#I shamelessly love the canon version of him

[drowxiv]

While talking with a friend I realized that because of the way I went about pulling Viedyn into FFXIV (because I needed a character I cared about to motivate me to try the game) I accidentally created a divergence in his timeline. Now there's three completely different versions of him.

Canon version - The first son of his noble house and the right hand of his Matron. He's merciless in the execution of her will because he understands that was what he was born for. His icy exterior is difficult to get past. The only person he truly "cares" for is his younger brother, whom he practically raised. He'll go up against the Matron, and deal with her wrath, if it means shielding him. This canon version of him dies the night his noble house falls. He holds a choke point while Durafein and the Matron escape. As long as one noble survives, their house stands, and while he doesn't care what happens to the Matron, he knows Durafein is stealthy enough to evade capture. Viedyn isn't. He squares himself with the sacrifice because it's ultimately depriving their enemy of complete victory and he goes out content with that knowledge. FFXIV "gameplay" version - swinging wildly between a glam fashion icon and the most unhinged elephant-headed gremlin. Almost everything he wears while I'm playing the actual game is diametrically opposed to the wicked looking black armor he wears "in canon". FFXIV "FC" version - My FC isn't rp-heavy by any means but there's some light RP and general "FC LORE" that is followed. They naturally wanted me to be a part of this but the OC that is "Viedyn" is technically long dead which wasn't going to work. So this "FC Version" of him is basically an "AU" where he has survived the fall of his house and this is the life he's experiencing in this "new world" he's escaped to. He falls into a similar position with Rachel, the head of the FC, because serving a "Matron" (so-to-speak) is what feels most comfortable to him. Which is neat. But I've been Gposing all three of these versions AND NOT TAGGING ANY OF THEM. Because in my head the separation is obvious. So I'm gonna retroactively fix some of that....but I'll be tagging going forward "canon (Character)" "gameplay (Character)" or "rare fc lore" because I already made that tag lol I'm also totally stealing the "ffxiv (character)" tag idea from a mutual. Thank you for that one. <3

[cold-neon-ocean]

❤️ for the fic ask

💚 for fic bits!

Another semi longer "bit" lol but I've had this one in my WIPs for a while. It's more dialogue heavy and less introspective than usual but I was wanting to focus more on how they talk with each other. Set back in the Zaofu era before they left home, where Baatar was a lot sulkier and Kuvira apparently made a regular habit of inviting herself in through the window.

--

Baatar scoffed the moment she was out of earshot. "I could fold a sheet of tin into any random shape and call it a representation of my feelings but you wouldn't see anyone calling me a prodigy for it~" he looked down at the schematics he'd been working on before his mother had passed by, suddenly his mind wasn't in any mood to work. Everything felt inadequate now.

"Ooh someone's angry~"

Baatar turned sharply, startled, finding Kuvira currently with her elbows over the windowsill like she were some kind of burglar infiltrating the estate.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

She heaved herself over in a fluid movement "I sensed a disturbance in the universe and knew I had to come check on you." Which meant there was something else she was supposed to be doing right now, but chose to be here instead. Her slender fingers brushed under is jaw "What's the matter? You look particularly perturbed at the world today~"

"It's nothing." He muttered, annoyed with himself over how evidently he wore his emotions on his face "My mother just wants me to go to the exhibition, to I guess-- stand around and try not to get in the way while she impresses them with her other children."

"Yeah I know." Kuvira replied, "She wants me on security. Just in case anyone plans to steal a sculpture or something." She scoffed, clearly feeling it was an endeavor that would go just as well if there was security there or not. "I fear for the stability of our very culture if such a dreadful thing were to happen!"

Giving Baatar a light smack on his arm, she headed for the doorway, "Come on. We can both go and stand around if that's what's so needed of us."

[thunder-point]

in ep 1, tan asked phum to hang out with his friends in which phum turned down. i think about it all the time, what would happened if phum did go. like how would the interaction between phum and peem be like? peem will be friendly for sure and phum probably keeps to himself. peem would definitely find this friend of tan, phum, to be very attractive but he probably hates that the dude tries so hard to act cool. he probably doesn’t notice but phum definitely keeps stealing glances at him throughout the night because phum for sure would find peem cute. but like would something happen? would phum initiate anything ? would he try to hit on peem ? cole please elaborate.

and honestly maybe the start for their relationship wouldn’t be as fun as peem kicking phum in the balls but i think about this alternative beginning for them all the time. what kind of story would we get. because yes inevitably, they will fall in love. in every possible scenario.

THIS COULD GO IN SO MANY DIRECTIONS STAR. I read this ask this morning and I was like "oh lord so many directions this can go, oh how do I even put this into WORDS"

I swear it makes me want to write you a (longer) drabble with 'peem and phum's first meeting happens before the football match" because I think it could be so juicy. They of course will fall in love, regardless of any existing animosity (which indeed makes it more fun. we both know we're sluts for that enemies to lovers tension) But listen. Listen. The tension would be there. It wouldn't be that tense, because Peem doesn't view him as such an asshole in this version. But they canonically find each other very attractive from the beginning so there's no way they wouldn't gravitate towards each other. Phum would totally steal glances at Peem all night, only that in my vision Peem totally notices because he's also been stealing glances. They meet eyes so often. Oh I can totally see Peem steaming a bit into that intrigue of 'why is this very handsome friend of Tan's giving me those puppy eyes-" and imagine Phum going to the bathroom and Peem following just to blurt out "You've been staring at me all night. You have a problem?" Because Peem TOTALLY WOULD. Remember how he dealt with Kluen slapping him upside the head? My man Peem is not afraid of confrontation. He'll fuck you up if you have sus intentions. What he doesn't expect is sheepishness from Phum, one that gradually morphs into a gentle kind of tentative boldness as Phum gives him a once over and admits, "You're very pretty." Peem is flabbergasted. He is Red As Fuck. He is discombobulated because this very very handsome man just called him attractive to his face before clearing his throat and leaving the bathroom. And now he returns back to his seat and he's shamelessly staring right at Phum, still shook and still so intrigued and so, so mesmerized. And it's funny as fuck because Phum keeps just stealing glances at him like before, even if he notices that Peem doesn't unpin his eyes from him. Oh and Fang totally notices. He totally is giving his brother those "what is going on here" little eyebrow wiggles, which make Phum sip from his glass every so often. Q leans towards Peem and quietly drawls, "You're not subtle, my friend." But Peem doesn't even acknowledge him because oh, Phum is looking back at him right now, and he has this beauty mark underneath his pretty eyes and they are making prolonged eye contact and- They are so enchanted with each other it's crazy. Once they leave Parkingtoys - Peem with his group of drunk, stupid friends and Phum with his brother - they are still looking at each other. Not approaching, not speaking. Just. Observing. Studying each other's features and the beauty they find so casually in them. Peem goes home and sleeps with all four of his friends in his bed, but his mind is fixated on dark brown eyes and very plush pink lips and a low, honey-warmed voice that muttered so softly "You're very pretty." And Phum lets himself be convinced by Fang to go home with him, but as he hugs one of the plushies in his childhood room, he can only remember Peem's cologne from where they were facing each other in the bathroom, and the enticing parting of his mouth when Phum complimented him. The bob of his distracting throat. They are both GONE. Of course they meet again. Phum needs to see Tan's friend again. Peem feels the need to see Tan's friend again as well. Just that this time, they both find ways to interact. They make it happen somehow. YOU SEE HOW THIS IS JUST VJDSHFSJF STAAAARRRRRRR

[yesimwriting]

hello! I was hoping for a Joel miller imagine where the reader gets hit on in a bar when she’s dating Joel and he sees this and confronts the guy and hits him because he’s aggressive and is all protective over the reader!

I love your writing and this would be amazing thank you xx

A/n first joel request,, slay

update: watched the new episode, bill and frank, still crying 

i feel like this gives post outbreak joel a little more bc of the physical protectiveness,, but i can't remember if there's much/any descriptions of like literal bars in the QZ,, i've only watched the show and i don't remember seeing details,, like ik there's alc/pills available, but actual bars??

idk it's possible i've missed it or forgot bc i have terrible memory

so enjoy my 'makeshift' bar concept as i try my best to deviate from canon as much as possible

not to shamelessly self promo,, but if you like this fic i have another joel fic with what i feel like is a more developed version of this dynamic (bc it’s longer and more internal monologue centered) here and i’m making a part 2 for it so if you like these vibes and want something similar, it’s there, it exists :) 

----

You're staring again, and trying your hardest to convince yourself that you're not. It's more than pointless, it's bordering on ridiculous.

Joel Miller is not some fleeting crush that’d fit somebody in grade school better than it’d fit you. Not anymore. You know what you are. You've had a talk. The kind of talk that you didn't think existed anymore in this world.

It wasn't exactly the rom-com 'what are we', but after a man Joel was dealing with got a little too friendly, it led to an argument. One you didn't fully understand, especially since Tess practically lived by his side.

Don't pretend, you might come off as all innocent, but you're too smart to be that naive. Men like that only have one intention.

And that had rightfully infuriated you, because after weeks of lingering touches that could be justified with a few words but never were and all the goddamn looks, he had no right to lecture you about another man's intentions with you. His intentions don't matter because that has no affect on me and who I am. Why the fuck does it even matter?

Why does it matter? It had been this subtle scoff of a response that made you take a step back. That made your back brush against the wall of his apartment. Because I don't want other men like that lookin' at you, let alone speaking to you.

The world stopped spinning on its axis and all the air preparing to leave your lungs was trapped with no where to go. Too many implications. 'Other men like that', the inclusion of himself in men that had those intentions. Maybe even more importantly, the implication that he’s some sort of exception.

 Even more deafening, your response: Well maybe I wouldn't speak to them if you didn't entertain ev--

The rest of your sentence, whatever it would have been, was lost to his mouth on yours. A snapping of tension that took its time fizzling down to something less consuming. Something that allowed you both to talk enough to make it clear that Joel was yours and you were his.

It wasn't a magical snapping into place like it might have been in a world without the outbreak. In some ways, it added a new layer of hesitance, and in other ways it propelled you forward. There are growing pains with anything new, and the whole relationship thing is definitely new to you. Especially in this world.

If only you could get past staring. Maybe after Joel secures the whiskey-bourbon-hybrid whatever they're passing as alcohol these days from a less than trustworthy trading contact, you'll get buzzed enough to graduate to handholding, or at the very least, you'll be able to do something besides sit there.

You're starting to feel insane. How is making out easier than the small things? Maybe the setting is more at fault here than you. In the outside world, any form of attachment could easily be twisted into weakness. It’s likely best that you keep some distance from Joel here, especially with the way other men keep looking over at the two of you. 

It’s not like you’re never awkward about the little things when confined safely between the walls of Joel’s place, that’s slowly but surely starting to feel like it’s at least partially yours, as well. But the way you get in public is something else entirely. It’s probably for the best. There are already too many eyes on you. 

Like the guy with red hair that glints oddly in the yellow light of the stranger’s building. He’s swaying slightly, a dark looking glass in his hand that he’s yet to release in the entire time you’ve been here. Every time one of his friends leaves him, his gaze returns to yours. 

Your skin crawls each time, but you keep your expression as stoic as possible. Joel’s getting better at trusting you, better at letting you serve as a sort of backup in the way that Tess usually would. You know that if it came down to it, the man that keeps looking at you wouldn’t be an actual issue, and you know Tess wouldn’t let it get to her. 

Ugh. Another thing you want to get yourself to stop doing. Comparison. It’s ugly and so insignificant. Tess didn’t exactly welcome you with open arms when you first showed up, but you get that. And eventually she warmed a little. You think she’d still trade you for a few ration cards, but she doesn’t hate you. She’s, at the very least, no longer skeptical of you. The other day you caught her hiding a smile over a joke you made.

But it’s hard not to compare. They were the closest thing either of them had to a support system for years before you showed up, and you know that they’ve been together casually. Always casual. Joel stressed that part, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy thing to know, especially now. 

You bury the thoughts the way you often do and turn your attention back to Joel. Back to staring. At least you’re consistent.

A man peaks out of the closet that seems to be the source of all the alcohol. He gestures vaguely in your direction. “That’s us,” Joel says, voice flat, “Wait here, I’ll be back.” 

Nodding as if to dismiss your own thoughts, you beg your mind to not create imaginary problems by reading into him telling you to stay. He’s walking a few feet away to get some boxes, it’s not the rejection insecurity is making it out to be. “I’ll hold down the fort, keep away trouble.” 

Joel blinks, turning his head in your direction briefly. The corner of his mouth turns up slightly, which is more of a reaction than he likes to give when in these kinds of places. He shifts his hand casually, his fingers brushing against yours briefly as he stands. The gesture is small but immediately dislodges the lump in your chest. 

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” It’s little more than a whisper, but there’s something hidden beneath the roughness of his tone. A pinch of lighthearted humor that’s only visible to you. 

It eases you even further. Joel turns away, moving behind the long table serving as a sort of bar counter. You tap your fingers against the surface without much thought, taking a second to absorb the easiness of it all. It’s rare that getting anything require so little. You don’t think anything’s ever come as easy as sitting on an uncomfortable bar stool. 

“So...” You blink, posture straightening as your eyes flit to the source of the sound. “Guard dog finally left you alone, princess?” 

Okay. Ew. Of course it’s the guy that’s been staring you down since you first sat down. You have to fight to not let your nose wrinkle. There’s no good in reacting, in escalating the situation. “Not a guard dog.” 

You hope that it’ll be enough to show that you’re not interested. “Aw, not feelin’ too friendly, baby.” Ew. You’re torn between cussing him out or actually punching him. Neither is an actual option. Places like these are a minefield and you refuse to be the one to set off a series of explosions. “Maybe you’ll cheer up after a drink, could get you one.” 

Turning your head, you take a breath before replying. “I have enough friends.” The stranger is clearly apart of a group. You don’t know if you could call them all friends, you’re not sure there’s enough casual trust in the world left for genuine friend groups. But they’re at least acquaintances, or work associates, or maybe they met here, equally inebriated enough to accept each other. It doesn’t matter, the point is they were chatting up a storm before he decided to wander over here and bother you. “And it looks like you do, too.” 

“Fine,” he relents too quickly, “Let’s not be friends, then.” His hand shoots forward, landing firmly--and disgustingly--on your waist. “Let’s be something else.” 

You’re unsure if you’re more repulsed by his hand on you or how terrible that line was. Your own hand clasps his, pushing and pulling in an attempt to create a space. He’s relentless, even when your nails start clawing at him. “If you want to keep your hand, I suggest getting off of me.” 

He blinks at your threat and then grins, flashing a smile that’s missing teeth. And then he laughs. A cold chuckle that makes its way beneath your skin. “God, I like them feisty.” 

Shoving your fingers under his, you manage to pry him off of you. Your foot moves, heels smashing into his toes as subtly as possible. “And I like them when they know how to fuck off.” 

His smile broadens, a cynical undertone to the look that makes it worse than before. “Oh, darling,” his hand finds your arm, tugging you forward, “You’re gonna pay for that.” 

“Pay for what?” Relief washes through you before you’ve even fully registered the familiar, even timber of Joel’s voice. He’s speaking in a lower tone than usual, an icy rage that you can feel in your bones and it’s not even directed at you. “Touching what’s not yours, ‘cause you’re the only one doing that.” 

There’s probably something you should say. A subtle warning to not go beyond scaring off the man that is clearly incapable of respecting a woman’s autonomy outside of another man’s claim over her. To not take it too far because it’s not worth it. Because you have it under control. Relatively.

Instead, you’re silent as the man releases you. He takes his time assessing Joel. The stranger is physically smaller and Joel does have that edge that only comes from someone that’s lost enough to be dangerous to anyone threatening what’s left. 

The man holds his hands up in defense, his glass sitting precariously between his thumb and pointer finger. “Easy, man.” You don’t even have to look at Joel to know that that was the wrong thing to say. “I didn’t mean any harm, if you set the price right, I’d be--” 

The rest of the proposition is taken care of by Joel’s fist connecting with the man’s jaw. You hear the audible crack before your mind can make the connection between Joel’s quick movement and the man’s silence. 

Holy shit. Joel didn’t just throw a punch, he threw a punch meant to shatter bone. He barely glances at you, and you’re too focused on the fact that Joel’s standing there, completely fine like he didn’t exert enough force to knock over a grown man. You blink as Joel extends the arm he’s been using to hold the small case. 

You’re too shocked to do more than take the box. The implication of why he’d hand you the box while still standing there doesn’t settle until Joel’s throwing another punch. Each hit is more committed than the last, even when the stranger’s knees give in and he collapses. 

Yeah, there’s definitely something you should say. Now. Like right now. You’d never ask him to hit anybody once, let alone do whatever he’s doing now. But words like ‘stop’ and ‘okay, think he gets it’ all jam themselves so far down your throat, you wouldn’t be able to pry them out with a wrench. 

All you can do is watch. It’s the kind of morbid fascination that reminds you of what it felt like to drive a little slower when passing a car wreck. You’re rooted in place by a realization that’s always been there at the back of your mind, an implied awareness. Joel’s more than just prone to violence when he needs to be. He’s angry. 

It should scare you. Terrify you. Your stillness should be some byproduct of that. But it’s not. Joe’s not a danger to you, he’s a danger for you. 

It’s a level of protectiveness you never thought you’d experience. Your chest feels warm. You hope you’re not messed up enough to consider this some grand display of love. However, there’s a vulnerability in the violence you can’t deny. You’re in a public place, the kind of morally questionable people that are far from above exploiting vulnerability. And yet here he is, announcing an undeniable attachment. 

Joel finishes, chest heaving and hands still curled into fists. The low light makes the thin layer of sweat on his skin seem like he’s practically glowing. His knuckles are already evidently split and swirling in distinct shades of blue and red. You’re mesmerized. 

“You can’t do that shit here.” 

That’s it. The only reprimand. In the world of before, he would have gotten the cops called on him. He would have gone to jail. 

Joel looks up, mumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously close to fuck off. He then looks at you, gestures with a tilt of his head for you to follow, and walks forward. 

You try not to think of what it must look like when you follow, quickening your steps to get closer to him after you’re out of focus. When you reach the door, Joel pulls it open with one hand and reaches for your fingers with the other. 

----

The way your eyebrows draw together when you’re examining an injury is different than the way they pull together for anything else. It’s too focused to be concerned and too concerned to be focused. 

Joel could stare at that expression for longer than he’d ever admit to. He could concentrate on that little line above your forehead and forget about everything else. “I’m fine,” he mutters, knowing that there’s no real point. You’ll do what you’re going to do when it comes to these kinds of things.

You nod absentmindedly, another small sign that you’re not as here as you normally odd. “It’d be awfully sad if you died of something as small as non-fungal infection.” 

He swallows, minding that look behind your eye. Things are still normal, you’ve yet to show any sign of rejection. He kept your fingers locked practically the entire way here and you let him. Never pulled away. 

It’s not like he needs to apologize. Joel did nothing wrong. He even gave you a minute to handle the situation, but the man was relentless. The kind of asshole that takes advantage of a world with little order to prey on women. Joel would do it again. And again. And again. There are no regrets there.

You’re not naive. You know what you signed up for when you accepted him. He’s never hid that from you. That doesn’t change the fact that you’ve always had a pension for forgiveness, a pinch of empathy the world hasn’t managed to snuff. 

“You’re dramatic, anyone ever tell you that?” 

A touch of a smile pulls on the corner of your mouth. “Hm. Think I’ve heard that once or twice from this one guy. Dark hair, dark eyes, cute, but not really my type.” 

Joel smiles, a partial laugh escaping him. “Really?” 

Turning over his hand with a gentleness he still finds difficult to understand, you press a quick kiss to his palm. You move back into your previous position so quickly it almost feels bashful. “I think you know the answer.” You flip his hand so that his knuckles face you again and go back to cleaning them. “You know, you didn’t have to...I wouldn’t have ever asked you to do that.” 

Joel can’t help his partial smile at that. Like there was ever any doubt. “I know,” he manages, “You’re not that.” 

It takes a second for you to understand what he’s implying. That you’re not like him. Yes, you get mad and you have nothing against putting people in their place, but you don’t like hurting people. Your lips part awkwardly, like you want to say he’s not that either, but you can’t. He just proved it to the both of you. 

“Nothing wrong with being like that,” you say, all too casual, “So don’t say it like it’s this big thing.” There is no end to the level of understanding you offer him. He doesn’t deserve it, he never will. “And you’re not like that in the way you mean. That asshole was, you’re not.” 

Joel lets out a low breath. Of course, even this you’d find a way to reframe. “You’d think so.” 

“I’m right.” It’s a quick reply, and the exact kind of response he expected. “You’re not a shitty person just because you beat up some guy or any of the reasons you’re thinking. New world, new morals. Accept it.” 

Your lips pull together into what’s almost a pout in your determination. Always so sure when it comes to him. “Mhm,” he breathes, watching your surprise at his compliancy. You know something’s coming, but not what. Your awareness does little to help you when Joel twists your hand in his pushes you back against the couch. “And what about you?” 

He hasn’t grabbed your hands yet, but you stay still, eyes trained on him. “I am a lot meaner than you think I am.” 

He tilts his head down to hide his amused expression. Your version of mean is fighting back. “You want to prove it?”

[shingekinomyfeelings]

Shh (Reiner x female reader; smut, PWP; mdni please)

nsfw. canon universe, alt timeline, 104th cadet training era in which characters are aged up to 18+. ~700 words. content warning for implied penetration and explicit dialog. contains dirty talk, reader getting railed on a dresser, and Reiner being a horrible little tease

You might be a little shy about being overheard, but Reiner sure isn't.

notes: let me say it again so we're super clear here - characters in my fics set during the cadet era should be assumed to be aged up to 18+, in a very slightly less miserable world in which training doesn't start at age 13. If this is really objectionable to you, that's okay, you don't need to read it.

This is by far my filthiest bit of writing as of yet, and my first pure PWP bit. At first I was kind of mortified about sharing it! I'd never even tried to write anything approaching dirty talk before and was worried it would be super 'off' and, you know, reflective of my being an asexual who's never touched a dick, and posted it sort of... hoping only a few people would read it - and then pretty few people did. But, somehow, over time I started feeling way more confident about and maybe even proud of this one, and honestly wishing I'd hyped it up more. It still feels weird for me to share smut with anyone, but I'm ngl, writing shit this shamelessly horny is actually a lot of fun. What's happened to me?

Anyway, love it or not, thank you for reading and for giving me an audience for trying new things like this. I think it's what pushes writers to grow.

Oh yeah, there are also some minor edits from the original version because I can't help myself.

originally published January 2023

Training exercises in the interior are rare, but they also come with a rare perk – you get to spend the night at an actual inn, with your own rooms and soft, comfy beds.

Currently, though, you’re not on the soft, comfy bed. Having slipped quietly from your room and sneaked off to Reiner’s, you’re currently seated on the dresser, clothes wantonly discarded across the floor, hair falling over your shoulders as your boyfriend stands, fucking into you with a desperation that you can only assume is inspired by the elegant change of scenery.

It’s certainly easier to sneak around at a place like this, and while you were a little tired after training and would have been content just to lay in bed with him and cuddle, Reiner was never one to waste an opportunity. He was also as charmingly persuasive as ever, those imploring golden honey eyes coaxing you into an exercise that was far more pleasant than training ever was.

Squeezing your breasts, kissing your neck, soft, deep moans offering a counterpoint to yours, Reiner is a sweeter and more exuberant partner than you imagine there may be behinds these walls...

That doesn’t change the fact that you’re currently in very close proximity to the rest of the 104th, though.

When a series of especially enthusiastic thrusts suddenly cause the dresser to rattle loudly against the wall, you’re more than a little mortified to imagine that the others are probably still awake in their own rooms and press your lips to Reiner’s neck with a hiss. “Shh! What if the others hear that?”

“Mm, hear what? The dresser?” He repositions you a little so that you’re forced to look into his eyes, a brow raised in amusement as he makes absolutely no effort to soften his pace. “That could be anything, for all they know, dove.”

But then a wicked little smile spreads across his face, and he slides your hips forward and angles them wider to let himself sink in deeper. Your tiny gasp only makes his smirk broaden.

“Or,” he continues, leaning in so his lips are nearly brushing against your ear, his thrusting into you becoming quite agonizingly deliberate, “Are you worried they’ll hear something else? Like how good I’m fucking you right now? Doesn’t bother me one bit.”

His voice is soft and just above a whisper, and his breath is warm against your skin. Your own breath is quickening a little and your cheeks feel like they’re on fire in response to his teasing, but you find you’ve lost any inclination to admonish him - and he’s so fucking annoyingly aware of it. A little huff of a chuckle almost feels like a caress against your cheek.

“Think they can hear how soaking wet this pussy is every time I slide my fat fucking cock into it? I sure can.”

A whimper escapes your throat and your voice slips out as a whine. “F-fuck, Reiner...” You’d hate to admit it, but his words affect you in ways he can feel all too well.

Reiner’s exhalations are growing shaky now, like your response is a call of encouragement. “Are you afraid they can hear those cute little sounds you make? Mmph – your sweet little whimpers? The way you say my name like it’s the only word you know? Shit--” He rests his forehead against yours for a few heartbeats, voice almost slipping into something softer. “Not gonna lie, I do like being the only one who’s ever heard those...”

He’s quick to recover from this lapse, though, and being keenly aware of how close you’re getting, he moves his hips against you faster, and sweetly kisses your forehead. “Don’t care if they hear the rest, though. Honestly, I fucking want them to hear it and know it’s my hot cum spilling out of you right now. I could keep on filling you up with my cum until they can hear it dripping onto the fucking floor.”

And then in an instant, he pauses, tilting your head back to fix you with that smug, infuriating, gorgeous grin of his. “Of course I can stop if you’re really that scared they’ll hear us.”

With mild irritation evident in your voice, you pull him against you so you can press your lips fervently to his neck again. “I think I can live with them hearing.

[kijosakka]

alejandro,,, so fun <3 OKAY I HAVE MANY AN IDEA SO TO BEGIN WITH: panopticon

as established, panopticon is a Thing in this au mainly as a theme (but also a very very big influence in the creation of this in the first place).

panopticon itself refers to an institutional/prison design wherein a central guard tower and the construction thereof makes the prisons unable to tell if theyre being watched at any given moment; thus, self regulation.

^ dramaturgy, as an AU, focuses on noah acting ‘in accordance’ with the cameras in a genre-savvy adjacent manner; he self regulates. the ‘central guard tower’ to him is the audience.

to alejandro, however, the audience is not a variable. his competing does not factor in the audience and public the way noahs does; instead, his focus is shifted to his castmates.

to slot it in now, im talking about alejandros perception of the audience and the perception of him thereof (which, this and the above will be compounded upon with the stuff below further explaining alejandros facade/masking).

^ again, the audience just isnt a necessary variable to alejandro (at least, beyond *his family). playing in the manner he is, orchestrating and manipulating, you just cant fit in the time to placate the audience to make them love you. the more important thing is the opinions of his castmates, who are the real variables impacting his win.

and so, in short, alejandro is polarizing. people love a villain, but there is still the in-universe distinction of it being a reality show. it is real people; so, some part of TD’s audience will account that and denounce alejandro for being so comfortable in manipulating his peers so shamelessly.

[*his family, as seen in canon, seems to be something he is acutely aware of. he would be aware of how he presents himself, and would do so in a manner pleasing to them.

this is not to say hes unaware of the audience. he knows theyre there and speaks directly to them in the confessionals in a shifted manner (exaggerated/nitpicked for the purposes of this AU).

< where most characters speak about their competition to the audience, alejandro often speaks directly to the audience. tiniest distinction but i feel i should make it and emphasize it]

and now,, his actual facade; what it portrays, what it hides, and the reasons/motivations.

^ restating another post (ty ophe), alejandro has a mask of a person hiding antagonism. he acts like an idealist version of his actual person; kind, sensible, intelligent, considerate. athletic, helpful, goodhearted, compassionate, attractive to boot. taken to an extreme, holier-than-thou and patronizing. diminished, way overcompensatory, or maybe doormat-ish.

while this version of noah comes off as uncanny valley because no real person is so detached and lifeless, no real person is so perfect either. alejandro would trigger the same bells but to a much, much lesser degree. more like there were pieces of a puzzle missing rather than something distinctly wrong.

because alejandro seems like a person, he portrays depths and facets to himself (while all positive), and interacts with his castmates like how people interact with people.

it is, again, a the veil of an idealist person hiding antagonism. i don’t think alejandro is a cartoonishly antagonistic, unremorseful supervillain character (and hes not really portrayed as such in canon, but just to say), but he is absolutely not the perfection he portrays himself as.

now is a great time to add that alejandros mask heavily relates back to the expectations his family pushes on him; not only is it good socially (for the purposes of the competition) but theres probably a sense of validation there aswell (if shallow, because its still not an appreciation of the ‘real’ him).

^ and thats a Thing as well, the ‘real’ alejandro. flawed and imperfect, able to be irritable and snappy and meanspirited with arrogance hiding the cracks of overwhelming inferiority. as a person, that is, in intent for the game hes, well, an eel. conniving and slippery and manipulative and sly and vindictive and unapologetic.

and as for reasons,, staying in line with the burromuertos ‘high society’ position in this AU, maybe it was something like a way to prove himself; he works the social game and shows business promise because of it, and brings a hefty sum of money home to his family that he earned.

and his facade is an easy one, not only a way to show a sense of professionalism and keep the burromuerto name ‘untainted’ by blatantly unsavory behavior similar to someone like duncan, but a way to keep his castmates none the wiser while the steals the money from under them.

BUT within the au itself things umm do not go to plan as noah makes it his mission to unmask alejandro as just as fake as he himself is.

which brings about the topic of a very specific cast relationship: noah and alejandro

as,, yk,, the backbones of his entire au (ok its more like nervous systems. noah is central and alejandro is peripheral) i want to save a full digging into their relationship and developments for another post entirely (probably going episode by episode until pre london focusing mostly on alejandro, and then another post after i figure out the actual events of WT going through the changed canon)

but to just go through it very quickly; noah doesnt trust alejandro and sees through him. alejandro eventually catches wind of the fact that noah doesnt trust him, and i imagine it would trigger a wondering of how? spurred on by noahs whole ‘no substance’ thing.

and besides, nobody has anything on noah despite him being their castmate going on 3 years now. and now that he’s thinking about it, what does he himself really know about noah in the same way he knows things about the rest of the cast? that’s interesting. *

^ i imagine alejandro would be wary but not worried about noah knowing, simply because of the passive nature he’s read of the other. < poor alejandro. it is not nearly that easy.

[*interesting,,, i will cover that more on the actual post going ep by ep for their relationship. because i do have Thoughts]

[spiderpussinc]

I don’t think it’s very fair for you to try and knock others from reading Miguel’s OG run because truthfully that’s the only place you’re going to get his full character since every run after that is just “Let’s place him in different time scenarios to fix other people’s problems”. I’ve read ur reasonings and some of the issues I just don’t see and that’s coming from someone who’s ALSO half Hispanic and had similar family experiences. Idk I guess comic Miguel is rlly important and relatable to me and you shouldn’t turn others away from having that potential connection too. :/

NAH LOL it is *not* the only place to get his character truthfully -- his character is not consistent between runs, or between comic and movie! Not even Pdavid's runs have an unified version of Miguel since he just becomes an author self-insert after one point. The way Pdavid writes '92 Miguel - Gabriel is also shamelessly almost the same as he wrote Bruce Banner - Rick Jones. (another series where he ended up being pushed off the book after he started making really weird decisions; and notice these last two are white guys, which is how pdavid depicts Miguel all the time.)

I haven't even told people to not read them. In multiple posts i say 'read the first ones to see how it is, stop when you get annoyed, look up summaries, don't feel obligated to treat it as canon because it isn't.' If anyone feels threatened by this they should examine where that defensiveness is coming from.

I'm gonna be real with you that's like saying "the only way to REALLY understand Miles Morales is to read his ultimates run." You know, the one where his mother gets eaten alive by Venom, his dad thinks he's at fault for killing her and nearly beats him with a cane, where the closest thing he has to peter is a clone named jessica drew, and that eventually gets completely retconned in a universe explosion so main universe Miles can be rewritten. Do you remember seeing any of the things above in ITSV? Would you call them *the only real way to fundamentally understand Miles as a character?*

I keep seeing the rhetoric that 'real fans' have to subscribe to the very first script of these characters and that somehow enjoying their ATSV versions is fake-stanning and that is just... not true. That's not how comics work. Our most iconic, definitive, memorable traits for MANY of these superheroes have come from subsequent comic runs, rewrites, feats of adaptation and the interaction between fanwork-becoming-canon. Even uncle Ben's 'power and responsibility' schtick is NOT an original part of Peter's first draft. That came from re-imaginings and rewrites.

I'm really, truly not a fan of the argument that 'relating to parts of a character' completely absolves the text from criticism. It's not a good comic. It barely tries to be latino rep and frankly, I'm not going to praise it for just placing a label on him and doing nothing with it. I don't care for this white man's truth. It's racist and creepy and I should be paid reparations for having to read a storyline where the same girl gets paired up with two different brothers and then their father just to end up getting killed for a sexier token love interest. I am constantly frustrated by the argument that new fans should be forced to read it and potentially get turned away from comics forever; it's one of the worst offerings you could give them. 90's Marvel and DC are a public fandom joke and nearly led the market into bankruptcy!!!!! (Marvel filled for loss in 1996. IT WAS BAD. That's part of why the whole 2099 line went up in flames! The money was going down the drain.)

I've been a comic reader for a long time and I just can't give them blissful innocence passes like that. The current editor-in-chief at Marvel did yellowface and pretended to be a japanese man for years to write some shitty superhero weeb comics with no accountability whatsoever. He still has a job. RUNNING the company!

And here's the thing: I like Miguel too. I have a shitty family and I empathize with that but I KNOW he deserves much better than to be confined by white people's scripts and fetishes. I *want* him to have a chance, multiple chances even, to be completely rewritten and remolded by latine voices without the need for them to constantly refer or tie back into that white man's work; It is our right just as any other.

ATSV throws away most of Miguel's baggage, and straight up refuses to refer to the weird indepth sludge pdavid had going on; the artbook doesn't mention these first comics or most of his runs, they actually talk about other groundbreaking sci-fi concept work and the idea of basically rebuilding the landscape from scratch, and I am deeply thankful they do that. One of the biggest themes of the movie *is* that the idea of comic canon is fraught and full of holes, and that we should subvert it into joyful and honest expressions of these characters' cultures. These are movies that begin with the Comics Code Authority stamp, a censorship marker that among other things explicitly prohibited the positive depiction of pro-civil rights narratives and homosexual relationships, and actively turned their nose at protagonist black characters — & proceed to rip it to shreds. That's what we should be doing!

[sorenphelps]

All the artwork I made (so far) for the fanfic Fall For Me by @nikialexx for this year's @rsbigbang!

When we received the fanfic summaries and I saw that there's gonna be a rockstar AU, I ranked it high and was hoping for the best that I'd get it... And I got lucky, we got paired up with Niki, and I cannot even begin to express how much fun working with her has been! When I signed up for the Bang, I had no idea that I will end up being such an overachiever, but our collaboration was just too inspiring for me to stick to making only 1 picture! I'm gonna share a little backstory for all of them, also listing all the hidden easter eggs!

The banner: It was inspired by an off-screen scene (and a Hozier gif) Niki shared with me which inspired her to play with this AU to begin with! She was kind enough to let me design the look of the characters however I wanted and as I am the biggest facial hair enthusiast irl, I shamelessly drew the boys with beards, even tho it is not even once mentioned in the fic! (I aspire to be the fanartist known for drawing every male character with a beard, jsyk.) I am especially fond of Remus' nose, it just turned out so cute! Also, big thanks to Niki again for adding the extra bit about Sirius' parents coming from Vietnam, which is a very personal touch for me! It's the reason why I draw the Black family members with East Asian features, and finally it is perfectly valid in this fic's canon! 🙇🏻‍♀️

The paparazzi photo: This was my very first idea upon reading the summary of the fic, and thankfully Niki was very onboard with this too! This however turned out to be more challenging than expected, the first version was from a different angle and I really couldn't figure out the correct proportions and perspective, and the pose is harder to pull off in an anatomically correct way to begin with, so after some discussions whether it would be plausible in the fic if the paparazzi would have a room next to this balcony instead of in front, it finally clicked into place! And it is actually a real place in Madrid (the hotel and the background too)! Madrid is my ultimate favourite European city and I've spent 2 weeks working there this spring, so I could actually use my own photos as reference! I also hid a crescent moon and a star on the label of the wine bottle in the background! In the fic it is a kiss and they shouldn't be this visible, but I think I managed to convey the heat of this moment anyway. I really like how Sirius licks Remus' neck and their pleasure is obvious however subtle it is. Also because it is not an actual kiss, it has around the same level of ambiguity as the "original" semi-hidden photos would have in my opinion?

The Instagram posts: This idea came to me while reading the first draft of the fic. I've always liked social media inspired drawings, so at first I just sketched it out for fun, but then I liked it too much, so I finalized it, only to realize that I remembered incorrectly and it was not an Instagram post in the fic! Thankfully Niki was flexible enough to change the platform to Instagram in the final version to cover for my mistake! As in the fic it's Snape who takes the paparazzi photos, I referenced him in the first insta post (username). The second insta post was a last minute addition, I figured why not put the story in a "frame" this way. I wanted to draw Remus again, and I had so much fun with it, I've added a lot of easter eggs too! He is drinking wine and is a little tipsy - just as the beginning, and a lot of other times in the fic actually, haha -, he has the ring, the photo was taken in James' restaurant, and there is also Padfoot the dog, who is now bigger as a whole year has passed! Niki gave me free hand with the caption and the comments too, so I decided to really double down on the story framing idea, and have the same comments, but with a twist, emphasizing Sirius' sassiness more (the caption and the extra comment from him saying the love of his life is his dog, but i used the moon and wolf emojis so it would refer to Remus... Also Padfoot is on the picture which is a nod back to the first one when the comment said who is on the picture).

The extra sketches: Originally I didn't want to add the extra sketches, as all three were just warmup before/after working on the actual pieces, but Niki decided to include them in her fic anyways! I really enjoyed the tension of the bathroom scene, I might even clean that sketch up sometime, but the roughness somehow really fits the vibe of the scene! The guitar playing one was actually the first version of the insta post that I only drew for my own fun, before I moved to make a more direct illustration of the scene. I really like how it looks, the guitar just looks so right in Sirius' hand! The boy really is a born rockstar, haha! The balcony in the background has the same pattern as the hotel in Madrid, however it really is just a coincidence. And how could I have resisted drawing Sirius with baby Padfoot?

The promo pic: I had the basis of this picture since working on the banner, but I actually only finished it recently. My aim was to make it look like an actual promo, influencer style (that's why the text is so cringy)! I've also came up with the idea of drawing the rockstar version of Sirius with a cross earring while working on these pictures, which I liked to much that I draw every version of him with it now 😆 It's like 95% of aesthetic and 5% reference to his godfather status (which makes sense only in my native language, cause the word for godfather is mirror translated as cross-father).

The rockband pic and the concert pic: I'm gonna list them here too, because they are both connected to the fic! Neither of them is a direct illustration, but they were inspired by the conversations I had with Niki in the meantime! The concert pic is actually a variation for the situation I tried to convey with the banner!

TLDR; (this became so long again, jeez) I really enjoyed working on all of these pictures, and I am sure that I will definitely create more! (The R/J/S threesome is just too tempting!!) It was really the most prosperous of collaborations, and it was so nice to get to know Niki too! I am really grateful for the opportunity to join the Bang, in my case it really delivered all the benefits: engaging more in this fandom, my creative drive skyrocketing and getting to know a lot of new people! Thanks to everyone involved, really!

[sickness-health-all-that-shit]

thank you @callivich for sharing the idea of making fic dvd commentaries! I thought I'd give it a go 🥰 @shamelessdvdcommentary

Broken things

summary: When Lip brings home an advanced android in order to test it for the company he works for, Ian doesn't know what to make of him. MIK-940810, or Mickey, seems virtually indistinguishable from a human being, throwing Ian for a loop as he feels an undeniable connection to the android. Their relationship deepens when Ian finds out about something that Mickey has been keeping from Lip and the people who built him.

There’s a faint blue light shining from the place where Lip’s thumb rests for about two seconds. Ian’s expecting some kind of whirring noise, like when you turn a computer on, but there’s just silence.

And then suddenly the blue eyes come alive.

some stats: I started writing this about a year ago, as part of the latest shameless big bang and finished it around january this year. it's a multichapter of about 28k words divided into 8 chapters

What was the initial inspiration for your story?

probably something I was watching at the time. I love sci-fi! I think I would've had the initial idea in the spring of 2023 and then let it marinate for a while, until the big bang came a-knocking lol. I'm pretty sure it was always gonna be android!Mickey and human Ian, and when I remembered Lip's canon interest in robotics it all started slotting into place for me

If the story is written from a character’s POV, why did you choose this character?

like I said it was always gonna be android!Mickey and I really wanted to explore Ian trying to figure out what made him tick and questioning what makes us human in the first place

What was your favourite scene to write?

probably their initial conversation when Ian asks all sorts of questions that make his brain explode more and more, while Mickey sort of watches him spiral and just seems to have an obvious answer for everything lol. that and the scene where Mickey heavily flirts with an increasingly flustered Ian, that was a lot of fun

How did you come up with the title?

one of the main themes of the fic is the coming together of these two individuals who meet at a time when they both needed it because they were feeling broken, for different reasons. there's a parallel especially between Ian's relationship with his bipolar disorder and Mickey's feeling that he's malfuctioning as an android and that he'll be seen as a broken toy. in both cases it's because of heightened emotions compared to what's considered 'normal', but they heal each other throughout the fic and overcome that sense of brokenness together

Are there any little moments or references you hope readers will notice?

hopefully all the little references and parallels to canon! (things like Mickey's serial number for instance) I had a lot of fun with those, it was like winking at my fellow fans like 'get it? it's like in the show!' lol

Was there anything you struggled to write? If so, how did you overcome this?

I struggled a bit with the resolution of the main conflict/angst, especially explaining how Lip suddenly decides to help them in the end, after being a dick for most of the story lmao. hopefully it doesn't feel that sudden or rushed, but yeah. I still think about it at times lol

Favourite line in the story?

“Well, ask away, doc. You studyin’ human anatomy all day, right? Bet you’re curious as fuck to know all the ways they replicated that shit in this hot little android body o’ mine.” - like I said, I really enjoyed Mickey shamelessly flirting xD

Did the storyline change in any way as you wrote the story?

I just checked my original (handwritten) outline, and I think I had meant to make Ian catch on more to the fact that Mickey is a different type of android, even with Lip's reassurances, but I think in that version he ended up being suspicious in a way that didn't gel with his blossoming feelings for Mickey, and maybe as a result I made Ian a little bit more unsure of himself, which goes back to him feeling broken because he feels like he can't trust his brain too much. also when I was still gathering my ideas for the story I initially thought Mickey might turn out to have memories of a human Mickey Milkovich who had died, but I scrapped that because I wanted this Mickey to be the real Mickey, android or no

If you are writing a particular trope or genre, was it your first time writing this?

I'd definitely never written sci-fi or an android fic before! I might delve more into science fiction in the future though, who knows 😌

What are you most proud about in the story? (plot, characterisation, dialogue, twist/cliffhanger, etc)

overall plot and dialogue, probably. I'm really proud of how I developed my original idea, and some of the lines still make me laugh (or cry)

Are there any deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the final story?

going back to my original outline, I apparently had a whole chapter that never came to be? here's what I'd written down: "Lip's boss shows up at the house. Mickey needs to pretend to be a regular android despite his anger. Ian defends Mickey. The police gets called. They have to make a run for it." maybe this would have helped the resolution feel less rushed/anti-climactic but it also seemed to complicate things a bit too much for my taste, so it got scrapped

Would you ever write a sequel to this story?

I think the epilogue leaves things in a good enough place!

Were you nervous or excited to post this story?

both!! but more excited overall, I think. it's probably my favourite story I've written

Ask your followers to pick a snippet (no more than 500 words) and share your thoughts about it.

please!!!! I will love you forever <3

this was great, I highly recommend it to all writers 🥰

[izzythehutt]

Hello! I just wanted to say that I really love In the Black and Black Mask! I adore your take on the Black family because to me it makes so much more sense than the usual Walburga and Orion casually Crucio-ing Sirius at every mistake take. I really enjoy seeing how history tends to repeat itself in terms of familial relationships, because it's something I see often on families. Also most of their relationships with one another are complicated, and never clear cut.

I loved the most recent chapter, it was honestly hilarious. Ted is absolutely the hero of this chapter, he's the only sane man there and I love how he takes the Blacks being well... The Blacks, in stride. Also Dora just latching onto Cygnus was wonderful and him getting offended when Dora said "but I thought you didn't like us?" was so funny. Seeing Walburga break down was so painful, I think in part because she always appears as strong. Sirius calling her Mama and then hugging her was so wholesome. Also, his 'Reason You Suck' speech to Arcturus had me gasping with both awe and horror in real life because all of these characters are so alive they feel like actual people. Your dialogues are absolutely brilliant, and so much of their personalities shine through from how they speak and react to things.

Also I absolutely love Colette, she's definitely someone who keeps Sirius grounded. Her touching his wrist and telling him to speak to James was so intimate, it felt much more intimate than a spicy smut things or things like that. It reminds me of Pride and Prejudice where there's not actually much PDA going on, but it's infinitely more romantic to me because you can feel the affection between these two people. Also, Colette just shamelessly kissing Sirius in front of everyone (including her own parents!) and calling him darling got me grinning.

I'm excited to see how her parents will react (her mother in particular), because Fabienne (I'm sorry I can't remember her mother's name) strikes me as not having much hope for Colette as long as she marries a respectable pure-blood wizard because she set her sights on Rabastan who is a second son, thus unlikely to inherit, instead of someone like Evan Rosier who is already the head of the family. But then Colette went and snagged the heir to one of the most powerful families in Britain.

I'm sorry for the long comments. Kudos <3

This is a very sweet comment! Thank you!

To be compared with Austen is so flattering, because tbh she is a major inspiration to me in general as a writer and storyteller and in particular for this story. I was re-reading a section of the story and realized that I had flat out stolen phrases from Austen/Austen adaptations (1995 P&P in particular.) Sorry, Jane!

Sirius's rant to Arcturus was peak Reasons You Suck speech, good use of the trope.

I'm glad you enjoy my interpretation, I find it far more interesting (and frankly, fun) than the popular fanon portrayals of over the top abuse and crucio-ing etc.

It's become a bit of a sticking point for me, because I've been accused directly/publicly of putting the blame for the dysfunctional family relationships on Sirius/white-washing abuse more than once. Which I resent, a bit—I don't think I've ever presented the Black parents as healthy or good (though they are entertaining in their problematic manipulativeness at times and I can't deny that I do occasionally play that for laughs.) What I've tried to show (with mixed success, clearly) is that Sirius's coping mechanisms are the product of their bad parenting and don't actually make him a happy/healthy person because he still loves his family, in spite of them being objectively awful. Which I think is probably relatable to many humans on the planet? There's a desire for a relationship with our parents.

As it's a version of characters who never appeared in canon, I would call my softening of them "alternative character interpretation", though I will maintain until the end of time that there's nothing in BSDU characterization directly contradicted by canon.

[del-stars]

do you like reg?…

i could give this a short answer but unforch i am born 2 yap....

i do! or i don't dislike regulus. i don't vibe with a lot of the canon-compliant jegulus regulus, however. i think regulus is far more compelling as a villain or, at the very least, extremely morally grey. it feels like a massive cop-out to me to write it off as his parents forced him to be a DE or he didn't actually believe in it etc etc.... i just think it's far more interesting to make him kind of insane/a bad guy. he had posters of voldemort in his room! he joined the DE at sixteen! he was a little freak! i want to see more of that regulus. this version of him is fairly irreconcilable with canon-compliant james, to me, which is why i don't often reach for canon-compliant jegulus.

i do really dislike when people blame sirius for 'leaving' regulus or just generally pluck traits/storylines from sirius and transpose them onto regulus, not just because i am the #1 sirius black defender, but because it's dismissive to both of their characters. interesting traits/potential plotlines of sirius' get erased (i'm saying it again: prongsfoot!!!), and regulus' inherent complexity gets oversimplified.

BUT! i love him in aus. i think regulus - and by extension jegulus as a ship - shines in aus. not to shamelessly self-promo but i am having so much fun digging into preacher's dog!regulus and his relationship with sirius and james. it's a fun exercise to imagine what relationship the black brothers could've had if they weren't in the situation they found themselves in; but for me, canonically, they were in that situation.

i hope this makes a semblance of sense. i love when characters have many different versions of themselves in this fandom, and i definitely prefer certain characterisations of regulus over others, which is true for pretty much every marauders character.

[cantsayidont]

Controversial media takes of various kinds:

MAD MEN is not a good show. It *could* have been a good show, but it's constantly kneecapped by the showrunners' uncertainty about whether they want to critique Don Draper or fellate him (with the show inevitably opting for the latter) and their determination to sideline the other characters (who are often more interesting, and sometime played by actors less insufferable than Jon Hamm, whom I hate) in favor of Don. The longer the show goes on, the less it knows what to do with the period events it references other than to have the characters nod solemnly at them, it only intermittently remembers that Jewish people and people of color exist (and it never actually cares), and its contempt for its female characters (whose story the show really should have been) becomes more and more troubling. Also, a big chunk of the premise is ripped off rather shamelessly from the popular Sloan Wilson novel THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT (which had an indifferent film adaptation starring Gregory Peck).

SOME LIKE IT HOT is not pioneering Queer Representation, it's a series of offensive homophobic jokes and transphobic Men in Dresses gags by a notoriously mean-spirited writer-director who thought that shit was just hilarious, starring two of my least favorite American male stars of the period. It's also not funny at all unless you share Wilder's chaser-transphobe predilections. If you're LGBT and you love this awful movie, I certainly can't stop you, but understand that Billy Wilder was very definitely laughing at you, and ask yourself if you're okay with that.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were perfectly fine as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson; some of the Universal Holmes films are actually quite good despite their modest budgets; and having Bruce play Watson as a comic-relief buffoon was an eminently reasonable creative decision because it gave Watson something to do onscreen other than be constantly awed at Holmes' brilliance, which is boring and reduces the actor to a glorified prop.

The Jeremy Brett Holmes TV series of the eighties is mid at best: Brett is not the definitive Holmes; his decision to play Holmes as an icy misanthrope (which Holmes is not in the canon) makes those versions frequently unpleasant to watch; and any time the show's writers try to expand upon the Doyle stories, they inevitably go very wrong. I can put on any of the Rathbone/Bruce movies, even the bad ones, and find it at least agreeable background noise, but the thought of revisiting the Granada show makes me grimace.

The Stephen Sommers MUMMY movies with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are incredibly racist — as are all iterations of that franchise, including the 1932 Karloff film and the more recent, wretched Alex Kurtzman iteration with Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella — which really undermines their entertainment value even as Big Stupid Popcorn Fun, no matter how how hot you thought Fraser and Weisz were. THE MUMMY (1999) was startlingly racist by the standards of 25 years ago and it has not aged well.

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH is incredibly offensive transmisogynistic hackwork and the attempts to position it as a modern-day ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Participatory Event speak volumes about what y'all actually take from the latter.

[thebeautifulfantastic]

girl who is this "My Guy" you speak of in your tags 👀👀👀👀👀

ohoho do i have a story to tell you, my friend :D

basically, i'm experiencing the "slow burn friends to lovers" trope, and it is both amazing and infuriatingly agonizing. fair warning, this is going to a looooong post, so jump to the end if you want the short version.

it all started back in the spring, after i got accepted to a performing arts college, and specifically to their first-year study abroad program in Spain. i was so pumped, and determined to make friends before college started, so i found one of those [college name] class of 27 instagram accounts and as people's intros were posted, made it a point to follow and dm anyone else who said they would also be doing their first year abroad. *sigh* yes, i was shamelessly sliding into people's dms. but strictly with the purpose of friendship! anyways, this Boy's picture and little intro paragraph gets posted to the account, and he says he's in the study abroad program, so i dm him, as had become my custom -- it's a very simple "hi nice to meet you" exchange -- and he follows me back.

a few weeks later, my photo and little intro paragraph get posted to the account, and he sends me a dm. he's like "IT'S YOU" and i'm like "IT IS!" and he's like "you have such a good voice!" (because there was a video of me singing in my post) and i'm like "thank you!" and he's like "you are MOST welcome." and then, because in my intro i had mentioned that i'm a total nerd, he also says "and don't worry, i'm a nerd too." this is word-for-word accurate, by the way -- i just checked. so we messaged for a good while, bonding over nerdy topics.

a couple days later he replied to my instagram story and we had another mini nerd-out moment, and then a couple days after that i mustered up the courage to message him and ask if he might be interested in working on some creative projects together once the school year started. that was the conversation that really broke the ice, because after that, we were messaging back and forth every single day, talking about anything and everything, getting to know each other and quickly realizing that we had a lot in common. actually, the second thing we bonded over after our shared nerdiness was that we were both liberal/progressive Christians who didn't love Christian media. and we fell in love right then and there... just kidding, there's much more to the story ;)

anyways! we became really close over the summer because we talked to each other so much. now so far i only saw him as a very good friend, because i had a massive crush on a girl (who i never confessed my feelings to, but i'm pretty sure she's straight anyway. canon bisexual experience, i guess) that he was very aware of because i told him about her. i wasn't really looking at any boy as someone i'd potentially be interested in, and i was just so thrilled to have found a new best friend that i connected with and who i'd get to see every day at college. i actually said, in conversation with a different friend of mine that "i've seen who i'll be going to college with, and i can assure you, i'm not going to have a crush on any of these people." yeah, right. famous last words.

but the plot thickens. as the summer drew to a close, it started looking like i wouldn't be able to study abroad or attend this college at all because of tuition costs, and i was really, really sad. but honestly, what i was most sad about was that i wouldn't get to meet him in person just yet and would have to wait a whole year until he was at this college's US campus, which happens to be about an hour from where i live (his home state is quite far away from mine, so our friendship had developed entirely through the internet). i told him the news, that i wouldn't be joining him at college, and he was also sad because he was also super excited to meet me, but we agreed that we'd stay in touch and meet up in person someday, somehow.

summer ended, we kept talking, he left for Spain, and we still kept talking. however, there was a subtle shift in the tone of our conversations sometime after he arrived there, which is to say we started flirting. not intentionally, mind you. it just happened, in between the "i miss you" and the "i wish you were here, we would've raised so much hell" the both of us started playfully flirting, and it was so natural i didn't even realize it was flirting until several weeks had passed (that may also be because i am an oblivious fool). just subtle little things, like i would say "hey :) i miss you" and he would say "you're making me blush," and then we would playfully tease each other and laugh about it. there was one occasion where i was having a really rough day and later on he sent me the sweetest text i have ever received in my life and told me i was one of his favorite people in the world :'))

around this time he also started screenshotting my selfies that i sent him over instagram chat, and i noticed. i started suspecting that maybe he was into me as more then a friend at that point (because when a guy screenshots your face, that means something, right?) but at this point i was still in the Denial Stage of my feelings so i decided to not read into it too much. i also hadn't been physically attracted to him at first sight, so i was like "he's Just A Guy!! there's no way i can have feelings for him, because i'm not into guys right now. i just love his personality and our dynamic. that's all." yeah, RIGHT. just keep telling yourself that, Belle.

we were in mid-september by this point, and we had called a few times since he's been in Spain, and during one jet-lagged conversation while mutually lamenting that we couldn't hang out in-person, he happened to mention that even if he wouldn't be in my area for another year, there was nothing stopping me from visiting him when he goes home to the states for Christmas and winter break. internally, i thought "HECK YEAH" but what i actually said was something like, "you know what, that's a good point," and after that the daydreams began in earnest, but because i'm an idiot i told myself these were still strictly platonic feelings. we treated the idea of me visiting him as a rather unserious thing at first ("oh i just said that because i was jet-lagged and delirious, don't worry about it haha" -- yeah right, buddy, you literally just told me you miss me), but i couldn't get the idea out of my head.

and then of course, as is the way of things, i'm lying awake at night, thinking about him, and all of a sudden it hits me and i realize the worst has happened: i had developed feelings. romantic ones. my first reaction was literally "well shit this is embarrassing. i am so screwed." it was a very strange realization too, because none of it was based on his looks. i had never looked at him and thought "damn he's hot," i simply... loved him. the whole person.

(i should probably clarify that this isn't me calling him ugly or anything. he is a very good-looking person, and i knew that, subconsciously, but it wasn't a thought that really took up space in my brain because i just hadn't been looking at him that way. and now i do think he's cute! but i had to come to terms with my crush first.)

after realizing this, my first thought was that i didn't want to say anything about my feelings to him and accidentally look like an idiot ("because what if there's a chance he doesn't like me?" girl be so fr) so we just kept talking and the flirting got more and more obvious. i also started screenshotting his photos to see what would happen. what happened was more playful teasing. we called again and got all flustered with each other because it was so hard not to spill the tea. the idea of me visiting him was brought up again, with a more... uh... suggestive undertone? it was amazing. it was also unbearable.

it all came to a light one day in late september. i had told myself i wouldn't say anything about my feelings until we met in-person, but by the way we were flirting, i should have known we wouldn't be able to wait that long.

in perhaps the most random fashion, it started because his BeReal caption was "i cried to this song last night. someday i'll reveal the story" and i got a little worried upon reading that. so i texted him "are you okay? i saw your BeReal and i thought i would check in." his reply was something like "OH MY GOSH i'm fine i cried because i was super high last night," which, like, a little mortifying that i momentarily forgot weed existed, but i'm glad you're okay.

but then a few minutes later, he says "why did you screenshot my BeReal?" and my brain froze. i couldn't think of a single way to deflect or change the subject this time, so i thought fuck it and told him exactly why: "because you looked cute."

he goes "aha! there it is" and i said, "for how long have you been trying to get me to say that?" and he said "a while. i've liked you for a while."

i won't relay the whole conversation that followed because it was very long and also quite personal, but after we'd calmed down a bit from the love confession, we talked seriously about whether it would be a good idea to be in a relationship, and what things were worrying us, pros and cons, etc etc, and what we came to was that he personally needed some time to think about it all, but we would still plan on me visiting him.

and here we are! we still haven't met in person, but we will eventually, and it's nothing official yet (it's honestly kind of a situationship except we actually do talk about our feelings) but there's a lot of love on both ends. and i'm just so happy to know him at all, because if i hadn't randomly decided to slide into his dms none of this would have happened, and that would be a shame. we may be overdue for another serious conversation about relationship stuff (the flirting and teasing has continued, in addition to our more normal conversations) but that's the story so far. now you know, if i mention "the boy" or my "kinda bf" or "my guy" who i'm referring to. i can't reveal his real name here because that feels like an invasion of privacy, but it starts with an A, and sometimes i refer to him that way too :)

tl;dr -- he is a guy that i met online through the college i had planned on attending but actually didn't, we became close friends and stayed in touch and eventually developed feelings, and admitted those feelings for each other, and now we are More Than Friends But Not Officially Together because we haven't met in-person yet, but hopefully soon.

[merv606]

I wish Silverusso fans would have written the aftermath of the Terry/Daniel fight in Stingray’s flat. It definitely would have gone differently. No friggin way Terry would have just left Daniel there, beaten and vulnerable; he would have kidnapped him, broken him mentally, and eventually made him his, like he’s wanted for 30+ years. The CK writers suck lol. Just kidding. Sort of.

Well, if silverusso shippers were writing CK, everything would be vastly different lol

Thing is, in the context of the scene and a Terry’s reaction - (what Daniel is to Terry) it makes sense.

Terry, is angry at Daniel - truly angry:

Not pissed (like the sauna scene) but truly angry - and he loses his temper in a way we haven’t seen (and different than beating Sting Ray as that was a means to an end to frame Kreese).

And why?!

Because he was meddling? A thorn in Terry’s side?

No. He likes Danny’s attitude after all (CANON).

He was angry because Daniel was willing to give up - walk away - from this thing - this game they were playing - which equates to willing to walk away from Terry.

And that is unacceptable.

That is what pisses Terry off - even the dialogue you think you can walk away?! We are way past waving the white flag (aka I won’t give you mercy)

Remember he gave Daniel the option to walk away (although that was on Terry’s terms and he knows Daniel and his stubbornness and knew he wouldn’t so it was a fake gesture really).

He could have killed Daniel but he stops himself - he wants Daniel alive to see the plan to fruition (to continue to play with him - his favourite plaything).

So he walks away. If he stays he may break his toy past repair and he doesn’t want that.

This is why the whole narrative they tried to present in season four (and then never brought up again) of Kreese being his weakness makes no sense - and I did do a more in depth write up about this for other asks (I’m pretty sure).

It is not Kreese that got him back to CK - he had no problem saying no to Kreese.

It’s Daniel.

Daniel’s name elicits the first sign of life from Terry.

And come on, thirty plus years and the first thing that pops to his mind is the nickname he gave Daniel?

Sidenote - Kreese is a master manipulator - knows what to say and what buttons to press to get the reaction he wants - to get what he wants - so why do you think he even brought up Daniel?!!

It’s Daniel’s rejection that starts the slippery slope into the old Terry - that’s what makes him shed this persona he created - like old skin - and go back to the old Terry and then an even worse version of that Terry.

It’s all traces back to Daniel. Everything.

It’s his marriage he seems intent on breaking - his kid’s he wants wrapped up in CK - it’s Daniel he wants to break - just like before.

Think too about TIG’s comments which kind of reinforces this idea.

The apology was sincere - it’s the rejection / he wants to be loved / he wants to be Daniel’s friend.

It’s Daniel that makes him lose his temper - his control - it is Daniel that causes his downfall - and if that ain’t the definition of a weakness, will I don’t what is.

I will take this moment to shamelessly promote the AU to the fight scene - kind of a darker route then I normally write

[theywontletmebeprincipal]

ok ok listen. this moment is admittedly absurd, yes. but it’s EXTREMELY in character for ice king/simon/winter king/whatever. it’s very heavily implied that ice king is, essentially, simon without any inhibition or filter. all of simon’s weird little quirks are present with ice king tenfold, n ice king has absolutely zero shame about that. of course this goes both ways - simon’s depression gets a lot more intense as ice king too — but so does his pure unabashed enjoyment of life. n ice king is yknow. a bit of a pervert, whether that’s something that was always there with simon or something that was an amplified version of a much more vanilla thing he had going on. let’s not forget ice king is, n I can’t believe this is something I can say, canonically into femdom

so winter king, who’s presented - at least on the surface — as a happy medium between the two, is of COURSE going to be a little bit of a freak. he’s on this constant upper with all of ice king’s joy n shamelessness n shall we say, preferences, but absolutely none of his despair bc of course he paid the ultimate price (someone else’s sanity) to lock all that away. not to mention the fact that he’s been in total isolation for 100 years (the apparition he made of his daughter to replace the real one who’s never forgiving him for driving her girlfriend crazy doesn’t count)

simon wouldn’t fuck his clone bc he’d get weirded out. I neither know nor care if he’d still want to n frankly I don’t think it matters all that much. ice king would fuck his clone bc he doesn’t give a shit but he’d be too confused about everything to actually figure out how. winter king, who has had 100 years of sanity to sit around alone n shamelessly think about fucking his clone, not only would fuck his clone, but, if given enough time n planning, WILL fuck his clone

I cannot believe the level of apeshit this franchise is that I can say this is legitimate character analysis. but somehow. it is. love this stupid fucking show to death

To give you some insight on just how absolutely insane this new Fionna and Cake episode is, Cake encourages this sexy alternate dimension Ice King (voiced by BRIAN DAVID GILBERT BY THE WAY) to commit interdimensional selfcest with Simon and he admits he THOUGHT ABOUT IT???? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHOW???

[spongebobafettywap]

Scrolling through your blog and the old "Maz answers" and coming across the ask about "the only way they found to make Destiny interesting is by taking stuff from Mystique and lazily slapping it on her" made me laugh my ass off for real Maz like you can't imagine

They really just canonically slapped Mystique's entire dynamic with Nightcrawler onto Destiny with him : Destiny flat-out said she holds not a single shred of maternal love to him (like Mystique literally said and acted towards him since Lobdell revealed his origins). They shamelessly pulled a switcheroo and Nightcrawler somehow looks more like a helpless and stupid kicked puppy for even thinking his bio parents would care about him with this new reveal

Ain't no self respect left in this fuzzy blue mommy issue filled man

I mean it's true, only time people talk about Destiny is in a conversation about Mystique lol. I can't believe Marvel has the audacity to claim she's their version of Irene Adler.

That's like if I had a version of Wolverine in my stories but instead of having claws or a healing factor he just has telepathic powers and doesn't do any killing like whats the point.