#Watch this show if you haven’t I cannot stress how good this is

[bubbledsoap]

jentry chau vs the underworld is an amazing show and insanely peak but my only complaint IS THAT’S A WHITE GUY ?.? WHAT

[arijackz]

PICK A CARD: Your Soul's Signature Scent

✧ “Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.” - Patrick Süskind

Disclaimer: This is a general reading, take what resonates. This is a gender-neutral reading, change any pronouns to apply to you. Also, I'm a rambler and I love going off track. One pile got a mini wattpad story. CHEERS!

p1 → p2 ↙︎ p3 → p4

���︎ Pile One ✴︎ (King of Pentacles, 3oP, Knight of Swords, 9oS, 1, Ascension, Worthy,)

Not to be weird but I’d sniff you like rich frat boy coke.

It's hard to describe scents so… walk with me.

You have had a long, stressful day and the world is pissing you off. You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place so after work, you open Google Maps in hopes of temporary solace with cheap liquor and bar food. You find one of those dingy sports bars with shitty beer, sticky tables, and drunk grown men yelling at a tiny wall-mounted television.

Not exactly your cup of tea, but as the French say… C’est la vie!

You practically had to beat half of the bar off with a stick, just to find a seat. Drunk old guys + A Pretty Pile One = Sloppy, slurred marriage proposals(?) You couldn’t tell, but “I wanna bring you home to my mama” sounds close enough.

You pay them no mind. You have one goal. Get fucked up. Don’t throw up.

Okay, maybe two goals.

You finally find a stool and raise a finger to signal the bartender.  

“Hey, bartender! BAR-”

“I see you. Don’t call to me.” 

A nervous drop in your stomach almost tips you off your stool. You feel them before you see them. Every bottle clink they make reverberates to that pit in your stomach. You only hear the bartender’s movements among a crowd of bustling people: their shoes stick and unstick to the floor, their fake chuckles at guests’ jokes, every time their hand slides across the bar to collect bills.

Maybe it’s delusion but you’re convinced you hear the steady drum of their heartbeat. 

You finally get a good look at the bartender. In a sea of hostile people drowning themselves to forget their sorrows, you see the calmest, most fearless person in the room. Squared shoulders, back straight, head held high, and the smoothest walk you’ve ever seen; they almost glide.

You watch in complete admiration as they de-escalate a fight, sanitize bar taps, count money, and make a drink all in one go. You haven’t spoken more than two full words to this person but something about their presence makes you want to kneel.

The bartender finally makes their way to you and their eyes lock with yours. Your neck begins to sweat so you quickly dart your head away. A deep, velvety chuckle comes from the pits of their stomach, “Don’t show me you're nervous, I usually charge the Bambis more.”

“Bambis?”

“You’re shivering like a scared little deer, aren't you?”

You have no words so you focus on twisting your hands under the tables. 

They find you cute. With another chuckle they lean in closer to you, “I’ll tell you what, how about I make you a drink to calm you a little, yeah?”

“Uhm, I’ll take a-” Before you could even tell them what you want, their back is to you making a concoction.

Forty-five seconds later, a glass of honey bourbon with an orange slice and a vanilla bean stick slides in your direction. Along with a… cigar?

“I doubt you can handle this, but I want to see you sweat.”

Hands shaky, you press the glass to your lips as the bartender guides you, “Take it slow. Let it sit. Savor it.”

You came in here looking for cheap booze and a deep sense of impending regret, but here you are drinking $400 bourbon you can’t afford and hanging off of every syllable this person says to you.

After a slow sip and a burn behind the ears, you ask, “How do you do that?”

They raise their brow.

“Ya know… command like that.”

They whip a towel over their shoulder, “Once you realize how scared and hurt everyone actually is, worthiness feels less unattainable.”

BAHAHAHA THAT ENDING WAS SO CORNY (and kinda ominous??) BUT THIS IS GETTING LONG AND THIS AINT WATTPAD.

In summary, your soul has a very effortlessly commanding signature. Even if you aren’t aware, your energy dominates every space it enters. You might have people who seem to dislike you for no reason, this is why. BUT YES, a sweet bourbon with a hint of citrus and something smoked on the side is 100% your signature. Also… Petrichor. Your soul scent is the sweetened waft of smoked wood beneath grit and the smell of wet Earth after a storm. 

"Can You Taste The Spice On My Lips?"

✴︎ Pile Two ✴︎ (9oP, 10oP, King of Wands, Lust)

✴︎ BAEEEE, don’t fucking play with me. Your soul just told me to take my shoes off in your million-dollar mansion. You told me to stop acting like a fucking hooligan???

There is a richness to you down to your very core. I’m getting Pushya, the most auspicious nakshatra representing wealth, prosperity, and milk (divine nourishment). But there is also a spiciness here.

SPICED CHAI MILK TEA. That is the scent that jumps out to me. The hominess of full-bodied, sweet cinnamon. The spicy warmth of red chai. Maybe even a little nutty, Spanish almond if you’re feeling crazy.

There is also a gradual build-up here. All earth signs, but primarily Taurus. There is this steady, sensual accumulation of your energy. You cannot be rushed, you savor moments and allow yourself to rest in all the sensations you experience in the present. If you don’t do this, your soul is calling you to do this. Slow down. Chew slower, shower longer, and take time out of your morning to listen to the birds sing. 

The leisurely flow of the universe is inviting you to join its dance. You are safe. You are provided for. The universe is your sugar daddy. Your guides want you to know that what you want, wants you; you just need to slow down.

I sense that your energy is aphrodisiacal. Your sacral chakra is one of your dominant chakras (could be healthy or a leak but it is prominent) and when people enter your presence their chakra gets activated too. People get creative and fiery near you. If their sacral chakra is blocked, this may be repressed and they can hold resentment for the free-flowing energy you have which they feel they lack. 

Abundance. Abundance. Abundance. Abundance. That word is used a lot in this community and you may be tired of hearing it but that's too damn bad! You’re very fucking abundant.

If this puzzles you because you look around and don't see whatever you picture as abundance, it's because it's sitting within you waiting for you to actualize it. You have the skills, the intellect, and everything else under the sun needed to grab your dreams by the balls. I cannot stress this enough.

Go outside, journal, continue your affirmations, and remove yourself from anything lying to you and saying you cannot do this. It is a fucking lie. You have everything it takes to do what the world says is impossible. Shut the world’s opinion out and turn inwardly for your answers, because you have them.  

Ambrosia. Liquid gold. It flows through you. You are the gift. The universe’s greatest gift to you is you. You have the ability to spin anything into gold. 

I have some doomscrollers, spirallers, and people-pleasers in this pile. You may struggle with excess anxiety, digestive issues, acid reflux, and ulcers. Outside influences have tricked you into believing you are a pebble when you’re actually a diamond. 

Baby, you have to cut them off. By “them” I mean all negative energies that cause your mind to get stuck in a loop of self-hate. That includes social media, bad habits, fake relationships. Your solitude will heal you. Your peace of mind will heal you. Once you shut up the naysayers, you’ll finally hear the music that has been drowned out in your body and soul.

I know this is a lot but it is worth the effort. Your potential is worth the effort. A healthy state of mind is worth the effort. You are worth the effort. 

Sidenote: The star and temperance came out while I was cleaning up. BABY YOU A STAR IN THE MF MAKING!

"The great merit of gold is precisely that it is scarce”

✴︎ Pile Three ✴︎ (The World, 6oW, 2oW)

🎵Nowadays, I be duckin' them cameras

And they hype that I'm up on them banners

Callin' my phone, but they know I don't answer (why?)

In the hood, I'm like Princess Diana (grrah) 🎵

✴︎ THE PEOPLE 'S PRINCESS (or prince… orrrr the #1 baddest barnacle in the seven seas, whatever fits).

3, “The creative child” and 6, “The Caretaker” came out. 3 is the number of self-expression and creativity. 6 is the most harmonious number centered around nurturing your community. In the world, you’re the center of attention. In the 6 of Wands, you’re the one decked out in Dolce and Gabanna, playing Robin Hood and giving to the people. In the 2 of wands, you quite literally have the world in your palm.

Your soul’s footprint is destined to be seen and recognized. Baby, you are meant to be loved by the world at large. 

Maybe you have aspirations of becoming an artist, actress, or influencer. If you have dreams of being in the public eye, I am telling you your desires are not coincidental. You are meant for these dreams so do not be afraid to actualize them. The stars are expecting you, your home is in the spotlight.

Everyone incarnates on Earth with a role and purpose, you are meant to have a large platform because what you have to say matters and will elevate our collective consciousness. You have the gift of being able to garner great attention. People like to see you, talk to you, see what you’re wearing, know about your life, and everything else in between. People are like moths to a flame with you, you’re an entertainer to your very core.

You have a youthful, creative, and colorful soul. 

I am getting strong floral scents mixed with a crisp, clean linen smell. Gardenia, Ylnag Ylnag, Cherry Blossom, and Honey Suckle. I just know the bees be tearing your nectary ass up.

You know how Ariana Grande’s perfume line is always sold out? It’s kind of like that. “Oh, Pile Three is wearing this perfume? PUT IT IN THE CART. NEOW.”

Strong Venusian energy. Libra, Taurus, Pisces, 2nd house (especially for my singers), 7th house, Bharani, Purva Phalguni and Purvashada.

People find you very attractive. Yes, physically so, but the true embodiment of beauty stems from the soul. And you are utterly gorgeous. I am getting snow white; the animals flock to her, the sky clears for her, the seas part for her, and the forest protects her.

I am not trying to be redundant but this Earth does not play about you😭. That doesn’t mean you haven’t experienced hardship but trust, you will get the love you crave, tenfold. 

I get the sense that love has felt very conditional in your life and once the metaphorical “love pie” was cut and served, you were served last and there was never enough for you.

I am going to hold your hand as I say this,

Feel this pain. Process this pain fully. Cry all your tears, scream your sorrows out in the open, and let the winds carry it away. Let these feelings of being unloved leave your body because there is no space for them anymore. Eternal love is flowing in to fill those empty cavities. You are so loved. I am so sorry the environment around you has blocked this energy but please know that justice will be served and the love you are karmically owed is growing within you and you will be seen in this lifetime.

COME BACK TO THIS WHEN YOU’RE FAMOUS AND DON’T FORGET ME.

You better not go Hollywood on me 🫵

The Cosmos' Countess

✴︎ Pile Four ✴︎ (The Hanged Man, Knight of Wands, 5 of Swords)

✴︎ Random, but have you heard stories of those cool warrior monks? Who devotes themselves to their practice but when it’s time for battle they whoop ass?? That’s so you, boo.

You’re all peace, love, and light but you don’t fucking play about protecting your peace of mind. I sense that you live an alternative lifestyle. With the hanged man, you see life differently from the average person, and don’t waste your time with the world’s bullshit. 

You’re not on Twitter arguing about Drake’s tummy tuck (BAHAHA I HAD TO), you know shit like this doesn’t add to your life in any way. You focus your energy on activities and discussions that add to your self-evolution. You have made lots of sacrifices in life to progress forward and the universe sees your hard work and is proud of you. Hell, even I’m proud of you. 

You and the Universe like this 🤞. Here’s an affirmation that already rings true but is good to practice anyway, “I surrender to the natural flow of all existence.”

A lot of you study esoteric divinity practices. Tarot, scrying, rune-casting, psychometry, etc. We also have some healers. This may ruffle some feathers. Maybe your family or friend circle doesn’t understand your interests and may push against it but quite frankly… you don’t give a fuck. 

As you shouldn’t.

Your self-resolutions are impressive. You may feel nervous at times but your faith in yourself makes you fearless. You’ve done your studying. You’ve done your healing. You're ready to take the world by storm, and nothing is knocking you off your horse. You are the first to ride into battle and will be the last standing. I don’t know if you’re aware but you thrive in conflict, your soul spirit is akin to Martian energy and loves a good fight, to be honest. 

Your power is in your belief that everything will work out in your favor. “I have the power of God and anime on my side.” 

If you’re not quite at this level yet and you don’t see yourself as this peaceful warrior, you got the “soothe”, “present”, and “friendship” cards. It’s your nerves, baby. It has nothing to do with you as a person. You are smart enough. You are capable. You have everything you need to ride into this new life. 

The entire collective is being asked to slow down. The hustle in society right now does not allow our nervous systems to regulate themselves so everyone is miserable and drained. Remove yourself from this hustle and ground yourself in the present. You have to soothe yourself and lower your cortisol levels. Baby yourself, you deserve it.

Look up techniques to regulate your parasympathetic nervous on YouTube.

Anyway, your soul caught me off guard, you're that sexy mf fr. Ummm back to scent..

YES, okay so please don’t take this the wrong way because I am obsessed with what I'm getting. Hear me out, I used to take kickboxing classes for a few years and that particular gym’s scent was my favorite fucking scent. 

It sounds weird but it smelled like pent-up stress relief: sweat, blood, and Clorox. 

Of course, I’m not saying you smell like this, but this is how I perceive the scent your soul carries.

Your soul’s scent is victory. Particularly, through a bloody means. Your soul understands the purification in blood. Extremely Martian. You’re chill but you’re really fucking intense dude. I like you.

Oooo and also, hang out with friends!! Genuine contact can help relax your body.

Mmmkaye bye!

The Blood You Spill Is The Blood of Kings

[its-time-to-write]

three times ‘cause i’ve waited my whole life

I am apparently incapable of writing anything short. This has no plot. I think the only warnings are like swearing and innuendo. It is literally just Jamie and the reader being in love. I cannot stress enough how little plot this has. Enjoy.

three times ‘cause I’ve waited my whole life It’s one of Richmond’s biggest games. They’re facing Man City on their turf, an away game, and it’s a big deal.

It’s not important in that it really matters to their status in the premier league, but important because it’s Man City. Jamie has thrown himself completely into training, so you rarely see him except to eat dinner and then fall asleep, his arms around your waist as you watch tv, fingers combing through his hair. He’s awake before you are, but as soon as you hear him switch on the bathroom light, you make your way downstairs to make him breakfast. The team nutritionist had a strict diet for him, one modified by Roy to account for all the extra training. You rub sleep from your eyes as you brew a pot of tea, waiting for Jamie to come downstairs.

Arms snake around you as you wait at the stove for the tea.“You don’t have to do this,” Jamie says, kissing your neck. You smile and reach back to him.

“I know,” you reply, “It’s just the only time I really get to see you.”

Jamie pulls away and turns you around. You see that he’s frowning.

“I haven’t been a good boyfriend recently, have I?” he asks.

You smile, lacing your arms around his neck. “Jamie. This is just a part of life. You have a big game, you disappear for a while, I miss you and I adjust. You finish, win or lose, and we’re back. I knew what I was signing up for.”

He puts his hands on your wrists. “Yeah, but, like, we’re supposed to be talking to each other and shit. And I’m so tired all the time that I can’t think of anything to say. I also’ve been a shit listener. Can’t even remember what we talked about yesterday.”

You sigh, move his hands back to your waist, and then reach up to smooth the furrow in his brow.

“Remember when I had all that extra work last month and ended up working 60 hours a week because of everything that had to be done? I was up late every night, and all you did was bring me food and kiss me, then you left me alone. I think the longest we were together was when you let me sit with my legs on your lap for two hours. I didn’t hear you complaining.”

“Yeah but-”

You cut him off: “Jamie. It’s just life right now. It’s not forever. It’s ok.”

He looks like he has more to say, but is interrupted by the kettle whistling. You give him a quick kiss and then point to his breakfast on the counter. You sit on the kitchen island while he eats, with your head on his shoulder until Roy comes.

—

Here’s the thing; no one knows you and Jamie are together. Sure, Roy knows. But Jamie loves Roy. Keeley knows. But Jamie said you’d love Keeley. (You did). Ted and Beard know, but only because they saw you two walking around the Richmond green late, late at night. (What they were doing on the Richmond green that late is beyond you, but hey). It wasn’t long after that that Jamie put a picture of you two up in his locker, so then all of AFC Richmond knew. But you weren’t public public. You had yet to show up in a tabloid or be seen with Jamie at a game or public event. You went to his games, absolutely, but you stayed in the stands, not the box.

He always got you a spot as close to the field as possible, but you would always meet up with Keeley and Rebecca after games to rendezvous somewhere else later. 

You don’t mind. It doesn’t feel like Jamie is ashamed of you, especially because the people he cares about know. But you also know that you can handle it, and if he wants to go public and kiss you in the stands after a win, you would be ok with that. (You might be more than ok with that).

But as it is, no one knows about you. He knows where you stand on it, so the ball’s in his court. It’s been a year of this, but you just wonder how long it’s going to last.

—

Finally, finally it’s the week of the game. You had been staying in Manchester with Jamie’s mum, which was absolutely terrifying at first. It was not your first time meeting her, just your first time staying with her without Jamie present. You left a day before the team, so when they arrived Jamie sneaked away to come visit. You are sitting in comfortable silence on his mum’s porch looking up at the night sky, when he turns to you and says, “do you love me?”

You’re taken a little aback. “What kind of question is that?” you say. “Of course I love you.”

Jamie’s forehead is all scrunched up again, like it was that early morning. “What if I fucked my leg so badly I could never play football again?”

You laugh. “Not sure if you’ve noticed babe, but I’m not really a big football person. I’m more of a you person, so I guess there’s some overlap.”

Jamie is still weirdly nervous. “What if I play football till I’m forty, and you barely see me like it’s been? What if I’m always on the road and always training and all we get are dinners and shitty 3am breakfasts?”

He’s removed his arm from your shoulders at this point and you shiver, puffing out a breath into the cold air. He notices without saying a word and drapes his jacket around you.

“Jamie,” you reply slowly, trying to formulate your thoughts, “where is this all coming from? You know I love you. We’ve been together for a year, and this has never been an issue before.” As you’re speaking, you’re seized by a sudden, terrible thought: “Are you breaking up with me?”

The words tumble out so fast, you’re not sure he hears you until he’s looking at you, aghast. 

“No, are you breaking up with me?”

“No!” you reply. “But you’re acting all weird, and we’ve been together for an entire year and that’s the longest you’ve dated anyone and I just thought that maybe this was your way of letting me know gently that you’re over me.”

Your heart feels like it’s beating out of your chest.

Jamie breathes out a sigh of relief. “Oh. No. I’m not ending things. I want to be with you forever. I just get all freaked out in me head before games like this, and it’s been fuckin weird coming home, and I just want to win, you know, so that way all this time away is worth it.” He pulls you close to him again and you can feel his heartbeat slowing down to a normal pace, in sync with your own. 

You sit there till his mum comes out to remind him that it’s time to go get some rest, and it’s not until you’re half asleep in Jamie’s childhood bed that your mind replays his words:

I want to be with you forever.

—

It’s game day. You send Jamie a quick love you! text and then slip into your Jamie Tartt jersey. It’s from one of his old kits so it’s a little worn, but you always put it into his laundry pile so it comes out of the wash smelling like him. It’s not something anyone would notice, but you know, and it makes you smile. You get to be in the stands and know that Jamie Tartt loves you and you love him, and at the end of the day he’s the one you get to hold. You give yourself a shake, and open your phone to figure out where you’re meeting Keeley.

—

“And Richmond wins, 3-2 with a smashing goal by number 9 himself, Jamie Tartt!”

You’re screaming and jumping in the stands, overwhelmed by the fact that we won, we won, we won! The Richmond team are piling onto each other, Dani on Isaac’s back, Sam and Jan Maas jumping up and down like kids. You lose sight of Jamie in the mix.

“Well Arlo, it looks like Richmond has once again, exceeded all of our low expectations.”

“That’s right Chris, all thanks to Jamie Tartt’s brilliant goal. Looks like he’s having a good time celebrating with the Richmond lads. Wonder what they’ll get up to tonight? But what’s this? It looks like Tartt has broken away from his teammates and is running to the stands! He’s stopped in front of a fan and it looks like he is kissing a very lucky Richmond fan full on the mouth!”

“Have you ever been so caught up in a moment that you’ve made out with a stranger, Arlo?”

“Can’t say that I have, Chris. Can’t say that I have.”

It all happens so fast, that you don’t even know how to process it. One moment you can’t find Jamie and the next he is leaping over the stands, catching you in his arms, and kissing you in front of the whole stadium as if no one else is around. When you finally pull away, breathless, he takes your hand and helps you hop over the wall onto the pitch. Not usually allowed, but you suppose they’ll let it slide for football’s golden boy. AFC Richmond has caught up to Jamie, and you’re all on the field, screaming your heads off out of the sheer joy of winning.

—

“You’re coming tonight, yeah?” Isaac asks you as you wait for Jamie by the team bus. It’s the day after the Man City game, and you’re back in Richmond with a plan to hit the town yet again, as though the night before wasn’t enough for them. (You actually wouldn’t know, because you were in a very nice hotel room with a certain striker).

“Yeah, you know the only reason we invited him anywhere is in the hopes that you’ll finally be able come along,” Colin adds.

Any story of Richmond’s win had a somewhat fuzzy picture attached of Jamie kissing you in the stands with some variation of the title “Tartt’s mystery girl.”

You laugh. “Yes, we’ll be there. It’ll be nice to actually be out and about with you guys. Family dinners are fun, but there’s more to life.”

Once you found out that Jamie’s whole team knew you existed, you made him invite them over for dinner once a month. It’s one of your favorite things, especially because they all bring food to share. When it’s warm you do pool parties and when it’s cold you play bracket uno. It was nice to meet Jamie’s family, whether he’ll admit that’s what they are or not.

“You ready, babe?” Jamie asks as he slings his arm around you.

“BYE TED!” you yell. “Ok. Now I’m ready.”

— 

Sam closed his restaurant special for you all, and turned it into like a private club. You say like because it is, at its core, a restaurant. However, under Isaac’s supervision and creative design, he apparently has transformed Ola’s through rearranged furniture, dimmed lighting, and music into a place where AFC Richmond can celebrate their win without feeling crowded by strangers. You’re secretly grateful, because clubs are not really your scene. You’ll get all dressed up, sure, but you never know what to do with yourself once you’re there. 

Speaking of getting dressed up, you were feeling yourself. You had a light blue mini dress, with an asymmetrical neckline and a single puffed sleeve. It was more a-line than bodycon, but hey. You like a little bit of a twirl when you spin. Your absolute favorite part though was that you were wearing two-inch silver block heels, with straps around your ankles. The dress plus the shoes made your legs look magical. 

You and Jamie are in the bathroom getting ready, you fixing your makeup and him fixing his hair. He half-turns to you and points to his hair with a questioning look. “Lookin’ good,” you smile, and he smiles back.

“Oh, babe,” he says, tweaking his hair one final time, “I left my sunglasses back at the locker room, and I was wonderin’ if you’d be ok getting them with me before we head to the party? I just don’t want Bumbercatch stealing them.”

“Why would Bumbercatch steal them?” you ask.

Jamie shrugs. “Something about ‘no name, fair game.’ That’s how Jan Maas lost his favorite socks.” 

You shudder. Why Bumbercatch would want Jan Maas’ dirty old socks, you have no idea. They must be really amazing.

You reply, “Yeah sure, I hate being too early to things anyway,” as Jamie absentmindedly kisses you on the forehead with a “thanks babe,” as he heads downstairs.

—

You don’t live far from the Richmond pitch, so you’re walking across the dark parking lot in no time.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Jamie says.

He’s swinging your hands as you walk. He looks nice, the sleeves of his cream shirt rolled up. Nice pants, nice shoes. Nice ass. 

“Yeah, of course,” you say, momentarily distracted by the fact that this man is going to get laid tonight. 

“No, I mean you’re always down for what-fuckin-ever, and you just let things bounce off you. And you like me, for my personality for some fucking reason? And I think about you all the time, when I’m gone or when, like, I have early training with Roy. And you make laugh because you stopped being afraid to be yourself around me. I just like you. And I meant what I said the other day, I do want to be with you forever. Not to freak you out or whatever.”

He’s stopped right at the doors and he looks so uncomfortable and earnest in a way that you’ve never seen before.

“I’m not freaked out, Jaim,” you say. “I love you, and you know I’m in it to win it with you. Now, let’s get those sunglasses and for the love of god, please don’t act this weird tonight.”

This elicits a chuckle, and he nods in concession. “Alright. Let’s go.”

The halls are dark and quiet as you walk to the Richmond locker room. It smells clean, for once. Like lavender. There’s a faint glow coming from the doors and Jamie pushes open the doors to the most magical thing you have ever seen.

There are candles on the benches and twinkle lights strung across the lockers. There’s a bouquet of flowers in the middle of the room and as you turn to Jamie, awestuck look on your face, you see him kneeling behind you, small black box in hand.

“Jamie,” you say.

“Yes, love,” he replies.

“What are you doing.” It’s a statement, not a question, and it comes out more wobbly than you’d care to admit.

He cracks a smile. “Eh, I hope it’s pretty obvious what I’m doing.”

You can feel a fucking tear forming in your eye and you will it to go away. You refuse to have streaky foundation.

“Love of my life,” Jamie begins.

“Yes,” you say.

“Oi, you’ve gotta let me finish.”

“Right, sorry, as you were.” You think your face is going to split in half with the size of your smile.

He takes a breath then continues, “there’s no one else I’d rather have shitty 3am breakfasts with, no one else I’d rather beat at MarioKart, and no one else I’d rather do life with. Will you m-”

He’s cut of by you kissing him like you have never kissed him before. After a moment, he pulls away and asks, “Is that a yes?”

You can’t help it, the furrow in his brow gets you every time so you laugh and reply, “Of course it’s a yes, you dummy!”

Jamie smiles and then yells, “Lads, she said yes!” and the blinds go up from the coaches office as the entire AFC Richmond team storms into the locker room. Dani and Richard are spraying champagne in the air as people hug you and slap Jamie on the back. 

You find his hand amid the chaos and squeeze it. 

“Can’t believe I were so nervous about this,” he says into your ear.

“Can’t believe you think you beat me at MarioKart,” you respond.

“Oi, we are not getting into this again-”

“There’s only one way to settle this.”

Jamie looks at you, then to all your friends celebrating, then back to you. “Think they’ll even notice we’re gone?”

You shake my head. “Nah,” you say, “let’s get out of here.”

Jamie smiles at me as you slip through six different lynx scents out the door. “You’re going down, Mrs. Tartt.”

“Only one of us is going down tonight, Mr. Tartt, and I can assure you it is not me!”

“You can say that again.” Jamie sticks out his tongue and wiggles his eyebrows at you, and your laughter echoes up into the night sky.

[us3rnam3-r3dact3d]

Inspired by the latest Reductive Audio:

Lil useless facts about my fav boys/listeners. No hate if I didn’t include your fave, I was making my list off memory and am just now realizing I missed like… three entirely series worth of people.

Vincent

He prefers silver jewelry over gold, but doesn’t care if styles are meant for men or women. He likes what he likes and will wear it. He’s a particular fan of dainty necklaces and women’s wrist watches, but likes men’s rings better.

Sam

He smoked when he was human. Lucky Stripes, since they’re cheap. It was a bad habit he picked up when he was eight or so to cope with his home life. He lost the ability to be chemically addicted to nicotine when he was turned, but he still itches for a cigarette when he’s particularly stressed.

Alexis

She’s very jealous of Will’s attention. She gets twitchy when he’s paying attention to anybody else for too long. This results in spikes of her reckless and bad behavior. It started when Vincent was turned, then when he took in Porter, then when she turned Sam. The most recent was after the Inversion.

William

He cannot paint or draw to save his life. He’s followed five or six Bob Ross paintings, but they never turn out right. He can draw stick figures, but that’s about it. His penmanship is beautiful, though.

Porter

Will made him testify against his maker since Porter’s treatment was particularly brutal amongst Felix’s progeny. Porter didn’t want to, but he recounted every moment of Felix’s torture while being stared down by the man himself in front of the whole council. It was so damming that Felix invoked him to stop. That’s the moment that Porter still has nightmares about.

Lovely

Lovely is incredibly anxious around their human friends. They’re scared that they’ll lose control and hurt someone, even though they’re very well fed and haven’t shown any lack of control in the past. This results in a few months after the inversion that Freelancer thought they were dead, since they showed up on the casualty list.

Treasure

Their older brother is a humanborn freelancer. He’s an enforcer for the Department. They think that fits him well, since he was always sort of a bully growing up. Treasure themself is an investigative journalist who writes for an empowered newspaper. They were trying to get a table at the Monarchal Summit even before they met Porter, but that didn’t pan out.

Freddy

He played french horn in high school. He was pretty good, and was drum major in marching band his senior year. He threw up before every game because he was so nervous.

Bright Eyes

Singer/song writer. Y’all ever listened to the Mountain Goats??? That’s their shit. Slow moving acoustic guitar, songs about the most disturbing and distressing emotions humans are capable of surviving recorded on cassette. Singing at dead coffee shop open mics in the wee hours of the morning. Their voice is raspy and rough, but the texture just draws you into their even timber and perfect pitch. They’re a minor celebrity in Dahlia’s sad boy live music scene.

David

His hips and back hurt So Much all of the time. He figures out that it’s because he’s incredibly strong but not flexible in the slightest. An imbalance in those two factors can lead to a lot of pain. He starts doing yoga after the Inversion when it got really bad and it’s helped a ton. Plus, Angel does it with him, and he likes watching them bend into all of those poses in their tiny, skin tight shorts.

Asher

He keeps track of how much David weighs and makes sure he can comfortably lift and carry that much weight at the drop of a hat. At the end of every work out, he deadlifts David’s weight to make sure he can do it when already spent. He should have been carrying David after the Inversion, but he didn’t have the strength to do it even when not fucked up. He won’t let that happen again.

Milo

He needs reading glasses but refuses to wear them. He tried contacts but he can’t stand to put anything in his eye. So he just squints and struggles through. His phone’s text is blown up like a grandpa’s. David is so bothered that Milo won’t just… get glasses. He keeps passive aggressively offering to add Milo to their vision insurance plan.

Christian

He had a little crush on Asher in middle school that translated to teasing the shit out of him. Which, Asher being Asher, put him off and hurt his feelings. He’s well moved on but sometimes, when the sun catches Ash just right or he smiles that stupid, toothy smile, Christian mourns his own stupidity.

Arden

Desperately protective of Christian, especially after the Inversion. The first time Ash makes a light-hearted joke about Christian’s limp, Arden put his ass on the ground, despite Christian laughing at it.

Gabe

He drove a white Chevy Cameo with a red interior for most of his life. It was lovingly maintained, and since it’s such a rare model, he did all of the maintenance himself. After the crash, the truck was totaled. David still spent a few years trying to put it back together. He called it quits when he was working on the interior and found dried blood under the leather of the seats.

Angel

They have a small stuffed lamb that they’ve had since they were a baby. It’s beaten up, falling apart, and no longer the stark white it started out as. Lambie is kept in their bottom bedside drawer. They only pull him out when they can’t sleep. They were worried David would think it was weird, but he actually finds this more endearing than he can put into words.

Babe

They didn’t start talking until they were three. Their parents thought that they were nonverbal, and had started teaching them ASL as an alternative. Then one day at the breakfast table, they opened their mouth and started spouting full sentences. They taught Asher ASL and the two of them use it when they want a private moment in public/when Ash is overstimulated. (Side note; David also knows ASL, he took courses in high school. Very useful, he loves it. He does not love it when watching them flirt nastily in front of him.)

Sweetheart

They’ve had anxiety since they were a very young child, and it’s always been an internally-sourced thing rather than externally motivated. They recall the first time they ever got in trouble at school (first grade, for pushing a boy who had been tugging on their hair all through recess). They remember the first time they got a B (fifth grade, on a math test they studied for for hours). Their parents had high expectations, but Sweetheart was having panic attacks from the age of three. Definitely something ~chemical~ going on there.

Darlin

They feel pack bonds incredibly strongly. Their body reacts physically when someone in the pack is threatened or hurt, without them even having to think. They shiver when Sam calls them ‘mate.’ When David says something in his lovingly dubbed ‘alpha voice,’ they can’t help but listen. They knew Gabe was dead before they got the call. They thought Ash was dead during the Inversion because they felt David’s dread through the bond so strongly.

Avior

He’s unnerved by human’s tactile nature. Being in a body is strange for him, and he prefers Aria to Elegy (at least before meeting Starlight), so touch is an extreme sensation for him. Humans touch so much. He’s not opposed to it when it’s someone he knows, but handshakes are the bane of his existence.

Starlight

Halloween is their favorite holiday. They start decorating for it in August. They plan elaborate, complex costumes and parties. They desperately want to move into a house so that they can set up scary decorations and shit in their yard and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. Avid lover of the Spirit Halloween animatronics. They go to Halloween Horror Nights every year.

Camelopardalis

He’s trained himself to use the human terms for things (ex: terra or earth instead of elegy) since some in the Department don’t like it when daemons use their terms. It means that he gets weird looks from other daemons when he talks to them. It’s an alienating feeling for sure.

Vega

He’s never tried human food. He never saw the appeal. What he doesn’t know is that he would absolutely Love dark chocolate if he tried it. He likely will never know.

Warden

Avid reader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics. Just the comics, though. They don’t have an apartment in Elegy, but they do have a small storage unit where they keep their comics. They coalesced a few years before the comics starting their run, and for some reason, they just fell in love. Vega thinks this is silly and that they should be embarrassed, but they refuse to be.

Hush

He loves Popeye’s fried chicken sandwiches. Doc fed him one once and it blew his fucking mind. He won’t make them with magic, either, he insists that they don’t taste the same. Doc has started just getting gift cards for him to keep so he can get one whenever and doesn’t have to wait for them to give him money. He’s ravenous for those things.

Doc

They’re actually a warder, not a healer. Hush’s presence has encouraged them to refresh their healing knowledge, however. Even if he himself is difficult to hurt, he sort of invites chaos.

Morgan

He uses his foresight to see what the owner of his favorite little bodega down the street is going to have for breakfast every morning. It’s his little morning ritual and practice for his magic. He feels weird all day if he doesn’t do it.

Seer listener

Their sight is more potent and more clear than Morgan’s. They can give stark details, see full landscapes, and turn 360 deg in their vision and see the whole space. They also can hear what’s happening consistently, something that goes in and out for Morgan. He figures that they’re just more powerful than he is, something that makes them just the slightest bit uncomfortable.

Damien

Gets incredibly stressed on election days, whether for local, state, or national elections. He forces everyone he knows to vote, volunteers to shuttle people without cars, and has at times volunteered to be a poll worker. But elections make him anxious. He cares so much about the results. Huxley has recently instated a post 9pm ban on watching the news on election nights so that Dames will actually sleep and not stay up all night stressing.

Huxley

Does not eat beef. Not for religious reasons, but because of the impact of beef consumption on the environment. He’s about one step away from a full vegetarian, he just likes chicken and is concerned for his protein and vitamin intake. This is difficult for Damien, who loves nothing quite so much as a rare steak.

Lasko

He was forced to take piano lessons as a child. He hated it, but took them up to the point he left home. He’s still very good, and did get peer pressured into showing off at a random guitar center once while out with the D.A.M.N. crew. He nearly died of embarrassment.

Gavin

He has a collection of very pretty rosaries that he uses as jewelry. He is not religious, and if asked, cannot describe what a Catholic is to you. He likes to wear them around his neck, dipping over his body since his shirts always cut down to his navel. It makes people gasp and blush, which is his favorite effect to have on somebody. His fav one has beads made of mother of pearl and a little, golden crucifix on the end.

Freelancer

They love cheap Chinese buffets. They claim that, the lower the health rating, the better the taste. Their desire for krab rangoons is strong enough to pull them from the comfort of their home at 2 in the morning if the fancy strikes. Damien in particular is horrified by this, and keeps offering to cook them some actual Chinese food.

Dear (Lasko’s listener)

An all star volleyball player in high school and college. They were a setter, and took their team to nationals all four years of high school. They are on the starting line up all through college. When it gets brought up in their trip that Damien plays casually, they said they did too. And then absolutely creamed him.

[gladdygirl18]

Cheer Up, Sis!

Happy Holidays, everyone! Surprise @ficsandgiggles! I was your Secret Santa for SquealingSanta2024! I cannot tell you how happy I was when I got you; gave me a chance to write a Marvel/Avengers fic again after so long! I know we barely interact, but I do hope you love this fic as much as I did writing it!

This fic contains zero spoilers for any show or movie, so happy reading!

Theme for this fic: Classic cheer up tickles

Summary: Yelena feels like an outcast after being disconnected from reality and society all those years, and it's hard connecting to the rest of the Avengers, but never fear! Big sister Natasha is here to cheer up a pouty and upset little sister!

Word Count: 1800

⚠️Warning⚠️: mild swearing

How long has Yelena been trapped within the Red Room? How long has she been under the influence and control of that sick bastard General Dreykov? Far too long. All those years of mindless killing was dreadful; Yelena hated it. She felt like she was watching the world through someone else’s eyes, trapped within her own body, unable to stop herself. She hates herself for being so weak that she couldn’t resist the mind control of the Red Room. Yelena thought there was no way out of this hell. She needed a miracle; she needed a sign; she needed her sister.

As if her prayers were answered, Natasha came to Yelena’s rescue. After taking down the Red Room for good, the sisters, along with the other Red Room-controlled operatives, lived out the rest of their lives, finally free from the anguish, torment, and bloodshed. Natasha took Yelena to Avengers HQ to get her situated. The Avengers welcomed the younger Black Widow with open arms, knowing her from the stories Natasha would tell. They would talk about how much Natasha missed her, longed to see, and hold her again, and most importantly, how much she loved her. Hearing all this made Yelena hopeful for the future, that things could get better; that things could change. Oh, how wrong she was.

It’s been a few months since Yelena came to stay at the facility, and while she was well-adjusted to her new surroundings, she still felt distant from everything, and everyone. Whenever there were game nights or movie nights, she felt so disconnected. Being disconnected from reality and not having control over her mind for years upon years did her in; the lingering effects of Dreykov. She may be free but at what cost. Her childhood was practically snatched away from her and was forced to fight and kill, but not out of her own volition. Even now, she feels like she’s watching the world through someone else’s eyes and feels awful that she can’t connect with the other Avengers like she hoped she would.

It was Christmas Eve, and some of the Avengers—Peter and his friends included—were playing in the snow. Inside, Tony, Thor, Bucky, and Stephen were hanging Christmas decorations around the facility, getting ready for their annual Christmas party. The Avengers have a tradition of doing Secret Santa every year and everyone would exchange one gift when the clock strikes 12. Natasha encouraged her sister to join, but she respectfully declined. Now, Yelena was in her room, laying on her bed, watching the snow fall from her window. It reminded her of home; she felt like she was in a mini snow globe.

“Hey, have any of you guys seen Yelena anywhere?” Natasha asked.

“I haven’t, no,” Bucky said, “We’ve been hanging decorations all morning.”

The Black Widow sighed and turned her head away with concern contorted on her face.

“It’s snowing outside and…” Natasha began, “We used to play in the snow all the time back home. I just thought she’d want to go outside and play with me and some of the others… She’s just been so closed-off from everything lately… and everyone.”

Tony walked up to Natasha and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“Don’t stress over this, Nat,” Tony said, “She’ll come around when she’s ready.”

Natasha sighed and nodded before walking out of the living room. As Natasha’s walking to her room, she notices her sister’s door cracked open a bit. The Black Widow took a deep breath before lightly knocking on the door. Yelena’s head perked up to the sound before settling her head back on the pillows.

“Who is it?” Yelena asked.

“It’s Nat,” Natasha said, “Can I come in?”

Yelena sighed before humming her response. Natasha walked into the room and quietly shut the door, the room cloaked in a cozy darkness, the light from the afternoon sun illuminating the room. The Black Widow sat next to her sister and glanced at her. The younger woman wore a tired expression; many would assume that’s her “resting bitch face,” but no.

“Are you okay?” Natasha asked.

Yelena opened her mouth to speak but sighed and responded with a slow nod.

“Use your words, младшая сестра.” Natasha said softly yet sternly.

“I’m fine, okay?” Yelena retorted, a hint of malice in her words.

Natasha pulled back in shock as her shoulders slumped. The Black Widow stared out the window to see the snow softly fall, smiling to herself as she saw her and Yelena playing and rolling around in the snow. She was brought back to reality when she heard soft sniffling. Natasha glanced down at her sister and noticed small tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Yelena, what’s wrong?” Natasha asked, quickly sitting up her sister and hugging her.

When Yelena felt the warmth of her sister’s embrace, she pressed her face into her shoulder and sobbed softly. The Black Widow frowned as she held her sister close, slowing rocking her to calm her down.

“Am I… broken…?” Yelena asked suddenly.

“What? What, no,” Natasha answered quickly, “Why would ever think that?”

“Ever since you pulled me out of that God forsaken Red Room and brought me here… I haven’t been the same… I feel so out of place from everything, like I don’t belong in society anymore.”

Natasha felt her heart ache listening to her sister’s words. Dreykov’s influence really did a number on her, considering how long she was under his control.

“I want to be part of these little activities you and the other Avengers do, but I am so afraid of… fucking it up,” Yelena said sorrowfully, “I feel so… disconnected, from reality, society… and myself. It feels like I’m watching the world through someone else’s eyes and it’s scary…”

The Black Widow hugged her sister tight, trying to suppress her own tears.

“Yelena, I can assure you that you are everything but broken,” Natasha said, pulling away to see her sister’s face, “You are a smart, strong, and confident woman. Always have been, always will be.”

Yelena averted her sister’s gaze as she glanced down at the bed sheets. Natasha wanted to cheer up her sister, to remind her that she’s not broken. As Natasha scanned through her childhood memories, there was one thing the Black Widow remembered about her sister that would get her smiling every time. As Natasha repositioned her hands around her sister, she pounced, skittering her fingers all over Yelena’s sides. The younger woman yelped before giggling uncontrollably.

“Nahahahat! W-Whahahahat are yohohou doihihihing?!” Yelena asked through her giggles.

“Still as ticklish as ever, I see,” Natasha said, “But to answer your question, I’m cheering you up!”

The younger woman giggled as she tried to twist out of her sister’s grasp, but it was pointless; being a Black Widow, she knew how to handle people who squirmed around a lot.

“Natashahahahaha, plehehehease!” Yelena giggled, “No mohohohore!”

“Not until all of your poutiness is tickled away!” Natasha giggled.

The younger woman’s shoulders bounced as she giggled, trying to get out of her sister’s gentle yet firm grip.

“Ah, this brings back memories,” Natasha said, “I remember so vividly when you started to squirm around like this, I would grab your wrists…”

Natasha briefly stopped the tickling to grab her sister’s wrists with one hand.

“Pin you to the bed,” she continued, doing just that, “Straddle your waist.”

Keeping Yelena’s hands pinned above her head, Natasha straddled her sister, taking in the other’s attempt to escape.

“And once I have you right where I want you…” Natasha began, leaning in, “I… tickle you silly!”

She then started scribbling her hand all over the young woman’s torso with vigor, causing the other to buck and squeal with laughter.

“Nahahahat, nohohoho!” Yelena giggled, “Ahahahaha! This isn’t fahahahahair! Yohohohou’re bihihihigger than mehehe! Hahaha!”

“And you’re more ticklish than me,” Natasha retorted, “Evens out, don’t ya think?”

Yelena thrashed around as she tried to dislodge her wrist from her sister’s grip. When Natasha’s fingers found her belly, Yelena squealed and tried to turn away.

“H-Hehehehehey! Naahahahaha!” Yelena cried, “Not thehehere! Stahaahaap!”

“Are you gonna stop being mopey and enjoy the holiday festivities with me and the others?” Natasha asked.

When Yelena didn’t give and answer, Natasha started digging into the other’s ribs, causing the younger woman to snort.

“SHIHIHIHIHIT! NAAAHHAHAT *snort* THEEEHEHERE!” Yelena laughed, “NAAAAHAHAHAT! FUHUHUHUCKING STAAAAHAHAHAP!”

“Language, young lady,” Natasha teased, “And why would I stop? Your laugh is so cute!”

Yelena’s legs kicked behind the other as she laughed.

“Сестра, пожалуйста!” Yelena cried, “NO MOHOHOHOORE! IT TIHIHIHICKLES! AAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Are you gonna spend Christmas Eve with the rest of us?” Natasha asked.

When Natasha pinched her middle rib, Yelena squealed loudly before dissolving into silent laughter. This was the Yelena Natasha missed. She missed this side of her sister, only seeing it a few times before their lives were changed; she was happy to see this smiling and laughing face again.

“OKAAHAHAHAHAY! AAHAHAHEHEHE!” Yelena wheezed, “I CAAAHAHAHAHAN’T!”

Natasha chuckled before releasing her sister and halting the tickles. Yelena panted like a dog as residual giggles spilled from her lips.

“You… ahahare so fucking ehehevil…” Yelena panted.

“But you love me all the same.” Natasha teased with a wink.

The younger woman scoffed and lightly punched her sister’s arm as she sat up. A peaceful silence fell between the sisters as Yelena caught her breath.

“You feel better?” Natasha asked.

Yelena hesitated to answer, but after pondering for a bit, the younger woman looked at her sister and nodded with a genuine smile.

“Yeah, I do,” Yelena said, “I feel… lighter, like a huge weight was just lifted. Thanks, Nat.”

“That’s what sisters are for.” Natasha said, placing her forehead on her sister’s.

Yelena smiled as she lightly bumped her nose with Natasha’s before they embraced. When they parted, Natasha stood up and pointed outside.

“There’s still a little bit of light left before the sun sets,” Natasha said, “Do you wanna play in the snow for a while?”

Yelena glanced at the winter wonderland outside her window and smiled as she turned back to her sister.

“Sure, that sounds like fun!” Yelena said eagerly.

Natasha grinned as she walked over to the door.

“Hey, Nat.” Yelena called out.

The Black Widow stopped in her tracks and turned around.

“Я тебя люблю.” Yelena said.

Natasha grinned as she opened the door.

“я тоже тебя люблю.” she said.

When Natasha left, Yelena sat back on the headboard and sighed, pulling one knee to her chest as she watched the snow fall. It will take some time for Yelena to get back into the groove of how things were before the Red Room, but with Natasha by her side to guide her, she doubts she’ll ever lose her way again.

[l0serloki]

Long Missions!

Valorant Agents reacting to their S/O going on a long mission

(Gekko, Chamber, Phoenix, Sage)

CW : GN!Reader, eating (Chamber), mentions of sadness (Sage), mentions of anxiety (Chamber & Sage), sexual hints (Phoenix)

A/N : I’ve seen a lot of the Sage requests I got and thought she would be a fun one to add to this! I’m currently writing a lot so if I haven’t gotten to your request - it’s not on purpose!

Masterlist

Gekko :

He will BEG Brim to let him go with you. (Brim continues to say no.)

“Babe, I get we are saving the world and stuff but how am I going to sleep alone now.”

100% acts like the world is ending the last day.

“Y/N, hurry and come here! I need to hold you for one last second.. I want to remember how you feel!”

When you go to leave he will continue to wave goodbye and pretend to run with the jet.

“Don’t forget me babe!! I love you!!”

Gekko’s fingers dusted your cheek as the two of you laid in bed. He had just gotten done complaining for what felt like the five hundredth time about your upcoming mission.

“I don’t see why Brimstome won’t let me go. I am a total help to the team! Plus, imagine how lonely I’m going to be at home. Babe, you gotta do something about it!”

“Mateo, what in the world am I supposed to do?” You raised an eyebrow, watching as his chestnut hues fell.

“I don’t know.. Maybe give me a kiss?” He leaned forward, a grin spreading across his face.

You could only roll your eyes, leaning in to peck his lips.

“I’ll give you as many as you want if you stop complaining, dork.”

Chamber :

I just KNOW he sets up a special dinner.

If you don’t want to go out he will surprise you with it at home.

His darling has to have a comforting last day before they leave!

Long talks at the table & him discussing plans with you to make sure you’re okay. (And to put his anxieties at ease.)

He’s the type to rest on the couch with some soft music playing & just rubs your back. It makes him feel super close to you!

When you leave he will give you a kiss and a pat, threatening Brim to take care of you out there.

“You make sure to give Y/N backup, yes? If you don’t we will have problems..”

“Mon amour, are you okay? You haven’t ate much.” Chamber picked at his food, giving you a questioning look.

To be honest, you were worried about tomorrow. Brimstone had asked you to come along on a tedious mission for the whole week. You could already feel your bones aching and the longing for your bed and you hadn’t even left yet!

You shook your head, stabbing at the food your boyfriend made.

“Fine, Vin. I’m just stressed about the upcoming week. I know we went over everything, I am just not looking forward to it.”

Vincent hummed, leaning across the table to give you a forehead kiss.

“That’s a normal response, love. Let’s finish up and we can go lay down. Sound good?”

Phoenix :

“So you’re going without me. WOW. My own partner hates me.” (he is so sarcastic)

He takes you to the practice range to make sure you’re ‘top notch’ before leaving.

Be real though.. he finds your shooting hot and y’all end up making out.

“I guess I can see why Brim chose you. Still won’t be as bright as me though.”

Right before you leave, Phoenix gives you one of his jackets and a kiss on the cheek.

“Be safe, darling. I love you.”

“I cannot believe that Brimstone doesn’t think I’m fit for this mission! I mean come on.. You, me. We are the dream team!” Phoenix exasperated, hands flailing in the air. You could only snort as he continued to complain, pacing back and forth.

“I mean.. Who else would be there to protect you? Well.. More like you would protect me. That’s beside the point! I’m going to miss you.” Phoenix smirked, face touching yours.

“Oh yeah? How much?” You smiled, waiting for his snarky remark.

“Mm.. Why don’t I just show you.”

Sage :

She is a bit anxious but knows you will do fine!

“I will miss you a lot. I hope everything goes smoothly out there.”

She is really affectionate and makes sure that you’re mentally prepared to face enemies!

Cuddles in bed and a movie the night before!!

When you go to leave she will give you encouraging words & a kiss!

“You are so strong. I believe in you, my gem. I love you.”

Sage’s hand was wrapped in yours, head resting on your chest. Everytime she wasn’t invited on a mission you were going on she would get sad - not that she would ever admit that. The two of you had been cuddling in bed and watching her favorite movie in hopes to raise the mood.

You looked down at your girlfriend, her eyes drooped and her breathing was slowing down. You used your other hand to rub through her slick hair, bringing a kiss down to her forehead.

“Goodnight, my angel. I love you.”

A small smile appeared on her face, hand gripping at the material of your t-shirt.

“Night, honey. I love you too. Sleep well.”

[alexandraisyes]

How are you doing?

Do you want an honest answer or a watered down haha cutesy artist answer?

I could be worse, to put it simply. It’s been a very. . . Excitable week. And month. And life.

I’m dealing with medication withdrawals that will last another month. They have me sicker than a dog right now, physically at least. My mental stamina is fine, it’s definitely been worse in the more recent past. I’m making a pretty good stress recovery from the past three months of harassment from varying sources, but there is no rest for the wicked.

I’m about 95% positive that I’m being actively stalked by someone from the whole August fiasco, someone who I’ve had blocked since the beginning of August. A (former) friend of mine that I had met through the rp blogs I did designs for turned out to be a sexual predator who was grooming the minors in said group, and I recently had to cut them off after confronting them about it. So that’s great. Both of these things are giving me mild stress, especially because neither of these people know when the fuck to quit and have a long history of stalking and harassment.

However, I’m finally writing again. I’m trying to get back on my current projects, as well as the newer project I’m working on. I’ve completed some commissions, I’ve made a couple self indulgent artworks, and even some art for friends. So I’m being productive.

I’m finally back to watching the shows, although this migraine the past few days has put a rather sudden pause on that. Hopefully I can get back on schedule within the next couple of days. I’m once again finding enjoyment in taking them apart too, which is always a good sign. A large part of why I went on a sudden hiatus was due to the harassment the past few months, but I’ve had some sense knocked into me about the matter by my everlasting and ever loving parents that had me seriously questioning why I was letting it affect me to the point I couldn’t function?

I moved back in with my parents last month. I haven’t fully unpacked, my executive function has been lacking when it comes to sorting boxes. Especially since the last time I was here it was only for a month before I had a fight with my folks and had no option but to leave. However we’re reaching that one month mark so fingers crossed that history won’t repeat itself.

In all honesty it’s been going a lot smoother than I expected. I’ve done a lot of yard work while I job hunt, and so I’ve been left relatively alone and to my own devices since I’m sacrificing so much of my time to clean up the property. It’s been a good distraction, and I’ll be honest I needed the vitamin D.

Unfortunately I’m running out of things to do around the property to prepare for winter. No more Vitamin D for me. Probably for the best, I don’t want to burn out.

Speaking of jobs, I have one now. I need to go in tomorrow and turn in the hiring paperwork, and then yippee I will have a steady source of income. It’ll probably only be part-time pay, but that’s okay. A job is a job.

I managed to reach my goal for donations, thanks to my friends and this wonderful community. All of my bills have been secured, with a little excess that I’ll use to buy new pants for work (can’t go in pantless). I cannot be more grateful to this community for handing together to help me reach my goal so I can afford to keep doing things like drive (which is extremely necessary when you live in the middle of rural countryside) and live in a house (as much as my parents love me I do have to pay rent since my dad is disabled and cannot support the family anymore).

My social life is fine. I’ve made a lot of close friends over the past few months, misery loves company and all of that. It’s ironic how we were all more or less strangers to each other, and yet these series of events have made us extremely tight nit as a little online village. I’ve made quite a few new friends too, just by being obnoxious. It is what I do best after all.

There isn’t a really an easy answer to questions like this when you have a busy life. I could just say “oh I’m fine” but that’s not honest. That’s not transparent or real, and I try to be both of those things. I’m not entirely sure what “fine” would look like, and by society’s standards I’m definitely not fine in any fashion. But we all make do with the hands we’ve been dealt.

I’ve become extremely close friends with a malignant narcissist (short term would be narcopath) and I find their presence a comfort. I continue to work on projects with friends, and abstain from creating new ones. I’ve caught up on a few different fanfics while I’ve been sick these past couple of days, and that’s always nice. I’m trying to do my best to give back to the community what was given to me (metaphorically), but being bedridden these past couple days has prevented me from achieving that very well. I’ve grown a fondness for TikTok animations and animatics, and have been considering making a few of my own.

Oh yes, also a month or so ago I bought a graphics tablet for my laptop and am looking into learning 3-D modeling. It would be fun to make my own VRChat avatars, plus it’s always handing to have more skills under your belt.

And my apologies if this runs long, or stops making sense at some point, I’m still fairly delirious and it is late as I write this, even though it will post sometime in the morning long after I’m asleep.

I’m doing well, to put it simply. Nothing in life will ever be just right, and I frankly don’t expect it to, nor do I wish for a perfect life. The only way we learn is through hardship, after all. I could always be better, but I could be much much worse as well. I’m just glad I’ve got plenty of time on my hands to swindle away even between writing, and art, and videos, and work. Due to a fairly rigorous sleep schedule I’ve about 16 hours of the day to spend at my leisure, and that already feels like too much excess time.

To the point I’ve taken to playing mobile games simply to pass it by.

So hopefully getting a job in town, one with a paycheck, will help manage some of that boredom. I’m sure I’ll still have plenty of excess time regardless, I always seem to be swimming in it.

And I’m sure I’ve concluded this post multiple times by now, but I truly am doing well enough. Talking about it helps me figure out and rationalize my mental health. It’s a bit like psychoanalyzing myself, for the word to to witness as if I’m just another one of the silly characters dancing on the screen. It is truly a beneficial experience for myself, however, since I’m able to truly process any emotions that might have been hiding behind triggers.

And here I go on another tangent, so I’ll cut it off here.

[chicago-pd-is-weird]

12x01 spoilers

Also are we going to gloss over that Dante got hit by a car and just kept running? I mean, I know it wasn’t hard but damn that shit looked like it hurt. Like my reaction was “oh shit Voight’s gonna feel so guilty” and then Dante kept running and I was like “DAMN DANTE” like man is a beast.

And all that and he still didn’t catch the guy 😭

Then we had to have that entire scene with Ruzek and the lady (idk her name but I guess it doesn’t particularly matter now). And it was a good scene but Adam just standing there with a gun to his head was so stressful.

Like this episode was just… so stressful.

I don’t think I’ve been stressed and anxious like that since literally middle/high school when my anxiety was at its worst. Like that… that was something else, man.

And then the ending. Emojis cannot describe the state of my face when that happened. I mean, my jaw hit the ground so hard it got bruised. I had to crank it closed after a solid 45 seconds of catching flies. I couldn’t move. I was so shocked that she just… died on the spot. I had flashbacks to Jules. I liked both of them and now they’re just dead. First episode they appear. And I loved them both.

I don’t think Adam was actually there for Jules being shot (that’s why they brought him in?) but I’m sure he heard about it at some point from someone in the unit. (Especially when Toni was fighting over who gets to be at Jules’s desk.) But I’m sure he’s like “damn this is how it felt” in his head, because he seemed to be relatively close with this girl and now she’s just… gone. In an instant. A whole era of his life gone. That’s what happens when we lose people. We lose that era of our lives.

Suffice to say, that sucked. I mean, let me be the first to say, it was cinematically excellent. Gripping and intense. Made me feel things. Not boring (I found Med and Fire to be relatively boring last night). Had some very cool camerawork, lighting work, and other scenes. Showing Hank’s PTSD is excellent. Everything was really great cinematically.

Plot wise?

1. Why are we confiding in Nina Chapman??

2. Why did we kill the new detective, I liked her?? 😭 Why did she pull a Jules??

3. It makes me wonder if everything is somehow coming full circle. They used parallels they haven’t used since the early seasons (like Jules being shot and this lady being shot, but also the cinematic rear-view mirror shot, even though it wasn’t exactly the same because Hank was in front, it made me think of Hank beating guys up).

4. Either it’s coming full circle for Hank and we will “start over” with a new Sergeant (please be Adam) , or it feels like it’s ending altogether. Both make me nervous for Hank’s fate, because only way he stops work is if he’s dead frfr.

5. Where was Trudy? Like she was there but why was her only line “I don’t have any new cases for you, enjoy the quiet,” like why was Hank confiding in Chapman? I hate that. Trudy and him have been friends 30 something years. Maybe he’s trying to protect himself and/or her by keeping her at arms length, idk, but it’s BS that he confided in Nina and not Trudy or Adam (who has become the new Al). I just can’t understand it and I don’t like Nina at all. She comes off very mouthy when Hank is trying to tell her about his trauma. She thinks she knows everything about him and she knows next to nothing. She hasn’t been here that long. Trudy knows Hank 100x more, which is why I’m wondering why Trudy didn’t do anything to reach out to Hank during this time instead. :/

6. The last thing I’ll say on plot is it moved so quick. And I am wondering if this entire season will feel like a rush. I wonder what is in store and what will happen to our beloved officers and sergeants (we need more Trudy screen time!!).

I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts later, but just thinking about it this morning is like… ugh. I’ll re-watch it later.

[tomatette]

Prompt #10 - Found Footage @huxloween

Virus

The utterly unremarkable datapad with the footage found in a deserted research station on the remote and utterly unremarkable moon, quite aptly and utterly unremarkably named DS2344, has been lying on the ever-growing stack of status reports and files to review on his desk for a couple of days now.

Usually, Hux would have longs since taken care of it. It’s unlike him to leave work unfinished for more than a cycle. But with a good quarter of the Finalizer’s crew being out of commission due to a virus that had them all coughing and sneezing for half a week now, paperwork has not exactly been his top priority.

He doesn’t exactly stumble into his quarters after another long and stressful double-shift, but it’s a close call. He only allows himself a little show of weakness, when the door is securely closed behind him, though. With a deep sigh he leans against the cold durasteel and closes his eyes.

“Tired?”

He startles. Another sign of just how exhausted he is. There’s no way he wouldn’t have realized he’s not alone in his quarters under any other circumstances. As it is, he allows his shoulders to sag forward and accepts his defeat. “Dead on my feet, to be honest.”

“C’mere.” Ren opens his arms in an unspoken invitation that Hux doesn’t hesitate to accept. He breathes a little lighter, once he’s safely enveloped in Ren’s embrace, his heartbeat in his ears and his warmth surrounding him. “You should rest.”

Hux shakes his head. “Impossible. There is far too much to do. If you haven’t noticed, half our crew is unfit for duty. I can’t just slack off and ignore my responsibilities.”

Ren hums. “You’ll be of no help if you collapse in the middle of a briefing due to exhaustion.”

With a scoff, he pushes away from Ren. “Don’t be so kriffing dramatic. I’m not going to collapse, but if you’re really so worried about me, you can help me get this sorted.” He points to his desk. “Why don’t you start with some of the reports while I go over the emergency crew roster.”

Ren relents. He knows by now which battles are worth fighting, and which aren’t. When it comes to his work, Hux will always give it his all. So he takes a couple of datapads and settles down on the arm chair next to the desk, and starts reading.

He’s half-way through his stack when he finds the one with the footage from DS2344, and after watching it for a mere minute, he pauses the video, frowning in alarm.

“Hux? You’ll better come and watch this.”

“Can’t it wait?” Hux asks without even looking up from his data sheet. "I'm in the middle of something here."

“No. It cannot.” Ren gets up, stalks over to the desk and hands the datapad to Hux. Then he leans over Hux’s shoulder and urges him with an impatient motion of his hand, to start the footage.

At first, there’s not much to be seen. Grainy grey and white, then, suddenly, the face of a man appears on camera.

“Hurry up, they’re coming,” a hushed voice from somewhere behind the man whispers.

The camera footage shakes slightly, when the camera switches hands. “This is Elron Tiffin,” the man in front of the camera says, his voice low but urgent. “I’m the leading head-scientist of the biological research station Vomentis II, and when you’re seeing this, I’m probably dead, along with every other living soul on this stars-forsaken moon. And this warning is probably going to come too late for you, as well, but I’m afraid there’s nothing else I can do. I …”

A resounding bang lets both, Hux and Ren, startle violently.

The next moment, the camera is jerked around harshly, and now shows a blue-painted door, shaking in its hinges when the next blow comes.

“They’re almost here.” Elron Tiffin’s face comes into focus again. His eyes have a wild sort of shine to them, his face is pale, safe for two slashes of red coloring his cheeks. “I know embarrassingly little of the events that have led to this. All I can tell you is that less than a week ago, the first staff members started to come down with the symptoms of a common cold. At that point, we didn’t think overly much of it. People get ill, and in an enclosed space like the one we occupy, those sicknesses spread like wildfire.” The next bang to the door is accompanied by a high, screeching sound, and then … something like a groan? A moan? Hux can’t quite put his fingers on it, but he knows it sends a chill down his spine.

He looks up at Ren, who seems transfixed by the video footage.

“Then, yesterday, the first of those who had caught the virus reported back for duty again. It was then, that the first of them shifted.” Tiffin barks a laugh that sounds almost hysterical. “It probably sounds completely mad, but I swear, this is exactly how it happened. One moment, they were still themselves, and the next …”

When the door suffers the next attack, duracrete dust rains onto the floor. Another loud clang, and the top right of the door just folds like it’s flimsi instead.

“Stars help us,” Tiffin whispers.

Then the door gives, and Hux and Ren see hands with long, sinewy fingers and bony joints push through the opening.

The next moment, the camera clatters to the floor but keeps filming the nondescript white-grey ceiling of the room. What is more remarkable though, are the noises the device captures.

Screams of pain and terror, mixed with the terrible sound of rending flesh …

“What …” Hux has to clear his throat twice, before he’s able to get out another word. “Ren, what the kriffing hell was that?”

Ren shakes his head. He looks exactly as horrified as Hux is feeling. “I don’t know, but …”

There’s a bang against the door - his door, here on the FInalizer! - that has them both jump to their feet in alarm.

“Ren …” Hux swallows.

Ren takes his lightsaber from where it is attached to his belt, and flicks it on. “Stay behind me,” he says, starting to walk toward the door, but Hux grabs him by the wrist of his free arm and pulls him closer.

Thinking how this might be the last time he gets a chance to do this, he raises to his tiptoes and kisses Ren, breathlessly. Desperately.

When they part, they’re both breathing heavily.

Maybe it’s just Mitaka behind that door, wanting to make sure he actually went to his quarters for his much needed rest cycle. Or it is …

“Together,” he whispers.

With a nod, Ren’s hand goes for the door opener.

[j0jorocity]

THE CHRONICALLY ONLINE ROME FAN’S BLOG

HELLO! WELCOME TO MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE INTERNET!

I’m Iosephus! Here’s some stuff you should know about me before deciding to interact (byi list):

I AM UNDER 18! Under 12 and over 28 I would prefer not to interact with (unless I know you otherwise I really don’t care)

I use she/her pronouns and feminine terms but I guess I don’t mind masc and neutral pronouns and terms (link to my pronouns page which has some of my other links)

I’m Hispanic (🇨🇺🇵🇪 RAHHHH) and I can speak English and Spanish just fine, though my Spanish isn’t the best 😞

I LOVE ROME SOKSSOSOOSOSSOSOSOS MUCH HES MY FAVOURITE EVER!!!!!!!! AND THE ANCIENTS!!!!!! And the rest yeah whatever

Hetalia is my main hyperfixation but I also like C*untryhumans. Please don’t block me I SWEAR IM COOL I LITERALLY DONT INTERACT WITH THE FANDOM AT ALL

IF WE’RE CLOSE I WILL USE MILDLY SEXUAL HUMOUR AND KMS JOKES (never kys). IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHAT I SAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW

I tend to be very straightforward with people who suddenly dm me, but I promise I’m not trying to be mean! :(

NOW, FOR SOME OF MY INTERESTS, FAVOURITE CHARACTERS AND ETC!

(In order from most hyperfixed to least, will also include my fave characters from each fandom and other thoughts)

HETALIA

Rome and literally all the ancients. I’m sorry I don’t care for the main cast but I like PruHun too

C*UNTRYHUMANS

IM SORRY OK IVE BEEN IN THIS FANDOM FOR FOUR YEARS I CAN’T

Anyways I like ch America but only in my head. Please don’t block me please please please I want friends

COOKIE RUN KINGDOM

I started playing around Pumpkin Pie’s banner and then quit for like two years. Picked it back up during wind archer’s banner and I’m OBSESSED

I can’t choose my absolute favourite but I show more love towards dark cacao, latte and almond (as a ship mostly), advenberry, financier (my WIFE!!!), burning spice (recently developed a new obsession w him). Characters I wouldn’t call my favourites but I think are super cool are cream ferret, mystic flour, wind archer, smoked cheese, golden cheese, pure vanilla, lilac, dark choco, and peach blossom!! I don’t play Ovenbreak but I’d love to learn more abt fire spirit, millennial tree, and yogurt cream…… user is sanestaphromefan on dark cacao server

SONIC

TBH. I got into sonic bc of the movies. Now I think about it every single day as I write this im trying not to have a mental breakdown over gay hedgehogs

Shadow is my fave I love my emo hedgehog!!! Very big sonadow and stobotnik enjoyer, I also like tails, rouge, and knuckles,, and ofc stone :333

SPY X FAMILY

I forgot how cute and wholesome this anime was!!! I haven’t watched the movie but I will soon enough. Idk this anime is just so genuinely funny, but it doesn’t rely too much on comedy and has a really good plot and well written characters

I love Loid Forger he’s literally my husband (tho I love all of the cast tbh. Except for Nightfall kinda. She’s funny to me in a pathetic way but not in the pathetic I like 😭)

Less intense interests (that I might repost but not talk about) include:

Octonauts

Wild Kratts

Carmen Sandiego (2019 Netflix ver)

JJK

JJBA

Epic: The Musical

This list may change

IF YOU CAN’T TELL I LOVE TALKING. BUT THERE’S SOME PEOPLE THAT LIKE CERTAIN THINGS THAT I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO!

My DNI list:

General criteria

BIGOTS. HOMOPHOBES, TRANSPHOBES, RACISTS, MISOGYNISTS, TRUMP SUPPORTERS, ETC, DNI.

PROSHIPPERS AND JUST PPL WHO LIKE PROBLEMATIC SHIT I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH 😭😭😭😭

(This includes, but not limited to: USUK, Itacest, Germancest, SPAMANO, CANAME/FRANADA/CANUK, SovReich, AND BURNINGCHEESE/SHADOWVANILLA/MYSTICCACAO, ANY BEAST X ANCIENT SHIPS. To be completely honest I GUESS I can talk with proshitters BUT DON’T FUCKING BRING THIS SHIT UP AROUND ME I HATE IT SO MUCH I DONT WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE DEFEND THESE SHIPS)

People who use brainrot humour 24/7 and are generally just annoying. Get a life.

PEOPLE WHO DON’T RESPECT OTHERS OPINION, KEYBOARD WARRIORS, ETC.

Artists who twinkify Poland more than he is 😭

If you don’t seem to care abt our conversations and instantly try to move onto a new topic every time we speak. Super annoying in general and it affects me a lot

May add more to this later since I’m forgetting a few things

YAY! You’ve almost made it through my intro post! Here’s just a last few tidbits about myself and then I can shut up 🫶

I HAVE A BAJILLION ANCIENTS HETALIA OCS (like less than 15 💀) AND I LOVE LOVE LOVE TALKING ABOUT THEM PLEASE ASK ME ABT THEM AND I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABT UR ANCIENTLIA OCS IF U HAVE ANY!!!

I have another blog for said ocs, @rometalia ,,, it’s a bit dead rn bc I’ve been busy with school :(

I’m open to all asks!!! But please nothing inappropriate I am a minor AND NO POLITICS 😭😭

My favourite hetalia ships are gerrome (OTP but it’s different in a way in my head. Talk to me about them I dare you), PruHun, SwissAus and amepan! I also like spaus and FrUK. Some ships I’m kind of on the fence about are rusame, rochu, generally any russia ship and most America ships but I consume and repost fanart of these ships just because I like the art!

My favourite YouTubers are Uncle Roger, Nick DiGiovanni and Guga. I love food and I kinda wanna become a chef in the future ☺️

Trying to beat the art block allegations day 37273627

MY BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD IS @fertaine !!!! I LOVE YOU MY POOKIE WOOKIE BEAR!!!!! FERTAINE HATERS DNI DNI DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT APPROACHING ME I AM THEIR NO.1 FAN AND DEFENDER

My gerrome side blog is @j0jorocityisntokay

If you see me reblogging from a proshipper (USUK and Spamano especially in this case), please let me know! I most likely didn’t know they supported these ships.

Almost forgot to mention, but here are my tags!

#jojo reblogs -> self explanatory

#jojo rambles -> me yapping or answering to asks, idk

#aph jojo rambles -> anything related to hetalia, so probably headcanons or whatever lol

#rome posting -> self explanatory

#flippity fart farmland posting tag -> me talking to Fern ☺️

#jojo’s art -> updated once in a blue moon I hate my art

Will add more as I see fit

THAT IS ALL, MY FRIENDS! I HOPE TO HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME ON THIS WEBSITE! 🫶

(The dividers that aren’t red roses belong to @kostevysen )

[iguessitsjustme]

Deep Night Ep 8 Thoughts

It’s almost over? This surprisingly wholesome show full of actual communication? I did not expect that at all. I am very glad that y’all said I should liveblog this because had I just binged it, I wouldn’t remember it later but now I can go back and read my thoughts whenever I want. Maybe I should liveblog more. But only shows I binge. Week to week y’all are stuck with my thoughts as they enter my brain. Anygay for the last time…it’s time for Deep Night 8: Bring on the Poly. Let Them Date!

I’m not kidding. I was promised poly so I better get poly. 

I am fascinated by how often Khem and his mother match colors. Those two are quite literally cut from the same cloth. I love them both and I love their mother/son bond. It’s been great to watch.

YAY FREYA AND MEIJI. Older queer couple! Older women couple! I love them! I’ll even give up my love on Freya she looks so happy.

Wela baby boy. Do not give me stress like this. Do not do it I will pass away.

Wela I know you want to show your mom what it is you do. But baby boy you cannot perform on an injured leg. You cannot. You will make it worse. If you perform tonight, you might ruin your chances of performing in the future. Is that what you want?

When in the hell did Khem learn how to do this? oh he's been learning from Wela got it but ooo that was stressful for me

Now boys I don’t think it’s the time for kissing. You’re still on the stage. 

POLY POLY POLY POLY POLY

Have I mentioned that I love Japan? POLY POLY *you hear my chants in the background for the next five hours*

I didn’t have much to say this episode because I was too busy enjoying it. I loved every bit. This show was so much better than I expected it to be. Now what am I supposed to do with myself? Perhaps another binge with a liveblog? I had fun. If you read any of my posts and want me to do another tell me what show I should binge and I will consider it.

Anyway I am going to throw a celebration for the poly. We need more poly. Wait actually. I was raised lutheran. Let’s end this with a short prayer. Dear lord thank you for the poly. More please? I will be a good little christian and pretend to go to church. But can we please get more poly? Pretty please with a cherry on top. Amen….I haven’t been to church in many years. That’s a prayer right? It will work? More poly?

[odinsblog]

Is the Hamas torture video post true? I can't find anything other than an ADL post

I haven’t and I refuse to post or link to any of the videos, so I’m not really sure which “torture video post” you’re talking about, unless you mean this post or maybe this one

At any rate, I have unfortunately seen at least two such videos (mostly because of how Twitter no longer labels graphic content/violence), and it was before I was fully aware of what was actually happening in Gaza. The first video showed young women being dragged and paraded through the streets by Hamas. Some of the women were dead, and the ones who were alive had very clearly been raped and their clothes were all bloody between the legs. The other video I watched showed a family that was taken hostage, and then abruptly they murdered an 18yr old girl in front of her parents and her little sister. I “saw” other videos, but LOL, I’m ex military, but I’ve been shot at, at close range several times before (not while I was in the military), so I tend to be a bit squeamish around real/realistic depictions of death — so I let the video and audio play, but I looked away and had a friend more or less describe what was happening to me, only looking at the screen myself periodically.

Look, I wholeheartedly believe that decolonization always has and always will require violence. Things are absolutely no different with Palestine freeing themselves from Israeli oppression. I get that, okay?

SN: now feels like a particularly good time for this warning: be wary of anyone suddenly stressing “peaceful nonviolent resistance”.

I’m sorry, but rape, torture and intentionally murdering children and disabled people is kinda a bright red line for me. It’s an indelible line that I cannot cross. And I won’t defend it, I won’t excuse it, I won’t ignore it, and I won’t pretend that war crimes like rape are just the cost of doing business.

Let’s do a thought experiment: pick whatever’s most important to you, something (you think) you’re willing to die for - maybe it’s LGBTQ rights, or Black liberation, Climate Change, or whatever. You get the idea. If someone said to you, “Hey, we may be forced to kill some people to achieve our goals and gain our freedom,” maybe you’d be down with that. But if they said that rape would be required, would you still be cool with that? If they told you that killing children and the elderly was a part of the plan, could they still count on your unwavering support?

And to be super clear here: please let’s not pretend that the IDF hasn’t done some of the exact same things to Palestinian civilians that Hamas has done to Israeli civilians. Israel is currently bombing the fuck out of Palestinian hospitals, UN schools in Gaza, and turning off water on children, the sick + disabled, and the elderly. You would have to be the biggest most gullible fool on earth to believe that all of the apartment buildings that the IDF has leveled to the ground in Gaza, had zero innocent people inside them.

So I guess in the end, all I’m saying is, regardless of which side you choose to support, we must always always draw the line at war crimes.

And a friendly reminder: Hamas ≠ Palestine

Another friendly reminder: you can be pro-Palestinian without being antisemitic.

One more friendly reminder: Hamas would not be nearly as strong as it is today if Benjamin Netanyahu hadn’t repeatedly propped them up over the years, to keep the Palestinian people from becoming united.

And one final warning for anyone reading this: Elon Musk has all but eliminated the part of Twitter that used to block misinformation from being posted. Therefore you’re going to see A LOT of rightwing, anti-Palestinian + anti-Ukrainian propaganda. Please don’t fall for it. Check and double check the sources.

And as always, TERFs dni

[magnorious]

Young Royals Perfectly Understands Frustrating Teenagers

*Spoiler Alert for the whole series*

This Netflix-produced Swedish teen drama just wrapped up its third and final season. It follows the second-in-line to the Swedish throne, Wilhelm “Willie” navigating a fancy boarding school rife with toxic social hierarchies and a crippling addiction to dangerous traditions, while also discovering his sexuality. Suddenly, his older brother dies and he’s now the crown prince, when no one ever expected him to have this responsibility, including himself. His jerk of a cousin records him and his new secret boyfriend being intimate and so ensues three seasons of drama surrounding the chaos of this poor kid being outed to the whole world, and the damage of publicity on his relationships.

*I watched this with subtitles and cannot comment on the quality of any dub.

This show is incredibly frustrating, because its characters are frustrating—because they’re incredibly believably teenagers who stake their entire futures on a high school fling. Willie and his love interest, Simon, are in a constant struggle over Willie’s great expectations as the new crown prince and Simon, of a lower social class, having a great many demands over how he thinks he should be able to live his life.

The characters have a ton of depth and that goes well beyond the two leads. The villain of the show, August, the evil cousin, is a hot mess who can’t do anything right. One that absolutely expects to peak in high school and sail through adulthood on his family’s legacy. He’s also Willie’s spare if he abdicates the throne, a rather unique twist on the prince trope I haven’t seen very often. Willie doesn’t want to be king, but he hates the idea of August on the throne even more, and, if only to spite his cousin, strays way outside of his comfort zone and ignores his own wants and desires to make sure he becomes king.

Other side characters include the dudebro boys of their school, also all dickish aristocrats, the ladies’ side of the school, and Simon’s sister's relationship with these socialites and her awesome best friend, Felice.

—

*spoiler alert again*

These two characters, Willie and Simon, are terrible for each other. Simon is too young and immature to understand and appreciate the demands of being royalty in a modern setting. He gets upset at Willie for all manner of things—that Simon has to watch what he posts on social media, who he talks to, who he takes pictures with, what statements he makes, and his unrealistic expectations of any politician. Every time he gets upset, I understand that he’s 17, but I’m also scowling at my TV thinking, “What exactly did you expect, dating royalty?”

Willie, on the other hand, bends over backwards for this guy and desperately needs to actually attend his therapy sessions instead of angsting over his doomed-to-fail romance. They’re entertaining, but they are so, so stressful to watch, whether it’s their many arguments or whenever they start making out in a public place where they can be caught.

They break up, get back together, break up, get back together. In the 11th hour of season 3, Simon officially breaks it off and I actually cheered. I figured the finale would end with the sick queen’s funeral and Willie reluctantly accepting his birthright.

That did not happen. Instead, Willie and August have a rushed “all’s forgiven” conversation, he abdicates, and runs after Simon to be free of a responsibility he never wanted. On the one hand, yes, he never wanted to be king, that much was clear from the moment he found out he was the new crown prince, but on the other hand—Willie wasn’t the character who needed to change for this relationship to work.

Simon was.

Simon, who argued with him constantly over the conservative nature of the monarchy, for all the stances Willie wasn’t allowed to take because of his rank. Simon could have ended this season either breaking up with him for good, or committing to the responsibility of loving royalty, and the two could have looked to a future of slew of progressive changes once Willie had the authority to enact change as king.

August won’t enact shit. August who, upon telling his friends that he’s the new second-in-line, realizes acutely how miserable he’s about to be for the long rest of his life. I half expected this guy to not survive to the end of the season with how self-destructive he is.

It feels like they had a different direction planned for the finale and someone somewhere cut it down. That, or Netflix's "3 season" rule made no exceptions and they had to rush to the finish line.

—

Overall, they’re frustrating, but they’re also incredibly well-written teenagers. The constant pop/club music over actual score got annoying but it’s an exposure to artists I never listen to. The acting is fantastic across the board, as well, along with the editing and cinematography. The actual plot, up to the finale, was engaging and well thought out, with these two heirs duking it out in a cold war with the entire school caught in the middle.

Maybe I just don’t understand Swedish teenagers. I certainly can’t speak to if this at all reflects the reality of Swedish culture and living under a monarchy. It’s a shame that, in my opinion, it didn’t quite stick the landing with the messages it wanted to send, but the show’s a solid, if stressful watch, and a short one at that.

[a-had-matter]

Greetings mutual of mine, tis I, completing my duties as a mutual to randomly send you questions :D (I haven’t done these in a while oh well lmaooo)

Thoughts on the ending to s5 of MLB?

Sorry for the late reply, I literally just watched it and i went on a roller coaster of emotions. spoilers ahead for whoever else reads this

I was in tears when i saw that GABRIEL FUCKING AGRESTE HAD A DAMN STATUE AFTER WHAT HE DID, like what the actual fuck. he started off as a goofy bald-looking villain and turned out a whole terrorist. we forget, i guess, that they are teenagers. what he did is unforgivable. akumatizing innocent people, neglecting his son, (i feel for Natalie honestly, cause she deserves better) causing so much stress and probably trauma, stealing miraculous, spreading his terribleness throughout the world, existing.

i also don't know why marinette thought she could reason with him, and i literally howled in laughter when he paralyzed her with venom cause idk why she trusted him. i knew it would happen. he's crazy. you cannot reason with crazy.

I also haven't seen any of the show since season 3 i think, so whenever I saw luka was a guardian, i was happily surprised. i don't even know how that happened, so that's when i burst into my first set of tears. I love that man.

I am also a fan of gimmi just because of the name (also, why did bug noir's eyes look like kiwis?!) and honestly, these two episodes just changed my entire view on marinette. i know it was gabriel's "dying wish" for adrien not to know of his villainy, but that does not mean mari should have kept that wish. if my parental figure did that shit, i'd wanna know, and then if someone i loved pulled what she pulled, i'd be pissed! like wth?! HE DOES NOT DESERVE SHIT. HE'S LITERALLY TERRIBLE. ADRIEN HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW!!!

and then the way marinette knows. she knows everything about what went down, i know it, i know it, i know it. and she didn't fucking tell him, like what the actual fuck. what the fuck. (also, the way ladybug and chat noir still don't know each other's identities is hilarious to me) the truth about that will come out, and it will ruin their relationship. and the only person i'll feel bad for is adrien, and no one else, cause why would she keep that from him? he needs to know that. also, i don't know about that one girl who has the moth miraculous. she looks like a lila

and i'm not hating on how it ended with how their city is now, cause that's super cool, i love the eco rule, and the new school, and how bustier is the mayor, and the new reporter though i liked the old reporter. it was... good. i just don't like how marinette lied, and how gabriel was made to look like a hero though he was a literal fucking terrorist. thats all. and honestly, idk how i feel about adrienette anymore. or marinette anymore. it's just... idk

but there's my rant. i feel better letting all of this out.

[enders-redemption]

some rdr2 advice i wish i’d had when i started playing! ♥️🏜

no major spoilers, but if you haven’t played yet and want to go in blind, don’t read!!

one: first off! if you’ve never played before: savor it. don’t feel like you’ve gotta go fast, there’s tons and tons to do besides the main storyline, and rushing through will make you miss lots of little details and fun side quests!

two: without spoiling too much, i will just say that how high/low your honor is does affect the story, so be aware of that. high honor also gets you discounts at stores, and will give you more money when you loot corpses!

three: even if you’re playing high honor, it’s almost always worth it to free the prisoners from any prison wagons you see. they’ll often give you tips on places to rob, or businesses that have shady things going on, etc.

four: pay!!! attention!!! to!!! your minimap!!! i can’t tell you how important that is!! enemies, hostile animals, npcs you can meet; they’ll all show up on your minimap when they’re near.

five: pay attention to your horse too! when hostile animals are close your horse will let you know, usually before you see it or before it even shows up on the minimap. there’s also little tells in your horse if you’re about to be ambushed: if you’re at a gallop, and your horse slows down without reason in the middle of nowhere and won’t pick up the pace, it’s likely that you’re about to be ambushed by a gang.

six: save manually often! the game doesn’t do a good job of telling you, but if you pause, go to ‘story’, and then ‘save game’, you can manually save instead of relying on autosave. this is helpful if your horse dies and you want to reload a save, resetting hunting spawns, etc.

seven: i personally wish i’d known this sooner; for the dino bone quest and the carved rock quest, both the bones and the carvings show up when you use eagle eye. they appear as a little patch of yellow particles (like legendary animal clues), which puts them aside from the normal white particles of plants and animals. so, while you’re out exploring, it helps to occasionally do an eagle eye check just to see if there’s anything in the area!

eight: be, and i cannot stress this enough, careful in the bayou at night. especially if you have your horse with you. save manually before you go in and after anything important you do, and make sure you have your gun ready to go. don’t trust any animal noises you hear there at night; they ain’t always animals.

nine: not all animals are the same quality when hunting! use your binoculars, focus on an animal, and hit ‘show info’ which will tell you whether it’s poor, good, or perfect quality. the perfect animals are the only ones who will yield perfect pelts, and that’s only if you use the right weapon to kill them (show info will also tell you what to kill them with) and get them in one shot. i recommend going for headshots.

ten: even if you’re doing a low honor playthrough, i recommend always helping the npcs off the side of the road who are injured. ie, there’s a guy who gets bit by a snake, a guy who gets stuck in a bear trap, etc. just give them a health cure- it’ll pay off, promise.

eleven: when choosing a weapon to fight with, everyone has their own preferences, but here’s mine; i find that the springfield rifle loaded with express cartridges kills most humans in one shot, and it’s a very accurate shot too. bad thing is the reload time is a little long, but if you fight from horseback on a horse who can take hits (like i do, i use a shire) and stay moving it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. i’ve raided hideouts with 20+ enemies at a time like that, just watch you and your horses health!

twelve: for the love of god, keep!! your!! cores!! full!! i can’t tell you how many youtubers i’ve seen who just ignore their cores and wonder why health/stamina regen is so slow! feed yourself and your horse often; the canned foods are meh, they mostly just take up space, cooked meat is the best. as for horses; oatcakes, hay, and beets are some of the foods that fill up their cores the most.

thirteen: horse health and stamina amounts matters more than speed, but honestly, just play with the horse you want. (you can always roid em up with health/stamina cures, anyways). people talk about what horses have the best stats, which ones you should be using- don’t worry about all that, because it really doesn’t make a huge difference. like i said, i use the black shire horse you get from hosea, and it’s got one of the worst looking speed stats, but that boy can move. the difference between him and my brindle thoroughbred (one of the fastest horses) is only slightly noticeable, if i’m being honest. just use whatever horse makes you happy!

that’s all i can think of for now; there’s definitely more, and i might come back and edit this, but i’m tired and can’t think rn😞 hope this helps!!!

[ellecdc]

MOTHER

I cannot believe how late I am to this picnic event, school has been draining me, but alas we are here!!!

Firstly, congrats, congrats and congrats. ALSO DID I MENTION CONGRATS. YOU DESERVE ALL THOSE FOLLOWERS AND MORE WITH YOU BREATHING WRITING SKILLS 💗💗

Hehe now for this picnic I have brought my homemade pastries and flowers for us all. However I do need to request a match maker, you know, lovelyyyy

Favourite colour: I love colours in general (the art student is showing) but I suppose if I had to choose I’d say yellow or purple or green. I’m not good at making decisions.

My favourite pass time: binge watching tv shows, movies and rewatching them, baking and cooking (when I get the right mood), art (when it dose not make me cry), and writing and reading (English literature my love)

Shows and/or movies that you're currently obsessed with: I haven’t been watching a lot recently cuz life got in the way, but I suppose anything Harry Potter (Ofc), and I could do me some criminal minds, oh and Bridgerton!!

Your favourite animal: cats, fully want to be one, and foxes because they’re so damn cool

stop, you're too sweet!!!!!

I am going to say James and Lily!!

you seem very sweet and bubbly which I think both of them would love. James would love to bake with you (don't leave him in charge though, he'll burn it) and everything else seems right up Lily's alley!

James would like Criminal Minds but also be really stressed out about it lol, but I think they'd both like Bridgerton! (James would set up themed watch parties)

xx