

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cecekeating · 10 months ago

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My 614 Jordayla Analysis and Commentary

Hey guys! Back after the hiatus with a pretty good episode. I personally loved this episode and it actually exceeded my very low expectations. I am beginning to understand that in order to enjoy All American episodes, it is best to keep all your theories/expectations aside and watch each episode with little to no expectations. If your expectation gets met, hurray. Celebrate, tweet about it if you can and after celebrating begin to prepare to lower your expectations for the next episode. So far, this has worked for me.

So we got to see Jordayla in their married era! I am so pumped about this and not gonna lie, I was nervous because I wasn’t sure on what to expect. These two episodes, while created to close out Spencer’s arc, will also serve as a teaser on what season 7 might look like. I was nervous about the direction the writing will take when it comes to Jordayla as a married couple but so far, I am impressed.

The Jordayla dynamic still felt the same but also felt different in this episode. Now I am gonna pause here and talk about the Jordayla chemistry. I can’t be the only one that has noticed how the chemistry of Jordayla shifts to match the current stage of their relationship. In season 4b, the chemistry of Jordayla as friends was different to the chemistry of Jordayla in season 5a when they were still in the honeymoon, puppy love stage. The chemistry shifted again in season 5b after the death of Billy. This period matured Jordayla’s connection and if you recall, they said I love you to each other for the first time during this period. The chemistry shift happened again this season in 6a. You can tell if you watch their scenes again that they were in the engagement/stepping off of the engagement bliss phase until episode 606. By 608, Jordayla’s chemistry shifted again and the connection matured deeper. They were still so cute but you could tell they have also grown. Season 6b Jordayla was a mature Jordayla- still goofy and light but also pretty mature especially on Jordan’s end. Now in this episode we see the chemistry shift to an actual married couple chemistry and it actually feels like they have been married for over a year!! You can also see maturity too. It doesn’t feel forced at all. Personally, their dynamic has always given married couple vibes; it can be why married Jordayla lands so well for me but in other episodes, I could still tell that they were dating/engaged. This time, all I see is Mr and Mrs Baker! In most shows, once the ships get married, there is normally a wear off of the momentum for me. With Jordayla however, they still feel fresh, like there is more to explore with them and see as they grow as a married couple.

Whatever the hell NK in conjunction with MikeGreta laced Jordayla with, I don’t know but damn it's good!!! Married Jordayla is such a SERVE and I for one, am here for it.

This episode also shed a bit more light on how their dynamics would likely be going forward. The vibe is still light and rom com to me. I was anticipating the writing, maybe adding some extra tidbits because you know, this is All American but no, they have still stuck to the established Jordayla dynamic. You can see Jordan and Layla are truly the same person and both are overthinkers too! I don’t know why some Jordaylas are surprised about Layla being an overthinker. Have you forgotten how she spiraled in 412 when she jumped into the conclusion that JP was dying? That woman is Jordan Baker 2.0, she is just more subtle with her chaos.

I did feel Layla had a lighter, somewhat goofy vibe to her and Jordan was a bit more serious. Sort of showing us that they have rubbed off on each other. I actually expected this for a couple that has been married for over a year. You can also see how they care for each other so much- Layla, being worried about his health and checking if he has a fever. But also how annoyed they can get with each other - I was cracking up at Layla saying that she would kill Jordan for the entertainment choice at the party and a few minutes later suggesting that they should have actually gotten the strippers instead of the magicians.

I was also here for Asher being a hardcore Jordayla stan this episode. That man was determined to continue his interrupted best man speech this episode. I love how Asher said Jordayla are the same person and as long as they have each other, they are going to be fine.

Asher told no lies because this is a core Jordayla dynamic that has been established in the writing. They belong to each other and they are all each other needs. This is why difficult moments bond them. It is why anytime they have angst, it makes them much closer and it takes them one step forward. We saw this after their first fight, after the death of Billy and when Layla went through it with her mental health battle and recovery. In all these tough moments, Jordayla has only grown closer and chosen to love each other deeply. I see this continue to be their dynamic going forward.

So we officially begin married Jordayla diaries with Jordan making Layla breakfast. Jordan taking care of Layla in this manner has been my head canon for a married Jordayla since season 5a. It is totally on brand for Jordan to cook for his wife and I am so glad Micah and Carrie were on beat! Now let’s talk about this housing situation. I was very surprised when I found out they still live at the beach house. I would have loved an explanation from the writing as to what happened to the place they found originally in 612. Was it initially rented and they are now in the beach house temporarily now that they want to buy a home? Or is the place they found in 612 the same place they have been trying to buy for 15 months? I just needed something to tie 612 to this episode.

Anyway, Layla announces that they are actually close to buying their own home. You can see how unsure they are about owning a home, indicating there is still something about the house. Jordan then switches the topic to him getting a job by the time they move into the house.

#jordayla #jordan baker #layla keating

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spookitordukeit · 3 months ago

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Bro, I love your stories, you don't understand, I love them so much! Might I have an infodump on dykwyk?

[Edit: I jump topics a bit so I’ve added a • marker to any time I seem to shift focus]

Hi! Hello! You 🫵 Yes you, the raccoon shaped fellow in the back 👁️👁️ we are having a spring wedding.

I’m soooooo deranged and unhinged you have no idea, absolutely no idea the series of events you have just launched into motion. Bear witness to the uber instincts of my uber autism:

I’m not sure if you had anything in mind with this ask so I’m just gonna spew a bunch of random things and whatever comes to mind—

• Uhhhhh Nexus! I’m in absolute love with Nexus, and I honestly consider it one of my best concepts— there’s so many parts to it that even I struggle to comprehend it in its entirety…. And I created the thing!!

• It’s… well, kinda on the level of a cosmic being??? Nobody knows if it’s alive or has thoughts, if it knows what it’s doing or is just driven by instinct, or something close to it. Like one of those island turtles in mythology.

I explain it a Little in chapter two, but it is quite literally in the center of all known universes. If you’ve ever heard of the cosmic web, it’s basically that. Nexus is the center of that web, acting as both the anchor, and the spider itself as it grows and captures more AU’s.

Why is it doing this?? No fucking idea. It’s cosmic, otherworldly, lovecraftian— it’s beyond any living creatures comprehension.

• The Nexus AU itself is shaped almost identically to earth, except it’s around six times the size. A few things might very, but most of the major land masses and landmarks are there. I don’t think I have any place in specific in mind for where our particular story takes place, but seeing as I live in the US, and have never even been outside my state— it’ll probably end up americanized in someway. Apologies for that.

•The history is also vastly changed as well, I’m not sure which wars would’ve even happened with the interference of Monsters around tbh— I feel like a lot of them wouldn’t have happened, or if they had, they would’ve been vastly different. Especially depending on what kind of Verse was in power at the time… a Fell verse in power would’ve been a lot different from a Swap verse in power during something like the World Wars—

Idk, maybe I’ll think more on that later buts it’s not really relevant to the plot as of now.

• As for the time period? Probably the same as our current one, but with the help of higher technology and magic. I mean— they have alternate reality traveling machines— just out there! For people to use! Harper has a permanent portal, a rip in the void for her cat installed, for stars sake.

It’s all very fantastical, and I’m definitely looking forward to exploring it more :3

• Other then that, there’s also a sort of class system… unfortunately.

Harper’s family is considered one of the more higher classes in society. They are wealthy, they have connections, and most importantly: they come from directly from one of the first Monster rulers.

Family lineage, title, and generational wealth mean everything in this world. Who you come from matters infinitely more then who you are. That’s not to say that it isn’t important to make a name for yourself— no, no. You will constantly be under scrutiny, anything and everything you do will either harm and bluster the weight behind your family name. Any minor infraction will be remembered long past your lifetime, you must always be exemplary.

• Thankfully, not much is expected of Harper. All she has to do is obey her parents and look pretty in public. She won’t be inheriting her parents fortune or responsibilities, so some of that weight is taken off her shoulders.

…in theory.

In reality, the standard that Harper is held up to is infinitely higher then the one Kristen is held to.

Harper must alway be perfect, must always be calm and pleasant, must always say and do the right thing and must always look presentable.

She has a title to uphold, her sisters future title. She mustn’t do anything to tarnish it.

The poor girls trauma has trauma— she is very mentally unwell, but fuck it we ball amiright?

At least she has her kitty and Grandmas house :D even if Kristen decided to move in without even asking— not like it can get any worse. Right?

*various bone noises in the distance that seem to only grow closer*

Huh. I’m sure that’ll end well…

• More on Harper’s family, her beloved grandma Edith was also a bit of an outcast. She was kind and gentle, and cared about silly things like preserving nature and helping those below her. But unfortunately for Edith’s parents, she was an only child, and thus the only one who could inherit their wealth and family line.

• Edith, was also autistic. Something both her and Harper had in common. Unfortunately, it’s regarded as a blight on the family name.

• It was quiet the scandal, but Edith left just about everything to Harper in her will. Her wealth, her properties, her land rights, staff, family heirlooms— everything.

Harper’s family couldn’t do much about it, and Harper has been in too much grief to even look at anything. If anything, it’s just another reason for her family to resent her. As well as another reason to keep her around, if they want to be able to access anything of the things left to her.

Rapid fire facts, go!

• Have I mentioned that I’m insane about enemies to friends/lovers??? Because I am. Very much so. Especially enemies to friends to enemies to friends to lovers. It will happen in this story. And I’m so looking forward to it.

• Briefly mentioned in chapter two, but outertale and other space AU’s exist in this au. They are on the moon and other planets. ALIEN ON THE MOON 👽

• Auriga is the product of an outertale grillby and a classic muffet. She is very pretty and I love her a lot. Very grandma coded. She’s named after the spider nebula (IC 417) located within the Auriga constellation.

• Sulfur is a horror-grillby. He no longer looks like a fire elemental, and looks more like a lava creature. Think Te Kā from Moana. He played the role of ‘sans’ in his universe.

• There will be no mention of Ink, Error, Death, Nightmare, Dream, or any of the other big shots in this fic. They exist, but the scope of their being is far too massive to make any sense within the, comparatively, narrow lenses that my story focuses on. I love them, but Harper has no business dealing with gods /silly

• little description of Harper’s physical appearance (if your interested). She’s average height, maybe a little taller, and she’s on the thinner side. (For now, we’ll fix her unhealthy eating habits later dw) She’s got black hair that goes just past her shoulders, with loose waves and a side part.

She’s got them Harry Potter big circle glasses because of her bad vision and heavy dislike of contacts. They’re metal and a silver color that works well with the rest of her jewelry. Whenever she decides to wear any. She’s a silver girly, Kristen is more fond of gold.

Her eyes are bright blue, because I haven’t had a character with blue eyes yet and I might as well. Also because I have that Blue Eyed Stare and I want some representation dammit.

She doesn’t have any freckles, but she does have a slight case of rosacea. (She just like me fr)

She’s conventionally attractive, with a stereotypical CEO look or something like that. Her and Kristen look like they could be twins, even though Kristen is older and they have a four year gap.

I haven’t had the time to sketch them out, but I always make picrews of my MC’s so I have a reference:

Makòwa’s picrews are my fav, definitely check ‘em out if you ever need to get out a rough look out your characters!

They are both very pretty and I’m in love.

• Kristen has a title that is whispered amongst the higher social circles, something that is relevant to the plot and a hint to her abilities. The Seybold siren.

On the topic of titles— Kristen has a particularly nasty one for Harper: harpy.

Augghhhhh. I’ve been at this for a couple hours and I can’t think of anything else off the top of my head, so I’ll leave off here for now.

Thank you so much for the ask!! And I’m thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying my little stories :3

Always feel free to ask away! For clarification, or for something random, I’m always ready to yap 🫡

#rabid rambles #undertale #sans #answered asks #papyrus #utmv #anti harem #dykwyk?#‘coon bird

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thescenicdetourtome · 3 months ago

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Breaking Up with Social Media (And Finding Real Connection Again)

I recently broke up with many American social media platforms.

At first, it felt like a bold move—like I was stepping away from something essential. But as the days passed, I realized just how disconnected I had been under the guise of connection.

For years, I scrolled through updates, glimpsing people’s lives from afar. Watching instead of participating. Reacting instead of reaching out. It felt like staying connected, but in reality, it was a passive kind of existence—one where we see each other but don’t always know each other.

The Illusion of Connection

Social media gives us snippets of people’s lives, but they’re curated, filtered, and framed in ways that rarely tell the full story. We see milestones but not the struggles leading up to them. We see smiles but not the late-night worries.

And yet, we consume it all as if we truly know what’s happening in each other’s worlds.

The truth? Watching isn’t the same as connecting. Liking a post isn’t the same as checking in. Following someone’s updates isn’t the same as knowing their heart.

What I Found After Letting Go

Without the endless scroll, I started reaching out to people more directly. I sent messages. I had real conversations. I sat with my own thoughts instead of filling the silence with other people’s highlight reels.

And I felt lighter. More present. More alive.

I also spent time I would have been on social media making art—pouring my energy into something creative, something that felt truly mine. Instead of consuming content, I created something real, something tangible, something that reflects me.

And interestingly, I didn’t step away from all forms of social media. I found deeper types of connection-based platforms—spaces where people share raw, unfiltered pieces of their lives. Spaces where you can see that you aren’t alone. No matter what you’re going through, there is at least one person struggling with similar things right now.

These platforms reminded me that real connection doesn’t come from perfectly curated posts—it comes from shared experiences, from honesty, from vulnerability.

I don’t regret stepping away. If anything, I regret how long it took me to realize what social media had done to my relationships—not just with others, but with myself.

Relearning True Connection

Now, I want my connections to be real. I want to:

• Talk to people instead of just observing their lives.

• Listen fully instead of being half-distracted by notifications.

• Build relationships based on depth, not just digital presence.

• Create, instead of endlessly consuming.

• Seek out spaces where authenticity thrives.

Because life isn’t meant to be watched from a distance. It’s meant to be lived.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, maybe it’s worth asking:

What would happen if I stepped away, even just a little?

What would I see? Who would I reach out to? What would I create?

And most importantly, where could I find deeper, truer connections?

You might be surprised by how much more connected you feel when you stop relying on the illusion of connection.

#self care #self help #encouragement #inspiration #positive mental attitude #writing #life journey #self discovery #my art #artwork #digital art #sunflower

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houseofbrat · 4 months ago

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How coincidental for Cathy that the one person she spoke to with cancer just so happens to be friends with a Daily Mail reporter. A patient who then has gone on to give exclusive interviews equating her with Diana and calling her an “inspiration”.

Just like it was sooo coincidental that she happened to speak to a cancer charity worker at Christmas who would also go on to give exclusive interviews calling her “an inspiration”.

Definitely no PR games going on here at all 🧐🙄

And as someone who doesn’t like Harry and Meghan, can we just be honest about the double standard in reporting like this? Fire victims don’t need Meghan crying on their shoulder but cancer patients really need publicity seeking Cathy crying on their shoulder humble bragging that she “didn’t need a cold cap” or grew “attached to her port”? The way cancer patients are being used as props is sickening.

The KP comms team can go work at Starbucks.

Let's not forget all the EXCLUSIVES! People magazine got last week after Kate visited The Royal Marsden.

How about that?! No reporters were present when Kate visited but an American magazine got an EXCLUSIVE! interview with a cancer patient who was there. What. Are. The. Odds?

Angela Terry met the Princess of Wales during her emotional stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, and exclusively tells PEOPLE that Kate's presence provided a huge boost. "She was there to say thank you to the people who had looked after her, talk to patients who were in a similar situation," Terry tells PEOPLE. "It was a great message of hope because she looked so well. We don’t need to know what cancer she had. We just know she’s been through surgery, she’s been through chemo — and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here." Terry, 71, was diagnosed with EGFR-positive lung cancer in 2019 and serves as the non-executive chair of EGFR Positive UK, a charity for mutation driven lung cancer. She was at the Royal Marsden for treatment on Tuesday when she met Princess Kate, who unexpectedly stepped out there to "show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides," a Kensington Palace spokesman said. [...]

Terry tells PEOPLE that she respected how Princess Kate relayed that she is in remission after visiting the Royal Marsden out of consideration for the all patients she met with. "It might have been difficult if she had come in talking about her experience about being in remission first because some people who are really very ill might never get to remission and that would have felt tricky. But she chose to do that after she had left which speaks volumes," the charity chair says. "When I read later in the day that Kate is in remission, that doesn’t mean she’s through it. This disease changes you, but it also gives you an opportunity to think: 'Okay, who am I now? Who do I want to be?' " she explains. "It’s an opportunity to be true to yourself and choose to let certain things go, friendships or other things that no longer make sense. It’s such a weird disease, it stops you and makes you evaluate and review your life which can be exciting." The charity chair tells PEOPLE that she was a "fan" of Princess Kate to begin with, "but she was so much more than I expected her to be" regarding her demeanor in meeting everyone. "She has such poise and elegance, extremely genuine and sincere. She is very personable. I watched her talking to other patients and she’s amazing," Terry says. "She has this gentle eye contact as she talks, she reaches out and maybe touches their shoulder or holds their hand and her smile is always there. The level of connection she makes with each and every person she meets is phenomenal." Terry was diagnosed with stage IV EGFR positive lung cancer after a skiing accident six years ago, when a related X-ray revealed that she had a malignant tumor later confirmed as cancer. "My cancer is uncurable but treatable and I’m on medication that keeps the cancer under control but at some point the cancer will mutate and find a way around it," Terry tells PEOPLE, adding that she's "doing really well" with her health today. The advocate was at the Royal Marsden for care when she crossed paths with Princess Kate, who surprised her with kindness. "I’m still buzzing, it was so fortuitous because I was literally the next one in for bloods. I just caught her eye as she walked past and said to her 'You look wonderful,' because she did, she looked fabulous given everything she has been through and she just smiled and said 'So do you,' " Terry tells PEOPLE.

How is it that this cancer patient just happened to get in contact with People magazine after Kate visited? And after Terry got a picture with Kate? She just suddenly felt inspired to call up Monique Jessen of People magazine to talk about her day? What. Are. The. Odds?

And that wasn't the ONLY article in People magazine. Amazing given that no reporters were present at Kate's visit. Did the KP comms team just take patients' names and phone numbers so that they could talk to selected outlets later?

WOW! Another EXCLUSIVE!

Katherine Field, a patient undergoing cancer treatment who met Princess Kate during her visit, tells PEOPLE that they discussed cold capping — a scalp cooling system that can help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, according to the American Cancer Society. Field, who was wearing a cold cap at the time, said the conversation added a personal connection to their encounter. "I hate it, but I think it is working. Today there is a little bit of hair coming out, but I’m just trying to delay it," Field, an art historian and curator, tells PEOPLE. When asked if Princess Kate mentioned using a cold cap, Field shared, "She just said that she didn’t have to have it. For her to lose her hair, which is so iconic, would have been awful. Everyone loves her hair!" Field tells PEOPLE she instantly felt at ease upon meeting Princess Kate during her fourth treatment session at the medical center. "It was just like talking to a friend about a really horrible time in life and how you find ways of getting through it. 'Finding the new normal' is what she said, which is absolutely true," the art professional says. In a heartfelt photo from Princess Kate's visit to the Royal Marsden, the royal put a reassuring hand on Field's knee as she underwent treatment. "I really love the photo. It was a special moment that not many people get to have," Field says. "Unfortunately, I had to get cancer to have that moment, but I will add it to my album for sure. I want to remember the good, not just the bad." Field described spending time with Princess Kate as feeling like being with a friend, noting that the royal's empathy was both comforting and energizing. "It was really nice to talk to her. She was just magnificent. She’s warm, and it just felt like sitting with a girlfriend having a chat, which is pretty hard to achieve in those circumstances. She is very special — to be able to connect with people so quickly and so empathetically," she tells PEOPLE. Field describes Kate's gesture of reaching for her knee as "a moment of connection" she hadn't anticipated. "I think I was expecting it to be formal and stiff but it was so far from that," she says. Like Angela Terry, another cancer patient receiving treatment at the Royal Marsden who met the princess on Jan. 14, Field was struck by Kate's "genuine" nature, which left a lasting impression.

Angela Terry met Princess Kate during her surprise stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, and exclusively tells PEOPLE that the royal spoke of the "shock" of a diagnosis and its ripple effect. "I overheard her talking to someone about the shock of diagnosis and she said, "Yes! The shock — and it’s not just you, it’s the whole family, isn’t it?' " Terry, 71, recalls. "They were having this lovely engaging chat. Imagine sitting at the kitchen table having a mug of coffee. She’s someone I would like to do that with." "She was so open," Terry says. "She had this 'We’re in this together' approach, so I think people felt they were able to say all sorts of things. It was really heart-warming to watch."

Three EXCLUSIVES! for People magazine in the USA, and one of those EXCLUSIVES! details how it was a "shock" for Kate's "whole family" because patient Terry just happened to overhear what Kate said to a different patient!

#ask #cancer schmancer #fleet street #kensington palace #Propaganda Pushers #magazines #media #pr games #comparison #twitter #“Celebrity” Catherine Middleton #Prince & Princess OWN GOALS #kate middleton #Catherine The Princess of Wales #my gif

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