#also the bother in don't bother is Scottish lol

[ineffable-hyperfixation]

Stupid Gomens take of the day:

Even when heavily intoxicated Crowley never loses the Scottish accent (in fact it gets significantly worse) therefore I declare that Crowley's natural accent is Scottish, but he uses English because that's what his Angel settled on

[f4nd0m-fun]

@puppetmaster13u

It was getting too long so...

Okay this was VERY long but I love it all. So much food, and very much alive when possible. And yeah they're very much venomous.

... oh gods you're making me hungry for food that isn't even safe even if it existed 😂

Also, I feel like Ivy's plants would, ah, sometimes move if they don't like where they're currently planted. If your neighbor is taking better care of your flowers then you might wake up and see them over there, you just learn to deal. 😅

Ooooo I love that. And I feel like, to Aquaman, it would be like speaking in Pig Latin + Esperanto mixed with the heaviest Scottish accent ever. He can tell it's words, but he can't really understand it.

Also, Bruce singing lullabies to the kids, just imagine. Jason or Dick or anyone shows up having a panic attack and Bruce starts calming them down. First in English, then aquatic, and slowly morphing into a lullaby.

Oh definitely, those other heroes will be struggling. Almost feel bad for them.

The medical professionals must be paid well, and Gotham University probably ends up with a very heavy metal degree that most people might assume is for vets not human doctors. 😂

Oh my gods Helena yes. Poor Supes, and I love the JL freaking out. Also, her bottle HAS to be a little pink, because of the blood that's probably in it. Also, I imagine they're born with weak venom, and drinking their parents' blood lets them process and produce stronger toxins.

I bet Dick and the other kids probably have the same weird food habits and their teammates aren't really sure what they're supposed to do. Sometimes Tim will fall asleep in the middle of lunch and whoever is in the same room will get to see his lunch run away. Probably a bit unnerving. 🤣

I like the idea they might do them for 'major holidays'. Not on the holiday, because Calendar Man (on the holidays is Gotham only, they fully expect him to show up, he's practically invited without saying anything outright), and that's the Outsider Galas. Not just one a year, but not like 20 of em either.

And yeah, aside from runaway food, Tim is pretty good with outsiders. He probably wouldn't eat 'normal' (normal for Gotham anyway) around his team if he didn't trust em or something either. This is probably another reason Bruce made him CEO. 😅

Yesss uncanny valley please. Everyone is freaking out internally, and yet at the same time they can tell they're safe... for now. Servers doing their job, and Gothamites not revealing anything, unless someone does something wrong.

Yesss the rogues. Honestly I just want an AU where the rogues are basically family.

||=====||=====||

"Oh yeah that's aunts Harley and Ivy, they can be fun but don't drink the wine."

Then (controversial I know but also heavily depends on the AU)

"That's Uncle J, we're on tense terms with him but he's got the best drinks if you don't mind letting a bit."

Maybe

"There's not-dad Harv-"

"he's Uncle T right now-"

"-that's Uncle T, don't gamble with him or ask about his coin collection unless you want to stay a while."

Or

"Don't mind Uncle Cobbles, he's a little competitive with B about their family histories, but other than that and birds he's pretty calm."

Even

"Yeah don't mind Uncle John, he's probably more nervous than you are, doing spook him and you'll be fine."

||=====||=====||

Yesss so many photos.

Also, there's two wedding photos. One he shows to outsiders, the other is up at the major as a painting and is the same wedding photo but underwater.

... Ras don't bother your son-in-law's friends please, they have enough on their plate. Seriously, stop. 😂😅

Bruce probably confuses everyone even more by knowing the assassins.

Oooo yes. Sharks, aquariums, oh my. I love all the animals you mentioned too.

... so I randomly looked up 'Victorian modern punk' because why not and...

This was the top result.

[sgiandubh]

Keepers of the Quaich

This time, we're going to look at things a bit differently and this could very well be my most speculative post ever. So be it: it is a risk I am taking and warning you about from the get go.

The only thing Mordor understood about the next October 4 event organized by the US Chapter of The Keepers of the Quaich is something that probably gave them collective relief: S is not going to be with C on her birthday. Not together. Not on the same continent. Shut up, shippers, you are stupid.

As usually, Mordor takes things at a very primitive face value, without bothering for context. But they always focused on the lewd side of the story, not on its deep ramifications, of which there are many. Anything that denies S's halfwit manwhore image upsets them greatly.

The Scottish society of The Keepers of the Quaich is not one of those old, steeped in tradition clubs, but it is damn selective. It only dates back to 1988, which is almost five minutes ago, for Europe (and especially the UK) and is deeply rooted in Highlands' lore, celebrating excellence in whisky trade and promotion worldwide. General facts about it have already been discussed elsewhere, but with a bias and little to no context. Also, really LOL at Mordor's idiocy to think that was a fan promotion event and go ballistic for the members-only and by invitation access to it.

Membership is by co-opting and with a five-year proven performance history only (ten years, if you step up to Master level). You need not one, but two recommendations, which makes it harder to join than a Masonic lodge or the Rotary Club (and I know what I am saying, heh). That S could actively seek to be inducted, rather sooner than later, is pretty much clear, as he could use the network it readily provides, along with the prestige:

(Sourced at: https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/341/people/keepers-of-the-quaich)

I first had a look at the list of its International Chapters and it is interesting to notice Muslim countries as Turkey or the Emirates each having their own chapter, which clearly tells me it's all about luxury and more specifically, luxury hospitality business, in that case. If inducted after the customary five years' wait, S could also make good use of the German chapter's (a market that proved to be very problematic for him) network, along with the Nordics and Netherlands, if he would think about cleverly expanding his trade in the EU. Last but not least, I would keep an eye on Brazil and India (along with the more predictable South Africa and Australia), because he already has a solid fanbase in the first one and well, Asia is always interesting, when it comes to alcohol business.

I did not really bother with the list of the Patrons, which spells a good and prestigious sliver of Debrett's Peerage's Scottish section. But I also looked at the list of the Management Committee, who does all the hands-on dealings and is directly responsible for the induction ceremony of new members. Aside from representatives of Diageo and Pernod Ricard (giants of the alcohol business world), a familiar name popped right at the bottom of the page:

Annabel Meikle, Director of The Keepers of the Quaich and as such, directly involved in the management of its activities (and probably also in all the underground shenanigans leading to the induction of new members, too). A great contact to have in your rolodex, judging by her public CV on LinkedIn:

Glenmorangie (also a member of the Keepers) - keep that reference under your sleeve, we are going to need it soon :).

Could she be related to...

I am leaving this without an answer, because I don't know and I will always refuse to go data mining for anything, but that sure as hell is not a common surname, as Smith or Martin!

At any rate, Mrs. Meikle is also (along with the Duke of Argyll, the current Keepers Grand Master) a member of The Scottish Committee of something very, very prestigious: The Worshipful Company of Distillers (https://www.distillers.org.uk/), based in London and founded in 1638, by Royal Charter (for “Body Politique and corporate” to govern the “Trade Arte and Mystery of Distillers of London” - how I love history, people!) granted by Charles I, a Stuart (of course). I am speculating and having visions of Livery status and Freedom of the City, followed by Knighthood for S (no bong needed, this particular narrative writes itself and believe it or not, it's not entirely without logic). And it is my strict constitutional right to be a poetic coo about it - that guy is smarter than we thought and I would curate that contact to death if I were him (but I am not, I am just a benevolent and intrigued observer, as you all know). Back to Earth from these optimistic conjectures, I will keep a tab on it, as I dutifully took note that one of their current interests is tequila:

Onwards to the US. We can have a fair idea of October 4th event just by looking at one of their few press releases on the occasion of the Chapter's launch gala, on September 25 2019, in New York (https://www.distilledspirits.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/KOTQUSA-Release-10.04.19.pdf - with quotes selected by me):

Moët Hennessy. Another reference to keep under our sleeve, for it will be soon very relevant. So yes, what has been speculated by Miss Marple is partially true: more business than aristocratic. But this is only if we do not consider as American aristocratic the venue of the next event. The Metropolitan Club is a very East Coast, WASP old money and (well, technically yes) Republican (but not MAGA Republican and this, to me, is very important for some reason) organization:

That was the state of play on Friday, folks, and I was already excited to share my optimistic findings with you. And then, C went to Paris and more dots started to speculatively connect. Bare with me for this long passegiata, I think it's worth it.

It was particularly important that C would be seen in a very friendly-casual pose with Delphine Arnault, out of all the other people attending that event. Not because Arnault is currently the big boss of Dior and Loewe (as I already explained here: https://www.tumblr.com/sgiandubh/729801825900953600/city-of-lights?source=share). And not only because C suddenly seems very interested to renew and expand her fashion days' old network. But also, because, as I already said, Delphine Arnault is also the daughter of her father and in France, business and family are always closely entwined. Always.

The French luxury market is roughly split between two behemoth players: Bernard Arnault (LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A) and Antoine Pinault (Kering, ex- Pinault-Printemps- Redoute). These people and their businesses are number 1 and 2, respectively, on the global market. And out of these two, the only one very interested in the alcohol business is Arnault (Pinault does not deal in this sector).

So I took a look at his very diverse alcohol and spirits brand portfolio (25 references - https://www.lvmh.com/houses/wines-spirits/): rhum, brandy, champagne, tequila, wines (Argentina and even China). Two Scottish whisky brands: first Ardberg (the graceful peat from Islay). And - oh, hello, Mrs. Meikle - Glenmorangie, acquired by Arnault in 2004, after a bitter battle with Pernod Ricard (https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/21/business/world-business-briefing-europe-france-scotch-maker-acquired.html):

Back at Mrs. Meikle's CV - hers was a pivotal role in the post-acquisition reshuffle, as part of LVMH:

Coincidence? I think not.

And then also a bourbon reference. Woodinville (based in the state of Washington, USA) with a pitch that made me grin again like the Cheshire Cat:

Sounds familiar? Rings a bell? See a pattern? You should: no, it's not S in disguise, but it could be SS in a couple of years, if S decided to sell it for a hefty profit.

But I was also interested in what is missing from this catalogue.

NO GIN.

Who knows? Maybe these French people could be enticed? In that case (and remember: I am SPECULATING), it would have to be a brand with a proven track record. You see, Arnault is famous for always buying only brands with a proven history and proven recognition (Tasting Alliance, anyone? LOL). Up until now and as is, FMN is just a pet project and a virtual endeavor. Nothing more and we shall see. But that little wild Scottish gin which could win hearts and already an award in Frisco is something completely different.

Now, then. You connect the dots. You draw your own conclusions. I see something very intriguing here and, as I already told you, the business underground situation is completely different from the bland façade.

You see, this is not about papers or checking a pulse or awkwardly grabbing a fist on some stairs. This is show me the money time. This is all about finding unexpected connections, at a very high level and on a very narrow niche.

So you think S and C can't stand each other anymore?

Humbug. They have each other's back from Day 1. And more. Ship on, ladies. Whatever clownery these days might bring, I know what I know. And by now, you should start asking yourselves the real questions, not if Waldo is with Carmen Sandiego (we KNOW), nor if they were online at the same time or not. I mean, that's cute: but to be honest, I think we're past that... uh... waypoint?

Next on my list is that Lallybroch trademark thing. This is the most complex one and I will take my time. I may speculate, but never without a logical base. And I always take these things very seriously.

Keepers of the Quaich, indeed. :)

[themushroomgoesyeet]

For the first installment of this series, let's start with something easy!

Arcana characters as Disney princesses/princes

Julian - Flynn Rider/Eugene

These two are so similar istg

Dashing, dramatic, swashbuckling rogues with dry humor and a secret, insecure soft side?

The only difference between them is one is ginger with an eye patch and the other isn't

Honestly Eugene would probably be a good pick for a voice hc tbh

Oh hey they're both orphans with big brother vibes too look at that

Asra - Elsa

White hair? Check. Water-related magic? Check. orphans? Check. Unconditional fashion style that doesn't really match everyone else but still looks drop-dead gorgeous regardless? Check

Both of them also have familial abandonment issues and feel the need to isolate themselves from the people they love instead of confronting the problem smh

I will admit their romantic interests are a bit different, with Asra being bisexual and Elsa either being a lesbian or aro/ace at best

Both of them have also been described to have seductive singing voices 👀

Nadia - Princess Jasmine

We👏stan👏 headstrong 👏 independent 👏 middle eastern- inspired👏queens👏here👏

Ngl Jasmine is one of my favorite Disney princesses & she & Nadia would definitely hit it off

Both feel stuck in their respective lives while also wanting to rule, and try to take action for themselves whenever they can

Also both of them would look absolutely stunning in an outfit swap

Muriel - Hercules

Honey you mean HUNK-ules

I know Hercules isn't technically a Disney prince but he fits Muriel too well

Big and strong but shy and genuine at heart? Hell yeah

Their reactions to fame are a little bit different but they are the same when it comes to falling in love; both are so gentle and genuinely caring, and can't stop gushing about their partner

Also amazing idols for how men are supposed to treat women - a.k.a with respect

Both have a heathy amount of respect for their partners modesty (even when said partner is trying to seduce them on purpose), as well as their partners autonomy to make their own decisions

Not to mention they both have estranged families that they didn't know about, and a supportive animal companion

Portia - Rapunzel

I know some of you might be thinking "why not Merida? They look so alike with their frizzy mop of ginger hair!" Well, dear chat, let me explain

While they may look similar, Portia and Merida do not act similar. Merida is rebellious, headstrong, and airheaded, fighting her loved ones on everything and doing what she wants regardless of the consequences until said consequences come back to bite her in the butt. Portia on the other hand, while also headstrong, is spunky, kind, and takes others feelings and opinions into account instead of doing the first daring thing that comes into her head

Which brings me to Rapunzel. Admittedly, Rapunzel is a lot more sheltered and inexperienced about the world than Portia was but they are still kindred spirits. Curious, spunky, headstrong, kind, compassionate, and unafraid to fight for themselves.

They're ready to take on the world even if they don't know enough about it

Both also have evil and manipulative family members (ik Mother Gothel isn't Rapunzel's family; she was still the one who raised Rapunzel & Rapunzel considered her family long enough for it to count in this situation)

Both also meet love interests who guide them through the part of the world that's unknown to them, be it magic for Portia or the world as a whole for Rapunzel

Lucio - Merida

remember all those traits I listed for Merida? Yeah Lucio fits those

Merida and Lucio may be hella good warriors, but boy are they stupid sometimes

Both also have mommy issues™

Both are also wildly inexperienced with magic and should really be more cautious about it

Both just go "oopsies" and expect everything to be fine because of their status when it's never fine

Can you tell yet that these two bother me lol

Both were brought up in a Scottish-sounding culture and you can't change my mind

[alj4890]

Your mission, if you choose to accept it! :)

I'm sending a GIF to everyone who has participated in Tobias Carrick Appreciation Week this year. Can you create a ficlet (or anything you desire) based on this by Sunday? If so, you'll get one extra chance at the prize to be selected on Monday! :)

Here is your GIF:

Okay. LOL! LOVE the above gif so much. Before I begin a whole new AU about this with my otp, here's a short background on my MC. Chris, is American born to Scottish parents and was raised mostly in Inverness. She has a temper, but usually just tells someone off. It would take a lot to get her this violent, like say someone not only manipulating her but also hooking up with a doctor she's fallen for. Going back to Book 2 and rewriting Canon and my own HC for this one.

Rated Mature for Sexual Content and Language. Chris's upbringing allowed me to find some unique Scottish insults that cried out to be used in this.

Masterlist

Game on

The Edenbrook/Mass Kenmore Softball Game

"Good luck out there, Chris." June said. "Remember to run Carrick's face in the dirt for taking that grant from us."

"Don't worry." Chris told her. "He won't be near as handsome when I'm done with him."

June slowly smiled in hearing that.

"Good. I can't wait to see him get knocked down a peg or two."

Taking a deep breath, Chris began to stretch. Shaking her arms out, she made her way to the pitcher's mound.

Of course, she thought, he would be first up to bat.

"You got this Chris!" Elijah shouted.

"Does she now?" Tobias taunted. "You sure you can do this, Valentine?"

Chris was tempted to stick her tongue out at him. The childish thought made her snicker. Tobias's stance eased when he saw her smile. His own lips curved at how cute she was in her uniform.

It was all the distraction Chris needed to throw the first strike. Shocked, Tobias tried to regroup. He narrowed his eyes at her as he tightened his grip on the bat. She winked at him, shaking his concentration, once more.

"Strike Two!" Elijah yelled out. "I don't know about you, Carrick, but I think she can do this."

Tobias rolled his eyes as he lifted his bat over his shoulder once more.

Chris eyed him, taking in how his uniform conformed to his body. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she thought how he might drive her crazy but he was very attractive.

He blinked at that secretive smile she had. After all the escalation between them with taking patients from one another, he never expected her to actually check him out.

"Strike three!" Elijah cackled. "Oh man. You didn't even bother to swing at that last pitch."

"Take it as a goodwill gesture." Tobias replied. "Next time, I won't go easy."

***************

Between innings...

Chris searched through the coolers of beer until she found a bottle of water.

"Keeping your head clear for the game, Valentine?"

She spun around at the sound of that teasing voice.

Tobias Carrick grinned at her as he reached past her for a bottle of water.

"Glad to see someone is taking this as serious as I do." He winked at her.

"You should wish I wasn't." She couldn't help but smile at him. "Then you might stand a chance to actually hit the ball."

He narrowed his eyes at her. Each time she pitched, he struck out. Though impressed, he wasn't about to admit defeat.

"I've still got a few points on that board." He reminded her. "And there will be even more before the night is over."

Chris stepped closer to him. "You wish that were true."

Tobias took another step closer. "You're going to eat those words."

"Doubtful." Her eyes flickered down his body. "I'm sure you win a lot of things, but tonight isn't going to be one of those nights."

"Want to bet?" He leaned down until his nose nearly touched hers.

His gaze settled on her mouth before locking eyes with hers.

"That all depends," she replied, "what's on the table?"

His lips quirked into a flirty smile. "I can think of one thing I'd like to see on the table."

Her eyebrows rose. The image of just what he'd do to her on that table made a flash of heat go through her body.

"I bet you do." She tilted her head. "I guess we'll just have to--"

"Get away from her!"

The startled pair turned towards a furious Ethan Ramsey.

He moved between them, glaring at Tobias.

"Leave her alone." Ethan bit out.

Tobias narrowed his eyes at him. "What's your deal, Ethan? We were only talking."

"Bullshit." Ethan hissed. "I know you. Chris is off limits."

"Excuse me?" Chris snapped.

"Doesn't sound like she is to me." Tobias winked at her over Ethan's shoulder.

Ethan grabbed hold of Tobias's jersey. "I mean it, Carrick. You've messed with me enough. Just because you poached our patient, doesn't mean you can also take her."

Before Tobias could snap back, Naveen forced them apart.

"Calm down." He ordered. "Take it out on the field."

Tobias snorted. Downing his water bottle, he made sure to knock his shoulder into Ethan's as he walked away.

Ethan grit his teeth, before turning to Chris.

"What did he say to you?" He demanded.

"Nothing but typical trash talk." She replied. "There was no need for you to get involved."

She straightened her shoulders. "I can handle myself. I don't need you jumping in to save me."

Ethan removed his ball cap and ran his hand through his hair. He knew he should have never agreed to play this asinine game.

"I know you can." He looked past her to where the Mass Kenmore team was sitting. "Seeing him try and get close to you, it made me..."

He cursed under his breath.

"So what if he tries to get close to me?" She looked away from Ethan. "It isn't like you want to be in that position."

"Damnit, Chris." Ethan whispered. "You know why I can't--"

"Save your breath." She muttered. "I've heard it all before."

"Wait." He grasped her arm when she tried to walk away. "Carrick isn't the type of man you can tease and not get burned."

Chris jerked her arm away.

"Don't worry." She glared at him. "I know all about being burned."

Ethan watched her storm off with a heavy heart.

******************

After the game, Chris was still full of restless energy. Their win over Mass Kenmore hadn't made her feel any better about the war they'd been having over patients.

When her friends invited her out to celebrate, she sent them on without her. The thought of another night spent in Donahue's with the same faces and conversations didn't appeal to her.

Trying to decide whether or not to just go back to her apartment, she heard her name called out.

She searched for the source and saw Tobias leaning against the side of his car.

"What?" She said once she made her way over.

"Congratulations." He said.

A reluctant smile peeped out at him.

"Thanks." She brushed a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear. "I didn't think you'd be up for saying that after I hit that last pitch of yours."

"It's just a game, Chris." He responded. "I wanted to win, but I still respect how you played it."

She folded her arms. "Something tells me you like to play a lot of games."

He smirked. "So many things in life are more fun when you make it a game. Why not enjoy it?"

"Is patient care a game to you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, Chris. I'm not heartless. If I hadn't thought that Mass Kenmore could give Stephanie better care than Edenbrook, I wouldn't have offered it."

He leaned closer to her. "You would have done the same if the situation was reversed."

Chris hesitated. "You're right. I would have."

He smiled at her. "You and I are more alike than you think."

She laughed, shaking her head. "I wouldn't go that far."

"No?" He placed his hand upon his chin as if considering that. "I guess I'll have to work harder to prove it to you."

He pushed off from his car and opened the passenger door for her. "Want me to give you a ride home?"

Biting her lip, Chris shook her head. "I don't think I'm going home just yet."

"Where are you going?" He glanced around the nearly empty parking lot. "Looks like everyone else left to party without you."

She shrugged. "I'm not really in a celebratory mood."

"What kind of mood are you in?" He asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I guess I'm more restless than anything else."

"Well, how about I drive you around until you decide what you want to do?" He offered.

"Okay."

She slid into his car. Her heart started picking up speed when she realized this would be the first time she was actually alone with him.

"Where were you going?" She asked once he buckled up.

"Home." He replied with a grin. "To drink my loss away."

She couldn't help but laugh. "I wouldn't mind a drink."

He turned towards her. "And just where would you like to have this drink?"

"I'm not really up for a bar." She admitted.

"My place or yours?" He asked.

"Who said anything about us drinking together?" She teased.

"Why waste this rare opportunity to do that very thing?" He countered.

"True." She relaxed back into the seat. "Let's go to your place."

Cutting her eyes towards him, she noticed his smug smile forming.

"Don't think anything other than a drink is going to happen." She warned.

"Whatever you say." He winked at her.

*****************

One drink and some flirting later, the two wound up in his shower. As the warm water fell upon them, they did all they could to heat the other's skin until they burned.

Chris ran her hands down his body as he kissed her neck. Her pent up frustrations with her life and work demanded she take advantage of her situation. She needed this release, almost as much as she wanted the man driving her on to give in to her every desire.

Ethan's words echoed in her mind, causing her to pause in her caresses.

The thing was, she wanted to burn. Even if it was just for this one night, she wanted to simply sate her passionate nature with no worries about what the morning would bring.

Tobias began to kiss down her body. He noticed her furrowed brow and lack of movement. He knew he needed to work on drawing her back into the night he was imagining.

He reached over and turned the water off, before urging her out.

"You're distracted." He said, handing her a towel. "Do you not want this?"

Chris paused in drying off. "No, I want you."

He stepped closer, all his usual cockiness nowhere in sight.

"Good. Because I've wanted you from the moment I first saw you."

"Right." Chris sarcastically replied. "I'm sure I really caught your eye at that diner."

He settled his arms around her waist.

"I noticed you immediately." He softly brushed his lips against hers. "Each time I saw you after that, I wanted you more and more."

His deep voice admitting to something like that, even though she doubted the sincerity, made her move right back into his embrace. Her lips sought his, and the two raced right back into the inferno they'd started.

Stumbling back into his bedroom, they fell upon the bed, limbs tangling as they continued to kiss.

Tobias moaned as Chris rolled on top of him. Deciding to relax and see what she'd do next, he urged her to take the reins.

His breath hitched the moment she kissed him. Her body moved over his, teasing and promising so much more. He cupped her face, looking into her eyes as she caressed him.

"You have no idea how often I've fantasized about this." He murmured, pulling her down for another kiss.

"Show me." She arched into his heated touch. "I want to do everything you thought about."

That was all he needed to hear.

*****************

As light began to filter through the slits of the bedroom blinds, Chris and Tobias collapsed exhausted on his bed.

Trying to catch her breath, Chris looked over at him. When he turned towards her, a breathless laugh popped out.

"You have some imagination there." She teased.

He chuckled, scooting closer to her. "That was only half of what I've fantasized."

"You're kidding?" Chris smiled at him. "I don't think I have the energy to see what else is in store."

She stretched, drawing his appreciative gaze towards her lithe body.

"There's always later." He reminded her. "Say like tonight?"

"Why Dr. Carrick," she snuggled closer within his arms. "Are you asking me out?"

"That depends." He pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

"On?"

"If the answer is yes."

She laughed, shaking her head over how good she felt in this moment with him.

"That's a definite yes."

"Then I'm asking you out." He chuckled when she softly groaned.

"You're lucky you're cute." She teased.

"I know." He sighed. "It's both a curse and a blessing."

"You poor, poor man." She patted his cheek.

Tobias took her hand and pressed a kiss within her palm. His eyes found hers as she laced their fingers together.

"How about dinner first?"

"So, it's a real date?" She joked.

"Ummhmm." He rolled over on his back, tucking her in beside him. "Is that still a yes?"

"I will need energy to begin whatever round we're on." She replied.

"Yes, you will." He squeezed her close.

"Then, I guess I'll see you later."

She began to ease out of his bed, only to be dragged back within his arms.

"Where do you think you're going?" He murmured against her neck while dotting kisses along it.

"Home." She relaxed back within his arms.

"No need to rush off so soon." He urged her back under the covers.

"I'll stay if you let me sleep." She warned. "If I don't get a few hours, there's no way I'll be any fun later tonight."

"We can't have that." He laughed when she poked him in his ribs.

She curled up against his side. Her eyes closed and she felt her body relax completely. It'd been a while since she felt so blissfully carefree.

It was a feeling she didn't want to end.

******************

Weeks went by in blur. Chris seemed to find her stride in both her professional life and her personal life. That one night with Tobias had blossomed into a weekly date night, adding even more happiness.

She knew she was falling for him. It was difficult not to. He had the ability to get her mind off the possible shutdowns that loomed over their hospitals. His humor and unending charm kept her thoughts firmly in the moment instead of the fears of the future.

Plus the closeness that was developing between them made her care all the more.

She didn't know which she loved most, the amazing sex or the talks they would have afterwards. The nights spent with him ended up being the best part of her week.

Whatever it was, she wasn't going to question it.

The only problem was June Hirata.

Chris was still a bit uneasy around the diagnostician. Seeing how two-faced the woman could be made it hard to completely trust working with her.

Then one day June approached the team with an idea.

"Did you know Senator Ed Farruiga's at Mass Kenmore?"

"No." Chris replied.

"Apparently he has some illness that no one can figure out." She paused to make sure she had everyone's attention. "I think we should encourage him to come here."

Ethan leaned back in his chair in thought. Baz seemed a little uncertain about the idea.

"I would love to give it a go, but we can't just go take one of their patients." He argued.

"Why not? No one has to stay at a hospital where they aren't getting the best possible care. Can you imagine how much publicity we would get if we helped another famous face?" June glanced at Ethan. "It would help us be able to help more people who really need us."

"It would." He conceded. "And we are a better team than Carrick's."

"Are we really going to do what they did with Stephanie?" Chris asked.

"Don't you want some payback for that?" June countered. "We lost a huge grant! They don't need the Senator as much as we do."

Chris didn't like the idea of continuing the game they'd started with Leland Bloom, especially with how close she'd gotten to their opponent.

"Let's do it." Ethan decided, needing a chance to get back at Tobias.

As they worked out a plan of attack, June checked her messages.

"My contact says that Dr. Carrick and his team haven't diagnosed the cause yet. They have only begun the process of ordering lab work."

She looked at the clock. "Given how long it takes for Mass Kenmore's lab techs to come around for blood samples, I say we have an hour tops to poach him."

"Then let's get going." Ethan ordered.

******************

It took less than an hour to find the senator and to convince him to transfer to Edenbrook. As she followed Baz out of the hospital, Chris heard the one voice she wished to avoid.

"Chris?" Tobias called out. "What are you doing here?"

He noticed the senator further ahead of her, changed and in the process of signing discharge papers.

His eyes narrowed when he realized what was going on.

"Look, I--" Chris tried to apologize.

"Save it." He snapped. "I don't want to hear it."

Without giving her a chance, he stormed back the way he came.

***************

Later that night, Chris headed to a bar she knew Tobias liked to frequent. He'd already ignored her calls and texts. If she was ever going to have the chance to explain, she knew it'd have to be in person.

It didn't take long to find him in the crowd. What surprised her was who was sitting with him.

What is June doing here?

The way the two were laughing and talking, it was obvious they knew each other a little too well.

The more she observed, the angrier Chris became.

"Chris!" June greeted. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Really?" Chris folded her arms. "I'm surprised. I thought you made certain to know where all your pawns are."

June laughed. "Only the most naive make the best pawns. You've been my favorite by far, Chris."

Tobias eyed her then glanced up at Chris.

June leaned closer to him, placing her hand on his thigh. "Our games are so much fun, aren't they?"

Chris was beyond livid. For months June had used her in every situation. Now to see that Tobias was in on whatever manipulative game they were playing caused her to snap.

She lunged forward almost punching June in her smug face. The table had stopped her momentum right before contact, giving Tobias a chance to grab her around the waist and pull her back.

Chris struggled against him. Her Scottish accent became thicker than usual as she unleashed a flurry of insults upon the pair.

"Let me go, you wee fuckbumper!" She shouted. "I'm going to show that dug licking pish aff a nettle just what happens when she messes with me!"

"Chris!" Tobias grunted when her elbows struck his ribs. "Calm the hell down!"

June began to laugh harder while watching the pair.

"This is the best you can do?" She taunted Chris. "Oh my god, I can't believe I actually thought you might be worthy competition."

"Bolt, ya mangled fud!" Chris yelled.

Still snickering, June gathered her things and headed towards the door.

"Call me Carrick when you're ready to be with a real woman again."

With a last burst of energy, Chris tried to break free of Tobias. She needed to knock June down just once. Her rage demanded to feel that woman's face under her fist.

Tobias yanked her back and half dragged her out the back door.

Once they were outside, he let her go.

They were both panting and glaring at one another.

"What the shit was that?!" He snapped. "If you'd actually touched June, she'd have had your ass in jail so fast it'd have made that hot head of yours spin."

"Do you know what that means?" He demanded when Chris remained defiant. "That means your career would be over!"

"Piss off." Chris hissed at him. "Ya lavvy-heided wankstain."

"Fuck this." Tobias rubbed his hands over his face. "I don't even know why I'm bothering to talk some sense into you."

"I don't either." Chris fought back tears.

"Why did you come here?" He asked when she fell silent. "Just to rub it in that you too can steal a patient?"

"Weren't you the man who said it was all a game?" She shot back. "And if I knew Edenbrook was the best for someone, then I should make it happen?"

"Damnit." He muttered. "Look, June told me you were determined to make me pay for my little stunt with Stephanie."

"That I was?" Chris released another profanity laden tirade.

The more descriptive she got, the more Tobias struggled with his laughter. He was still furious over everything, but he couldn't help but be impressed with her imaginative use of curse words.

After a particularly long sentence about June's reputation with men, all the fire seemed to go out in Chris.

She slumped back against the brick wall of the bar and lowered her head into her hands.

"I know you won't believe me." She began. "But this wasn't my idea."

Against his better judgement, Tobias moved a little closer and leaned next to her.

"What happened?" He asked.

The whole story poured out along with Chris's guilt.

"We never should have gotten close." She added at the end. "Not with all the animosity between the hospitals."

Tobias took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Do you regret it?"

"Stealing your patient?" She slowly nodded. "I don't think it was worth it."

"Not that." He turned towards her. "Us?"

She looked up at him. "No."

Her face scrunched as if she was about to cry. "I mean, I do since you and June had your own thing going at the same time. I know you and I weren't serious, but to have actually been with someone who could be with that two-faced bitch--"

"I wasn't seeing her while seeing you." Tobias interrupted.

She still looked doubtful.

"Come on, Chris." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know. You have to have seen that what we have is..."

He cursed, kicking at some trash.

"What we have is what? She prodded.

He groaned then yanked her into a heady kiss.

She wrapped her arms around him, giving back as good as she got.

Tobias stumbled back from the passion in her kiss, hitting the wall with her locked in his arms.

When it came to an end, he lifted his head to look into her eyes.

"See?" He said softly.

She slowly nodded.

"Then don't say we shouldn't have gotten together." He cuddled her close.

"What about my part in the senator?" She looked up at him. "Can you let that go?"

"Yes." He tightened his arms around her. "Of course I can."

"Then why didn't you answer my calls?"

"Because June made it seem like you'd strung me along to keep me from suspecting anything when you did eventually steal a patient." He admitted. "Knowing that I'd fallen for you, it stung that you didn't feel the same way. That I was merely your pawn in all this."

"I hate her." Chris bit out.

Tobias snorted. "Yeah, she isn't the easiest person to be around."

Chris bit back the fact he'd found her easy enough to sleep with.

Tobias sighed. "Want me to take you home?"

"No." Chris mumbled. "I'm too keyed up to see my roommates."

A tender smile began to form as he recalled a similar conversation they'd once had.

"Want me to drive you around until you calm down?"

Chris looked up at him, recalling the night of the softball game. Seeing that he remembered it too made her melt against him.

"I'd love that."

Keeping one arm around her waist, Tobias led her to his car.

[makos-hotbox]

A Y/n with a extremely high pain tolerance, and is just the most concerning being known to man. Get shot? Ohh dw! Its just a little scratch. I'll casually walk this shit off. Bonus points if they're hella stubborn.

Also can the characters be Soap, Ghost, or König? Doesn't have to be poly lol

LARGE FONT VER.

— WARNINGS :: blood, mentions of being shot/knives/death

… 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒

`⌁ ◜ 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐝. ◞

𝐒𝐎𝐀𝐏

he worries for you a lot on the field, Soap just doesn’t want to see you hurt or even killed. So the Scottish man is watching you like a hawk. Not because he doesn't think you can defend yourself, but because he knows you won’t even notice your injury.

So anytime you have some sort of injury, he becomes a whole helicopter. Immediately worrying and looking for ways to help. Asking Ghost for help if needed too, he has more dedication than your average medical student.

You always confuse him though whenever you don’t even acknowledge the damage. How can you not be rolling around in pain?! You just got stabbed! Any normal person would be screaming in agony.

Even though it worried him like crazy, he sometimes had to admit it was pretty damn impressive that you could withstand it all.

Sometimes Soap nearly shits his pants when you get dared by Rudy or Alejandro to do something stupid. It usually results in some sort of injury, since the other two think it's “so cool” that you can withstand so much pain.

(the “something stupid” is usually being shot with an airsoft gun or getting stung, bit, or cut by something…)

But of course he’s still a worry worm and sometimes lectures you on how your pain tolerance can be dangerous for you. What if you got shot and didn’t notice until you bled out? So many things can go wrong, he even goes on a big rant about why it's important for humans to be able to feel pain.

You always found ways to ease his nerves eventually though. Soap’s worrying always went away as soon as you at least had a bandage over it and you were sure to be okay. After that, he just lectured you on being more careful and gave you a kiss. Sometimes he out of nowhere starts gushing about how cool it is that you could withstand all that pain.

“Oh shit! Y/n you’re bleeding!” Soap yelled as soon as you both jumped in the back of the truck, the mission a success. Well, almost, you were running around with a deep knife wound on the side of your abdomen. Blood was soaking through your uniform and you didn't even notice. Shutting the doors as Ghost started the truck and sped off, Soap sat next to you.

You shrugged your shoulders and set your gun down, “I’ll be okay, don’t worry John.” you smiled at him, it didn't really bother you anyways. Soap shook his head and pulled out a first aid kit. He helped pull the shirt of your uniform up, cleaning the knife wound.

“You may think you will be okay, but I can assure you, you will not. This is a shitty wound Y/n.” He grumbled, lecturing you while he gave you emergency stitches. It was risky, but he didn’t think it would end well if you waited until you all arrived back at the base.

You remained quiet as he tended to your wounds. Watching as Soap placed a bandage over it, you smiled, noticing how much he cared for you. Even if you constantly ignored all of your wounds, Soap was there to care for you. Sometimes he even walks around with bandaids and such in his pockets.

He made sure you weren't suffering from any more injuries and finally sat up to relax. Leaning against your shoulder, Soap let out a loud sigh. “Feel okay? Doesn't hurt or nothin’ right?” He asked, pulling you closer to him.

You shook your head with a smile, “I’m fine, Johnny. I promise. Don't worry so much.”

𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓

Ghost isn't very vocal about his worries, but his mind is definitely racing when he sees your own blood on your uniform. His mind racing to wonder where it was coming from, or how bad it was. Because knowing you, you didn’t even know.

And since he doesn’t tell you about how much you worry him most of the time, he acts instead. Ghost will just out of nowhere start patching you up without warning. He doesn;t think it would be a good idea to waste time and argue over it, so he needs to get it done immediately.

He lectures you to be more careful and aware of your surroundings so that it doesn’t happen again. Even giving you techniques and hints on how to steer clear of enemies easier.

If you’re being dared by the rest of the team to do “something stupid” once again, Ghost is watching in disappointment. But he is still the first to patch you up when you get hurt.

Even more lectures occur.

when he realized that any time you would get injured; you wouldn't feel it. He became even more protective over you. Ghost is quick to react to keep you out of the line of fire or away from any dangerous combat. He wouldn't forgive himself if something bad ever happened to you. Let alone right in front of him.

If you’re being stubborn about getting medical attention, he will just ignore you and continue on with it anyways. Or just pick you up and take you to the doctor himself. You can;t convince him otherwise, Ghost will easily be just as stubborn as you are.

And if you’re trying to sneak out of bed rest, you’ll never find a way out. Ghost will have your entire room y/n-proofed. Even having Soap or Alejandro to run down the hall by your room to make sure you weren't escaping. He had a whole guard on you!

“I’m fine Simon, I promise. You don’t need to keep doing all of that.” You tried to convince the masked man. The two of you were hanging out in his room, and you were busying yourself by playing with his knives. It turned out to be a bad idea though as you dropped one on your thigh. The knife easily leaving a small cut in your skin.

You had ignored it and decided it would be fine, but Ghost saw the whole thing happen. And before you could pick up the knife and start playing with it again, Ghost took it away and sat in front of you with first aid.

He had ignored all of your comments and continued to patch you up. Once you were ignored for the final time, you decided to just stay silent and watch instead. Ghost fixed the cut on your thigh and looked up at you. His eyes were wide and filled with love, even if you had just stupidly dropped a knife on your leg.

He wrapped his arms around your waist and tugged you close to him, leaning his head against your stomach. “That's enough of you playing with sharp objects. You don’t need all of these useless injuries.” Ghost grunted against your shirt.

A quiet laugh escaped your lips, placing a hand on top of his head to take off his mask, now being able to run your hands through his hair. “Whatever you say, Simon Riley.”

𝐊Ö𝐍𝐈𝐆

König would be the one to worry the most for you. His mind is spinning as he worries for your well being. And it doesnt stop until a doctor is in front of him telling König that you will be okay.

It was really absurd to him that you could tolerate all of that pain. How? It was like magic to his poor mind. He just wanted you to be safe, not bleeding to death!

He is quick to protect you from any possible injuries, well, he tries to be. When König can’t protect you though, he feels terrible. And a little self doubt gets to his mind. It takes him a few seconds but he will eventually get to helping patch you up.

When König asks you how you're feeling and you respond with an okay, he always dramatically drops his head in shock.

“How? Mein Schatz you literally had gotten shot…”

It takes a lot of convincing and sweet jokes/words from you to get König out of his worried state of mind. He will only ever truly be calm though once you have met up with a doctor and cleared to be okay.

If there is ever a chance where a doctor has said that you must rest and heal your injuries, König will make sure you never leave your room. No matter how much you say that you feel fine, the German man will use his big frame to block your doorway or easily force you back to bed.

If you’re being reckless, König is begging for you to not do it. Running after you like a worried mother chasing her toddler. Sometimes he has no choice but to watch and he just glares, grabbing your wrist so he can patch you up.

Even if you’re upset that he won’t let you leave, he will do sweet things for you. Like getting you food, drinks, hanging out and cuddling with you. Just overall caring for you as if you were sick. (Even if you weren't)

“König. Move.” You tried to shove past your boyfriend, who was wedging himself in the doorway. He blocked you yet again.

“No Y/n. The doctor said you have to stay and rest so you don’t reopen your wound. You are staying here.” König challenged, pushing you back into the room forcefully and closing the door behind him. You groaned dramatically, defeated at this point. He wasn’t going to let up and you knew it.

You trudged over back to your bed and flopped down onto it. Curling up under the blankets to get warm once again. Even turning onto your side, facing away from König to be petty. Behind you, König stared at you blankly. Rolling his eyes, he walked up to your bed and sat behind you. “Why do you want to leave so badly? Everyone knows you're not allowed to do anything right now.”

König was right and you knew it, causing you to sigh. “I'm just bored. I dont like sitting here all day just because of some stupid injury i dont even feel.” You answered, pulling your blankets closer to you. König hummed and moved under your blankets as well, laying down now.

He pulled you closer to him, moving his head down to place a kiss on your head. “I understand, Liebling. But it’s just one more day. And how about I stay with you? So you won't be lonely, we can cuddle and watch movies all day. I’ll bring you food and everything.”

A smile broke out on your face and you turned over to face König now. You leaned up and kissed him through his mask, cuddling closer to him. “I think I can work with that. Thank you König… I love you so much.”

REQUESTS :: OPEN

» 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐨 … 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝

[aprofessionalwithoutstandards]

I love demo so fuckin much but i wish there was more both canon and fanon content for him that isnt just "haha funni alcoholism " like. Idk it super fucking bothers me as a kid of an alcoholic (now recovering and about 2 years sober!!!) like. I would love to rec the game to my dad bc i know he would loce the style and humor but hes also really proud of being scottish and i khow that the main characterization pf demo would probably bother him.

Anyway demo beating alcoholism arc when.

I actually have a ton of posts abt this (u can probably dig thru "#demoman tf2" asks to find them lol) but yeah I rlly think abt this a lot. I'm also the kid of an alcoholic (actually a pretty long line of them, I'm actually pretty predisposed to it myself because I also inherited all the same anxiety/neurodivergency/etc. problems) and I'm also aware of a lot of politics surrounding addiction and am invested in harm reduction n stuff like that, so my feelings abt it are actually kinda complicated. I don't like the idea that Demo being an alcoholic is, like, a "mistake" made on Valve's end that needs to be "fixed" in fan content - it's not inherently wrong to have a character who is an alcoholic or even really a comedic character who is one. I think there's a big trend in fans (especially white people lol) totally overstepping and "fixing him" by just, never mentioning it even in places it would actually be appropriate and just pretending he was never written to have an addiction. I think that's just another way of showing that you think someone can't be a Good Person(tm) and an addict. The other side of the coin, of course, is the INSANE prevalence of people who make it his one defining personality trait and often completely mischaracterize him by giving him traits they associate with alcoholism but that he doesn't have (laziness, aggression, stupidity etc.). I actually find the way he's written in canon to be. pretty okay? There's definitely times where it's Bad but most of the time I think it's alright. Even the "short, violent temper" thing (a trait he's apparently supposed to have? But tbh he doesn't really have in any of the supplemental material lmao) feels less like a stereotype of alcoholism (as fans will make it) and more like an ethnic/nationality-based stereotype (which everyone in tf2 is, so it doesn't feel specifically targeted) (although you can also argue that him being an alcoholic is also a nationality stereotype which like. yeah). Smth I think a lot of people forget but is actually pretty present in most iterations of his lore and also in a lot of his game/intro video dialogue is that he has some kinda trauma and his self-esteem is completely in the toilet. This, in my opinion, adds another layer to his addiction that while maybe not really explored in canon (because it's not that kind of media, no one really gets their serious backstories explored they're just established and then dropped for more jokes) can definitely be expanded upon in fan stuff. I know yall like angst! Stop fucking writing "angst" where you conflate alcoholism with domestic violence and stupidity and start treating him like a human being lol. Write about Demo dealing with or beating alcoholism, but don't write it like it's his entire personality or pretend it doesn't exist. It's a part of him, but not all there is to him. Sorry for the SUPER long response anon omg I love talking and this is a topic I specifically have a ton of thoughts on. Sorry if this isn't rlly coherent, like I said I have a lot of posts abt this topic. I might go rb some now just to clarify my opinions

[gigglebug]

OC Name meanings

tagged by @randomstupidchaos

okay, so I think we all know that I primarily write a bunch of fanfic. so a lot of my characters come pre-built with names. there are several that I came up with myself, but if I only listed those names, it wouldn't even look like my book anymore, so I'm gonna define all of them anyway. (except for Malroth. I have little idea what his name means or where it comes from. it's not even his name from his starting language. who knows!)

that said I do have ONE original story (I have not worked on it in so long agh) and I will do that one at the end.

Builderverse

Crea- short for Create. stole it from the tutorial lmao.

Aris- short for Arisplotle. who is a slime. dragon quest has a thing about slimes having pun names, you know? (granted in maskverse I named him Aristaeus, which he hates, and it means some variation of "best" because he's the best boy.)

of note, in Maskverse specifically, "Malroth" is a nickname he made up for himself that he could use while in hiding as the prince so no one could sus him out. his first name is Troy. this is because his mom is Hellen and I thought it would be funny. Hellen of Troy from illiad fame is now Troy of Hellen in my story. (it's really not that funny, is it?) (yes this is basically the sole reason I made Hellen from the game his mom for the sake of the story. good times!)

of the main builders cast I'm mostly interested in Rosie (self-explanatory since she's a gardener), Babs (comes from Barbara which means stranger), and Anessa. From the (weirdly few) posts I can find about this name, Anessa is short for Agnessa, which is another form of Anges. in Greek, Agnes is pure/holy/chaste/satisfaction (everyone gives a different one lol), which I find interesting given her role in the story.

of other interesting note, Warwick can mean from the settlement by the weir (which I guess is a dam), but it also can mean "strong leader who defends". personally I think they went with his name because "war" is in it and hi that's what his island is known for.

Ludovic itself means Famous war/battle, but I chose it because the Spanish version of builders named Warwick "Ludovico" and I needed another antagonist.

Damara is Greek for "gentle" which makes sense cos she was created to be a mentor character. ended up later adopting Malroth but she lended well to it XD

Griswold- english was grey forest or grey land, french it was a ruler with grey hair (which is kinda weird because in game he is VERY bright blue). that said, I think they picked it because it kinda sounds like gristle, which is related to bone, which he is a skeleton.

Floria- flower. just thought it's fun to have a hypercompetent soldier be named Flower because her parents wanted her to be a nice proper lady. (she said fuck that.)

that's all that's coming to mind on that.

Sirens

Patrick- nobleman (english)

Jonathan- God has given (hebrew)

Scotia- person from Scotland (english) (she's not Scottish tho I just liked how it sounded)

Troy- footsoldier (greek) (don't ask me how I got two of these)

Easton- from the east (he arrives to the story from far away)

Brinda- from the basil plant (india) (again I liked the sound)

Kurt- courteous (american) (it's funny because he's overtly sarcastic with everyone but Brinda and then he turns into a teddy bear. only Patrick ever sees it tbh)

Felice- fortunate/happy (latin)

Tahlia- morning dew (hebrew). also because my dad always joked about naming me Talitha so I played with the letters.

Sera- shortened from Saraphim, which is an angel (something latin related)

I have other characters that only appear in book 2, but given I haven't touched that story since 2014-2016, I don't think it's going anywhere enough to bother listing here.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

A black cat and a Calico, especially a predominantly white one, would be very symbolically and visually nice! And also I'm kind of biased towards it because I have both of those lol. There's also... hmm well if we want to get particular about cat genetics, most of the cats that have the "siamese" point coloring aren't part of any of the breeds that have them as a signature, they're just regular cats with a mutation that gives them partial albinism (happens in rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs too), so wouldn't it be so fucked if both of them were black cats, one just had a mutation to cover up most of the black so Kamado couldn't tell. Although in either case, imagine how much it'd suck to have light colored fur and have to roll around in the mirelands.

I love the idea of Kamado hating the Survey corp in general, because it's literally harding cats. Oh man, poor Cyllene would be miserable in the heat though. Maybe a lioness instead? They're group cats like domestics, and the females are the main hunters both of which would lend well to being a team leader. Though I will say, if we make Counterpart a Calico, you know what'd be cute? If Cyllene was an African wild dog, which are also notorious for being excellent hunters who work extremely well together, but have the bonus of looking like she took one look at a Calico kitten and decided it was her child now lol. Laventon is a Scottish fold, I mean look at him. Kamado I was thinking either that or a grizzly bear lol, though wolves do lend themselves more towards high leadership roles.

He's really more of a Bunnicula in terms of predator lagomorphs, but nobody'll ever convince Melli of it after his many run ins with Ingo in the dark. His posture really does look like he could be getting ready to break into a sprint at any given moment, but no, people are surprised to learn that it's apparently unrelated (hopefully not a back injury, but if it's to avoid being so tall his ears would constantly be down too. I imagine he and Emmet utilize their stature and long ears to help people pick them out of a crowd, plus it cuts a more striking figure during battle on the subway, but being a flagpole might not lend itself too well in Hisui). That's a good point of it probably being something of a social faux pas though, didn't even think of that. Maybe they just notice that he doesn't run or jump even if he's clearly caught by surprise or in situations where people of every sort really should be running, like Ingo please get away from the ghost foxes, you don't need to feed them, they can feed themselves and if you keep doing it they might start snacking on you instead of the mushroom cakes and berries they beg from you (no but for real I think about that part where the zorua/Zoroark uses Mai's form to trick you into giving it mushroom cakes all the time lol, and Ingo seems like the sort of person they'd clock as easy to sucker into giving them treats)

Also, re: clothes, I think that pants might be a little hard depending on the kind of legs you give them, flat on their feet or up on their toes like dogs, so most people probably wouldn't bother with them, but given how prominent and important the clan tunics are, I figure almost everyone at least in Hisui would be wearing some sort of top, especially if it's a little on the long side like the tunics. Things like skirts or kimonos would also be easy to wear and that seems to be a common Jubilife style. Specialized footwear might also be needed in cases where, for instance, a non-cold adapted animal like Ingo, Adaman, or the Galaxy team (and possibly Sabi? She's bundled up way more than any of the Pearl Clan folks so I assume she's either so baby she doesn't have her winter fluff or she just isn't a species that's inherently fitted to the cold) needed to go through the Icelands, or in busy cities to avoid burning paws on too-hot pavement or getting your toes stepped on, or working in construction jobs. I don't think clothes are strictly necessary, so it wouldn't be especially weird to not have any on like if the protagonist showed up without any because Arceus stole them from their bed, but most people do, especially in Hisui where it's part of how they show clan alliances

the survey corps is literally herding cats ashskjhsjh that's so funny. i was actually thinking about pallas' cat laventon (possibly with some minor alterations to face markings so he looks perpetually-worried instead of perpetually-grumpy) but also consider: laventon as a lion (or some other highly social cat) and cyllene as a highly solitary cat who has been Tricked into having a Family and is very confused and mad about how that happened. (laventon: "cyllene look! a kitten fell out of the sky! we need to look after them!" / cyllene, completely disinterested: "not my kitten, don't care.") though it's also very funny if cyllene's Definitely Very Social but is trying to act like she doesn't care anyway. everyone can see your happy body language cyllene stop trying to act aloof

i love the idea that they use their height+tall ears to be easily visible in crowds, lol. i imagine if they're trying to get someone's attention they start twitching their ears very fast like a wave. ELESA WE'RE RIGHT HERE JUST LOOK TO THE LEFT DON'T MAKE US SHOUT ACROSS THE CROWDED STATION. oof and then he's slouching and keeping his ears back to seem smaller... or maybe he's doing it bc subconsciously he feels really exposed in hisui. he's not used to space being so empty! he's used to crowds and enclosed spaces! it's not something that makes it to his conscious mind but that's part of why he looks so keyed-up constantly. this is actually my hc for canon but if anything it works even better here

"Specialized footwear might also be needed in cases where, for instance, a non-cold adapted animal needed to go through the Icelands" oh man but you know whose paws are absolutely not equipped for snow at all. does the pearl clan like, realize right away that they should probably give him boots? or does he have to get frostbite first. that could actually be another reason for the bad posture: he started doing it as a balance thing to compensate for stepping very gingerly/not being 100% able to tell where he was putting his feet while they were healing, and then it just stuck. or even worse, he's just got a permanently messed up gait because his paw pads are permanently uneven and lacking sensation.

re: clothes being a means to show faction affiliation, i could also see that most of that is replaced by some kind of like, necklace or other trinket, bc most of the pearl clan is cold-adapted and would probably overheat in a tunic. they would probably still make some tunics though, for the odd member that's born a different species (usually the roulette is pretty good abt accounting for environment, but it getting it wrong is also definitely not unheard of.) aww i love the idea that sabi is "so baby she doesn't have her winter fluff" too lol.

[castlebyersafterdark]

I guess I've never really referred to a courthouse marriage the same way as a wedding ceremony. But that could just be ignorance on my part, since I've never been involved in that? I've always understood that to be eloping, and then maybe later they have an actual wedding. Getting married without the wedding. Like you don't have to "run away together" to elope. Could be colloquial differences.

im about to ramble cos this is really interesting and youre phrasing it so sweetly!!! i can see what you mean by you dont have to actually run away together to elope, but thats not true; its kind of the definition of eloping lol. usually people elope if theyre forbidden to marry, and so they would go somewhere like another country where its legal to marry (gretna green in scotland is famous for it, just over the scottish border). courthouses arent always for eloping nowadays.

i only know more about 'courthouse weddings' as you call them, because my sibling had one! i also remember seeing pics of my aunt and uncle getting married when i was a child, and wondering why she didnt have a big dress on, and its because it was her second marriage so she wasnt allowed to get married in a church. so she dressed a little less flouncy and it was at a registry office.

but for my sibling, they didn't want a big ceremony with vows, mainly because of the expense, and like i mentioned, not religious. in a church you have to say what they tell you to say lol.

there are actually a few places here licensed to marry outside of a church where you can write your own vows (they both gave a speech at their party instead which was vow equivalent), but my sibling didnt want this either. they said they just wanted to be married to each other and didn't want to show it off to people, for them it wasnt about flaunting wealth or even their love to others.

its all so personal and im honestly fascinated by weddings. i dont think for one second yours is going to be about flaunting, but for many, it really is. and that always makes me cringe.

i also think there's a thing where people feel anti-traditional and don't want to do the whole nine yards because it feels unoriginal. that sounds unromantic but its more like... i dont want to be just another woman who thinks she is a princess for a day, y'know? i'd want it to be about our love, and if you as a couple aren't flashy, sometimes a big ceremonial wedding doesn't feel like you. even if it's small and low key.

i am a romantic like you, so would hope to have a lovely wedding, but seeing the reality of close friends get married, i was honestly surprised by just how much the stress almost outweighed the joy. typically in het relationships, the groom just sits back and lets the bride choose everything because theyre less bothered about how it goes, but the downside of this is the bride carries like 90% of the stress and organisation. ofc this is not always true but culturally women are so conditioned to think of their wedding day since childhood, that even if youre not into flaunting yourself (like me), you get sucked into the fantasy lol.

i for one am terrified of who i might become if i was planning a wedding. i know myself too well lol! probably not the best reason to avoid getting married but i understand my sister for not wanting a year's worth of sleepless nights and overthinking. i think she just thought the money could be better spent on something else, like building a life with her partner, instead of all splashed on one party lol.

to each their own!

See, not that the traditional definition of eloping is incorrect - but definitely a difference in colloquialism. Maybe it's a shift in societal standards, culture, etc? Depends on the people around you. Because elope the way I know it kind of catch all means what I was talking about that prompted my confusion into calling it first wedding/second wedding. Like its kind of lost the connotation. For example, a coworker had engagement photos done recently and we were looking at them and they're gorgeous, asked if she'd use the same photographer for the wedding, other details etc. She said nah, they're just eloping at the courthouse, skipping a wedding all together. I know she's not running away or doing it in secret. They have a date set and everything. Elope at courthouse, out to a nice dinner with the fam, using the money saved on the wedding for a house down-payment. So... I might call not having a ceremony/reception eloping. Again. Semantics!

I've always always fantasized about being married, being someone's husband one day. I know that about myself. And the wedding... it's more the idea that's its a celebration of that, a party for a new chapter where we formally get to commit to each other for life. So I know our wedding is going to be very untraditional. For sure, I mean, that rings true for most gay couples, I think. Though, I've been to some weddings where they're near indistinguishable from any other except it's two men. That wedding planning stress to make it fit into so many boxes. To each their own. But I kinda had it in my head my whole life that no one would ever really want to marry me so this... I'm just really happy. So when you break it down, a wedding is such a funny concept. "Hey friends and family - we're really happy and in love so we want to chill with you for a few hours because the two of us really want to tell each other that while several dozen people listen." 🤣

At least, that's what I've joked about in our case. And I think that's kinda what it should be! Traditions are traditions but shouldn't be rules. People should truly do what they want. Courthouse and done. Actually run away and return married. Big traditional wedding if that is what you really want. Or fuck it, have the two weddings in the exact way that confused me! Or, friends and family gathered in the backyard or a lovely park. All good ❤️

[anewbrainjughead]

I’m Scotland anon! We’re flying into Inverness and driving to visit my sister who’s living outside Aberdeen. It would be cool to know a couple good places to go, but also any tips to not embarrass myself as a tourist?? Ty!

Hi! I'm going to be honest, i haven't spent a ton of time up the north end of the country, at least not for a good few years, so i'm afraid i don't have a ton of insight on what places to go around aberdeen, especially if you're looking for nightlife and the like. I know that inverness has a castle and a really cool bookshop called Leakey's and thats about it. I've been to aberdeen exactly 3 times and all i remember about it was that the sea had foam so thick and yellow that it looked like old mattresses and that the seagulls there are massive hulking mutants who run that city through intimidation and stolen chips

I'm not sure whether you're planning on spending most of your time in the city or if you want to see more of the country, but there's some lovely countryside around the north/northeast. Stonehaven is a really nice picturesque seaside town about half an hour from aberdeen. There's a castle/ruins you can take a tour of, and tbh there's few things more scottish than eating ice cream and chips on a beach on a cold day, assuming you're going to be visiting sometime between now and like april lol. If you have the time it's worth checking out some of the islands. Skye is beautiful and one of the closer islands to aberdeen. I think there's a pretty regular ferry from there to the mainland and its less than an hour journey.

(i'm about to go on a food rant sorry) Scotland definitely isn't renowned for its food, but if you are looking to eat 'traditional' scottish food then the best thing to get is fish/seafood. You can get some really good, really fresh stuff in seafood shacks by the beach, but also just in restaurants in any coastal town/city, though i'd make sure to look at locals reviews on google so you don't get ripped off. Scotland is overall pretty good for vegan/vegetarian food too, and we have a lot of really solid indian restaurants and takeaways, which i'd def recommend. Honestly scotland's best culinary offerings are probably curry, ice cream, and whiskey. Also if you find a sweet shop (or more likely a newsagents selling old fashioned sweets) you should try soor plooms, these bright green boiled sweets (or hard candies if you're american).

I really don't think you need to be worrying about embarrassing yourself, i promise you that as long as you have basic human courtesy and aren't super condescending about scottish accents/culture nobody will be bothered by you. I will say that aberdonian accents, and accents around that part of the country are really fucking weird and not very similiar to any of the accents you'd likely have heard on tv, which tend to lean more towards a stereotypical highlands or glaswegian accent, so if you're alarmed by how people talk you aren't going crazy, they just do talk like that. I doubt this will come up, but scottish ppl might get pissy if you mispronounce certain things. Like scottish gaelic is pronounced gah-lick not gay-lick, edinburgh is pronounced edin-bruh, and glasgow is pronounced glaz-go. Also never refer to scotland as being a part of or the same as england, and generally don't refer to scottish people as british. Not everyone will be offended by being considered british, but it's generally a sore spot for people, and the english thing is just plain wrong. Also if you're american and have scottish ancestry its perfectly fine to be excited about being in scotland but if you're too enthusiastic about it people will give you the side eye and think you're obnoxious tbh

sorry i couldn't be more of a help, i actually would have advice about travelling around the middle/south of the country but i'm not sure whether you're planning on travelling down that far and i've already rambled on way too much. If you are thinking of travelling further down the country, especially around edinburgh or glasgow i would be happy to give more salient advice on where to go and what to do. I hope this helped in some way at least :) I really hope you have a good trip nonetheless

[bull3t-f0r-my-v4lentine]

Tell us about your Craftsman and Butler headcanons! (and your anon asks seems to be off, ppl don't like send asks openly afaik)

FUUUUUCK IM SO SO FUCKING SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG ;;;A;;;; I FEEL SO BAD BUT IM GONNA DO THIS DNDKDNDAIHAHSBBSBANA

this is actually a mix of me and my best friend’s hcs since we basically share our own universe together (nothings rlly changed besides personal hcs and backstories)

Craftsman HCS ;

His actual name is Christopher Morrison, and he is actually the older brother of Roger !

He’s somewhere in his 50s to me, but I don’t always think of it lmao

He has a super bad temper and you can often catch him slamming things down or punching his work table cus somebody pissed him off lol (he goes soft around the Butler though)

Him and the Butler are engaged, still don’t know when exactly to get married lol. They have a lot of work to do they just don’t exactly know when they can actually settle down.

He proposed to the Butler on his birthday actually, and he even crafted the ring himself! (it’s a little rose gold ring that wraps around in a heart shape)

Angry scottish man go brrrr

He has a scottish accent so fucken thick it’s like a spanish person trying to speak english to a 3 year old to most ppl

He used to own a small toy shop in Scotland ! he made every single toy and ran it himself, a lot of people in the town went there every christmas and birthday

Gæ

Not many know it but this guy is literally,,,,6’6,,,,,tower

He has a huge gash on the side of his mouth that opens up in his cheek revealing his teeth, gums and inner mouth. it doesn’t affect his ability to talk but he is insecure about it, so he hides it with that mask.

Butler HCs ;

His real name is Theodore Vandmear, most people call him Theo for short. His nickname is Teddy tho (as in teddy bear), but usually chris calls him that <3

He sounds legit EXACTLY like winnie the pooh, even says things like “oh bother”

He also stutters a lot, and his voice can be very quiet and sheepish, you might wanna grab him a megaphone in order to have a conversation

This man literally acts like a cat. he fucking PURRS. he wants to destroy everything in SIGHT.

when he uses his telekinesis for something very very strong and powerful, his nose will start bleeding like eleven from stranger things lol

He uses he/they pronouns <3

His mother was british (she was the only parent he had), yet being in scotland for so long (despite being super sheltered and usually kept away from society) he does have a scottish twang to his voice. certain words will sound scottish, some words will sound british

he sneezes like an dog lol

ALWAYS helps christopher with anything he needs to do as far as duties or personal hygiene, he’s not only his fiancé but also somewhat of a nervous caregiver, it’s very sweet

he sleeps in those nightgowns men used to wear back in the day but it somehow ends up looking cute on him and it’s soooo comfy

extra HCS ;

Theo tends to watch Chris work once the day is done and they’re settling down to go to bed

They both actually live in the Maw with the other employees. After the Pretender died, the nest began crumbling and crashed down from the sky, and they (somehow, i’m too lazy to come up with a reason why) landed up in the maw. However they were separated for a little while

Theo was actually wandering around the bottom areas of the maw, super hungry and still with his hands restrained in the back. he didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t talk to anybody except himself, and just wandered around aimlessly like a zombie

The maw did set out a few employees to search for him, that included Chris, and they eventually did find him. the lady chopped off the cuffs and let his hands free, and they did have to fix his back and he had to wear a corset for a little while to help his posture, but other than that spending a LOT of time with chris and maaaaaaany many many hours of sleep and naps later he was back to normal and able to function. he was put to work as the maw’s butler. cleaning, doing laundry, etc but this time he was treated like a human instead of a monster who had to be cuffed

muchachos i’m so tired i can’t write anymore i hope this was enough tho 😭😭😭😭 again i’m so sorry for being late pls feel free to always inbox me again i love writing out my ideas n shit

[colorsofmyseason]

Mirano’s Concise Guide to Arsenal Football Clown Club – Defenders (Part 1)

Since we're done with the goalkeepers, now let's move on to a set of four (sometimes three or five too according to the needs) people we trust to help our goalies maintaining the sanctity of our net.

Spoiler alert: they don't always succeed.

Arsenal's defense has always been a internal joke within the Premier League for years and I honestly thought if we have the resource to clone Tony Adams then we should (not that we have the money anyway but a girl can dream), and we have had to endure the likes of Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz in the heart of our defense for years (I'm sorry for naming names. Those people still give me nightmares sometimes). And trust me when I say that if you managed to miss all those dark times, well, lucky you.

But now I can proudly say that we actually do have some people with braincells as our backline who actually try their best so our goalies can take a breath of relief...sometimes.

So, without further ado, let's delve into this!

The first man to be introduced here will be our left-back Kieran Tierney (24), KT for short, for you bayern-blr just imagine a Scottish, left-footed Joshua Kimmich and you'll get him, he's an old school type of player who tucks his kit in and loves defending, enjoys chocolates and rom-com movies, future Arsenal captain for sure, will absolutely scream and yell at his teammates whenever things don't go according to plan

And yes, Arsenal youtube channel rarely uses subtitles for the English-speaking players but they gave one for KT because his lovely Scottish accent needs a subtitle always lol.

This man is also hard as nails, he can very much become the male Elsa because the cold never bothers him, he'll appear in nothing but short-sleeved top and shorts even if Arsenal's playing in the North Pole in the middle of winter, if anything I'm guessing the cold unlocks his special power even

(This is his celebration after scoring a goal against West Brom, in the middle of snow, with his weaker foot. Guess which one is KT lol)

He's a bit injury prone sadly but always gives 200% whenever he's on the pitch, tackles goals assists he has everything in his Tesco bag, why Tesco bag you might ask?? Because forget expensive washbags, plastic bags from Tesco is all he needs to keep his toiletries, this man is humble as fuck, by his own words he's "plain" but it's his simplicity and plainness that endear him so much to us!

Oh Kieran. We love you so so so bad.

Moving on from KT, now we have our resident whore and himbo center back Ben White (24), yes this guy is an Arsenal player, I know, unbelievable, with that kind of name lol so we affectionately call him Benny Blanco, how come the guy with the blandest, whitest name in the world be spicy af but that's just how he is, his every action screams "I'm sexy and I know it", this guy KNOWS he's hot and would use every single chance he has to flaunt his beautiful, flawless tanned skin and tattoos and yes I do sound like a fanfiction writer at this rate and I don't care

I think it's not too much when I say: WOOF.

His price tag was almost as spicy as he looks for we forked out 50 million to get him from Brighton and people were jeering at us for that but I can assure you that amount is much too cheap, he will put his life to defend his boyfriend our goal no matter what, just look at tall Ben White squaring up to his (usually much smaller) opponents and you'll understand why

As a wise man once said, he's too beautiful to be good at defending. And poor Placheta had no chance there, especially with Ben giving him THAT look.

But despite of everything Benny Blanco is a lovable guy who flirts with everyone in the squad loves his teammates with all his heart and soul and always fucks praises them to no end in interviews, he would regularly posts photos of said boyfriends and/or fuck buddies teammates in his instastory at any given occasion, especially ones of his one true love, Aaron Ramsdale:

The Arsenal training camp in Dubai is actually just a front for their honeymoon, trust me. Also Aaron's hand isn't actually on Ben's cr*tch there, of course not

The third defender on this list will be Ben's centre back partner and our Brazilian wonderwall Gabriel Magalhaes (24), Gabriel for short, I personally call him Biel to differentiate him with Gabriel Martinelli, he joined us from Lille last season and it's another transfer we never regret because this guy is MASSIVE, he won Arsenal's Player of the Month for three months in a row when he just came, and this season he goes even stronger, his partnership with Ben has given us the same number of clean sheets as Manchester City so far by the time of writing

(Question here, why are our main CBs both dripping with ink? Lol)

If any of you notice his teeth, yes they're THAT white and THAT perfect, and yes they're veneers, he's lost them TWICE on the pitch so far, but each time we won I think so all's good, he sacrificed those beautiful teeth for the sake of his team

Anyway, Arsenal's defenders are generally something else and Gabriel is no exception, he's actually fought some masked robbers who had followed him home and then tried to steal his car and his watch, he then threatened to beat them up by their own baseball bat, this man has the heart of steel both on and off the pitch I can tell you

But despite all of those, deep inside he's a very sweet and gentle man who loves his fiancee and family, he posts about her A LOT in his instagram which shows how much he loves and appreciates her, also this man's going to be a dad, which he announced this way after he scored our third goal against Southampton:

Hope Baby Magalhaes will grow into such a tall and strong CB like his dad.

So those are three of our defenders, thanks for reading/listening to me and this will be continued in other parts after this. Stay tuned for more!

mirano's concise guide to arsenal (part 3/?)

[mermaidsirennikita]

Oh could you please recommend some Kerrigan Byrne and Lorraine Heath books as well? I'm done with Kleypas' and Tessa dares entire catalogue and now I'm confused as to where to turn 😛

I'm so sorry for the delay, I thought I answered this! I must have written something out and then closed the window. :/

Kerrigan Byrne (I've read more of hers, as I decided to go slow with Heath after burning through way too many of Byrne's books at once and having nothing left lol):

The Highwayman--My favorite romance novel with my favorite hero (and a great heroine). He's got a scarred eye, a criminal empire, and he doesn't wanna touch her with his FILTHY DISGUSTING HANDS THAT HAVE DONE HORRID THINGS so he wears leather gloves when they're fucking. And ties her up so she can't touch him. It's glorious.

The Scot Takes A Wife--Scottish lord/laird whatever gets into an enemies to lovers land dispute with the heiress to the land he wants (she's actually an American widow who kills her husband within the first few pages). Marriage of convenience issues ensue.

The Duke with The Dragon Tattoo--Girl meets boy, girl nurses boy back to health, boy has to leave but promises he'll come back for her, boy comes back for her on her wedding day and murders her evil brother and fiance before taking her to his PIRATE SHIP. "We're married" "No we're not" "By maritime law".

Seducing A Stranger (also published as A Dark and Stormy Knight)--I recommend reading after the other books, or at least after The Highwayman, because the hero of this one is the straitlaced chief of police dude who is always getting on the other heroes about their wild ways. Turns out he's got a fun side. He fucks the heroine in a pleasure garden (she thinks he's a gigolo, it's complicated) and then they don't see each other until her wedding day, where she's found next to her dead fiance holding a knife. But don't worry, they won't execute her, because that night in the pleasure garden got her pregnant!!!

How To Love A Duke in Ten Days--The heroine is being blackmailed and must enter into a marriage of convenience in order to pay off her blackmailer. The hero has a dark past. TW: this one begins with the heroine being raped, and deals very strongly with her trauma surrounding men and sex throughout.

All Scot and Bothered--The heroine inherits a brothel which is actually not a brothel, whereas the hero is a lawman who believes it's not only a brothel but trafficking children. By day, he's falling in love with the heroine, and by night he's pursuing her alter ego, but in a legal way not a sexy way.

Lorraine Heath:

Waking Up With The Duke--The hero is (sorta) responsible for his best friend being in an accident that rendered him impotent years earlier. Best friend asks hero to impregnate his wife. Hero (reluctantly) agrees because he's always had a thing for her and is crushed by guilt. SUCH A GOOD. SO MUCH ANGST.

The Earl Takes All--Hero's twin brother dies when they're on a safari together. On the request of his twin, he pretends to be him when he gets back to England because the heroine is pregnant and has had issues with carrying pregnancies to term in the past. Heroine has no fucking idea that she's with her husband's twin, which is QUITE bonkers and great.

The Viscount and The Vixen--Old lord puts out an ad promising a woman tens of thousands of pounds if she marries him. Woman answers ad and in the process signs a legally binding contract promising her a husband or a payout. The lord's son insists that he's being taken advantage of, but the only way to get his father out of the contract is by marrying her himself, oops!

The Duchess Hunt--Duke with ridiculously high standards sets out to find a duchess. The heroine is his assistant, who sets out to help him find said duchess while secretly longing for him. It gives BIG Tony Stark/Pepper Potts vibes if you're into that.

[will-pilled]

wHiTe PeOpLe HaVe No CuLtUrE

Italians, Russians, Canadians, Germans, French people, The Irish, The Scottish, The English, and The Welsh, who have some of the most iconic culture in the world:

For people so concerned with racism y'all always seem to forget that The United States isn't the only primarily white nation.

There is not point in commenting "Im (iNsErT RaCe) AnD iT DoEsNt BoThEr Me." That isn't the point.

Also, (white portion) The United States DOES have culture, y'all just don't wanna lose your social credit LOL.

[taylortruther]

My biggest concerns regarding Taylor are Scottish Folds and 50 Shades.

Scottish Folds look like that because their cartilage is so weak their ears fold over. Guess what cushions your bones? Guess what happens when your bone cartilage is so fragile that it can't hold up under its own weight?

I've tried to @ Taylor before, back when she was pretty active here, and either she didn't see it (likely) or she didn't want to hear it.

I'm glad she got a different cat this time because I'm really concerned. Thanks Brendon. Of course it's nice to have a cat that's not disabled from birth for once. Of course that cat likes cuddles more and isn't as grouchy.

...also she needs to learn more about cat behavior. Your cats don't hate you, you don't respect their space so they think they have to flee or act antagonistic to get it.

I don't find jokes about cat behavior funny anymore in that regard.

The 50 Shades callouts were not subtle or confined to one platform. Like I know it's kink, but people were pretty clear that it violates the rules of consensual stuff. And no, I don't think people are bad for consuming stuff like that, but she advertised that her song was in the movie to her fan base.

I don't find it cute for a baby to enjoy a song about drinking and having sex. I understand why my parents had restrictions now. They're not ready for that, you'll spark feelings too early. It's not the worst thing ever they're usually going to have the rest of their entire lives to enjoy this stuff. It's fine. They can wait.

It's not bad that Taylor's coming into her own and embracing her sexuality, but she's openly expressed delight when small children sing and dance along to her songs about alcohol and stuff. I know a lot of people think it's not that deep, but everything you hear has an affect on your psyche in some way.

If I were in her position I would be like, "My stuff isn't for kids! I'll be happy to welcome you when you're older!" But no apparently it's fine for kids to be small adults now I fuckin guess /s

I'm wordy because I'm thinking of every counterargument to my concerns that I've ever heard of 😝

Anyway part of the reason that's relevant is that I KNOW she led impressionable young women directly to a movie that unapologetically portrays an abusive, controlling relationship with dubious consent, and told them they should watch it.

So that's why if I were only able to discuss two things with her then it would be Scottish Folds and 50 Shades.

i think taylor is definitely of the mind that her music is consumed by different people in different ways and she shouldn't tell anyone HOW to interact with it. generally speaking, her song for 50 shades wasn't about BDSM or unsafe sex practices, so the song itself doesn't bother me... it did bother me that it was a blatant money grab though. but, idk, i'm conflicted about taylor's responsibility for how people consume her art. i totally agree that 50 shades was a shitty series, so i'm disappointed she's part of it, but i don't think a celebrity can, in any way, replace proper guidance in someone's personal life, you know?

as for the cats... yeah. i'm against designer breeds in general so i hear you on that.

this is a good thought though. if i could discuss 2 things with taylor, no holds barred, i'd probably ask her what she thinks about kaylor. i'm curious! and i'd want to know why she really quit tumblr.

like, there are more serious questions i'd want to ask but i don't think she'd be truthful, so... lol