#also started a few too many big projects lately
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thatskindarough · 9 months ago
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Running to catch the train (Dec. 2023)
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star-anise · 11 months ago
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Warnings: Doomerism, climate grief, child death
The thing about having studied history and the psychology of trauma so much is that I can't pretend to myself that the world used to be better at sometime in the past.
Don't get me wrong; things are absolutely terrible right now and need to change, quickly.
But also, they're better than they've ever been for us as a species. It is literally mindblowing how much worse life was for us historically.
Have you seen one of those charts of the human population over time? Have you thought about what it actually means?
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Because here's what I see: Humans have always loved things like living to old age, like having sex, like raising babies. Those are things we have always wanted to do. It's not like pre-industrial humans were giant pandas like, "Nah, rather not reproduce as a species. No thanks," and suddenly the Victorians discovered horniness.
Instead, for most of human history, we have died. At terrifically young ages. The few who made it to adulthood could make babies as much as they liked, and then overwhelmingly watched pregnancies miscarry, births end in tragedy, or babies die. Their own lives were constantly at the mercy of a world that could kill them without a second thought. To be human meant to live in a world full of a million little tragedies, all the goddamn time.
And then what happened was: The babies stopped dying. The effects of a lot of things from higher agricultural yields to public health efforts to mass communications made us the master over the diseases and maladies that once had us by the throat.
When we look ahead at catastrophe and terrors, yes, they're bad. But they'd have to be extremely bad indeed to measure up to the number of people who wouldn't even be alive in any other century.
And even the obvious bogeyman then, overpopulation—did you notice what's already happened? On that chart, there's the green measure of total population, but the thin purple line is the rate of population growth. Please notice that it peaked in 1968. It is, in fact, projected as entirely possible that within a century it could go lower than it was twelve thousand years ago, at the end of the last big ice age.
The moment babies started to live longer, people went, "That is too many babies. An absolutely unsustainable number of babies. People are crying out for help because taking care of that many children is completely overwhelming. We need to be able to fix this problem," and they invented birth control and fought to get it legalized. It hit the market in the late 1950s and in less than a decade, it had caught on like wildfire.
To me, this is the absolute opposite of an argument for passivity and political inaction. It's not that everything's going to be okay so why even try. It's that as it turns out, the human capacity to grow and thrive and make the world better is absolutely reality-defying. I don't have faith that all of our problems will be solved, but I do have faith that those problems are all the subject of passionate obsession of millions of people.
And apparently we have a really strong track record at that kind of thing already.
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skipper1331 · 5 months ago
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Art // Leah Williamson
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You loved playing football yet drawing and painting was your silent passion. A passion nobody really knew about.
It all started when you were a kid. After a bad day, lost match you would be so angry and disappointed that you would draw your anger away. It didn‘t matter if it was with pencils, crayons or acrylic, you didn‘t care if it was on paper or on a canvas. You just had to draw/paint.
Slowly, it not only started to reduce your anger but to become a daily thing. Over the years you got better and better and even sold some paintings.
When you moved to London, transfered to Arsenal from the german league you took your painting utils with you.
In your new apartment was an extra room which used to be a guest room - you didn't need it, so you set it up as a painting room. The floor was covered with foil as were parts of the wall while many canvases and tubes of paint stood on the newly built shelves. Your desk was full of paper, sketchbooks, pens, erasers, etc. everything an artist needed. It was your favorite room in your apartment.
As the weeks went on, you drew everything interesting. Such as the training facility, jerseys, the stadium and much more.
But If someone would have looked through your sketchbook they would‘ve noticed that there was one thing or rather one person which was drawn very often. Arsenals number 6. Leah Williamson. You couldn‘t explain why but she was incredible. Everything about her was perfect; her talent, her personality, her smile. You just could not not draw her. Often you only realized that you had drawn her after your drawing was already finished and when drawing number 12 of Leah was finished you knew you had a crush on her. What you didn‘t realize though was a) she also developed a crush on you and b) your face and hands covered in paint and pencil has not gone unnoticed. To find out why that was the team formed an alliance. When Rosa questioned why they simply didn‘t ask you her head was smacked from Kyra, Alessia and Vic. "It‘s much more exciting this way" Kyra replied mischievously.
Mission Colour had officially started.
On bus rides, plane flights, away games you would always have your 'away sketchbook' and one pencil with you just to calm down or to stay calm. Most of the time you sat next to Manu, your national teammate. She was like big sister to you and of course she knew about your drawing talent but what she didn‘t know was that a few teammates wanted to find out. As well Manu knew about your little crush, not because you told her but because she saw your sketch of Leah and connected the dots.
It was the next day when you came to training with a blue stripe on you forehead and hands covered with many shades of blue. This morning you worked on your current project (a painting of the ocean) and lost track of time. You hadn‘t had the chance to look in the mirror again after you rushed out of your flat to the car.
Fast forward, here you were in the training facility in bright red clothes while your skin was covered in blue.
"Looking like Papa smurf" Katie laughed, gently shoving you towards the mirror in the changing room.
Your eyes widened in horror, "Shit" aggressively you started to rub at the stripe of paint but it was too late. The stripe was already dry. Making your way to the bathroom, you wet the paper towel, not much hope about cleaning your face.
"Hey" you heard a voice beside you, your eyes locking with the blonde defenders through the mirror, "do you need some help?" Leah asked, already concerned by the way you aggressively rubbed your forehead, "hey, lemme-" the girl gently tugged at your wrist as she turned you to face her. She grabbed another paper towel, putting a tiny bit of soap on it before she put it under water. In silence, the taller girl started to clean your face. Her movements were slow and tender as she tried to stay cool while she was so close to you. In the meantime, you admired the blonde, scanned every feature of her face.
"Secretly a Chelsea fan, huh?" the gunner asked, trying to ease the obvious tension in the room.
"Gosh no," you chuckled, "I was working on my new proctect this morning and lost track of time" you admitted, Leah raising a brow in return.
"You must think I’m pretty unorganized, hm?"
"of course not!" She replied immediately, "i was just wondering, project? What project?"
"It‘s nothing much, just a painting project" you shrugged your shoulders, "the ocean."
"I didn‘t know you could paint" she stated, the dots connecting with all the paint stains that covered your clothes and body since you had arrived in London.
"Maybe you‘d like to see some of my works?" your voice was quiet, shy as you nervously scratched your neck.
"It‘s a date" the same moment, Leah dropped the comment, you heard Kim call, "training starts" which let Leah hurry out of the room, leaving you completely shocked and with a mix of nervousness and excitement alone. Was she serious?
-
"Leah, wait!"
Training had finished half an hour ago, the girls, including you, doing their usual routines, some had physio, some went straight to the showers or others that just changed their clothes happy to finally go home - Leah, one of the girls who preferred to shower at home after a particularly long cardio session.
"Were you serious about the date? Because if not that would be totally fine, but if so, I’d really like to go on a date with you" you rambled, "we could go out for dinner or i could cook for you or not, because I’m not the greatest cook, but maybe take out would be fine too?! whatever you like works for me!"
"Take a deep breath, love" she smiled, squeezing your hand, "i was serious" her cheeks slowly turning red, "sorry, could‘ve been a bit more romantic, i admit, but indeed, I’d be very happy to go on a date with you"
"Oh, really!" you were so surprised, shocked even that the Leah Williamson wanted to go on a date with you.
"Yes, really. What about this: I’ll go home for a shower and at-" she looked at her watch, "at 7, I’ll be at your front door with some food in my hands. Neither of us has to cook and we can have a nice and relaxed evening, how does that sound?"
"That sounds perfect, thank you"
"See you soon" she smiled, pressing a kiss to your cheek as she felt brave enough to do so in that moment.
Like in trance, you watched her walk away while your fingers touched the spot were lips had been a few seconds ago. Wow.
On the other hand as soon as Leah sat in her car, she did a little happy dance, finally getting the chance to spend some time with you alone and even better, being able to call it a date.
-
5 minutes early the defender stood in front of your door, two bags of food in one hand while the other hand held a bouquet of flowers.
With confidence Leah rang the door bell, she felt untouchable. She had a date with the prettiest girl and nothing would stop her from trying to be the best version of herself for you. She really wanted this to work out.
In all honesty, Leah had been crushing on you for quite a while. It all started with an international friendly where you both were captaining your nations. You fell in conversation easily, the blonde friends with some of your national teammates.
Since then the Lioness followed you on your socials, also enjoying watching you play football - something about your technic and brain for the game made her fall in love with football all over again.
When the announcement was made that you‘d join Arsenal, she was excited, overly so. She wanted to talk to you again, be your friend. But soon the thought of just being friends combined with her little crush on you that was getting bigger and bigger day by day was long forgotten. She wanted to get to know you, on a deeper level than just the typical friendly one.
"Hey! Welcome in" you said with a wide smile, stepping aside.
"Hi, these are for you" the defenders cheeks turned slightly pink as yours did too.
"These are beautiful, thank you so much" the bouquet was big mix of multiple flowers in multiple colours, "i didn‘t know what your favorite flower was, so i bought one of each they had"
"I love it and I really appreciate it" shy smiles were exchanged before your attention was brought back, "follow me. So this is my living room and as you can see, there‘s my kitchen. I hope you like wine? I found this one in my cupboard" you pointed at the bottle on your coffee table. "Here let me plate the food, make yourself a home" as you wandered off to the kitchen, Leah admired your home. It was tidy yet looked very cozy. Then her gaze fell to various of pictures and paintings you had in your living room. One in particular caught her attention, it reminded her of something that she couldn’t form in words, an familiar warm feeling filled her chest as she looked at it closely - something about this painting was special.
-
The night went on with an ease, everything felt so natural. Dinner was great, the conversation flowing, the tv long forgotten as both of your attentions were on each other. Throughout the night the two of you had moved closer, knees already touching as you shared jokes and stories about everything and nothing.
"I must say, i really like the paintings in here. This one especially" she pointed at your favorite.
"Thank you, that‘s very nice of you to say"
"How much did they cost you? They look so expensive!" she admired, quickly realizing what an rude question she asked, "oh I’m so sorry, that‘s not something I should be asking"
"No, don’t worry, you’re good" you assured her, "they didn‘t cost me anything, i did them myself" you said, "well, that‘s a lie, i had to buy the canvas and the paint but other than that i didn‘t cost me anything."
"No way! You really did these? Are you joking?"
You shook your head.
"Wow! These are amazing. Like seriously, you’ve got some serious talent!"
Soon you furiously started to blush, getting all shy as you looked away from the gunner.
"Can i see the ocean painting which you talked earlier about?" she remembered, hoping to get see more of your work.
"Sure, but it‘s not finished yet"
"That‘s fine. I‘d see anything you painted, really, this is so impressive"
"Stop" you buried your face in your hands, your cheeks as hot as ever, the tip of your ears a deep shade of red, "hey, no. Don’t hide that pretty face of yours" taking your hands out of your face, you stared at each other as everything around you fell silent. Both of you were so close, if you would just lean forward-
"Here follow me" you broke the silence, grabbing the lioness’ hand and dragging her to your art room, "don’t mind the mess" you said as you opened the door, showing Leah the inside of your heart.
For once, the defender didn‘t know what to say. Everywhere she looked where painting, sketches and drawings. It was like she not only stepped into your heart but also your brain.
"Wow" she whispered, in utter disbelief at what she saw. You did this. All of this!
Walking around the room Leah felt like she was at an art gallery, heavily impressed about the beauty she got to see in each painting.
"May i look in these too?" she asked once she was at your desk, sketchbooks across the table.
Slowly, you nodded. In that moment, you didn’t even think about the fact that you had sketched Leah too, and that more than once.
Every now and then, compliments slipped out while her fingers traced the lines and shapes of your art.
Then she stopped, silence deafening, "is that me?" she whispered, looking at more pages of herself.
"What? Shit, no, no, no." With a few quick steps, you slammed the book shut. Too embarrassed to even look at her, "you weren‘t supposed to see those" you muttered.
"So it was me?" she asked again, even though it was quite obvious that it was her indeed.
"Yes, I’m sorry. I‘m not a creep i promise! You‘re just- just so-" your brain went blank.
"yeah?"
"you‘re… you‘re just so amazing and i- I really like you. And i only realized that i sketched you once it was too late. I‘m really sorry! You weren‘t even supposed to see them. I‘m not a creep, I’m just in love with you and i never thought you‘d like me back and now you‘re here with me on date. Well at least that‘s what you said it was. But it‘s totally fine, if you don’t want it to be a date anymore or if you want leave now or-" in the middle of your ramble, Leah cut you off, with her lips gently pressing against your own, a perfect way to shut you up. Your body relaxed immediately as your lips responded to the new sensation. Leah’s hands fell to your hips while yours laid on her stomach, your brain not knowing where else to put them as it was completely consumed by Leah kissing you.
Here you were in the heart of your art with Leah, the most beautiful girl, who was kissing you, the artist.
And even though, most artist are only known for their work by everyone after their death, you weren‘t most and Leah surely wasn‘t everyone. She was the one.
"Wow"
"Indeed wow"
You both stared at each other in silence, loving the tranquil atmosphere you had created.
"So what should i call you now? Picasso? Van Gogh? Michelangelo? Da Vinci?"
You laughed at her comment, playfully hitting her chest while she pulled you even closer in return.
"While i did like Papa smurf, I’d eventually prefer my girlfriend" she smiled, leaning in once again.
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covenofagatha · 5 months ago
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Would it be possible to do a part 2 to knocked up and turned on? Where readers further along in the pregnancy and is trying to decorate the nursery but the shade of the paint is off and nothings going according to plan. So Agatha comes to the rescue with her hands. Can it include fingering, hand kink, lactation kink, pregnancy kink and anything else you desire!
Listening to Evermore while writing this was such a funny choice
I'm also planning on having a part 3 for this too so should they have a boy or a girl?
Knocked up and turned on (Part 2)
Word count: 2100
Warnings: hand kink, fingering, lactation kink, pregnancy kink, mommy kink, fluff
“Fuck!” You exclaim, throwing down the paint brush, pinching the bridge of your nose. 
Your wife rushes into the room, having just got home from work, to find you blinking back tears. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” She asks gently, rubbing your back. 
You gesture at the wall that you were trying to paint. All there is right now is three swatches on an otherwise white wall. At four months pregnant, the hormones are a bit wild. “I told the worker that I wanted eggplant purple and this is clearly imperial! And I can’t build the crib and the stupid mobile won’t stay up, and nothing is going right!” You take a deep breath after your outburst, feeling a little better at getting your frustration off your chest. 
Agatha has been working as usual, and to make yourself a little less stir-crazy while waiting for her to come home every day, you’ve taken it upon yourself to start decorating the nursery for your unborn baby. 
You came up with a design for the big wall in the room: a purple background with green and black trees. You had ordered a crib online after countless hours of reading up on which brand was the safest. And you were determined to put together your own mobile. Other furniture and accessories that you had acquired were littered around the room.
Maybe you have been a little obsessive lately, especially considering you’re only halfway into the pregnancy, but you needed a project and you wanted everything to be perfect. 
And of course, everything is ruined. But Agatha just shushes you, hugging your back to her front, arms crossed protectively over your belly, and kisses your head. “When we have our little James or Amelia, it’s not going to matter what shade of purple the nursery is. All that’s going to matter is that we have our own bundle of joy that we get to love and spoil and be there for.” 
You sigh and nod. Rationally, you know she’s right. And then your nose wrinkles. “Did we decide on Amelia if it’s a girl? I thought we liked Harper.” The baby name debate had taken up many an evening at the Harkness house. You both liked the name ‘James,’ but had gone back and forth on girls’ names.
“Mm, we did, but then I changed it,” Agatha hums and you chuckle. She sways lightly with you and you just enjoy the feeling of her. 
“I guess you’re right,” you concede. “Imperial and eggplant are basically the same shade. Even though–” 
“It looks perfect, baby,” Agatha cuts you off before you can go down that rabbit hole again. “Why don’t you get off your feet for a bit? I can take over.” 
“Are you sure? You just got home, I’m sure you’re exhausted,” you say, able to feel the tenseness in her body. 
But she kisses your earlobe this time. “Nonsense. You’re the one carrying our child. James or…Bianca?” 
You shake your head. “Even worse.” She laughs and nudges you towards the green rocking chair in the corner. It had been a gift from your parents and you couldn’t wait to sit in it with your baby and read them a story or hold them until they fell asleep. 
Settling into the chair, you watch Agatha pick up the roller brush, run it through the tray a few times, and begin to paint the wall with purple. It’s hypnotizing to watch her arm move methodically like that, just up and down. Her fingers are so tightly gripped around the handle that you can see every vein in her left hand. 
Your mouth runs dry. 
You’ve completely forgotten about the wrong shade of the paint. 
“After this, I can take a look at the crib, yeah? Maybe it’ll be easier with two people. And what were you using to hang the mobile?” Agatha asks absentmindedly, dipping the brush back into the paint and going back over the faded stripes she just made. 
You clear your throat to tear your mind out of the gutter. Your wife is trying to be helpful. “Yeah, help with the crib would be good. I was trying to use string to hang it from the ceiling, but I don’t think it’s strong enough. Every time it just came crashing down.” You look over to where you had left it in a heap on the floor and feel the anger start to come back.
“It’s okay, we’ll figure it out,” Agatha reassures. “See, this doesn’t look too bad, does it?” She’s painted a good chunk of the wall and you tilt your head to judge it. 
“No,” you have to admit. “I think it looks good.” You can see Agatha beaming as she keeps rolling the brush. 
After a few more minutes, she has to switch hands and you watch, absolutely transfixed, as she flexes the fingers on her left hand to stretch them out. 
Suddenly, all you can think about are her long fingers, perfectly trimmed nails, the pale skin tight over her bluish veins, the way her knuckles pop when she curls into a fist. And then memories of her hand wrapped around your throat, playing with your nipples, sliding inside you, 
Fuck. 
You must make a small sound because she stops what she’s doing and turns around to face you. “You alright?” Concern is evident on her face, and you blush at her being worried. 
Nope, you’re incredibly fucking turned on. Being pregnant has done wonders for your libido, and Agatha is never one to deny you anything.  
“Yeah, I’m good,” you say, trying to brush off suspicion, but she walks over and crouches down in front of you. You have to bite back a whimper. 
“Hon, is it the baby?” She asks carefully, trying to keep the alarm out of her voice. 
You sigh, knowing there’s no way out of this. “No, the baby’s all good, it’s just, um, watching you paint has made me a little…” You trail off, hoping she catches your drift, but she just raises an eyebrow. The corners of her lips are tugging up ever so slightly though, so you know she just wants you to say it. “Turned on.” It’s barely a whisper but she hears it. 
“Oh, yeah?” 
Your cheeks burn and you nod. “Yeah. But it’s okay, you’re painting.” But she tuts, stands up, and offers you the hand you couldn’t stop staring at. 
“The nursery can wait. We have five more months to paint that damn wall,” Agatha practically growls, delicately pushing you against the white dresser that you had also picked out this week. Her hands push up under your shirt and you gasp at the feeling of her warm hands on your skin. 
Her mouth devours yours, tongue licking into your mouth, and you wrap your arms around her neck to pull her even closer. She slots a thigh between yours and you grind on it, already sensitive. 
Another plus from being pregnant: it takes you no time at all to get soaked and ready. You can feel her half-hardened cock in her pants and you shift so that your leg brushes against it and she groans. 
“What do you want, baby?” She says, lips still against yours, and your fingers entangle in her hair. 
“Your hand, please,” you beg, not even caring how desperate you sound. You need those long fingers inside you, filling you perfectly. 
She chuckles breathlessly and tugs at the hem of your shirt and you lift your arms so she can take it off. Agatha quickly reaches behind you to unclasp your bra and she steps back to admire your body. 
“You are so fucking hot,” she says, heat in her ragged voice, and it causes a thrill to spike through you. “Look at you, full with my child.” Her hands come up to rub at the slight curve of your belly and she shudders like it physically has too much effect on her. 
And then her fingers slide up to knead your already-swollen breasts and your head drops back with a moan. They’ve been so sensitive lately and Agatha fully knows this. Her lips drop to your bare chest to nip and suck and all of a sudden, something happens. 
Warmth, and then the tingling sensation of pins and needles, fills your breasts. You gasp and Agatha jerks back. You move her hands out of the way and squeeze your nipples instinctively to try to ease the feeling. 
Drops of milk dribble out and Agatha moans like she’s never seen anything so hot. Before you can say anything, her mouth is back on you, tugging and sucking at your nipple and it’s like nothing you’ve ever felt before. 
Your entire body is throbbing. It’s like there’s a line running from your nipples to cunt, and it’s on fire. 
“Agatha, Mommy, please,” you gasp, the pet name having become so much more of a turn-on for her now that she’s actually going to be one. “I need you, please, fuck me.” 
She switches to your other nipple, drawing out the little bit of milk that you’ve produced, and her left hand slides down to tease the waistband of your shorts. 
You need her too bad so you don’t hesitate before reaching down and shoving them down, along with your drenched underwear. You kick them off and grab her wrist, leading her exactly where you need her. 
Your wife chuckles, but it turns into a hot gasp when she realizes just how wet you are. 
“Fuck, baby, watching me paint really got to you,” Agatha remarks, lips still against your breasts, and you nod breathlessly. 
“I like your hands,” is all you can say because she slides a finger into you and it makes your brain go fuzzy. 
She starts with a slow pace at first, curling up and hitting exactly where you need her, but she starts to pick it up when you start panting more and more. She easily slips another finger into you, setting a bruising pace, and you’re already so close. 
“God, hon, you feel so good around, you’re so fucking hot,” she groans and you clench in response at her praise. “You look so fucking hot being pregnant.” 
You practically sob in pleasure when Agatha’s thumb starts to play with your clit and she forces a third finger inside. When she leans back down to suck at your nipples again, drawing one into her mouth and suckling on it, a strangled cry escapes from your mouth and a feeling more intense than anything you’ve ever felt builds in your lower gut. 
“Mommy,” you whine and she curves her fingers just right, harshly scraping her teeth against your nipple, and the dam breaks, pleasure exploding through your entire body. 
Your mind goes blank. 
Agatha’s chuckles are what bring you back down to earth and you open your eyes to find splatters of liquid all over her clothes. You gasp and reach out to pat it while her fingers lazily move in and out of you. 
“Did I…?” 
“Squirt all over me?” She finishes for you, wearing the biggest grin you’ve ever seen. “Yes, baby. You certainly did.” 
You swear under your breath and she pulls out of you. You grab her wrist and bring her fingers to your mouth, swirling your tongue around them, bobbing your head up and down them like it’s her cock, and you watch her eyes darken even more. 
You’re about to offer to return the favor, but before you can, she wraps her arms around you in the tenderest hug you’ve ever had. 
“I cannot wait to have this baby with you,” she says softly and it almost makes you fall apart. 
You smile into her neck. “Even if it’s a girl and we don’t name her Amelia?” You joke and she laughs. 
“We can name them whatever you want, hon. As long as we’re all together, it won’t matter.” 
“I love you,” you whisper, turning the embrace into a one-armed hug so you both can look at the half painted wall. 
Agatha says it back, leaning her head against yours. “You know, I actually don’t like this color at all,” she says, and you look up at her in surprise. She smiles, able to feel your questioning gaze. “You asked for eggplant, and this is imperial, so let’s go back and get the right kind. What my baby wants, my baby gets.” 
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xxepherr · 6 months ago
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.ೃ࿐ELECTION DAY
summary — in which austin accidentally lets it slip that hasan’s faceless (yet public) girlfriend is the woman they’re currently watching analyse the maps on CNN. 
pairings — hasan piker x politicalcorrespondent!girlfriend!reader
pronouns — she/her
word count ��� 1893
note — i personally would have “6’4 jacked boyfriend” as his contact name so that whenever weird men try to hit on me they see that but thats just me (and this reader insert ofc) (also this is nothing special just me rambling tbh — what’s to say this political!reader doesn’t become a mini series)
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THE DAY WAS HERE. election day. not only was it the day your boyfriend had spent hours upon hours preparing for for weeks, but you, too. you were a political journalist and correspondent currently working the map for CNN during the weeks in the lead up to the election. 
it was a big day for you. four years ago you were streaming your own map coverage to fifteen thousand people on twitch, accessing your sources across multiple states to provide statements on what was going on nationwide. being asked a couple months ago to run the maps in front of millions was certainly a step up, but it gave you control to speak objectively without bias unlike most of the other news anchors and correspondents that were pushing right-wing sentiment over any other coverage. 
you hadn’t seen hasan in a few weeks now unless you counted facetimes and tuning into his streams. you’d get texts while he was streaming and the occasional kaya video ( because apparently she’d been whining with your leave ). it wasn’t the same, but you were both incredibly career-driven people, so being hours apart by plane wasn’t as daunting as it probably should’ve been.
“you’re gonna be late to stream,” you laughed softly, fiddling with the cap of the bottle of water someone had gotten you. endless tabs were open on your laptop in front of you, following aspects of every state because there was still hours to go before the polls closed, so you were only needed in short segments for now to go over 2020 and 2016 county votes in particular states at a time. 
“you’re right,” hasan’s voice was slightly staticky through the phone. “i might have to focus on kornacki or fox news so that i don’t spend too long staring at you.”
“aw,” you let go of your phone, holding it between your ear and shoulder to screw the cap back on the bottle. one of the directors caught your attention across the room, holding up his hand to say that she had five minutes before they were back on air again. “i’m back on in a few . . . i’ll have your stream open on my laptop, though!”
“good luck today,” hasan said softly as he started his stream, leaving it on his opening scene while his mic was muted. people were already flooding in by the thousands. “i’ll talk to you in, what, twelve hours? i love you.”
“twelve hours,” you hummed in agreement, “i love you more,” you sighed softly, noticing that the twitch tab was reloading to take her to his ‘starting soon’ overlay. “good luck.” you ended the phone call first, quickly putting it back on do not disturb and placing it over on the table that was full of analytical notes. the board that now had the map of the united states of america was lit up again, an empty canvas waiting for you to load up the old votes to load up projected blue and red areas.
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TOO MANY HOURS TO count and three hundred thousand viewers into the election, hasan was still going strong. despite the pull to watching CNN more than he probably should, he managed to force himself to switch between fox news to laugh at republican propaganda and msnbc. though, he would one hundred percent lying if he said he didn’t have CNN up on his second monitor. 
things were steadily climbing, and josh ( ettingermentum ) was back after mike from PA left the call. josh, who had been raging on ( no seriously, no one had really heard him be that loud all day ) about how the democrats fucked up was finally broken up when austin joined the call, the atmosphere shifting.
christmas sign in full view and a cold slab of a slice of pizza being shoved into his mouth, austin’s discussion on if he was being sent to prison if the republicans dominated was dwindled until josh left the call to analyse the polls for twitter. 
“ugh, can we watch something else?” austin asked, barely swallowing his mouthful of pizza first. “all i’ve done is watch fox today.”
“yeah,” hasan chucked humourlessly, clicking around mindlessly between tabs as he tried to find msnbc’s coverage. because the tabs were so small thanks to the fifty million twitter tabs he had open, he almost groaned in frustration when he accidentally clicked on the CNN tab.
 the tab where you were conveniently fiddling with the data of state of pennsylvania. it was already a dangerous game having you on screen when the chat knew what the silhouettes of you looked like — photos from behind of you walking with hasan, photos of your eyes after he tried to do your makeup, mirror fit checks with your face covered by the phone . . . chat only needed to be railroaded enough to work it out. 
just as he was about to switch tabs again, austin opened his mouth. “oh, man, i miss her,” there was a shift in his tone, more than just him speaking without thinking. familiarity shone through. from the way he casually uttered your nickname to the sigh, it was probably worse than railroading. it was the train forgetting to slam the brakes on worthy. 
hasan wisely kept his mouth shut as he switched to fox news — anything was better than CNN currently — and his eyes slowly zeroed in on the chat. question marks upon question marks until it eventually morphed into ‘holy shit she looks familiar’ and ‘girlfriend reveal????’ to ‘omg face reveal’ and his breathing faltered. 
someone switched the chat to emote only mode in the few moments he was silent for, austin thankfully following suit. glancing at his second monitor, you were still doing your thing, this time discussing the iowa flip from blue to red, completely oblivious. 
“austin,” hasan finally said, tone flat. there was no use making a big fuss out of denying it — that would just make it more obvious. 
austin chuckled nervously, awkwardly. “uh . . . sorry, hasan. i didn’t think about it . . . awkward.”
“clearly,” he grumbled, digging his fingers into his hair for a moment as he thought. the election was put on hold in his mind for a moment as he switched the screen to the full facecam. he wasn’t going to directly deny or confirm anything, so instead he said, “take what you will from what austin said. in saying that, don’t go harass her, clearly she was faceless for a reason. anyway,” hasan cleared his throat, “moving on, back to the election . . .” and he swiftly moved on like nothing ever happened ( while the mods were timing out anyone who asked about it for an entire week ).
“PENNSYLVANIA AND NEVADA ARE expected to be the closest as of currently,” you gestured to the map that demonstrated the slight wave from the blue shift. “we’re looking at about half a percent, but election night is full of surprises so . . . we’ll continue to keep an eye on that for now.” the directors in the back signalled that the camera was no longer live, and you nodded and took a deep breath. the polls weren’t looking as good as everyone had expected it would look for the democrats.
finally off the air for a much needed break, you wandered back over to your little table off to the side. notes were piling up, but upon noticing the spam of notifications flashing across your phone. weird, you thought, your notifications usually not showing up unless it came from verified accounts across all social media platforms . . . until you noticed that it was coming from your private instagram and twitter account. super weird. 
and then the text from hasan. 
6’4 SUPER JACKED BOYFRIEND: uhhh so austin accidentally told 300k people we’re dating 
6’4 SUPER JACKED BOYFRIEND: call me when ur done? so sorry
oh. on one hand the first part was exciting. three hundred thousand? it was a new viewership record for him. on the other? that means a shit ton of people knew the secret you guys had spent almost two years safeguarding. you’d wanted to keep your face out of everything because you had your own career and didn’t want his to intertwine with it. a healthy work-life balance was keeping that shit separate, but it was only really time until people found out anyway. it wasn’t the best kept secret, anyway. 
still, you weren’t mad. you sent off a quick text saying ‘it’s alr’ with a smiley face emoji and shut your phone off completely, shoving it off to the side and turning your laptop back on. you’d be back in california tomorrow, anyway, it could be dealt with then.
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THE AIRPORT WASN’T AS secretive anymore. tired after only getting a couple hours of sleep because you got back to your hotel at some god awful hour this morning, it was an instant relief to see hasan waiting for you, dresses comfortably to not draw too much attention to himself — which was difficult because he was fucking huge.
either way, you had no energy to do anything but collapse into his waiting arms, letting him engulf you until you were suffocating. “this is nice,” you mumbled. “sorry i didn’t call, was so tired.”
“you’re fine,” he promised, pulling you back slightly to look at him. “i missed you,” he slipped his hand into yours, and he took your suitcase with his other hand. it was nice to be able to publicly be in his presence without worrying, so much so that you leant into his arm, tiredness dragging your feet.
“missed you more,” you said honestly, but there was more on your mind than just small talk. “where’s austin? motherfucker’s been blowing up my phone.”
hasan chuckled, “if i hear him apologise one more time i’m gonna commit a hate crime.” he then shook his head, “he wanted to stay at the house but i told him to come ‘round tomorrow . . . want you to myself first.”
you knew what that was code for, so you shook your head with a silent laugh. “let me sleep first, god.”
and sleep you did. the house was silent thankfully so you were content tucked up in hasan’s arms, stealing him from clocking in with his twitch chat for ten hours in a fit of selfishness that you were entitled too.
“austin might’ve saved our relationship,” you teased, trailing your fingers up his arm that was tightly wrapped around you, both on the verge of falling into dreamland. “now we can go out on proper dates again.”
“you can tell him yourself,” hasan’s arms tightened around her a little bit more, so full of warmth that the blanket was starting to render useless. “when he knocks our door down tomorrow morning.”
“aw, come on,” you tapped his arm a little harder, fighting the urge to gnaw on his forearm. “you love him.”
“i love you, he’s just my side piece,” he kissed the side of your neck tenderly, “night, baby.”
“g’night,” you mumbled back with a soft smile, the world drifting away for just that little bit longer until tomorrow rolled around. you could deal with your very public relationship then.
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crooked-hourglass · 27 days ago
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Recap of my mangled thoughts after my first Ritual in Manchester!
Spoilers under the read more
Forgive me for spelling mistakes - its late and emotions are high! We were so close to the stage. We were in the first block and in the second row and we were level with the stage so we could see them so well. We were practically next to Swiss, and Cirrus was behind him on the keyboards. There was a raised track all the way around the stage and Phantom interacted with us so much and his little dances were adorable. Rain, Dew and Papa also came to interact with us so many times. Dew tried to throw a pick over the gap but it didnt quite make it. Most of the Ghouls were wearing platform Doc Martens and Phantom and Rain looked particularly good in them. Rain, Swiss, and rhe Ghoulettes were wearing habits, and at one point Rain headbanged too hard and the habit flipped over his face 🙃.
The setlist was immaculate, and the staging was so impressive. They started with the usual big black curtain that dropped to show the stage in the usual Ghost setup but with the additional raised section around the sides and back. Everytime Dew came to our side he'd take the lonf way back all the way round the back of the stage. And I got to witness a Dew Cirrus fist bump as he was doing his rounds around the stage. And phantom and Dew played together at the back but i couldnt tell if you could see that from the front. I couldnt see Aurora or the new Ghoulette, but the verdict is in, Cirrus is still hot. And Aurora had the wings from the music video! Also I can't believe I finally saw a mummy dust keytar solo live! There was another curtain covering the back wall of the stage, that dropped after a few songs to reveal the usual windows, but the projections on to them were amazing! Especially when they shattered to reveal a night sky that change to a sunrise when they played 'He Is'. Those windows then fell to reveal an entire wall of screens that had amazing visual effects. And let me say it was so refreshing to not see AI generated effects on screen at a concert. There was pyro, fireworks, the lighting was gorgeous and of course there is new Mummy Dust! Which I'm hoping to get on Sunday 🤞
There was a moment where it was just Phantom on the stage, interacting with the crowd and encouraging cheers etc, and it was so nice to watch him have his moment, and Dew had a bit of a moment too. Plus the top hat looked so good on Phantom - and on Dew! Oh! And the gave Swiss a cowbell! Cowbell ghoul lives on! What I will say about the costumes is that they were VERY tight and I think it was a bit of an issue with the boys if you catch my drift.
Now onto Papa V - he was the perfect balance of sweet and playful, and a bit darker than Copia. His outfits were incredible. For 'Majesty' he was on a pedestal behind Mountain and was wearing these long ornate robes with a huge collar. The pedestal rose up, alonf with the giant grucifix that was made of lights that hung above the stage. His robes for 'Ritual' I loved! They were black with a chrome spine and hip bones and what looked like a tail that went to the end of his robes. The back of the ghouls sleevless tail coats also had fabric that was rouched to look like ribs. The new costumes were all fantastic. And Papa still had his sparkly jackets still! A silver one during the main set and a purple/pink one during the encore. He also had a black jacket that had glitter diamonte detailed like spider webs across. The amount of sparkle on this tour is exquisite. Papa sounded so clear and so so good, and the ghoulette and Swiss backing vocals were incredible. The new songs sound great and I'm so excited for the new album.
On the no phones thing, I only slightly freaked out because I couldn't find one of the people I went with at one point. But overall, I loved the energy of an arena filled with people interacting and focused on the show. I just wish there was more communication beforehand to how the tickets worked and if you needed to print them. But now you can see half of Papa's face, you can tell he was so happy with the show.
Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better first ritual with better seats. Because standing at shows takes it out of me for days after so to get such a view and get so close and still be able to walk after is amazing.
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4vanaa · 4 months ago
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—02 MEET THE MAYBANKS.
MASTERLIST
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Parenting Style:
Kiara (Kie):
⌗ kie is the more structured and responsible parent. she’s the one who emphasizes the importance of education, healthy habits, and emotional intelligence. she balances jj’s wildness by providing stability and routine for their kids.
⌗ kie’s biggest challenge is keeping jj in line (and sometimes herself, when his wild ideas sound too fun to pass up). but at the end of the day, she believes in fostering independence, freedom, and exploration, even if it’s messy.
⌗ she's big on encouraging her kids to be passionate about causes they care about, whether it's environmental activism, volunteer work, or just standing up for what’s right. kie often takes them on nature hikes, environmental clean-ups, and community service projects.
⌗ kie’s methods are a mix of tough love and encouragement. she always explains the reasoning behind rules and lets her kids express their opinions.
JJ:
⌗ jj is the fun dad—the one who wants his kids to live in the moment, break a few rules, and embrace the adventure. he’s incredibly spontaneous and often makes up rules as he goes. his approach to parenting is less about structure and more about experiences—giving his kids the freedom to make mistakes, learn, and laugh.
⌗ jj’s biggest flaw is that he can sometimes act before thinking, which leads to chaotic situations. he’s the one who suggests spontaneous road trips, sneaky pranks, and pushing the limits of what’s “acceptable.” his fun, carefree energy is infectious, but it’s also a challenge for kie, who has to reign him in at times.
⌗ he’s great at making memories, and his kids know that when jj’s around, there’s no shortage of fun. he’s the dad who’ll take them surfing at sunrise or let them stay up late watching movies (while eating way too many snacks).
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The Kids:
KAI MAYBANK (16)
PERSONALITY kai is the perfect mix of jj’s carefree attitude and kiara’s underlying seriousness. as a teenager, he’s confident, outgoing, and always seeking new experiences, whether it’s a wild surfing competition or a community protest. he is known for being a bit of a rebel, especially when it comes to authority figures, but deep down, he’s incredibly loyal and protective of his family.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD kai shares a very close bond with jj and often gets into trouble with him, whether it’s sneaking out to do something adventurous or taking on crazy dares. jj treats him more like a “partner in crime” than a child, which is something that both frustrates and excites kai.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOM he loves kie, but his relationship with her is often marked by the classic teenage rebellion. kai knows his mom will always have his best interests at heart, but he can’t help but test her limits. kie provides the structure he needs, but it’s hard for kai to always see it as helpful rather than restrictive.
FUN FACT kai has a secret soft side and often finds himself emotionally grounded by kie when the world feels too chaotic. he has a lot of respect for her, even if he doesn’t always show it.
MAYA MAYBANK (12)
PERSONALITY maya is the adventurous spirit in the family, always up for a new challenge but with a slight edge of pragmatism (thanks to kie). she’s incredibly resourceful, often finding solutions to problems in unique and surprising ways. maya is outgoing and has no fear when it comes to making new friends or starting bold ideas.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HER DAD maya has an almost identical energy to jj, always getting caught up in his spontaneous adventures and pushing the boundaries of what’s considered “safe.” she’s often jj’s co-conspirator when it comes to pranks, daring feats, and making memories that her mom would rather not hear about.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HER MOM while kie tries to keep her in check, maya and kie often team up to keep things grounded. kie teaches her the value of patience and planning, but maya’s rebellious side still comes out in moments of high energy.
FUN FACT maya loves experimenting with new foods and takes after kie’s love for cooking. she has a growing obsession with plant-based recipes, which she often tries to sneak past jj, who, of course, always ends up eating it all.
JAX MAYBANK (7)
PERSONALITY jax is the wild, quirky younger child who often surprises everyone with how much mischief he can get into, despite being the youngest. he’s always asking questions, testing boundaries, and trying to keep up with his older siblings (especially maya, who is his partner in crime). he has a huge imagination and can come up with wild scenarios that leave everyone laughing or shaking their heads.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD jj is a total softie with jax, often spoiling him with treats or letting him stay up late to hang out. jax knows how to melt jj’s heart, and jj is constantly amazed by how funny and clever jax is.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOM kie is the one who teaches jax the fundamentals of patience and responsibility. she encourages him to take his time with things, but jax is the kid who’d rather jump into things headfirst. kie has to be constantly vigilant to keep him from doing something reckless (though sometimes she secretly enjoys his wild ideas).
FUN FACT jax is always the first one to drag jj into spontaneous (and often messy) activities, like building an elaborate fort in the living room or setting up an obstacle course in the backyard.
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FAMILY DYNAMICS
KIE AND JJ have a great balance when it comes to managing their family. while jj’s constant enthusiasm and wild ideas create a chaotic atmosphere, kie brings a sense of calm and practicality to keep things grounded. there’s a lot of laughter in their house, but kie’s eye for detail and organization ensures things don’t go too far off-track.
FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ARE OFTEN a mix of spontaneous planning (thanks to jj) and debates over the best course of action (led by kid). jj always tries to convince the family to go on a last-minute trip or take on a new adventure, while kie ensures they have the right supplies and that everyone’s prepared.
JJ IS THE COOL DAD who always encourages his kids to have fun and not worry too much about rules. he’s the one who’ll suggest they skip school for the day to go on a surf trip or sneak them into a late-night movie. he wants his kids to live life to the fullest, but sometimes his lack of boundaries leads to hilarious or sticky situations.
KIE HAS A STRONG moral compass and teaches her kids the value of hard work, empathy, and responsibility. she encourages her children to find their own path, but always keeps them connected to the community and the world around them.
KIE AND MAYA END UP cooking a huge family dinner together, while jj and jax try to “help” but mostly end up causing chaos in the kitchen.
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a/n: meet the routledges out at 11pm tonight??!! maybe we’ll see…meet the heywards + meet the thorntons tomorrow at 8/9 pm est.
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🏷️: @rafecameronswifeyy @papercranesandinkstains @delicatevamps @sereneera @ethanthequeefqueen @zuccheromorena @theanonymousloser @chalahyung01 @mystic-megumi @acidfeens @judesgfirl @rubiehart @callieyanderechan @amterasuu @smithieandy @theeternaloptimistt @marleymarleymarleymarley @akobx @lilygrxcem @fieryghxul @aias-fxtns @starkeysbaby @brxght-world @drewsswifeyy @luvelola @atjlovverr @justsomerandompersonintheworld @totalswag @yesshewrites1 @starsmoonn
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sashayed · 6 months ago
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I haven't said as much about electoral politics this year as I have in previous cycles, because I am exhausted like everyone else and have nothing new or helpful to add. That is still true, so caveat lector I guess lmao!!! Happy American Election Day Fellow Sufferers!!
I have been experiencing an internal backlash the last few years to my extremely Sorkinpilled D.C. private school upbringing -- my childhood spent as a kind of convent schoolgirl in the faith of The System Is Good If We All Participate, which of course has a uhhh let's say generously a minimal engagement with the ways in which many of us are by design shut out of participating. I don't think idealism is necessarily childish, but I think MY idealism certainly has childish qualities, an undergirding of 90s feel-goodism, of civic participation as a subtle ego stroke and of voting -- although I would never have consciously put it this way -- as a way to feel superior to people who don't vote.
Lately there has bubbled up in me a sludgy, adolescent fury at this whole stupid country that has made it very very hard to feel like I should do even the bare minimum. For these people? AMERICANS? The ones that not only want Donald Trump to be president but saw what happened the first time and were like, We love this, do it again but worse? Whatever, fuckos. "I hope you people get your dearest wish and it chews you to death slowly," I may have thought.
I have also thought: why is it so controversial to ask elected officials to stop funding a genocide? Why are we treating people who make that ask, who are watching the current administration directly fund death on a mass scale and objecting to that choice, as if they are being babies and just need to get over it? How are they supposed to get over it? Why is anybody over it?
Anyway all this means that I, a known chipper door-knocker and caller of congresspeople, have been pretty low-key this current cycle. I think that is OK. I don't want to make this a big dramatic confessional about how I didn't write enough postcards or whatever. We all get exhausted and this was my turn.
But it has also been an illuminating cycle in that it's made it clear to me how much at my big age I still want politics to make me feel good, and when they don't, I still have the urge to throw a lil tantrum about it! I can get very superior and intellectual about how right-wing operatives manipulate their voters emotionally WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING that I too have been manipulated, in my case into the feeling that nonparticipation is a kind of revolutionary act.* Just absolute "I threw it on the GROUND" logic happening inside my head. "Maybe if I don't vote I will be doing Quiet Quitting, which is uhhhhh anticapitalist." I'm not a part of your system!!!
Anyway, I am trying to have self-compassion about it, and one way for me to do that is to project my internal experience onto a theoretical reader. That would be you, my imaginary friend who clicked on this post for some reason even though you have already decided not to vote! I just want to tell you that I am more sympathetic to your point of view than I have ever been in my whole life, and I'm sorry I have historically been a glib, holier-than-thou asshole about it in ways that may actually have made you MORE resistant to civic participation.
And you're right: it doesn't make that big a difference whether I personally vote or not, or whether you do. But if there are hundreds of us, and I think there are, then each of those people individually do starts to matter.
I guess I would humbly request that you and I both pay attention to what people who need help are actually asking for. I would ask that we both notice who wins when we abdicate this single responsibility. I would remind us both that participating in the electoral process is not some kind of weird either-or with participating in decentralized community building and mutual aid, and the best people we know do both. Isn't it interesting that somehow, insidiously, without even consciously becoming aware of this belief, we have started to think that you can only do one or the other? Who is telling us that story? Who does it serve?
Anyway. I took the stupid 90 minute round trip to my polling place which was VERY hot for some reason and I stood in the stupid line and some babies waved at me and I cast my vote for Kamala Harris and I'm glad I did it in the same way I'm glad after I do the dishes or take a stupid shower. Doing work doesn't always feel like anything. I also saw a really wonderful small black and white dog that I thought was a cat on a leash. I would not have seen that dog if I hadn't gone to vote. So politics can still make you feel good!!!
*I mean all this analysis is cute and everything BUT ALSO i did switch antidepressants twice in the last year, an astonishingly grueling process that almost made me [affect the trout population]. Could these things be related? hmmmmmmm, don't understand the question, won't respond to it.
#yg
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dont-offend-the-bees · 15 days ago
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Ain't That a Kick in the Head?
HAPPY (belated) DBDANNIVERSARY! I started this little thing a few months ago when I realised A) just HOW tiny that office sofa at the centre of soooo many Payneland smut fics is, and B) that Edwin was lounging on it with the back cushions at the ends. I dusted it off and wanted to get it finished for the anniversary but for various life reasons, my writing brain was not braining! Fingers crossed, I have a little more free time for projects now! Payneland, 2.3k, T, fun getting-together fluff, also on Ao3 (only visible to logged-in users)!
“Edwin?”
“Charles.”
Charles hummed, spinning his vintage football on his finger. Wasn't vintage when he got it, mind. But twenty-odd years being bandied about the same pokey office had made an antique of the old girl. “Been thinking ‘bout what Crystal said. About the sofa…”
Edwin gave him a look of mild betrayal over his book. “Oh, Charles. Not you as well.”
“Well, got a point, hasn't she? I mean —” Charles gestured broadly down to his knees — which were propped up against Edwin's knees. When they sat like this, cross legged and facing one another, they sort of met in the middle. “Barely room for one of us, mate! Not the best place for a living person to kip when she misses the last tube, is it?”
“Then we shall acquire a trundle bed. Or one of those —” he waved his hand — “newfangled inflatable mattresses. I hardly see the need to cast the entire office into disarray.”
“Not exactly a big redecorate, is it?” Charles teased, nudging Edwin's knee with his own. “One little sofa. Well, big sofa, hopefully. Bigger than this one. Maybe a bit softer, bit less, y’know... ancient.”
Edwin made an offended sound through his nose. “Charles! This sofa has been a stalwart of the agency since its inception!”
“Only 'cause the landlady let us have it with the flat,” said Charles.
“It has a history! Stories to tell.”
“You know Madam Seine was like, a madam madam, yeah?” said Charles, waggling his eyebrows for emphasis. “Ran a brothel out of this place when she was alive. Reckon some of those stories are pret-ty raunchy, mate.”
Edwin pursed his lips and fidgeted. “Well. Be that as it may. You cannot simply — simply oust something for being a bit worse for wear and... and a bit old fashioned.” He sniffed haughtily. “It is bad form. Dreadfully disloyal.”
Charles softened. He bit his lip. “That right?”
“Yes.” Edwin primly turned the page in his book. “I shall hear no more of it.”
Charles sighed, rolling his shoulders back against his cushion. They never sat with the back cushions on properly, these days. In the first five years or so yeah, maybe. But not for ages. Nowadays they took the back cushions and propped them at the sides, against the curved armrests, so's they could face each other from opposite ends of the sofa.
Charles wasn't sure exactly when they started doing it, or when it stopped being a one-off and started being the norm. But it just made more sense really, didn't it? They didn't have a telly to point the couch at, weren't ever watching something else when they sat side by side, so what was the point in looking at anything but one another? It was better to be facing each other when they were chatting, telling stories long into the night. Better for hatching plans and theories. Better for playing games, for cards and catch and crosswords and cat's cradle. Even if they were both doing their own thing, like now, Edwin with his books and Charles with his ball games, there was something dead nice about doing it with the other in the background.
But it was a tight fit. One of them alone didn't have room to stretch his legs out on this thing — the two of them? This was the least amount of contact they could have, both their legs crossed and their kneecaps nuzzling. Sometimes they wound up tangled at the shin, or the knee or even the bloody thigh, both too long in the leg and too lax in the boundaries to give a toss.
Lately though, well, what with Edwin telling him what he had on the steps to Hell, Charles had been thinking...
“Reckoned you might like a bit more personal space, too, is all,” Charles mumbled, picking at a flake on the worn leather.
Edwin frowned at him, bewildered. “This amount has been perfectly adequate for the last two decades.”
“Yeah, but it's a bit different now, innit?”
“How so?”
Charles opened his mouth, then closed it. What was he supposed to say? Because you're in love with me now? Because I've not been able to stop thinking about your bloody knees touching mine for the last two hours and if that's me, just in like a mates way, you must be going bonkers? All sounded a bit bloody dickish, didn't it? “Just is.”
Edwin stiffened. “Oh.” He closed his book. He looked... upset. “I see.”
“What?”
“I did not wish to make you uncomfortable.”
Charles balked. “You didn't — Christ, I didn't mean it like that!”
“Well then enlighten me, Charles, because I fail to see how else you could have meant it.”
“I meant — it's not me, it's you!”
Edwin's eyebrows pinched together in helpless bafflement. “What a... uniquely distressing platitude.”
“I mean…” Charles sighed, rubbing his forehead. God, he was mucking this all up. “I'm just saying if it's a bit... I don't wanna make you uncomfortable, yeah? Or — or make you feel like I'm... I dunno. Rubbing it in.”
Edwin's eyebrows over the course of the awkward explanation crawled progressively higher, like they were backing up very slowly to his hairline. “‘Rubbing it in’?” He parroted, disbelieving.
Charles groaned, hiding his face in his hands. “Shut up. Fuck. Trying not to be a dickhead, here.”
He heard a sound, a soft huff of air, and peeked through his fingers. Edwin was smiling — no, Edwin was laughing. Small and restrained, but a definite laugh. He closed his book.
“Charles,” he said — the word all warm on his tongue. “While I appreciate your thoughtfulness, I am perfectly capable of managing my more... inconvenient feelings for you when we are spending time together.”
Charles snorted, scrubbing his eye with the heel of his hand. “Are you, now?”
“Yes. Though it is certainly a struggle; reigning in my amorous inclinations when faced with the irresistible temptation of…” he glanced down, smirking. “Your knees.”
Charles mock gasped. “Oi! My knees are fit.” He leaned in closer, making their kneecaps nudge. “Eh? Eh?”
Edwin raised his eyebrows and, deliberately, picked up his own knees and planted his feet flat on the sofa. “If your master plan is to persuade me to part with a perfectly serviceable sofa via knee seduction, I am afraid you'll not find me so easily swayed. Regardless of the relative 'fitness' of the knees in question.”
“Got my number, haven't you,” Charles grinned. He cracked his neck and sat up a bit straighter, propping his elbow on his thigh. “Alright then. New deal: thumb war.”
Edwin groaned. “Oh, honestly…”
“Winner gets final say on the couch. Deal?”
“Charles, we have not had a thumb war since the great poster debacle of ninety eight. We both agreed the fallout was too great.” He looked off past Charles’ shoulder, soberly, looking a dead ringer for a poor shellshocked world war one lad in a black and white army hospital photo. “And that is to say nothing of the collateral damage…”
“Just a one-off yeah? Friendly competition. Peace treaty goes right back into effect afterwards.”
Edwin gave him a look, but he sighed and set aside his book. “Very well.” He scooted a bit closer, straightening his pullover with a brisk tug. “But I thrashed you in ninety eight and I have every intention of doing so again.”
“Them's fighting words, lad,” Charles laughed, face warm, pleasant, bubbly anticipation in his gut. Something about Edwin getting physical, getting competitive always made his stomach flip. Just nice, wasn't it? Seeing his uptight best mate cut loose. “You're bloody on. C'mon then. Put 'em up.”
Edwin positioned his elbow, flexing his long fingers — regarding Charles with a self-assured quirk of his lip. “Queensberry Rules. No funny business.”
They locked hands, fingers in palms, thumbs bared. Did the business, back and forth, voices chiming in perfect polite unison “One, two, three, four, I declare thumb war —” and then let each other fuckin’ have it.
“Bloody hell,” Charles huffed, straining. “You been doing thumb push ups or summit?”
“Well, they do say the pen is mightier than the sword,” Edwin hummed, all nonchalant — but Charles could see the strain under the cool expression, see the tic in his jaw as he gave everything he had.
Charles grit his teeth, snatching his thumb back. Usually his tactic was brute force, get in there quick and wrestle Edwin down, but the cheeky sod was quick, and stronger than Charles gave him credit for. Their thumbs dodged and weaved, a tangle of near misses; Charles had a feeling all Edwin needed was one bang-on strike and he'd have Charles on the ropes.
He risked a glance up — and found Edwin staring at his face. “Oh, you're wrestling me without looking now?” Charles snorted. “Show off. A-ha! Gotcha!” He got his thumb hooked firmly over Edwin's, pushing down, so close to victory he could taste it.
And then he got a taste of something else.
Edwin's lips were gone almost before Charles felt them — but bloody hell, he felt them, alright. Quick as a flash and twice as blinding; Charles could've fallen through the sofa, the floor, six bloody storeys like a stone through a pond. He blinked, thunderstruck, mouth flopping like a fish.
Edwin cleared his throat and, politely, pushed Charles’ unresisting thumb down.
“And three, two, one… there. I believe victory is mine. Oh dear, what a shame, no new sofa for us. Still, I am sure we shall soldier on somehow. Now, if you will excuse me.”
He was all prim about it, brisk, proper stiff upper lip — boarding school lad leapt right out. But Charles made a grab for his knee before Edwin could unfold himself from the sofa and scarper.
“Yeah, just a tick, mate,” said Charles, a bit strangled. “Um.”
Edwin fidgeted on the spot. Well, he unsteepled and resteepled his fingers a couple of times. “Yes, I... I do apologise. I am not quite sure what came over me. You were sitting very close, and... it is. Inexcusable. Perhaps you are right after all. Perhaps it is for the best that we —”
Charles kissed him.
He could taste Edwin's little hitching breath on his lips, along with the fizzling, ectoplasmic energy of him. Christ, how could anyone walk through him and find a cold spot; he was so warm, a cosy log fire Charles just wanted to curl up against. His knees, still pressed against Charles', smoldered like hot coals and Charles wanted to touch him more, touch him everywhere, see what it felt like when they overlapped at the shin or the thigh or even —
Charles pulled back with a gasp of surprise. “Fuck,” he blurted, steadying himself on Edwin's knees as the realisation clipped him round the ear. “I proper fancy you!”
It was Edwin's turn to flop like a fish. “I... do… are you quite sure?”
Charles laughed. Couldn't help himself. He clapped his hands either side of Edwin's neck, thumbs tucked behind his ears — had he always had such cute ears? Where had Charles been? — and just sort of looked at him a moment. His best mate had one of the best faces out there. Charles wanted to smooth out the little confused scrunch of his bushy eyebrows with his thumb. Count the colours in those clever eyes; lean in and catch those soft, pink lips.
"Kiss me again,” he mumbled, leaning in close. "And I'll show you how sure I am, yeah?”
And Edwin, well, turned out he didn't need telling twice.
~
Probably shouldn't be that simple, should it? Flipping the switch from Edwin’s best mate to barmy about him. But the fancying Edwin thing, that had been the tricky bit. The bit Charles hadn't been sure he could do, or do enough.
The loving him bit? He'd been doing that for ages.
~
“Well that was… an unexpected conclusion.”
Charles grinned, dopily, at the ceiling. There was a crack in it they should probably do something about sometime, but that didn’t matter ‘cause the view seemed pretty brills to him, sprawled as much as a tall lad could sprawl on their tiny little sofa — and Edwin sprawled right alongside. And slightly on top of. “Bit better than collateral damage, eh?”
He could feel Edwin’s smile against his neck. “Considerably better, I’d venture. I might even be open to re-negotiating our treaty if we now have… alternative avenues of conflict resolution.”
Charles chuckled. Their legs looked proper daft, draped over the end of the tiny couch, feet all tangled up in the air. They really needed a bigger one, now they had so much more stuff they could be getting up to on it. “Right, then. About that. Is it a good time to point out you did sort of just cheat, yet?”
Edwin sighed. He didn’t have a leg to stand on and he knew it — those bloody lips of his were weapons of mass distraction and he’d hit Charles with both barrels. “Very well. I concede defeat.”
“Proper decent of you, mate, cheers. Brills! New sofa, then?”
Edwin hummed, twirling Charles’ necklace once around his finger. “Very well,” he said — with the same dangerous nonchalance he usually had when he was about to whip out a piece of evidence that'd nail their suspect to the bloody wall. “Dispose of the sofa on which we shared our first kiss, if it pleases you to do so. I shan’t protest.”
“... Oh, you bastard,” Charles laughed, tangling his hand in Edwin’s messed up hair — so bloody help him, he was about to get it even messier. “Kiss me again, you evil genius.”
And oh, he kissed him again. And again, and again. And their socked feet bobbed high and stupid over the arm of their too-tiny little sofa the whole time.
…Modern airbeds were probably pretty decent these days anyway, right? ~~~
This one felt a bit weird to write honestly, it feels very much like the sort of lighthearted, sweet Payneland one-shots I was writing in my early days of the fandom, which just isn't my specialty anymore! But it was a fun little trip down memory lane 🥰 So, what's next for Mr. Bees in DBDA fandom year 2? Well, obviously I have some fics to finish -- Lonely Bones got backburner'd but I WILL get my head down and get the last chapter out eventually (and thank you so much if you've left a comment there I haven't replied to, I'm at the stage now where I find myself saving comments for when I actually have something new to add to the story 😅). Ditto with Somewhere Beyond the Sea, although there's a fair bit more of that to go yet! Chapter two is almost there but needs One more quite big scene because I moved the chapter break. Apologies for the long hiatuses on both of these, but as usual, I've bitten off more than I can chew and I find myself really only able to focus on a max of two big projects at a time! Two things you may see first: -the Ghostcat Howl's Moving Castle AU, which I have been working on for months with dear_monday and two_ravens (and idliketobeatree who is doing the most INCREDIBLE art!!) and is now in the edit stage: it's long, it's FUN, it's magical and romantic and playful, and we have had such an UNBELIEVABLY fun time writing it and can't wait to share it! Even if poly ships aren't normally your thing, if you have any enjoyment whatsoever for Catwin/Catland/Payneland I hope you'll take a crack at it, because it's gonna be a blast! -my Big Bang fic! Which, actually, will not be posted on this account, because it WILL contain explicit scenes! It's long, it's Payneland, it's tender and sensual and also the most tragic and bittersweet thing I have ever written, and if you want to read that when it comes out and you don't already know my secret-not-secret smut side handle, feel free to DM me for it! (but only if you're 18+, please and thank you!) I also may, for the sake of ease of finding because stuff does get lost on tumblr, think about making a work on here to post some of my DBDA art from the last year and into the future, because turns out I've made a LOT of it! I have other fics, long and short, that I really wanna get to at some point, but we're very much out of the initially hyper-productivity stage and into the slow, simmering-the-idea-on-the-stovetop phase of my fandom experience. I look calm and quiet but my little legs are working under the surface! I may post less frequently now but I certainly hope to be posting for a long time to come 💛 Well, that's all I can think to say for now so once again, thank you, everyone's who's read along, everyone's who's talked to me either here or on tumblr or in the groupchats, everyone's who's also created such wonderful stuff and made this fandom such a thriving creative hub, I love and appreciate all of you and I hope we'll all be sat on this porch for a long, long time together 💛💛💛 Until next time!
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thoughtsforsoob · 1 year ago
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ways he shows he loves you - stray kids
a/n: I want to write more to stray kids so here you go! I know I have a bunch of request at the moment and while I do plan on getting to them, I have to allow myself some freedom to create what I want as well! please enjoy and as always, requests are open and so is my 200 event!! (omg im past 300 now and I am so incredibly grateful! thank you so freaking much!)
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bang chan - taking you home
I feel like chan considers taking you home as a huge step in your relationship, since ehe seems to love home so much.
he has a nice connection with his family so for you to go meet them means he's basically already planning the wedding
he likes to take you to places he remembers from when he was little (which are probably not too many places because he was just a little guy when he started training)
he also loves to make plans for you, his mom and his sisters hang out together
"you three go out! im paying for girls day"
he enjoys seeing pictures of his favorite people out, having fun together and getting along
the only thing he doesn't enjoy 100% is the teasing that collectively happens between you and his siblings against him but he doesn't;t mind it in the end because it just means you're comfortable with them and vice versa
and when he watches you and berry meeting for the first time...again...wedding bells are going off in his head
minho - supporting your hobbies
I don't see him as someone who is veery comfortable with just saying I love you all the time so he pressers to show it instead of say it
his way of doing so is by getting interested in your hobbies and most likely participating in them
lets just say you're a big fan of collection photo cards and trading! along with that, you also like to make bracelets for concerts! (lmao so cliche but this is what I can explain best! feel free to insert your own interests during the following!)
he definitely buys you albums all the time and when you don't pull him from a stray kids album, he rolls his eyes and keeps buying more until you pull him
he also loves watching you pack trades so he goes stationary shopping with you and buys you the cutest packing materials
he even packs a few trades for you and sneaks in a bunch of extra stickers and other freebies
he will also partake in bracelet making every time you attend a concert!
he loves sitting at the table, making bracelets with pretty beads (he insists on buying you the fancy glass beads for this project), watching a drama and eating snacks.
just seeing you happy and in your element and being able to support it is how he shows his love.
changbin - planning dates
idk about you guys but I feel like guys always leave it to their girlfriend to plan dates and come up with date ideas all the time
changbin is the exception
he knows all of the spots in the city and wants to take you to all of them eventually
he has a running list in a little journal he purchased when he first met you and started going on dates with you
he writes down the names of places he wants to take you to and crosses them out in highlighter when you eventually go so you can still see what he'd written down
he plans trips that vary anywhere from 2 weeks in LA to a evening picnic by the river
his favorite are "spontaneous dates" (in quotation marks because to him, no date is really spontaneous. he always puts some work into it, even if it's a late night run to the convenience store or a trip to the mall)
he's always navigating and making sure everything is perfect
his favorite part of the date is when you praise him for being so thoughtful and creative
he is so happy that he's impressing you and making you happy
he promises to himself that even when you both are old and grey, he's still going to sweet you off your feet with his amazing date ideas
hyunjin - remembers everything you tell him
(no bc...when people remember details about me I feel so happy)
anyways, he is such a good listener and pays attention to detail
whenever you mention something in passing, he makes a note of it mentally or if he knows he'll forget, he will write is down in his notes app
one example of this is during one exam season
2 weeks ago, you had told him bout your finals schedule and when it would start
on the first day, right at 6am he shows up with your favorite coffee order (or anything else if you don't drink coffee) and your favorite breakfast! along with a care package for the rest of finals!
the care package includes: two hoodies of his, you favorite candies, chips, ramyeon, and a couple other things he knew you'd find useful
he remember you telling him you had to get up at that hour to start getting ready for your 8am calc final
when he shows you, you damn near cry because of his thoughtfulness
he eats breakfast with you and makes sure your fueled up and able to focus on your test so you can ace it
the way he also thinks about you when he's out doing things like shopping
Oh I brought you back some eggs because I remember you said you didn't have anymore. also, this new toner because I noticed yours was running low last time I stayed the night."
jisung - never letting you pay
his love language is essentially paying for everything he can for you
if you deny him and tell him you're going to pay, just the thought of you doing something he is more than willing to do for yo has smoke coming out of his eyes like a cartoon character
oh boy and when you actually beat him and pay, he is red in the face
"sungie, I just paid for two coffee's. why are you all red like that?"
"I could've paid! now you have to let me pay for the next 100 things we get together!"
you roll his eyes at him when he makes these silly compromises with you and just rolls with it
for him, it's not that he thinks you can't pay for yourself because ehe knows you are more than capable
if anything, he's proud that his baby is an independent person and can take care of themselves
the reason he does it because he wants you to save your money and spend it on things for you and he wants to take care of you this being the best way he knows how
oh my god...
god forbid you buy him any gifts
he's all flustered and whining about how you shouldn't "waste your money" on him
after talking with him, he lets you pay sometimes but it's rare
felix - matching jewelry
it's all fun and games until you both get exposed...
before we go there, let's talk about how this started
for your first anniversary, Felix wanted to give you something special but had no ides what it should be
he was scrolling through TikTok one night and he came across a repost from you and it gave him the perfect idea
you reposed a couples post about a necklace with the bf's initial on it and he immediately got one made
you better believe hat we went to a famous custom designer and everything to get this made just the way he knew you'd love it
you gives it to you on your anniversary and to your surprise, not only do you have a "f" on your necklace, he get's a matching necklace with your initial on it...
he can't wear it out much but he always put's it on in private
one day...little sunshine over here has to leave to the airport with the group for an overseas concert and he forgets to take off the damn necklace...
"WHO IS (y/i)?" stays are going wild online and trying to find out who it is
from now on, Felix is more careful but now everyone knows his secret :0
seungmin - bring affectionate in front of others
look, this boy is not very affectionate, much less in front of other people
he's a very 'behind closed doors' type of person
when it comes to you though...he's not afraid to show his affection
the first time you noticed it was when he first invited you to meet his member at the dorm for dinner and movie night
he picked you up and brought you inside
you greet all of the members but right afterwards, he immediately just starts to cling to you
he has a hand on your thigh during dinner and during some shot periods, he's actually straight up holding your hand while eating
the boys look at him like he's finally gone insane and you're looking at him with such a confused expression
finally, jeongin of all people, breaks the silence
"hyung? I know you like (y/n) a lot but you're not letting her eat by holding her hand."
his face goes red because he's been caught and he lets go of your hand, putting a low apology to you
when the movie portion of the night comes around, he insists on your sitting right on his lap but if you decline, he is sitting so close next to you that he's literally going to merge into your body
jeongin - sharing clothing/shopping with you
(cw: I know not everyone feels comfy with the idea of sharing clothes for whatever reason and it's totally valid so I made two different options here!)
as we all know, jeongin loves fashion and anything that has to do with it
it's only natural that he wants to involve you into his hobby!
he wants to dress you up all the time!
sometimes, he'll drag you to his room and start to pick items from his closet to replace what you're already wearing...
you have to glare at him so he won't change your whole outfit
he also loves to take you shopping!
he walks into every store with you and asks your opinion on everything because he knows you're actually the one wearing it so you have to like these items too!
shopping can be a very stressful and traumatic experience for some people (ME!)
he understands if this is the case for you and tries his best to give you all the time you need and not overwhelm you with trying too many things on at once and not showing you 101 options all at once
if you don't like how something fits, he will never pressure you to show him anyway
he also never pressures you to go shopping if you're not in the correct headspace for it
there is always assurance from him that no matter what, he loves the way you look in clothes you both pick together!
he also loves to take ootd pics of you and he lets you take his!
he def never pressures you to do this either if you don't wanna
his soft launch of you is a pick of your latest ootd together but your face has a cute little fox sticker over it :D
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daenysx · 9 months ago
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respectfully i need more dad!aemond, you write it so well and it just makes me so so happy 🫶🏻🥹
like i’m just imagining him with his babies as they grow older, like maybe something with them starting school and reader and aemond have to help them with projects etc ,,, just any domestic fluffy ideas you have 🤍
thank you for requesting, i hope you enjoy <3333 requests are open for dad!aemond
modern!aemond targaryen x fem!reader , tooth rotting fluff
"lyx, you're doing it wrong."
if there's one thing alyssa targaryen loves to do, it's being a big sister. she's doing a pretty good job on it, too, even when sometimes she's being a bit annoying to aelyx. she has the words of her mom and charms of her dad. an unbeatable duo.
"no." aelyx says. "i want that picture."
"okay, but you're spreading the glue wrong." alyssa says. "it's gonna stick to your fingers now."
the scene aemond witnesses when he comes into the room is exactly like this. his babies, trying to make a school project on their own, dealing with many papers and crayons and glue. alyssa seems like she's bored of it all but aelyx is patient. his tiny tongue sticking up to the corner of his mouth as he tries to press the picture on another paper.
"daddy!"
aemond smiles, leaving his jacket on the couch as he comes closer. "hi, little love." he hugs alyssa first. "hey, buddy." aelyx doesn't give him any attention other than a smile, boy has got things to do. "what's this?" aemond asks.
"it's for aelyx's class tomorrow." his girl explains. "we need to pick pictures and glue them here."
"like a collage?"
"what's a collage?"
turns out it's exactly like a collage. aemond looks at the pictures briefly before watching his son. his tiny hands try to spread the glue nicely.
"would you like some help?" aemond asks, gently. aelyx looks at his dad with big eyes. he looks like he wants to do it by himself but the glue is hard to deal with alone.
"can you just spread the glue?" alyssa asks with convincing smile that always works for her daddy. "we can do the rest."
"of course, baby." aemond rolls up his sleeves before reaching for aelyx's hand. "i'll just hold your hands, you're doing the rest. okay, buddy?"
aelyx nods, his silver curls shaking with the motion. aemond gently holds his son's tiny hands to lead him as he places the glue on the paper.
"are you almost done?" you ask them as you walk inside. you have a little kitchen towel to dry up your hands. "it's dinner time."
you're cheerful every time you see them do something together. watching aemond take care of kids is always a delight and you get to see him doing it a lot more lately, now that they go to school and come back with lots of fun projects to do.
aelyx looks at you as he sees you stand by the door, when aemond finishes with the glue he's quick to run to your arms. aemond sometimes complains he's such a mommy's boy, but he also knows alyssa is definitely enamored by him. it's the teasing part he loves the most, though.
"i'm taking my boy to kitchen, come meet us when you finish!" you say happily, kissing aelyx's chubby cheek.
"come here, baby." aemond extends a hand to alyssa. "let's pick up some pictures."
"that looks nice." she says, her small finger on paper. "and this one."
"i guess we're gonna be done after them, huh?"
"yes, daddy."
a few minutes are spent in silence as they both concentrate on their work. at the end, everything looks nice. alyssa has a satisfied smile on her lips.
"did we do good?" aemond asks, stealing a quick kiss from her cheek.
she nods, wrapping an arm around his neck. "thank you, daddy."
"you're welcome, little love." aemond gets a kiss on his cheek this time. "let's go have dinner."
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sodatelle · 1 month ago
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kind of obsessed with your jay. do u have any hcs or anything u can share pleaseee 🙏
Hii Anonie i Have like a Million hcs for All the ninja I’ve Oc-ified them All no one judge me Srry They r all under the cut i waffled a bit … tgey might be ooc But i don’t care this is My world and i make the rules
i said this Before but jay is korean to me … But very Whitewashed Since ed and edna r white ! i rhink He definitely tried to connect with his culture a Little … but the most he knows is a teeny bit of korean from watching kdramas with Nya . The rest of the ninja r more connected to their culture and jay spends so much Time with them that U got this korean guy Who’s a mish mash of random cultures Which i rhink suits Him well ❣️😊
n He is TALL…. One of the more taller ninja . U feel me . like he is a tall guy and he’s also quite lean in Muscle . not the tallest i think that’s probablr Zane To be honest #Sorry i’m a Bandwagoner But i think he’s Second tallest Maybe . third tallest . Not sure But he’s up there
Thid is one of those hcs that Exists just for me which is i think all the ninja have some weird ability that they can do If they really push The limits of their Powers .. They r the elements of creation I think they should have something Special U know . Jays in particular is teleporting 😊🌹 Something something about moving your electrons or something … Idk . someone will figure some way for it to happen but i think He can teleport . at first he kept getting fed up because it was . HARD and could only do it once after a good few minutes or concetration but after a long . long time i think he got more used to it and can do it in quick succession… though post merge he definitely forgot how to do it again but the muscle memory of it is there ? so Sometimes he’s giving a presentation in the administration and he looks up And he’s in the bathroom suddenly and he’s like Yo…. am i …. Going insane
whenever he fights He does so More using speed and agility Rather than Strength .. he is Built but again hjes more on the lean side Like he got a Sleeper build . Whenever He fights I think it’s a lot of Quick teleporting around to dodge … On that note he is banned from teleporting during ninja training sessions it makes everyone too Mad . He is a master at rage baiting
I rhink he might have Bpd …. not sure ? Maybe late onset bpd that worsened after the merge But was there pre merge as well . dont know …. i see many people hc him with psychosis or schizophrenia And i think rgeyre all cool hcs 😊 i will write them on a board close my eyes and throw a Dart to decide
speaking of eyes .. Post shattering he has a teeny speck of red in the middle of his eye I think i Drew this once or twice .. and whenevr shatterspin takes over the red expands to the whole of his eye And the blue part becomes tiny .
on the topic of shatterspin I love the hc that Shatterspin is like . Drugs …. cinder and Jay and everyone else who uses it (minus the f5 Who have been using it for millennia ) Face withdrawal symptoms when not using it …. i think Whenevr jays in his healing Era he chews a lot of gum to keep his mind off of it and whenever someone annoys him he starts . smacking his gum so loud That Kai threatens to kill him
he also a Crooked grin 😭😭🌹 and dimples But only because i got dimples so im projecting
he had braces in early Ninjago .. I rhink he got them off Between s3 and s4 Before he became a Tv host . U can’t be a Tv host with Braces It’s too embarassing
He Loves laying his Head in nyas Lap .. 999999% U will find nya locked in on something and jay snoozing away in her lap
casual clothes Wise he LOVES his baggy clothes ….. baggy pants baggy shirts even his ninja gi is always a Teeny big messy . though Post merge after leaving the administration He’s got that 6am wake up drilled into his head so when he dresses up in gi again that Shit is UNIFORM! He running it like it’s the military …
He has a tattoo of nyas Kiss mark On his collarbone . Sorry i Think jts cute .. post merge He doesn’t believe nya is his Yang so she’s like Fuck U man watch this . puts lipstick all over her lips and kisses the kiss mark to show him it lines up ans that it’s HER lips and he’s like . Why would i get that tattooed
I think U need paperwork to wear earrings in the administration So he probablr wearing paper clips in his piercings to prevent them from Closinf up . he looks Dumb as rocks doing this By the way He thinks he’s slick . everybody is Judging him
Picked up a smoking Habit from his time in the Administration …. Hard to quit . every now and rhen cole says something stupid and he’s like Lowkey I need a smoke before Relaziing he’s a couple years Clean so he starts using those cringy breathing gifs
hes bi 💯 He is for Everyone
He can use his lightning as a deflibrator .. i think i Read this somewhere . it was cool as fuck Though . not just on himself but he can use it on others like Strike them with Lightning To restart their Heart … but everyone tries to avoid that sceanorio Because as soon as your heart starts beating again It feels like you just got hit with a Mega truck everyone Hates it
Where Nyas Better at constructing things with actual materials And engineering Jay is better at working with scraps and what he has on Hand rather than proper Materials …. He’s also a Physics Guy . The really Annoying kind that never stop Waffling
The Lack of Proper vision In his left eye has lead to a Pair of cunty reading Glasses . They all clown on him for it but nya secretly thinks It’s the single most hottest Thing ever she will never admit it Though …
Ok im Projecting Here but@He has a very high Tolerance for Heat … Bro Grew up in a Desert i Think he can handle it WELL . but he also Gets cold extremely Easily So 99% of the time U see him like a backpack Attached to Kai otherwise u turn around and he’s frozen into a Block of ice
I rhink Jay and Kai r the looks of the Team …. I know Kai’s is #canon but i Don’t tgink they would’ve started a Cult for a fugly Guy also he was the son of a Big hit movie actor and a Absolutely Stunningly Gorgeous woman and a TV host at one point . he either Got the charm or the face PICK ONE!!!!
Face wise He has a very approachable looking Face . i know Rogue mad as Fuck in the crossroads trying to look Edgy and some old lady come up to him Asking Hey Where’s the Bathroom😊 and he’s like. Do you think Ras abandoned me on purpose
Pre merge He. obviously had a Meet the parents with Ray and Maya after nya and Kai found out they’re alive Because he was all about doing it Properly and it was one of the worlds most Awkward dinners ever He was mentally killing Himself 30 Times
Post Merge when Kai and Nya r searching for him they find him In a Dusty Pub reading a newspaper That has his Face plastered on the front With the words WANTED DEAD!!!! and Kai and nya r like ? Hey jay…. and Jays like Wow Who’s Jay. never heard of him . he’s not me . and rhen Nyas like ? U have a big J on the back of your suit and he’s Like I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about
When Jay rejoins the Ninja again But has no Memories still they’re telling him about His life to try to get him To rmemeber who he is but instead of that Jay starts reacting to it like a Bad youtuber . Kai’s like Yeah U lowkey Wenr crazy and started talking to glasses of water and Jays like I rhink you are mischaracterizing me i would never do That
In the administration sub agent prentis And his employees Probably saw jay with his shirt off once and saw all the scars from general Ninja work and Also nadakhan torture scars And were like Guys our boss Is going to KILL US ALL if we don’t file this paperwork . he was a Mafia gangster…. and U cut to Jay in his room being like Should I wear my blue tie or my Grey one 😊
and lastly ..I also Think the administration housing was like Lowkey Fake sky Fake grass fake everything So when he escaped the first thing he Took notice of was how big the sky was like that radiohead song that goes . One day I am gonna Geowww winngss A chemical Reactionnn …
I probablr have . a million more . i rhink about Ninjago constantly i could yap about any of the Ninja for ages Thank U for this Ask anonie….
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your-favourite-yapper · 3 months ago
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popular girl mary x loser pandora mentioned
OK so this is sorta the same universe as this post (self plug)(trigger warning: outingand murder and suicide and murder)
so in like primary mary was like sorta bullied and in the late primary school area she gets paired off (by the tr bc noone wanted to offer to pair up w her) w this weird blonde haired and big blue eyes and ...are those bugs? g r e a t.
So yea they pair up and Mary on one hand does not Like pandora bc while yea maty IS a loser she's trying to not be one while pandora dgaf on the other hand pandora is maybe the onky person in the school who's like less cool than mary soooo maybe if mary makes fun of pandora she'd gain social points??
And so the project continues and pandora says the weirdest shit ever and when ppl smirk and snort at her she throws bugs at them and when mary asks her avt the project she replies w the most random sentences ever and is always practically vibrating w manic energy and this is how a convo bn them would go
M "mrs hannah says we need to show her the draft by sunday can u do Sunday"
P "my hands are so dizzy rn. I think its bc of the rainbo2 bugs i ate today"
But also one secret hidden part of mary wishes she was like pandora who Gen could care less abt what ppl think and talks abt her bugs and doesn't flinch when the students snicker at her when she starts her sentences w "greetings " and she doesn't feel embarass3d dor walking around on her own gasping at the walls of the school and singing the national anthem and yeah
And once mary has pandora over and pandora doesn't seem phased by Mary's whiny Lil siblings and the fact that her dad is out like 90% of the time working his ass off and so noones home and doesn't seem phased when they have to eat Ramen for dinner infant she even asks for ketchup to add on it
And Mary makes run of pandora to her friends but once again she takes things So Far she litr made fun of the underwear she saw In pandoras drawer from that time she was in her house for the project and everyone was like "mary that was kinda mean" and Mary's so confused bc she thought it was normal and once again she is an outsider
Ev mady goes to hs and she's starting to be Cool and once she's sure peter (another person from her primary in her hs) won't say anything abt the "old her" she begins to completely destroy her sense of self and just becomes a new person entirely and in fact forgets all abt pandora (not rlly)
And then.
Guess who transferred.
Guess. Who. Fucking. Transferred.
Pandora.
UGHHSGJ <- mary rn
after trying so hard to keep primary in the past, the ONE person she would have bated to come back to her hs is pandora
And the rzn she came here is bc she like, set her school on fire ""on accident"" and so she goes to the hs and yeah and Mary's like whatever we probably won't interact and Mary's so mean to pandora when pando4a tries talking to her She walks past her w her friends and tells her friends she's "just a loser" loudly so pandora can hear her and we'll pandora IS tech a loser in hs too BUT u kno how the school heretical structure is acc more common in middle school and not hs?? Yeah. Quiete a few ppl think pandoras funny and well since pandora has never cared on what ppl think of her She litr is unaffected but mary is SEETHINGGG bc how??? Mary has been training for the social heirchacial structure in hs her entire life and this bozo just got popular (not rlly) for no rzn????
And rmmbr how mary wants to do robotics ?? She goes into advanced phy and NONE of her main friends are there but she has many casual friends she could sit w right? But today somehow maty was running kate SKMEONE had shoveled snow infornt of her house (wonder who...) And well she enters the class late and everyone is in their sea5s...paired up...excpet ....pan fucking dora
So she sits next to her and can feel the eyes on her (noone cares) and to make things worse the tr said this is their perm seat chart and Mary thinks well they don't have to talk do they? And the tr gave them a group oroject...great
And pandora isn't oblivious so she knows what Mary's doing to her but doesn't care bc she thinks mary is hot and pandora is still weird but like more mature and she like I said has the MAJOR hots for mary but maary is so focused on popularity its sad so pandora will help her and see!! She's a good person!!
And so pandora arranges meetings for the projects in outdoor parks and enjoys watching mary squirm as pandora approaches her in the school hallway and those meetings in parks pandora ON PURPOSE keeps distracting mary and mary is so weirded as fuck looking at pandora w her face scrunched up and koyth slightly agape bc what type of bullshit is this bitch ssaying?? Qnd she forgets abt doing the project and pandora feels so proud bc mary litr would nvr do that 4 any1 else
And pandora let's mafy tmi to her and infact tmis BACK even tho she typically doenst like doing that and mary likes this (and of mary after realizing that pandora does this, strategically tmis not so embarrassing info and starts collecting embrassing info on pandora well...thats not here nir there is it 😇)and pandroa wasn't as Abad as she was in primary bc even tho she dgaf she has had to tone down a bit of her acc personality
And in one of their inc stupid convos pandora casually says she's bi and Mary's like wait how do u kno and pandora tells her and Mary's like u can't love girls AND boys and pandoras like nu uh and then she kisses her to let mary kno if she likes girls and it's so clumsy and flimsy bc they're 2 stupid teenage girls and pandora is like wow. Bc mary tastes like strawberry and she's licking the rem taste of her lips and Mary's like "uh oh" and they have a situationship and mary writes pandora stupid poetry and pandora tells mary abt taxidermy and they're so cute tighter excpet 4 the fact mary doesn't talk abt this 2 any1
Mary then realizes that the project isn't getting done and confronts pandora abt this in the hallway and it escalates...alot pandora doesn't like the fact that mary is yelling at her when her plan was going oerfectly and she doesn't like being yelled at in Gen and also she dgaf abt being embarrassed so she qkly starts yelling while mary who was in like survival mode all her life can see her status go to shambles in like 4k and so imm starts bringing up EVERY SINGLE TMI piece of info pandora told her INCLUDING THE FACT THAT SHES BI (its a catholic hs) until they're having a screaming match which then leads to a brawl where pandora scratches marys lip and bites her (??) And Mary pulls pandoras hair and manages to slap her like 5 times bc she got training from fighting h3r younger siblings
and they get sent to the principals office and mary after calming down is like acc tweaking bc she's nvr been sent to the principals office evr in her entire LIFE and pandora is si5ting there like woah. Bc mary tasted like strawberries and she's like licking her lips to get the rem taste (also she v much didnt mind being slapped but shh)
And bc mafy doesn't have ar3cord she gets 5 d3tentions and pandora gets suspended for a month but mary cries sm every1 thinks SHEs the one that got suspended
Ane when pandora came back mary did Damage Control and now somehow everyone HATES apndora so she changes schools and while she doesn't typically feel this much she's sEETHING AND THE ANGER FESTERS AND FESTERS BC MARY MADE HER THINK SHE CARED
so pandora becomes a stalker stalking mary all the way thru marys uni and her sm acc inc her spotify and knos her gmail and can c her utube history and can tell when she starts dating a girl (owie) she sees red
So she buys a truck
And gets her uncle to offer mary a job interview
And drives said truck
INTO MARYS FACE AND NOW MARYS BLOOD IS SPILLED ALL OVER HER TRUDK AND PANDORA IS SURE IT WOULD TASTE LIKE STRAWBERRIES AND SHE GETS OUT AND LICKS MARYS BLOOD AND IS MAD IG DOESNT TASTE LIKE STRAWBERRIES ON TNE INSIDE BUT ISNT SURPIRSED BC MARY WAS ALWAYS A FAKE LITTLE BITCH AND SHE BURSTS INTO TEARS AND HAS A FULL PSHYCOTIC BREAKDOWN AND GOES TO A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR A YR AND WHEN SHES OUT SHE SPENDS HER DAYS DOCUMENTING EVERYTHING ABT MARY AND LEARNING HOW TO DRAW SO SHE CPUKD DRAW HER AND EVEN MOLDING CKAY SCULPTURES OF HER BOOBS AND SHE HAS A SHRINE OF MARY AND ONE NIGHT SHE SEES MARY IN HER HOUSE AND FOLLOWS HER INTO THE WOODS AND THEY TALK AND ITS SO FUN THEN MARY SENDS HER BACK HOME AND EV PANDORA IS RAVING SO SHE GETS A BOWL OF STRAWBERRIES AND SLEEPING PILLS AND ODS ON THEM
the last thing she tasted was mary
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paulinet · 7 days ago
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For the sake of breaking a habit
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Warnings: fluff, kisses, gn reader, ooc Medicine Pocket, Medicine Pocket - they/them.
Synopsis: Your lips are in a terrible state, and no amount of hygienic lipstick can save them. It's a habit that's hard to break without someone's help, right?
World count: ≈1700
From the author: Well, something uncomplicated before something complicated. I wanted something like this: soft, streamlined, and enticing.
When I have more of my story's, I'll compile them into a little masterlist.
English not my first language!
Enjoy reading!
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We all know nervousness, right?
Nervous when you are working on a gigantic project, on which you spend all your energy and time. You get nervous when you present this project in front of dozens (if not hundreds) of people, explain every aspect of it, and then nervously rub the edges of the sheets in your hands and wait and wait and wait. Approval, a nod, a wave of the hand, anything to take away the aching pain under your ribs.
But you're not afraid of these people, no.
But you worry about your work as a part of yourself. Here, you have taken something from your soul, from the depths of your mind, and you put it all together in a presentation and present it to the big people. Funding for almost any project, you know, hurts you enough if it doesn't come from somewhere else.
The habit of biting your lips came quite suddenly that you didn't even realize your lips had turned into chewed mincemeat.
All of a sudden you found out that they started hurting. And when you looked in the mirror, you were stunned and wondered, when did it get so bad?
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You put the stack of sheets aside, sit back in your chair, and finally let yourself relax. This day hadn't been too hard compared to the other days, when you'd been working hard to clear out the backlog of reports, but you were still exhausted.
It's after midnight and there's about three of you left here. You and two other subordinates finishing their work.
There was no need to stay so long, but man, you wanted to finish most of the stuff for tomorrow (because there will obviously be more tomorrow).
The muffled knock of the door opening into the half-empty lab didn't even make you turn around. Few interesting people would have come in this late, at most one of the other workers ran in to say "hey, idiots, it's past midnight, let's go to bed already!" Same questions for him, of course.
"Well, how long are you going to stay here?!"
Oh, right. There's a person of interest, and that person is welcome to drop by anytime.
"Sprawled out in the chair and now she's going to sleep here. Shouldn't you move the bed over here right away?" — you sigh when Medicine Pocket sit down next to you, only on the desk, disrupting your careful arrangement of papers. Ouch.
"I'm not going to sleep in here. But you're right, my strength is almost gone," — you hear the sound of sheets of paper shattering and frown. "You've ruined my meticulously organized stack of papers according to all canons of perfectionism."
"Oh, yeah? It was an accident."
"Sure you did."
You don't even turn your head away from the ceiling to pay attention to them. Not to say they don't like it, but it does make they worry.
"How many hours have you been sleeping these past few days?"
"I am a creature in no need of sleep."
"I don't think Lovecraft would praise you for parodying some of his creatures."
You laugh.
"I'm trying to get 6-8 hours of sleep..." — their face seems to lighten, but resentment catches up again in seconds. "... In 2 hours. It's not working yet, heh."
They're clearly not happy with your answer. And who would like to find out that their partner has suddenly decided to adopt their lifestyle and also sleep less than a giraffe or a horse, not even close to the numbers needed to maintain strength in the body?
"Like a child, for God's sake."
"What about you?"
"Well, you have to admit, I look a lot better after a few days without sleep than you do."
"You're such a romantic."
"But honest."
"Uh-huh."
The conversation is interrupted while their interest is piqued by your face, because over the past few days you've started to look like a person with a less than healthy lifestyle. Not a junkie, but on the right track. It's time to look for jokes on the subject and appropriate cosmetics.
Especially their eyes ran over the bags under your eyes. Goths would be jealous that you don't have to work hard on your makeup - they'll take you in, and praise you for being in character.
And their gaze stopped at your lips. And it lingered until you stared back at them in puzzlement.
Awkward pause.
"What, is there something on my face?"
"Your face looks more like a mask from the movie Scream right now. And what the hell happened to your lips?"
Oh. You have forgotten about them for the duration of your work, but they always remind you of them afterwards. On a brief inspection of you, people can't tell that your lips are suffering from a meat grater or a meat mallet. It's only when they catch your eye for a long time that you realize that things are just awful.
That's what nervousness brings people to.
"I don't know."
"How do you not know what you're doing? Are you using or something?"
"No, it's just a bad habit I picked up out of nowhere."
"You can't get rid of it? Or is it out of your hands?"
"I don't notice when I start doing it. It's fine in the morning, by the end of the day it's like kissing a grater."
"Nerves are fraying?"
"Along with the cuckoo, I suppose."
They don't say anything to that, which you can't tell by their facial expressions.
Annoyed. Again.
But instead of grumbling, silence follows. A brief hiccup before they climb off the table and hover over you in a chair. Their venomous eyes prickle you, and before you can make any sound, they take your chin and kiss you.
You don't even manage to squeak. As usual.
The feeling of fatigue was replaced by the anticipation and excitement of an unexpected kiss. And more than one. Your consciousness focused on every fleeting sensation, every tiny movement of your bodies.
Their lips are always wet. Wet and thin, like two strings, curved in irritation or sickness from something poisoning they've eaten. Cold, they leave a herd of goosebumps behind them if they kiss hotter parts of your bodies, and never warm up no matter how many times they kiss. Even after a hundred kisses before bed or in the morning. But that doesn't stop them from being persistent and not at all shy of outsiders you've already forgotten about.
They don't close their eyes most of the time, and today is one of them.
Staring point-blank, as if they were preparing to fire a gun at some animal and aiming without being distracted by extraneous sounds. In the light their eyes are like two Ilyich bulbs, and even in the darkness they will stand out with their sparkles. And they've never been embarrassed by it.
On the contrary, they like to place bets on which minute of the kiss you will avert your eyes. And it's very annoying and fun for you at the same time. It's like stepping on the same rake every time because you like it.
Their lips, although thin, are very assertive. They do not hesitate to take the initiative and apply more diverse actions. They have a different way of kissing every time, you can never guess what was intended for this time. They savor your already killed lips, push forward, don't give you a chance to get out of the situation and turn your head.
The fingers in white gloves encircle your chin and do not let you move, holding you firmly, but in their own gentle way, not forgetting to change the position of your fingers from time to time.
You hear your own heart pounding when all they has to do is run their tongue over your lips. Here's someone, but Medicine Pocket, after much practice, have gotten much deeper into kissing. And now they'll bet anything just to see the ripples of burning excitement on your face again.
They're so mean when they need something. So untouchable, but in need of that little act of appeasement. Screaming audacity in every action. You know you'll be in drool and hickeys (later) afterward, but you reach your hands behind their nape and use your fingers to part the strands of their hair.
They take it as a call and, most importantly, as a permission to take further steps.
And somehow, you know, it doesn't matter that somewhere out there the laboratory door opens and one of your coworker leaves (perhaps he couldn't stand the unexpected sexual pressure. You can understand him).
And you look away, unable to take the pressure anymore.
They love it. They love it to the point of shaking at their knees.
Like to tease you and pull you out of your frames, Medicine are happy to break them against their knee and toss them into the dark sea, to the bottom, where already lies a whole collection of what they have stepped over with indescribable pleasure. They bite your bottom lip with a mocking smile before you feel their other hand on your waist.
Under your lab coat.
And they slowly moves upward, their fingertips tweaking the fabric of the garment underneath. Carefully as they continue to run the other limb down your neck, squeezing it lightly. They're not sadistic, no, by any means, and it doesn't rob you of even a crumb of air, but the feel of long, slender fingers leaves you no choice but to succumb completely to their power. Which, by the way, they always have plenty of.
Hot breath scorches your face as they pull away - the air isn't infinite, after all - and leave a weightless kiss on your cheekbone with a sarcastic smirk and squinted eyes as if to scream "you just can't say you didn't like it."
They don't seem to be tired at all, and the air in their lungs never planned to be released, but you've been there before - once they didn't let you go for so long that you got dizzy. No, not from magical sensations, but from lack of oxygen. They've been trying to be careful ever since.
You breathe deeply, massaging the back of their neck with your fingers. They love that, especially when kissing. It makes them go crazy.
And they respond by weightlessly stroking your waist, sometimes squeezing it lightly.
But now they just slightly arch their head back before dropping their arms to the sides of your chair and moving closer again. Just a little more, and their knee will be between your legs for balance.
"I'd rather you didn't bite your lips anymore, but that's a buzz too," — they give out in one breath, still relaxed under your hands. "Your lips aren't lips, they're chewed up duct tape."
You take a deep breath. You try to keep a serious face, as if the job didn't end hours ago. Like it would have been possible to keep working if someone hadn't decided to show off and go on a "distract at all costs" mission. Who wants to be caught thinking, breath hitched just because of the person next to you who just kissed you with all the passion they're been saving up lately?
"Pff, what, so disgusting?"
"Mm-m, no, quite the opposite. 'Almost' as good as always," — they flick you on the nose, and curve up in a smile. "But you'd better not bite your lips again."
"Why would I?"
"If you want to kick the habit, you need to switch to something else, something safer."
"On you, or what?"
"You're guessing," — Medicine Pocket pull away with a noisy sigh. You cross your arms across your chest and pretend you don't want to continue. "You're going to get some kind of infection - and then what are you going to do? I'm not going to treat you."
"..."
You puff up your cheeks and don't say anything. Still in mixed feelings, it's hard to think as well as move. Your body still feels their touch at your waist. It's hard to let go.
It's hot, isn't it?
"You need to get better sleep. Otherwise you'll look like a pale grebe"
"Thanks."
"But honestly," — they shrug. They take you by the chin again and examine your swollen lips more closely. "I've got some ointment somewhere that's just right for this."
"...Can I have some?"
Not for nothing. Of course they won't give you anything for a simple thank you. Especially not to you.
And you can see their facial expressions become more condescending. You guess you're in luck.
"I will. On one condition."
Oh, right. Of course.
"And what's that?"
They poke their thumb at your lips.
"You stop biting them. And start control yourself."
Expected. But did they think it would be so easy?
"And what happens if I can't kick the habit? I don't control myself when I'm nervous."
They let you go, take a couple steps away, and spread their hands as if they're really upset about it too.
"Then don't expect me to kiss you again."
...
One second of silence.
And you burst out laughing.
"Ha-ha, can you contain yourself?"
"Let's just say it's a challenge for me, too."
Yeah, a challenge.
You roll your eyes tiredly. You know they're lying.
You know they'll break their promise tonight before they go to bed.
And yet you still listen. As if nervousness is nothing. It's just a little thing.
They're such idiots.
"Either..." — they lean closer and give you another slap on the nose. "...Remember this situation every time. What's better: biting and tearing your lips in cold, nervous, rotten loneliness or making out with a gorgeous person like me who loves and cares for you, you stupid lip-biting lover, huh?"
"...I'm gonna take that damn book of poetry away from you and throw it away, you've learned to talk too pretty."
They turn on their heels, starting to walk back towards the exit and make no response to the sarcastic comment.
"Think about it!"
And they hide behind the door.
You sighed, going back to cleaning up the mess on the table and floor. The papers were all scattered, and they hadn't even bothered to clean up after themselves. Well, nothing-nothing, you know how to retaliate terribly, he-he.
You stack the paper in an even, aesthetically correct stack and place it on the edge of your desk.
And then you meet the gaze of your remaining coworker.
...
Spark. Lightning... And the anticipation of a lump in your throat of shame.
Words cannot convey the shame and embarrassment on your part, and you just nod her and pretend that paper is the most interesting material on Earth. The best of the best. She walks by, pausing for a moment near the table, shrugging timidly.
"I'd agree to kick the habit if I were you."
And quickly retreats toward the exit. The lab is quiet and peaceful now, with only the occasional beeping of devices.
And suddenly you realize she's heard everything.
All the conversations, including...
...
You cover your burning face with your hands.
How much you love and hate that Doggo.
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I already know I'm gonna need a couple days to rest. Well, you know, it's not like I'm an English-speaking person, and it takes me about... 3-5 hours? To edit this or that text and not to lose the meaning of each sentence (I just don't want to present everything in a horrible state I'm a perfectionist a bit).
That's why I post something once a week, you know, so I have enough energy to recover and +- enough energy to write something new. At least I try.
I will definitely post part 4 after «Love jinx» and part 2 «Bonus for waiting», it's just that right now they are in... A little bit in a stupor. I'm working on them, but I'm not really happy with what I'm getting. Plus I have more ideas lying around that I'd like to do, ahem, well, I'm working, just slowly...
Dividers by @petalpxl
Thanks for reading!
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felassan · 6 months ago
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Article from Bloomberg by Jason Schreier, under a cut due to length.
"New ‘Dragon Age’ Game Faced Turbulent Development The studio head of EA’s BioWare says ‘Dragon Age: The Veilguard’ received nothing but support from EA throughout its lengthy production cycle EA’s BioWare label hopes to find redemption with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard Today we’re getting in-depth on the new Dragon Age game A new age for dragons In late 2020, when Gary McKay took over as studio head of BioWare, the Electronic Arts Inc. subsidiary best known for making big roleplaying games, the climate was dire. BioWare, which is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, had released two critically panned games and was facing turbulent development on a new one — while trying to cope with a worldwide pandemic. “We needed to shift how we were thinking about building our games,” McKay told me in a recent interview. BioWare, founded in 1995 and purchased by EA in 2007, had won over millions of fans with hit single-player RPG franchises such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect. But a 2017 entry called Mass Effect: Andromeda was widely panned, and the studio’s next game, the 2019 multiplayer shooter Anthem, flopped both critically and commercially. Both games had also gone through brutal development cycles that drove many BioWare veterans to exit the studio. At the end of 2020, studio boss Casey Hudson was planning to step down and called McKay to ask if he would take over. “We had a few conversations over the course of the next month around the people and the culture,” McKay said. BioWare’s next big project would be a new game in the popular fantasy Dragon Age franchise. But the game, which had been in development for years, was facing turmoil and had been rebooted from a single-player game into a live-service game with a heavy multiplayer component, which EA had been pushing across many of its subsidiaries in the late 2010s. Hudson, too, was interested in multiplayer games and had been the lead visionary on Anthem. Some employees jeeringly referred to the next Dragon Age as “Anthem with dragons,” which worried fans after I reported on the game at Kotaku. Enthusiasts of the series wanted another single-player game, not a repeat of BioWare’s biggest mistake. When he took over, McKay began to feel similarly. “We were thinking, ‘Does this make sense, does this play into our strengths, or is this going to be another challenge we have to face?’” McKay said. “No, we need to get back to what we’re really great at.” In the months that followed, McKay met with leadership across BioWare and EA and ultimately decided to reboot the next Dragon Age a second time, pivoting back to single-player."
The choice was obvious in many ways. Anthem had flopped while EA’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a single-player action-adventure game, had sold more than 10 million copies, helping prove to the publisher that not all of its games needed to be online. BioWare games were popular because of their focus on character dialogue and player-driven narrative decisions, which did not mesh with multiplayer gaming. “Once we made that decision, a lot of things started to fall into place,” McKay said. In the years that followed, he would go on to consolidate more of the studio’s projects, shutting down an attempt to reboot Anthem and selling off the rights to the online game Star Wars: The Old Republic to a separate studio. The goal, McKay said, was “focus.” BioWare then spent the next three-and-a-half years developing what would become Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the fourth game in the franchise. Out this week, the game has received mostly positive reviews and so far topped charts, although EA has not yet revealed sales numbers. Some things went right during development. McKay said they “had the game end-to-end playable” earlier than any previous BioWare product, allowing them to spend extra time iterating. A reorganization at EA, which split the company into divisions called EA Games and EA Sports, allowed Dragon Age: The Veilguard to receive more support from internal teams that might otherwise be stretched thin, such as research and data insights groups. “That gave us an extra boost in terms of the support and focus from the company,” McKay said. But the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard still faced plenty of obstacles. The pandemic led BioWare to shift to hiring remotely, which McKay said made for cultural challenges. The game slipped past its original target date, although McKay wouldn’t say how much extra time it needed. “I’m never going to call it a slip,” he said. And it went through significant scope changes over the course of development. Then, last summer, BioWare laid off 50 people, including veterans with decades of experience. McKay told me the reduction, which arrived during a period of widespread layoffs across the video-game industry, “was all about focus at that time.” “When you have a really large team, you’re always compelled to keep everybody busy all the time,” he said. “When you have a smaller team, you have the right people in the right roles at the right time, some incredible momentum is gained at that point.” The stakes are high for the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Fans and pundits have worried that a third failure in a row might have devastating results for BioWare. McKay wouldn’t comment on the specifics of what would make the game a hit in their eyes. But said he has felt supported by EA Entertainment & Technology President Laura Miele. The game is so important to BioWare’s future that the company brought in its second team, which has been incubating a new Mass Effect, to help out during the final stretch of development. The Mass Effect team played a major role in finishing and polishing Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Other companies across EA, such as its Motive studio in Montreal, also supported the game. Now, the company will look to see how players react to the next Dragon Age — and, McKay hopes, “bring BioWare back into the conversation as a top game studio.”
[source]
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saguette · 8 months ago
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What do you think Johnny's art looked like before he was stripped of his powers? This is something that bugs me a lot, and I'm curious about what you think.
ok i needed to draw a few shitty pictures to demonstrate cuz i wanted to talk about more than just his previous art but his art journey in general IDC if there's some canon tweet that proves something i said wrong or out of timeline these are my headcanons and projections so you either like it or not.. anyways I think his style pre-pre-JTHM (lets say 15-18) depicted many things, He was good at realism and fluctuated just fine between stylized art and big hefty works with a lot of detail. His stylized works looking similar to Jhonens and the whole 2000's artstyle cuz its fitting.
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Of course he's like, a late teenager around this time so its GOOD but not perfect. If you pulled up a few of his drawings from this time he would probably be embarrassed by all the disproportionate limbs and goth girls he sketched and thought were badass. He probably has old sketches of friends in his style regardless if they asked to be drawn or not since his art was something he was proud of and people around him made him feel proud of. His old art also feels like it'd have anime elements unintentionally to add to that amateur artist swag. Johnny doesn't like anime copies but stuff he rips inspo from was anime inspired so it rubbed off on his work too. Moving onto PRE-JTHM (18-20) Is when his art started to get more serious and complex. In his happy era he took to drawing lovecraftian horror sometimes but it was always the secondary focus of any drawing.
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Moving out and growing up was around the time his mental state started to worsen and he started using art to cope with emotions rather than just use it for fun, drawing complex monsters was a subconscious way to depict underlying mental illness that's out of his hands. He cant depict what he doesn't know he has, he can only scribble things that feel someone close to him because there is no physical appearance to emotions. He never liked his art around this time because it always felt unfinished or wrong or like it just didn't interpret what he wanted right. Overtime his art lost coherent appearance, quality, and meaning which made it feel worthless. It wouldn't be all that bad but it reached a point not even he knew what it was trying to be and it was frustrating. How can your own art not make sense to you? Its weird to let your hands go and do their own and you not recognize what they're trying to say. Which leads to SHORTLY BEFORE JTHM-and later.. Johnnys NEW preferred method for art currently is a little abstract, it became two extremes of the same thing; nothing. his art lost alot of what it used to be so he says he cant draw anymore.
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Johnnys lovecraftian horror art slowly engulfed itself over time and always becomes an abstract mess. Its purposely made to be incomprehensible by having too much, regardless if its creation is poetic, an outside view not being able to tell what it is or how much work went into it is on purpose. its metaphorical or whatever.. Johnnys fucked up or something.. Whereas Noodleboy i imagine was made by him drawing a stickfigure one day to see if he can still "draw" and overtime gave him his features like angry eyes and that big hair, creating his own sort of vent sona to replace the sketchy abstract art he used before. Noodleboys chaoticness is too sporadic to rip any meaning off of, he also purposely represents nothing. His existence uses up paper the same way, just without all the extra effort. SORRRYYYY long tangent thats probably super messy i just winged it. but i cant help myself ive thought about this for a while ik i didnt strictly answer the question but i had so much more to say
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