#NOW IMAGINE. IF YOU WILL. A HYPOTHETICAL MAN WHO IS EXACTLY THE SAME. BUT HE LOVES YOU BACK. YOU WOULD WANT THAT MAN RIGHT.

[m6pr]

god. i. i. oh god.

[another-goblin]

I really liked "Luminary Wardance", maybe even more than the main quest from that patch. But I have a problem with Boothill's involvement. As I see it, either the writing was bad for that part even by the HSR's uneven standards, or I'm missing something (which is quite possible, so please correct me if I'm wrong), but that's my problem.

1. Boothill is described as "extremely optimistic and unrestrained. He is a member of the Galaxy Rangers who swore to punish the wretched by any and all means." That little event before his release described some of his crimes: wild, fun, and chaotic; I don't remember him derailing trains full of orphans or something. He was appalled when Aventurine accused him of killing his bodyguards. So basically I understood him as a character who, despite all the hardships, under his inhuman appearance and gruff manners, hasn't lost his humanity and fundamentally is a good person, valuing human lives. 

Was I wrong?

Because now he has no problem killing an innocent, disabled, and severely mentally ill kid in this supposedly friendly competition, basically for no reason.

Look, he's grinning maniacally; he crearly has no qualms about this; he's aiming for the head:

2. But let's imagine Luka wasn't swift enough. The floor of the arena is covered with his blood, brain matter, and skull fragments, exactly as Boothill threatened.

Luka's father receives terrible news back at home (would Boothill send a little apology letter? like, "whoops, sorry", or "same, bro", or "he had it coming"?) He's left alone to grieve the violent loss of his child on this dying planet, once invaded by the IPC and abandoned by the universe. Wow, well done, Boothill. That will show the IPC!

As a writer, how little should you care about the story and the characters you are writing about to not notice the obvious parallel?

3. But why did he do that? The writers give us the flimsiest excuse: 

Boothill: I wanna see every news outlet in the cosmos buzzin' with the headline "The IPC's most wanted man stole the spotlight at the Wardance. He came out with the fudge blazin' and sure made them IPC shirtbags choke on the humble pie."

Okay, let's pretend he killed Luka, this fan favorite underdog, in front of the whole universe. Let's pretend he wasn't spooked away by some IPC cops (and we'll talk about it later). He fought Yanqing and killed him too. He just proved in front of the whole universe that he's actually as cruel and dangerous as the IPC propaganda said. And he got a new powerful enemy (because I don't think JY would be reasonable about losing his child like this. I mean, how many greiving fathers can we get in one hypothetical scenario?)

I don't think the IPC higher-ups will lose any sleep over it! 

4. Was there even a need to kill anybody? It's explicitly stated several times that "by holding the Wardance, they're demonstrating to everyone that they've returned to a state of peace and safety" (and it's not to satisfy people's thirst for blood or something). It's a festival, not some kind of death fight. I've got the impression that it's mostly for younger people to have fun and prove themselves. Most of the competing powerful adults don't even show their full strength. Nobody is expected to kill anybody. Yanqing decisively defeated Luka, and they ended up being friends.

Don't tell me Boothill isn't skilled enough to aim for Luka's arm to disable it with a shot (I mean that's what ended up happening but not for his lack of trying!). Or, if he wanted blood, why not just shoot Luka in the kneecaps? He'd probably need two new prosthetics, but he'd definitely be alive.

5. I already showed that Boothill would've achieved nothing if he won. But what about Luka? Maybe it's his fault? Was he too prideful? Was giving up an option for him? Absolutely not. He wasn't just representing himself, the children of the Underworld who believe in him, and that little girl who died, but his whole planet. It's the first time most people even hear about Jarilo-VI. And the first impression is crucial. Jarilo-VI is far from being safe, their chances for survival are tiny. Any support he can gain might be the matter of life and death for his homeworld. And we know that it worked because JY offered the Luofu's help to Jarilo in the end.

6. Btw, he only "fought" Luka because he knew he's much weaker than him, and then he ran away from some random IPC cops (who wouldn't have arrested him anyways because the Luofu clearly don't consider him a criminal, and they probably wouldn't allow the IPC to just arrest people on their territory). I'm not making this up, he literally says it himself:

Boothill: This kid (Yanqing) is young, but he's got some serious skills. Facing him will take too long and there's no guarantee of winning. It ain't worth gettin' caught by those forkin' IPC hounds over a competition.

So "I don't want to try and kill that kid because he can actually win". Our hero, everybody.

I mean, I'm not the only one who sees this, right? Again, it's very possible that I'm missing something important, and it all makes sense. Is he supposed to be a coward as well as a cold-blooded murderer? I don't believe that. It looks like a terrible slander of Boothill by the game's writers. Is everybody okay with it?

7. This whole confrontation kind of makes sense as the lowest point in Luka's story until you look closer. Getting to their lowest point is an important part of a hero's journey, but it usually happens in the beginning, indicating the need for the hero to change and grow, or in the end, as a test. But it happens in the middle. And it kind of doesn't change anything much?.. He gets over it and just continues competing.

The kind of character our hero loses to is also very important. It might be a mindless goon or a "for me it was Tuesday" type of villain, unrlated to our guy in any way, allowing the story to concentrate on the hero's journey. Or the antagonist's personality might be important for the story, highlighting their personal relationship with the hero or their conflicting ideologies; our hero overcoming the antagonist not only physically but mentally too, probably allowing them both to grow.

But it's neither. Boothill isn't a faceless goon, he's a complex character, a protagonist of his own tragic story. Their ideologies or goals don't clash (other than the serfuce level "I want to win this competition"). They don't have any personal history either. Boothill just appears, attempts to murder Luka, and basically disappears from the story.

8. Speaking of, you know what would be great? If instead of threatening Luka and then shooting him point blank, they actually talked. If Boothill had some character development by realizing that other people's struggles might be more important than his own pursuit of revenge sometimes. I mean, Luka was literally fighting to save his planet.

But instead, it feels like the writers just used Boothill as a tool in Luka's story, ruining him in the process.

9. Okay I'll shut up now. I'm too wordy and anal retentive. I just needed to get it out of my system. But I could go on and on. The more I think about it, the more problems I see. Like, why was their confrontation clearly styled after a classical cowboy standoff when only one of them had a gun? It makes no sense. Why did the journalists and fans have problems with Boothill's gun after the match? Didn't we just fight Topaz and her goons, who use guns too? Why wasn't it a problem then? Why did Luka faint after shielding himself from the bullet? I don't think he was wounded. And if he was wounded seriously enough to faint, then how did he manage to recover fast enough for the next match? Especially considering that the Luofu's healthcare mostly consists of feeding people normal food and giving them pets. Speaking of which, what was that dialog with Natasha in the beginning? Is he also terminally ill?… And why was Boothill borderline abelist about Luka's prosthetic arm? Yes, it was IPC branded at this point, but it's not like he just hates everything related to the IPC. He's basically good friends with Aventurine, and he had no problems sharing a small ship with Topaz and Jade. Btw, despite HSR being as vague about characters' ages as possible, it's kind of implied that Luka's underaged ("The tea served there isn't suitable for someone his age", "That red-head boy is actually… Luka from Belobog?" and so on). Boothill nearly killed a (probably) actual child in cold blood. A kid from a planet that just nearly survived IPC's military invasion. What were the writers thinking???

[thebrainrotsreal]

Hypothetically, how do you think Mark would turn out if he never got his powers? What would he be doing? How would it change the original story? If the original Mark met this version of himself, how would they react to each other?

This took me a min to respond to because I am extra and had to draw something about this, but thay just means I was so delighted to take this ask, holy shit. I love thinking about AU's, tysm fo the ask, anon! :)

I don't know of the comics add any details about Mark's interests other than being a hero like his Dad (ex. even comic hobby seems to go right back to that). Nothing about school life stands out either, (besides struggling with geography, a detail I love sm), so he's probably an average student who fumbled hard when he started to get busy with Invincible stuff! So, while I can see the possibility of him working hard and striving for career that also helps saves lives ergo paramedic, fireman, emergency dispatcher, etc I actually adore the idea of him interning at the GDA???

(Okay, note, while I do see him training or getting experience in random roles, Cecil would not EVER let Mark actually be a GDA solider because imagine telling Omni-Man his son got killed. Yikes! So, intern/trainer uniform and not the official solider one.)

I can see him diving into it wholeheartedly, eager to not only prove himself, but help people like his Dad does, kinda trying to get as close to his dream as he can be. And honestly, Nolan would probably be thrilled the last reminder for Colonization Time is permanently delayed (ergo Mark never getting his powers), so I can see him either encouraging this, or being slightly conflicted? I don't know how much he actually trusts the GDA or Cecil, so it could just be bittersweet?

But, I love the idea of GDA!Mark for the potential strain in their dynamic. See, while we can't have the kind of unfolding drama in s1 considering Nolan's slaughter spree might not necessarily happen, the idea of Mark having to process the weight of his own idolization, unable to stand side by side with him on the field, feeling like Nolan feed into the idea he'd get powers, only to end up disappointed year after year could foster some bitterness and/or desperate need to prove himself. He would see Nolan slightly more, but maybe that's just a reminder of what he can't do. Where he can't reach. Nolan having doubts in GDA, would only worsen the strain, how exciting!

Plus, GDA seems to be the classic kind of trust nobody type of government agency that may to try detach Mark's (almost) unshakable faith in his Dad, and could push him to look into what exactly his Dad's past/planet/history is exactly like for documentation, as Mark tries to grasp how much he trusts Nolan and the GDA. If Slaughter Time does happen, then that's incredible drama!!! As Mark, who feels aligned with both the GDA and his Dad, now has to work to find the truth, probably to prove his Dad's innocence, only to find the horrible news instead.

Does Nolan tell Mark and Debbie at the same time, who both already know, haven't told the others, and you got family drama of the fucking century again? Ideally? Yes. I love dramatic irony a normal amount.

I think GDA!Mark and Canon!Mark wouldn't get along tbh. While C!Mark is relieved by the lack of maliciousness, GDA!Mark is literally seeing where his entire life could have been if he'd only gotten powers. 'Cause, while I do think Mark is a fundamentally kind person, it's also clear he's incredible hard on himself which I think crosses over to alternate selves. So, he'd be bitter as fuck. Yeah, they both suffered, but I think the envy would go crazy. GDA!Mark would start questioning everything, like if that Nolan loved his son more for having powers, and if C!Mark just fucked it up somehow, so if GDA!Mark got powers maybe he could've done something different? Said the right thing? Like there's this desperation to know could it have turned out any other way? Was it truly his fault? Was it something he should've said better? I think there's a quiet spiraling despair in seeing the distorted mirror version of oneself and still seeing them suffering. Was there really no other ending? It had to be this way?

Thanks for the ask tho :D !!! Currently trying to remember I have this blog while I fight art block fjgkfg.

Oh! And Bonus idea of interning at GDA still means he hangs out with Teen Team!!! Maybe he helps log injuries, reviews battles, handles reports, memorizing villain weaknesses as base support, but there's this underlying part of him that still feels so useless next to them? I can see Rex and Mark getting off on the wrong foot immediately, but Kate and Mark bonding? Mostly because I want Kate and Mark bonding like please.

[ablizmal]

the symbolism in the “L: change the world” photoshoot

(also some L childhood headcanons) (TW for dehumanization)

OKAY so i finally got around to finding a download of the “L: change the world” photoshoot, and not only is it extremely professional, but just… i feel like they really understood L’s character, because there’s so much symbolism in some of these photos, man.

like this?

i know exactly what this means just from looking at it.

now obviously, this is all up to speculation, but… here’s my take on this photo.

to start this off, i do believe that L genuinely likes solving cases. i believe it’s one of the only things in the world that engages his mind and keeps him from being depressed and listless 100% of the time.

but if i want to be angsty about it… do you think L is imprisoned, in a sense, to solving cases? cause like even if he couldn’t handle it anymore (he COULD. in character he could, i’m just saying the following as a realism hypothetical), he couldn’t just... stop.

yes, he has successors. but i headcanon that he didn’t form that program— that was all watari. the building for that orphanage is named “the wammy’s house,” after all. whatever watari did, whatever tactics, intimidation, and pressure he put on L to “hone” his detective skills… L doesn’t want another kid to go through that.

but they are.

and he’s too much of a coward to put an end to it.

and yes, i know, i KNOW that it’s hinted at in-series that no terrible shit happens at the wammy’s house. but have you SEEN this part of the “how to read” guidebook???

watari raises kids as detectives. for fun.

for fun.

i do NOT trust this man to be around kids, much less to raise one! he for sure abuses children, whether psychologically or physically (but like… in an old man way, like slapping a ruler against a kid’s wrist for a mistake).

for him to qualify as “cultivating kids as detectives,” i can easily imagine him putting child L through rigorous (not to mention relentless) training, to sharpen the mind. like HOURS of training, nonstop.

i think canonically (even if it’s not confirmed), L tends to sits motionlessly in rooms while doing cases due to hyperfocus. but then my brother pitched this one idea and it’s fucked me up.

“what if watari didn’t give L a chair to sit in while he was training him for hours? because as a kid, when he was sitting in his room, there wasn’t a single chair… what if L now sits like that all the time because he got used to it?”

.

bruh. D:

ANYWAYS, back on topic!!!

so watari is a wholly terrible person who put a child (L) through terrible mental exercises, right? right, that’s the headcanon we’re going with.

L is just an experiment. that’s ALL he is to watari, really. L is his most perfected invention. L has so much TRAUMA from the way watari “““raised””” him that his brain’s repressed ALL THE EVENTS. you know?? the conditioning is still hardwired into his system brain. his brain. but he doesn’t remember anything else from his childhood.

but whatever happened, L has a feeling that it was bad.

soooooooo, L is now “trapped” in his occupation, shackles of guilt and obligation holding him in place. he doesn’t want another person to hold an existence similar to his current one. he didn’t want that, he wasn’t aware of the creation of the wammy’s house, but it happened, and it’s all because he exists. additionally, he can’t just quit being L, the world’s greatest detective, because then who will solve these cases? who will serve justice to the lowest of the low in the world? (tbh a parallel to light and his resolve to become kira 🫢)

so L being arranged with a dark blue fish, of all things, for the photo (DARK BLUE. THE SAME EXACT FUCKING COLOR AS HIS INTERNAL MONOLOGUE LIGHTING, AAAAAAAAA) holds so much depth. deep down, he feels empathy for it. he understands. it’s not right. it’s not fair. but this is its purpose in this world— to sit still for the benefit of others who hold more power over it and its fate. what else can it truly do?

so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

what a haunting image.

(as an aside, watari can be a character with such depth and limitless voids of depravity. follow my blog @fuckyouwatari for more hate posts of this decrepit man, but also i’m making up the headcanons that make me hate him so much lmao. join the “all my homies HATE watari” fanclub today!~ :D)

[billy-cockblock]

It is deep into the AMs, I have class tomorrow morning, and I can’t sleep; perfect conditions to write out my thoughts on a potential In Sound Mind sequel.

Apparently, their original plans for the game were for an open world with more patients’s stories for you to explore, but had to be changed around and reduced to the more linear game of just 4 patients we have today. In a hypothetical sequel, we could potentially see the original idea played in a new way.

In Desmond’s closing words recorded on the light pole tapes, he talks about how he can feel something is different with him and his brain is pulsing, hinting that overcoming his exposure to agent rainbow could have left him with consequences to being connected to the collective unconscious. Rosemary says it turns people into walking radio towers and that she can hear people who’ve been exposed to it on the radio; radio waves and brain waves stuff. In Lucas’s hidden tapes, he says he met someone who was also exposed to agent rainbow who heard him crying for help in their head. Desmond literally contacts him for help by sending him a message in his head.

I’m putting all this out here to lead up to the fact that, with agent rainbow, it has been proven someone can get into other peoples’ heads, since that’s exactly what Dr. Wales does throughout the game. However, the whole time, he’s unconscious, under the effects of agent rainbow, and kinda been lead along by his Agent Rainbow shadow.

But what’s gonna happen once he wakes up? Now that he’s beaten it, he won’t succumb to his shadow, but that’s not going to cut off his access to the collective unconscious. Will he still be able to somehow access peoples’ minds when he wakes up?

Well, now doesn’t that sound like a wonderful mechanic for a new game.

My shot in the dark for what a sequel could look like is a potential open world sorta-mystery, sorta-quest game where you have to use Desmond’s access to the collective unconscious to enter the minds of townsfolk around Milton Haven to help them overcome their agent rainbow exposure, hunt down Mayer Pharmaceuticals and their government sponsors, and find a way to shut it down.

A horrible dread spread across Milton Haven when they contaminated the water supply, and we could play as a therapist determined to quell peoples’ fears and ease the chemical’s effects on them while we search for a way to put a stop to agent rainbow’s development and spread. Rosemary wrote in one of her logs that access to the collective unconscious would be enough to drive any man mad, so I can’t imagine Desmond would be having a walk in the park with his exposure, and I don’t think he’d want anyone else to be put in the same predicament he’s in. Maybe he can have the ability to ease people out of agent rainbows control and out of reach to the collective unconscious.

With this, we could also get the opportunity to see some of the characters we only see notes from or allusion to in the game. Maybe we could hear how Dave’s doing after the Virginia incident at Homa-Mart, or we could see how Gary the electrician’s jaw is healing after getting broken. Just some fun little cameos from the characters we only have notes from.

I’m finally starting to get tired, so I’m gonna cut this here. Felt good to just write some thoughts out tho. Might write a short something later if I have time. I’ve got an exam later this week I haven’t even begun studying for.

[eolewyn1010]

Dragging Frankenstein - Chapter 19

Which starts out gay, and keeps getting gayer. Half the time, I'm left wondering if Mary Shelley did this on purpose.

“Clerval desired the intercourse of the men of genius and talent” – XD Good on you, Henry, for setting higher standards than pretty. DAS GAY: 27

…okay, the way Victor is all about loving Henry and how wonderful Henry is gets them another one for their relationship. DAS GAY: 28

I’ll hold back from giving one for Henry being “anxious to gain experience and instruction”, but… yeah, have fun, sweetie. My brain is a little Pride Month-addled.

-.- Aaaand Henry promptly gets a sympathy point removed for wanting to progress India’s colonization. Dude.

“that I might not debar him from the pleasures natural to one who was entering on a new scene of life” o.O Okay, WHY is this reading like Henry has just come out and is exploring the local gay scene??

And with the “collecting materials” again, how does Victor hide them from his boyfriend, both in London and then during travelling? Imagine the conversation. “Uhm… Victor… you might wanna wash your underwear before packing it; the luggage is kind of smelly.”

“although I abhorred society” – wooooow, Victor is a real sunshine, isn’t he? I mean, I’m socially anxious, but that sounds more like the Creature in his hatred for humanity.

Once again, the passage of time confuses me. Shelley’s transitions, man. How tf do they need four months from London to Scotland? And why would they begin this journey in fucking February? And can Victor really afford to take this time? And give us a history lesson on the country, to boot. Like Bram Stoker, Shelley can’t resist the temptation to write a travel guide. Train schedules, anyone?

Every “soon” is “four months later”, Victor needed 6 fucking YEARS to go back home to visit his family. Honestly, I’m amazed that the shallow twit even still wants to marry Elizabeth and doesn’t consider her an old maid not worthy of his attention at this point. It’d be like him.

However, as my friend pointed out, he rarely ever thinks about actually being married to Elizabeth. It’s a very abstract concept to him, marrying her at all. How convenient that he doesn’t have to get used to it. Being married would require him to actually take the role he has rejected regarding the Creature. He’d have to take responsibility for Elizabeth and the household, for hypothetical children. He’d have to be dependable, emotionally, financially, in regards to the time he spends with them. It’s different with Henry. Henry is the one who’s always there to support him, and to be up for every whim of Victor’s. A marriage doesn’t work that way. Conclusion: Victor’s problem isn’t that the Creature is ugly. It’s just that Victor is a fucking deadbeat.

Ah, but it wouldn’t be complete without Victor moping. Feeling once more that Stephenie Meyer’s characters are heavily based on 19th century gothic horror novels, even though she completely fails at the horror part. All the same whiners. “Byronic hero” my ass; try “emo brat”.

“…at Servox and Chamonix. The latter name made me tremble when pronounced by Henry” – XDDD I know what Victor is on about, but the choice of words makes me think that, for a student of languages, Henry seems to really butcher that pronunciation.

“I could now almost fancy myself among the Swiss mountains.” – Yeah, why would you go anywhere else at all if not to feel exactly like at home?

When Victor talks about getting letters from home, he gives us this baffling line: “I hardly dared to read and ascertain my fate.” Oh, right. Whether Elizabeth and his father and brother are still alive is Victor’s fate. Had almost forgotten it. IT’S ALL ABOUT ME: 20

“you enjoy yourself, and let this be our rendezvous” – DAS GAY: 29

This journey is really an opportunity for the boys to have a gay old time, huh.

I’m giving this another double bc Henry gets so heartache-y at separating from Victor for a while, “I cannot feel at home in your absence” and all that. Henry, you’re too good for him. DAS GAY: 30

Victor travels to the Orkneys and sneers about how poor his surroundings and the people are -.- I held back on giving him a point for the smug attitude with which he just presumed some important scientist would be eager to share all his wisdom with him, the college drop-out brat, but I will so count his turning up his nose on miserable cows, “squalidness of the most miserable penury”, gaunt limbs, and meals that have the audacity to consist of oatmeal and vegetables. I SO PRIVILEGED: 9

“I ordered it to be repaired, bought some furniture, and took possession” – He’s insistent on pissing me off, the patronizing little shitstain. Why don’t you repair it yourself? I SO PRIVILEGED: 10

“As it was, I lived ungazed at and unmolested” o.O Is. Is Victor craving some gazes and molestation or something?

“employed in the most detestable occupation” …yeah, right, but when you did it the first time, serving no benefit but your own fame, then it was a noble undertaking of creating a new species and shit.

[asinide-ant]

What would a hypothetical Disco Elysium sequel even look like? There are too many ways for Harry to end up to play as him again -- he might not even be in the RCM. And what about his partners? Kim? Cuno? Either or neither of them can be in Precinct 41 when the credits roll. Besides, half of Disco Elysium was solving the mystery of Harrier Du Bois, not just the murder. It seems more likely that they’d go with a new protagonist, but I can’t imagine them pulling the same amnesiac angle. If they did, the reason would be very different, like maybe an injury from a shootout or fight above self-inflicted? Or maybe there are some repressed memories, a bit of PTSD, to give a similar experience of unlocking your own past. I see three main possibilities for how it could be done well, without the devs pulling the rug out and saying “Yeah this specific ending and set of criteria are canon and we aren’t exploring Harry’s psyche as much this time.” The prequel route: I’m not usually a big fan of prequels, but hear me out. A younger Kim Kitsuragi, fresh from his stint as Kimball, is put on his first case alongside a man who’d later come to be known as Eyes. You play as Eyes and go through a murder mystery, deciding who exactly Eyes is and was and what his relationship with Kim entailed. This could work, we get glimpses of Kim’s background throughout the game but never enough to form a full picture. We’d also get more Kim, which is a big plus, though being younger means he’d probably be less composed and put together. The last big benefit of this route is: If the player plays Eyes, and it being Disco Elysium he’s a weirdo with extreme political views and a volatile temperament, it could retroactively make Kim’s friendship with Harry more meaningful -- he sees his old partner in Harry, and maybe through Harry being a weirdo and doing his thing, Kim is helped to process his grief. The timeskip route: This one is a lot more open possibility wise, theoretically they could do anything if they had a timeskip and didn’t pick up right where the last game ended. The harbour strike could have escalated, been stomped out, turned to total war and destroyed Martinaise, anything, though it would progress the conflict either way. This still has the issue of so many characters left over, but a timeskip makes it easier to make the canon fuzzy and explains many of their absences (Kim is the captain at his precinct now, so it doesn’t matter if he came to 41 with Harry or he even liked him). It would open things up for a new cast and a new main pair, and lets the devs play with the pale and more apocalyptic elements of the plot more. The wild card route: NO RCM, NO CONNECTIONS TO THE PAST GAME, TOTALLY NEW SCENARIO WITH A TOTALLY NEW CAST DOING THEIR OWN THING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. Personally I’d love a Disco Elysium game where you aren’t even members of the RCM, operating in an area it’s neglected, trying to solve a murder by yourself. Somehow, this approach seems the most likely, emphasising that Elysium is a setting with thousands of little stories happening at once, not just whatever this disaster lad and his crush are up to.

[lovecatsys]

130-140?☺️

130. What’s the craziest thing you’ve learned about the music business?

crazy in a "wow I had no idea way" but my mom told me about this episode of a show she was watching or smth where there was an interview with some sort of music production guy who said that almost all singers throughout the history of recording music needed minor adjustments from autotune to get the voice to the right pitch. Apparently this guy also said that David Bowie was one of the few musicians who NEVER needed that! Because he took so many voice lessons when he was younger, he had the training to hit the notes perfectly. I wouldn't quote me on this exactly but I can ask my mom what show and episode it was if anyone is curious.

131. What’s an artist band you couldn’t even be paid to see live?

Taylor Swift. Or Imagine Dragons tbh

132. What’s an artist you’d kill to see live?

Placebo, I wanna see them so bad dammit! But idk if they'll ever come to America and I don't have a passport :(

Also David Bowie if this hypothetical killing someone else could bring him back from the dead.

133. What’s some the most obscure band/artist you know?

Omg okay my favorite answer to give to this is Otis Zee and the Zambuka band who I found on this random obscure playlist album called "Gems of the 60s and 70s" that has like a stock photo cover of gems with SUPER obscure artists that I doubt anyone has heard of before. Anyways they only have two songs on spotify and both are about Christmas. They're like a funk band. I think I found this playlist through another artist on it who I found a spotify link to on this website that had like.... thousands of links to musical artists on Spotify categorized by genre. No clue what it was called this was a while ago and I'm no longer friends with the person who showed it to me 😭.

134. Which non English sung music(and excluding your mother language) do you listen to the most?

Oh man, I barely listen to anything non English at all, but I'm gonna say Japanese because I used to listen to YMO a lot and I have a headmate who listened exclusively to J-Pop when she was around.

135. What’s a music pet peeve of youre?

when I find an obscure artist who's music I love but they turn out to be a terrible person. Like with famous artists who are bad people its not really the same and u can just pirate them, but when you find someone who has like 2 fans and their music and vibes are immaculate but they turn out to be a TERF (actual thing that happened to me 😭) it sucks so bad

136. What are some of the most creative musicians you can think of?

Bowie is definitely up there for me. Also Nova Twins, their music is super creative and interesting. Maybe Placebo goes on this list to. I feel like Nova Twins though, you have a hard time really putting them in with a specific genre, they're just so unique!

137. What is your first favorite song based on memory?

My parents listened to a lot of folk, americana, bluegrass, and country when I was little, so that was pretty much most of what I had exposure to at the time lol. I remember my favorite song being Caroline by Old Crow Medicine Show at one point, probably the earliest I can think of.

138. What is your first favorite band/artist based on memory?

I really loved Dido at one point, idk how early that was but I think it might be her. I still listen to some of her stuff occasionally, I love her voice and her style, plus it gives me nostalgia now.

139. What is your first favorite album based on memory?

Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette was the first "album" I was really conscious of, and it definitely was my favorite when I was like 12, because my mom would play the CD in the car as we drove places. Funny, because she would always tell me it was her favorite album when she was 12-13, because thats how old she was when it came out, and shed play it in the CD player in her room.

140. What’s a lyric you’ve horribly misheard?

Oml I just figured out I was wrong abt this one like a couple weeks ago but for a long time I thought Bowie was saying "inspiration have I none just to touch the flaming gnome" instead of "flaming dove" 😭

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2022 - Wednesday #1

Introducing the other new weekly project for this SDC month: what-if scenarios. In a sense, I feel one could consider it similar to the theories project, as a theory tries to piece together a scenario that might have happened through available canonical information, while a what-if focuses on a scenario that could have happened had some change, great or small, impacted the events of canon. They may not be sister projects exactly... but perhaps one could call them cousin ones?

Just a few notes before we start: for this project, I tried to choose scenario ideas useful enough to generate some (hopefully interesting) speculation and discussion, but which would keep the resulting posts to a reasonable length as well (say, of a maximum around those of the theories from June, but more than just a handful of sentences along the lines of "well, I guess this would happen, that's about it"). I also wanted concepts that would result in more canon-based speculation and not something more akin to fanfiction — for instance, a scenario where some random lord accompanied Aurum and Jaspar on the journey to the Hold instead of Vennel would be far from ideal, because I'd have to completely make up everything about what said lord would be like in terms of personality and motivations, how would those influence his actions, etc. Basically, I wanted scenario ideas that would allow for some degree of freedom of speculation, but at the same time still be grounded in canon and the characters at their core. Did I succeed? I'll let you be the judge of that.

Should the Gods Ever Grant Him a Son of His Own Blood

(I thought it only fair that, like their theory cousins, the what-if scenarios had their own individual titles. This one comes from a quote from George R. R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood.)

My first concept proposal for this project: what if Aurum and Sardian's sister had a son born not too long before the events of canon? (For the purposes of the subsequent speculation, let's say this hypothetical boy would be under the age of one by the time The Masters begins, born in early 15 Kumatuya or thereabouts.)

Now, given what we know about Aurum, I'm sure we can all agree that this would be a hugely significant change to him. The reason he married Sardian's sister in the first place was in order to produce a son and heir to replace the one born from his first marriage, who died young. It might have taken over two decades to get a son from this second marriage, but in this scenario, he'd finally have the heir he'd been dreaming of for years. And I very much believe this would lead to a major change in Aurum's behaviour: this version of him would be far less desperate. So yes, while I'm certain he would still absolutely want to cling to what power and influence he held for the remainder of his natural life, I think this Aurum would perhaps reevaluate his priorities in the wake of the son’s birth, which would lead him on a somewhat divergent path from that of canon!Aurum. Yes, politically speaking, managing Nephron's faction would be a huge plus in terms of the eventual potential rewards... but recall that in canon, he would almost certainly have been hoping to secure a third marriage (in order to have a chance to produce the much hoped-for heir) as part of said rewards. What-if!Aurum, as I said earlier, would lack that factor of urgency and desperation, and while yes, his infant son could still end up succumbing to child mortality, I think securing an additional match for the purpose of having a just-in-case backup heir wouldn't exactly be high in Aurum's list of priorities. (Remember that matches with pure-blooded ladies are very costly and not exactly easy to come by; I imagine this hypothetical idea would be seen as a more than a little frivolous waste of iron from what-if!Aurum's perspective.)

No, instead, I feel like the son would have become his number one focus. By 15 Kumatuya, Aurum would be an elderly man (if one in implausibly good health), and he would know that even in the best case scenario, he was likely to die while his son was still quite young. And I believe he might actually seriously think beyond his own death and be concerned about how the election for his successor might go — what if any supporters his young son would have might not prove enough to stand against some too-ambitious second lineage lord, and his treasured bloodline, his precious long-awaited heir, ended up being ousted from the Ruling Lordship? (Additionally, I imagine the threat of assassination would be very much present — even if it wasn't as much of a risk while Aurum himself lived and was in good health — since a small, vulnerable child would be too tempting a target for scheming relations...) So Aurum would know that the best way to avoid these dreaded outcomes would be to make sure his son was as old as possible when the election came about — that is, that he would need to live as long as possible. Of course, there would only be so much he could do in that regard, though he did already seem to canonically have a healthy lifestyle (a definite plus), and I'm certain he would be vigilant enough regarding any potential assassination attempts on his person as well. There would not be much that could be done regarding the threat of any fatal genuine accidents or unexpected medical conditions... but he could avoid unnecessary risks. Such as, say, going on a cross-continental journey fraught with all sorts of dangers for several months.

Yes, you read that right, I do believe Aurum would not travel to the Hold in this scenario. I think he might still see trying to convince Sardian to return as potentially useful in terms of strengthening Nephron's faction, and it is quite possible he would still discuss it with Kumatuya, but I really cannot see him going himself, taking into account everything that could go wrong for him (and/or his baby son in his absence) in the meantime. Instead, I think he would safely stay behind at Osrakum, continuing to channel his efforts into gaining more support for Nephron (and drawing support away from Ykoriana and Molochite if the chance presented itself; for instance, he might make far more of an effort to try and win Jaspar's father and his faction over to his side in this timeline). As for who might be sent as the faction representative on the journey in Aurum’s stead... well, we do know said faction did canonically include more lords of standing than that of Molochite, so it may not have been as difficult for Aurum to select a good candidate as we might think, one who would have enough loyalty to the cause (or at the very least, enough fear/respect of/for Aurum himself) to do exactly what was expected of him and not even entertain the thought of betrayal.

There you have it, my best attempt at trying to explore what might have changed in comparison to canon in this particular what-if scenario! What did you think about it? Do you feel it was an interesting and/or entertaining choice of idea, or not particularly (though if the latter, perhaps you will enjoy some of the future installments more)? Do you agree with my views of how this might have played out (even if, as with the theories, these topics tend to be fairly subjective), and if not, in which way(s)?

[gildedphoenix]

(2062 words)

7 degrees of Antici-

They say you are connected to everyone in the world by no more than 7 degrees of separation. You know someone who knows someone who knows Morgan Freeman.

Or in this case, Red Hood.

It started out as an innocent comment. Just you, shooting the breeze, with your best friend and roommate. Nothing was ever supposed to come of it. You certainly couldn’t have predicted what DID come of it.

It was a week before your 21st birthday when you and Nathan, your long time best friend and roommate, were talking about plans for your quickly approching twenty first birthday.

“Wouldn't it be amazing to get a lap dance from one of your celebrity crushes?!” You said.

“It's not that outlandish of an idea! There're celebrity impersonators all over that will do everything from birthday appearances to…. Honestly pretty much anything. If you know the right people and are willing to pay the right amount I'm sure that you could even get a lap dance from one of the Bat-family!” Nathan was getting excited now. You could understand why. Nathan had had a long time crush on Red Robin. You're not exactly sure what he saw in the bird, just a little too skinny for your liking, but to each their own.

“Well I already know which bat, or rather which bird, you would get a lap dance from. I know you too well for that! What Rogue would you get an impersonator lap dance from?” Mostly you wanted to put your friend on the spot. Throw him a curveball, so to speak. It's no fun asking people questions they already have the answers to.

“Hmmm.” Nathan pondered the idea for a moment. “If we're just talking about Gotham rogues, I think I would have to go with Poison Ivy. Got to love a woman who knows how to take control. And those vines have some potential!” Nathan waggled his eyebrows at you. “But what about you! It's your birthday that's coming up. What vigilante or rogue whould you go for? Like, impersonator or real thing? Who would you want to sit underneath, forced to keeping your hands all to yourself, and enjoy the best time of your twenty-one years?”

It was an interesting question. Who in the city piqued your interest enough that you would be willing to pay good money to be teased by. There were plenty of attractive options! Men and women. Vigilantes and rogues. Even heroes, since Nathan hadn't actually limited it to Gotham. Though honestly you can't imagine yourself getting a lap dance from someone like Superman. You can't imagine Superman giving a lap dance. The Boy scout of America? Gyrating? Popping it and twerking? You snorted half your drink up even thinking about it. But what do you really find attractive? What catches your eye on the street? And what makes your eyes linger?

“Without a doubt, Red Hood! I mean, sure, I know that he had that thing with the heads and the duffel bag. Kind of the worst kept secret in Gotham. And while he's not really a rogue or a vigilante, more of a crime Lord that doesn't tolerate any shit in his territory, I'm going to pick him. I'm going to pick Red Hood.” You nodded with finality. Secure in your choice. “Because oh my Lordy, Have you seen that man's thighs?!” You flopped back onto the couch cushions. “I've never seen him fight in person but I saw him running across the rooftops one night as I was taking my trash out to the dumpster and I've never been the same since. I'm hooked. Addicted!”

“Interesting,” Nathan said in a way that had you wondering what he was planning.

“But enough of the hypotheticals, where do you want to have your birthday?”

The silly moment of smash or pass was quickly forgotten as Nathan helped you plan an actual birthday party at one of the newer local clubs.

A week later found you and a bunch of your friends hanging out at Tonic, one of the newer nightclubs that still had reasonable door fees. The group had gone in together to reserve the VIP room, saying they needed it for a surprise they’d planned for you later, but you didn’t dwell on it. A new outfit had you feeling good and your friends kept the drinks coming. The bass on the sound system was amazing, each beat resonating deep in your chest until you retreated back to the VIP room for a much needed break.

You knew something was up though, when Nathan actually came to drag you back to the room this time.

But hey, it's your birthday! What better reason to go with the flow and roll with the punches? So back to the VIP room you go, a little unsteady up the stairs but ready to handle whatever Nathan has to throw at you. It turns out that what he has to throw with you is a single chair in the middle of an otherwise cleared VIP room. At this, you start to get suspicious, but sit down anyway.

Nathan is basically vibrating with suppressed joy. “So, do you remember our conversation last week whhile we were planning your party? And how if we could pick anyone in Gotham, you would pick Red Hood?” Nathan was standing in front of the closed VIP room door looking not only at you but also at the other very confused party guests. Because yes, you do remember that conversation but you feel like he's being deliberately vague for the dramatic effect. And maybe you’d had too many drinks, but you're not sure what that conversation has to do with the party that you actually planned for today. That was just a hypothetical, right?

“Happy Birthday!” Nathan steps sideways, out from in front of the door and it bursts inwards, bouncing against the wall. In the gap stands the most convincing looking Red Hood impersonator you have ever seen. (Not that you seen many Red Hood impersonators but that's besides the point)

You don't know who Nathan found, or what service he went through to book this “Red Hood”, but damn did they get the body right! The man in front of you could burst a watermelon between those thighs, and you wanted your head to be that watermelon. You may not survive, but you would die happy.

There were no other thoughts in your brain as those thighs and the brick shit house of a man attached to them stalked closer to you in time with the beat of the bass. The straps of his leather gun holsters wrapped tightly around his thighs, in lieu of actual weaponry, the holsters were loaded with mini bottles of various liquors, and Hood had all your favorites.

Red Hood had finally come as close as he could without yet straddling your legs. And eye level with you sat a shot glass in a cheap plastic holster. Like something you would see at Spencer's. It seemed such a contrast to the fine leather otherwise encasing his thighs. Red Hood leaned down, his helmet next to your face as his modulated voice purred out, “Happy Birthday…Which would you like first?”

You had a moment to be confused but then Hood took a step back and stood up. His hands dragged upwards from his knees, along his thighs, and to the holsters on either side of his hips. From them he pulled two of the mini liquor bottles and held them in front of you. He may as well have been asking you to solve world peace for all the brain cells that you had active at the moment.

“I understand it's a tough decision, so I guess I'll just have to do it for you.” The electronic voice had no business being that smooth. Had no business being that seductive. And had no business eliciting the response from you that it very clearly did. You nod numbly as he pours a shot of whiskey into the glass mounted at center stage, starting low and raising the bottle as your eyes followed. The bottle finally drips empty as it comes level with his pecs. His hand continues upward to toss the bottle over his shoulder. That same hand drifts back down caressing armor and muscle until it reaches the shot glass again, plucking it carefully from its throne to present it to you.

You take the shot slowly, not really savoring or even tasting what's in it, but simply not wanting to lose eye contact with the Red Hood impersonator who has now started to move his body in ways that gave away this impersonator's training as a dancer rather than a vigilante. There is no way that the actual Red Hood would have that level of control and precision with his hips. With his stomach. With his ass.

All too soon the best 5 minutes of your life had come to an end. Judging that you were probably already near your limit, Red Hood and only given you one additional shot throughout the dance. You think it was tequila. He stalked back to the door, “You be good now, okay?”, before closing the door behind him, muffling the music from the main floor and severing the tension holding your spine upright.

“Nathan. What, and I cannot stress this enough, the Fuck.” You rolled your head to face over in his direction. “I don’t think I’m ever going to recover. How did you find that guy. And also thank you. But how?! Where? How does one even find a service to send dancers dressed up as crime lords? I need their business card.”

You rise up from the chair in the center of the room as the others work on reassembling the furniture to what it was earlier. The chips and salsa on the table in the corner call your name so you amble in that direction, not at all steady on your feet.

“Do I get the ‘best gift ever’ award for the day?” Nathan asks, staring you down with his chin propped on his hand.

“I think you get the ‘best gift ever’ award for the year. If not for my whole life. That’s going to be stiff competition to beat.” You realize a moment later the double entendre that slipped out as Nathan lost all composure and burst out laughing. He also dug into the chips on the table.

“Honestly, I don’t know what service it was. You know how Gotham is. I know someone who knows someone who knows a guy. I put feelers out to see if anyone could wrangle a Hood impersonator for a birthday lap dance and then got a message from another number a day later asking for the location and time. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-BOOM! Best gift ever award. I do owe Bill a favor now, but it’s worth it. His favors are usually doable. Small maintenance tasks or running daytime errands for him since he works nights. All worth it for the absolutely stunned look on your face during that dance. I thought you were going to pass out.” He chuckled as he popped another chip into his mouth and washed it down with a beer.

The conversation was interrupted as the door burst back open and the noise from outside flooded back in. It was quickly shut again as Kris, a mutual friend of yours and Nathan’s, turned to the room with a look of disbelief. “Did you guys know that Red Hood was here tonight? What was he doing here?! Do we need to clear out?”

There was a beat of silence before half the room dissolve into laughter.

“Kris, that was a dancer.” Lily assured her. “Nathan got a dancer to impersonate Red Hood to fulfill some crazy fantasy for LuckyTwenty-One over here.” She jabbed a thumb in your direction.

“What? No. Nooooo-nonononono. That was the actual Red Hood. My uncle is in the Goonion and was waiting for him by the door. He collected his guns at the coat check before leaving. That was not a dancer!”

The silence was deafening as everyone in the room pieced together what that meant. What had just happened.

“Wait. Are you telling me that you just got a lap dance from THE Red Hood?!”

Batfam Crack Prompt for Lumi

Reader's friend books Reader a lap dance from a Red Hood look alike. What their friend didn't know was that they got the actual Red Hood!

When Jason saw the request he figured why not, let's make somebody's day!!! This was gunna be fun.

(Happy Birthday Lumi, enjoy your crack prompt!)

[waitimcomingtoo]

Bagels and Bites

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Reader

Synopsis: Sebastian likes to flirt with you in interviews

Masterlist

It all started when you met him on The Late Late Show.

“How are you all feeling tonight?” James asked you and Sebastian Stan as you sat on the guest couch.

“I’m excited.” You beamed as Sebastian rested his arm on the couch behind you.

“So am I. We should probably talk about this later,” Sebastian smiled directly at you, “but we’ve been wanting to meet each other for a long time.”

“Have you?” James chuckled.

“No.” You laughed and playfully hit Sebastian in the chest. “We had one interaction on Twitter and he thinks there’s something between us.”

“It was a very flirty interaction.” Sebastian clarified. “There were sparks flying all over those tweets.”

“So this is your first time actually meeting?” James asked. “Even though you’re in the marvel movies together?”

“It’s weird. I haven’t met half the cast.” You shrugged. “I’ll meet everyone else once the press tour starts but so far I’ve only met the people I’ve filmed with. Just Chris, and Chris, and um, oh yeah. Chris.”

You looked down and smiled to yourself when you heard Sebastian laughing at your joke. Even though you’d never met him, you’d always liked him. It was a well known secret on the Internet that you were his celebrity crush, since he was so inclined on bringing it up in almost every interview of his. Being face to face for the first time now, you were feeling a little intoxicated from his charm. Well, his charm and the white wine you’d been sipping on.

“I hope they stop putting me with Mackie and start putting me with Y/n once this press tour starts.” Sebastian said after taking a sip of his wine. “I love him but I can’t keep babysitting him at 8 in the morning. I’d like to wake up to someone who looks a little more like this one.”

“I know what you mean.” You agreed. “He would show up to set every morning all ready to go and I’m like dude, give me a few hours for my personality to arrive.”

“I was so mad that he got to film with you and I didn’t.” Sebastian shook his head. “We finally get cast in a movie together and we’re never in the same scene.”

“Well,” you put your hand on his knee and patted it, “we’re meeting now. Lucky you.”

“Yeah.” He smirked at you. “Lucky me.”

“Now, Sebastian.” James reminded you both that he was there. “I heard a rumor that you have a little crush on Y/n.”

“Well, I try not to pay attention to rumors.” Sebastian waved his hand. “But that ones pretty accurate.”

“Oh my God.” You put your hand over your heart, which was about to beat out of your chest, and laughed.

“It’s true. I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while, but I feel like I’ve seen you all my life. And here you are in person and you look so great.” Sebastian said through a shy smile. You laughed in shock at his compliment and looked down at your lap.

“You’re fully going for it.” James laughed at how bold Sebastian was being.

“You’re not being a very good wingman.” You teased James as you took a long sip of your drink. The more alcohol you had in you, the easier it would be to flirt with the incredible attractive man next to you.

“I was never known for that.” James agreed. “But I heard your brother is a pretty good one, isn’t he?”

“Oh My God.” You groaned, knowing exactly what James was referring to. “He’s not.”

“What happened?” Sebastian wondered, never taking his eyes off you.

“I took my brother to the Oscars with me last year and we happened to be sitting next to Jake Gyllenhaal.” You explained. “And the whole night, he’s telling Jake about how I used to be in love with him when I was a kid. If there weren’t a bunch of cameras around us, I would’ve rung his neck.”

“So I’m assuming you and Jake aren’t the next celebrity power couple?” James teased.

“We are not.” You shook your head. “I can confidently say that I was still single.”

“I was just gonna and say, there’s still hope for us.” Sebastian gestured between the two of you. You opened your mouth in shock before biting down on your tongue. You playfully hit Sebastian again, signally that you were just as interested as he was.

“You’re really going for it.” James pointed out. “I must say, wow.”

“Why not?” Sebastian grinned. “This is the time.”

“You are pretty cute, I just wanna say.” You flirted back for the hell of it. Sebastian laughed in surprise before covering his face with his hands. You laughed as well as he hunched over to hide his face.

“He’s actually gone red now!” James pointed at him. “He was so sure of himself and now he’s all red.”

“Leave him alone.” You pouted as you rubbed Sebastians back. Sebastian sat back up and rubbed his face with his hands.

“Yeah.” Sebastian said assertively as he wrapped an arm around you. “Leave me alone. I’m trying to flirt here.”

“How would you ask her on a date, then?” James asked. “Since you’re so in love with her.”

“Like this.” Sebastian said as he turned to you “Ce faci?”

“Would you bite me in the neck?” You asked, catching him completely off guard. He took his arm away and laughed in shock at your words.

“Oh my God.” He chuckled as he looked around in embarrassment. Suddenly, he turned back to you and cupped one side of your face, tilting your neck slightly with his hand. He bit down on your exposed neck, making the audience erupt in a series of laughter and gasps. You giggled when you felt his scruff tickling your neck and made no effort to push him off.

“He actually did it.” James looked at the audience to see if they were seeing what he was.

“She asked me to.” Sebastian rolled his eyes playfully. His arm was still around you and neither of you wanted it off.

“It was a hypothetical but I guess I know my answer.” You shrugged as you leaned back on the couch.

“Why would you ask him that?” James wondered.

“Like a vampire.” You explained. “Aren’t vampires from Romania?”

“That’s Transylvania.” Sebastian smiled fondly at you.

“Oh.” You realized. “I still liked it.”

“I’ll do it again later.” Sebastian shrugged, making your hide your face in embarrassment.

“Promise?” You said suddenly as you put your hand back on his knee. It was Sebastians turn to be baffled as he put his free hand on tops of yours.

“Darling.” He choked out, too stunned to form a full sentence.

“This has been an intense experience.” James fans himself with his cards. “What will the two of you do after the show?”

“I’ll probably go home, order a pizza, and pass out while watching all of Sebastian’s episodes of Once Upon a Time.” You joked.

“I was going to do the exact same thing.” Sebastian nodded. “Right after I got a job as a pizza delivery boy so I can go to Y/n’s house.”

“Or you could just come over.” You shrugged, making Sebastian blush.

“I like that idea too.” Sebastian replied.

“I’m trying to imagine what the poor pizza delivery boy is gonna see when he arrives at Y/n’s house later.” James grimaced, making the audience laugh.

“I know, right? They open the door and this is what the get.” Sebastian gestured to you. “It’s you. How lucky they are.”

You leaned into him as you laughed, the alcohol making you feel bolder than usual. You’d never be this flirty with a man you’d just met, but he made it too easy.

The rest of the interview continued in a similar fashion, with you and Sebastian unapologetically flirting with each other every chance you got. By the end of the interview, you were so close that your knees were touching. When it came time to say goodbye, you felt an unexpected pane of sadness.

“Well, thank you both for coming on the show tonight.” James smiled. “I hope I’ll be invited to the wedding.”

“You will. And I wanted to thank you. For this.” Sebastian said as he slipped his fingers through yours and held up your hands. You beamed and squeezed his hand, fully tipsy now the the interview was over.

After thanking James and drinking another glass of wine, you drunkenly pulled Sebastian off the couch.

“Come in the photo booth with me.” You giggled as you tugged him by the hand towards the booth.

“Okay.” He grinned as he climbed inside. He pulled you into his lap and pressed the button before wrapping his arms around your waist. The pictures began to snap away and you posed for all of them. For the first, you just held each other close and smiled. For the second, he leaned up to kiss your cheek. And for the third, he took another bite of your neck.

“That tickles.” You giggled as the camera flashed.

“Good.” He smirked against your skin before pressing a kiss there.

“Stick your tongue out.” You told him, and he obliged. You licked his tongue as the fourth picture was taken, capturing the drunken moment. The fifth flash went off right as Sebastian connected your lips to his. You continued to kiss him, tasting the alcohol on his lips and tongue.

“Oh my God.” You pulled away suddenly. “I have to pee.”

You got off his lap and ran to the restroom, leaving him alone in the photo booth.

The next time you saw Sebastian, neither of you brought the kiss up. Whether you thought the other was too drunk to remember or you were simply too embarrassed to bring it up, it was not mentioned.

The flirting, however, the flirting continued.

~

“What would you like to see for your characters in the next movies?” The journalist asked you and Sebastian as you sat together in a press junket.

“For our characters specifically, I’d like to see some graphic love making.” Sebastian said seriously. “I think that that’s something the movies have been lacking.”

“Oh my God.” You laughed and shook your head. “Me too, actually. I think it would be really in character and important to the plot.”

“How would that benefit the plot?” The journalist asked.

“It’s simple. I would just change my name to “the plot” and bam.” Sebastian clapped his hands. “I’m benefited.”

“He’s such a flirt.” You said as you rested your elbow on his shoulder. “Can you believe him?”

“I can’t.” The journalist chuckled.

“You know what I’d like to see? Some method acting. Why can’t you be as quiet as Bucky?” You teased Sebastian as you flicked his ear.

“How would I tell you how pretty you are if I wasn’t speaking?” He flirted back.

“This is what I have to put up with.” You shook your head as looked at the camera. “What about you? What do you want to see from our characters?”

“I would like to see Bucky do the knife trick some more.” The journalist answered you.

“What knife trick?” You wondered.

“It’s the thing he does when he flips his knife around and stabs people.” Sebastian explained as he moved his hand in a circle. “It took me forever to learn.”

“Wait, I wanna see it.” You smiled excitedly and turned to him.

“No, no.” He wagged his finger at you. “I’m not doing the knife trick.”

“Please?” You pouted. “For me?”

“All right, all right.” Sebastian broke into a grin. “I’m only doing this because you asked nicely.”

The journalist handed him a pen and he easily flipped it around and caught it before making a stabbing motion. You let out a gasp and stared at him in shock for a long time.

“What’s wrong?” He asked you.

“I wanna to fuck you, that’s what’s wrong.” You replied. “Can you do it again?”

Sebastian laughed at your joke as his face heated up. He knew that was just the way you two liked to tease each other, but it didn’t mean it didn’t make him smile.

“I’ll do it again.” He nodded as picked the pen back up. “Anything for you.”

~

On a day where the interviews ended early, you spent the night in Sebastians hotel room, getting drunk on his balcony.

“What about you?” Sebastian asked as he took a sip of his beer. “What was your best kissing scene? I know you’ve kissed some pretty great actors. Might be hard to pick.”

“It’s not. I hate kissing actors.” You grimaced. “It’s not even kissing. It’s just like, limp lips on limp lips. There’s no passion when it’s for a scene. I hate it.”

“Maybe you’re just kissing the wrong actors.” Sebastian shrugged playfully as he gazed at you.

“I don’t think so.” You shook your head. “I’ve never felt anything when kissing another actor. You can’t tell me you do.”

“I do.” He shrugged again. “Its not much, but I wouldn’t say it’s nothing.”

“What? How?” You wondered. “If you kissed me right now, you wouldn’t feel anything. I guarantee it.”

“I think I would.” Sebastian disagreed.

“All right.” You turned your chair a little to face him. “Prove me wrong.”

Sebastian tweaked an eyebrow up before leaning in to kiss you. You kissed him back for a few seconds before pulling away. You looked past him for a minute as you mulled the moment over in your head.

“What’s the matter?” He asked quietly.

“I was incorrect.” You chuckled a little. “I guess I did feel something.”

“I told you you would.” He said smugly. “I knew you’d feel something.”

“How’d you know?” You whined as he basked in the glory of being right.

“Because I felt something the last time we kissed.” He said simply. “And I knew you did too.”

“I didn’t realize you remembered that.” You smirked before talking a sip from his beer.

“Course I do.” He replied. “I think about that night all the time. It was the start of a beautiful, sexually frustrating friendship.”

“Oh, I’m sexually frustrating?” You laughed. “Try being your friend. It’s hard to look at you, really.”

“That’s not how I feel about you.” He smiled a little. “I really, really like looking at you.”

“I like you too.” You smiled back.

“That’s not what I said.” He teased. You dropped your jaw and stole his beer again, taking a long sip as you held eye contact.

“It’s what you meant.” You stuck your tongue out at him. You sat in comfortable silence for a minute, listening to the chirps of the crickets as a warm breeze wafted through the air.

“The press tour is ending soon.” You said quietly as you adverted your eyes. “Tomorrow’s the premier. Then, it’s all over.”

“I know.” He said softly. You looked at him and gave him a sad smile, to which he returned.

“We won’t get to see each other every day anymore.” You pointed out.

“Then we better make tomorrow count.” He said simply. He knew what you were implying, that there was no point in starting something when you’d both been going home soon, but he didn’t want to think about that. He just wanted to enjoy his last few days with you.

“Yeah.” You smiled sadly and looked away again. “We better.”

~

The following night at the premier, you felt an overwhelming sadness knowing that it was all ending. You loved the weeks you’d spent goofing off with Sebastian, even if it never led to a real relationship. It still meant something to you, and you hoped it meant something to him.

To counteract your sadness, you sat with Chris Evans at the bar and let him distract you. After spending a minute with him, you were feeling drunk and ready to find Sebastian. You spotted him on the red carpet, fixed your dress, and went up to him.

“Hi.” You giggled as you wrapped your arms around his torso. You smiled up at him as he wrapped an arm around you, taking an usually loud whiff of his cologne.

“Hey.” He chuckled as he patted your back. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good.” You said as you swayed a little. “Question, is there alcohol in a Shirley Temple? Because I feel like I’ve had alcohol.”

“There is.” He laughed again and steadied you. “Did you know that?”

“Nope.” You sniffed him again. “You smell good.”

“Oh no.” He smiled as your behavior. “How many did you have?”

“I was having a contest with Evans to see who could drink more. I had like 5.” You bragged as you almost fell over.

“Oh dear.” He quickly caught you. “You’re staying with me tonight. I don’t trust drunk you.”

“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to babysit me.” You waved your hand and tried to walk away. You instantly stumbled and neatly fell, but Sebastian wrapped his arms around you and caught you.

“I think I do.” He chuckled as you put you on your feet. “Come on. You’re sticking with me.”

~

The next morning, you woke up with a throbbing headache. Not feeling the strength to sit up, you opened a single eye and looked around. You were definitely not in your own room, but you recognized who’s room you were in.

“Good morning.” Sebastians voice was usually loud, making you wince.

“Oh God.” You groaned as you sat up. You groggily opened your eyes as Sebastian handed you a cup of coffee.

“Here.” He smiled shyly. “How’s the head?”

“The head is in pain.” You groaned. “So is the rest of the body.”

“Here. Drink this.” He held out a glass of water and some Advil. “And take these.”

“Thanks.” You smiled sheepishly as you accepted his offerings.

“Did you at least win the drinking contest?” He asked as he took a seat on the bed. You took a long sip of water and swallowed the pills before answering his questions.

“I did.” You nodded. “But at what cost?”

“You’ll start to feel better once you get some food in you.” Sebastian said as he rubbed your shoulder. You put your hand over his and stared at him, feeling the guilt set in.

“I’m sorry I got drunk.” You mumbled. “I didn’t mean to ruin the last night.”

“You didn’t ruin anything.” Sebastian shook his head. “Trust me, we still had fun. I’m not sure how much you remember though.”

“I remember sitting with you at the premier.” You recalled. “And eating many, many bagels.”

“Yeah, we stopped at a bakery.” He chuckled. “You ate a dozen. I watched it all.”

“Oh God.” You covered your face with your hands. “That’s not how I wanted to spend our last night together.”

“How did you want to spend it together?” He asked quietly.

“Probably in a way that still ended with me waking up in your bed.” You joked like you usually did. “But I could do without the part where you watched me eat 12 bagels.”

“What do you mean?” He grinned. “That was the best part.”

“How’d I end up in your bed anyway?” You asked before taking another sip of coffee.

“You threw your key card at a seagull who was eyeing your bagel.” He explained. “You couldn’t get into your room so I let your crash in mine.”

You looked around the room and saw his pull out couch was topped with pillows and sheets, evidence of him sleeping there.

“Did you sleep on the pull out?” You pointed to it in disbelief.

“Of course I did.” He shrugged.

“Such a gentleman.” You scrunched your nose at him before finishing the coffee.

“Basic human decency is not exactly being a gentleman.” He pointed out.

“Maybe not.” You agreed. “But you still are one. You prove that to me everyday.”

“That must be why you like me so much.” He teased.

“Must be.” You dished it right back. Sebastians smile fell suddenly as he got a serious look on his face.

“I think you and I need to have a talk.” He said softly.

“Oh God.” You feared. “Did I puke on you last night?”

“No.” He chuckled. “It’s not about last night.”

“Then what’s it about?”

“As much as I love flirting with you, and I do, I think you should know it’s not just a joke to me.” He began. “And I wanted to know if it was just a joke to you or if-“

“It’s not.” You said a little too quickly, which made him smile. “I...I like you. A lot, actually. One might even call it love.”

Upon hearing this, Sebastian leaned forward to kiss you. You held a hand to stop him and gave him an apologetic look.

“I wouldn’t.” You grimaced. “My morning breath is-“

“-something I could get used to.” He cut you off before going in for the kiss. You immediately kissed him back, pulling him by his shirt to have him closer. He climbed over you as you tangled your fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck.

“I don’t care if its our last day.” He mumbled against your lips. “I want to do this for real. I wanna be with you.”

You kissed him back to tell him you felt the same way, not trusting yourself to say something smooth in the heat of the moment.

“Wait.” You pushed him back suddenly and held him away from you.

“Whats wrong?” He asked as he hovered over you.

“Can we get bagels after this?” You asked seriously before breaking into a smile.

“I seriously can’t stand you.” He said before leaning down to kiss you again. “You’re lucky I love you because I don’t like you at all.”

“12 wasn’t enough.” You giggled between kisses. “I need more. I crave them. I crave the yeast.”

Sebastian stopped kissing you for a moment and looked at you with a fond expression. You stared back at him as a content smile tugged at your lips. The flirting had finally lead to something more and neither of you could be happier.

“You know, you might actually be more annoying than Mackie.” He teased you before leaning down to kiss your neck.

“Shut up.” You laughed. “Shut up and bite me in the neck.”

Tag List 🏷

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[cherienymphe]

all of my writing explores dark themes such as non-consent, dubious-consent, and a/b/o subjects. if any of this offends you, this has been your warning!

➯ dividers by @firefly-graphics​ | @straywords​​

➯ banner by me

Daddy Dearest

You’re a single mother who’s new to town. Steve Rogers has convinced himself that he’s exactly what you and your son need.

Claimed

A mission goes awry and Steve loses control. {alpha!Steve}

Made for the Gods

The God of Lightning takes what the God of War has. {mythology au}

Kept Woman

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time finds you at the mercy of a dangerous man with an obsessive hunger that can’t be satisfied. {mafia au}

Unhappily Married (completed)

Your dream job becomes a nightmare when your employers reveal their true colors. {dad!Steve}

I II III IV V

Protect & Serve

Escaping an ugly past, you have no choice but to return home. While much has remained the same, Officer Rogers is a new addition who has won over the hearts of the town in your absence. And no one believes you when you start to see him for who he really is {cop!Steve}

Regrets of Yesterday

➥ Seeds of Tomorrow {II}

     ➥ Mistakes of the Heart {III}

Your arranged marriage to the infamous Steve Rogers isn’t what you initially thought it would be, but things have worked out better than you could have imagined. However, your arrangement with your husband becomes complicated when feelings, and circumstances, that neither of you anticipated come into play {mafia au}  

Stranger Beside Me

You and Steve have the perfect relationship, and you want to keep it that way. It’s why he can never discover your secrets, but your secrets wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for his own.

Cruel Intentions

After escaping an abusive ex, you find solace in a therapist recommended to you by a friend.  

Love Bites

In a coven, the master’s word is law, and humans are nothing more than pets to symbolize wealth and prestige. They tell you that being the master’s pet is a great honor, but the poorly constructed façade is broken when you forsake honor for love {vampire!Steve}

The Beguiled 

You and your brother are reunited with old friends, one preparing for his upcoming nuptials and the other now a king. Your kind friend Steve has now been replaced by a man with a seemingly harmless infatuation, but when has the desires of a king ever been harmless? {king!Steve}

I II III

Love and War

Even the love of a goddess is no match for a god’s envy. {mythology au}

Unhappily Married

    ➥ Where you struggle to accept your fate

    ➥ Where the baby finally arrives

    ➥ Character POV

Daddy Dearest

    ➥ Where you struggle to accept your new reality

    ➥ Where you’re pregnant

Cruel Intentions

   ➥ Where Nakia comes to visit

   ➥ Character POV

The 10th Commandment

   ➥ Where Steve learns the truth

   ➥ Hypothetical dark!Steve {not canon}

Claimed

  ➥ Where the reader makes peace with her situation 

She’s With Me

 ➥ If Steve had stopped her escape

Stranger Beside Me

 ➥ The Aftermath

[thatmexisaurusrex]

for the followers celebration, maybe number 2? I have to say that was an immaculate list of prompt, it was incredibly hard to choose

THE 300 FOLLOWER CELEBRATION IS BACK! Sorry for the delay, but I really needed to balance how much writing I was doing last week. Anyways, thank you so much @saryasy for the prompt! And thank you, I did a lot of work figuring out what to put on this list 🥰 I hope you enjoy this drabble! 🥰

Prompt 3: “Are you two holding hands under the table?”

| 2 | Prompts | 4 |

It was a tap at first.

A light little thing that Sam barely felt.

Sam tried not to glance down. It was so hard not to. He was getting distracted. He was losing the conversation as he felt a pinky nudge his own.

What was Bucky doing?

Sam was sitting at the dining table with Sarah, Cass, AJ, and Bucky, as they did most nights when Sam was home now. He wanted this. He wanted every single moment he could have with his family. He wanted it now more than ever, now that he was older.

When he was younger, he fled from this. He felt as if he needed to spread his wings to be free. He wanted to see the world.

Even when he had the opportunity to move back home, he stubbornly chose not to. Because that was what a success story was supposed to look like, wasn't it? Getting out of your hometown and making a name for yourself?

Sam did make a name for himself. Sam wouldn't change that for the world. He was proud of what he had done as the Falcon, what he was doing as Captain America.

He did regret the space he had made with his family, though. That he hadn't been there for Titi's death, for his father's death, and even though it wasn't his fault that he wasn't there, he hated that he wasn't there for Sarah's husband's death either. He barely made time to talk on the phone to any of them before and it hurt knowing that he hadn't.

He regretted not being there for Cass and AJ's births, for their childhoods. AJ and Cass were so young still, but there was so much that he had missed in their lives.

Sam regretted how many years he wasn't there for Sarah. Sarah, who had to keep their family business afloat. Sarah, who had to deal with funeral arrangements on her own since Sam was on the run at that point. Sarah, who took the time to call Sam about trying to sell the boat even before the Blip.

But now, Sam was there. With his family. And he would take any moment he could with them. He was going to be as present in Sarah, Cass, and AJ's lives as he physically could with his schedule as Captain America. He was making the time to be with his family.

And that, oddly enough, included Bucky now.

He wasn't quite sure when his family started to include the White Wolf himself, but there was a baffling part of his heart carved out for this ridiculous man who accused Sam of not being able to share. Who liked to list off shady hypotheticals that definitely happened. Who thought Marvin Gaye was just fine.

Who thought Marvin Gaye was just fine?

Sam swore his tastes for men worsened by the year. What was he doing with this dinosaur in a buff man's body? Not that they had that sort of relationship. Not that they were exactly friends either.

Sam wasn't sure what to call what this was.

The intense stares. The way Sam couldn't help but laugh at Bucky's jokes, no matter how bad or corny. The way Bucky gave him little half massages after a stressful day as Cap. How they tangled up together on couches, on beds, just two friends who seemed to have zero understanding of personal space.

Did Sam mention that they slept in the same bed? Not in the biblical sense, no, just. Literally. Slept in the same bed together. Curled up into one another as they found some of the best sleep either had had in years together.

They hadn't kissed. Hadn't done anything. But all of this felt so much more intimate. As if Bucky Barnes was sewing himself into the fabric of Sam's life inextricably. Sam couldn't even imagine coming back from a mission and not finding Bucky playing a videogame with the boys or discussing a novel with Sarah.

Bucky Barnes was somehow part of Sam now. In a way no one besides Riley had become. And it was scary. But it was also... good. It was a net good.

And as Sam completely gave up on keeping up with any conversation at the dinner table, he found his pinky curling around Bucky's. Sam tried to stop himself from smiling as he felt Bucky's finger curl around his. Felt Bucky's hand shift and begin to interlace all their fingers together.

Sam was... holding Bucky's hand.

Under the table.

Like they were two teens trying to be clandestine.

Something about it was both so utterly ridiculous and so absolutely charming that he didn't know what to do with himself. He felt overwhelmed when Bucky adorably began swinging their hands.

How was Sam so overcome by handholding?

"Are you two holding hands under the table?" asked Sarah and, god, the way she was smirking at Sam, as if she just knew Sam was falling for this very strange dork.

Bucky refused to wake up before noon if it wasn't to help Sarah on the boat or drop the boys off at school. Bucky once said one of his favorite memories as a teen was "walking twenty blocks to watch this fella sit on a pole - this really tall pole. I watched him for hours". Sam once followed Bucky to what looked to be a shady meeting location, only to find out that Bucky was getting radio shows on records from a guy he talked to in a discord. Sam once found Bucky eating a peanut butter stuffed onion as a snack.

Bucky was weird.

But Sam couldn't let go of Bucky's hand. He couldn't stop himself from smiling because he and Bucky were holding hands. Under the table. Like a couple of clandestine teenagers.

"So what if we are?" mumbled Sam, and it came out much more soft than Sam meant for it to.

That didn't matter, though. Not when Sam glanced over at Bucky and saw just how much of a blubbery mess he was because of Sam's words.

What a dork. How had Sam fallen for such an adorable dork?

*****

This is for my 300 Followers Event! If you want to submit a prompt, check out the list and send in an ask!

[angeldcgs]

though her love for rufus wasn't entirely altruistic, bronte knew that if she hadn't snapped him up when she did, some other woman with a penchant for power play and even fouler intentions would, so really she was doing him a favor by coveting him as her possession. she was protecting him, just as gus was. if he didn’t see that now, then she’d just have to convince him over time. there was no option in which bronte respected his wishes and left rufus alone, that wouldn’t benefit anyone. gus thought it was for the best, but that would only leave his brother a heartbroken wretch of a man, and it’d sever the olive branch she was attempting to extend, shooting any hope they had at securing stable, affordable housing in the foot along with it. she could be a valuable asset if he’d just get over his stubbornness and open his mind to the opportunity of accepting her help. “i do," she relented, only barely. "i believe i was put on this earth to help guide others, but that’s not all it’s about with rufus. i really love your brother…” that reveal would surely hit like an atomic bomb; bronte watched as understanding sunk in, her serious expression never faltering, brows never unknitting. “and i know for rufus, this is his first time experiencing something like this, so i can see how you’d think he might be getting carried away, but as someone who’s been in this position many times, it’s never felt like this. i know when it’s real, and this is.” her sincerity was palpable, not an ounce of duplicity to be detected, and this time it wasn’t a performance. regardless of what she ultimately wanted out of rufus, her love for him was genuine, and it was enduring. others had claimed that they lived to serve her, and their devotion had kept her satisfied for a short time, but she had always been aware that there were strings attached, conditions that needed to be met for their continued submission. after some time, bronte just didn’t think it was worth it to continue meeting their needs in order to keep them around, so she cut them loose. it was never really a hard decision, either, because she tended to feel vaguely detached from her partners, the same sort of feeling a child might get from playing with dolls. those strings had never existed with rufus. from the start, he’d only had eyes for her, willing to do whatever it took to make her happy, and she wasn’t about to take that for granted. no one else worshipped her the way he did, no one made her feel as powerful as he did, to the point where it made her go a little mad. she was a god to him, and that wasn't something she'd ever willingly trade in. “you’re struggling,” she corrected, not needing to see his bank statement to know it was true. “and that’s not a failure on your part— you’ve been doing an amazing job so far, you should be really proud of how far you two have come all on your own. very few people could do what you've done, god knows i couldn’t.” that hypothetical scenario often came up when she allowed her mind to wander; putting herself in their shoes and imagining what she would’ve done had her father been a broke nut job conspiracy theorist and not a billionaire nut job conspiracy theorist. die, probably. “keeping him safe… i’m sure that’s exactly how your dad rationalized holding you two captive, huh?” her tone sharpened along with the steeling of her gaze, the first true hint that she wasn’t as soft and submissive as she tried to appear, though it was juxtaposed by a playful smirk. “like it or not, he���s going to make his own decisions about what he wants for his life, and you won’t always be able to bully him into changing his mind to suit your agenda. i don’t want it to come down to ultimatums— it doesn't need to, because i think we're both well aware of what’ll happen if you try and keep us apart." no ultimatums, but perhaps vague threats would suffice. she wasn't even warning him about her own retaliation, though, bronte was warning him of his brother's potential wrath. "neither of us have to be the villain, gus, we both want the same thing.”

as much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. gus had grown up in the same shitty conditions as rufus, he knew as much as he did about how to navigate the world, he pretended that his nihilistic approach to life made things easier for him but in actual fact, it just kept him from getting his hopes up. he couldn't help rufus become the people they were supposed to be when he didn't know how to be a person in the first place, but he still couldn't let himself accept that bronte was any more qualified. she'd lived a life of privilege, her perception must have been as warped as theirs in her own special way. even if she genuinely cared about rufus, she had no right to waltz into their lives and try to fix things she would never understand. he'd known that rufus had found himself a girl but gus hadn't taken the idea of it all that seriously, namely because he doubted that his brother would be able to keep anything going for any substantial period. he hadn't thought it was anything official, even though that was how it had been painted to him. his younger brother was an exaggerator and liked to paint things prettier than they actually were for the sake of making himself feel good. so when he'd come to him and boasted about the girl he'd met, gus had taken it as nothing more than the hopeful bragging of a kid who desperately needed to feel desired. most of the time, he felt more like rufus' dad than his brother, an older hand attempting to guide him through the first they were both traversing through for the first time. as bronte spoke about their relationship, he couldn't help but wonder what their dad would have said to them if he had been like any other father and had noticed that his sons were finally taking an interest in women. what advice would he have offered them? gus knew nothing about relationships, his only exposure to them had been the few memories he had of his parents together before they divorced so he didn't have the most romantic views on the whole concept. he swallowed back some fiesty comment about the validity of their relationship and finally reached forward to take the beer she'd placed down on the table. "you know what i mean." the bottle rested against his plump bottom lip as he spoke, his eyes narrowed in annoyance at her turning his words back against him. they were both strays, unwanted and without a proper home- well, maybe that could only be said for gus now. the loneliness struck him all at once while listening to bronte go on and on with her campaigning; if he let rufus go with her, then he would truly be alone. if he didn't have his brother, then maybe would have died out in the forest, when nature finally bested them or when the quiet got too much to bear. more than anything, that was what kept him so adamant about letting go, because even if he suddenly relented and took up her offer to house them both, things would never be the same again. he would be made redundant, no longer needed. he swallowed again at the mention of their rent and took a long sip of beer to give himself some time to think. it didn't make him look very capable of keeping their life put together if he told her that they'd been living in a shelter for the last few months, especially if rufus had left that bit of information out. "we're managing." he chose to offer in response, though he knew it only made him look guiltier. "i'm not trying to keep him to myself. i'm trying to keep him safe." after straightening up, he slipped the beer bottle back onto the table and leaned forward, forearms resting on his thighs. "listen, i think it's great that you like him and want to look after him or whatever, but you don't actually know him, okay? two months, that's nothing. he can be a real asshole when he wants to be and who's to say you won't get tired of him in a couple weeks and want us gone? you've gotta be able to see why i'm a little fucking apprehensive about this whole thing. i don't know you, you're not reliable. i have to be the one thinking about us, 'cause it's clear rufus has only one thing on his mind now, right?"

[unwhitewashthebadbatch]

Something that's been kinda pissing me off as of late? I'm going to preface this with the fact I'm an autistic woman. I saw people reblogging an anon ask from a TBB support blog. The anon- autistic like myself-was saying that it's really hurtful that people say Tech is a neurodivergent stereotype because they see themselves in Tech.

And, cool, I'm glad they see themselves in Tech. I'm glad they can see themselves in a quirky white man. Because, ultimately, the idea that Tech is autistic is a head canon based on the fact that he is neurodivergent coded. How do writers code someone as neurodivergent? Often through the use of stereotypes.

The idea that autistic people are intelligent & computer/tech geniuses, socially incompetent, look distinct from the general public, are unemotional, are rude, and are asexual, are all stereotypes. While the last one is a popular Fanon HC, all the rest are used to characterize Tech.

I want women to imagine that the only representation of a woman they see on screen is a white woman who exclusively wears dresses and who works in the home and who is married with children, which has been her life's dream. She is soft spoken and bad at math and thin and wears makeup. She's a real nurturer, but sometimes gets "overemotional" according to her husband.

You'd complain that it's not good representation. Because it's very stereotypical and even harmful. It's incredibly exclusive.

Then a woman who fits this description to a T comes along and says, "Well, it hurts when you say this is just a stereotype because this represents who I am, and I think it's an accurate portrayal of women."

And then everyone uses her testimony to say that this hypothetical woman on screen makes women feel "seen."

No one is saying Tech is an illegitimate way to be autistic. They're saying he's characterized by stereotypes and that these stereotypes are not representative of autistic people. People, not an individual person. If he's autistic, he's incredibly exclusive, representation wise.

And he's really the only type of "representation" (he's not even canon autistic) we get on screen.

-Sorry this was so long 💜

Exactly! It's a rehash of the same constellation of autism stereotypes that we've been seeing for decades now in media (and they haven't even bothered making it canon). There's nothing wrong with people finding those traits relatable but we need to acknowledge that they're pretty much the only way we see autism represented and it's not a complete picture.

And on top of all that even if it were the freshest concept with autism being stated canonically, it's significance would still be completely undermined by the whitewashing.

-Mod Donegal

[boldlyvoid]

Intro and masterlist

✨about me ✨

this is a mature blog, I trust all minors to be responsible and avoid everything marked NSFW!

NSFW sideblog: @pervstash-spencer

Hi! my name is emily, I'm 23 she/they

Capricorn, bisexual, non-binary, autistic, and I have fibromyalgia ✌🏻 overall just a fun time y'know.

ao3

i love: supernatural, star trek, marvel movies, criminal minds, this is us and grey's anatomy !!

Accepting requests for Spencer Reid x Reader fics currently

all my tags are listed below if you want to see other posts about said fics, also here is my Spotify for the fics <3

Dad!spencer Masterlist

First times Masterlist**

all links to my fics below the cut!

Updated: July 28th, 2021

** for smut

~~ for angst

Spencer Reid x Reader fics

Hypothetically**~ Ao3 | Tumblr -- 27 chapters, complete. 89k

reader and Spencer were friends in kindergarten, she watched him grow up and explore the world while she was still trying to catch up to him. now that they work together, they fall in love incredibly fast.

friends to lovers, case of the week style story

touch me**~ Ao3 | Tumblr 5.8k

Spencer is incredibly touch-starved and hard on himself since coming home from prison. Luckily, the medical examiner in this small town is really good at reading people, and exactly what he needs.

amethyst you so much P1 Ao3 | Tumblr 6.4k

Spencer has had a crush on Y/N since she started working at the bau. She only ever works the night shift after a case, handling all the aftermath gracefully. one night, Spencer stays back and they strike up a conversation about rocks, causing their feelings to dig a little deeper.

of quartz i will P2** Ao3 | Tumblr 6K

after 2 years of dating, Spencer decides it's finally time to get Y/N something to match her Amethyst bracelet.

Amoreena**~ Ao3 | Tumblr Completed 83k

Heaven is a real place and it's located exactly 14.6 miles away from the FBI, Quantico Headquarters. Off behind a small park, under a fantastical willow tree surrounded by wildflowers, in every colour young minds can imagine.

Don't forget, heaven also comes with angels.

Seven* Tumblr WIP

Summary: Spencer’s been married to Y/N for 7 years now, they have 7 children together and each one is going through something different. Spencer’s always wanted to be the best dad, now he gets to figure out how to be.

the guy at the rock show Ao3 | Tumblr 5.6K

Y/N lost their parents when they were 17, finding a new home and solace in Penelope Garcia and taking the Garcia name. They're the top forensic specialist in D.C, in a band and they drive a motorcycle... not to mention they are madly in love with the cute doctor who works with their sister.

journey to Camelot** Ao3 | Tumblr 3.8K

When Penelope introduces Spencer to online games, he expects to be spending his nights alone. Yet, somehow every time he comes back from a bad case, he logs on to chat with the ever so lovely user FairlyGwen and getting a lot more than just a helpful tip from her.

Exploration** Ao3 | Tumblr 4.7K

request: season1/2 spencer walking in on reader while she's watching porn in their shared hotel room

Expedition** Tumblr 1.2K

Summary: there's a first time for everything... including joining the mile high club with your boyfriend on the work jet.

10 Days Ao3 | Tumblr 1.4K

it's spencer's first father's day and he's extremely emotional about the little love of his life that he's only just met. he spends the day with his baby, Edwin, and his wife, crying and happy about how wonderful new little lives are.

ain't it fun?** Ao3 | Tumblr Masterlist 11K

reader just needs an NA meeting before they have a meltdown, they end up with the best friend they could ever make.

I'm not kidding!** Tumblr 6K

Spencer keeps getting little notes from a secret admirer, they're nice and sweet at first as they tease him with their crush until she's sending him notes about all the dirty things she wants to do to him

Perfect Timing** Tumblr 1K

spencer and reader have been spending the last month together in the same hotel room during a pretty brutal case. tension has been rising and she's completely in love with him.

what happens when they both think the other won't be back for a while and they want to shower?

Redamancy** Tumblr 5.4K

the co-op librarian at the FBI Academy has been secretly crushing on the smartest agent in the Bureau, TA, Doctor Spencer Reid, and he's been crushing on her too.

Being Neighbourly** Tumblr 1.9K

Request: reader is Spencers neighbour and she can hear him masturbating every night that he's home how do you have her deal with that?

Professional Hair Dresser (Ph.D)** Tumblr 6.4K

summary: after Spencer's knee injury, he starts visiting a salon every week to get his hair washed

36 Questions to Fall in Love Tumblr 8K

Summary: When Derek bets Spencer that he cant make someone fall in love with him in a week, he doesn’t expect Spencer to marry the girl the next day

New Romantics** Tumblr 23k

Summary: She needs help studying for her Case Exercises at the Academy, He needs a date for the annual Banquet... they just so happen to be neighbours who aren't afraid to lend a helping hand, or in this case, a helping kiss.

Million Dollar Man** | Tumblr WIP 5k so far

summary: Spencer's therapist recommended he branch out and meet new people who don't want to talk about his work... she didn't expect him to sign up for a Sugar Daddy website.

Sugar, Honey, Ice Tea** | Y/N version | 1-4, 5-9, Epilogue 25.6k

Summary: Fix-it-fic: Dr. Y/L/N and Savannah Hayes have been best friends since their medical internship at Bethesda General. When she receives a frantic call that Derek's best friend is being transferred to the prison she works at, an unlikely friendship bubbles.

Eventually falling head over heels for the innocent man.

Warnings: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Prison, Prison Violence, Assault, Blood, Depression, Murder, Self-Hatred, Hurt Spencer Reid, Canon-Typical Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Drug Addiction, References to Drugs, Drug Use, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Romantic Tension, Forbidden Love, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Strangers to Lovers, Requited Love, Falling In Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, past abusive relationship, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault

Spencer x Ethan

Ruin it.** Tumblr 5.4K

Summary: Spencer never had sleepovers as a kid, so now that he's an adult he's always sleeping over at Ethan's house, ad he'll take any excuse to crawl into bed beside him.

Warnings: mutual pining, love concessions, blowjobs, handjobs, anal sex (both top and bottom spencer in this), childhood friends to lovers

400 Celebration fics

Reid Me Tumblr 2.5K

Spencer has noticed a beautiful woman at a spirituality booth at the farmers market every Saturday for almost a whole year now. he finally asks her to give him a reading.

mystery of love Tumblr 700

Spencer surprises his wife with a trip to Italy.

Spy Kids Tumblr 900

Spencer and Y/N's kids think that they are secretly spies and request a mission story before bed.

a father's greatest weakness Tumblr 1K

Princess Y/N is betrothed to the Viking king in an effort by her father to keep the peace between their countries, he doesn't expect her to join in the fight to free Scottland.

Luke x Reader

Best Dad Ever 2.8K

Request: angst with a happy ending, reader and luke have been divorced for a few years but have a child, she tries and tries to fall out of love with him but he's around so often that she can't

Spencer x OC

Sugar Honey Ice Tea** Ao3 | WIP 9/10 chapters complete 25.6K

Fix-it-fic: Dr. Beth Pattinson and Savannah Hayes have been best friends since their medical internship at Bethesda General. When she receives a frantic call that Derek's best friend is being transferred to the prison she works at, an unlikely friendship bubbles.

Eventually falling head over heels for the innocent man.

Intro to Criminal Minds: Why They Did It Ao3 | Tumblr WIP 6K+

Spencer is teaching a 7-week seminar on the most interesting criminal cases, explaining their actions to understand why they took place. Only, not everyone in the audience is a student.

Criminal Minds x Mindhunter AU

Spencer x OC Peggy Carr

Franklin x Reader

Voulez-Vouz** | 3.2k

Summary: in a small town, everyone knows each other… or at least they think they do.

Warnings: porn with plot, smut, Dom reader, Sub!Perv!franklin, making out, teasing, face sitting, oral (female and male), hand jobs, overstimulation, prostate message, multiple orgasms, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, let me know if I forgot anything.

Chip x Reader

forever is the sweetest con** | 6.2K

Summary: Reader’s dad is a carpenter; sometimes he takes on apprentices and sometimes, if they’re lucky, they get his daughter’s number at the end of their training. Chip Taylor, however, hits the jackpot when her father invites him over for one of her homecooked meals.

Warnings: reader’s mom passed away, mentions of parental death, strangers to lovers, random acts of kindness, mutual pining, falling in love, steamy make-outs, oral sex (male and female receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie, dirty talk, sub!chip, food mentions, praise, love confessions.

Raymond x Reader

Alone Together ** | 2.4K

Summary: Raymond moves into a haunted house and ends up sleeping with the ghost who lives there... only he doesn't know that when you fuck a ghost you also become one.

Warnings: details of suicide and murder, blowjobs, pegging, bottom!raymond, top!reader, becoming a ghost, major character death.

Star Trek Masterlist

Star Wars fix it fic

Supernatural masterlist

thanks for all the love, as always,

-Emily <3