#I'm just wondering what other cool shit could find or what the most boring thing she could find is

[cakeandpudding1]

Haii can you do a hcs of the Greek brothers (Zeus included but it's fine if you don't want to) to their S/O who is a mortal from the modern era?? I rllyy like your writing especially the Apollo's one ^^

Ofc! I'm sorry for the long wait 🙇‍♀️ I've been eating and rotting in my bed for a while. I dont really know about what you are requesting, there's only very little description. So I'll try my best ^^

RoR Greek bros with modern mortal s/o

Zues

- Mf is old as hell, literally. He'd be asking you all sorts of crap and wonder about the technology you have. He already knows about it, but he does like to stare and wonder what you do all day in that little rectangular piece of technology.

- He also tries to find ways to make you immortal, cus duh, he really likes you. But I think he'd be interested in cute little farm games online when you show him the stuff that you can do on your phone.

- he asks you to buy him a gadget, which you do so. but man, he sucks ass at it. You find him trying to figure out how to use it. Holding it upside down, pressing on all sorts of buttons until you have to lend me some help.

- he's also fond of the slangs and way you talk. He often uses your words too. Like "Lmfao!" Or "LOL!!"

- he wants to learn more about modern society, and everything there is to learn about. Until he found out about google. Mf now keeps on asking the stupidest questions, and even calls his brother's on facetime, just to talk to them about the stupidest shit.

- he'd laugh so loud when it comes to you telling him jokes from your TikTok brainrots and all.

- you talk to him about all the newest things happening, and all. And drama. But I think he's more interested in learning new words.

Adamas

- yes he does use the slangs too. I bet he'd randomly gangsta talk outta nowhere and make the most out of pocket statements.

- give him some love, he's just having fun especially after all the stuff he went through.

- I know damn well he makes yo mama jokes, no matter how old that stuff be. He's older than you bro, he's been alive for a very long time. So you better teach him more to mama jokes.

- your fashion sense was interesting, he wanna dress cool too. So he's gonna force you to show him clothes that he'd like to wear, and he'd pick the edgiest ones. 😭

- he often gets annoyed at how you're always on your phone and not paying attention to him, which makes him wonder what's so good about it.

- you gave him a gadget, which he now likes to watch anime in, or sports probably. Basically anything interesting.

Hades

- he finds you very endearing, and loves you very much. He'd find a way to turn you immortal so that he can care for you forever.

- yes he installed wifi in his place so that you could stay happy, and do whatever the hell you do on your gadgets.

- Bet you bought a TV and watched anime there with him, or maybe TV series or shows. Could even be horror movies. He loves to cuddle up with you whenever you guys watch a horror movie, cus he knows that he'll be the one to protect you when you get scared or tired.

- when you gave him a gadget, he didn't know what to use it for, but you said that he could chat with other people no matter where they at. And even store photos of whatever he wanted.

- it truly amazed him how far humanity had evolved. Now he can just search up anything he had questions about, or facetime his brother's, or buy something for you.

- he likes to listen to songs he finds, and now he's never really bored like he used to be. Maybe gadgets weren't so bad. He knows how to limit himself, and that's why he tries to limit it fro you too. He doesn't want your eyes to hurt, and wants you to get rest.

- there's so many things he wants to learn from you. And how humans do their daily thing. It's amusing to watch.

Poseidon

- Bro he really loves you a lot, he just doesn't show it. But it definitely caught his attention seeing the odd way you talked or acted.

- when you introduced him to a gadget, he just shook it off, not wanting to get into pathetic little things like that, but you insisted. So now there he was.

- he really thought that humans were babied. The fact that they all gotten so lazy over the centuries gave him the ick.

- but he did find some helpful words to use whenever it came to describing stuff. But that's till doesn't help with anything. Like y'all have google, you don't need to waste your time studying when you can just do a quick search and boom, all the answers are there.

- you guys had online shopping, you didn't need to use your legs to do some work when you could just order online. And so much more. Humanity was babied. Everyone was pathetic in his eyes.

- but, you were an exception. Cus he liked you lots.

- I believe that over time, he'd catch himself talking like you, like "it gives me the ick." 💀

- he's such a bitch, but it's ok. Cus it's Poseidon.

[rogueddie]

Sweet Nothings T | 545 words Prompt for @steddielovemonth: Love is wanting to do everything with someone, even if it's nothing special

Eddie has his keys in hand, holding his jacket with his teeth as he gets ready to leave, when someone knocks on the door.

"Hiya, Ed," Steve greets with a grin, that quickly falters. "Oh, sorry, is it a bad time?"

"Sorta? You're not interrupting anything important."

"But you have other plans. No worries, I'll- uh... what are you going out for?"

"Need a part for the van. Was gonna head up to the scrap yard, see if I could find anything there."

"Oh, cool. I could help, if you want?"

"You sure? It's pretty boring."

"Nah, it'll be fun! C'mon, tell me what you need."

Steve steps back, waving Eddie over to his car.

"You sure you want us to go in your car? Some of the shit we're grabbing is gonna be dirty."

"So I'll clean it? Come on, I'm excited now."

"Excited to go digging through a scrap yard?"

"With you? Yeah." He walks back over, gently pushing Eddie towards his car. "We can make it fun! And I know Henderson has been on your ass as much as he has been on mine about us finally hanging out."

"You're just bored with nothing else to do, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. But, hey, two birds with one stone!"

Eddie sighs, finally stepping to the passenger door, rolling his eyes. "Fine, whatever, let's go."

Steve whoops, doing a little fistpump, before rushing to the car when Eddie raises an eyebrow at him.

He keeps up conversation the entire drive and Eddie quickly realises that Steve... he genuinely loves cars. He doesn't know a lot about how they work and, knowing now that Eddie does, he has a lot of questions.

Eddie is happy to answer them.

At the scrapyard, they end up distracted almost immediately. Eddie ends up spending most of the time showing Steve how engines work.

Thanks to the visual and practical aid, Steve learns fast. It only takes him two attempts and a lot of running around, tearing other shit apart, to get one of the abandoned, broken engines to roar to life.

It sputters out as soon as it starts, but it does start.

"This stuff is so cool!" Steve says, bouncing on the balls of his feet, as they finally head back to the car.

Thanks to how much destruction they'd thoroughly caused, finding the little replacement part that Eddie needed hadn't taken long.

"Yeah, surprisingly so."

"Aww," Steve coos, teasingly. "But are you saying that because you mean it or because you love me?"

"It can't be both?"

"That- oh, haha."

"Didn't even mean to make that pun. I'm just that funny, huh."

"No, your jokes are terrible."

"Steve, hey," Eddie stops, faking a serious tone. "You can't say things like that about your boyfriend, it's not nice."

"What are you, the love police?"

"Yes. Put your hands up, you're under arrest."

Steve sticks his tongue out at him, before sprinting off to the car.

Eddie is hot on his heels, struggling to keep himself from laughing as he yells after him, unable to bite back the grin.

He can't help but wonder how he'll ever manage to come back to the scrapyard without Steve.

Nothing is ever as fun as it is when they're together.

[iliveforfeitan]

•Friend x Or x Foe?•

I continued to run ahead and after a few minutes I reach the 80-kilometer mark and started going up stairs 'Gosh, how much I hate stairs, they're just too damn tiring!' After a few minutes I finally reach the end of the tunnel.

As I look around I see nothing but fog, 'Is this were the second phase is?' I thought, 'Damn I can't see shit in this fog, but judging by the smell and the grass we're most likely at a swamp, are we at the swamp of lost souls? Nah That's at the edge of greed Island, swindler's swamp maybe? I'll just wait for Satotz and the other applicants' I sigh and go sit by the entrance of the tunnel, I pull out a sketch notebook and start drawing an Oreo, after I'm done I mutter "Ytilaer gniward elttil siht ,hcteks siht ekam ,flesym taeper annog ton m'I ,sey ro on ,on ro sey...." all of the sudden the sketch disappears and an actual Oreo pack appears, I open it but before I started eating I took off my mask and then started eating.

"Killua's pov"

A voice out of no where says "You mean 405 applicants" Everyone looked up towards the voice including me, only to find a figure of a woman wearing a cloak, she was wearing a mask that covered from her nose up, it was hard to see her hair but the most visible thing about her was her grin, she jumps down in front of the examiner, I learned she was applicant number 00 that means she was the first to arrive...'How did I not notice her or the ones before me? I can't feel her presence at all! And she's so familiar....as if I met her before....but why?' I thought, the weird looking examiner turned around and started walking away, 'Oh right, we have to follow him, I don't feel like walking I'll just skate' I start skating and skated up to the front to get closer to the weird woman, she was talking to the examiner, I couldn't quite make out what they were saying because I couldn't get too close so I won't seem suspicious after a minute of talking she picks up her pace and start running ahead of the examiner and after a while she was out of sight, 'Holy shit she's fast...' I thought as I slowed down because there was no need to stay there any longer.

After 2 hours, I got bored, 'If this is the hunter exam I'm very disappointed, I thought this was supposed to be hard to pass, not hard to not pass....' I thought, I sigh looking up ahead 'Maybe I can continue ahead like that woman from earlier....' I start skating a little faster so I can get closer to the examiner so I can ask him if I could do the same as that woman, "Hey! Wait up, kid!" "Hm?" I turn my head to see an old man with a tick on his forehead, "How about you show a little respect to the exam?!" He said, "What do you mean?" I ask, "I mean quit using a damn skateboard! That's cheating!" He answers, "How's that?" I ask confused, "HOW?! this is an endurance test! That's how!" He replied, "No, it's not" another voice said, "Huh?" The old man said turning his head towards a boy that looks around the same age as me, "What are you babbling about now, Gon?!" The old man said, "The examiner guy only said we had to follow him" the boy said, "Hey! Whose side are you on anyway?!" The old man said, I slow down and went up to the boy, "Hey, how old are you?" I ask, "Twelve years old" He answers, 'Hm, same as me' I thought, I take a deep breath before getting off my skateboard, showing off my skills, "I think I'll run for a little while" I said, "Woah! Cool!" The boy said, "My name's Killua" "Hi! I'm Gon!" Gon said enthusiastically while smiling widely.

Time skip.

"Eien's pov"

It's been over 4 hours since the exam started, 'I wonder when Satotz and the other applicants will arrive?' I sigh as I return my sketch notebook to my small backpack under my cloak, I close my eyes and hope for the others to arrive when I feel a strong presence approaching 'speak of the devil...' I open one of my eyes and look at the exit of the tunnel to see Satotz walk out, we made eye contact, his eyes widened slightly but quickly gathered his composure, we both nodded, he turned around to most likely see how many applicants were able to keep up only to see two boys running pass him, he was startled but I grinned 'Typical Killua...seems like he's still the same as before...' I thought as I look at him, I put my mask back on before they notice me, I watch the two bicker on who passed first. (K-Killua, G-Gon).

G- Yeah! I did it! I finished first!

K- What are you talking about? I totally won!

G- No, I won!

K- I won!

G- I was faster than you! So, you have to buy me dinner!

K- No way! I was faster! So, your buying me dinner!

G- Na-ah! I was faster!

'Seriously? Gosh, these two kids, no more like toddlers...Killua was enough already and now I got another Killua? Goddammit!' I thought, I looked over at Satotz who's trying to process what's happening, I chuckle quietly at his reaction, "Hey, which one of us was fastest?" Ging's son asked as both he and Killua turned to look at Satotz, "You crossed the finish line simultaneously" Satotz answered, Ging's son seemed annoyed and pouted while Killua finally noticed me, Satotz continued "But I'm afraid you 2 aren't the first to arrive" "Huh? What do you mean by that Mr.Statotz?" Ging's son asked, Killua lifted his arm and pointed at me, startling the brown eyed kid who followed his hand to where it's pointing at, "She was the first to arrive, correct?" Killua asked as he glanced at Satotz and back to me, "That's Correct, Miss E-" "Kenny, you may call me Kenny" I cut off Satotz who looked at me confused, 'I will not tell him just yet, It's Killua, of course I won't tell him straight away, he needs to figure it out by himself' I thought, I stood up and walked towards them, "Well hello there Miss Kenny! I'm Gon!" Gon smiled from ear to ear, 'Gon? If you add an E it would be what his dad is to him, pppppppppffffffffff' "Gon....." Killua whispered as if I can't hear them, "Don't trust strangers easily!" "But I trusted you easily didn't I?" Gon answered, I held in a laugh, 'Ha! Well, that was an oversight on his part, his own statement backfired at him' I thought as I stared at a now surprised Killua, "You know Gon, you should listen to Killua, After all it's obvious that he wants what's best for you" I say trying to sound friendly as much as I can, "Well you aren't wrong Miss Kenny!" Gon says loudly, 'Damn....never thought I'll say this but I miss Ging' "Well, Mr.Satotz, Is this where the second phase begins?" Gon asks, I look at Satotz because I want to know that as well, "No, it isn't, we have quite a way to go" He answers, "Yeah Gon, we have quite a way to go! for instance, all the land that's covered by the fog is going to be crossed by us to reach the second phase!" I say sarcastically, "That's correct, Miss Kenny, we are going to cross the land hidden by the fog, I will give further instructions after the rest of the applicants arrive" He replied, 'You've got to be shitting me, ain't no way I'm gonna cross this! But if I don't, I wouldn't be able to go to the york new auction! Goddammit! Deep breaths Eien, Deep breaths', I take a deep breath and walk towards the wall and lean on it waiting for the other applicants to arrive for further instructions.

Time skip.

"Illumi's pov"

I was running next to Hisoka when we finally reached the end of the tunnel, there was a good amount of people, 'Seems like not all of the applicants are hopeless' I thought as I stood close to Hisoka the fog started lifting, and when it did the Examiner who was looking away from us started talking, "The Milsy wetlands, also known as swindler's swamp, we must cross it to reach phase two of the exam, This place is home to a variety of truly bizarre animals, many of which are crafty, voracious creatures, who deceive and feast on human prey, So please, be very careful" He turns to look at us and lifts up a finger, "If your deceived, you'll surely die" He says coldly, there was clamoring between the other applicants after he said that, 'most of them are most likely doubting there decisions to participate in the hunter exam' I thought, the door to the tunnel starts closing as one of the applicants tries to get out "Wait for me!" He says before the door closes completely, "These wetland creatures are to not be underestimated, for they would use every trick in the book to fool their prey, This is an ecosystem in which all creatures hunt by the art of deception and that is why it's also known as swindler's swamp" The examiner says before turning away from us and continuing "Now then, follow me closely, so you won't be deceived", 'I see....the first phase isn't only about endurance and mental test but also to see if you get deceived easily' I thought before looking for Killua with my eyes when they land on him, 'Ah, there he is and who is that next to him? A weird looking boy....I should take him out before they get any closer than necessary-' my thought was cut off when I glance at the so-called applicant number 00, she glances at me when I feel this weird feeling, the hair on my hands and the back of my neck stand up, danger, all I could hear was my brain telling me to run away, hide....."Never go against a superior opponent", that was the most important thing I was taught....if she wants to, she could kill me right here.........right now.

"Eien's pov"

I look around as Satotz was explaining when I notice the needle guy looking around and his eyes stopping at Killua and then at Gon, he seemed like he wanted to murder the little man and then his eyes meets the outside of my mask, even though there was a good distance between us, I could feel him getting chills.

I stared at him before mouthing to him "Don't you even think about coming close to Gon or Killua" just because I'm not that close to Gon or to Killua anymore doesn't mean I'll let others hurt him.

Our eye contact was cut short when a beaten up man appeared out of no where and said "Don't fall for it!" "Listen, didn't I just say that we won't?" The tall man with glassess from the start of the exam said, "Don't let them fool you....." The beaten up man said, everyone turned to look at him including Satotz, "He's lying, that man is lying to you!" The man pointed at Satotz who doesn't seem to give a fuck in which I second, "He's an imposter! A total fraud! I'm the real examiner you got it?!" The beaten up man said now pointing at himself, the applicants were whispering among themselves obviously doubting Satotz, some of them were the tall man with glassess and the bald ninja from hours go, 'You've got to be kidding me...first it took them more than 4 hours to process what the first phase is and now they get deceived this easily? Damn' I thought, "I'll prove it! Look at this!" The beaten up guy said as he dragged a body from behind the wall, 'A man-faced ape? Never thought I'll see those guys again, wait....we're actually at swindler's swamp? Then this is a piece of cake because I already know the way' I thought, "Oh wow! He looks like Mr.Satotz!" Gon exclaimed, there was clamoring from all the applicants, "This is a man-faced ape from the Milsy wetlands" The guy explained, "A man-faced what?" The tall guy with glassess asks, "The man-faced ape loves the taste of human flesh but their limbs are really long and thin, so they're actually pretty quite weak, That's why they disguise themselves as humans, they trick us into following them into the wetlands, where they work together with other creatures to kill and eat us! That's what he wants! To deceive the entire hunter applicant pool and feast on everyone of you!" He says, grinning while pointing at Satotz, "Bastard" The tall man with glassess says looking at Satotz, "Oh yeah? Well, then that would certainly explain why he doesn't walk like a normal human!" The bald ninja said, "ENOUGH!" I shout startling everyone, including The jester who was about to throw 9 cards, 3 at Satotz, 3 at the beaten up man and 3 at me, "And you!" I say while standing up and pointing at the beaten up man, "Quit lying, it's obvious your trying to trick us!" I exclaim loudly, "What do you know?! Your just a woman!" A tick appears on my cheek, I walk up to the man, "First of all, this so called man-faced ape your holding has a visible month while Satotz doesn't have a visible mouth, Second, if you were gonna call someone a man-faced ape because they don't seem human, the most likely candidate would be me, after all I did run faster than Satotz and didn't break a sweat and crossed over 80 kilometers within minutes, isn't that correct?, thirdly, you are a man-faced ape yourself as well as this body your holding, I can't even call it a body because this man-faced ape is playing dead, fourthly, if Satotz was really a man-faced ape, why didn't he panic when you told us 'the truth' and try to run away since you said 'they are weak'? And why were you grinning? Because you believed that you actually fooled the applicants and finally, you called me 'just a woman' if I'm just a woman, how could I figure all of this out?" I raise an eyebrow, now standing right infront of him, he started to tremble before putting on an angry face and shouts, "Shut up! Your with him aren't you?!" He lifts his hand up to slap me.

I cut his knees......

He falls to the ground......

And his head was gone.......

The body falls limp to the ground, everyone stares at me in shock, the bald ninja had this look on his face that obviously said 'Hold on, he's the real examiner?!', the man-faced ape that played dead stood up abruptly and ran away on all fours, I kick the body away as birds flew toward the body and started eating it, "Nature can be so brutal, it's hard to watch...." The tall guy with glassess says, "So he really was a man-faced ape as well...." The blond boy said, I turn to Satotz, "I'm pretty sure you have something to say about this encounter, right?" I ask Satotz who nods and starts walking towards me, "He was trying to confuse the applicants and lure some of you away, these attempts are to be expected" He says still walking towards me, "We can't let our guard down..." Killua said, "Right!" Gon replied, "Please be aware that you will encounter such deceptions on a regular basis" Satotz continues, he stops next to me and looks at the headless body and I look as well, "I must assume a number of you were fooled into suspecting my true identity" Satotz says with his hands behind his back, "Oh, well, I uh......" The tall man with glasses blurts out while scratching the back of his neck and the bald ninja was chuckling and scratching his neck as well with the same expression as the tall man with glassess, "Understand, I want to make it abundantly clear that if any of you were to lose sight of me once we enter the fog of the Milsy wetlands, you have no hope whatsoever of reaching the second phase of the exam, You've been warned, now, let's begin, please follow me" Satotz finally finished and started running again and I followed, while running next to him I could feel the bloodlust of a certain Jester who was grinning while I didn't spare him a glance of course.

"You've changed, Eien" Satotz stated while handing me a tissue to wipe the blood of my hand, I take it and wipe the blood away, "People change with time, for example I'm not the same as I was back when I was 9 but I'm still the same Eien you and Nene know!" I exclaim smiling, "and can I run ahead again?" I ask, "Sure, you do remember the trail right?" He asked, "Do I look like Nene to you?" I chuckle and he laughs, "Be careful and wait for me to arrive" He says, "I should be mad at you! You didn't recognize me at first!" I exclaim, "Oh come on, I didn't know it was you until I saw your face and suck it up" He replies, I roll my eyes and run faster and disappear into the fog.

With that, we have learned that Eien is actually good friends with Satotz and someone named Nene, who is this Nene? We will know who this person is next chapter! Stay tuned!

3089 words

Previous chapter:

Chapter 1, Hunter x Exam.

Next chapter:

Chapter 3, An x Old x Friend.

[schismusic]

Untitled piece on worried music (or some shit)

This piece has been floating around, shapeless and structureless, for the better part of four months now. I don't particulary care to give it any sort of unifying theme, or to put it into comparison with autobiography as I usually do. This will have to stand on its own as an ostensibly gratuitous exploration of various levels of preoccupation in music that I like. This being said, hope you enjoy the dive and you find something worthwhile to listen to. For those of you who hoped to read more about my very boring personal life, well, it's this way or the highway this time. I'm really bad at this, aren't I?…

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (don't worry, I will no longer subject you to this long ass name and will stick to the conventional acronym) live in this weird limbo where they might be among the longest-running acts to originate from the late '70s and yet at the same time are by and large considered by most a one-hit wonder. And to be fair, Enola Gay could very easily be the single best synthpop track ever recorded, thereby rendering other tracks from the same genre functionally useless to people who do not care about synthpop. I, however, care a lot about synthpop. But I also care a lot about a different, very underrated aspect of synthpop: its paranoia.

There's a really cool piece by Mark Sabatini on the Red Wedge magazine. The piece opens with a picture of peroxide-hair David Sylvian sitting in front of a Prophet-5 and is dedicated to Scott Walker and Mark Hollis, so it's basically just tailor-made for me right out of the gate. More importantly, however, it underlines the important relationship between some of the earliest bands in British synthpop and the concept of eerie in the Mark Fisher sense of the word, or some kind of uncertainty with regards to the future. The late 1970s sit at the cusp of a special time in contemporary history, not just because of what Sabatini notes, i.e. the passing of the torch between two decades that came to symbolize two completely different visions of the world (political, social, economic, cultural). The early Eighties would turn out to be some of the most tense years in the entire Cold War. A record like This Heat's Deceit is a direct byproduct of a terrifying climate of impending doom, faced with a dry sarcasm only the sense of rushing to an early grave could grant. In the Yellow Eyes post I also added a number of other examples, none of which strictly relevant to this exact post. One would think that OMD's preoccupation with being, at once, "ABBA and Karlheinz Stockhausen" would force them to a more sideways approach to these same feelings. To an extent, this is true, in that they very rarely discuss current-day topics in a direct way. I am specifically writing about, of course, Enola Gay, but take for instance a track like Telegraph. I remember sending it to Dog a while back and their reaction was quite priceless. Not only did they define it as "whimsical" and "faelike", wow!, but they also very acutely pointed out "something sinister about it just under the surface … it feels subtly dangerous".

This is technically true for the entire Dazzle Ships album. From the first moment we are in Prague, a weird place to be in the year 1983. A sampled trumpet fanfare loops around, a voice speaking in Czech, that same fanfare theme rearranged for a full orchestra. Then it hits you with a song titled, I shit you not, Genetic Engineering. The little children, the future in our hands, feel like more of a menace than they do a promise. They are to be controlled. International tackles rampant nationalism. Radio Waves echoes Kraftwerk and ties back into Telegraph. Of All the Things We've Made, a heartwrenching controlled melodic burst sounding like it could fit straight into the Disco Elysium soundtrack, reflects on the rift between Cold War superpowers with touching longing for world peace. And yet the most representative track of the whole lot might be Time Zones. A mess of jambled radio hourly signals: around the world in barely thirty seconds, codified conventional human behaviour presenting itself in the barest possible function, the capability to tell time. I've always been terrified of radio hourly signals. I remember car trips in the night, the mechanical nightingale chirping before the five boops right before the hour ended. I remember silent screens with sudden noises and an impersonal voice telling the time. So sterile it felt inexorable, the same way doom is.

On the other hand, this barely controlled element of quiet terror – a shift of the mask revealing an inhuman grin? – can at some point just burst into a more direct feverish sense of impending death. This is where a band like Sunrise Patriot Motion comes in. According to this incredible interview with Invisible Oranges, not only is every SPM release a piece in an ongoing story (so far there are two, so you're still in time to get in on the action before it gets too complicated), but Black Fellflower Stream – record number one – was actually itself the product of a driving obsession. In the words of Will Skarstad himself:

"For the first time ever Yellow Eyes was all over the place, but with this, we were like, twice a week, every week getting together. We got into this crazy routine, got obsessed, let’s finish this record. We were just so psyched about it."

Yes, the Skarstad brothers are once again involved. Not that much of a surprise, to be completely fair to you. Their guitar work with Yellow Eyes somehow manages to transcend the usual arrangement tactics of black metal, sounding less and less like cookie-cutter true-Norwegian imitators by the millisecond. While a record like Immersion Trench Reverie perfectly illustrates that, in SPM that same reality-warping harmony is bent in the direction of a post-punk-tinged beast, retaining however the powerful drive and pulse of metal. The brothers, ever so self-conscious, call it their "nu metal" project. I'm not inherently opposed to the idea: Deftones's Chino Moreno is notoriously a massive Japan and Duran Duran fan, Korn's Jonathan Davis got into makeup because of the Cure's Robert Smith. Where the fundamental difference with classic nu metal comes in is probably in the themes. Specifically, Black Fellflower Stream details the psychological journey undergone by a man who, in a religious stupor, comes to believe that he can dig a hole deep enough to find oil. Military symbolism, Catholic imagery relating to mystical ecstasy, incoherent autobiographical babbling, all tied together with the progressively clearer and unavoidable understanding (as per My Father Took Me Hunting in the Snow's liner notes) "that he is the sun, and, as the day ends, so will he."

Musically, in these two records, anything goes. Dungeon synth-inspired fake-ass FM keyboard preset sounds leave space to chugging heavy rhythm guitars, interspersed with yelled (more so than screamed) vocals courtesy of Andy Chugg and incredibly imaginative sampling and sound layering. The musical landscape painted by all of these elements, brought together in such a way that it feels miraculous for them to actually coalesce, is one of absolute military terror, where personal life and one's past are exploded into shrapnel, transform a delusional pretense into a mission of quasi-religious penance. One certainly wonders how long the experiment can go and how it can evolve. But I, for one, am glad that I got to hear these two records, and can't wait for any new music coming our way. Even if it means delving into horrifying visions of petrol war.

But what happens when this state of worry, paranoia almost, comes to essentially burn a hole into reality itself, detaching from average parameters of direction, time, weight, emotion? My guess is you get something close to the latest Ben Frost record. Not one to be intimidated by loud noises, Frost's body of work evolved from forlorn, cinematic guitar to progressively more Dangerous, noisy and aggressive territory. By the time A U R O R A hit it was hard to see where the project would go next. I would argue this was true for Frost as well: the vulgata around The Centre Cannot Hold (and its related EPs and singles) seems to be that it was a bit out of focus, speaking euphemistically. I don't disagree, regardless of my affection towards Threshold of Faith specifically. But Frost's arrival to a deviant, eldritch post-metal form sounds like it holds the key to a new fascinating approach.

The idea of "blending metal and electronica" will bring some of my older followers back to the Prodigy, or Nine Inch Nails, or Godflesh, or even Atari Teenage Riot if we want to force it a bit. On the other hand, some of my slightly less old followers will probably be catapulted into horrible traumatic nightmares of generic 2010-era metalcore bands incorporating keyboardists, brostep mid-range drilling FM modulation, overcompressed guitars and autotuned vocals. I'm proud and happy to report that, if anything, Scope Neglect swings more in the first direction than it does in the other one, but it's not a matter of sound as much as it is a matter of approach. Greg Kubacki (Car Bomb) provides absolutely crushing guitar work – not to mention Liam Andrews (My Disco) and his devastating bass guitar – sounding very much like abstracted takes on his main band's tracks. Yet the guitars sound heavily compressed, laser-focused on filling the mids in a very djenty way (look mom, I said djent in 2024, do I get an award for this?). This is, by design, as modern metal as it gets: and yet it sounds nowhere near as cauterized.

Not just because of the arrangements. And granted, the arrangements go a really long way to achieve the core idea of the record; but Frost's processing of the sounds turn Kubacki's cerebral bursts themselves into inhabitable, inhospitable spaces – bedrock for mind-crushingly heavy atmospherics – which are only then left to be filled with the listener's own imagination and a minimal number of sparse effects and austere melodies. Much in the same way as Autechre (and we're back!), this record comes to build the very spaces it describes, setting aside cinematic tactics – except, maybe, on closer Unreal in the Eyes of the Dead – in favour of an architecture of impossible terrors and, well, a worry and paranoia so imposing and totalising that it transcends discernible form, solid structure, anything but the (very few) bare and basic sonic referents it alludes to.

[poke-bon]

Hello! I'm doing a rewatch of Supernatural! I started this halfway through season 9 and it's the first time I've done this. I've seen the first 6 seasons multiple times over the 18ish years but never caught up so I'm doing that now and having a wonderful show. I would honestly watch these two idiots do anything! Hope you enjoy the ramblings!

- deans boys home episode fucking had me crying. John Winchester I will fight you

- Kevin and Miss Tran is the most tragic story in this show to date.

- Kevin: just be nice to each to each other, yeah? Sam: yeah, promise. *Walks away*

- we're going to need snorkels, we'll be swimming in so much p-

- Not Moose.....hah

- Crowley's Winchester Intervention. This show is a comedy

- oh no, deans on the hooch again

- Shirley McLain??

- Gabriel!!! I knew they'd bring him back somehow

- wait that's not Gabriel is it

- why is he sacrificing himself again when he wants to be the king of heaven? Why is he pushing Castiel? Why is everyone pushing Cass?

- There it is....

- How fucking deep has Metatron gone??!!

- lmao Metatron burdening Cass with the knowledge of Fandom

- for a person who loves vampires, I really find the vampire eps in Supernatural so fking boring. I don't know what it is.

- look at me, bitch - I know between this and stabbing #thinman it's heralding Dean turning dark(er) but why was that kinda.....????

- Sammy sit down babe, you have no blood

- Taylor Swift reference last ep and now this ep, please let it end there

- I could go into detail but I'm not going to - is something I'm going to adapt into my life

- I love it when the boys aren't the main stars of the episode, it's so much fun

- David and Ennis buddy show when?

- I've always wanted to see more day-to-day monster life, this is cool. Real urban fantasy hours.

- I do feel like I'm watching a soap opera episode tho. What's gonna happen with the monster mob??

- oof seeya Abaddon

- I am a big fan of Crowley and I am an even bigger fan of seeing Crowley struggle with humanity

- did Dean just wake Sam up like George McFly?

- Dean claiming his fine about the blade.... Winchesters be honest with each other challenge

- Agent Spears and Aguilera LOL

- Metatron thankyou for gracing us with Castiel pop culture references

- Metatron with all due respect - you suck

- Castiel's Angels HQ

- I honestly love Castiel the Angel after he's experienced humanity too. Its so interesting.

- I didn't really get Samstiel before this season but now I do. I like the private moments between Sam and Cass, it's like they understand each other on a level they don't see elsewhere.

- jesus christ Metatron is such a slug (no hate to slugs)

- "a nerd trying to be one of the popular kids" NAILED IT

- ooof, Winchester toxic masculinity. They are doing alot of work on themselves but it still shines through every now and again

- Tessa Tessa??!!!

- Tessa!!!!

- oh no, she's in the cult

- I truly was hoping that Metatron would lose the bowling game. Suck shit loser.

- I'm very pop culture savvy now - AND I LOVE IT

- Dean Winchester does not like rules....I am concerned

- Indiana Jones trials bitch!!!!!!!

- this is a dictatorship - jesus Dean, did the spirit of you father just fly out of your mouth or did you mean to say that?

- ooof gadreel came in peace. not hot anymore, just gross. Dean get help.

- CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON

- good lord, these boys will just throw themselves at anything that solves a short term problem forgetting down the track it will ALWAYS come back to haunt them

- is this Cain and Abel thing going to be prophetic of things to come I wonder

- I hate Metatron so much. Flame. Flames! Flames....down the side of my face. Breathing. Breathless. Heavy breaths.

- Sam is going to be so pissed when he wakes up

- okay, Metatron is cooking with the god doesn't care spiel...like I get it but there had to be another way bro

- Use the force Dean

- oh shit

- wake up buddy 😭😭😭😭

- Just a hunch, considering there's going to be 6 more seasons...I think he'll be right

- what did they do to my boy??!

End of season!! Hope you enjoyed. Will probably do this again.

[lyxthen]

Extremely mildly niche academic-ish rambling ahead. Might wanna skip this one. It is long and boring

One thing that does make me happy is the Latinoamerican Literary Boom was so big it actually went on to be translated in other languages. There are still authors that I feel need to have their works translated (mostly women, I wonder why) but many of the video essayist I watch keep mentioning Borges in their videos, and truly I can't blame them because his work is rad. I don't know about him as a person but he lives 30 layers of post ironic meta fantasy or some shit like that. Cortazar is really cool also. In terms of living authors I really like Juan Villoro, his writing style is very fun. The Wild Book is a children's book about literary theory, like, Theory of Reception, Death of the Author, stuff like that. It was a really fun read as a child but the themes are interesting as well.

I feel like, I don't know, it's so hard to find Latin American fantasy books these days, or at least they are not as available. The YA genre is dominated by books originally writen in English or on books written in Spain (think Laura Gallego, which I just found out has a Netflix series made out of her most famous series of novels, but I am derailing) with the exception of Benito Taibo, who is Mexican, and has one (1) high fantasy trilogy that is kinda mid. The ideas were great, but they could've been expanded, you know? Camino a Sognum had so much potential, and you can *see* that it was inspired by classic epic fantasy like Earthsea, but it needed some more *spark* to actually work. I have not read Normal Person, but I plan to. Maybe it is better made?

And it's funny, because a book like Mexican Gothic, that was written in English, is so darn good! But only if you read it *in English* because the Spanish translation did this thing where they try to "neutralize" the accent and manerismd of the characters to make it appeal to the wider Spanish-speaking world and it doesn't sound or feel Mexican at all.

I am not sure where I am going with this. I have been discovering the local literary scene lately (and I mean *local*, like city-wide local) and it is mostly so boring because no one is writing fantasy! No magic realism! It's all kind of depressing dwellings on how we are being gentrified and indigenous people keep being oppressed by the mestizo majority and corporations and the goverment keep stealing the land to make Coca Cola and we are dying of diabetes and we don't got water and Capitalism sucks. LIKE I AGREE BUT CAN YOU PUT FAIRIES IN THERE OR SOMETHING. And I guess that's why I've never wanted to read Cómo Agua para Chocolate, because it is just *too real*, cuz it's a story I know by memory and I don't wanna live it all over again verbatim. Probably a great book, but I just cannot.

I don't know man idk idk.

The funniest think about this is that my favorite book ever (like actually, for real) is a children's book, written from the perspective of the imaginary friend of a child, and it is so gracefully narrated, and the characters so well constructed, and it touches real problems like Teen Pregnancy and Childhood Depression and Anxiety while also managing to be funny and whimsical? The very premise of the book (memories of an almost true friend, it's called) is already so creative and the execution is masterful. BUT I AM THE ONLY GUY ON PLANET EARTH THAT SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT ITS EXISTENCE ITS DRIVING ME INSANE.

Where was I going with this. Ah yes. Youtubers talking about Borges. Well. Um. I. I think imma translate some of my own texts to English and put them on Wattpad or something. They are not the kind of thing Wattpad people are into but I gotta archive them somewhere and doing it on AO3 feels wrong since they aren't fan works. And on that note, I also wanna write more fan works.

Ugh I could be writing an essay but you got me writing a Tumblr post. What is wrong with me. I'm too bad at word weaving.

Aaaa (??????

Thoughts?

Help

I did take my meds today BTW. I don't know what is happening to me I just wanna WRITE ok I LOVE WRITING BUT WHY MUST I DO TUMBLR INSTEAD OF MY PASSIONS?

Oi I'll end it there

[anatheyma]

Maybe it sounds weird but I like to hear that you, in fact, missed me. It's okay, I just had a lot of work to do at the office. I'm an attorney! I have a special degree and passed what it's called "bar exam". I work at my own office with a couple of other attorneys and lawyers but I don't have a boss since it's my own office. Even if it doesn't look like it, it can be a tough job.

Oh, I really understand that feeling. Poor little puppy. I find you quite amusing, if you ask me. I feel like it's easy to understand each other. You're not a boring or ordinary guy. In fact, you're probably the only guy I would let beat the shit out of me even when I'm a huge dude.

I grew up as weird but I had a lot of friends since I was a pretty calm and "easy to approach" type of guy. But I felt like I could never be myself with others. I often wonder how I ended up being this logical because when I was a child it was all the other way around; I remember keeping roadkills I found or burying them on my backyard because it made me sad to see them laying like that in their own blood and organs. I still feel that way, though, just that I try not to do that kind of things anymore. I am a huge lepidopterology nerd and I have a lot of pinned insects (or even arachnids) hanging on my walls because I think they're really beautiful and deserve to be admired. I think my childhood was rather tragic instead of completely abusive, since it was marked by poverty and sickness. My mom passed away when I was fifteen and I left home. I don't have any known siblings. Were you an only child?

–🦴

it doesn't sound weird, i think most people like feeling wanted. missing someone counts as wanting them around, right? and oh! an attorney? that's interesting! also very cool that you have your own office! i fully believe you on the tough part. what usually helps you relax?

amusing? how so? what exactly has you so drawn to me aside from the fact that there's mutual understanding between us? i'm kinda curious to hear how others perceive me tbh. also, it's flattering to hear you'd give me permission to beat you up hehe (or try).

that matches the impression i got. the "easy to approach" part. you seem like the type of guy who is indeed calm and all that, but might come off as intimidating sometimes. believe it or not, i actually get the roadkill thing - i mean. kids tend to feel sorry for things in a sillier way. that was your way of solving it! i find it oddly sweet.

pinned insects are a sick as fuck decoration btw! /pos

i only ever see them in nature museums and such places. butterflies and moths are usually sooo pretty i stare at them for way too long lol

sorry to hear the last part! can't even imagine what you've had to go through so young. <3

i'm not an only child, i have a little brother and a big brother. i didn't grow up with my big brother though, he's from my dad's side and much older than me. he was already married when i was a little kid. all of us are still in contact, though!

[deathlygristly]

Sometimes I read posts and comment and tags on here and I wonder if I am maybe very stupid and always wrong and should never speak or write again.

Then I keep reading and I realize it's just that the commenters are coming from a very different position and experiences with the world and others and I guess maybe a very different neurotype than I am.

The current example, under a readmore because long and probably boring to other people but writing things out helps me organize my thoughts:

I am reading a blog by a person who has interesting thoughts and who I can learn things from but who frequently uses very authoritarian/absolutist language. It was good to see balanced anons calling that out, like yeah sometimes you write cool stuff but you can also be arrogant about it. So I was primed to question my feelings of being horribly ignorant and always wrong more than I usually am.

I came upon a post about how people who have power and use it to hurt others aren't "evil" and it's wrong to say that. I tend to think it's morally wrong to hurt others, so I was like, huh, am I looking at things horribly wrong and being terribly ignorant and stupid again? So I read the comments and reblogs and tags to see what other people thought.

The main issue seemed to be heading off people who think in absolutist terms, like these people are Good and those people are Evil, and so they might want to keep current systems that cause misery but just put people they consider Good at the top of the systemic hierarchy. But instead of just tackling that head on and directly saying hey, systemic issues won't be changed that much by just changing the figureheads, the OP and the people agreeing with them were saying no, we have to say it in this other more abstract indirect not related at all at first glance way that will confuse people and alienate them and maybe make them feel shame if they aren't already part of our ingroup and understand everything about our worldview. And we have to say it in this more complicated way because maybe if they think of people as Good or Evil then they might think systemic issues could be solved by changing the figureheads and we don't want them to think that, and confusing possibly shaming language is the way to keep them from thinking that?

Like I say often, when I was nine years old I read every book the local library had on the Holocaust. It's always been fairly clear to me that the Nazis were people. Back in the day I used to try to argue something that seemed close to the OP’s and commenters’ actual position - that the Nazis were humans doing human things, not monsters doing monster things that no human would ever do, and that you can in fact find yourself doing those same things if you don't watch out for it.

It's just that I also think that participating in genocide is actually an immoral thing to do. And even if you don't enjoy it and you don't like killing massive numbers of other humans, it still says something about your morality that you consider whatever "incentives" are drawing you towards participating in genocide as more important than not murdering millions of people.

And I don't know that saying "People who participate in genocide don't actually want to cause enormous suffering and trauma and death, they're just following incentives! And obviously you are very immature and very wrong and stupid if you think the camp guards and commandants were not good people!" is going to help you convince people that more work is needed to prevent genocide than just replacing the most powerful person in the group committing the genocide with a person the person you're talking to considers to be a good upright moral citizen.

I don't know. At dinner tonight I was talking to the spousal person about this and about how lately I'm trusting myself more and feeling less shame about takes I see online and realizing that lots of people on the internet are just some guy talking random shit, and he laughed and patted me on the head.

[demenior]

1, 4, 18, 53 for the writer game?

Fic Writers Asks (thank you!)

1.Do you daydream a lot before you write, or go for it as soon as the ideas strike?

I daydream like it's an olympic sport and I am the returning gold medalist with somehting to prove. The entire tumblr phrase 'rotating [a character] in my mind'? Yeah. I'm doing that. But it's more to the effect that I am constantly thinking about what aspects/traits I love about a character and wondering what's the best way (a scenario) to highlight those things. This is usually done to music. My music and daydreaming are highly entwined.

4. How do you choose which fics to write?

I feel like I get a million ideas a day, that could all branch off into another million ideas. The ones that stick around go through a lot of filtering to catch things like "is this even in character for said character or just a fun little thought experiment for me, personally?" or "are you actually interested in writing that or do you just think it's neat" and "is there even a story here or is the line they said in your head just cool" and other things like that. I also ponder a lot on what an overall story progression would look like- a LOT of my story ideas start out as WAAAYYYYY too ambitious and would require a huge amount of buildup to my idea (typically something around the climax moment), and I have to figure out if there's an actual interesting narative to be built or if it would be boring (for me, to write) from the start and will I lose steam on it.

I used to write anything and everything that came into my head, but I'm a lot more selective of what I actually do commit to actually writing as a story these days. For example, I wrote what feels like 40+ stories for Voltron in like 2 years before I decided to get pickier, but note that a huge amount of those are unfinished due to lost interest, vs I now publish 1-2 stories a year, but they are all completed.

18. Do you enjoy research?  Which fic of yours required the most research?

It's 50/50, which is the worst answer to give.

I like fact-checking myself, and looking up things to help enrich stories (ex) slang/terms for ship parts for sailor characters, flora/fauna native to certain climates to add into backgrounds) but I do not like hard research such as knowing the history behind potato cultivation in our world so I can accurately state whether a fantasy society would be able to cook with potatos.

The most research I've ever truly done for a fic would be a tie between the Spn series The Love It Takes as I did a lot of cross-checking canon events to real world locations, and also planning out actual routes for the characters to take, as Spn is, at it's heart, a road trip across America and I don't know jack shit about that place. I specifically did a LOT of location research for an upcoming piece in that series (I had to learn what Bucc-ee's was!)

The other story would be Awake My Soul for the 100 series. The research there was, again, geographic so I could map out distances in a post-apocalyptic world, and also some brushing up on how to treat illnesses without modern medicine, and gene flow.

My research is never done to portray total accruacy, but so that I can do the writer thing of "take something real, and then shift it a few degrees to the realm of fantasy".

53. What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

Established relationship!

This would be because I either write pre-relationship stories, ambiguously romantic, or I write established relationships as I find the pacing for budgeoning romance to be very hard and my hat is off to all you amazing writers who tackle that particular narative thread because you are all geniuses and I respect you so much for your bravery and your service.

[fourtwentie]

I'm getting to that point where I'm not only more sensitive to people and what they say irl or online, but i'm finding more angry chronically online people who are just too deep in the sauce to realize no matter how right their point is, they're still being an annoying asshole. (don't worry tumblr, its no one on here)

Honestly this whole past weekend was just totally shitty. I'm just trying to move on from it but I'm struggling to figure out how since I'm not that great at turning things around and I don't really have people close to me enough that I feel comfortable opening up to. I guess that's why I have so many blogs and journals lol, since I'm total shit at conversation but really good at rambling on.

I guess I just need to make some tea, put something on the tv that makes me laugh, and keep playing oblivion like i have been today. I'm sure I'll feel normal and less alone soon. OH and of course I need to smoke. Well, maybe. We'll see. Crazy to hear this from me but sometimes I spend a night sober by choice now. I really am getting boring these days. Maybe I should livestream on Reality and maybe get to talk about the wilder times I've been through. I've been thinking for years about how I'd love to start making youtube videos or stream, but the idea of failure is a little too scary to me, and I really need to get over that. I need to do these things for the fun of doing them and showing myself that I can.

I found a pretty cool channel the other day that talked about using Figma for UI design, and not only did it look fun, it looked like something even I could mess around with and make something. I wouldn't change my website with it, though. I just want to make something that might actually impress someone. Sometimes I wonder if I could really make some cool stuff (just in general) if I really tried, but I think the fear of trying hard and failing holds me back a lot. I keep going back to being in high school and college, where trying so hard and obsessing got me nowhere, I was still a failure. Having that happen to me over and over again just really destroyed my ability to motivate myself. I wonder though, is motivation a skill I ever learned? Did I ever have someone introduce such an idea to me? The problem is probably my brain working overtime to invalidate any outside encouragement by warping it into something less valuable or sinister. I assume people are just saying what they feel must be said, and not how they really feel or understand what they're saying at all. It's hard to kick that habit.

Everyone is going through something, though. I guess what I really need is to forget about myself and think about someone else's issues. But I kinda do that all the time? Sometimes I just feel like reaching out is not worth it. I reached out to old friends whom I slowly lost contact with, in hopes to just meet up one time to talk, but that always seems to fall through. even when it doesn't, I can tell from the awkwardness just how little I was wanted to be around them. I can tell I'm trying to force something that just isn't there. It's most telling when I become the only person who seems to try to reach out. So I guess I just take the hint. At this point it becomes kinda obvious to me how much people are involved in their own lives. I'm not really in a place to be bitter about that. I mean, shit, I'm not exactly thinking about anyone else right now and I'm not taking the time to be the person I wish I had for other people. I guess it just stings how much I'm getting old when I try and contact my parents on my own, only to have awkward silences and pauses in a conversation I'm the only one carrying with the only family I have. It's just a lot to take in. It feels a bit scary, because it really pushes home how alone I really am. Sure, I'm married, but one person who's busy at work and tired from work just isn't going to be able to be my entire social life and support system. Maybe I just have too much pride to reach out to my loved ones because I know they never do that to me, so why would I ask for something I've never earned? Why be that vulnerable when it could be used against me? Why make the first move of pushing a casual friendship into one that involves trust? Man, you can really tell how little I trust people when you observe my behavior. I will do anything to keep myself from being vulnerable around other people. Though funny enough, I am an open book to every social media outlet I've ever touched. Call that free therapy, lol.

But I can't be the only one who just never has any luck when they open up to people. I mean, what does it even DO, besides make you look like either an asshole or a loser and make you open to being hurt. Maybe I'm just too far gone to really be able to process emotions normally and effectively communicate with another person. I don't know.

[justrambles]

(Beauty and the beast au steddie)

(snippety as I intended in the first place — I don't know what happened with other ones)

No.9 — Talks (between doors)

"Hey, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"So where do you get the vegetables from?"

"What?"

"I mean, you used to only get me, uh, meat for the meals but you started getting me carrots and tomatoes recently. Is there like a wild plot nearby? If it's close I think I can go there myself. Save you the trouble, you know?"

"..."

"Steve?"

"...There's a communal garden just outside Loch Nora."

"A communal garden."

"...Yeah."

"Oh."

"Look, I panicked, okay? Nancy and Dustin told me you'd be needing vegetables too but I couldn't find them in the woods! And the garden was just nearby!"

"No, wait, Stevie, I'm not condemning you or anything. I should be thanking you. You are getting them for me. And I think that's a bit punk, actually."

"I don't even know what that means."

"You know, maybe this counts as anti-consumerism and... Wait, did you say, outside Loch Nora?"

***

"Dustin, I thought you said you guys couldn't leave?"

"We can't."

"So how does Steve go out into town?"

"Oh, yeah. Steve's an exception. He can leave. I thought you knew about this, Eddie. He's been bringing you food."

"To be honest I just thought he found them nearby, within the boundary of this place. Didn't know he had to go around a lot."

"Well, the boundary is very small. If it were big enough, we'd be going out often. I don't think I'd even give a shit about shitty storms, man. So, if we wanted something from outside this place, Steve would have to be the one to go out."

"Come to think about it, I don't think I've seen him get out. Wait, when does he go out? How come I've never seen him?"

***

"So that performance was, that was very metal."

"Huh, you really do know a lot about music."

"And have so many opinions about it, too."

"Well, thank you for the compliment, Steve, and thank you for your insight, Robin. Of course I have opinions about it. I've been playing for a long time now. Music is like a second language to me, one of my band members once said." (they didn't)

"Do you have any other real languages you speak? Other than music? You know, I can speak Spanish, French, and Italian well enough and I've been wanting to learn more, but it's kind of hard to do it here. So, do you?"

"...Yeah, of course. Uh, Quenya?"

"Quenya? Whoa, I've never heard of it. Where is it spoken in?"

"Uhh... Middle-earth?"

"Middle-earth?"

"Yup, yeah, that's right."

"Middle-earth. Wait, that's-. That's the one from Dustin's books."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

***

"Alright- Jesus, Munson, you can do this. It's simple. Just go and ask. Simple."

knock knock

"Hey, Stevie? You in there?"

"Yeah, what is it, Eddie?"

"So, I was writing down some stuff — you know, for the dnd session I'm planning for the kids? Anyways, my pen kind of broke down in the midst of it. I was wondering if I could borrow yours?"

"Uh, yeah? Sure."

"Cool! So, can I come—"

"You'll find some in the study on the first floor."

"...Oh."

"...Umm, you okay there?"

"Yeah yeah, thanks! I'll be down at the study if you need me, Steve!"

***

"Did you know that your dad's the most boring man to exist?!"

"My dad? What?"

"There's nothing in the study, Steve. Nothing."

"There's... a wall full of books there?"

"Yes, but nothing important's there! Where are the literatures? Science fiction? Or even philosophy? Who in their right mind wants to read books about managing time?"

"Uh... Is that a bad thing?"

"Honestly, the Encyclopedia was the most interesting there. And that says something. But- oh yeah, thanks for the pen, Stevie."

"Yeah, no problem."

***

"That Dragons and Daggers thing you told me about,"

"Dungeons and Dragons, man. Dungeons and Dragons."

"Yeah right, so what's that about?"

"Well, it's like a board game, actually. But definitely more complicated and more intense. It's a challenge for those who play, navigating through worlds of fantasy— and, uh, you play as a character and roll dice to make your moves. It's totally fun."

"It does sound fun. So you're gonna help the kids 'navigate through the world of fantasy'?"

"Yup! That'll be me, I'm the DM. Dungeon Master. I'd be narrating and making the kids face obstacles."

"Cool."

"...You know, you could come and watch if you want. The kids would love it. I could even make an NPC based on you."

"...Yeah, no. Maybe later, I guess. But thanks for the offer, Eddie."

[txttletale]

locked tomb characters as the 42 ways to type laughter on the internet

harrowhark nonagesimus: haha. = I am weary and loathe to laugh, but here, you have forced it upon me; OR: I hate you.

gideon nav: hahahaha (etc.) = What you just said was really funny. OR: What you said was only kind of funny, but I want to have sex with you.

judith deuteros: roflcopter = I am a police officer working the undercover teen drug-use chatroom circuit.

marta dyas: HA = Vengeance and/or justice has been served appropriately.

coronabeth tridentarius: teehee = I have done something mildly transgressive and I think it's adorable.

ianthe tridentarius: hah = Three-quarters of the way toward typing the most tepid indication of appreciation there is, I became too bored to continue.

naberius tern: lolz = I am Gchatting/texting with two to four other people at this time; each of them is significantly more interesting than you.

isaac tettares: lmao = That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

jeannemary chatur: lmfao = That is the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard.

abigail pent: hahaha = That was funny! I legitimately laughed, or at least smiled, and I am slightly happier now than I was before you just said that.

magnus quinn: L-O-L/L.O.L. = I want nothing more than to cry. OR: I made a joke and I'm your dad.

palamedes sextus: haha = I'm acknowledging that you've said something you perceive to be funny, though I don't find it particularly funny myself.

camilla hect: ha ha ha = Very funny, you fucking asshole. You piece of shit.

dulcie septimus: bahaha = Like "ahahaha," but less concerned with appearances.

protesilaus ebdoma: HAHA = I made an audible laughter-type sound at this!!

silas octakiseron: lmbo = I'm neither laughing nor happy, but I am arguing a point I'm pleased with in my role as a person who works on the internet.

colum asht: lol = I feel nothing. I want this sentence/conversation to be over but lack the wherewithal to end it directly, with purpose; I want to admit to a feeling but lack the conviction; I want to tell you how you've hurt me but want more to pretend I am invincible; I want to laugh, really laugh, but do not remember how; OR, maybe: that was funny, whatever.

cytherea loveday: lolllllll = I feel beneath my skin surface a brimming hysteria, an existential query both exhausting and frantic: what am I doing here? The things that amuse me now are so different from anything I could have imagined as a young child. Partway through typing I realized the absurdity, the smallness of that which made me lol, and so I held my finger firm upon the "l" key for a while, and I wondered what would happen if I held it there forever.

mercymorn the first: ha. = I knew it. I knew it. It is very tiring to be right about everything, but I live with it.

augustine the first: ha! = Clever little joke, sonny!

gideon the first: heh = I have never experienced mirth, nor do I expect to.

pyrrha the first: ha = I am actually the most furious I have ever been in my entire life.

awake rememberance of these valiant dead: haaaaaa = I am disgusted with (but not surprised by) humankind.

john gaius: lollerskates/lollercoaster = Sometime between 2000 and 2004 I was a starred internet forum poster, and someone I chatted with regularly — someone a little older, whom I looked up to, someone with lots of x's in her username — used this word, and I was overcome by impossible coolness. I am now grown, and quite serious, and typically hyper-articulate. But sometimes, when I find something a little funny, I indicate pleasure with an improbable portmanteau like this one, and I feel again that I am young, and excited, and waiting to get online.

[softpine]

how in depth do you edit your story posts? would you say reshade does a lot of it or do you go in and add details a lot? how long does it take? i’m doing a story myself and i want to keep telling it but the long editing process sets me back and can be de motivating sometimes and i’m just wondering if you have any tips on cutting it down or speeding the process up?

oh i totally know what you mean – editing is by far my LEAST favorite part of the process, so i do anything i can do to speed it up. i would say reshade does about 60% of the work, and then i run my own personal action in photoshop which does another 20% of the work (basically just resize, smart sharpen, denoise, and a very basic color grade to help boost skintones). the rest is just small details that vary from picture to picture. landscape pictures can take me less than 2 minutes to edit, whereas shots with multiple sims can take me upwards of 30 minutes because i'm a freak about using the liquify tool to smooth out sharp edges, redrawing stuff to get rid of clipping, fixing skin banding by hand, etc. the rest is just using various blurs (usually iris blur), and applying a final color grade / hue adjustments. LITERALLY the devil is in the details 😭

so now that i've complained for ages, here are my tips on speeding things up fjksjd

1. put all your reshade effects on a toggle, and take multiple screenshots with the effects on/off. ESPECIALLY if you have a wide variety of skintones. for example, finn is pale as fuck and bloom makes him look like.... well, a ghost:

so i take one pic WITH bloom:

one without:

and then i layer them in photoshop and use a soft eraser at a lower opacity (depends on the pic) to erase some of the bloom on his face. this means i never have to mess with my bloom settings in-game for every single picture i take. i do the same thing for dof or mxao if they’re giving me trouble. one pic on, one pic off, layer them, and erase.

2. create your own action and/or psd! there are tons of tutorials out there. whichever effects you find yourself using on a regular basis, combine them all in one to save you from doing boring shit over and over :’) i don’t find it super helpful to use other people’s actions, because everyone has a different style, but if you’re new to photoshop, it might be nice to download some actions just to try new things out!

3. this tip kinda sucks because i know most people on simblr don’t have a l*gal copy of photoshop (no shade, i p*rated for literally 10 years lmao and i only got the real copy bc it was free through my mom’s work) but the newest version of photoshop has sooo many cool effects. sky replacement (my beloved), neural filters (depth blur is SO good now, the edges are crisp as hell. you could probably get rid of dof in reshade altogether now), and camera raw filter (basically a one-stop-shop for every adjustment you may need, and has the ability to save presets in the same way you would use a psd). all of these save me so much time. i would be happy to do a more in-depth tutorial on this stuff if you’re interested, but like i said, i know most people don’t have access to these :(

EDIT: check the replies for a link that may help you out :)

4. simply edit less. sometimes i have to remind myself that no one will be zooming up into my sim’s hand to see if their ring has some clipping issues. you are your own worst enemy and of course you’ll notice every single flaw, but most other people won’t. if the only way you can realistically and feasibly tell your story is to edit less (or not edit at all) then so be it!! that’s okay!! do whatever you can do to lessen your stress 💖

[deniigi]

when/if you've watched no way home and are willing to share, i would LOVE to hear your thoughts about it

PLS THE NEW SPIDERMAN CAME OUT COME BACK TO THW FANDOM WE NEED U ITS SO GOOD AHHHHH (it's okay if u don't lol just whenever I think of spiderman I immediately think of u lol and thIS MOVIE IS LITERALLY JUST UR FICS I LOVE IT)

so thoughts on nwh?

Thank you all for asking lol

I just saw No Way Home this last week. This answer will contain spoilers for Spiderman No Way Home, so if you haven't seen it, please proceed with caution.

tbh guys I give it like a 6.75/10.

It was. fine. It was entertaining enough.

More under the cut.

Parts I liked:

I liked having the other Spideys. I have historically hated Tobey Maguire's Spiderman, but this time I was actually very pleased to find that he was very relatable as the oldest and most experienced of the group.

In the moment when he put himself between Norman and Tom Holland Spidey, I thought there was going to be a narrative parallel between his and Blondie's death from ITSV (I honestly thought that that would be REALLY cool but was both bummed and pleased when it didn't happen).

Tom Holland is a phenomenal actor. Yes, he is picking up jobs that look stupid as hell, but you know what? I forgive him for that because he worked his ass off in the Spiderman films and, by god, he fought and cried and got MAD. It was wonderful to see MCU Spidey finally be angry, like really really angry.

Like YES YES YES. THAT'S THE SPIDERMAN WE KNOW.

So loved those parts.

Obviously I loved Andrew Garfield's Spiderman coming in and talking NONstop while other people were talking. Like that guy could not let Tobey Maguire Spidey finish a single sentence. He does motormouth spidey so well. And the bits between MJ and Garfield spidey were adorable. Was it cheesy when Garfield spidey crumpled to pieces after saving MJ from a fall that killed his Gwen? Yes. Do I care? No. Narratively, he finally got to take the dive and make things just a little bit more right for himself.

My favorite part of the whole film, though, was Garfield Spidey and Maguire Spidey popping each other's backs. HANDS. DOWN.

I don't care about literally anything else. (*except Matt catching the brick. Charlie had 4 lines in this movie and said 'I'm gonna make the most of this shit.')

Things I didn't like:

I appreciate that this film was essentially a way to walk back the entire characterization of MCU spiderman up until that point. I see what they were trying to do.

I also see that what sets MCU Spidey apart is the ability to work on a team. The other guys are lone wolves, so yes. I get it now why MCU spidey was built up as he was.

The comparisons between him and the other spideys was a very good way of handling his so far lackluster, boring-ass character development.

My main gripe is that we could have had this shit from the start. They wouldn't have had to walk all this shit back if they hadn't made him such a terrible, unrecognizable character in the first place and ending the film as they did essentially made everything he'd been through so far feel like it didn't matter. That was so many deaths just for us to end up with a Spidey who is finally at the beginning of his story.

Idk man. Not for me.

Also I hated the Dead Aunt May part of this plot. I HATED IT. Especially because it left a 17yo boy literally alone in the entire world and I'm like we really ended on this note?

MCU Spidey is a sad sack of shit right now.

FURTHER. It's not that I don't think that May could have said the line 'with great power comes great responsibility' but it means something different coming from Ben. Like, in terms of Jewish identity, Ben is the last living Jewish member of Peter's immediate family, and for him to say that, is tied to a WHOLE lot of baggage around like Jewish conceptions of power and social and communal responsibility. May isn't Jewish, so while its fine for her to deliver this message, I was just really, really let down.

It's yet another thing that makes me go 'this Spiderman isn't for me. This Spiderman is for Christians. He's been made for their comfort, not mine.' If they had at least somehow made May Jewish, I would have accepted it more easily. But yeah. That was a huge disappointment for me.

Other things I didn't like were Stephen Strange talking the way he did to a fucking 17yo like good god. Of course Peter hadn't called the university to contest his rejection. 99.9% of people don't fucking do that, and Peter is a c h i l d.

Don't love this Dr. Strange. Don't love how he has a lack of respect for his fellow sorcerer dude.

WHAT A DICK.

His whole scenes made me motion sick. I don't need that shit, Stephen. Please tone down these CGI backgrounds.

ONE MORE THING.

Why the fuck is the MCU insistent on putting Cap's shield everywhere? God, I cringed so bad when they put it on the statue of liberty. How. Fucking. Embarrassing. HOW EMBARRASSING.

Anyways, the best parts of this movie were the individual actors playing off each other and acting their asses off. All the villains deserved more screen time and more complex thoughts/feelings, too. TAKE IT FROM STRANGE. GIVE IT TO DOC OCK.

GOD.

Yeah, so. 6.75/10. I wouldn't watch it again.

[kayluh1915]

More Than Anything

Words: 3,813

Pairing(s): Pedro Pascal/Female Reader

Warnings: 18+ Only!

While enjoying a long awaited drink, you find yourself entertained by the young bartender with horrible jokes. Pedro, however, doesn't see the humor in the situation.

DISCLAIMER

This fic is a part of my "Pedro y su Abeja🐝" series. You don't have to read the previous stories to understand this one, but they're there if anyone would like to give them a glance with your peepers. I write them as a reader insert, but they can also be read as an original character. It's up to you.

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok if you'd like. I'm pretty boring but I try. You can also checkout my Pedro Pascal Masterlist if you'd like to read some more Pedro works by me.

Enjoy!

Read on AO3

Additional Warnings: Daddy kink, dom/sub undertones, oral sex (female receiving), dirty talk, hair pulling, vaginal sex, and creampie.

London was beautiful.

Maybe a bit too cold for your tastes, but beautiful nonetheless.

It was your first time ever in the city… actually, it was your first time out of the States period. You always loved to travel, but never had the time or the money to invest in it. So, being in a new city and a new country was extremely exciting.

Big Ben was gorgeous, the London Eye was romantic, and Buckingham Palace was elegant. So many new and exciting sights all around you and yet your only focus was on Pedro, holding on tightly to his arm as he escorted you down the red carpet.

“Okay?” He asked, turning his attention towards you for a moment. You smiled up at him and nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear as you did so. The red carpet still made you incredibly uncomfortable, but you had gotten better at it since Oscar night. It’s not something you enjoy, but you didn’t mind it as long as Pedro was there for you to follow and hold onto.

“After I finish presenting, we can head to the afterparty if you want. There’s really no need to stay if you’re not feeling it.” He offered once you were finally away from the blinding cameras.

“That sounds great, actually. I could use a drink."

"Yeah? What're you feeling?" You pondered for a moment.

"Honestly, I'm not really sure. Maybe something with vodka or bourbon."

"Bourbon, huh? Are you homesick?" You scoffed playfully and rolled your eyes with your tongue stuck out at him, earning a deep chuckle as he placed a kiss on your temple.

He teases you about that every time bourbon is brought up.

After the usual press interviews and greetings with Pedro’s peers, you were finally able to take your seats, getting as close to him as possible while he draped his arm across the back of your seat.

Before meeting Pedro, you loved award shows. It was an excuse to get off your ass with friends and shit on the biased bastards who clearly chose the winners on other criteria besides which film had been best crafted.

Now, you fucking hated them. Having to sit still in a seat and listen to these rich snobs drone on and on about nothing important for hours on end with no booze or idiotic friends to laugh with made it damn near unbearable for you. Pedro knew this and picked up on your fidgeting about 40 minutes into the show. He placed his hand on your bouncing knee, gently rubbing his thumb over it.

"You can go on to the party if you want, Abeja. I still have a bit before my presentation and I know how restless you get with these things.” You shook your head, going back to bouncing your knee, but a bit gentler this time.

“Nah. I want to stay here with you and show my support.” He chuckled.

“You don’t have to prove anything to me and you know that." A split second of silence fell between you as you weighed your options, but he wasn't having it.

"Go. Have a drink and loosen up a bit. I’ll come find you after I present and we can watch the clip together on YouTube later.”

Normally, you wouldn’t listen to him and would tough it out. Pedro lit up like a kid on Christmas anytime he was on camera and you loved to see it, but he was right. The video of him presenting would be on YouTube within minutes of it being aired so you’d still be able to see it.

"... Okay. I have my phone if you want me to come back." You offered.

"Alright. I’ll see you in a bit, honey." You exchanged a quick kiss, bunched your dress up in both hands, and nearly booked it out of the theatre, more than happy to finally be away from all the formal shit.

You were the first one at the party, rushing over the bartender and ordering some Jim Beam and Coke. Pretty basic, but it was just something to get you started.

"Your accent is lovely." The bartender complimented as he slid your drink to you.

"Oh, this ugly thing?" You gestured to your vocal chords. "I respectfully disagree, but thank you. I’d much rather have one like yours. Sounds much nicer than deep fried hick." The young man laughed, resting his elbow on the bar.

"Where you from?" You took a sip of the concoction before answering.

"Kentucky. Born and raised." The bartender looked at your drink and then back at you.

"You're not a little homesick are ya?" He asked, gesturing to your drink. You groaned, rolling your eyes and laying your head on the bar.

"Why does everyone ask me that? I just like bourbon, okay?" The bartender laughed again as you took another sip.

"Yes ma'am. I apologize. I'm Brice." He held his hand out for you to shake. You did, giving him your name in return. "So, this your first time in the UK?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The afterparty had a lot more people now, the three drinks you've had relaxing you and tinting your cheeks blush red. It wasn't enough for you to ditch your filter, but it did make you quite giggly.

Brice especially found your giggle fits endearing. He had been talking to you the entire time you’d been there, only leaving to serve the other guests before coming back over to you. He'd lean on the marble bar as you spoke and he started telling you bad jokes just to get you to giggle. He seemed like a pretty cool dude.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, watching you closely as you down your shot of whiskey. You put the glass back on the bar with a clank, letting out a sigh as you felt the liquor run warm down to your stomach.

"Sure. What's on your mind?" You answer. Brice takes the glass from you and washes it quickly, drying it off with a towel as he seems to ponder on how to say what he's about to say.

"You know, you're pretty awesome and I would love to get to know you better away from all of this." He started, gesturing around the party atmosphere. "So, I was wondering if you would like to exchange phone numbers? Maybe socials as well?"

Ah Lord. You were nowhere near drunk enough to deal with this shit. Brice seemed like a cool guy, but you didn't think you were coming off that way and immediately felt terrible for leading him on. You opened your mouth to say… something. You weren't really sure, but it was going to be better than dumbass silence. However, you didn't even get a word out before you felt a familiar hand on your back and Pedro’s voice right by your ear.

Perfect. Just in time to be used as a gentle decline.

"There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." You spun around to come face to face with Pedro, your face instantly lighting up as soon as you saw him. He looked you over with a smile, noticing your flushed cheeks and drunken giggles.

"I see you've had your drink." You nodded, holding up four fingers. "Oh, four. Excuussse me."

Pedro looked over to Brice and ordered his own drink. He noticed that the young man had a melancholy look to him, his blue eyes shifting right back to you as soon as he acknowledged his drink order.

"Is he bothering you?" Pedro whispered, not taking his eyes off of the bartender as he made his drink. You gasped, pretending to be offended.

"Nooooo! Brice would never!"

Pedro wasn't usually a jealous man, but something about the current situation was making his blood boil. He concealed it well and thanked "Brice" when he handed him his drink.

"I'm going to go say hi to some friends. You wanna come with me?" You groaned, not really wanting to put your formal face back on, but your desire to be around Pedro as much as possible outweighed all of it.

“Fiiinnee. I’m not talking, though.” He held his hand out for you to take, helping you down from the bar stool before placing his hand on your lower back. He gave the bartender one last glance, trying his best not to feel the pride swell in his chest when he saw how devastated the poor guy looked.

About an hour had passed when you returned to the bar for another drink, Brice apologizing for being forward as he slid you your shot.

“I didn’t know you were with someone. I’m sorry.” You fanned your hand at him, downing your shot in one go.

“It’s no big deal. I didn’t say anything so you couldn’t have known. For what it’s worth, I think you're an awesome dude and would love to exchange socials with you. You have a discord?” Brice’s eyes lit up as he nodded, grabbing a pen and paper to write his username on.

After exchanging little scraps of paper, you continued chatting with him and ended up getting giggly again from the shot. Brice noticed and started telling his horrible jokes again, but your drunk ass still found them fucking hilarious. You were still sober enough to keep the filter, but you were talking and laughing pretty loudly.

Brice was in the middle of a joke when you felt Pedro’s large and warm hand wrap around your upper arm. You melted into him with a fit of giggles, Pedro laughing at how cute you were as he brushed a few strands of hair out of your eyes.

"C'mon, honey. I think it's time for us to turn in." Pedro said, a groan leaving your lips.

"Let Brice finish this last joke and then I'll come okay?"

This time, Pedro didn't hide his rage, looking up at Brice with the most intimidating look he could muster while he had you drunk in his arms. It definitely worked, the poor dude shrinking in on himself as his eyes widened with fear.

"A-actually I'll send it to you on Discord, okay? I think you should go with your boyfriend." Brice stuttered out, clearly intimidated by your sweet teddy bear which you found hilarious. So hilarious that you didn't even question why he was angry in the first place.

Pedro was satisfied with Brice's answer and deep down felt terrible for being such an asshole, turning his attention back to you leaning on him and still giggling.

"C'mon, Abeja. Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door to your shared hotel room had barely shut before Pedro had you cornered, his eyes dark and the smell of his cologne dancing under your nostrils. You had sobered up a bit on the drive back to the hotel and was starting to feel tired.

You whine pitifully, mildly upset that he was keeping you from your plans of peaceful dreams.

"What is it, P? M'tired." You groaned. Pedro scoffed above you.

"Am I not enough for you?" He growled. You furrow your eyebrows in confusion and look up at him.

"Huh? What're you tal-"

"Is this old man not enough for your little pussy? Huh?" You froze and swallowed hard, now understanding where he was going with this and you very much liked it, your exhaustion instantly forgotten.

"N-no… You're perfect." He chuckled darkly, leaning down to trail his lips gently over your neck. You moaned quietly, feeling his stubble tickle your sensitive skin.

"Really? Then why would you waste your time with that... boy?”

Ooohhhh. Brice.

"He-he was just being friendly. He seemed like a pretty cool guy an-"

Pedro interrupted you by slamming you against the door, pinning your wrists to the cold steel as he got close to you, his lips only inches away from yours.

"You have no idea what you'd be missing." He snarled, your pussy clenching hard from just his words and voice alone.

"... Show me, then.”

Pedro growls low in his throat and pushes you harder into the door, now holding both of your wrists in his left hand as he caresses your face and lifts his knee up to your clothed cunt.

"Gonna fuck you so good. Your young little pussy won't be able to take it all." You whined quietly, grinding yourself down onto his knee.

"Please..." Pedro's breath hitched, his grip tightening on your wrists.

"See, look at you... You're already coming apart and I've only given you my knee. That boy wouldn't even get you this close with his inexperience. Only I know exactly what you need." You were squirming at this point, your juices already starting to soak through your panties.

"Please, Daddy… Please..." You begged as he pressed his knee even harder into your dripping heat.

"Patience, my sweet Abeja. Daddy will give you everything soon."

He jerked your wrists forward, pulling you close as he let go of his hold to grab your ass and hoist you up. You quietly squeaked in surprise, wrapping your arms and legs around him as he quickly carried you over to the bed. He threw you down on it, the springs protesting lightly from the sudden weight as Pedro began to strip.

He almost had his undershirt unbuttoned when you sat up and tried to unzip your dress, but he stopped you by pinning your wrists to the mattress.

“Only Daddy’s allowed to take that dress off, baby girl.” You whined, another gush soaking your already damp panties.

He let go of your wrists again and continued to undress, looking over your body hungrily as he did so.

“I bet you’re soaked already, aren’t you, pretty girl?” You nodded rubbing your thighs together as your pussy clenched again. He parted your legs and haphazardly lifted your dress. He groaned at the sight of your heather gray panties darkening in color as your arousal continued to seep.

The stylist had highly advised you to wear sexy underwear with the dress, but you didn't care. You'd take comfort over looks anyday and Pedro didn't seem to have a problem with your choice of underwear.

He took his right pointer finger and ran it gently over the darkening patch, the bulge in his boxers twitching and somehow getting harder.

"Fuck, look at you. So shameless." He wraps his arms around your legs and pulls you to the side of the bed while getting down on his knees. You impatiently began to fidget, knowing exactly what he was doing. He pulled your panties aside, the sight of your glistening pussy spurring him on as he yanked you closer and licked you from your opening to your throbbing clit.

“Daddy…” You sighed, your hands instantly tangling in his hair. Pedro groaned, the vibrations and his facial hair feeling heavenly. He wrapped his arms around your thighs and threw them over his shoulders, pulling you even closer and pressing the pads of his fingers into your smooth skin.

“MMmmmm.” You whined, the sudden movement causing your pussy to clench around nothing. You spared a glance down to Pedro. You could only see his eyes, but that was more than enough, his dark chocolate orbs staring up at you with a dizzying mixture of adoration and lust.

Pedro loved how wreaked you looked, your mouth hung open and your eyes hooded. He took pride that he was the one making you feel this way, knowing that he was the only one who got to see you like this.

He’d had plans on taking his time with you, slowly bringing you to one orgasm after another with his tongue, fingers, and cock; but the sight of you losing yourself just on his tounge alone drove him crazy and he grew impatient.

He pulled away from you too soon for your liking, his lips and chin glistening with your arousal as he yanked off your underwear in one swoop. He discarded his boxers as he stood up, pinning you to the bed as he drug the head of his cock through your slick folds a few times.

“You’re mine, understand?” You nodded quickly, wanting so desperately for him to get on with it. “Say it.”

“I-I’m yours, Daddy… Please….” You begged.

“Please what?” Your mind was so fuzzy with arousal, that you could barely process the words he was saying, let alone compose some of your own, but Pedro wasn’t having it. He grabbed a handful of your hair and yanked it, the delicious mixture of pain and pleasure only making your neediness worse.

“Answer me.”

“Fuck me!” You whined, your voice hoarse and weak, but still loud enough for him to get the message. Pedro let go of your hair and caressed your face, the gentle gesture a far cry from how he’d pulled your hair barley seconds ago.

“Good girl.” When he finally pushed himself in, you both made noises of pleasure, Pedro wasting no time. "God, you feel so good, baby." He groaned, starting to thrust into you faster. Though you both were inpatient and did very little foreplay, you were still absolutely soaked.

“You hear that?” He gruffed, his facial hair tickling your jaw as the sounds of your wet pussy squelched almost musically. “That boy could never get you this wet. You’d probably have to- fuck- have to use lube just to get started.”

You were already close. It’d been a hot minute since you’ve seen each other, your music classes revving up for concert season and his schedule getting booked by the day. It was hard to be away from one another for so long, but this… this made it worthwhile. No toy or vibrator could ever top the way Pedro made you feel.

"Pedro…" You groaned.

"That's it. Scream Daddy's name, baby girl. Show the boys who you belong to."

His cock repeatedly rubbing against your g-spot sent waves of tingling pleasure all throughout your lower half, the intensity of it building higher and higher as he continued.

"Don't stop, Daddy. Please don't stop." You whined, your voice getting higher as your orgasm grew closer.”

"Cum on Daddy's cock, Abeja. Let him feel you drip." Like a rubber band being pulled too tight, you snapped, your back arching off the bed and your toes curling. It hit you hard, your pussy drenching his cock and throbbing relentlessly with wave after wave of chilling pleasure.

“Mmm, Daddy’s gonna cum, baby girl. Whe-where do you want it?” He panted, his movements slowing for a few seconds while he waited on your answer.

“Inside…” You whined, your orgasm still wreaking havoc as he sped back up.

“Gonna fill you up, baby. Gonna… gonna…” He thrust his cock into you one last time, his own orgasm tearing through him with the same intensity as yours. The feeling of his cum warming your insides and his throbbing cock brought you to the peak for a second time. It wasn’t very intense, but getting filled up always made your orgasm even if they’re small.

Pedro collapsed onto you, his lips colliding with yours in a slow, passionate kiss. You laid your head back with a sigh on pleasure, Pedro chasing after you to gently kiss and nibble at your chin.

“I know you like me to stay in for a bit after we finish, but can we please make an exception this time? My back is killing me in this position.” You snorted.

“Oh my god, you’re so fucking old.” Pedro pulled out slowly, the feeling of his cum seeping out dazing you again for a moment. He smugly smirked at the sight, his hand gently caressing your upper thigh as he watched it trail down your folds.

“You weren't complaining about it earlier.”

A little later, you were laying on Pedro’s chest as he played with your hair, both of you just enjoying each other's company and the silence after a night of constant noise.

"Since when do you get jealous?" You finally asked, breaking the peace as his hand stilled in your hair.

"M'not… not usually anyway." You traced small circles on his chest for a moment.

"What was so different this time?" He sighed deeply, the silence returning as he thought of an answer.

“I dunno. I guess I just…” He sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

“There’s just... so many people out there… people who have their entire lives ahead of them, who doesn’t have back pain, who doesn’t have gray hair and wrinkles, and who doesn’t sound like rice crispies in the morning and…” He paused, his arms tightening around you.

“... Someone who has the time to give you all the attention you deserve. I feel so guilty knowing that I can’t wake you up with breakfast every morning, that I have to leave you alone for months and months at a time, and that you have to face so much scrutiny because of my age. When I saw you with Brice, you looked so happy and it made me think of all the things that I can’t give you…”

He was choking up at this point, his eyes glassy and brimming with tears. You sat up a bit to face him, your hand caressing his face and gently scratching his facial hair as you stared into his watery eyes.

“Pedro… don’t say things like that. You are more than enough for me. You’re so kind and smart and oh so sweet. You’ll come take care of me when I’m sick, you respect me and treat me as my own person, you spoil me even though I beg you not to, and you love me for who I am.” Pedro sniffled as you rested your forehead atop his.

“You are hands down the most amazing man I’ve ever met and no amount of scrutiny, grey hair, or rice crispy joints is going to change that. You may think that you can’t give me everything, but you give me more than enough and I love you more than anything on this Earth.”

Pedro smiled a small smile, bringing up his left hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and caress your jaw as a tear fell down his cheek.

“I don’t deserve you…” He whispered. You wiped the tear away with your thumb and leaned down to kiss him for a bit.

"That, and you're such a DILF. I mean, did you see yourself in Narcos?" He laughed, wiping his eyes with his wrist as he got up to take a shower.

"Alright, bye. Your fangirl's coming out." You got up as well, hoping to finally take off that stupid dress and join him.

“You know you love it.” His arms suddenly wrap around you from behind, his lips pressing gentle kisses on your shoulders.

“More than anything.”

[jjmaybanksbaby]

Where It Leads (Rafe Cameron)

Summer III

Part 06: Round And Round

series masterlist | previous part

summary: It seems like the stars have finally aligned to give Rafe Cameron and you a summer of blissful happiness.

a/n: This got a little longer than I expected but I'm not mad at it. I had to give them at least one summer of being cute together before the other shoe drops. The final part to this series will be out Thursday!

word count: 3.2k words (warning this gets decently smutty 18+)

The Island Club had a special glow to it as the sun sunk below the horizon and the thousands of fairy lights strung up around the yard flickered on. A breeze rippled through the warm summer air, making the perfect kind of weather. You took in the sight. The people mingling on the lawn, all dressed in their best clothing. Waiters dashing around, keeping everyone's drinks filled. Bits and pieces of conversations floated up into the night.

You'd finally settled on a long, black satin gown with a deep v-neck that’d you'd found hidden away on the sale rack. Your mother had fussed over how plain it was and how much skin it showed but you were sure it was the right dress from the moment you slipped it on. You'd agreed to let your mom twist your hair into a single braid that fell down your back and she’d stuck bobby-pins with tiny rhinestones in at random intervals. You had painted your lips a deep crimson red to pull it all together.

You were starting to understand the appeal of the whole thing. There was a certain feeling of glamour to the night. Your eyes roamed the lawn noticing Cleo and Milo snuggled close together on the dance floor, swaying to the soft music playing. That was new. Good for them. They looked happy together.

Most people were already here since your Nonna had insisted on being fashionably late.

The hair on the back of your neck stood up as you heard Rafe's voice from behind you. You turned around and the sight of him made your mind go blank. You'd let yourself picture how Rafe Cameron might look in a suit but the real deal was so much better.

Rafe cleared his throat snapping you back to reality. "You look nice," he said, the compliment bringing a smile to your face.

"You too, Cameron."

"Hey, come with me. I wanna talk to you." He reached down, taking your hand and you slipped your fingers between his, letting him lead you back inside. Almost every person you passed seem to know Rafe and smiled at him or stopped for a quick "hello."

He pulled open a heavy door and ushered you inside. It was the same bathroom where you'd meet Sarah for the first time while trying to escape boring lunch small talk. What were you doing here? Rafe leaned down, checking that all the stalls were in fact empty before turning the hatch on the door to lock it.

Rafe smiled at you widely. "Hi," he muttered as he brought his hand up to cup your face, running his thumb over your cheek.

The butterflies sprung up in your stomach almost immediately.

"Hi," you said back quietly, afraid of breaking the moment.

He walked you backward gently until you felt the cool wall against the exposed skin of your back.

His mouth was dangerously close to yours. His other hand landed on your thigh and he slowly slide it upwards. You weren't sure if you cursed buying a dress with such a high slit or were grateful for the easy access.

“Rafe, we can't do this again. Not here,” you warned but you were sure he could see right through your words. “We were both drunk last time.”

“And I’m completely sober now.” His hand inched closer to your core.

“Do you even remember it?”

“Do you really think I would have dragged you in here and have you pressed up against this wall if I didn’t? Yes, I remember it y/n. I remember the whole very clearly.”

Rafe dropped his voice to just above a whisper. He smoothed his thumb over the sensitive skin of your inner thigh. “Tell me to stop. Tell me you don’t want this.” But you did want. You wanted it so badly it was killing you. Every bit of you turned to jelly under his touch and you wanted Rafe’s hands all over your body. You had zero interest in telling him to stop. His fingers ghosted over your underwear and you let out a whine without realizing it. “See, I’m barely even touching you and you’re already whining for me.”

Your forehead dropped to his shoulder as he moved your underwear aside, dipping his fingers into your folds.

“Ah, ah, ah. Look at me, baby.” Rafe said, pushing your head back upright before he moved his hand down to wrap his fingers around your throat. His eyes meet yours. This was a different side of Rafe. Rougher and wild but incredibly sexy.

Another moan caught in your throat as he pushed two fingers inside of you. “Fuck, Rafe.”

Your back arched off the wall and a loud moan tumbled off your lips as he hit the sweet spot inside of you. “Good girl,” Rafe praised. His words turning you on even more.

Rafe could tell you were nearing your climax and slide his fingers out suddenly.

“Fuck you, Cameron,” you spit.

He laughed. “Please, it couldn’t be more evident that you want to,” he replied, hiking your dress all the way up to your waist, pulling your lacy underwear down to the floor before undoing his belt and kicking his own pants off. Your fingers fumbled with the buttons of his dress shirt, desperately pulling it open to run your hands over his beautifully chiseled abdomen. 

His clothed dick, bulging out of his boxers, rubbed against your clit and your hips bucked up automatically, craving the friction.

Rafe ran his thumb over your bottom lip, slipping it into your mouth as it naturally fell open. “God, you look so fucking hot right now y/n. So so pretty.” He pushed your hips back against the wall, harshly. “But let’s remember, I’m in charge here.”

“Please, Rafe,” you begged. You knew he was going to keep teasing you, loving the way you squirmed under his words.

Rafe pushed his boxer down this knees freeing his hard cock before pulling a condom out of the jacket, unrolling it over his dick. He lined it up with your entrance, pushing into your slowly. The pace almost making you cry out.

“Jesus, Cameron. Fuck me already if you’re going to,” you hissed, annoyed with the ends he was pushing you to.

Rafe chuckled, his eyes locked with yours as he slammed his whole length into you. You bit down on your bottom lip trying to stay quiet.

Rafe reached down, hooking your leg around his waist so he could enter you at a new angle. Your arms wrapped around his shoulder, holding onto him for support. Your breath hitched as his thumb began to rub small circles on your clit.

"Fuck, you feel amazing," Rafe said, his own breathing uneven. "I needed to do this again."

His mouth attached to your neck, kissing and sucking and you were sure you would find a hickey there tomorrow morning. He rested his forehead on yours, your mouths an inch apart.

You could feel your release growing closer and closer. Rafe's own movements were getting sloppy and desperate. He closed the distance, landing his lips on yours, catching your moans as you came undone. He continued to kiss you, slipping his tongue into your mouth, finishing just seconds later.

Neither of you moved for a few moments, savoring the feeling of just holding each other. Your lips met again, the kiss was sweet and slower but still full of passion.

“That was a super productive conversation, Cameron,” you joked.

“I didn’t come here to have one.” He smirked, moving away from you to slip back on his pants. You walked over to the mirror to evaluate how disheveled Rafe’s impromptu due need to fuck had left you. Some piece of hair had sipped out of your braid but they framed your face nicely making it look almost intentional so you could definitely get away with it. Your red lipstick was noticeably gone. If your mom got suspicious, you’d have to blame it on not being able to find a straw. Though the stain on Rafe’s own lips might give you away.

Rafe came up from behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his chin on your shoulder. You watched his movements in the mirror.

With a face like pretty it really was no surprise you found yourself in situations like this. Not that you were complaining. But Rafe had this pull on you that was truly indescribable but impossible to resist.

“Should we get back out there?” You asked. “People might start wondering where you went.”

“Let them,” Rafe replied, placing another kiss on your neck, just below the edge of your jaw. It was your favorite place to feel his lips on you. That spot in particular sent a shiver through your body whenever he kissed it.

“I’ll go first and you follow in five minutes.”

“We can just leave together,” he countered.

“Phoebe might see.”

Rafe hesitated, picking up on the double meaning of your words but wanting to avoid a fight over it. “Okay. You go first.”

☼☼☼

You let yourself get pulled into Rafe Cameron’s orbit for the remainder of the summer. You became a regular figure at the group’s parties, becoming especially fast friends with Riley as you spent more time together and bonded over the world that was high school theater. Milo had claimed you as his beer pong partner from the beginning and the two of you had managed to remain undefeated. The evenings usually ended in you and Rafe sneaking away to his house or yours, the culmination of sly glances and flirtatious winks you’d been teasing each other with the entire time. You left your window perpetually unlocked and learned how to dart across the Cameron’s front lawn without making the motion-sensor lights go off.

One summer night, near the middle of July, you were standing on Rafe's front porch having slipped out quietly when the light clicked on illuminated the yard, You froze, fearing you'd been caught by Rose or worse by Ward but instead, Sarah stepped out of the shadows, her eyes equally wide with fear of being caught.

"Shit, she cursed, half giggling. "I usually don't make that go off."

"Where have you been?" You asked her playfully.

"I meet a boy," she confessed.

Your features contorted into a smile seeing the happiness radiating off Sarah.

"Aw Sarah. I'm so happy for you. Just be safe, okay?" It was hard to believe but Sarah was now the same age you'd been when you and Rafe had first meet.

"Don't worry, y/n. Nothing's even happened. We just sit in his room, talking for hours," she paused, finally realizing the strangeness of you standing on her front porch in the early hours of the morning. "Oh my God. Wait? Are you and Rafe...? It’s about time."

You held out your hand to shush her. The look on your face giving away all your secrets.

"You're good for him," Sarah added. "You're good for each other."

The light clicked off again, the darkness of the night enveloping the two of you.

"That's my cue." You reached out, pulling Sarah in for a quick hug, placing a loving kiss in her blonde hair.

"Bye." She squeezed her arms tighter around your waist before letting go.

☼☼☼

You knocked on the door of Sawyer's pool house, the location the group had decided on for the night after a rather fierce argument in the group chat, one you had pointedly stayed our off. Rafe opened the door, smiling at your presence before stepping outside, pulling the door closed behind him.

He leaned down for a kiss. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," you replied, your lips meeting his.

His hand automatically reached for yours. "C'mon. I wanna do something fun tonight."

"But isn't everyone in there?" You pointed behind him.

"Yeah, but it's just gonna be the same boring thing. Sawyer's drunk already because he can't hold his alcohol for shit. Phoebe thinks we should hit up some touran's party. And Cleo and Milo are no-shows. So let’s go do something else."

You shrugged. You'd much rather have Rafe all to yourself anyway. "Okay, where are we going?"

“It’s a surprise.”

Ten minutes later and Rafe was pulling into the desert parking lot of his high school. “Welcome to the Kook Academy. That’s not it’s actual name but everyone on the island just calls it that since none of the pogues can afford to go here.”

The lofty walls of the private school loomed above you. It looked like a fucking castle that belonged in the rolling heels of Europe, definitely not in the middle of North Carolina.

“C’mon. You can see practically the entire island from the roof.”

“How the hell are we gonna get up there?” You asked.

“The lacrosse team pulled this sweet prank last season and I still have the keys to the roof. Plus, it’s summer. No one’s even here.”

“You’re gonna be the death of me, Rafe Cameron.”

He leaned across the middle console, sliding a hand being your neck and pulling your face close into his. “I promise it’ll be worth it,” he said before landing his lips on yours.

Soon you were climbing into his lips, straddling his hips. The roof-top adventure temporarily put on hold. You gripped his blonde locks as his hands worked their way under your shirt.

"I thought we were breaking into your high school?" You tesed.

"We are. Right now, I'm just trying to break into your bra," Rafe answered.

"Okay." You shoved his hand away. "On account of the fact that that was the worst comeback I've ever heard, let's go."

"I can't help it. Your tits were distracting me," he answered, trying to reach for them again.

You swatted his hand away "Rafe."

"Party pooper," he replied with a frown.

"You're such a drama queen." You leaned down for a quick kiss, tearing your lips away before he had the chance to pull you in deep.

Rafe hadn't lied. The view from the roof was breathtaking. You could see all the way to the end of the island from the top of the fourth-story building. The cars moving below were tiny dots, the people even smaller. You stood at the edge, your eyes fixed on the churning ocean stretching beyond the horizon. The whole thing felt eternal.

Rafe's eyes watched your own, the glint in them growing as you took in the sight.

"Holy shit, Rafe. This is amazing," you said, wrapping your arms tight around his neck, not looking away from the skyline.

"I thought you might think so."

The two of you stayed like that and watched the sun disappear below the horizon in a blaze of orange and pink glory before the dark night sky littered with brights stars replaced it.

The wind nipped at your skin, fiercer up here than on the ground. It made you snuggle into Rafe's side, stealing his body heat to stay warm.

"Ready to go back down?" Rafe asked.

"Not yet." You weren't prepared for this moment to end. You longed to stay in it, here, with him, for as long as you could.

"Okay," Rafe answered, pulling your back closer into his chest and wrapping his arms tighter around you to fight off the cold. "Okay," he repeated. He let a few more minutes pass before breaking the silence again.

“I bought you something.”

You turned to face him, eyebrows raised in surprise. Rafe had money, obvious, but you never knew him to be much of a gift-giver. Mostly, because he was hyperaware that the money belonged to Ward, not him. Rafe reached into his back pocket, producing a small black velvet box. You took it from his outstretched hands and opened it. Inside, lay a beautiful gold necklace with a single dainty star.

You look up at Rafe tears welling in your eyes from the romantic gesture. Your heart swelled. “Oh my God. I love it, Rafe.” I love you. You stopped yourself before those three little words, three words more explosive than dynamite, had the chance to slip out as well.

“Don’t cry, baby. It’s only a necklace. Want me to put it on you?”

You nodded, handing Rafe back the box. You lifted up your hair up with one hand and he carefully draped the necklace around your neck, fastening the clasp in the back.

Rafe smiled at the look of it hanging around your neck like a reminder that you always had him, that you would always have him.

“Thank you, babe. I seriously love it.” You took the necklace between your fingers peering down at it.

“Anything for my girl.” 

☼☼☼

Hours later, you were back in Rafe’s room, laying on top of him, your naked stomachs pressed together, your head resting on his chest, your legs intertwined beneath the comforter. Rafe ran his index finger lazily up and down your arm, goosebumps springing up in its wake. You lifted your head off his chest to look at him.

“I think we should maybe talk about what happened last summer," you started.

“Why?” He asked back.

“Uh, cause you told me to pick and I didn’t pick you. But then I get back to the Outer Banks and we sleep together within the first week.”

“But you’re not dating Evan anymore.”

“Right.”

“So what’s there to talk about. You’re free to fuck anybody you want. Preferably me, right now, again.” He eagerly moved you so that your already sensitive core, from the night's earlier activities, was straddling his thigh. You groaned at the contact, quickly shifting away as not to let him distract you from the conversation.

“What about Phoebe?” You asked.

“What about Phoebe?”

“Well, you took her to Midsummers.”

“Cause we’re friends and I knew it would make Ward happy.”

You paused. “But we’re friends.”

“Baby, trust me. Phoebe and I are not the same kind of friends me and you are.” His palm landed on your back, rubbing small comforting circles.

"Meaning you're not sleeping with her?" The words came as a question, though you’d meant it as a statement.

"Definitely not." Rafe paused. "It's just you."

This was the closest you'd come to having the 'What are we?' conversation. You had suspected the two of you had been exclusive for some time but it was refreshing to hear Rafe say it aloud.

"Yeah, it's just you for me too," you replied.

You started to move off Rafe's warm body. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“I gotta get home. My mom’s started going on these crazy 6 a.m morning runs and I’m afraid she’s gonna catch me sneaking it.” You leaned down to kiss him again. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Ward and I are leaving for those college visits tomorrow.”

Oh shit, you had forgotten about that. “And my flight back’s the week after that.” The implication of your words hung in the air. The summer was coming to a close and you couldn’t stop it.

“It’s okay y/n. We’ll call and text during the school year and next summer you’ll be back.”

“Right,” you agreed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling growing in your stomach. You had the summer-fling of your dreams with Rafe and here he was promising to stay in touch so why didn’t it feel good? Why didn't it feel right?

“I gotta go. Have a good trip.” You took Rafe's face in your hands hoping to kiss away the uneasy feeling. Rafe's hands wandered down to cup your butt, pulling you back on top of him.

“Rafe...” you trailed off as his tongue slipped into your mouth.

“Shhh,” he mumbled back.

You knew you should probably pull yourself away from him, staying would cut it too close with your mom but the way his hands roamed your body was making it hard to think about anything rationally. He rolled your hips against his already hard-again dick. Fuck, the things this boy did to you were dangerous. Besides, maybe this would distract you from that achy feeling you had about the future so you let yourself kiss Rafe back desirously.

But two weeks later, as the tires of your plane lifted off the runway, en route back to Oregan, that feeling hadn’t gone away in the slightest.

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