#They have a fun courtship tbh

[gingermintpepper]

I have a ton of assorted Hyapollo writing laying around that I'm never going to do anything with so instead, I will make it my tumblr's problem. The text itself is below the cut!

Rating: G Content Warnings: Athletic nudity, Hyacinthus is pining hard

Setting: A gymnasium in the mid-afternoon. Hyacinthus has watched Agreus-Apollo wrestle for the better half of the hour. None have managed to best him, including Thamyris who very valiantly tried. Now, Hyacinthus helps him wash up. The topic strays to Hektor's very expressive wooing of Andromache.

"I always forget how close you are to Hektor." Hyacinth hums, runs his palm across the breadth of Agreus' shoulders. He knows he will not find any scratches or bruises - none had managed to pin Agreus even fleetingly - yet still, he searches. Agreus is so warm beneath him. "That he is more your brother than your friend."

"What difference does it make?" There are faint bands of dark pigment staining just beneath Agreus' shoulder blades. Hyacinth picks at the lines running parallel to his spine. Agreus' breath hitches just like he knew it would - he's playing now, leading Agreus further away from mere routine and stumbling down into something far more dangerous but Agreus isn't stopping him.

His friend tilts his head, exposes the length of his neck to him. Laughs like he doesn't know what Hyacinth is trying to do with his fingers scraping against his unpainted back, like he could ever feign obliviousness when Hyacinth is practically crowding him like a dog in heat. "It means you are more prone to following in his footsteps. That you are more likely to agree with his impropriety." Hyacinth's hand freezes right there, stuck to the small of Agreus' back like the breath suddenly caught in his throat. Surely, that was - The man puts a single step of distance between them and Hyacinth feels his lungs deflate. Of course, his approach was without finesse and lacked respect. There was never any guarantee that Agreus was doing more than flirt, after all. Said man unpins the great length of his hair, back still turned to Hyacinth. The gold of his curls against the warm brown of his skin, the way his fingers skillfully comb through the strands, setting them right without ever seeming to preen. Hyacinth wanted him. He wanted all of him. Yet he was stuck in place, hand still outstretched in the shape of the curve of his great back. He swallows, hard and dry and tentative, "You are not swayed by Hektor's speeches, then? You also think the Saint-King of llium is nothing but a love-stricken fool?" And like a golden tempest, suddenly Agreus is upon him again, crowding him, standing chest to chest with him, stomach to stomach. He's blindingly hot against Hyacinth's flesh, and when his nimble hands settle upon Hyacinth's hips, they sear his skin like brands. "I said nothing about disliking your battle-brother's pastimes, Hyacinthus." And oh, he's meeting Hyacinth's gaze directly, the already paper-thin veil of master-and-servant burning to ash between them with just the utterance of his name. Hyacinth feels as though there are birds trapped within his chest, like his bones will leave his body if he does not kiss Agreus or Agreus him - but when that incorrigible man leans in, when his lip brushes against the trembling bow of Hyacinth's lip, it is merely to laugh. "Besides, what shame is there in being a besotted fool?" He pats Hyacinth's ass - both cheeks at once - returning the playful pinching with a smack that echoes in the empty room around them, then puts true distance between them. "Go towel off," he sighs when Hyacinth continues to stare at him, owl-eyed and foolish and with cheeks that burn so hot he is sure Agreus must think it sunburn. "I'll paint your face when you've cleaned off the oil." The birds in Hyacinth's chest are breaking their wings against his ribs. He knows dismissal when he hears it. He doesn't understand why Agreus' words feel nothing like it.

A little later: Agreus-Apollo is out under the stars. Hyacinthus joins him after dinner, still mulling over the ambivalence of their afternoon encounter.

"Did you mean it?" Agreus' eyes are so blue they're silver under the starlight. He turns to Hyacinth, reed between his lips and stares at him, waiting patiently for Hyacinth to get the rest of his words out. "When you said there was no shame in being besotted. Is that truly what you think?" Agreus simply looks at him. Scrutinises him like he's testing the sincerity of his words - like he can see clear to the anxiousness bubbling up in Hyacinth's heart. Then, he takes the reed from his mouth and sets it in the grass beside him, sliding closer to Hyacinth so they're pressed shoulder to shoulder, so Agreus' pinky kisses Hyacinth's. "Are you asking what I think of Hektor or what I think of you?" And oh, this man will never cease to be a wonder. Will never stop defeating Hyacinth at every turn, will never stop bewitching him with the clarity of his voice, the gentleness of his gaze, the sharpness of his tongue. He knows. Of course, he knows, he's Agreus and it is like Hyacinth could never be anything but knowable and familiar to him, like they shared the same heart, the same desires, the same love. Hyacinth meets that gilded stare of his, shuffles his hand even closer until his fingers lay atop Agreus'. The weight of them draws Agreus' bright stare down to their commingled hands and he looks at them as though trying to solve a puzzle. "I would like to think I know very well what you think of me." Agreus hums, absentminded and far. "Who knows." He tests the weight of Hyacinth's hand over his, wiggling his fingers, rotating his wrist. Hyacinth remains firm, studies Agreus' face for signs of frustration or offense. It never comes. Instead, Agreus huffs, sliding his fingers out from under Hyacinth's grip then quickly interlocking their hands, palm to palm, finger nestled against finger. "The mind of the infatuated sees shapes where there are merely suggestions, Hyacinthus. Be cautious." And then he brings their braided hand to his lips and kisses the back of Hyacinth's palm. And Hyacinth wants to dig him into the dewy grass and kiss him. Wants to swallow up the wisdom he offers and kiss his tongue mute. Wants to see what shade of blue his eyes will be when they reflect the dark red of Hyacinth's hair and not the pallour of the moon and her stars. He wants, he wants, he wants. "Those are my only words of advice for you. From one besotted fool to another." Hyacinth very carefully does not look at Agreus then. He does not know what he would do. He does not know if he could stop himself if he were forced to see that affection laid plain on Agreus' most calm face.

[twistedlovelines]

who in the twst cast lets you put a ribbon on it. (Diasomnia, Rollo, Crewel)

NSFW, MDNI, gn! reader <3

(Heartslabyul, Savannaclaw Vers.) (Pomefiore, Ignihyde Vers.) (Octavinelle, Scarabia Vers.)

Diasomnia

Malleus Draconia

Of course he lets you put a ribbon on it. He would raze down entire kingdoms for you. A ribbon is nothing . The moment you mention it, ribbons appear out of thin air, dancing around you in a flurry of the finest silks procured from all across Twisted Wonderland. Whether you prefer a more simple ribbon, or one decorated with gold and jewels, he will offer you all that your imagination could dream of and more. Every single option you choose will be laid on a display with care, and he’ll be surprisingly reverent in doing so.

Genuinely treats this as an act of courtship and treasures the act of you tying the ribbon around your cock with such delicacy and tenderness. Every brush against his skin sends a heightened sense of pleasure through his body- more so than usual. The slipperiness of the silk is simply divine against his skin, but frankly, your touch is what brings him over the edge. 

Silver

Oh? He’s never really hard about putting ribbons on one’s cock, but he doesn't feel super strongly about it either way when you mention it. He does have experience making flower crowns, though, so if you want to do a styled pattern on the ribbon or want to do a particular type of knot, he’ll do his best to help! The skin of his cock does tend to be sensitive, so take care not to use a bow made of polyester; otherwise, he’ll be overstimulated and not in the fun way :(

He may or may not fall asleep with the ribbon on. It just feels so soft and nice against his skin…as aroused as he is, the caress of the fabric lulls him to the waiting arms of sleep. However, if you took precautions and worked him up a fair bit beforehand, he enjoys the added sensation of the ribbon combined with your own hand <33 Slightly tightening the bow while he’s temporarily dazed works wonders- the sudden constriction jolts him awake and makes him want to chase this pleasure until he’s spent.

Sebek Zigvolt

He’s so bewildered when you mention it to him. It reminds him of the tales Lilia told him, where royalty and maidens alike would grant knights their favor with a ribbon or handkerchief…hearing of a similar tradition in a sexual context makes him incredibly flustered. He will ask if this is an odd human courting ritual of yours. (He’s disappointed when you say it isn’t . Just a little .)

Put in so much time searching for a ribbon after you mention it tbh. It’s special to him, even if you had only brought it up as a passing interest. Of course he’s going to find one that’s made with enchanted silk, one that’s been created by nothing but one of the best. (He may ask Lilia for help in this area, as the older fae is likely to have expertise in fabrics and whatnot). When it’s actually tied around him, he feels as if his soul is going to leave his body. The soft, act of possession as you tie a ribbon around his cock make him incredibly weak, and he’s practically putty under your hands for the rest of the night <3

Lilia Vanrouge

Oh he’s having fun. He has plenty of ribbons from when he was experimenting with different fashion styles, so you’ll have a fair share to choose from!! From ribbons with frayed edges to ones with fine embroidery, the only issue you might find is having to untangle them all and pick out which one you like best ^^; He even offers a few suggestions that are more in-depth than you’d expect…

If you can’t choose one, he offers that you try multiple in one night (or even in one round!). Why not try all that you can in order to experience this kink to the fullest? I don’t think he has a particular preference for any particular fabric, although he does seem to gravitate towards ribbons that have more lace and textures to them! Will most definitely bring it up again whenever the craving strikes, and will have absolutely no shame in asking if he could do the same to you <3

Misc.

Rollo Flamme

Oh. Oh dear. He becomes incredibly fond of the thought even as he vehemently scolds you for having such perverted thoughts about him. He already carries around a handkerchief with your signature scent on it, of course he would want you to claim him properly as well. Despite this, he can’t help but feel flustered and ashamed. To do something so lewd in such a loving manner…he can’t contain how incredibly horny that makes him.

He’ll spend time with you picking out a ribbon, though he already has one in mind. One of classic silk with a bit of a lace trim- there’s simply no other ribbon that could do. When you finally tie it around his cock, it takes all of his might to not cum on the spot. The sheer intimacy of the moment overwhelms him, and he can’t help but want to have your touch engulf him wholly as he succumbs to your desires. 

Divus Crewel

You want to tie a ribbon around him? You better understand what a commitment that is, pup. He typically prefers to dom in the bedroom, and you wanting to collar him (in a sense) is quite the intimate proposition. If you ask this of him, he takes it all rather seriously. Taking you to specialty boutiques to pick out a ribbon that would symbolize your bond best, to lending you a book detailing different types of bows and styles one can decorate their lover’s cock with. 

He’s patient throughout the whole ordeal, watching your every move with bated breath. Every single loop the ribbon makes around his cock, every knot you make…he engraves every movement in his mind as he feels pre-cum drip over the edges of the luxurious fabric…He will pay back the pleasure that you will draw from him tenfold <3

a/n: Thank you for reading the final installment of my "who in the twst cast lets you put a bow on it" series! If you have any ideas you want me to elaborate on, feel free to stop in my inbox <3

[shentheauthor]

Hello! I’ve seen the harbingers reacting to the reader liking them... But what if we turn the tables around and it’s them realizing the have a huge crush on the reader!!! Will they confess? (I hope they do, well... mainly I hope Pulcinella does but anyways) Will they stay quiet??

Ooo this should be fun

Harbingers realizing they have a crush on the reader

Also I finally figured out how to add the read more thing!!!!

Pierro

Well first of all, it’s been a LONG time since he’s felt this way

He almost doesn’t recognize the feeling

When he realizes what’s up, he would immediately be flustered and confused

Why? How? HOW DID YOU DO THIS???

Unfortunately he’s probably too dedicated to his cause to think of anything else

He wouldn’t want to put you through that

So he’ll keep quiet

He won’t tell you, and just sit and pine sadly

I’m sorry, he caught feelings at the worst possible time in his life

Capitano

He is also confused

He definitely doesn’t feel this way often

He is also very dedicated to his cause, but he at least has more room for stuff like love, I think

He won’t be too shy about it, but he seems like a relatively quiet guy in the first place

He will confess

Probably in private. No grand gestures, just a simple “I have feelings for you”

He’ll also say that you have every right to turn him down

Offers to remain friends as well

Literally one of the most normal people in this whole cursed group

We’re starting off calm before we get into The Horrors

Dottore

The Horrors™️

He treats it like a science experiment

I’m being srs

Hypothesis: you like him back

Research? Hanging around you more often

Hovers over you like a vulture

You turn the corner and there he is like :)

If one of him likes you, all of him does

The segments will be SO annoying, I’m so sorry

He won’t confess outright, but honestly his behavior is more than enough to tell you what’s going on

He is highkey scary, but we love him for it

Columbina

She isn’t very flustered when she realizes tbh

Of course she likes you! How could she not?

She’ll ask you to her private chambers and just.. hang out with you

Her way of flirting is singing to you and doing your hair

If you don’t have hair? Scalp massages

Very touchy feely and kind of obvious with her affection

There is an underlying darkness to everything she does, but Yk if you like her back, you’re probably into that

She’ll confess in private, during the night

It’s shockingly romantic, with candles and flowers waiting for you

She does fully expect you to say yes, but she honestly wouldn’t ask if she didn’t already know you would

She’s like 5 steps ahead of you

Arlecchino

Mmmmmmmaaaaannnn

We already know she’s unhinged, Yk?

When she’s in love, her first reaction is “ew”

She doesn’t have time for that shit

But Yk, she’s intrigued by you, so she abandons that thought pretty quickly

She won’t flirt or confess, keeping you at arm’s length

But she does have a clear favorite

She’s nicer to you. She gives you less difficult tasks

She doesn’t want your pretty face getting hurt

You’ll only find out she has a fat crush on you if you do get hurt

She is.. protective…

Good luck getting blood out of your clothes when she’s done with your attackers

At least she would ask if you’re ok? Yeaahhh

Pulcinella

This one’s for you bestie (me when I go in rank order and he’s not at the top)

He’ll get flustered when he realizes

He’s kinda old, so it’s been a while, but hey it’s never too late for love!

He’ll give you the old fashioned courtship rizz

Flowers, gifts, walks under the stars

He will def accept a rejection, but come on, look at him

You can’t reject him

He’s a quiet romantic, and he doesn’t have a stick up his ass

So he’s better at this than the others

You cannot tell me he doesn’t have a soft side, you CANNOT.

Scaramouche

MAN

This man is so emotionally repressed, you know he would HATE having a crush

He sees it as a waste of time

A disgustingly human emotion

He’ll push you away, I’m sorry

He doesn’t have time for this, he doesn’t want to deal with it

He would fire you if he could, but for the sake of this post, he can’t for whatever reason

Maybe you aren’t a fatuus yk?

But yeah he’d only confess if you make it clear that you’re hurt by him avoiding you

And if you’re persistent (HELLA persistent)

He’ll eventually blurt out “it’s because I LIKE you, you idiot”

Yes, he is that trope

Hopefully he gets over himself sooner rather than later lmao

Sandrone

Run for your life

I’m being srs, she is uh…

She will confess, but in a creepy way

“I want you to become one of my dolls” (affectionate)

Try your damn hardest to convince her you’re more interesting as a living human

I love her, but hooooweeee

Scary ass woman

This one is shorter bc it’s… pretty clear what she’s like in canon 🤡

Signora

She hasn’t been in love since Rostam

Genuinely

She’s confused at first, then honestly a little sad and angry

Why now? Why centuries after her heart was broken?

But yk, it is what it is

She will most likely never confess

Just… keeps you at a distance, much like Pierro

She’ll try her hardest to get over it too, but you know she isn’t exactly good at getting over things like this

I mean that with love in my heart

If she ever does confess, it will likely be if she thinks she’ll never see you again

This woman is so tragic… I love her

Pantalone

THIS MAN.

He will become your sugar daddy

Like, literally, he will shower you with gifts

He could not be more obvious about it

Normally he guards his heart, but honestly if you’re in private and he’s sure nobody is listening, he will be so open

Of course those moments are rare

But he’ll still give you gifts in public, just… less obvious

Giving you money to buy food bc “you can’t work on an empty stomach”

Gives you clothes for missions/whatever and says you can keep it bc he doesn’t want it

He’s used to people using him, but it’s clear you don’t want to, so he feels safe in giving stuff to you

Confesses in private

It has to be SO private, no guards or anything, bc he doesn’t trust anyone not to tell

At least he’ll be a little romantic. Gives you your favorite foods and flowers, plus new clothes or hell, paying your rent

His love language is gift giving, change my mind

Tartaglia

Oh he is so annoying about it

Literally aggressive flirting

Literally

He will try to spar with you, to see if you’re strong enough to be his equal

If you’re not, that’s fine, but if you are, oh man he gets ten times worse

He’ll also be a theater kid about it

Bouquets, opening doors for you, bowing and throwing you a “rakish grin” (his words)

He’s kind of a dork

A murderous dork, but Yk

He’ll either confess during combat, or he’ll take you out on the town and does it in public

Well, if he isn’t sure you’ll say yes, he’ll do it in private

Also if you don’t like crowds

But if you don’t mind public spaces, he will be so dramatic about it

“Will you conquer the world with me?”

It’s very sweet, even if he means it completely literally

Just. A nerd (affectionate)

[ragnarokhound]

omg sweetie pie don’t talk about chains I’ll BLUSH. definitely never been into that…

How do you think the rest of the Batfam reacts to Jaytim finally happening (something along the lines of your secretary fic) ?

I think Cass knew how they felt before them, Damian is disgusted (but secretly pleased), Dick found out by walking in on them at Tim’s apartment, and Bruce had no idea and has none until Jason tells him point blank. Alfred? Somehow orchestrated the whole thing.

I'll keep that in mind babe ;) (*adds 'Spicy Hardware' to the budget)

Ohoho, that is a fun question, and one that I often have trouble answering because I am like a horse with blinders on when it comes to my hyperfixations and my ships OTL Jason and Tim usually get the brunt of my obsessive analysis, leaving only minimal room for other characters to squeeze their way in. RIPeroni you two ❤️

That being said, I'm a huge liar because I do actually have some Thoughts lol

It largely depends on the state of the verse we're in and how involved the others were in watching their courtship go down, so without further adieu, here's how I think the batfam would react to finding out about jaytim's newly minted relationship in my secretary!au fic:

So in Secretary!AU in particular, the others weren't involved to an almost suspicious degree 😳 Tim is losing his mind for a month over Jason daylighting as his secretary, and he never finds out anything resembling the truth from anyone? What??

Which of course means some of them were simply unaware because they don't give a shit or assume Tim isn't suffering (Damian, Duke, Bruce) and some ARE aware to some degree that this is unusual and came to their own conclusions. And promptly decided to stay out of it (Dick, Babs, Steph, Cass, Alfred - Duke might actually be here, it depends lol)

In particular, Steph hears Tim's mini rant/breakdown Day 1 and is simply too amused. Because she watched him suddenly start deflecting Jason's attention 3 months ago, and oh boy does this feel like a comeuppance. She's got popcorn and is asking things like, 'i dunno Tim, why do you think Jason followed you to the office where you have to reliably be?' and after all of it, when he shows up with a hickey after patrolling with Jason that night, she golf claps at him

Cass shrugs at Tim when he vents where she can hear, because she's been waiting for them to figure this out for like. A year now. She is surprised when Tim had his Jason-shaped epiphany because she knows that Tim has been Into Jason ever since that time in the park with Poison Ivy, and Jason called him a princess for getting particular about decon. (Similarly, Cass also knew that Jason has been low-key into Tim since the time before that, when Tim ugly laughed so hard at a joke Jason made at Dick's expense that he nearly inhaled a french fry). When they get together, she is standing next to Steph, also golf clapping because Steph told her it would be funny

Dick had to listen to Jason complain about Tim ghosting him a month or two into it (Jason and Dick were in each other's vicinity and Jason asked how Tim was doing. Dick said he was 'fine, why?' And Jason scowled and muttered, 'No reason. Feel like he's been dodging me, is all' and a tiny red alert pinged in the back of Dick's head) so when he hears that Jason is at Wayne Tower and that Tim is having vent sessions about it with Steph, his eyebrows shoot waaaay up. He kind of hopes that the Tower is still standing after Jason's done getting whatever vengeance he has in mind (Jason's prank war game is both legendary and unhinged). When he finds out what actually transpires (or rather, guesses what transpired), he has a small moment of relief because 'oh phew, is that all?' and then immediately BSODs because 'WAIT WHAT, IS THAT WHY YOU GUYS ARE CLAPPING--'

Babs quietly figured out why Tim was panicking pretty early because no one ghosts someone for having a good, fun, tbh flirty relationship for literally any other reason. She wondered vaguely if Jason was going to a) clock it and then b) do anything about it, and then equally quietly paused auto-uploads on Wayne Tower office footage so that she could make Tim review it instead. She simply Will Not be the one to log the data from Monday morning, thanks.

Damian did not and does not give a fuck. He briefly questions Todd's sanity. Then immediately discards that thought because it's Todd. He would like Grayson to quit yelling at that octave though, because his 'i'm secretly happy for you but also hurt that you didn't confide in me' shouting is very grating and makes Damian nervous.

Duke I'm on the fence about, but I lean towards 'i was sitting over on the bench' for him. He was so busy Staying In His Lane that he simply did not notice that this was happening. 'Uh, congrats, I guess?'

Bruce was keeping tabs on the situation. He does not plan to review the footage either. He has ten more gray hairs than he did yesterday, and is pondering how their relationship might affect their performance in the field, but trusts that Tim has likely thought through the ramifications and likely scenarios that should need to be compensated for. (Being involved with your teammate can be frightening and stressful; it could lead to strain between the two of you, and opens new vulnerabilities up for exploitation. But it can also be deeply, deeply rewarding. Hm.) (also shout-out to the one commenter who theorized that Bruce was the one on the other end of the phone call that Jason yanked the cord on. LMAO. ROFL, even.)

Alfred defuses the tension in the cave by reminding everyone to please finish their reports, and that there are refreshments in the dining room upstairs when they are finished, should anyone be joining the household for dinner tonight. He is very pointedly looking at Jason and Tim when he says this, because they Will be joining the household for dinner tonight, because it is the duty and privilege of a grandfather to tease his grandson (Jason) for having a boyfriend (Tim). Idk if Alfred called it in quite the same way as Cass, but he knew there was something interpersonal they needed to work out, and also that Tim has had a crush on Robin for his Entire Life, so he's not exactly surprised.

...aaaand sorry if I skipped anyone, but that's my list lol

[elusianknight]

Wyll vs Astarion vs some fanon stuff

im not ragging on ppl for having fun w model swaps and whatnot. play bg3 however u want it's a masterpiece!

but i got thinkin after hearing apparently some ppl ACTUALLY believe Astarion is like a fairy tale prince and should be acting like Wyll--

Wyll is a young idealist, a LITERAL prince, believes wholeheartedly that there is good in the world - because he most certainly is a force of good! his dancing and twirling his lover and all this fancy courtship comes from, frankly, his own confidence and ideals about what kind of relationship he wants to have. you can make fun of him for being a prude or w/e and he doesn't take that shit even for a second!

Astarion is the literal opposite. He has a trash charisma score. You can argue a separation of mechanics and story, but I think it's plenty meaningful. He has learned through sheer force of practice, memorization, and terrifyingly negative reinforcement, how to tell people what they want to hear. how to guess at others' desires and fulfill them for the purposes of manipulation. His flair for the dramatic, his dandy persona (loving finery and rich things) all stem from his extreme insecurity, imo. Upon first glance, his starting outfit is a nobleman's garb, but if you read the description you realize it is very old and worn and has been repaired countless times.

Astarion's fear makes him crave power, and we often talk about that in terms of literal strength (and magic power), but I think we sometimes miss how that also includes wealth and political influence. Sure, Astarion certainly has an appreciation for fine things and a discerning eye when it comes to aesthetics, and especially clothing, but I really think much of his... pickiness? about these things is just him bullshitting for the purposes of seeming superior to others. both in terms of, being superior and lording himself over them, and also being seen as superior. because it's a performance.

We can see this manifest in spawn vs Ascendant Astarion tbh.

Spawn Astarion's epilogue outfit is specifically described to be made of "cheap leather." In most endings, he's either holed up in the Underdark with the other spawn, or a wandering folk hero. In either case, he's very genuine to himself and to others - he's a bit self-deprecating even (basically saying "yeah it's crazy that i'm actually the GOOD guy for once!"). He doesn't have to project an image of anything else, he doesn't have to perform, he simply is. So he wears something decent, but practical. And, crucially, he burned the shithole of Cazador's mansion to the ground.

Ascended Astarion... well. He shows up in a custom embroidered fit (with crimson dragons on it!!) which is absolutely gorgeous! He took over Cazador's palace and hosts masquerades and balls and invites important nobility to the estate. He is condescending to the other people at the epilogue party, including his lover if they displease him. He's still quite clearly putting on a performance.

Uhhhh so yeah this got long but! the differences between Astarion's cynical theatrics and Wyll's idealistic shows of courtship.

[breelandwalker]

Bree, do you have any historical information on May Day? Thanks in advance!

Only what I've read on wikipedia, tbh.

From what I can tell, it's one of many seasonal festivals that celebrates the end of spring and the official/unofficial beginning of the summer season. Lots of different cultures have some version of it, but May Day as we know it stems from a blend of different European regional festivals. Common threads include the gathering of tree boughs, flower garlands, singing, dancing, bonfires, courtship and fertility customs, offerings to various deities or saints associated with the same, parades, feasting, contests of physical prowess (mostly running and swimming races), and carnival-like community gatherings.

On a colloquial note, it's also the subject of a fun and saucy number from the musical "Camelot," and a downright naughty tune entitled "First of May" by Jonathan Coulton.

If You Know, You Know. 😏

[elisedonut]

how about these for flintley?

11. How do they feel about nicknames/pet names? If they like them, what pet names do they use? If they hate them, why do they feel that way?

#10. What's an au you have for them?

- armadilloradio

How do they feel about nicknames/pet names? If they like them, what pet names do they use? If they hate them, why do they feel that way?

I think Percy finds them mildly embarrassing but not enough to make him actually stop

Marcus loves them but only like the typical ones and not for the reason you might think (well maybe) He likes them in the same way he likes kissing Percy's neck when someone's flirting with him and he hasn't noticed or in the same way he likes seeing Percy wear his Quidditch jersey in public he likes the little claim on him he has when he uses one

as for what he would use i think he just kind of picks one and goes at least at first I'm sure he lands on one eventually

in private though it's mostly their names with the occasional dear or sweetheart thrown in

i think Percy's a sweetheart person in general but that's regardless of ship because i think it's just something he internalized from Arthur because I make Arthur use it a lot too and have felt that way ever since writing that Arthur/Lavender fic

because of that I also think he's more likely to switch to a pet name during times of distress

vs Marcus who uses pet names the most when he's trying to really put focus on the fact that Percy is his and that he wants someone to go away

10. What's an au you have for them?

oooh I feel like ive talked a ton about alot of mine already for them

some ive talked in detail about or have used in a fic

and even links for anyone curious who doesn't know what im talking about akdfjs

=Tutor Au

not a very different au tbh just my chosen heres how they happen situation Percy is forced to tutor him and Marcus is enamored and things happen most of my fics with them are this in some way

=Mermaid!Percy/Fisherman!Marcus au

where Marcus accidently catches him in his net and takes him home with him because hes all messed up and theres like a cultural misunderstanding where Percy thinks he's trying to court him after a while and decides to accept the courtship

-Dragon!Marcus/Captive!Percy

Marcus likes pretty things but taken to the max where he's a dragon and kidnaps Percy because he just thinks he's pretty and doesn't want to let him leave

On a similar note also Troll Prince!Marcus/Captive!Percy similar but a little different flavor

-Coffee shop au

its its a muggle coffee shop au i don't think theres much i can say tbh

as for ones i haven't talked about before

uhhh i don't think i have anything?? i am very chatty and tend to throw any idea i have up on here at least almost immediately

like i don't think they are very fun for a soulmate au personally so i don't think about that with them much

and most of the time i stick to canon verse for them and it's almost always the same so my brains really drawing a blank dkfjk

i don't have detailed thoughts but I like the idea of them having a falling out in Hogwarts and getting back together like 30 years later

or Marcus living with Percy far earlier then they're ready for because of his parents disowning him

or Marcus dying for Percy in general

Marcus being a young single dad who doesn't know what he's doing and Percy's the only person he knows that's super familiar with kids so he shows up on his doorstep in a panic??

[chromotps]

Hello! Been in the OP fandom for more than a decade (i miss the days where ace/luffy were a normal ship) and finding fics have been difficult.

Do you have any luffy/ace fic recommendations? Wishing you a good night!

hello! I wish I had been around for early acelu days... I was reading OP fic back then, but it was mostly zo/san 😅. I get what you mean, it's tough to find stuff for them these days that's not just luffy-harem stuff (which is fine! just not what I'm looking for) or ooc

I prefer fics that are mostly sweet and not too angsty, so my list won't include some of the ones that are really bittersweet/dark/endgame-tragic, even though they're beautifully written. I'm sure if you ask another acelu fan, you'd get a completely different list... I'm just a big weenie! 😭😂

I'm also really disorganized, so I'm probably forgetting a bunch!!! I need to keep better bookmarks omg

SFW Fics:

spinning on that dizzy edge by to-a-merrier-world (wayward_wolves) fav fav fav (helps that this was sort of a gift? based on some art I drew;;? hhh i love it so much) A sweet!!! and playful, relaxed scene between Luffy and Ace—who's joined the Stawhats!

this short fic by 002yb a really lovely, atmospheric piece of writing about the boys just being cute and speaking through touch

forget me not by 002yb a touch more bittersweet, but I loved how insightful this little look at Ace's last night with Luffy in Goa was

to be deserving by 002yb (after acelu week I need to have a separate section for 002yb!! tbh consider this a blanket rec for all their fics) adorable!! very nuanced, quick look at some courtship (or lack thereof) (but hope for some in the future?) between ace and luffy in an omegaverse AU

Bridesmaid Blues by Anonymous so much fun!! a rom-com style take on Luffy and Ace eloping in canon. Hilarious, and just makes me adore all the characters even more

In Your Heart Shall Burn by kayura_sanada oh my god. so it's a fix-it fic that involves a mysterious mirror and wishes. the tone feels just like canon with maybe a hint more bittersweet hopefulness, and the heartfelt moments between ace and luffy in this MELTED ME INTO PIECES. this will be one of my forever favorites.

oxytocin by ruche Gen fic but the author has other great shippy acelu work; this one is, post-marineford-ace-lives scene with Ace being worried and grateful for Luffy... the characterization is amazing

Near Death Experiences by monch_monch (WIP) This is a reincarnation AU, and it's got one of my absolute favorite acelu scenes in one of its flashbacks... I love everything about this fic—the way the other characters are brought in, and how cute and heartfelt Ace and Luffy are... I can't compliment it enough

The Same As You by PeachyStud (WIP) (jksgfhd oops i put this is sfw when the latest chapters have some messing around in it, but... i'll just leave it here) This one's a very sweet and fun modern AU—I reread it when I just need some feel good acelu fluff.

Next Stop, Everywhere by NewWonder This fic is the 2nd part of an "Ace lives and sails with Luffy" series, but it's my favorite of the 3 parts because it focuses a lot on Ace getting to work through his heartache 😭

Together Again by Swinky Swanks (SpobSpucci) A sweet, short piece about when Ace visits Luffy in canon

I'll Always Want You by PeachyStud This is part 1 of another "Ace lives in canon" series—this fic focuses on Luffy asking Ace to join his crew during their 2 years training and is SO cute and lovely. Part 2 is also a treat (and rated M 👀)

Arrangements by Sully-van I feel a little crazy for including an FF.net story on here, but this little royalty/arranged marriage AU just made me smile.

Find the Hat by authenticaussie  funny, slightly bittersweet AU where luffy's a ghost in ace's university library. i know, unusual concept, but a quick, fun read

(Ir)Responsible by oumriel (WIP!!!!! probably permanently from the looks of things) okay I have to recommend this one—it's a modern AU with drama/slow burn, and some incredibly heart-warming moments and really interesting characterizations. it does end on a heart-breaking cliffhanger, but... acelu seems to be a little bit cursed with WIPs, in the end, haha

Sleeping Habits by RainyCatharsis surprisingly fluffy soulmate AU where a soulmate who's died stays in their partner's dreams until they're both ready to move on. short and sweet!

on brotherhood by LadyCrimsonAndBlack another gen fic; age-swap! older Luffy runs into Whitebeard and makes sure Ace is happy on his crew

Lock; Key by Anonymous (SFW.... for now. since there's only 1 chapter up) very interesting modern, omegaverse AU with cool worldbuilding

NSFW Fics:

Hatchling by Anonymous good old-fashioned "not too loud or dad will hear us" modern AU incest. haha. really, this one is a nice mix of cute and dirtyhot, with a looooot of teasing smug ace

and what do they say about dreams by ruche uhh. a smut fic that... focuses on Ace's narcolepsy? it's surprisingly cute and funny—mind the tags, but I really enjoyed it!

Tearjerker by necroesthe OKAY so I love a lot of Necro's acelu fics... They do tend to skew darker, so that's a good thing to remember if you go browsing. This fic, though, is an adorable and fun and hot modern AU, with Ace thinking Luffy looks cute when he cries.

for the asking by irrelevant  another modern AU, I love the relaxed dialogue and vibe of this one. There's something about Ace and Luffy acting like dumb brothers while also being devoted to each other that gets me every time.

You're Built from Motorcycle Exhaust, Cigarette Smoke, and Starlight by Novicecomics Modern AU, really atmospheric story about biker!Ace and Luffy going on a little adventure and being in love

born hungry by ruche hard to summarize... i guess, modern AU, drunk/troubled ace has surprisingly sweet sex with luffy. this author always captures such a like, darkly funny, wry attitude with ace, and their luffy is a treat. still good to check the tags!

the blood of my brother by fizzyren another maybe odd one. uh. short summary is, acelu period sex with trans luffy. i'm not usually into those kinds of fics but this one got me down, what can i say

Lake Pontchartrain by necroesthe definitely read the tags for some of these dead dove recs i'm sneaking in here. anyway uh. the first chapter in this is, modern au, preteen luffy catches ace watching porn aaaaand then there's fallout

Virtue by necroesthe ditto above w the tags. um. 15yo luffy wants to ride ace. i'll add, necro's darker fics are more psychological-hot to me than like, silly-yummy-smut hot? if that makes any sense haha

I'd also like to recommend my own Once Piece fics... I think they're all pretty sweet, and not too bad if I do say so myself. :3c

Anyway!! Hope this helps! And pls feel free to tell me your thoughts on any of em............. 👀

[basket-of-cats-and-witches]

OC Ramblings: Kitty Hale (or Kit)

Unsurprising that this is happening considering how hard the Love and Deepspace brainrot has hit.

I'll tuck it under a read more (so I don't clog up everyone's dash...) but I've been having some general thoughts about her.

For those in the L&Ds fandom, Kit is my non-MC who's romancing Sylus. Clearly I write a lot about them, but he's her boss, and she's his assassin second in command. I actually didn't know this was a common trope until after I created her.

Oh, well. I love her too much to care, tbh. We can't all be unique, but putting your own spin on a classic can freshen it up a lot.

So now, to the Read More, and the ramblings. If you enjoyed this, please leave a like. It brightens my day when I see people enjoying my content.

Kit's general stats

Height: 5'11/180cm

Name: Camilla Kitty Hale (she goes by Kit)

Age: 26

Hair: Black, loose curls

Eyes: dark purple/brown (not heterochromia, just the particular shade I chose looks almost brown)

Birthday/sign: January 1st/Capricorn

I really enjoy Kit as an OC, and as a companion to Sylus. There's something about the ✨yearning✨ that's tasty, of course, with the canon story for Sylus and all our other LIs, but I opted for extreme slow burn and like recognizes like.

Kit's...a lot. She's been refined again and again so that she's not just my trauma dump character. There's always one, and you just gotta sort of shape them into their own thing.

She's fierce, loyal to a fault, and deeply vulnerable. I think that she's viewed herself as a tool for so long that it's created a sense of naivete, which is something Sylus clocks immediately.

When you're in survival mode for that long, most things get tossed to the wayside, and that includes relationships and intimacy.

This doesn't just mean romance, although it is a big part of it especially for Kit, but it does create some good tension and back and forth between her and Sylus. She's extremely skilled on the battlefield, well enough to keep pace with him (which is honestly a feat in itself), but when it comes to flirting, courtship, and what's in the bedroom, Sylus leads their strange push and pull.

I don't have the patience to write a true slowburn (especially bc a two year slowburn would be like 50k and I...hngh. I can't brainrot myself like that. I wouldn't get any work done. I'm already writing fic like crazy). But! It would be genuinely interesting to see it.

Sylus is a very direct character. He seeks consent from those he cares about, is blunt to a fault, and exceptionally intuitive. Whereas Kit knows her way around a battlefield, but has a tendency to bottle up and not talk about what's bothering her unless pushed. Probably because her backstory features her getting punished for expressing her personal thoughts.

There's a fun scene that I don't actually remember if I posted here where Sylus and Kit actually talk about it and her trauma a little bit.

-

“Is it okay for us to do these things?” She mumbled. Her hands dropped over his, smoothing over the ridges of his knuckles and finding the calluses of his fingers. “I just have a hard time feeling as if it's not some sort of…weakness. People like us aren't nice, do we deserve nice things? Do…I deserve things? What happens if I let myself relax and be…”

Kit hesitated for a second, before pushing on. “What happens if I want to be cute and girly, and someone uses that against me? Sometimes I feel like I'm only allowed to be the…” she trailed off, sighing.

Sylus smiled wryly. “The monster?” He supplied, his tone quietly bitter. “I've had a bit more room to come to terms with it, Kitty, so listen.” He spun her around, his hands settling on her shoulders. His eyes were dark, hollow and sad in a way that reminded Kit why they matched so well. “You're human, Kit. Specifics aside, you are, in fact, human. No matter what anyone says, you have a heart that feels deeply, that bleeds and beats like anyone else's. And it's because you have a heart that you deserve the same things as anyone else.

You're not a weapon, baby.” His soft voice made her lips tremble, her stomach twisting with the heavy weight of her emotions.

“Unfair of you to use that nickname now,” she whispered hoarsely.

Sylus smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We're not monsters,” he said. It seemed to be as much to himself as it was to her. “And if anyone tries to use your joy against you, you have me, the twins, and even Mephisto.”

She laughed wetly, her eyes shiny with unshed tears.

-

I've always loved the idea of two people teaching each other to move past their traumas. Honestly, in my personal opinion, part of growth and recovery from trauma is teaching someone else. My therapist talks about "parenting oneself" a lot, about being the parent to yourself that you may not have had in a way to sort of...help guide your brain towards healthier habits. And I apply that here as well. Mentoring someone who's not as far along as you but has similar trauma can help you, as well (be careful with that and consult professionals, I'm just a writer with my own baggage).

In teaching Kit to love and be loved, to be human again, it feels like Sylus is teaching himself as well. Not to mention that she often calls him out on his bad habits and keeps him in check. It's a push and pull, they're on relatively equal standing. I think that's why it's so easy to write them as a relationship, and why they mesh so fast even as a new thing. There's established rapport and even, dare I say, friendship that builds a very solid foundation for romance. There's good communication between them even when they're being stubborn, and the two never really have many misunderstandings.

-

“You-!” She bites out. “You've been grumpy and short with me since I got here!” Kit shoves the towel back at him, furiously wiping him down even as she snarls.

“I have been trying to follow your orders all day. ‘Kit, teach this kid’ ‘Kit, pour water on me’ I'm doing my best, Sylus! I want to be good for you! I want to follow your orders! I came out to the middle of the desert, no questions asked, on a dime, because you told me to! Cut me some slack and put those gentling gloves on, because I know you can! Now, lean down so I can dry your hair!”

Kit glares at him, and she instantly knows she's well and truly fucked. Sylus's eyes are a bright, burning red, the right one beginning to glow in a way that is as annoyingly arousing as it is terrifying.

And yet, he leans down quietly, bowing his head for her.

Without a word, she sweeps the towel over the wet strands. Her hands tremble. Despite her harsh words, despite losing her temper, she is, as ever, gentle with him. As if she were handling fragile and delicate glass.

Larger hands cover her own, and she can't help but flinch.

“Are you scared of me?” Sylus’s voice is ever-so-soft, almost tentative. There's a strangely raw edge to it, as if he anticipates the worst possible answer.

“No,” she whispers. “The ones I flinch from are ghosts, not you. Are you mad at me?”

As if he can hear her silent permission, Sylus steps forward, crowding her against the wall. His head drops to her shoulder. For a moment, all she can hear is the steady sound of his breathing.

It takes a moment, the heat of his body seeping into hers, Kit’s thin undergown the only physical barrier between them. Then, he speaks. “It’s…complicated. I'm not mad at you. You're not the only one with ghosts, Kit.”

(from my Lost Oasis piece)

-

Sylus made himself snap back to attention.

“Talk,” he said forcefully, his eye glinting. “I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong.”

Kit wilted further.

“...riod,” she mumbled.

Sylus tapped her forehead reprimandingly. “Louder.”

“I'm on my period!” She whined, her cheeks flushed bright red. “So please, kindly, can you fuck off? I hurt so much and I took medication and it's not helping!”

His eye twitched, and his hands settled on her hips, flexing in irritation. “I understand that you're hurting,” he said firmly. “You still don't have the right to talk to me that way.

I'm well aware you only snap at me like this when you need something but you feel embarrassed, so just tell me. Or I will leave you, and you won't be happy with me when you're done with your cycle.”

Sylus's tone was icy and flat, in a way it hadn't been in a long time.

Kit deflated. She looked down at her lap, the tip of her nose turning pink as she fiddled with her fingers.

“Sorry,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “You're right. I'm being unnecessarily cruel. That's not okay or fair to you.”

He leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “Thank you for apologizing. Now, tell me what you need.”

(from an unreleased fic that I probably won't post bc it's VERY nsfw)

-

Anyway, I genuinely love this pairing because, ironically, it's a very healthy relationship. They communicate, they hold each other responsible, and they help each other out. Despite the fact that they're both very much criminals, lmao.

Kit comes from a place with a lot of trauma, she was born in the Vagrant's Quarter, and she's very much another person who was once a kid desperate to survive despite the odds. Just because she has a healthy relationship with her adopted father and foster sister doesn't mean she's not constantly in the thick of it, and due to lots of backstory reasons, she can't stay away from the N109 zone and the career she was forced to have (not by Sylus).

There's something about abuse and "going back to what you know because it's easier than fighting against it and going it alone", and that's very prevalent in Kit's life.

If I were to do guesswork, I think that Sylus may have been the same when he was younger and more vulnerable. Even the terrifying leader of Onychinus was a child, once.

This is such a solid pairing to me, no wonder I have brainrot about them both.

If you've made it to the end of this rambling, thank you!! I hope you enjoyed all the little snippets and heavy topics. You're wonderful!

[rawliverandgoronspice]

i know many have said this but your totk thought pieces are SO cathartic to read, it puts my grievances into words as i found the story to be all vibes and no substance. i'm really curious to hear your opinion on the yiga in totk, as unlike ganondorf they actually have fleshed out motives. i'm happy with their goofy team rocket portrayal but disappointed with their absence in the plot. at times it felt like they only existed for zonai schematics and depths tutorial advice.

Heyy!! Thank you so much, I am very glad to read this. It's always good to be reminded that there is a use for all this virtual ink despite the growing complaints. At the same time, I know many people who were really disappointed who almost felt like they were going crazy in the never-ending wave of praise, and... Yea. Like the game is enormously good in many ways, but I don't think it's bad to point out that there is massive room for improvement still; that way, the next game can be even better! I'm also not sure why people think it's a lost fight by default, like Nintendo will NEVER improve and NEVER change, even though they clearly listened to the complaints about the lack of immediacy, the weapon durability system, the dungeons... I even think they listened for the story, even though I feel very little love for what they prioritized and how it was done and, to be a little ungenerous and not 100% fair, I think a lot of people conflate narration and setpieces --but it apparently worked for the majority, so?? They did improve. It's only a lost cause if people are not vocal and already call themselves perfectly content with what already exists (which, for people who are, I guess is fine --but I'm not fine with this, so I am Annoying on the Internets). I guess that's how I justify the time spent writing about it? Who knows. Anyway! Thanks!

The Yiga Clan was so fun! Everytime they showed up I was so delighted by their shenanigans and the energy and the life and conflict they bring to the table inherently. I suppose they could have been integrated better (but like, nobody was well integrated in my opinion, and they were pretty low in my list of priority of "good integration" I suppose, since they were tied to the Sheikah and therefore a more relevant presence in BotW anyway), but I also kind of love that they have all of this secret content you only unlock by investing in their presence in Hyrule, which isn't at all that obvious to stumble upon for the unassuming player. The Yigas were one of the high points of the game for me, even though we do lose some of their original motivation (which was never super present in BotW either tbh), and we continue having this problem of no meaningful opposition to Hyrule's supremacy, but. The silliness was a breath of fresh air and Kohga and his onesided courtship of Ganondorf that we keep on rudely interrupting was really Something, and I had a great time making his life worse and also probably saving his life in the long run in a roundabout way Kohga baby no you Can't Fix the Demon King he won't magically become different and special for you no matter how many mechas you build him I'm sorry :((

[thealogie]

all these incendiary polls (destiel should have won but the azcrow W is much bigger since we successfully bullied neil into making the season all about Them and they. did not. i understand them both to their core but azcrow is much more dear to me) and not one rpf tournament happening rn. in the year 2024 when rpf is alive and well. we need a brave soul to put shennant against mescott for maximum damage i think

You’re SO right. Someone needs to get on this in 2024, year of “rpf is fine.” Tbh it’s unfair because you know shennant while more dear to me is guys who are having fun and mescott is guys who are making the internet watch their courtship ritual

(Also I would have agreed destiel should win and even tagged the poll “destiel should win on the destiel website” but now they’ve behaved classlessly and are my enemies ♥️)

[demiboydemon]

WIP Ask Game

Thanks for tagging me @hurricane105! I've done this one before but I have several different WIPs now so l'm happy to do it again! I put them under the cut because there are a lot. Before I cleared out my WIP folder last week, I had over 70! Perhaps I have a problem 🤔

Instructions: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder. Let people send you an ask with the titles that most intrigue them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Tag as many people as you have WIPS.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

- Childhood Yiga! Link AU

- A Hairy Situation

- The Memory of You

- "Are you my Link?"

- Finding Poes

- The Giant White Stallion

- I Could Teach You

- Can You Show Me?

- Built to Last

- Painful Memories

- Professor Zelda's Classroom (and Also Link is There)

- Pregnant!Zelink

- Happiness, Finally

- Healing Hearts and Happy Endings

- Courtship Concerns

- Home Sweet Hylian Home

- "It was never just a job, princess."

- Yiga Clan Truce

- Solstice Fic

- Beedle Sleeps in a Bed for the First Time and Other, Less Important Things

- Married Miphlink Endgame Miphzelink AoC AU

- Holy Fuck!

- Link Makes Vanilla Cinnamon Scented Sushi (California Rolls!) (and it's not bad tbh)

- Miphzelink Getting Caught

- Paya Threesome

- Yiga Roleplay

- A Loyal Knight

- Sweet Dreams

- A Glorious Evening

- Zelda's Adventures in Subbing

- Sex Club Fic

- A Better Reason to Stay Up Late

She Ra and the Princesses of Power

- Of Shifty Lizards and Angry Magicats

- Double Trouble x Prince Peekablue Fic

Voltron Legendary Defender

- 5 Times Keith and Lotor Tried to Have Sex and One Time They Did

- Like Mothmen to a Flame: A Keitor Story

Avatar: the Last Airbender

- It’s Time to Play Every Dad’s Favorite Game… Which of my kids is Zuko dating? 🤔😳

- but i'm a fire and i'll keep your brittle heart warm

- Hadoka & Toph's Matchmaking Shenanigans

- Shared Injuries AU

Sorry, I don’t know any other fic writers to tag 🥲 but this was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it! Thank you 💕

[kuromi-hoemie]

I saw your post about wanting to torture someone with tickles. Hope I'm not stepping over the line to say hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii about it

you're not but i was talking about irl 🫡

also bc i don't really talk about it ig, the secret to whether I'm receptive/flirty/etc with you (generally, not you specifically, this is a turn and talk at the audience moment) is i will leave you little earnest love notes in the tags of your selfies when i reblog them.

don't post face? ❌ not interested

do but i never interact? ❌ not interested

like... a girl just likes to be open about what she's thinking and i love giving compliments just bc and do it all the time both on and offline, so there's def not any expectations w my tags, but they can also be taken as a tiny bow of courtship u can choose to act on or not 🙇🏾‍♀️

i know other ppl are very into anons or just hitting it off with anybody or whatever but i think that like. For Me, the ideal interaction is we both rb each other with some nice tags - showing and reciprocating in a very non-committal/no expectations kinda way, and after seeing that it's mutual then sure go for it 👍🏾

i love sharing audio sometimes and tbh might start moving nudes/lewds back to more private channels bc i forgot How Many People you have to block after posting them lmaoo.

🫵🏾 but i do appreciate tags being left for me and tbh sometimes i miss that accounts that usually post their body also Do share their face and they're very hot and i feel very silly for missing it ಠ⁠ᴥ⁠ಠ ♡⁠ hi oomfies sorry for being late to the party but it's good to be here.

anyways. i like this more subtle/non-committal kind of acknowledgement first, bc if i get asks or DMs i either have to ignore it or tell people I'm not attracted to them which is always really awkward 😶‍🌫️ especially for people I've never even talked to before, or people who take the tiniest bit of very simple acknowledgement and flood my DMs over everything.

which again, compliments are fine, but like.. a Talk To Me mindset bundled with it is imposing u guys 👉🏾👈🏾 just bc someone is cute doesn't mean they have to talk to u, just bc they say thank u to an unsolicited DM doesn't mean they want u to send a dozen more. without even getting a response to any of them too.... 🥸

I'm just kinda here to have fun and i like sharing myself and my thoughts to different degrees but none of it is rly an open invitation or a request. just keep it in the tags pls. tags r what usually pique my interest anyhow!! i like people who got something to say 🙇🏾‍♀️

i want to reemphasize this is a very general message and not at u specifically, there r other asks in my inbox and other persistent ppl who have been blocked over spamming my DMs, and this feels too nuanced and specific to add to my already long and kind of annoyed sounding (bc it is 💀) pinned. so yeah!!!!! i did get a lot of new followers recently so it's a good time for a periodic reminder

[anghraine]

I was just thinking about the fact that the fic of mine that has attracted the most over the top, vitriolic responses over the years is also my most kudos'd fic by a long ways.

It's only over the last few years that it's accumulated most of those kudos—I initially wrote Season of Courtship in 2005/2006, but it didn't start outpacing my other fics until much more recently, and I never found out why it happened. But those vitriolic reviews were from long before that point. (IIRC, my most popular fic when they were posted was the kind of batshit Subsequent Connections, which never attracted the same level of indignation.)

Like. One person said they'd read all the P&P fic/sequel-type things out there, and Season of Courtship was easily the worst. I still don't know why they thought so, since I stopped reading once the reviewer went off about the impossibility of Elizabeth being a woman of color (I hadn't actually written her as one, but this person was very determined to be racist). But I never forgot the part I did read, for sure.

Another person linked to the ff.net version from a ranting community on livejournal. It's relevant that it was the ff.net version because that one had continuity errors that were a pain to fix and I just hadn't bothered, which annoyed the ranter.

Some people have had fits about Season of Courtship's Darcy being blond or fairly inexperienced sexually. Some people didn't like the extremely flawed extended Fitzwilliam family, at least once they became major players in the story. Some people liked the original version of the Fitzwilliams but not the revised one. Et cetera. And while some people were perfectly reasonable about these things, sometimes I'd be on the receiving end of these towering temper tantrums over them. I don't remember all of the occasions tbh, just that it attracted more of that sort of thing than anything else I've written.

I don't know what changed, but it is kind of weird that what to me was a fun but fluffy and harmless engagement interquel fic provoked both the most furious and the most favorable responses I've ever gotten, at different times. I don't really have a takeaway from all this, just ... you never know, I guess.

[crispy-ghee]

I'm kind of uncertain on Winning Time tbh. I always got the impression that it focuses largely on the Lakers dynasty during the Showtime period, and there's some "Succession" type aspects to it regarding the ownership that isn't as interesting to me, to be honest (that caused a lot of drama with some of the actual Lakers and Buss's family). Like the "many other things" part of the equation isn't as much my bag.

Larry's going to be in the second season a lot, apparently, and I'm gonna check it out, sure. Magic's story can't be told without Larry and vice versa, those two have been intertwined since college and will be forever. It's the emotional aspect of their story that is the most interesting part to me though. Not sure how much the show will take the time to explore that, since there's so much more they're touching on. It's the Lakers they're talking about, not specifically just Magic and Bird.

(fun fact, Bo Burnham was actually going to play Larry Bird originally but dropped out due to scheduling issues! Sometimes I think about that alternate universe haha)

Basically if they could just take "A Courtship of Rivals" (the bird/magic documentary) and make that into a movie or something I'd be a happy bean.

[vizthedatum]

I’m not on any dating apps right now and haven’t been for the whole year (except Lex but I got one date from it when I wasn’t expecting to and also wasn’t even active on it except for follow queer community drama tbh).

So if I were to go back on them, what would my profile even say???

Like…

“Hi I’m a queer neurodivergent person which means that when you meet me, you’ll stereotype me as the “manic pixie dream girl” who is plus size with big boobs and completely disregard the following:

- I’m not a girl

- manic pixie dreaminess means I’m autistic so I will guess social cues with varying levels of accuracy, have meltdowns when I am uncomfortable with the uncertainty of things or because of sensory issues, and ultimately be a person you grow to dislike because I won’t be “the person you grew to love”

- I’m trans and gender fluid to be more specific - I can be very “masc” at times and you have to be ok with that if you wanna do things with me

- you’ll like my body initially but will be turned off by how “abled” I look while being disabled. Or maybe you just secretly like bigger bodies while not wanting to be seen in public with them. Maybe you don’t really like saggy boobs unless you can use them as a toy without regarding me as a person. Sometimes you won’t even believe that I’m disabled. Sometimes you’ll be so oblivious to the fact that I’ve gotten this far that when I do have disabling moments (mentally, physically, doesn’t matter), you’ll want to institutionalize me, control me, tell me that I shouldn’t do things alone, tell me that I don’t know how to behave in public, try to make decisions for me without my input, try to take care of me when you don’t even know how to take care of yourself, etc.

- that you just want to have fun and not a real relationship (whether it be serious or casual)

- that you will remove yourself from my life because you don’t think you can match up to my expectations without discussing explicitly what my expectations are

- I will call you out on your problematic behavior and I expect you to do the same for me

- you will see my hypersexuality and pigeonhole me into being used for nothing else… ultimately not caring about what turns me on, what makes me feel good, what would satisfy me

- you won’t value me a whole person because you’re projecting your insecurities onto me

- you will likely not be honest with me and you won’t understand that I need people to be brutally honest and explicit with me (even if it’s bad) BECAUSE I CANNOT READ BETWEEN THE LINES (it’s all guessing and intuition) BECAUSE I AM AUTISTIC

- so you’ll just be upset and you’ll also think I’m not worthy of actual courtship and respect because I’m not behaving the way you want (after all, even if you’re also queer, you grew up in a patriarchal world and aren’t questioning your internalized misogyny, ableism, and homophobia)

Anyway, I like to travel, read books, write, watch TV, go on long walks, swim (!!!), and eat/make food!

Really sapphic but also demisexual. I’m also ACAB but because of a lack of protective resources for autistic feminine people in this country and my own trauma, I have decided that I will call the cops on you if you hurt me (and I have a video camera at my door, and I have a blue belt in kung fu (had to stop because of knee issues but I can high kick you in the face or low kick you in the genitals any day)).

I love to serve but I also love flowers and feeling loved. If I’m burnt out, I can’t serve. I am not your personal calculator, fixer, or sex toy. I will trigger you by telling you what I think about you AND I’m super fun and laidback and just want to cuddle, smoke, and watch shows tbh.

Mwah!

Femboy out.”