#Untitled (Kindness)

[casualist-tendency]

[canisalbus]

This is kind of an odd thing, but your art made me realized that I wasn't aromantic. I've never had a bunch of romantic inclinations and assumed it just wasn't for me, but your art made me realized that it's definitely more complicated than just an across-the-board disinterest in romance!

That's nice to hear, I'm happy for you!

I'm not an expert but to my understanding it's also entirely possible to be aromantic and interested in romantic themes, while rarely experiencing romantic attraction in practice, or something like that. The lines are sort of blurry and I guess in the end it comes down to what labels one feels most comfortable using.

[chizups]

Mina: *talks shit to John's face, but doesn't talk shit behind his back, in fact scolds those who does*

John: *talks shit to Mina's face and behind her back*

Mina with teary eyes: You fucking asshole, I thought we have something special!

[total-drama-brainrot]

This Alenoaheather AU is bringing me an unholy amount of serotonin and I love it- I’m still just now discovering it and I wish I knew about it sooner😭😭 But question if I may!

So, by the time Noah gets eliminated, where would you say his relationship lies with Alejandro and Heather? Like, does he leave the competition like, “You both tried to play each other, but I ended up playing the both of you, L” Like does he just think that Alejandro and Heather only romantically like each other, and he was just their attempt at emotionally manipulating one another, or does he at least have an idea that they potentially may feel romantically towards him? Honestly I’m just curious about how his elimination would play out between the three of them-

I'm glad other people are enjoying this AU as much as I am. Me and Perp are slowly spreading our Alenoaheather propaganda and it's working.

It's been established that Noah's elimination in this AU will take place at some point in the early post-merge game, probably either China or the Serengeti (though Niagara Falls might work too. We haven't exactly touched on how each challenge can/will play out since this whole concept has been put on the backburner), which gives his dynamic with Heather and Alejandro time to blossom from the initial double fake dating ploy into something more genuine.

Well before his elimination, Noah's been caught in his double-crossing ways; or to be more accurate triple-crossing, since Noah initially decided to play along with both Heather and Alejandro's schemes with the intention of throwing them both under the bus (or at least reaping all of the benefits for himself). But, by the time his ploy is figured out, the three of them have developed genuine feelings for each other.

As such, Heather and Alejandro are hesitant to have him eliminated; sure Noah somehow managing to pull the wool over their eyes for as long as he did was infuriating, but it was also impressive. Like recognises like, and the two biggest schemers in the game can appreciate when they've been outplayed, aggravating as it is, especially when the person who bested them essentially used their own trickery against them. Also, though the two of them would never admit it, both Heather and Alejandro know that they'd honestly miss Noah's caustic company.

Of course, at this point in the competition Heather and Alejandro are still deep in their "rivalry" phase, so it takes the two of them a very convoluted and overcomplicated conversation to figure out that they both share the same sentiment concerning a certain cynic- since every encounter they have with each other is practically a game of backhanded compliments and dancing around the true meaning of their words. It takes even longer for them to come to an agreement, given how stubborn the both of them can be, but eventually they manage to co-operate.

Which is what leads to The Confrontation, the point in the story where the two fake dating plots merge into Heather and Alejandro putting aside their differences to rule the game together, utilizing Noah as their shared right hand man since he's shown a knack for strategy and subterfuge. After all, why would they want to get rid of the one person on the jet who's able to go toe-to-toe with them in terms of scheming, when they can instead keep him around as an accomplice?

At least, that's the excuse they both use. But the two of them internally can't deny that, even if it was all pretend, Noah wasn't a bad "boyfriend" by any means, and they genuinely enjoy his company. In turn, Noah's accepted that neither Heather nor Alejandro are as insufferable as he initially assumed, and that playing along with their grand plots is actually really fun. (And maybe he also likes the two of them, but Noah would never admit that.)

But there's a a whole cast's worth of people on the jet who the trio also have to consider in their plans; it would be super suspicious of all three of them if the flirting and Aleheather's animosity suddenly ceased. No matter how oblivious the rest of the competitors are, a sudden public change in their dynamic would be the equivalent of waving a huge red flag and screaming "hey, we're in an alliance, vote us out!" Very counterintuitive to their goal of winning the competition.

So the three of them resolve to act as they have been during challenges, and sneak off to the confessional when it's most convenient/feasible to do so, where they can plot and scheme away from the rest of the cast.

This means that, at least to everyone else in the game, Noah's still in this weird grey area where he's actively flirting with both Heather and Alejandro. Or, well, "flirting", since I imagine most of the advances would be initiated by the other party and Noah would play the part of the blushing damsel- or more accurately the begrudging but highly amused recipient, since I just can't conceptualise snarky, stoic Noah being the type to get flustered easily.

I imagine The Confrontation would happen somewhere around London timeline wise (it just feels like the most appropriate place to have a major shift in the plot happen, for obvious reasons), which would give the initial fake dating aspect of the AU time to run it's course without getting stale, and allow the three of them to establish their dynamic as a trio before the merge hits. It'd give Alenoaheather around five or six episodes worth of time to grow closer as a trio (from Greece's Pieces to Niagara Brawls, at least) and have their feelings grow and develop at a natural pace, to the point where they acknowledge that, perhaps, not all of the romantic tension between them is fake.

And then, of course, the Fake Cheating Arc happens. Noah's elimination is the catalyst for this section of the plot, which Perp and myself touched on pretty heavily in one of our reblog chains, and at this point in the story Alenoaheather are in a sort of vague kind-of-dating situation; the three of them know there's feelings there, but they're all more invested in the competition (and their manipulation of such) than trying to figure out what exactly is going on between them. Plus, World Tour takes place in 2010- concepts like polyamory weren't exactly common knowledge back then, so the three of them wouldn't have any basis of comparison for what their dynamic is/would be.

That, and the three of them are all fairly emotionally closed off, so getting them to admit genuine feelings for each other and show vulnerableness to anyone would be like pulling teeth. As it stands, they're fairly content to continue acting as a Trickster Trio, contented to leave whatever's going on between them unlabelled for the time being in favour of focusing their time and energy on winning the million. There's an unspoken understanding between the three of them; what they have is special, inconceptual and indescribable by mere words... which is mostly just an excuse for the three of them not to breach the subject, since they have the collective emotional intelligence of a spork.

That doesn't mean they don't love each other. Because they do, even if some of them (Heather and Alejandro) aren't exactly familiar with concepts like "unconditional love" and "loyalty/compassion for someone besides yourself" and "lowering your emotional walls and being the most genuine version of yourself in front of the people who care about you". It's a steep learning curve, but they're doing their best.

But that's besides the point; at this point in the plot, the trio are essentially a throuple in all but name at the point of Noah's elimination.

That's why his suggestion of playing off of his "cheating" is initially met with hesitance on Aleheather's part- they don't want the one person on the jet (besides each other) they actually care about to risk his reputation, but they also know that it's a strategically sound idea. There's a conflict of interest between their desire to win the competition by any means necessary, and the budding sense of empathy they've both began to develop as a result of their situationship.

Of course, they eventually agree to his plan, and then the whole Cheating Arc plays out as it's been explored previously.

Which means Noah's actual elimination ceremony is a very tense affair.

He's intentionally playing himself up as kind of a scumbag during it, since he wants both Heather and Alejandro to appear as sympathetic as possible to the remaining competitors, so the three of them stage an altercation during that day's challenge where Noah's caught out in his "cheating", and consequently "admits" that he's been playing the two of them and it's all ingenuine on his part, to direct the majority vote against him. It'd kill two birds with one stone that way; Noah gets himself eliminated without having to do much out of the ordinary, since he's already kind of an asshole so all he really has to do is play up that aspect of himself a little and lie about manipulating his partners, meanwhile Heather and Alejandro can reap the benefits of whatever brownie points they gain from being his "victims" by using their own manipulative prowess to adopt the role of the ex-villains, redeemed by their shared heartbreak. Or something equally melodramatic.

Noah doesn't really care about the specifics of it, he'll be long gone before his partners can start playing up their "betrayal and heartbreak", and then soon enough one of them will win the competition. And spoil him rotten with their money.

So, during the actual ceremony, Noah becomes persona non grata. No one wants to sit anywhere near him on the benches, and the remaining cast members form a protective wall between him and a distraught Heather, who sniffles back quiet tears every time her eyes wander too close to the cynic's slouching, impassive frame, and Alejandro who's sat eerily still and taut with disgraced fury, who's fiery green eyes haven't strayed from the burning glare he's shooting towards the bookworm.

Not that Noah's a stranger to receiving glares; the rest of the cast are also shooting him some downright murderous looks. Though he is impressed by his partners' acting abilities. He's also physically biting back pearls of laughter- the gritting of his teeth only serves to make him look unapologetically indignant, and thus more irredeemable in the eyes of their company- because every time Alejandro knows that no one's focus is on him, he sends his cerebral partner a cheeky wink and a smirk. The smug bastard.

Unsurprisingly, the vote is fairly unanimous. Chris doesn't even bother trying to raise suspense or tension by counting the votes, since the result is inevitable. That, and the atmosphere is already so tense and dramatic, the host is revelling in it. Chris even goes so far as complimenting Noah for outshining Duncan's cheating fiasco, showing the audience "what real relationship drama looks like", and maybe even congratulating Noah on almost being as heartless as he is.

He's escorted to the Drop of Shame, parachute backpack in tow, but before he can take the plunge he glances back at his audience. A raging sea of hostility greets him, but within the depths of animosity two shining beacons of light greet him. Alejandro and Heather shoot him a fleeting wave, the ghosts of smiles flickering across their features before they continue their flawless acts, but it's enough to reassure Noah that everything will be fine.

(Spoiler alert, things don't end up being fine for Noah.)

Of course this is all just an idea I'm spewing out. Nothing in this AU is set in concrete and it's always open to peer review or change. That's the beauty of public AUs; you can do whatever you want with them!

[cartwrong]

For the @ficwip word of the week: clock.

“Go, I have her!” River yelled, but neither the woman nor Louisa moved. Instead they helped him climb down into the tunnel, the girl's tiny hands wrapped tightly around his neck. He passed her off to her mother as soon as he was on level ground and guided the pair away from the train car while turning back to Louisa. “We have to go!”

“There’s not enough time,” she said, something crossing her face that terrified River more than seeing the bomb had. 

She reached back into the train, pulling the bomb closer to them. 

The clock read 0:28.

“Get them out!” Louisa shouted, pushing River towards where the woman stood frozen, her daughter sobbing in her arms while the little girl still had one hand clinging to River’s collar.

“Louisa, no! There's no time!” 

“River, for once in your life just listen to me!” Louisa yelled as she zipped the backpack and took off running.

[i3utterflyeffect]

anyway alan is extremely nervous about untitled being around the CG but is. mildly reassured by the fact that he seems to be chill about it???? i mean. SC seems happy enough so he GUESSES it's fine?

[sailforvalinor]

My fourteen year old brother has entered a phase of life where he refers to characters he likes as “bros.” For example, he’s homeschooled and has been reading “Little Women” for literature, and Laurie has been dubbed a “bro.” When I ask for further explanation as to what he likes about the character, I don’t get any further explanation than “he’s just a bro.”

I’ve been letting him read some of my Harry Potter fix-it AU because he’s fallen down the HP rabbit hole recently, and I mentioned that Harry ends up with Luna in this AU, and he goes:

“Monty should end up with Ginny.”

Me: “Why?”

“Because he’s a bro.”

Me: *facepalm*

[44-moved-44]

(NOT A SHIP DON'T TAG AS SHIP I WILL BLOCK YOU.)

Warning: Extremely short and potentially mediocre writing.

Metal fingers lie bundled in a dense sheet of unkempt yet silky curls.

Idly twitching, the hand drew the id’s head close; a relaxed trill descending from its violet lips.

Lids locked shut and nose anchored deep into its brother's hair, the id’s speaker produced a muted hum and the occasional low crackles as its legs spun around the meeker one’s body.

Arms roughed by firm muscle tucked themselves behind its back, the short id pushed close to what could be the corona of caring star.

Scrawny arms wrapped around a rocky waist; a half-crumpled t-shirt draped over a strong body.

Occasional brief pushing of noses plunged and nuzzled into the other’s head, another in the chest.

Warmth spread and cradled them within the confines of the thick comforter and mangled pillows, quiet breathing filtering through the silence.

The Moon claimed the obsidian sky, stars unblocked by Australian pollution permeating the long night.

It was okay.

They were okay.

And if they weren't, they were in the perfect place not to be okay.

I just wanted to write the brothers cuddling. That's all.

[leporellian]

bullet points on alvaro apaza from my disorganized notes app

[shoutmonishere]

IM GOING TO CRY OVER TWILIGHT LIGHT, SHUT UP

[monstersinthecosmos]

Hiiiii!!!!😁

For your ask game!

I would love to know anything you are willing to share about your number 1, the mael fic!

dfasjkl I'm working on a fic about the year Marius was held captive and like how he copes with the loss of his freedom and confronts his upbringing and the empty space of his mother :)

Since the fic takes place almost entirely inside his room I'm using a lot of memories/dreams to fill the space, his memory being a window to the world he's lost, something he can only think about and not change!

So anyway here's a memory he's having about a time he slipped and busted his chin open:

Sabina leaned back into the water, continued to soak as Junia took the towel, knelt at Marius’s side, inspected the cut on his chin. She pet his hair back and kissed him on the forehead and helped him up, lead him out of the room. And no scolding him for crying. No telling him not to act like a girl. Just the quiet understanding. She held his hand as someone sutured it closed, and rubbed his back as he hiccuped through the comedown. He sat on her lap for a long time afterwards, still sniffling here and there, comforted by the smell of lavender in her hair. His teeth had hurt for days after that, and it took months for the tinge of rust to come out of the grout.  And his headaches in the present are enough to permeate the half-there dreamspace of memory. Splitting his chin open hadn’t caused headaches like this, only just made it hard to eat for a few days. Even at five years of age he’d been afraid to complain about it, anyway, too embarrassed by the way he’d cried, and too shamed that Junia had been right.  But now, in hazy half-sleep, his memory of it is changed. The heat of his bed, cocooned in the furs, blisters around him, and he remembers the warm humid feeling of snuggling up to Junia. In the fog, he mistakes the sweet smell of the straw roof for Junia’s perfume. Even the crackling sound from the fire reminds him of his father’s kitchen, and how Junia had brought him there to find the slave who could do sutures. It was their cook, Leno, who laughed as he sat Marius on the chopping block and said he’d learned to cut meat the hard way. Junia used to make him feel thirsty sometimes. A tidy intellectual piece of him had always know that she’d nursed him as an infant, even though he doesn’t remember it, and if he took too long to ween, no one had ever teased him about it. He imagines it wouldn’t be unheard of, with his real mother dead. He’s always wondered if it takes those types of babies longer. But he knows about it, and he knows that sometimes he found himself staring at her breasts, trying to picture it.  Those crying jags were fewer as he grew up. Less cuddling to comfort him, but she always held him when he needed someone. He remembers sharing the bed with her, with his chin freshly stitched closed, the way it hurt when he moved his head, but he nuzzled into her belly anyway. Smelled her there. Thirsted, as if that was the thing that would really make it better. In the half-sleep he imagines her here, imagines drinking from her. Sugary even though his lips catch the hint of salt from her skin. The blood in his body creeps downward, heating his belly. It aches in his head like he’s stood up too fast, even though he’s still curled in the blankets. He opens his eyes, as the pain throbs around the wound, and he has one of those moments again. In the soft darkness,  the fire gone out but a little bit of afternoon light sneaking in through the slats of the tiny window. It takes him a moment to remember where he is, and the reality sets into place the way the headache does.

[canisalbus]

I had a dream with Machete in it, and while I forgot the details the one thing I remember is that Machete was a huge socialite who was hosting a big party and even in the dream I was like "hold on this doesn't make much sense" so I'm convinced he was plotting something.

.

[marscreature8]

got so excited I had six whole followers on tumblr dot com only to realize that half of them are bots✨

[redmantic]

Untitled

A face in the water

Breathes the current desperately

And cold numbs their skin

To the gravel and debris eating its flesh away.

The sadistic fascination of watching

An ant struggling to fight ruined nest.

Some smile, others turn heel

Deaf to its gurgled desperation.

Higher powers know not the struggle

Of life’s uphill battle.

Those who cannot swim become the spectacle.

[i3utterflyeffect]

Funny idea: the cg learn of the word "dad" from Purple, and then they all decide to start calling untitled and user!Alan that. then Chosen overhears and starts calling untitled that. Untitled does not know how to react.

one correction: he would probably cry once he processes exactly just what happened kdjslgdkgjdg

[succulent-mud]

uhhh what’s your favourite pokémon?

I should go with Sylveon because, being fair, it is my favorite pokemon more than half of the time. I even had a very long discussion with a friend (jockingly and tbh I was messing with them until the blink of insanity) about who would be a better eevevolution. Neighter of us win I think.

BUT, if I get to choose between that and Scorbunny I'm 100% choosing Scorbunny. I leveled that mini destruction ball to 100lv and win the whole tournament with him (of course he was Cinderace but you get the point).

Honestly choosing my favorite pokemon is kinda hard because I somewhat like them all. Without jocking, when I played Pokemon Go I could be straight up 20 minutes looking into the screen because I didn't wanted to transfer any pokemon, felt bad doing it.

Sylveon best pokemon.