#also we've collected the whole set!!

[thetisming]

@krabkrab-wontshutup @purplelilacs-deboibands we're the holy trinity of May i'm not a girl not yet a woman profile pictures

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

UPDATE What's up, it's the proposal guy. You said you wanted to know how this turned out, so I figured I'd tell you. First some context though, because I'm mean and I wanna keep you in suspense longer.

1- I don't wanna doxx us so I'm not telling you where we live, but suffice to say, neither of us are American, and gay marriage has been legal here for less than five years. For both of us, this is the first relationship we've had where marriage was even an OPTION, and I think that's where we've been getting some of that whole 'this has to be a REAL proposal with EVERYTHING' idea.

2- I gotta figure out how to explain this properly. So, I'm pretty used to being the GUY guy in relationships? I was always the one who did the nice gestures, not the one they got done for. Before I met my dream guy, I didn't really notice or care that it was such a thing, I just assumed that's how shit worked. Also, I promised I wouldn't talk a lot about his stuff here, but his last boyfriend before me SUCKED. Anyway point here is, it turns out we both REALLY like feeling swept off our feet sometimes, and a big part of finding each other has been getting to feel special for once? That's a stupid sappy way of putting it the point here is I think all that's what morphed into "I need to be the one getting proposed to, also it has to be completely perfect", and then our Petty & Extra genes got involved.

So I'm sitting in bed thinking about all that up there, and watching all the comments coming in basically being like "Dude, you are BLOWING this" on repeat, and telling me to compromise, and I look up and see him flossing in the bathroom and making all these doofy faces at the mirror, and it's like a switch just flips in my brain, and I'm like "Oh, I'd rather he gets to have his perfect proposal than we both have an okay one". I'm gonna do it.

Morning rolls around, and while I'm 'out for my jog like normal' I hit up a pawn shop for a temp ring (the ring pop thing is cute but NOT HIM). I found one I was at least confident wouldn't get ruined the first time he got his hands greasy (he fixes old machines as a hobby it's hot as hell), got back home, and hid the box in the toe of my nasty ass workout shoes in the bedroom closet, since I figured he'd check there last.

He was still asleep, because he stays up late no matter what and then is SHOCKED he's tired the next day, so I called and booked a table at our usual anniversary spot. (Side note about the 'he picks bad restaurants' thing. This isn't an 'I like Greek, you like Chinese' situation, dude's just BAD at finding places. He either assumes pricey is tasty and I get to eat some overrated gourmet bullshit, or he'll try and find something hip and underground and risk giving us food poisoning again, and he REFUSES to give up and pick somewhere we've been before when it's his turn to plan date night. I'm obsessed with him <3.) Date was set, I'd propose on the 21st.

Some of you might have noticed this, but fun fact! It's currently the 16th.

Last night I'm doing dishes and he's been sent to our room for mug collection duty, and he's taking FOREVER, so I go check just in case he found the ring, because the man's a gift tracking BLOODHOUND. Turns out he hasn't, he's found my Angry Box.

I assume other people have an Angry Box? Basically, we had this huge messy fight right when we first moved in together, and I never wanna let it get that bad again, so I have this shoebox where I keep a bunch of our stuff I can look at if we're fighting and hopefully cool off. There's one of those photo booth roll things, letters we wrote when he moved back with his parents for COVID, the wine cork from our first date, shit like that. Anyway, he's just sitting on the floor staring at it, and I explain about the Angry Box, and then he! Proposes!!! Kind of.

He definitely didn't have anything prepared, because by 'propose' I mean 'ugly cried & rambled at me for several minutes before I figured out it WAS a proposal', but once I got on the same page it was amazing. I said yes, and he had to admit he didn't have a ring for me because he was CONVINCED he'd win and I'd do it, so I grabbed mine because, yeah, he was right. He was like "this is the ugliest ring I've ever seen" and I was like yeah well the plan is to replace it later and he went "No. You can pry this off my cold dead fingers. After I'm buried with it." So I guess it's not a temporary ring anymore.

I'm just gonna go ahead and skip to this morning. I pointed out we still have the reservation, and he said I should propose there anyway because "We can get a free dessert. They have those creme brulee shot glasses you like. And for love, or something" and I said ok deal, but that means you gotta get me a ring to keep it fair, and his eyes LIT UP. When I swung by his work for lunch he was still on the phone with a jeweler and he had a whole page of notes on three other ones. Pray for me.

OH PS: I was RIGHT that he'd been the one behind the cat biting me, but it wasn't about the proposal stuff, it's because I paid my baby sister three dollars to shout 'fuck you' every single time he enters a room she's in for (if you ask me, he should be madder at my sister for charging so little), and he did it by giving her a bunch of treats for biting his hands too, so now neither of us can pet our baby girl without oven mitts on. HOLY SHIT I love this man.

Oh my goddddddd I love everything about this <333 I awwww'd out loud on a voice call, like, six times while reading. You two are friggin perfect for each other and so obviously smitten with each other and I wish y'all all the happiness in the world

PS Are y'all planning to have a big wedding? If so oh boy I can't WAIT to get that one in the inbox

Original post

[firestorm09890]

the City setting in Project Moon's works is great because it starts you off with a bunch of fantastical monsters and then it goes surprise! it was all science fiction this whole time! and gives you fucked up scifi explanations for all of it (specifically referring to abnormalities being drawn from the collective human subconscious here instead of actually coming from the places their observation logs say they do) and then it's just like haha we've tricked you again there are actual vampires in the city. the dark forest with the apocalypse bird trio is a real place. the healing technology is nanobots? wrong! it's actually tears we got from this giant crying eyeball. how did that eyeball come into existence? some guy wished upon a star. with the AI Ethics Amendment and the thing about all non-humans being banished to the Outskirts I mistakenly drew the conclusion that "non-humans" just meant "artificial intelligence" but nah they straight up got gnomes out there. also airplanes don't exist

[manikas-whims]

LADS men + Halloween Costumes

Now with Sylus solo banner upcoming, the possibility of getting a Halloween quad banner is nil. And i’m happy for it cuz this has saved me from making a really bad financial decision 😆

anyways here's some mulling over the LIs costume choices..

SYLUS

Option 1: Vampire

If we consider Sylus’s overall aesthetic, then Vampire is the most obvious choice for him. He can't go out in the daylight for some inexplicable reason; definitely a creature of the night. He has red eyes that glow in the dark. And even during Destiny Café interactions, he playfully sinks his teeth into your palm. No doubt he'd enjoy sinking them more into your neck 🤭

Also like imagine a 5 star Sylus Halloween card where MC begins suspecting Sylus to be a vampire. And the whole card revolves around her trying to collect evidence. Even Luke and Keiran begin to suspect Sylus thanks to MC and the 3 join forces. The card ends with Sylus playfully scolding all of them 😆 and laughing in disbelief, in that deep cadence that he has 😊

Option 2: Demon

Another obvious choice. If not a vampire, then the red eyes and dark aesthetic are also quite befitting for a Demon attire. A very charming demon who lures you into sinning by offering his black card 🤭 and ofcourse you willingly sell your soul to him.

Option 3: Bounty Hunter

You know those charming sorts of outlaws that everyone loves and roots for? Yeah, that would fit so well with Sylus. Especially the steampunk aesthetic. So yeah..a steampunk style, bounty hunter Sylus with an array of weapons strapped all over. He only works solo but will definitely make an exception for you 😌

Option 4: Crow

Unlike the other two, this option involves a big, poofy bird suit. A crow outfit to be specific. And he looks simply adorable in it 🥺 Imagine yourself trying not to laugh as you sneakily take millions of photos of him in this outfit 🤭 while he sneers at you but there's no actual anger behind his gaze.

XAVIER

Option 1: Werewolf

It may sound unusual upon first thought but this will play so well into his overall persona of the “wolf in sheep's clothing” or “wolf in bunny clothing”. He did nibble on your finger and sniffed your scent in the No Restraint card. And I'm damn sure he has a thing for biting and marking. So just imagine him putting on the wolf ears, claws and fangs, and he starts acting more sly than ever, saying he's only playing the part 😉

Option 2: Royalty

Another obvious choice. Xavier is pretty used to this cause he is royalty afterall. So assuming a position of power comes easy to him (remember Floral Blessing?). Maybe some sort of chivalrous and gallant prince because he can easily add his swordplay skills to it. Seeing him regard you as his queen will be a treat sweeter than all the candies 😌

Option 3: Lumiere

You think it's the most hilarious inside joke— Lumiere hiding in plain sight amidst the crowd of Linkon on one night where a large majority would be dressed as their legend. Their hero. Xavier absolutely hates it! And he hates the amount of people he spots in Lumiere costumes. But he'll put it on upon your insistence. Just be ready for the consequences later on cause this man is jealous of his own superhero alter-ego 😭

Option 4: Angel

Xavier with large white wings protruding from his back would be another fitting sight with his overall white/silver aesthetic. Imagine him as your guardian angel, always watching over you, protecting you and trying his best to guide you on the right path, despite his own desires for you.

Option 5: Bunny/Alien

If not the above choices, then some cute/sexy bunny costume (though we've already got our bunny butler). Or a really silly alien costume that somewhat resembles his sticker set. We know he'll look squisher than ever in those 🥺

ZAYNE

Option 1: Mad Scientist

Something similar to Dr. Faustus or Dr. Frankenstein (yeah Frankenstein was NOT the monster but the name of the guy who created the monster..in case some people still don't know 😭). Zayne’s personal goal– his obsession and drive– to keep MC alive is somewhat similar to Dr. Frankenstein’s obsession with unraveling the secrets of life and well..ultimately beating death by bringing someone to life. And Zayne's hunger for knowledge is also similar to that of Dr. Faustus’s who readily sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge.

So yeah..Zayne as a mad scientist, obsessed with knowledge and the drive to keep you alive would be intense 💯/💯

Option 2: Tutor

He'll sigh, take off his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance, like he always does. But you'll somehow convince him to do it because he's incapable of saying no to you.

It starts as a silly costume idea but the moment you see his legs clad in those unusually tight-fitting slacks and the pointer stick in his hand, you realize you might have a tutor kink and that you wouldn't mind misbehaving cause you'd actually enjoy getting punished by him 🫣

Option 3: Snowman/Penguin

The cute option! Definitely Dr. Carter, Yvonne and his other co-workers coaxed him to put it on for the little kids visiting Akso hospital throughout the week. When you stop by for a scheduled check-up and stumble upon him, you can't help but take loads of pictures of him with the kids 😊

RAFAYEL

Option 1: Merman/Siren

Just like Xavier as Lumiere, Rafayel as a merman on halloween would be such a spectacular inside joke.

At first he'd be offended because the fake tail you bought for him would feel like an insult to the real thing. He would pout and narrow his brows but after your constant cajoling and sweet-talking he'll agree to indulge you. And it's all fun and games until you realize why all those sailors in fiction are so terrified yet turned on at the mere sight of a merman/siren. He'll entice you so easily with his velvety voice 😵‍💫

Option 2: Assassin

Don't fall for his pretty face. Rafayel can be cunning, deceptive and deadly when he wants to be. (in the main story and also as Abysswalker). As such, putting on the attire of an assassin would come easy to him. His charm is as lethal as the numerous daggers he conceals within his clothes. He’ll strike you right in the heart. Can totally imagine him doing finger guns at you 😉

Option 3: Chick

Pouty babie in an adorable chick costume with a beret and paintbrush, like his sticker pack. Imagine him struggling with the bulky costume, trying to waddle towards you in annoyance, demanding you to immediately help him take off the costume. Despite it all, he'd let you hug him and take selfies. He'll hate every minute of it but still pose properly when you take pics 😆

these are just some silly thoughts..what are your costume ideas for each LI 🤔

» MASTERLIST «

[seirindono]

What are Sloth Sans/Demon Sans Powers; relationships; what is he like in the other runs???

Ok, let's talk about Demon! Sans!

The embodiment of idleness, he's the predator of many emotions and states linked to this sin, such as apathy, depression and resignation.

We've already talked about his use of illusions (music/ hypnosis) to charm and disarm his victims, dreams being his preferred hunting ground, and one his unique ability (your personnal sleep paralysis demon), but he's just as much as a threat in real life!

His preferred strategy is to lower the enemy's stats (DEF, ATK, HP, etc) so he can finish them off with a single strike or, better yet, let their body slowly die while he lulls their soul into an endless dream.

He gradually deprives them of the desire to attack or defend themselves, amplifying the fatigue (physical and psychological) and sense of powerlessness, of helplessness hidden deep in their souls.

If he's in a playful mood or if his victim has upset him, he takes great pleasure in awakening their traumas by peering into their unconscious and projecting nightmarish hallucinations. Making them super aware of their situation is also effective: they can't defeat him, and even if they could or if he decided to spare them, only death and more pain awaits them at the end of their journey, by the hand of another Lord or bc they're litteraly in hell. However, his habit of granting a “peaceful death” is viewed as merciful compared to the other Lords (or cruel and messed up by others)

A word of advice, however, to intruders venturing into his Snowdin territory: if you stumble upon his collection of ice statues or a suspicious pile of snow, keep walking and don't touch anything.

----

I'll focus on the relationships showed here

Gluttony - His brother. He practically raised him and supports him to this day, going so far as to share the territory where they grew up (Snowdin). Demons tend to avoid such close ties, as it can become a weakness, but the Skeleton brothers are a rare exception, having proven time and again their ruthlessness.

Lust - They don't usually interact but Lust suspects he's hiding something from the other Lords. + there was the time he teleported in his sleep onto the set of Lust (live broadcast), putting everyone in the audience to sleep. He doesn't remember but Mettaton might hold a ti~ny grudge.

Pride - A combination of distrust and disapproval of some of the King's past decisions. He remains loyal to him, but doesn't mind the distance between their respective territories.

Wrath (former) - Lord from the past generation. He was close to them and received a lot of help from both him and their skeleton friend. Both disappeared overnight, their names erased from the archives as Undyne took on the now vacant role. He can't openly look for them bc of the King's order, but he assumes they must have found a way to hide somewhere…

Frisk - The kid that somehow managed to become friend with his brother and is now cosplaying as an imp. He has no interest in directly harming them, only playing tricks on them and witness how far they can make it with that puny soul.

---

Other runs:

This part is still a WIP since I've mostly worked on a "neutral route" so far lol Also, Demons are, well, "bad", so the genocide run requires more reflection

Neutral:

Mischievous and willfully neglectful, he tolerates Frisk and the player on his territory, but doesn't go out of his way to help them since his brother is already helping.

Pacifist:

Still playful and unbothered, but Papyrus has told him all about Frisk's adventures and how they became friends with other Demons. He is curious and may appear at randoms moments in the run to help the player (tell them about a secret passage in Waterfall or come and play an instrument for Lust's show and put the whole audience to sleep).

.Gives Frisk a bone instrument (a very tiny violon) to celebrate their friendship and shares some secrets with them, like the origin of the bells on his and his brother's horns and how hell used to be before the Queen left.

Genocide:

Same as neutral until he kills Frisk for the first time. He'll trigger a blizzard on the next playthrough to block the door leading to HOME, trapping the player in the empty ruins to observe their reaction. If the player manages to find another way out (or force their way out), Sloth will appear to them only as illusions, asking what they are and mocking them for thinking they can defeat what is already dead, nonetheless sans is willing to watch them try.

.Observes and creates illusions along the way to hinder Frisk. He reveals that sinners can't escape hell until they're freed from their sins, and that the player will undoubtedly end up in the hands of Pride, the King and Demon who rules over those with egos as big as the player's (=that's why he and the other Lords are just toying with the player, they don't see them as a real threat and nobody wants to double-cross the King anyway).

.He's not that bothered by the actions of the player, they're demons and it's hell after all. He might even enjoy watching this more than the pacifist run at first....

edit:

Hm.... Actually, maybe I should rename these. Something like : Redemption or Sinner route idk the expectations are different from canon UT, Demons are USED to killing and stuff. Even if one of them die, a new demon reappear. No, the real surprise would be if someone tried to do good for once, wouldn't it?

As I said, it's a WIP

PHEW, there you go. That was a lot, enjoy!

[yourplayersaidwhat]

[Context: We've been splitting the treasure more or less evenly between the five of us for the whole adventure and before and a shit ton of gold just got dropped into the party's laps.]

DM: [evilly] What will you spend it on? You can buy practically anything you want--

Fathomless Warlock : [wicked grin] I already know what I'm doing with my share!

DM: Oh?

Fathomless Warlock: I'm opening a shelter, soup kitchen, and free healer clinic to help the common people of the city. :)

Celestial Warlock: And this will be great as a warchest for my political campaign!

DM: ...Oh its not like you needed that money to complete the game or anything.

Fathomless Warlock: (ooc): What? This is what my character would do? This is clearly a serious societal problem for Waterdeep and it's really not safe for all these folks to be sleeping in the dungeons we're crawling through. I'm friends with a lawyer and a cleric and with help from our allies I sure we could swing this. And I just took my fifth of it, like we previously agreed? But look if it's plot important to have a lot of cash on hand, I can pay some of it back to the party pool from my own funds from what I inherited as a noble and just from the treasure we've accumulated on this adventure. You know I'm also still working for the paper and we've got the tavern and that should cover personal expenses...

DM: No no no it's not important.

[Beat]

DM: How much?

Celestial Warlock: And I'm not spending my fifth all at once. It's just sitting there until I use it. At first it's probably gonna be smaller expenditures like flyers and pins. And it's not like we have to pay for TV ads, just need to use my Book of Shadows to learn Skywrite...

DM: Oh, okay... So what will you all spend it on?

[Collective shrug]

Fathomless Warlock: I think you all should get yourselves a fine set of clothes so you don't have to rent a tux again. I already have one because like, you know...

Wizard: I'll be getting spell scrolls and inks to study my magics.

Fathomless Warlock: Cool!

Monk: I bought brass knuckles!

Paladin: Alright, then I'm buying plate mail.

Monk: They cost 10 silver. :)

Paladin: ...I'm still buying plate mail.

Celestial Warlock: That's cool! (Won't have to spend as many slots healing her.)

Paladin: Is that really all you're buying...?

Monk: [thinks for a moment] Steel toe boots? (Can I wear boots as a dragonborn?) ...A second silvered wakazashi in case I lose the first one?

DM: That's it?

Monk: I'm a monk. I don't really need material things. Though I figured I might buy some bamboo and knick knacks and things for our Tavern. If we need more money for the tavern (or the campaign) for the tavern I won a lot of prize money doing those mixed martial arts competitions that I don't really use or need.

DM: No no no that's okay...

[Beat]

DM: How much?

[still-a-morosexual-help]

God, this man has the absolute worst case of nostalgia based rose tinted glasses

In nightbringer itself Asmo says the day before they Fell he was hiding from Raphael for messing with him/pissing him off

All of Lucifer's siblings (minus Levi, as far as we know) were frequently sneaking into the human world while they were actively at war with the Devildom and while it was forbidden to interact with humans

Mammon used the angels as his own giant chess set????

Mammon used to sneak into the human world to collect pigeon feathers and sell them to angels by saying they were Raphael's feathers, which is hilarious but is also A FUCKING SCAM THAT CURRENT MAMMON WOULD ABSOLUTELY PULL

The others actually thought Mammon would Fall long before he did because he was such a shit head

Asmo used to have his Asmo parties or Asmo nights or whatever up in the Celestial Realm despite Raphael saying parties are bad (I feel like the actual word he used was "immoral"? )

Asmo used to sneak into the human world to go partying with humans

It is heavily implied in s3 that asmo was fucking & sucking his way through the celestial realm (good for him btw get those sticks outta the angels' asses babe i believe in you <3 )

The twins and Lilith used to frequently sneak into the human world

Lilith started a whole ass relationship with a human and lied her ass off about it so that she could keep it secret

Lilith compared Michael to a jellyfish???? the first time she met him and that pissed him off

Lilith held a hell of a grudge

Belphie used to skip work so he could go nap

The brothers, as a team, used to catch frogs, cut holes in books, put the frogs into them and wait for Raphael to open them

The brothers, as a team, used to dig pits in the ground and cover them up so that other angels would fall into them (at least the frog thing was kinda funny this is just them being straight up dicks)

Raphael was constantly chasing them around with his spears and getting on Lucifer's ass about them because of how troublesome they were

S4 implies that the reason the brothers' pranks are more refined as demons, compared to when they were angels, is because they now have Satan

So yeah, they were always asses

But even if there is some truth in what Lucifer said about them being kind & sincere (and honestly, there is. We've seen more than enough evidence of it in the events, devilgrams, chats & s1-4) :

Levi says he was depressed in the Celestial Realm and felt like he didn't fit in.

Both Mammon & Beel didn't fit in until Lucifer found them.

Lilith definitely didn't feel like she fit in.

Lucifer, as a demon, says he'll never want to go back. Talking with Diavolo as an angel made him lose a little faith in the Celestial Realm. His greatest fear is possibly his father. Even before they Fell something in the Celestial Realm was pissing him off so much that he managed to spawn a whole other conscious life form - Satan says he gained his own consciousness even before Asmo was created meaning that anger had been festering for a long time.

As far as we know Asmo & Belphie were the only ones who were genuinely happy throughout their entire time in the Celestial Realm (and I think once Asmo gets used to his demon form he'll appreciate the freedom in the devildom over the strictness of the celestial realm)

Mammon, in Nightbringer, says that they know there's no real difference between being an angel or a demon and that they're all just labels.

Whatever sincerity and kindness they, may or may not have, had in the Celestial Realm wasn't because they were angels. Or because of the Celestial Realm.

It was in spite of all that.

It was just what they are like as people.

And of course that sincerity and kindness aren't gonna shine through right after a horribly traumatic event that killed their sister and permanently changed their bodies. And due to such an event & their Sins becoming more...more, they'll obviously be different and treat each other differently as demons.

But at the end of the day they are good, kind people, even as demons.

Like we've seen that.

[shelleysmary]

lots of fans have made valid points and written well-thought-out posts about the trop ai drama, so i'm not gonna rehash them, but i do want to bring up something that no one seems to be talking about and it's the impulse that leads people to plug these things into ai generators in the first place.

fandom over the last year especially has become increasingly toxic to the point that actual billion-dollar corporations are afraid it. the result is subpar, pandering films, books, and television shows that break no new ground, recycle old tropes, and sacrifice story integrity to avoid catching heat from the loudest, most entitled people in the room. i'm calling this an issue of entitlement first and foremost because the idea that the audience should have any say over a non-crowd-created media project is preposterous. deciding that the cons outweigh the pros of watching something and choosing to walk away without making a fuss is a lost discipline now because everyone with an internet connection and a social media account believes that their vision reigns supreme. "how dare this show downplay my favorite ship! they were supposed to kiss! that was the whole point! the absence of this one thing i had on my wishlist is a crime against me personally!" so they turn to ai and click some buttons and now these gifs exist and are being circulated with an air of "i've righted a wrong." worse, the use of ai in this way is being conflated with the creation of fanworks???

there are reasons why i don't believe the ai saurondiel kiss is on the same raft as, say, making them kiss in a drawing or a published fanfic, but my main concern is with the spirit behind each. fanworks are made in homage to the source material, even the fix-it fics. there is an acknowledgment, a separation even, between the television show and the fanwork. this separation is necessary and i would say even integral to the nature of fan creation, while ai closes that gap until it no longer exists. the elimination of space between creator and audience also happens on social media, when disgruntled fans who have taken umbrage with a fictional character or creative decision directly harass the writers or the actors involved. more and more, fans are demanding to be in the rooms, in the minds, and to exert control over the people who tell their stories, and it has only ever worked to our collective detriment. now i'm not saying that if you liked and shared the saurondiel ai kiss that you're the same as the internet trolls who harass (mostly) women and people of color online. but i'm begging you to do some self-reflection and ask yourself why you feel entitled to seeing what you want on your screen.

what has changed in the last few years that would make you dissatisfied with, say, reading someone's fic or making your own drawing? is it a matter of "the tool is there, so why not use it?" is it "i believe it should have happened and it didn't and i feel cheated?" or maybe there's been a pattern you've noticed in your recent media "consumption" (god, i hate that word) where, unless a show or television series goes the exact way you want it to, it feels like you've been defrauded somehow? i'm not being facetious. i'm inviting you to notice that what you're feeling is probably discomfort, disappointment, maybe even cognitive dissonance because you imagined it going one way, and now you're at a loss because it didn't. you built it up in your head, you had something to look forward to, you were convinced that it would happen, it was exciting and you were so eager to get to that point, and then.... and then...

we've all been there. and it sucks. but i also want to remind you of how important it is to preserve the separation. this space is ours. the writer's room, the filming set, the editing room, those spaces are theirs. the actors' likenesses are theirs. thinking beyond trop, the separation is how we get creative works that challenge us politically, emotionally, that make us uncomfortable and tell us important truths. writers shouldn't have to - and shouldn't FULL STOP - do what we want them to do. sometimes that means knowing when to walk away, when to say "i no longer enjoy this show, i will no longer support it" or "i will continue to watch but pretend things went differently," the latter of which has been the spark that has moved so many online fans to draw, paint, write, or sew. it's a type of creation that allows "canon" and "fanon" to exist parallel to one another. moreover, the effort it takes to make anything with your own two hands, with your own time, and with your own energy increases your appreciation for the creative impulse. films and books and television stop being "products" for your "consumption" because you're aware of what goes into them, and it becomes easier to look at things you don't like or disagree with and say, "you know what, i'm gonna pass," or "not in my headcanon."

oh, and by the way plugging things into an ai generator? is theft. the same way that it's generally frowned upon for people to use ai to, say, write the rest of an unfinished fic without the express permission of the fanwork creator, using the actors' likenesses to make them kiss goes against everything the actors' union fought for last year. i'll also add that it's incredibly creepy. almost all of us are in agreement that intimacy coordinators are a good thing because they act - again! - as a separation between what's "real" and what isn't, the same way going on ao3 and reading a fic that very clearly says on the tin that it's a fanfic, unaffiliated with the official ip, is a separation. it's another beast entirely to normalize fan-use of ai, to say you support creatives, support actors, support unions, and then do this in your personal life. i repeat the question: what impulse leads anyone to believe that this is okay other than a feeling of misplaced ownership?

tl;dr: ai nonsense does not belong in fandom spaces. (in my home state of california, it is illegal to use digital replicas of an actor's voice or likeness in place of their actual services without their informed consent [which, in spirit, is what you're doing by using ai to make your gifs]). we all just need to mind our own business and go back to writing our fix-it fics and complaining to our friends in relative peace. if you're finding it impossible to do so, ask yourself why. remember that fanart is our longstanding tradition. stop outsourcing it to an unregulated technology just because your two faves didn't kiss.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Do you think Tom was the only student Dumbledore hated? I think Tom probably isn't the only Unfavorite Student and there are more out there that Dumbledore was successful at sabotaging.

(Side thought do you think Moody started out on Dumbledore's bad list but then worked very hard to "redeem" himself by trusting Dumbledore in all things and that's why he's so weirdly loyal to Dumbledore?)

Dumbledore and Hating People

The thing is that Tom Riddle does seem to hold a special place in Dumbledore's heart.

There are other characters we see who are also loathsome/have qualities that Dumbledore despises but it's in different ways/not to the same degree.

Dumbledore utterly loathes Lockhart, purposefully sets him up with the job so as to either destroy his reputation fundamentally or kill him. However, I'd say Dumbledore is contemptuous and dismissive of Lockhart. Dumbledore has 0 interest in the man beyond destroying him, and doesn't spend much time thinking about him beyond getting him in the castle and letting the curse do its work.

Dumbledore is dismissive and contemptuous of Cornelius Fudge, but again, doesn't focus on him much beyond pitying his shortsightedness and holding him in general contempt.

Dumbledore similarly doesn't love the Dursleys but it feels like that's in a way of he has 0 opinion or interest in Vernon and just... a very weird treatment of Petunia. I wouldn't even say he dislikes them, in fact, I think he likes the idea of them beyond the general disappointment in not treating Harry exactly the way he'd like (except they are doing that but he'll never say as much).

While we don't know that Dumbledore doesn't have stashes of memories he's painfully collected over the years, going to anyone who ever interacted with Tom Riddle and asking "please give me every memory you have ever had" only for the vast majority of them to slam the door in his face, given the focus he has on Tom Riddle it seems... unlikely...

Add this in with Tom's "dark glamour", the way Dumbledore talks about him, the way he pontificates about him as if he's a fictional character and Dumbledore is writing fanfiction and metas about the man, and we're looking at a... I'll call it a fixation where Tom hit all the right buttons for Albus Dumbledore in a way that other people just haven't.

Basically, the people we see Dumbledore hate just aren't hot enough (or are women so Dumbledore doesn't care).

I'll put it this way. Harry's easily Dumbledore's second fixation, he puts a lot of work into this boy, but Dumbledore's way less... into him is the only way I can put it, than Tom. Harry's there as a vehicle/means to destroy Tom and acts as a foil to Tom. Everything about Harry for Dumbledore is presented as "in contrast to Tom Riddle" and that's telling to me.

As for hating students...

I think most of the time Dumbledore just doesn't give a fuck.

With Draco who was actively endangering the student body, nearly killing several students to ultimately kill Dumbledore, and ultimately letting Death Eaters (including Fenrir fucking Grayback) into the castle where it's a miracle no one died/got lycanthropy Dumbledore was into it and a) knew the whole time b) did nothing to stop it because then Tom would hurt Draco. (It's too bad Katie Bell got cursed for six months in the process of that huh Dumbledore or you didn't approach Draco with that offer to give him clemency until the last five minutes of your life).

I doubt Dumbledore knows who Crabbe and Goyle even are.

And he seemed to favor the Marauders (rampant known bullies) and not care about Severus at the time and now thinks quite highly of Severus for having redeemed himself for love/following a narrative Dumbledore likes while also being unable to not do what Dumbledore wants.

He only cares about Ron and Hermione in relation to Harry and just likes the general idea of them (Dumbledore is very big on the "idea" of people).

Dumbledore and Moody

I don't think so.

We've seen the redemption story Dumbledore likes and that's Severus Snape's. Dumbledore likes a narrative, Moody having been disliked then just choosing to be a sycophant would be very unimpressive for Dumbledore because he'd see no reason for Moody to have changed/not an impressive enough reason.

It has to be for true love, friendship, some reason that is a compelling narrative to Dumbledore.

Everything for Dumbledore fits into these narratives from Merope dying in childbirth (she just didn't love enough), to Lily being murdered (she loved her son so much she sacrificed herself), to Snape (his love for her means he is now undyingly loyal to her son), to everything.

Plus, I don't get that feeling about Moody.

Dumbledore has plenty of people unquestioningly loyal to him, he cultivates the Order such that this is the case, it's not so much that Moody's an outlier for being so loyal but the fact that he is in the Order of the Phoenix at all means he must be this loyal to survive there (notice Percy is not a member). In the Order we're seeing the people who survived the litmus test of "actively not questioning Dumbledore in any decision he ever makes" (see HBP and the Christmas Party and shooting down of Harry's "Draco's up to something and Snape is too" for reasons that are simply "I trust Dumbledore completely" and nothing else).

If Moody wasn't like that, he wouldn't be in the Order.

So, I think Moody's just like the rest of them and I don't see a reason why he would have ever been different.

[ferrettaur]

Hey, we could use some help

My name is Erik, I'm sort of the head of the household for the five of us living under one roof in a two bedroom house currently.

We are all trans, and varying amounts and types of disabled. I am working the most that I can, but with two others of us being recently unemployed, and one of those two unable to work for some time while she's recovering from surgery, we cannot collectively make enough money to pay for all our bills.

I have to watch a full paycheck each month evaporate instantly just to cover rent and then spread the other two week paycheck out over the whole month.

It's looking like we're not going to be able to cover these two bills or groceries.

I'm setting our goal at $400 to help cover the cost of both of these bills and groceries.

$500/400

Anything additional will be going towards the credit card debts racked up recently where we've been struggling to make ends meet.

PP / V / Kofi

@ferrettaur @mono-red-menace @roboticvenusian @raptorgirlkillingclaw (and the 5th housemate doesn't have a tumblr)

see also: Annie's donation post from last month, that is also us

[vintage1981]

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee Kickstarts Deluxe Blu-ray Edition

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee mixes traditional documentary with a dash of fantasy. It is narrated by Christopher Lee himself... in the form of an elaborate marionette, voiced by Peter Serafinowicz. The marionette was custom designed and built by Arch Model Studios, who made all of the puppets for Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs and Asteroid City and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie. 

The film combines new, exclusive interviews with filmmakers, including Peter Jackson, John Landis and Joe Dante, friends and family members with animated flights of fantasy from a wide variety of artists including 2000AD's Simon Coleby, award winning stop-motion animator Astrid Goldsmith and the legendary illustrator Dave McKean who directed, scored and animated a whole chapter of the film himself. 

Spanning eight decades and almost three hundred films, Christopher Lee became famous for his iconic performance as Dracula. But he was so much more than just the Hammer Horror roles he is so fondly remembered for. His career took him from uncredited parts in 1950s swashbucklers with Errol Flynn, through famous performances in 007 and Star Wars films, cult hits like The Wicker Man and The Return of Captain Invincible, right up to a lead role in cinema's biggest event - The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Along the way, he worked with everyone from Orson Welles to Mario Bava, Jess Franco, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. 

Yet his story is so much richer than just his career. Lee was born into Italian aristocracy, with a military career shrouded in secrecy and kept his private life closely guarded. Some of his ventures and adventures seem highly improbable yet, as the film reveals, he often found himself in unexpected situations - he witnessed the last ever death by guillotine, was cousins with 007 creator Ian Fleming, he met Tolkien, performed with the classic Saturday Night Live line-up, was a friend and neighbour of Boris Karloff, he was the oldest person to ever get on the Billboard music charts (with his own Heavy Metal album), was an expert knife thrower, professional opera singer and a Nazi hunter. And somehow, he also managed to appear in almost 300 films of both the highest and lowest quality imaginable. 

The film is finished and producers Jon Spira and Hank Starrs want to share it with you by producing a top quality Blu-Ray with great extra features and a really amazing LIMITED/NUMBERED EDITION COFFIN-SHAPED BOX SET, full of goodies, which will look killer on the shelf of any discerning cineaste. The jewel in the crown of this box-set will be a 3D 'death mask' of Christopher Lee designed and produced by Arch Model Studio exclusively for this set. They also want to host some screenings - both online and in real cinemas - so we can all experience it together and you can get to meet some of the people behind it.

Making this film has been a fascinating journey - producers excavated the British Film Institute archives where they hold Lee's personal collection of scrapbooks detailing his career in his own hand, been given access to personal photos from the family archive, they met and interviewed his closest friends and family from all over the world and we've worked with some incredible artists, puppeteers, animators, musicians and filmmakers to bring his story to the screen in the most cinematic way. Whether you're a fan of Horror, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or just cinema history in general, we think you'll be delighted by this revealing and eclectic documentary.

Risks and challenges

The film is fully edited and ready to go. This Kickstarter is to fund the final bits of post-production and the production of a fantastic Blu-ray and deluxe collectors edition box set as we're all still committed to physical media. Please note that all illustrations of rewards are designs/prototype images. The final items might differ - we hope they'll actually be better.

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Carrie

Stephen King: check it out guys! King: they're publishing a book of essays about Carrie! King: we got richard chizmar, bentley little, mick garris, norman prentiss, tom deady, Anthony Breznican Angela Carter: are there any women involved in this King: oh yeah of course of course Carter: King:

Carter: don't you think, steve, that a collection of essays about carrie should include some womens voices King: oh of course! we've got bev vincent Carter: bev vincent is a guy King: King: what? Bev Vincent: yeah its fine, this happens all the time

King: look it's not all guys in this collection King: we also have caitlin kiernan Carter: oh really? caitlin, what do you think? Kiernan: i think that black people have a special gland in their brain that makes them do crime Carter: Carter: i meant about carrie

King: ok maybe the roster for this collection is a little guy heavy King: but, you know, maybe guys have some interesting thoughts about a story heavy on mother-daughter relationship issues and menstrual themes? Carter: King: it's possible!

Carter: ok fine, i would like to hear some of these interesting thoughts that you men have on carrie Bentley Little: did you ever think that maybe you should change the title from "Carrie" to "The Carrie?" Carter: King: King: you know what, i'll take that under advisement Carter: don't do that

King: c'mon guys don't let me down! Tell me your deep thoughts about Carrie! King: people want to know what you think of this story of a psychic teenage girl Richard Chizmar: psychic girl? wait, girls can do that? Mick Garris: whoa thats bad ass Josh Boone: this changes everything!

Chizmar: this whole time, i didn't know girls were psychic Garris: that explains why they're always setting things on fire with their minds Chizmar: yeah i was wondering about that Boone: everything makes sense now Little: guys i really think it would be better if it was "THE carrie"

Chizmar: [reading carrie] whoa whoa whoa Chizmar: what's all this menstruation stuff? Carter: [whispers in chizmar's ear] Chizmar: EVERY MONTH?!?!?! Chizmar: holy shit Chizmar: that's metal Garris: what are you talking about, i want to know too!

Garris: and blood comes out WHERE?? Carter: [whispers in garris's ear] Garris: ha ha gross! Little: this doesn't sound real, i think you're making this all up

Carter: ok so show of hands Carter: do any other men here need the concept of menstruation explained to them? Poppy Z Brite: no i think i'm clear

[aishangotome]

Leon Dompteur: Even If The World is Destroyed

From A Hidden Oath: King of the BEAST (2024 Election) - Collection Event

Thank you @dark-frosted-heart for providing the SE video!

—

One night, when I got out of the bath, Emma was sitting on the bed with a book in her hand, shedding large tears.

Emma: S-sob... It was such a wonderful story...

Leon: You're so pure and cute to cry so much because you're so emotionally involved in the story.

Emma: It's embarrassing to be stared at like that.

Leon: It's okay, isn't it? Because I love you.

Chuckling, I wiped away her tears with my fingers, and her flushed eyes curved into a soft arc.

Emma: Thank you.

Leon: Yeah. Was that book such a tearjerker?

Emma: Yes, it's a love story set in a world that's being destroyed by natural disasters, and its not just sad, but the love between the characters is beautiful.

Leon: Can't the world be saved from destruction?

Emma: ... Right. The main focus is on how the two of them will spend the limited time they have until the world is destroyed.

Emma: Hey, Leon, what would you do if the world was going to end?

Leon: So it's not just this country, but the whole continent?

Emma lowered her eyes to the book on her lap.

Emma: I think one of the joys of reading is to imagine yourself as a character in the story and think about what you would do.

Emma: This time, it's such a grand story about the end of the world, so I was curious to hear what Leon would do.

Leon: I see. Thanks for letting me share in the joy of reading.

(––The world, huh?)

Those words brought to mind the smiling face of Emma in front of him.

(When I was a slave, I was moved from place to place, so I didn't have a place I could call home.)

(The royal court is the same, this is Leon's place, not mine.)

(But after meeting Emma, for the first time, I had a place I could call my own.)

(You loved the real me… my "world" is right here with you.)

(If that were to be destroyed––)

I suddenly noticed Emma staring at me intently.

Emma's eyes were so full of expectation for my answer that I couldn't help but pull her arm and lie down on the bed, holding her close.

Emma: Leon, what's wrong all of a sudden?

Leon: I just wanted to touch you. We can imagine, talk, and even embrace each other, right?

Emma: Hehe, you're right. I like this better too.

Leon: You really do say such honest and cute things.

Emma: Because I love being held by Leon, it's warm and reassuring…

Leon: Yeah, me too.

Emma: I'm sure even if the world ends, the warmth and reassurance Leon gives me won't change.

(You're not only warm, but you also smell sweet and nice.)

As I held Emma tighter to better smell her scent, a certain feeling welled up in my chest.

(My world… this place we've built together, I won't lose it no matter what happens.)

I leaned over Emma and kissed a lock of her beautiful hair.

Leon: If there's a premise that there's no escape from destruction, I'll just keep loving you even after it's gone.

Leon: Even if this world and our souls are destroyed, I'll be reborn over and over again.

Emma: Reborn...

I gently caressed Emma's cheek as she blinked her eyes in wonder.

Leon: Even if this world is destroyed, there might be another world somewhere else.

Leon: Or maybe the earth will gradually regenerate, and eventually new continents and countries will be born.

Leon: If that happens, it's possible that we'll be reborn in another world.

Emma: That's right! The idea of a new world being born, or living a new life, is very hopeful and wonderful.

Leon: Right?

Leon: And no matter where I'm born or what form I take, I'll definitely find you and come for you.

Leon: No matter how many times I'm reborn, I'll never forget you.

Leon: There's no way I could forget this love.

Emma: Hehe, you're so confident. But if it's Leon, I think you really could do it.

Emma: I'll never forget Leon either, and no matter how many times I'm reborn, I'll fall in love with you.

Emma: No, I think I definitely won't be able to help but fall in love with you.

Leon: I'll be reborn as a good man so you'll love me again.

Emma: I wonder if we'll ever be reborn as animals?

Leon: Ugh, it's possible. Even if I'm reborn as a lion and you're a rabbit, I'll still try to woo you.

Emma: I might be surprised and run away at first, but I'll be waiting.

Even in our playful banter, the feelings welling up in my chest felt hot and unwavering.

(No matter what happens, my home will never change, and I have no intention of losing it.)

(Even if the world is destroyed, I will continue to love you.)

I kissed Emma, who was smiling happily, as if to swear my feelings from the bottom of my heart.

FIN

[mettywiththenotes]

I know the general conclusion people are coming to is "wow so nothing has changed the civilians haven't changed their minds nothing has changed in society" but. how many chapters has it been since the end of the war. actually a better question would be how many days/weeks has it been since the end of the war. because idk man things aren't going to change as quickly as that

You have to factor in how no one outside of Izuku, Shouto and Ochako knew about them wanting to save the villains. When the footage of the final war is inevitably shared around, the first thought probably isn't "wow they saved those bad guys" but likely just the fact that they stopped them from doing more damage meaning they can put them in jail or whatever

Even when you put that aside, society is unlikely to change in a short space of time anyway because there was the general idea that the heroes winning meant bringing things back to how they were. And bringing things back to how they were means a society that favors the good quirks and good victims over the people who are ignored and those who slip through the cracks. If they get that back, then of course things aren't going to change immediately

And in the end, they did get it back. The villains have been stopped. The heroes prevailed. Society is rebuilding as fast as possible like nothing happened. But we've been shown that the idea "things are going back to normal" is usually accompanied by the implication it may seem like that but really things will change in an inevitable way

The saviour squad as a whole (Izuku, Shouto, Ochako, Hawks) all have the potential to speak up about their experiences, prove the world/country wrong about their surface-level view of villains. Shouto and Ochako could relay their thoughts, what their intentions were, what their conclusions are now. Izuku could choose to tell everyone what he saw in Tomura, the crying child. More than that, he could do some introspection, think over his time with Tomura (USJ, mall scene, war arc and so on) and talk about his thoughts too. Hawks being one of the first of the heroes who tried and failed to save his villain is an interesting parallel to Izuku, and also shows that he could have a personal account on this too

With all this in consideration, I believe that it's not going to be a random relaying of these experiences in bits and pieces over the remaining chapters, but rather a single united action together - like their own televised interview or something. It's not like Hawks wouldn't have the power to organize it, the HC literally has the authority to put what they want in the media. Though whether that happens or not remains to be seen

But the point I'm trying to make is that this is going to take time. The whole of society isn't just going to wake up and realize the error of their ways after all of that. There has to be a beginning, a starting line, to the conclusion that maybe villains deserve something better

I say that this is going to take time, while knowing that we have only 3 chapters of the story left... and while it frustrates a lot of people, it's looking to me like this is going to be an open ending. I imagine the very last chapter will show the starting line of change. Personally I'm okay with that, I think it would be compelling. Depending on how it is set out, I don't think it would be a bad ending

Idk how exactly to end this post but... it just seems like people think that all hope is lost because the civilians didn't all collectively wake up the day after the war and change their minds, and I don't think it works that way. It will take time. I believe Hori may give the story an open ending so we are shown the starting line and in the end it will be up to us how things change specifically

[andromeda-nova-writing]

Made with Love

Fem!ReaderWords:2200

Summary: The Sweater Curse. A superstition in knitting about a relationship ending due to reevaluating a relationship due to the hard work in making a sweater. It was something Thoma didn't put too much thought into. At least he didn't before.

AN: This is actually really fluffy fic. Don't let the summary make you think it's angst. I learned knitting for this. It's hard. Also happy early birthday @milkstore! All my Thoma fics are basically for you but this one is even more so. 🩵🩵🩵

It was two months until Thoma’s first anniversary with Y/N. There were so many times that she had been cold around him to the point of borrowing his jacket or sweater. Y/N borrowing a sweater he had made for himself was the catalyst for the two of them getting together. Which means he knew exactly what would make a perfect gift.

He had spent the last month keeping track of what colors Y/N wore the most and the style of her clothing. Using what he had gained he had gone to pick up all the yarn he needed and he couldn’t be more excited to begin the project.

He sat outside in the garden of the Kamisato Estate, his project bag filled with yarn at his side, knitting needles in hand. The cast-on felt easy to him, as he had done it countless times. With a needle in his right hand, he wrapped the yarn around his thumb before sending the needle underneath the yarn creating a loop. 

He had taken measurements off of a sweater that Y/N would wear regularly. He had to be a bit sneaky to get it and he also got caught but it was worth it. He had already done a gauge swatch of the yarn earlier to figure out how many stitches he needed in order to make the body of the sweater. Thoma was so determined to get this right that he remembered to do the gauge swatch!

The last of summer’s warmth wrapped around him as he worked into the stitches letting himself get lost in the project. He had noticed the one sweater of his that Y/N stole the most was built with only knit stitches which made his work easier. No pattern to work about and every row would be the same. It would be easy to build it up fast and he could let himself get lost in the project.

But not too lost. He still had a date to go on later.

-

“Why don’t we just go to the fabric store and find a new button to fix up your bag?” Thoma offered getting up off the floor after looking for the lost button from Y/N’s bag.

“We don’t have to do that. I’ll just switch bags at home. I think I have a spare there anyway.” She spoke as she leaned against the wall of the estate. “Let’s just go already. I think we should still go to Ritou instead of Inazuma City anyway. It's been a while since we've gone there.”

“We were there last week together.”

“I know. I just found myself enjoying Ritou more recently.”

It wasn’t something to overthink. Just a change in date location. It was good nothing was set in stone.

“We could go for a walk on the beach there. Could be fun to collect seashells.”

“Okay. Then that's what we will do.” it was a bit different than what Y/N would normally suggest but it's not like what she suggested was a bad idea. Plus they could still go out to eat after. All he really wanted was to spend time together anyway.

-

Thoma had been working on the sweater for at least two weeks now. Progress was going well. He was working on it faster than he thought he would. He had even finished two whole balls of yarn. He sat inside the common area of the estate near a window, listening to the rain.

“How’s the sweater going?” Ayaka asked after walking up to him. “You said that’s for Y/N right?”

“It is. Does it look good?” Thoma asked pausing the row he was working on to hold up the sweater for Ayaka to see.

“It’s very pretty. I see her wearing that color all the time.” She examined the fabric. “Oh! That looks a lot like the sweater she borrows from you.”

“That’s the point.” He went back to working on the sweater as he talked. “It’s for our anniversary. I just wanted to make something I knew she would like and use.”

“Awww. That’s really sweet of you. Not to pry but I thought you two had a date today.”

“Raincheck. It’s fine though. It's not the best weather for a date anyway. There’s always next week anyway.” He shrugged it off.

“That’s true. I guess this makes it a bad time to ask to learn then.”

Thoma thought about it for a second. “Well, I could use teaching you as a way for me to start the back panel. Let me go grab some things. I’ll be right back.”

-

It had been a month of working on the sweater. The front panel had been completed and the back panel was a little over halfway done. He was supposed to be starting the sleeves already. He didn’t slow down from taking time to try to teach Ayaka. He actually got a lot done while showing her what to do.

He was stressed out. Dates were canceled, cut short, or plans were completely thrown out into something different. Normally this wouldn’t bother him too badly. People get busy and that’s okay. This was different though.

There had been one day last week when he had run into her on a trip to Inazuma City. It was like she was trying to avoid him once he had yelled out her name. Perhaps she was already trying to avoid him. It wasn’t like he had done anything wrong. He had done nothing but treat her with the love and respect that she deserved.

Was it wrong to question her when she had done the same? Had. That's the word he kept getting stuck on as of late. He never even got an explanation of why she was so busy as of late.

Maybe that’s what made him so concerned. It didn’t help she kept turning down any trips to go to any fabric stores together. He could have sworn he saw her leave one the other day. She left with Itto of all people. It didn’t make sense to him. They didn’t talk or hang out before from what he knew.

Were they friends and he just didn’t know? But she would have told him. She would always happily tell him of the things she did with her friends. Thoma really didn’t want to think the worst. Y/N was his girlfriend for almost a year. Someone who he trusted so much. To think that she would betray him in such a way felt too harsh.

Thoma stopped his stitching and looked down at the back panel of this sweater he had been working on. Oh no. Had he caused this?

When he was first learning knitting he was told how it was a bad idea to make a sweater for your partner. The sweater curse is what it was called. A superstition he thought could be easily avoided by waiting for the right person and knowing he was secure in the relationship. Thoma wasn’t one to believe in curses of the paranormal or rational kind.

But this was a rational curse. Maybe he should have taken it more seriously. Were there signs she wanted the relationship that he hadn’t noticed? If there was he hadn’t noticed. 

“Is everything alright?” Ayato asked the question bringing him out of his internal worries.

“I’m not too sure.”

-

This was wrong. So many levels of wrong. Why did he take his lord’s offer to track his own girlfriend down with the Shuumatsuban? This had to be an invasion of her privacy and trust.  He should just walk away before anyone notices that he is here. 

“Yo! My bro! What are you doing here?” Itto had greeted him from the entrance to the fabric shop. He had always been friendly despite the imposing figure he had. Too much care for others to purposefully cause any pain. Yet Thoma was here not knowing if his warm greeting was full of lies.

“I just came to pick something up.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He was missing a few things to finish up some projects that were just lying around. Now it would be weird if he left right away.

“We should totally go get some food first. When was the last time we had a meal together? My treat!” Itto offered placing a hand on Thoma’s back trying to lead him away from the fabric shop.

Thoma moved back away. “I need to get this done now. I have a bit of a list of things to get done today. Maybe next time.”

“Why don’t you tell me what you need and I’ll grab it for you. That would knock your list down so fast.” Itto kept trying to stand in Thoma’s way.

“I appreciate the help but I got it.”

“You know this store is kind of the worst. I think there’s a better one in Ritou. Why don’t I show you it?” Itto looked as if he was thinking off the top of his head just to keep Thoma out of the store.

Thoma forced a smile trying to stay calm but Itto’s behavior only made him more worried about what was going on. “Another day. I need to go in now.” He dogged past the oni trying to stay in his way making it into the fabric shop.

Itto followed behind with worry on his face. He tried so hard to keep Thoma out. He had one job!

Inside the shop towards the back, Y/N was sitting in the back next to Itto's Granny. She had a cloth in her hand and was moving a needle back and forth. “You know I'm still worried he won't like it.”

“With how much you improved you shouldn't doubt your skills now. I bet he'll love it just cause it's from you.” She comforted Y/N. “It's going to be a wonderful anniversary present.”

Thoma’s face went red. He shouldn't have walked in here. He started walking backwards hoping not to be noticed by either of them. He walked back into a standing filled with different buttons and threads knocking it down and falling with it as well.

The two of them stood up quickly. Itto was already getting ready to help Thoma up. Y/N looked down, frowning that her boyfriend, who normally she would have been happy to see, was in the same store as her. 

“I'm sorry. I did try.” Itto apologized as Thoma stood on his feet.

“You did your best. Let's give them some space.” His granny spoke before going outside with Itto. The shop owner shook their head before getting up to leave as well.

“You were supposed to be at the estate right now. What are you doing here?” Y/N asked before placing the quilt down on the table carefully.

“I just uh,” he bent down real quick, grabbing a button. “Needed this. I'm off to go pay for it now.”

A frown filled Y/N’s face. 

“I'm sorry. I just really got worried because you were acting differently. I thought I knitted myself into a curse and I got worried you didn't want to be with me and were starting to pull away.” He rambled. “I didn't want to believe it so I had to figure out what was going on.”

Y/N walked straight up to him and gave him a kiss shutting up his rambles. “You're cute you know that?”

His face was already red with embarrassment but felt even hotter now. “I think you've told me that.”

“I was trying to surprise you by learning how to make a quilt for you for our anniversary. You could have told me you felt neglected. I'm sorry. I never wanted to do that.” Y/N apologized as she pulled him into a hug.

“I should be the one apologizing. You were just trying to do a nice thing for me and I was thinking that you were just over m-” another kiss to shut him up. He pulled back with a smile attached to his face. “It's hard to speak when you keep doing that.”

“That's why I keep doing it. I must have been neglecting you if you keep rambling like this. If I let you go on any longer you might just tell me what you were knitting. I want it to be a surprise.”

Thoma let out a laugh. “Okay. That's understandable but I feel bad. I ruined your gift.”

“You have no clue how much I wanted to tell you. There are only so many times I can hear Itto tell me it's cool or his Granny telling me it's pretty. The compliments aren't enough unless it's from you.”

It was her turn to be shut up with a kiss. It quickly turned to Thoma peppering her face with kisses. “You have no idea how much I love you.”

Y/N laughed with each kiss tickling her face. “I love you too. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. Love makes you people do dumb things.”

Thoma thought for a second thinking about the offer Ayato gave him just to help figure out what was going on. He would tell her a little later. “Yes, it does.”

[writingwithciara]

crossing enemy lines -connor bedard-

summary: connor and y/n tell quinn about them, then decide to hard launch their relationship to the entire world

word count: 857

pairing: connor bedard x hughes!reader

notes: this is a tie-in fic for my connor bedard social media series on my @socialfakes account. it should be read BEFORE the 4th social media post if you want some context. if not, you may read it whenever you want to 😊

masterlist

y/n was visiting quinn when she got a facetime request from connor. quinn glanced at her phone when it rang but luckily, she had his contact name set to something that wouldn't make quinn question it.

"y/n, you've got an incoming call from...who the hell is CBB?"

"collection agency probably."

"but why are they requesting to facetime?"

"who the hell knows, quinn? i stopped questioning things that get done." she grabbed her phone from the couch and ventured into the guest room to answer it. when connor's smiling face appeared, y/n smiled.

"hey, babe. how's vancouver?"

"it's great. aside from the fact that quinn is suspicious of us and is probably out in the living room trying to figure out who the hell CBB is."

"who is CBB?" connor raised an eyebrow and looked at the camera.

"it's you, dumbass." y/n giggled. "have to keep you under a code name until we tell people about us."

"speaking of that, when do you think we should? we've been dating for 5 months and it's been such a hard secret to keep. i just want to share with the world just how much i love you."

"i love you too." y/n sighed. "i think we should tell quinn first. he's my older brother and he's also the most calm. he could help us figure out how to tell jack and luke without them going crazy. plus, don't tell anyone this, but quinn is also my favorite."

"you're right. and i know. he's like a god to you, isn't he?"

"admired him my whole life honestly." y/n couldn't help but grin at him. she loved how much he knew about her. it showed her that he was attentive. "you guys are playing vancouver next week, right?"

"yeah. 4 days actually." connor smiled.

"good. i'll still be here so we can tell quinn together and then it won't look suspicious when i leave with you."

"sounds like a perfect plan, babe." connor looked off camera for a second then smiled. "i gotta go to practice now but i'll call you later."

"alright. i'll let you know when quinn's not around."

"i love you."

"i love you too." y/n smiled and hung up the phone. she went to open her door but quinn beat her to it.

"i still don't know who CBB is but i heard you say you love whoever you were just talking to. who was it?"

"it was luke. he was calling to say he missed me."

"i call bull on that. i know you have a boyfriend and i just want to know who it is."

"you'll meet him in 4 days. we plan to tell you first, okay?"

"okay. i appreciate it." quinn went to turn back towards the living room but stopped himself. "am i really your favorite?"

-----

the next 4 days passed by quicker than anyone expected and soon, the blackhawks were in vancouver.

y/n texted connor and told him to stop by the apartment for dinner. she decided she was going to spend all day making quinn's favorite meal, hoping it would ease the tension.

when the doorbell rang, quinn hopped up and got to the door before y/n could stop him. he swung the door open and saw connor standing with a bottle of something and a bouquet of flowers.

quinn glanced between his sister and the young hockey star.

"you're dating connor?"

"um....yeah. please don't be mad. i know you really don't want me to be dating anyone but i'm 21 and i love him. nobody can stop me from dating him."

"relax, i'm not mad. i was actually hoping you'd find someone soon. really glad it's not someone who's way older than you." quinn looked at connor and smiled. "how long have you guys been together?"

"almost 6 months." y/n answered for connor, who stood at the door shyly. quinn invited him in and smiled.

"6 months and you've managed to hide it this long? i'm proud of you, bug."

"bug?" connor looked at y/n.

"it's short for ladybug. when i was 6, i was obsessed with ladybugs and quinn has never let me live it down since."

"oh. that's cute." connor smiled and followed the siblings to the dining room.

"i think it's embarrassing but he doesn't care."

"i prefer to think of it as a good thing. if a ladybug lands on you, it's supposed to be good luck & having you in my life makes me feel lucky."

"he's got a good point, love. you make me feel lucky too."

"i love you. both of you." y/n smiled. "nobody else is to know of the nickname though. okay?"

"okay." the boys smiled.

the rest of the visit went smoothly. quinn was incredibly accepting of the relationship his little sister was in. when they told luke and jack, they were accepting but luke felt a little hurt. he didn't like that y/n had kept a secret from him.

telling the rest of the world seemed so much easier now that everyone close to them knew.

taglist: @worldlxvlys @fearfam69691