#and construct a little list of main reasons why this should be made into a fanfic but thats just me
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mochiko7 · 10 months ago
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An Out of Nowhere Headcanon and AU:
I may be in the minority or the only actual person on this, but I honest to God think Barou Shouei is AoKaga's child.
Why?
- Shares Aomine's VA - Tall, bored expression and tough exterior, red eyes, frowning eyebrows - Is so competitive, reckless, and selfish - Regards football in ways he refused to lose without giving his whole self; a weirdly perfect amalgamation of AoKaga where he's very passionate and resilient like Kagami while simultaneously be able to naturally command his whole teammates due to his talent like Aomine - The red lightning strike and feline animalistic aura - He's so cocky and all mighty in football but outside of it he's a mother hen and is so responsible especially to cleaning
These are the main key points and there could be more for sure, but one thing is for certain is that watching blue lock and meeting Barou is such a writing experience to me, 'cause I just can't stop making up scenarios where he is being raised to be fussy in the household by Kagami and becomes progressively worse at being competitive when one is a child of sports junkies that is Aomine and Kagami.
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noonaishere · 2 months ago
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Online/Offline [C.S] - eighty-nine | the walk home
Three hours later you had filed charges against Byungchul and San had called a lawyer he knew who arrived with some colleagues to be with you while you all gave testimonies. 
Seonghwa and Minsoo arrived to drop off the CCTV evidence from the café, and you handed over the evidence from the microphone, the evidence of his banned account and videos, and the printouts of the online evidence Quack had sent with a courier, in addition to what her hacker friend had procured from the owners of the restaurants whose CCTV cameras you had been captured on the night he chased you and San downtown. She had included written permission from the owners as well as a list of timestamps, for when they would inevitably check. 
With Seonghwa and Minsoo having gone back to his place earlier, you and San walked out of the police building to find Wooyoung and Yunho waiting outside for you after giving their eyewitness accounts of everything that led up to the fight the police saw. The four of you walked back to San and Yunho’s apartment to relax after everything that had happened.
“So, is your lawyer friend staying there to work with the police or something?” You asked San.
“Her team will probably talk to them a little more. Then start constructing a case against him. We might have to bring Quack in to testify.”
You nodded. “I’m sure she already imagined it would have to happen. I’ll let her know tomorrow.”
“I’ll give her number to my lawyer.”
“‘My lawyer?’” You laughed.
“What?”
“You sound like such a cool guy, ‘My lawyer.’” You imitated him.
He poked you in the side. 
You giggled.
“While you were in the bathroom before we left, she said she wants us both to press charges. There's enough evidence for both battery and stalking charges. I think she’s still trying to figure out what to call the time he chased us.”
“‘Stalking But Faster’?”
He chuckled. “Maybe.”
“What about the shit he did online?”
“She’s going to look into it. Criminal charges are a little out of her wheelhouse, but she has a good team.”
“I think it should be cyberstalking… the bot farm definitely isn't going to look good.”
“I can't believe Quack managed to get a list of every sock he had.”
“That was such a waste of paper.”
“Made a good point though.”
You chuckled.
The four of you walked in silence for a few moments.
“Why didn’t you ask me to go with you?” He asked.
“Well…”
“No offense to Yunho and Wooyoung--”
Wooyoung turned. “I’m offended.”
San shot him a look.
Yunho laughed as Wooyoung turned back around.
“No offense to them, but I’m the only one who’s been trained to fight.”
“Would you have stopped me?”
“I…” his face softened as he looked at you. “I would have tried.”
You nodded. “That’s why.”
He sighed. “I know that… but what if you had gotten hurt? What if he hurt more than your arm?”
You looked down at your arm. The cops had taken pictures at the station and you couldn’t really see anything yet, but the spot where Byungchul had grabbed you was just hinting at the beginnings of turning from red to purple. You’d have to take pictures again tomorrow and send them to the lawyers.
“He already has,” you laughed angrily. “I had more than one breakdown because of him, you had to change my schedule at work for me, he chased us around, he’s the main reason I even moved here in the first place… I’ve already been hurt by him.”
“I mean physically. What if he--” 
You turned to him.
He choked up, unable to finish the sentence.
“That’s why I had Wooyoung and Yunho with me. And Quack was in the wings, watching me.”
“And she called me.”
You nodded.
“Are you-- are you mad at her for that?”
“Not at all. She made the right call.”
“So why not have me there the whole time?”
“San…” you started. “You heard the audio I took. And I saw the look on your face as you were listening to it… If you were there the whole time, do you think you could have stood still while I got the evidence? Do you think you could have waited?”
He turned to you, pained.
“You saw the CCTV of me talking to him. Could you have watched from far away while I talked to him, knowing he had chased us down?”
“...No.”
You nodded. “Yeah. I know. I needed to talk to him for as long as possible; lull him into a false sense of security so I could get him to admit the truth. You would have jumped in to save me too soon.”
He considered this for a few moments. You weren’t trying to scold him, perhaps you should praise him a little to let him know that he really did the right thing.
"When you pushed me back, all I could imagine was some Twilight shit where I ended up with a broken arm." You chuckled.
He laughed a singular loud laugh. "I saw Wooyoung and Yunho running up behind you."
"Oh, you did?" 
"When I was running towards you and I saw his hands on you, looking like he was about to drag you somewhere… all I could think was getting you away from him so he couldn't. I hoped Yunho would catch you when I shoved you at him, and I’m glad he did.”
Yunho spun around and bowed deeply like a performer before he turned back around to his conversation with Wooyoung.
The two of you laughed.
"Ahh, I thought you were just throwing me somewhere."
He laughed quietly. "No. It may have been a plan I made in the five seconds before I reached you, but it was still a plan."
You smiled and both of you went back to walking in awkward silence. Maybe you should point out something else that was good about it, like how cool he was when he was grappling Byungchul before the cops broke them up. He inhaled again and you turned to him.
“If I had known--”
“--You wouldn’t have let me do something so dangerous?”
He sighed and nodded.
“I know. It’s nothing against you San. Really it isn’t. It’s just that… I needed to do this and I know you would have stopped it.”
He looked at the ground as you walked.
“Are you mad?”
He looked up “At you?” He looked at you for a few moments, smiling sadly. “Of course not. I’m mad at him… It’s just--”
“If the cops took us seriously the first fucking time I wouldn’t have had to do their job for them. So like - if anything - blame the system, not me.”
“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” Wooyoung sang cutely as you walked.
You chuckled at his aegyo version of the song.
San exhaled a laugh at him. “Fine. I believe you.” 
You nodded. “Thank you.”
You walked in silence for a few minutes.
“But…”
He looked at you.
“I am happy that Quack told you. And I am extremely glad that you got there when you did.”
San smiled. “Me too… as your fake boyfriend, I couldn’t forgive myself if you got hurt.”
“Fake ex-boyfriend.”
He laughed softly.
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a/n: I’ll admit, I saw that selfie when I was working on this fic and was like “well now I NEED to use it” lol. How are we feeling?
Send an ask or leave a comment if you want to be added to the tag list! 🧋 Any comments, reblogs, or asks are appreciated! I love talking with you guys and seeing what you’re saying about the chapters, it keeps me going 🥰
@rachs-words • @stayatinykatsy • @dinossaurz​​ • @conwunder​ • @tinyelfperson​ • @anythingrelatingtojinyoung​ •
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mortemappetens · 9 months ago
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The official fanbook states that Toge’s biggest source of stress is morning assembly and I find funny (although, considering his manner of speaking, I can’t blame him):
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It’s Monday, 8.30am, and because it’s summer the students are gathered outside. Jujutsu High is so far from a normal high school; but for some reason Principal Yaga insists on subscribing to some of the more typical and, frankly, mundane high school experiences.
Morning assembly, being one.
The schedule looks a little bit like this:
All students (wow, six of them, what a crowd) are to be gathered and organised by year at the bottom of the steps of the main campus building.
By 8.30am, all school faculty (all four of them, the fifth being on unpaid sabbatical while the third years are suspended) and the principal should also be present.
On confirming all attendees, they proceed with singing/mumbling the national anthem, voices drowned out by the inappropriately loud speakers blaring out an instrumental accompaniment.
Principal Yaga then takes centre stage to remind everybody of the school rules (perhaps because at least one is broken on a daily basis), before then moving on to students accolades.
General announcements follow, and if there are any, teachers step up to share their own announcements.
Before they end at 9am, Principal Yaga leads a very embarrassing stretching exercise to the beat of some 80s electropop music, then closes with a five minutes’ silence for “quiet reflection”.
And even if it is only once a week, Toge still sweats. Every single Monday at 8.30am, he sweats. It is particularly terrible during the summer, because it feels like he is trapping steam under his uniform. This Monday isn’t any different.
The moment the familiar trumpet instrumentals crackle out of the speakers, Toge feels the eyes on him, the grinning, even hears a giggle, and he is ready to put everyone to sleep just so he leg it the fuck out of there. Because-
Because he’s fucking singing out the list of ingredients for one of Musubiya’s more popular rice balls to the tune of Japan’s national anthem.
Like every Monday, he almost dies on his feet when he hears Panda “discreetly” transition from appropriately singing the anthem to singing rice balls ingredients. Why is Panda even here? The fuck does Panda have to be patriotic about anyway? Aren’t pandas from China? And Toge is pretty sure the materials he is constructed from is made in China, too. Fuck off, Panda.
Like every Monday, Maki sings a very unpatriotic bastardised version, a game of rice balls Mad Libs. This morning, she decided that the opening verse should be, “May the nori of the onigiri last for ten thousand servings […]”. The fuck is that supposed to even mean, Maki?!
Like every Monday, Nobara tries her best at channeling her inner pop idol and belts out the lyrics, each week louder than the last. But of course, with the antics of her upperclassmen, she punctuates each verse with a cackle - each week louder than the last. Come on, Nobara, pop idols never break character.
Yuji is a relatively new addition. He doesn’t know the drill very well. Toge is grateful for it. It is a refreshing change to have someone sing the lyrics of the anthem without inserting any laughter or culinary flairs. He does stare a lot, though. Toge can feel his comically large eyes burn his ears red.
And Megumi- Well, like every Monday, Megumi stands perfectly still, lips slightly parted though no sound is uttered, his eyes resolutely shut. Toge wonders how long it took him to perfect his talent for sleeping anywhere, on his back or standing upright.
And it’s not like any of them can be ignored. There’s just the six of them. There’s no cacophony of voices to drown out Toge’s, no sea of bodies to duck behind. There isn’t the anonymity that comes from being just another student, another face. And surely, most definitely, none of the teachers miss what each of them is doing.
But Jujutsu High is no ordinary high school staffed with ordinary teachers, run by an ordinary principal. And Toge’s no ordinary student. So Principal Yaga doesn’t say a word, Gojo sensei sways to the morose beat of the anthem, Dr. Ieri takes a leaf out of Megumi’s book, and Kusakabe sensei scrolls through his phone. And Toge (and Panda, and Maki) ends the anthem with a mumbled “pickled plum”, wiping the cortisol saturated sweat from his forehead.
At least the worst of it is over. Now he just has to mentally prepare for Principal Yaga’s fucking morning aerobics.
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acciocutepeople · 1 year ago
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Places To See in Seoul - South Korea
There's nothing better than planning a vacation, especially one that you're really excited about. You purchase your tickets, pack your packs, and afterward the best part: you start to wander off in daydream about your Trip as you plan your itinerary, making a rundown of the spots you must see while you're far from home. As the lists gets longer, your Excitement grows, and before you know it's a great time to go Seoul!!
With such a significant number of spots to visit, arranging a trip to Korea can be overwhelming. We have created a list of the top most Amazing attractions in seoul, South Korea as of 2018. These attractions are perfect for adding to your tour schedule!
1. N Seoul Tower
No outing to Seoul is finished without a trip to the famous N Seoul Tower. N Seoul Tower was the first of its kind - no other pinnacle like vacation destination had been built in Korea prior to its construction. The tower sits at 236 meters tall, which implies that while you're at the best, you're at the second most elevated point in the whole city.
While you're visiting the Tower, there are an assortment of activities that will keep you occupied, so make sure you clear several hours for the trip. You'll at first need to look at the perception decks, which give you a magnificent panoramic view of Seoul that makes for totally culminate photographs. While you're on the deck, you'll obviously need photographs of the city, however keep in mind to have a companion (or stranger/new friend) snap a photo of you with the city as a scenery to demonstrate to your friends back home!
2. Gyeongbokgung
If you ask the people you meet in Seoul what you absolutely must do with your time in the city, most will tell Gyeongbokgung Palace some place on their list ). This eminent royal residence was Built in 1395, so in addition to the fact that it is a standout amongst the most excellent man-made structures on the planet, it's also over 600 years old!
This royal Palace is the biggest of the Five Grand Palaces, and accordingly, it's a quintessential piece of Korean history. The Kings of the Joseon tradition lived in this royal Palace, and its design and architecture that - it is unmistakably fit for Royalty.
A little more than one hundred years back, Imperial Japan decimated the majority of the Places, which was wrecking for Korea. While it is still being restored up 'til today, it is a completely astonishing complex that will take you hours to see in its entirety. The complex is additionally home to two unique museums, The National Folk Museum and The National Palace Museum of Korea.
3. Submerged Tomb of King Munmu
Once you've gotten your fill of the city, Visit to the sea to look at the Underwater Tomb of King Munmu, a must-see tourist attraction in Korea. King Munmu was a ruler that lived right around 1,500 years back, and he is essential to Korean history because he unified three unique kingdoms, merging their power into one. Why is he buried underwater, you ask? Trust it or not, he wanted it that way! King Munmu believed that if he were buried covered in the ocean after his demise, he would return as a dragon to protect the land he helped lead towards greatness.
Reasons Why You Should Visit South Korea
1. All year celebrations
Consistently, there are a greater number of celebrations in South Korea than one could Attend, a couple of main festivities everybody likes to participate in. At the point when the snow melts and the climate gets hotter, pink and white cherry blooms change South Korea into a magical wonderland for a small period towards the start of spring, and a large number of individuals come to see the blooms from everywhere throughout the nation. Buddha's Birthday is another Major occasion celebrated in May with lantern parades and performances at nearby temples, while in fall, Koreans commend their own Version of Thanksgiving amid Chuseok and respect their ancestors during proudly conducted ceremonies. Actually, there are celebrations in each month of the year for every taste.
2. Rich history South Korea has a long history going back finished a thousand years. Because of the natural isolation of the Korean Peninsula, the nation's way of life hasn't changed as much as in different regions. Still today, you can remain in wonder of the absolute significant cultural heritage sites of the nation, for example, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace situated in Seoul. The city of Gyeongju is likewise a place of historic value and is regularly called a 'museum without walls'. Gyeongju was the capital of Korea during the Silla Dynasty from 57 BC - 935 AD and is home to countless royal tombs, royal palaces, and temples that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
3. Throbbing society Because of their long history, South Koreans have an assortment of customs they have kept alive throughout centuries. 'still today individuals love to dress in in traditional clothes (hanbok) - you can lease it to wear around Seoul and Jeonju', for instance. In Modern Seoul, you can still find traditional hanok house neighborhoods with lovely teahouses that have been in existence for decades. This blend of old and new is really Fun to Explore when traveling in South Korea.
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kipo-lacks-thoughts · 8 months ago
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I'm thinking about characteristics and tidbits about my OCs that nobody would otherwise know
like how Kipo has a massive shapeshifting weapon that typically takes form as a large fantasy battle axe that is black and purple but I don't know how to draw it, it's sickle variants, it's dagger variants, it's spear variant, it's scythe variant, or even its frying pan variant.
and how despite having the weapon of a god that materializes out of thin air and can turn into any weapon of choice from a select list, Kipo's weapon of choice is a walmart filet knife.
or how unless you paid attention to the comics veeeeeerrry closely you wouldn't know Connie works as the CEO of a construction company, and a detail im certain only I know about is that he is in college for a robotics engineering degree and already has a degree in civil engineering.
or how Kipo has only done 3 jobs ever, because she's perfectly happy living as she is, is stable, and isn't a legitimate troublemaker (AKA doesn't have enough reasons to get fired). Those 3 jobs are being a paperboy from 15-18, a McDonald's worker in an airport 19-22 and a milkman from 22-27.
another one is how Carl had a rather flamboyant early life before settling down and having a full ass litter of wretched wolf-cat-bird hybrid children. He's 63 and his favorite drink is Dr Thunder and he likes to dadstare out at the city from his balcony with a good magazine. He's just a fella
Rufus is a character I don't draw as much as of late, and she's quite fine with laying low. If you've seen her bef, she's the Rufouse potoo with long hair and no arms. I decided to have her with no arms as a sort of experiment, and I quite liked the result, so I kept her and put her in the main squad. She's 28 and quite likes it alone, where she stops being so unemotional and vwomp and chills out into a silly goof. little fake ass emo bird. Doesn't particularly care for conversation, but enjoys hanging out with people. Kind of a situation where Connie or Kipo may come home to find her randomly in one of their apartments watching TV or sleeping face first on the counter sitting on a barstool simply because she enjoys being near people she cares about even if they don't even look or talk to her, the comfort of being trusted to just vibe nearby.
then there's Poe. Does anyone even know about Poe. I honestly don't know if I've even put him in the comics. Poe is a hoopoe bird, and is more of a basic white midwestern man personality. He's just a dude. Literally. Nothing wrong with him, he's fine, he has the normal ups and downs, he works at a steakhouse. Just a normal dude. He's the oldest child also, at 31.
and Kisha, oh sweet Kisha. they're literally just me putting myself into the comics to justify why the 4th wall breaking every once in a while is acceptable. I'm shoving myself into my comics and telling these whores to brush their hair and nobody can stop me! also I feel it should be said that the frames where she talks to both Kipo and Connie are simultaneous. They can appear multiple places at once, so long as one person does not see multiple of them at one time. Neat huh?
then there's Trouble Trio, Micheal (I guarantee you didn't pronounce his name right in your head or aloud), Makken, and Mike. I made them as a sort of practice comic and kind of a pilot-y thingey (so I called it) for their short comic series I called Wrkr brds. They're triplets and Makken is transfem, and the logical one. Michael is the loudest of the 3 and usually brings up the most wackass conversation topics. Mike is employee of the month, usually doesn't talk unless spoken to, and generally prefers it that way. Mike's a happy normal feller and just wants to live and vibe. Makken makes the best logical questions for Connie and learns a lot from when Connie blabbers random construction nonsense. Also did I mention or wasn't it clear that the 3 are construction workers in Connie's company? They are. And they're easily his favorite ones.
Susie? We don't talk about her. She's probably moved to Japan by now.
Gayle and Giuseppe, they're complicated but you probably won't see them in the comics anywhere anytime soon. No need to dig up the custody battle now! I don't have time to rant about that story.
Archie is their uncle, a wackass funky- the fun drunk uncle who takes ya to chuck-e-cheese on a babysit and says 'don't tell your parents!'
that's all the tidbits and personality explaining I'm doing for now
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newsworld-nw · 1 year ago
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4 Reasons Why Oil Prices Have Just Seen a Middle East Risk Premium
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In line with Capital Economics, there are 4 the explanation why oil costs should not buying and selling increased than earlier than the Hamas assault on Israel practically three weeks in the past. Previously, "rising geopolitical tensions within the Center East — even when they did not have an effect on provide — have been sufficient to push oil costs increased," Carolyn Bain, chief commodities economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a notice Thursday. "However to this point, buyers have not rushed to cost in new dangers." "Cautious oil market response to outbreak of battle in Israel seemingly displays big uncertainty about closing final result, however Center East threat premium considerably low". As of Thursday, US benchmark December West Texas Intermediate crude CLZ23, -2.24% CL.1, -2.24% It traded at $83.88 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Alternate. That is about 1.3% increased than the $82.79 settlement on Oct. 6, the day earlier than the Oct. 7 Hamas assault that sparked the warfare between Israel and Gaza. International benchmark December Brent crude BRN00, -2.05% BRNZ23, -2.10% Thursday traded at $88.49 - 4.6% increased than the Oct. 6 settlement Bain mentioned that with the oil market at present in a provide deficit, the danger of further provide disruptions ought to have had a "overwhelming impact on costs". Israel doesn't produce any oil so there may be little affect on provides, however "there's a very actual threat... that battle will escalate and regional gamers, who're massive oil producers, will get entangled". On the finish of 2021, Iran accounts for twenty-four% of the Center East's oil reserves and 12% of the world's oil reserves, in line with the US Power Info Administration. Iran is understood to assist the militant group Hamas. learn on Israel-Gaza Struggle Situation: Oil May Be $95, $100 and $115 a Barrel Nonetheless, Gulf oil producers at the moment are "far more built-in into world monetary markets" than up to now and do not wish to threat sanctions, Bain mentioned. Capital Economics, nevertheless, "has argued for a while that the Center East-related threat premium on oil costs has been declining, in all probability for the reason that Nineteen Seventies," he mentioned. Listed here are 4 the explanation why threat premiums fall: First, "the Center East's share of worldwide oil manufacturing has fallen from 40% in 1970 to about 30% in 2022," Bain mentioned. Efforts have additionally been made throughout the area to ease potential choke factors, Bain mentioned, including that Saudi Arabia has constructed export routes alongside its west coast in order that it may well bypass the Strait of Hormuz if the oil choke level is blocked. Second, "there may be another and extra versatile supply of provide within the type of US shale oil," Bain mentioned. Third, most international locations now have "big strategic reserves to drop within the occasion of a provide disruption," he mentioned. The Biden administration final 12 months ordered the largest-ever launch of oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve within the wake of the Russia-Ukraine warfare. Learn: US able to play tug of warfare with OPEC+ for oil market share as Center East hostilities warrant output increase As for motive quantity 4, world oil demand progress is now "considerably decrease than up to now, and could possibly be unfavourable because the electrification of transportation accelerates," Bain mentioned. In a month-to-month report launched on Tuesday, the Worldwide Power Company mentioned world demand for fossil fuels might peak earlier than 2030. That mentioned, Bain emphasised that if Iran or one other main oil producer within the area grew to become actively concerned within the Israel-Hamas battle, the market would "nearly definitely" improve oil costs. For now, "it seems that buyers do not see it as an enormous threat," he mentioned. "The massive uncertainty concerning the final result of the battle implies that we goal to revise our (oil-price) forecasts and we are able to solely focus on dangers when fundamentals change." #Causes #Oil #Costs #Center #East #Danger #Premium Read the full article
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bellevueheadlines · 2 years ago
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Customizing Your Wood Fence to Your Unique Needs & Style
It’s true that you can’t always get what you want. But there are ways to customize your wood fence in order to best suit your needs and style. Please keep reading for reasons why a wood fence is the best option for you and advice on how to make it perfect!
Wood fences come in many shapes, styles, colors, and materials. This variety allows homeowners to choose a fence that matches their needs and style preferences. There are even custom wood fences available, which can be constructed with matching materials and colors to match a property’s style.
Official terms and definitions:
The following is a list of terms and definitions pertaining to wood fences. The definitions are offered here as they appear in the International Wood Fence Association (IWFA) Official Glossary of Terms. Before you place your order for wood fencing, it is suggested that you review the list of terms to make sure the product matches your needs, expectations, and style preferences (accessory or standard). It is also important that you know what type of fence you are purchasing (pre-assembled or custom-made). 
1. Accessory Fence:
Any fence that is not attached to the main structure of a building is considered an accessory fence. Examples of accessory fences would include a picket or privacy fence added to the side or rear of a house, a patio cover, etc.
2. Aluminum Fence:
A type of fence material that can be molded in any shape and resists corrosion, rusting, and decay. Aluminum is inexpensive but tends to be more rigid than wood; it is subject to extreme temperatures and should not be used where it will come in contact with soil or moisture routinely (i.e., around pools or patios).
3. Center-Beam Fence:
A fence with a main beam down the center of the fence that is attached to both the posts and rails.
4. Full Privacy Fence:
A privacy fence in which there is little to no visibility from one side of the property to another. This style of the fence has an average height of about 6 feet, with an option for a slightly lower height for ease of access. Often times this type of privacy fence is constructed with picket, diagonal, or tubular steel panels.
5. Half Privacy Fence:
A privacy fence constructed using materials that are more easily seen from one side (but not from both). A half-privacy fence has an average height of between 5-6 feet.
6. Picket Fence:
A thin type of fencing using a series of cylindrical posts connected by rails set on a concrete footing. This style of fencing is inexpensive, portable, and has minimal upkeep, often utilized for small front yards or for screening purposes as it tends to be very thin. This style of fencing is not recommended for use in wooded areas or where it may come into contact with soil and moisture. 
7. Privacy Fence:
An obvious architectural barrier that blocks views from one side or both sides of the property line to the other – is considered a privacy fence in the terms and definitions listed above. 
8. Standard Fence:
This type of fence is most often used in residential neighborhoods, for dividing property lines, and for providing a barrier between the house and its surroundings. This type of fence usually consists of one section or panel built from the ground up on concrete supports that are attached to the home or structure. 
9. Wood Fence:
Any type of fencing constructed from wood (as defined above), whether it be picket, post-and-rail, board-on-board/rail on the rail, vertical/horizontal slats/stretchers, privacy panels/panels with visibility gaps through the slats or a combination of these available styles. 
10. Wood Fence Panel:
A fence panel composed of rails and pickets that are attached to one another with nails or screws. Picket fences are the most common type of wood fence panels.
11. Wood Fence Post:
A post used in a wood fence to support rails at a right angle and to provide strength on which the panels are attached.
The customized wood fence allows you to decide just how much style you want your wood fence project to have while meeting your family’s needs and budget.
Different types of fences you can choose from
1. Wood Fence Panels:
Picket fences are the most common type of wood fence panels. These types of fences usually require more maintenance and upkeep than other wood fencing styles but they can add a timeless, natural feel to your project. Wood picket fences come in varying heights and styles – board on board, board on rail, as well as vertical and horizontal slats/stretchers, allowing you to choose a style that fits your home’s look and personality.
2. Wood Fence with Slats: 
This type of fence is constructed using materials that are more easily seen from one side (but not from both). A half-privacy fence has an average height of between 5-6 feet. This style of fencing is a great choice for privacy, as it allows the homeowner to select just how much visibility is desired without having to build a full-height fence. This type of fence adds character and charm to a property and is an attention-grabber.
3. Wood Fence with Stretchers: 
This style of wood fence offers the same style qualities as traditional picket fences; however, this type of wood fencing includes slats between each post along with vertical or horizontal stilts (stretchers) – which makes it easier for you to view through your view-intensive areas. Essentially, these slats are a type of fence that is easily formed/formed into privacy fencing or can be used as a transitional style.
4. Wood Fence with Boards on Board: 
This is the most common style of wood fencing used by homeowners in residential neighborhoods, for dividing property lines, and for providing a barrier between the house and its surroundings. This type of fence usually consists of one section or panel built from the ground up on concrete supports that are attached to the home or structure. This style of wood fence is simple to install and requires less maintenance than other styles because it does not require you to attach posts to rails; it simply requires you to nail boards (or screw boards) onto one another. 
Conclusion  – Wood fence
Wood fences are highly attractive and attractive to the eye. Everyone wants that trendy fence, but sometimes you may want to blend in with the rest of the neighborhood. Wood fences can be used for everything from a privacy fence around your home or property to a decorative piece in your backyard. This fencing material is a great choice for virtually any type of project and needs very little maintenance throughout its lifetime. If you have any questions about wood fencing or would like to get more information on the product, feel free to contact us today! Your neighborly neighbor will be happy to help!
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How to Explain Palang Pintu Kereta to Your Boss
So you might have an fascination in starting up a fresh HO scale product train format. Among the list of 1st thoughts you need to question on your own is which kind of HO teach keep track of you are likely to be using. This is a crucial problem for the reason that after you get started with the layout, there actually is no likely again with no starting off absolutely around.™
Being an operator of the design educate shop, possibly by far the most asked question which i get from beginners is 'What on earth is the main difference in the many varieties of HO train track?' When I get started detailing the primary difference, I will usually start by conveying the main difference in 'codes'.
In HO scale there are actually two typical codes of keep track of (Even though there are actually more than 2). That being code a hundred and code eighty three. Just what the code actually represents is the height of the observe rail. So code a hundred is one hundred thousandths significant and code eighty three is eighty three thousandths higher. Of your two, code one hundred is just a little much easier to use since the rail is a little better. This suggests your automobiles and engines have a tendency to possess less derailments. You will also discover that code a hundred keep track of is a little bit less costly. So if code a hundred is much easier to run on and less expensive, why would you use code 83? Effectively, code 83 is actually closer to actual scale so it appears to be like extra sensible than code 100. Another variance with Atlas monitor anyways is the fact code 100 has black ties and code 83 has brown ties. One other main thought when deciding upon your code is usually that for a few purpose, there are actually additional 'selections' with code 83 observe. What I indicate by this is that you can find a lot more change-out configurations which can be explained under.
Once you've made the decision what code monitor you should use, the following dilemma entails the roadbed. There are some manufacturers offering HO educate observe with roadbed constructed appropriate to the observe. Though this will seem to be extra effortless, it significantly restrictions your monitor selections. Monitor with roadbed attached to it only comes in predefined radius sections, tiny straights, and very limited convert-out selections. Individually, I feel the one reason to employ this kind of keep track of is In case you are scheduling on developing a layout that can be taken apart as well as your House if extremely limited. If you are planning a lasting layout, you must most likely keep away from track with roadbed attached to it.
Flex track or fastened track? Given that the identify indicates, flex track is simply that. It Generally comes in 3' sections which is versatile in order to bend your individual curves. Mounted track Alternatively, is rigid items of monitor with pre-outlined radius which include 18", 22", or 24". Both of those kinds have particular pros around the opposite. As you style your layout, you will probably learn that you'll want to use both varieties of track. The great issue about preset monitor is the fact any time you buy it, it presently has the joiners connected for the ends so you only hook up the keep track of. With flex keep track of, immediately after bending your curve, you will need to nip the extended piece of rail, file it smooth, connect a joiner, and Commonly solder the sections jointly. Soldering fixed monitor might be also a good suggestion. The advantage of flex observe is you can have a longer ongoing curve with indicates fewer joints. Also, you happen to be running 3' of continual track verses many parts of preset keep track of. Like I explained, both of those have pros and it really is one thing you will have to experiment with.
Yet another question I get a whole lot would be the compatibility in between companies. Because HO coach keep track of continues to be standardized, you'll find that the majority of manufacturers are appropriate with one another. As long as you stay with the identical code observe. All HO teach keep track of has a typical width involving rails so you will not have a dilemma there. The sole authentic difficulty is with track with roadbed attacked to it. There is NO compatibility in between manufactures. So if you decide to use monitor with roadbed hooked up, you'll have to use precisely the same keep track of for your full format Unless of course you would like to enter into slicing and submitting and seeking to get items to match. This is more difficulty than it truly is well worth.
What's the distinction between manufactures? The real distinction is the quality. Because the outdated expressing goes, you can get That which you pay for. Some flex keep track of may well bend a little bit easier or could look far more real looking so there truly is a personal choice when deciding what company to choose.
As with the turn-out solutions talked about earlier mentioned, you'll discover that code eighty three observe has Palang Pintu Kereta additional readily available change-outs. A flip-out or swap, is Usually defined by a quantity. The most common is usually a #five turn-out. What the variety signifies is definitely the angle at which the flip-out arrives off the principle line. A #4 turnout has the greatest angle coming off the main, a #eight will likely have a A lot shallower angle. Therefore the greater the quantity, the considerably less the angle and more time the turnout will probably be. You will find that and also straight turnouts, There's also curved turnouts so you can actually position a switch on a curved segment of one's format. Turnouts also are available wye configurations and cross overs.
I hope this gives you an improved understanding of HO educate monitor and I hope it helps you decide what sort of track you want to use to your layout. I can provide you with all the data, but just understand that This is often your pastime and your decision. It truly is all about obtaining pleasurable.
For anyone who is new to instruction enhancement and are already considering putting alongside one another any kind of training software, it is vital to grasp and realize the most simple instruction tool employed by Qualified trainers; it truly is known as the ADDIE model.
The ADDIE model is basically a generic, systematic, stage-by-phase framework used by instructional designers, developers and trainers to be certain program growth and Understanding isn't going to manifest within a haphazard, unstructured way. It really is intended to assure:
(one) learners will reach the plans of your class,
(two) permits the analysis of learner's wants,
(three) the design and advancement of training components, and
(4) evaluation of efficiency with the coaching method using processes with unique, measurable results.
Track record
ADDIE came about with the development of the Cold War right after Globe War II as the United States navy struggled with itself to locate a way to generate more practical coaching programs for more and more sophisticated topics. The results of this struggle for greater efficiency bore fruit in the shape of Instructional Techniques Design and style which in turn, brought about the design styles which might be in use currently. You will frequently listen to ADDIE generally known as Tutorial Devices Style (ISD), Instructional Programs Design and style & Progress (ISDD), Systems Method of Instruction (SAT) or Educational Style (ID). Most of the present tutorial style designs you will discover while in the place of work currently are variations or spin-offs of the first ADDIE product.
The Product
The literature on ADDIE estimates that there are very well around a hundred distinct ISD variations in use nowadays, with Virtually all staying according to the generic ADDIE design, which means Examination, Style and design, Progress, Implementation, and Evaluation; with Just about every move or stage main into the next as illustrated down below:
Assessment ' Style ' Growth ' Implementation ' Evaluation
1 typically acknowledged advancement to your ADDIE product that almost Every person takes advantage of irrespective of whether consciously or unconsciously, is the usage of what is often called speedy prototyping which tries to capture layout flaws whilst they are still very easy to deal with. That is finished by getting ongoing feed-back throughout all phases in the ADDIE product and building modifications when transferring forward.
During the Assessment phase, we define and establish as clear of an comprehension of the viewers's needs, constraints, present know-how, skills and the specified end result of the training that we are able to. The Design period endeavors to establish specific Finding out aims, matter written content, presentation procedures and media, learner exercise routines and assessment requirements for use. The event phase results in and commences manufacture of the educational elements for use from the teaching. Implementation provides the fabric by essentially presenting and/or offering the developed intend to the intended Discovering group or viewers. Right after supply, the Evaluation section assesses the effectiveness of The subject content material and education supplies utilized from the coaching system and helps make improvement alterations for the following implementation or presentation. Let us Examine Each and every stage independently.
The Phases
The Investigation section is the most important phase from the ADDIE product. It identifies regions necessitating or needing instruction making an allowance for sights of subject material specialists, the target market, and the ultimate targets and aims of your instruction.
Throughout this stage, we outline and develop as away from an knowledge of the audience's wants and constraints, current knowledge, capabilities, and the desired outcome of the schooling as we can. It is in this article that we identify the training issue, set the plans, aims, any other related attributes of the desired instruction, and contemplate the educational environment, out there supply choices, and the timeline for the challenge.
Here are a few parts that needs to be resolved during Evaluation section:
o That's the target market; What's the minimal/utmost current knowledge of the participant viewers? What are their traits? What are their Specific requires?
o What knowledge and ability deficiencies now exist?
o What are the tasks currently executed with the target audience and what new skill amount is necessary following the coaching.
o What exactly are the obtainable shipping and delivery selections and solutions for transferring The brand new techniques towards the workplace?
o Exactly what is The educational placing; e.g. classroom, on-the-work, self research, and so on?
o How can these techniques connect to the meant audience?
o Exactly what is the timeline for project completion?
o Exactly what are the program constraints? Technological, timing and length.
o What is going to Expense to supply the education?
o Make effectiveness measures to the responsibilities to get skilled.
The look period will be the systematic means of study, setting up, identifying and specifying the whole style in the study course goals, lesson preparing,subject material, teaching methodology, media, learner exercise routines, courseware content, and assessment requirements. Normally detailed prototypes are created presently, and the search, come to feel, design and style and content material are decided.
During this period, the subsequent need to be taken under consideration:
o The entry criteria or know-how degree the learner ought to demonstrate prior to schooling.
o Establish learning goals for each task to become lined.
o Identify, framework and sequence the educational actions necessary to accomplish the undertaking from simplest to most challenging.
o Dependant on some time allocated to the teaching, establish roughly how long it can consider to provide the program having into consideration the instructor's tempo, program structure and mode of delivery altering content and format accordingly.
o Develop participant assessments, program evaluation methodology, knowledge collection approach, and reporting formats that will be use to ascertain mastery of your duties to get shipped
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o If at all possible, carry out mini understanding displays to validate This system will meet the specified Discovering necessities.
o Evaluation implementation and evaluation charges, work demanded and schedule.
The Development period is the actual output and assembly with the resources which were produced in the look period. At this stage it can be crucial to include whoever is responsible for which aspects, time schedules, and deadlines. On this stage, all audio, movie, and courseware supplies are gathered, geared up, produced and able to be examined.
Throughout this period, the next need to have be taken under consideration:
o List pursuits that can help the audience discover the undertaking.
o Choose the supply strategy most ideal to the educational team.
o Develop and make application materials, aids and educational courseware.
o Combine the courseware right into a smoothly transitioning presentation.
o Validate the fabric and presentation to be sure it satisfies all goals and objectives.
o Build trainer guides, learner guides, job aids and participant methods as needed.
o Prepare coaches and mentors who will be assisting Together with the education.
o Book venue, accommodations and travel arrangements.
o Routine members.
The Implementation section is where by the made study course is in fact place into motion, and the final products, formulated based upon demands and errors identified even though testing having a prototype products, is introduced towards the target audience.
Depending upon the dimensions of the viewers and period of time and resources allotted to this endeavor, the subsequent criteria need to be taken into account the working day prior to or perhaps the morning of presentation day.
o Create and get ready venue.
o The learning atmosphere, i.e. place, is about-up and well prepared previous to the arrival on the learners.
o Pupil registration location set when essential with registration supplies, instruction textbooks, etc.
o Fingers on equipment, computers, instruments, software, etc. are in position at Each individual station or seat. Make certain that if employing a Mastering application, an exterior connection, World-wide-web-internet site or Internet connection that it's live and working.
o Perform schooling session.
Following shipping and delivery, the Analysis section, inside of a systemic system, considers opinions through the learners. The responses collected for the duration of this period steps response, identifies exactly what is Functioning and never Doing work, establishes the efficiency and good quality with the shipping, and is designed to wonderful-tune the program. It validates whether or not the class pleased its objectives and also the usefulness on the schooling elements used. It finds out whether or not the learning went as prepared, and it can also uncover any obstacles that may have emerged, then, by making revisions, changes and corrections as needed, insures the success of the next presentation.
Make use of a very well-created submit presentation questionnaire, analysis and/or survey that provides for anonymous responses if sought after because of the participant. Some or all of the following needs to be A part of the analysis:
o Was the information and/or concept offered very clear and understandable?
o Ended up the examples, illustrations, and demonstrations helpful?
o Was the information offered personally relevant on the learner?
o Was the instruction exciting and, most significantly, motivating?
o How did the instruction influence the learner? If that's so, in what way. If not, why.
o What needs to be carried out in a different way?
o Of the material introduced, what was most crucial into the learner? What was least critical?
o What would the learner change, modify or alter?
At the end of This system, acquire the evaluations, critique the program facts, put together and report efficiency effects. In examining the program info the report must consist of but not be restricted to the amount of participant learners experienced, per cent of participants who passed the class, as well as their gratification with the material offered and how it absolutely was introduced.
An truthful evaluation of the program results at this stage will produce a bountiful sum of knowledge which can be used to great and insure the success of all upcoming presentations. Use this data positively, and you may be rewarded with an outstanding consequence!
Take note: Data for this article was gathered from several resources Found on the web by seeking under the factors ADDIE.
Copyright © 2007 Chuck Castagnolo All rights reserved.
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passionpluto · 9 months ago
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This story brings me to a couple of confessions about FiMFiction, my account, Quillamore, and my desire to please others on there that I've alluded to in the past but never fully expanded on:
1) There is a reason why If You Give a Little Love got all the side stories and bonus content and Paging Doctor Sparkle didn't, and it's this: I honestly preferred working on the former. It was my pet project, and I genuinely wanted to explore a whole AU where Coco adopts Babs. I would've made all my stories IYGALL-verse if I could have. But Paging Doctor Sparkle took off like a rocket, hitting second in the Featured List right after its first part released. I had only meant for it to be a little series that paid homage to my favorite medical show (Doc Martin) and was going to end it after a few parts. But Doctor Sparkle got so popular that I felt I had to keep releasing it, and that not releasing it would be a death sentence. So I kept it going for about 50,000 words, the whole time feeling resentful that this little monthly comedy series was outperforming what I really wanted to work on (no offense to Doctor Sparkle fans, though). The first thing fans asked after I finished the series was if I would write a sequel, even after I had explicitly said I wouldn't.
2) I was romantically involved with a horse famous creator. I won't say which one on here out of respect for him, but if you know, you know. Many of his fans became my fans and, for awhile, I was over the moon about that. But later, I began to wonder if my popularity had been entirely because of him, and therefore, if we broke up, I would lose everything. We did break up eventually, and that proved itself to be untrue, but sometimes I still wonder if I obtained my status on FiMFiction through not so savory means.
And then there's the part where he urged me to delete an entire arc from If You Give a Little Love.
You see, in IYGALL, there's a character named Valencia, who's the main villain's twin sister. The family they both grew up in was intensely cult-like, with very little contact outside of that family. When the main villain, Mosely, is convicted on several charges, Valencia rushes to his defense. My ex felt that Valencia's motivation for this should be out of simple familial loyalty, but I wanted to explore something more. My original concept for Valencia, and the one I still accept as personal canon, is a bit like Nanami from Revolutionary Girl Utena--someone who has an unhealthy incestuous obsession with their brother due to immense trauma and who learns to overcome it.
The horse famous author told me, in no uncertain terms, that publishing that would nuke my reputation. I would be taken off the Featured List in an instant, and as someone still fairly new to FiMFiction, I believed that. It hurt me to do so, but I cut out all the parts that would've expanded on Valencia's feelings for Mosely, which is to say, a lot. So much was lost to make the story more "palatable" to the opinions of FiMFiction's few. To this day, it's the thing I regret doing most in my writing career.
I still get a lot of compliments on Valencia's character and how she's a good OC, but she's always felt incomplete to me. Years after reflecting on the decision, I released a "deleted scene," a story that could be read as canon or non-canon, about Valencia finally confiding in someone about her feelings, about her feeling "rotten" for latching onto her brother. Even then, I fully expected to get dislike-bombed, but instead...it was pretty much dead silence. Eight likes, and nothing more.
All those tips about "how to get good on FiMFiction" were wrong. And that's when I decided it was time to leave, much like Anthy leaving Ohtori Academy after learning it's all a construct.
FiMFiction was, and still is, a good place. I met a lot of amazing people on there. But the way the Featured List works enabled my people-pleasing tendencies to the extreme. I feel much more free writing stories on Ao3 or for my IRL story without it being there, without knowing how my story ranks compared to others. I really appreciated Mono's look on it, as it echoes my own feelings, and I wish all former FiMFic writers the best with their mental health.
Valencia lost a good chunk of herself trotting after her brother, but after she realized her whole life had been dedicated to pleasing him and him only, she broke free. So can you.
And to those eight people who liked that story, whoever you are, if you're even reading this, thank you for setting me free.
for anyone who is bored tonight, im live writing and publishing a story that is an expose on fimfiction and how it fucked me up creatively and how making my entire identity be a writer has destroyed me as a person so here u go if u want entertainment for the night so far the story switches to 1st person in the fourth chapter!!!! god knows what will happen in the next hours, we love to see it
also comments are locked there bc i know fimfiction too well, but ill be checking asks here if anyone wants to comment, I'm still a validation needing baby wimp which goes against the entire story but hey
im just keeping it real
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fantastiqueali · 3 years ago
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Cedric Diggory courting you
CedricxReader | Voldemort does not exist | Fluff | Preferences | Cedric the good boy lover
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He would always chase you around school, not caring if everyone would look at him oddly.
Buys you flowers every time you would go to Hogsmeade just to make you construct a smile.
Each summer break -- he would visit you and your parents with a gift in hand, trying to pursue them with coaxing words that he will keep true to.
You cried in the common room one night -- depleted of your insecurities. He was supposed to go on a patrol that night when he saw a form of shadow illuminated by the fire. He strolled closer and finally realized it was you.
He sat down beside you -- not minding his task that he should do as a prefect. He listened to every problem that you had with insecurity, he didn't speak when you were explaining everything. He just listens while stroking the back of your body.
After you have finished, he goes ahead and says, "They can't see how beautiful the woman that is sitting beside me is," he stops for a moment, placing his right hand on your cheeks for you to lean in.
"Whatever lies they say, you will always be perfect in my eyes. You're perfect in every way -- your hair, your eyes, your personality, you. You're the main reason why I held on to the words of reaching you."
Slept by you in the common room, arms around your shoulder, head leaning on yours while humming to a song that you like.
The next morning, he would spoil you rotten with letters that consist of small poems and encouragement.
"You're the moonlight that oozes light to forge euphoria in my darkest night."
"I brought you sunshine when you felt grey. You brought sweetness when I felt bland. Doesn't that mean you're the sun in my light?"
"Imagine me and you together running heartily in the blistering daylight of life. Why imagine if that could take place."
He will go to the kitchen and make your favourite breakfast to show you how much he cares and adores you.
He writes to his parents once a week to tell them how much fun the few days have been for him since you were always with him.
You will never bore him, no matter how much you ramble about your day.
He would set picnics once in a while in the North Tower Courtyard. He brings a basket with all of the foods that you love and some are made by him. 
If he has the opportunity, he will persuade you on a night flight with him. The two of you would fly around the Hogwarts castle -- the waft of the night hitting both of your faces while grinning. Of course, the little naughty moments where you would fly past the window where Filch was going.
The night will end with him either; hugging you, kissing on the forehead, saying he had this added to his list of the most fun nights he had in his life, or all of them.
He will celebrate the littlest achievement you had from passing a test or earning your house a point or more.
When that one time he was jealous because he saw how you were being so close with Harry Potter. He made more effort that day on showing you how he loves you dearly -- will overthink that night if you and Harry have something going on between you. He would go as far as to ask both you and Harry if both of you were in a relationship of having feelings for each other.
Would ask you what you would like to be called if you agreed on being his girlfriend.
"What about 'my love'? Oh no wait, what about 'Princess'? Whatever you'd like, as long as you agree on it."
When someone would ask him on a date or confess their love to him, he would respectfully say; "I'm sorry, I already have a future girlfriend." Or "I can't give you my love, I'm sorry. It was all poured out for someone." 
Something that you love about Cedric is that he would wait patiently for your answer and never pressure you on answering yes. Even though he tempts you to do so.
If you have your period, he will always have a hot compress ready and snacks that are your favourite.
When someone says that you two should already be together since you already look like a real couple; "I'll wait for her answer no matter what."
When he finds out that you smelled; books, butterscotch, and vanilla extract in your amortentia -- he was so happy that he even tells his parents and bakes a cake for you.
And last but not the least -- whenever you would sleep in the common room and your head was leaning on his shoulder, he would kiss your head and whisper sweet nothings like; "Good night my sunflower. I will wait for the day you fully accept my love for you."
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inawickedlittletown · 4 years ago
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Queerbaiting and Buddie
(word count: 1,900)
I keep saying that I don’t want to spend any more time on 9-1-1 meta or fic, but the events of this weekend made me open up a document where I had some unfinished meta and in light of the S4 finale airing tonight, I thought I might at least write this: 
“Queerbaiting is a marketing technique for fiction and entertainment in which creators hint at, but then do not actually depict, same-sex romance or other LGBTQ representation. They do so to attract a queer or straight ally audience with the suggestion of relationships or characters that appeal to them, while at the same time attempting to avoid alienating other consumers.” 
That is how Wikipedia defines queerbaiting. And I really feel like everyone needs to read that and then read it again and realize that what is happening on 9-1-1 with Buddie is NOT queerbaiting. 
I don’t want to go into the long history of queerbaiting because we would be here all day and anyone that wants to do some research should go and do so. There are a lot of resources out there. Use them. 
But the short of it is this: queerbaiting has a lot more to do with the way a show is promoted, with the way that anyone involved in the show talks about a queer ship, and with the show deliberately scripting scenes that hint at a relationship without any intention of following through. Expectations and wanting a queer ship to go canon and those expectations not being met do not alone equate to it being queerbaiting. 
For any of us that have been around a long time there are a lot of perfect examples and if you compare Buddie to any of them, they are very different. I’ll name a few:
Merlin/Arthur
John Watson/Sherlock
Emma Swan/Regina
Derek/Stiles
Castiel/Dean Winchester (though they did go canon...barely)
Lena/Kara
Buck and Eddie do not fit into that list. Which isn’t to say that someday they could belong there, but I just do not believe that they will even if Buddie never becomes canon. And this all lies in how Buddie as a ship has been treated both on screen and off. I’ll break it down by season. 
S2: 
Eddie is very clearly introduced as a new character, a straight Army veteran with a disabled kid and family drama. He and Buck have immediate chemistry. We can’t deny that, or deny that from that first episode there are immediate sparks. Unintended sparks, but sparks nevertheless. And it is easy to tell that no one on the production team expected that and the story reflects that. 
Yes a foundation for their friendship is formed and yet the season long story focuses on Eddie’s relationship with his estranged wife and Buck is dealing with his own growth after being left by Abby. Their friendship shines and their scenes are great but none of them suggest romance and there are actually a lot of episodes where Buck and Eddie barely interact in S2 aside from in the background or for small work related moments (this mostly happens after Shannon returns). 
S2 does give us the first acknowledgement from the powers that be aka Tim Minear that they know what the fans have seen. This is why the elf scene exists, but it exists in a space where it’s a nod to the fans and not meant to do much more than that. The other moment is during the call with the livestreamer. But S2, places them completely and without question on a strong friendship. 
S3: 
We see a lot more conflict for Buck and Eddie in this season and we see how close and important they are to each other. Those are the two main things. That can be read as friendship easily and it’s a season where both Buck and Eddie deal with their pasts and in one way or another start to get closure while their friendship remains intact. 
Yes there are some scenes that make us squint and go huh, wtf? (I’m looking at you kitchen scene), but narratively we also know that neither of these boys is ready for a real relationship with anyone, let alone each other. But we can bask in how close they are as well as how Christopher fits in into all of it. 
But in S3 we are also introduced to Ana and we see the return of Abby. We also get to see that Buck and Eddie have become closer than ever and that the lawsuit only serves to highlight the importance that they both feel about having the other available to them. I’ll also quickly mention that Eddie Begins worked hard to highlight Buck’s devotion to Eddie. 
S4: 
Without considering the events of the finale (I am avoiding spoilers and know nothing about it or the speculation), we’ve seen Buck and Eddie both grow and get further closure on their past. This season has paralleled them well and their friendship has not faltered, they’re as close as ever. 
The beginning of the season was heavily focused on Buck and we saw him grow as a person and begin to work on himself in a healthy way and we’ve seen Eddie be supportive of that. 
We also have Ana to consider and her relationship with Eddie as well as the return of Taylor and yet the appearance of these women has not changed the Buck and Eddie dynamic. And I find it fascinating that Eddie beginning to date Ana, is the thing that prompted Buck to start dating. The parallels are all over the place but it is the strength of the friendship and the way they care so deeply about each other that remains whether that becomes romantic is still to be seen, but it could still go either way.  
Off-screen by the end of S2, Tim Minear had already addressed Buddie by throwing in that elf scene in a wink/nudge fashion that said “I see you” and in the scene with the girl with the livestream with the comments. During S3 he tweeted about being frustrated by the fans demanding and being hostile and thinking that that would make him more likely to do what they want (I’m paraphrasing what I remember seeing). Tim has never once said that Buddie will happen or shut the door on the ship entirely, but he did say he did not want to engage in conversation about it because he doesn’t want to get into arguments with fans. 
Oliver has always been enthusiastic about Buddie and has even said that he would be perfectly fine with it happening both a while ago and more recently in promo for S4. Conscious of queerbaiting and not wanting to give fans false hope, he has specifically said that he does not know if it will or won’t happen and that he wouldn’t speak on that as he’s not the one making that decision. His support for it happening does not mean he has any sway one way or the other. He’s said this a few times and even wrote a letter to the effect to make it clear to fans that the last thing he wants is to disappoint someone due to something he’s said. 
All in all, it just isn’t a constructive environment for anyone working on the show to interact with fans on this topic because any time that they do, they get attacked by overly enthusiastic buddie shippers that in many ways are making everything worse. 
In all of the interviews from Tim that I’ve seen, he has always been very quick to hint at what was coming up on the show in a way that at times has been misleading on purpose. The number one thing that comes to mind is early in S4 where Buck was said to get a new woman in his life. Tim absolutely made it out to seem like it was a girlfriend while knowing fully well that it was a therapist. This is an excellent example of what promoting and hinting is actually like. No one from this show has done that in regards to Buddie. 
No one has gone out of their way to hint that it may happen in a way that excites the fans. And this is one of my main reasons for knowing that Buddie is not a queerbait. At no point in the life of the show so far has anyone used Buddie in a promotional way to bring in viewers. Because THAT was the whole point of queerbaiting in the past. 
It was a way that some showrunners found to bring in a lot of viewers when they needed to up their numbers in order to show networks they were worth keeping around. Someone figured out that LGBTQ people wanted to see themselves represented so much so that they would tune in to anything that promised an LGBTQ character in some fashion. It was a tactic that worked well in the landscape of tv where there was so little LGBTQ content on mainstream media that anyone wanting it would latch onto anything. And then they just wouldn’t deliver on those relationships or characters. In 2021, that is not the world we live in any longer. 
In today’s tv landscape there is so much to watch and so much to pick from and diversity has grown, it is celebrated. Queer characters are well represented as are queer relationships and queer stories. The times are different. A while back I was listening to a podcast (Bait: a queerbaiting podcast) and something I found interesting was how the hosts both agreed that in today’s tv landscape there is no more real queerbait and that we won’t easily find anything like the ships I mentioned above. I think I agree more with this than I expected to, because I do think that it exists in some spaces, but it definitely isn’t what it used to be. This is a good thing. 
Specific to 9-1-1, this is a show that has that diversity and that isn’t afraid of tackling that diversity and giving us interesting and nuanced perspectives and stories embracing that. We have characters of color, women in positions of power, a F/F relationship, two multi-racial relationships, a disabled character, other queer characters including a M/M relationship. There is so much in this show that embraces diversity and that embraces the reality of what the world looks like. To call it queerbait is to disrespect everything else that this show is and has done and the hard storylines that have been tackled that we would not have seen on tv ten years ago. 
And I get that Buddie would be another breakthrough. It would be a novel way to tell a queer story, and it would be amazing if it were to happen. The set up is there, but it isn’t fully realized, and Buck and Eddie can still be read as just friends if we take off the shipping goggles. But it also isn’t queerbait or likely to become queerbait and people have to stop calling it that. 
What Buddie resembles is one of the many unintended slow burn ships that have frustrated viewers in many forms across fandoms and we just have to go along for the ride and maybe it will happen. Or maybe it won’t. But if we know anything about relationships on tv, it is that a lot of the fun comes from the journey, even if the destination is good too. 
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blackradandmad · 3 years ago
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why blippi is rotting yr children's brains
preface: i literally expect no one to read this. it is an essay length, strong opinion piece critiquing a niche youtube-based children's show that i don't expect most of y'all to even have knowledge of lol. but like, i promise that even if you know nothing about what i'm talking about, in my incredibly, super humble opinion, it's a good piece of writing and interesting nonetheless. anyway if you read this whole thing for some reason yr really hot and we should kiss.
i thoroughly vet everything my child watches before he watches it, episode by episode. and we rarely watch youtube for entertainment; we usually just look up educational videos when he has a question about something and wants more detail than i can provide him. and that's mainly because children's content on youtube is so fucking troubling and distressing. i don't judge parents who give their children a tablet at a restaurant at all bc i've been there and sometimes it's easier on everyone to just put on a video and avoid a giant scene, but i do judge parents who just leave their children alone with youtube kids on autoplay.
take stevin john, a literal millionaire who got famous from dressing up as a silly character called blippi and going on tours of places like aquariums, zoos, construction sites, etc and posting it on youtube. this has branched into a whole empire of blippi videos, hulu shows and specials, live shows and tours (that he outsources to another character actor), merchandise and so on. this 30-something year old man cites his main influence as being mr. rogers, but i question if he's ever even seen an episode of that program.
mr. rogers had no background in early childhood development or media production, but he revolutionized the world of children's media, because he respected his audience and didn't shy away from real world situations, all while creating a show with an enormous heart. mr. rogers begins his episodes by inviting the viewer in, literally changing his attire to be more comfortable, and talking about/doing things he genuinely cares about. whereas mr. rogers calmly and maturely addresses the viewer, blippi puts on a high pitched, contrived voice, interjecting every other sentence with a forced exclamation such as, "teehee! we're having so much fun!"
i don't find it a coincidence that john (blippi) is a veteran, either. his videos are completely devoid of the absurd, abstract, childlike thinking that makes children's media fun, creative, and entertaining. his thinking and process is methodical, devoid of emotion, and very superficial. this line of thinking clearly shows the kind of creative sterilization and emphasis on sameness and conformity instilled in the military. blippi simply observes things and interacts with them in a stale, matter-of-fact way. "this ball is purple! this ball is pink! anyway... what's over there? teehee! a car! vroom, vroom!" objects are colors, toy cars don't do anything but drive, curiosity is simply not encouraged.
he uses the "it's educational!" excuse to hide the fact that his show lacks everything that makes media a valuable resource for children to consume in the first place. further than identifying colors, numbers, and the occasional letter or shape, there is just this total lack of children's need for social and emotional development. when mr. rogers breaks the fourth wall to address the viewer and let them know they're special, it feels authentic and natural, because we've spent the last half hour building whole worlds with diverse characters and unique stories in a pretend neighborhood, learning about and enjoying different musical instruments, being exposed to and making friends with (even if parasocially, it is still a real bond to children when done properly) children who are similar to us in character regardless of physical or environmental differences, feeding the fish, making art together, and so on. when blippi tells the viewer, "you are very special, and i enjoy spending time with you!" it falls completely flat and feels unearned, because the last half hour was spent running around a soft play center pointing at bright, colorful objects, visiting interesting locations like farms or fruit production factories while failing to acknowledge the humanity of the humans actually working there (everything is machine or product focused; the human workers are simply an extension of the machine), learning "fun facts" about elephants that just list attributes of elephants, not taking the opportunity to inform the viewers of elephants' intelligence, or diet, or matriarchal society. it is a loud, sensory overwhelming display of a man so disconnected from the social and emotional needs and desires of children that he assumes they're stupid, easily entertained idiots who only need some silly dances and fast-moving cartoon graphics to give their attention (meaning time and desire to purchase products meaning $$$). john clearly views his audience as a means to gaming the algorithm and ultimately a paycheck by the hollow way he addresses them.
the show is so narcissistic, so focused on all the fun blippi is supposedly having, but he lacks any of the character traits that make individual children's show hosts memorable, so much so that he was able to have someone else who doesn't even vaguely resemble him dress as blippi and impersonate him and host the show or appear at live shows, and it went unnoticed by most of his toddler and child audience. the show is so formulaic and the character of blippi is so unmemorable that instead of taking the blue's clues route of developing a story of the host leaving for college and his brother now stepping in, or making some sort of believable excuse for the change in actors, they can simply swap him out with some random guy and not acknowledge it at all. although a comedy show for older children, the amanda show in no way could or would try to replicate the show with the same name but swapping out amanda bynes with a random teenage girl who is clearly not amanda bynes. it's weird and nonsensical and shows that his character is so much of a farce put on for a paycheck that not even his dedicated audience is affected or even cares when he is replaced by a random, unknown person.
this is completely garbage content made by an opportunist with no experience with children who saw his nephew watching children's youtube content, took it at complete surface level and still hasn't realized that while children's content only looks and feels so easy, entertaining, and enriching because it is so hard to do well. even with outsourcing his music, that aspect of the show still sucks. famous and successful children's musician, raffi, is known for his song describing the life of a little white whale, called "baby beluga." it opens with a calm strumming of his guitar, followed by the lyrics, "baby beluga in the deep blue sea/swim so wild and you swim so free/heaven above/sea below/and a little white whale on the go." is it silly and kind of pointless? yes, but the point is that he is captivating children and showing them the fun of listening to music, dancing, singing, and appreciating art. the "excavator song" featured in an episode of blippi about construction vehicles opens with what sounds like a default garageband loop and the flatly sung lyrics, "i'm an excavator/i'm an excavator/hey dirt, see you later/i'm an excavator." i don't feel i have to meticulously analyze the aforementioned lyrics; the stark contrast should speak for itself.
i have a million more criticisms about both blippi specifically and youtube children's content as a whole, but this is already so long and i doubt many people will get this far anyway. it's an issue i was completely apathetic towards until i had my own child and had to wean him off these kinds of junk food shows because i realized the fast-paced visuals and bright colors and repetitive songs/lyrics were putting him in this spaced-out, fugue state, and he thought he could demand this show or that show whenever he wanted. the moment he started regularly yelling things like, "watch! cars!" or "no! click it!" i knew i had to be a lot more invested in the things he watched even if just for entertainment or as a soothing message. i showed him an episode of mr. rogers yesterday and feared it would be too slow to hold his attention, but he was mesmerized, greeting and interacting with mr. rogers verbally, asking me, "what's that?" to different objects on the screen. since purging this low-brow children's entertainment, he has had a noticeable increase in attention span and concentration, can focus on a task for longer amounts of times, is more likely to "read"/look through books without me initiating it, and doesn't throw a fit when the tv/my laptop is off.
i just know that for me, growing up with so much unsupervised internet access definitely led me to real-world pain and consequences, and it seems like now children are born with an iphone as an extension of their arm. if my child is going to be consuming videos, i'm definitely supervising every second and am going to be highly critical of the videos and the credentials (or lack thereof) of the creators and team behind it. but i also know, from pure observation admittedly, that parents letting youtube kids autoplay parent their children for hours at a time is not an uncommon occurrence. and it worries me that a generation of children are being raised on videos that rely on being as loud and bright and superficially enjoyable as possible. what's the use of a child knowing their colors and alphabet if they don't know how to treat people with kindness and empathy and respect? there is something wrong for a children's show host to plug the spelling of his name at the end of his videos ("well, that's the end of this video. but if you wanna watch more of my videos, just type in my name! can you spell my name with me? b-l-i-p-p-i!") after essentially rotting his audiences' brains for a half hour. there's something so insidious about the prioritization of naming different parts of construction vehicles over honest depictions of and conversations about dealing with feelings, or why someone with autism may act differently than you, or what to do when you feel lonely, or ways to make art and express yrself creatively. also, not to mention the blatant police propaganda and outright worship is seriously jarring; as a black mother to a visibly non-white child, i cannot sit there and watch blippi show kids how to be a bootlicker for the shittiest profession on earth, but that could be a whole essay in and of itself.
anyway, thanks for reading, if yr looking for quality children's content, i recommend, in no specific order: mr. rogers, sesame street, the electric company, molly of denali, daniel tiger, bluey!, blue's clues, the odd squad, word party, trash truck, puffin rock, uhh... that's definitely not an extensive list but that's just off the dome!!! ok bye y'all <333
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buckyownsmylife · 4 years ago
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Clean - John Winchester Smut
The one where John’s your best friend’s father
Warnings: smut, age gap, rough sex, oral sex (f), p in v, overstimulation, dirty talk, curse words
A/N: Day 6 of kinktober and I’m really exhausted and low. But here it is. Hope you guys like it. The prompts were overstimulation and bestfriend’s father.
Y/N’s P.O.V.
I could feel his eyes on me from across the room. It was difficult not to, especially when it felt like my body was so perfectly attuned to his, permanently in search for his attention. But of course, because things couldn’t be easy, not only was he thirty years older than me, he was also my best friend’s father.
Sammy wasn’t even my age, which made it worse. Even he was older than me, as we’d met in college, where I’d been accepted even before I was of legal age. And now that we’d ran into each other after I lost everything and everyone I knew to a werewolf pack, he felt like it was his responsibility to take care of me, which is how I ended up in his family’s bunker, permanently stuck with him, his older brother Dean, their friend Cas - who was an angel - and their father, John. The muse behind every wet dream I’d ever had since our eyes had first met.
Life with the Winchesters - and Cas - wasn’t hard or bad. Most of the time I stayed at the bunker, perfectly content in helping with research - it was my favorite activity, after all. John had been scared of allowing me to join them on their hunts, saying I needed actual training that they couldn’t quickly provide, but these last few weeks had found us alone with each other more often than not, his hands over mine as he taught me how to pull the trigger of a gun.
That part was hard, ignoring how his touch made me feel electrified when he was so close, holding my hands in front of my body from behind and directing them towards a designated target, but not as hard as the cock I felt straining his jeans and rubbing against my backside in those same moments.
We never spoke of it, both pretending to not notice, but we knew better. And that’s precisely why I allowed him to run off into his bedroom immediately after our training sessions, without accompanying him to offer my help in return.
He was my best friend’s father. I shouldn’t. But fuck did I want to.
So that’s why these last few days, it felt like the temperature had been steadily rising between us, to the point where it seemed like we’d both burn up into flames at any moment. John had gotten back from a hunt five days ago and still hadn’t offered to meet me in a training session, something that struck me as weird, but I didn’t want to bother him, so I never asked for it, opting to simply wait for his invitation.
Now, I could feel him staring at me from across the room, and as much as I wanted to ask why, I didn’t. I just kept my head down as I tried to concentrate on the research Sam asked me to help him with.
Just as I was about to finally be able to focus, though, Dean decided to disturb the peaceful atmosphere.
“Who wants to go to the bar?” It was an invitation made strictly out of politeness. He’d long ago given up on ever getting me to leave the bunker to “relax” in that kind of loud atmosphere, so I just granted him a sheepish smile, to which he chuckled. “Alright, I got it. Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Sam, what about you?”
My best friend’s head whipped up from the book he was reading at the mention of his name, and it took him some time to tune in into what Dean was talking about. When he did, much to everyone’s surprise, he actually nodded, closing his book and stretching up. “Sure, I think I deserve some rest after this week. Are you sure I can’t convince you to join us, Y/N?”
John’s P.O.V.
She smiled, but shook her head at my boys.
“Nah, I’m good. You guys have fun. Besides, anytime you take me with you, someone ends up having to babysit me, and I’m sure the main reason you want to go out is to find someone to spend the night with, right?” Sam blushed, but didn’t deny. Dean, on the other hand, always my son, just chuckled, no embarrassment in his features. 
“Well, a man’s gotta live.” What he didn’t add was that if she offered, he’d exchange all the skanks in the world for a chance to be with her. The only person who didn’t take notice in his obvious crush for her was her.
There was another thing that remained unspoken while the boys prepared to leave the bunker. The main reason why someone had to stay behind with her was because no other girl approached our table when she was around us. She just had that effect. We became so enraptured by her that no one else caught our eye, and so no one approached.
We didn’t mind. She took all of our attention when she was around, and she didn’t even know it. So it was safe to say that ever since she stopped agreeing to be dragged out into bars with us, we were grateful.
“Dad?” They hadn’t realized I had made no effort to get ready until they were already at the door. 
“‘M not going tonight.” Her surprised eyes found mine from the other side of the room, but just like my kids, she didn’t say anything. In another minute or so they were gone and then it was only her and I in the bunker for the night.
I could see the tension in her shoulders from the other side of the room, and I almost chuckled. Perhaps this was only another sign in a long list of things that should show me how screwed up I was for wanting what I did, but I’d given up trying to fight it. I’d fucked woman after woman thinking about the girl in front of me, and she was still the only one I could think about when I lied down at night. So now it was time to get her.
“Y/N,” I called out to her a few minutes after the boys had left, wanting to give them time to possibly come back to get whatever item they might have forgotten, but when that wasn’t the case, I broke the silence that had fallen in the room without a second thought. “Come here.”
I could see even from the distance between us that she flinched at the sound of her own name. Had I startled her? She was a hunter, she couldn’t be so easily scared, but perhaps it was the tension that had appeared between us that made her uneasy enough to jump at anything.
Her head whipped up to look at me, but she didn’t immediately do anything, just stared, like she was unsure if I’d actually called her name or if it was only her own imagination playing tricks on her. When I refused to repeat myself, but still maintained eye contact with her, she slowly got up from her chair and made her way to where I was sitting, giving me the perfect opportunity to appreciate her body.
Fuck, she really was something. The way that jeans hugged her curves, showing off her tight ass, and how her breasts bounced with each step she took towards me. It was impossible not to be aroused - I couldn’t understand how Sam kept it in his pants. I knew for a fact Dean had eyed her quite a bit, because I was the one to remove any ideas of him ever getting with her with a single slap on the back of his head when I got him smirking down at her.
That kid was too much like me for his own good.
“You called?” She asked when she was finally right in front of me, her head doing that cute little thing where it leaned to one side as she nibbled on her lower lip, waiting for any sort of reaction from me.
Y/N’s P.O.V.
John’s stare was an intense kind of torture, one that seemed perfectly constructed just to break me down to my most primal state. I had no doubt he’d be able to achieve that. After what felt like hours of him undressing me with those brown hues that had seen so much more than he actually let on, he finally showed me some sort of direct recognition, sitting up straighter in the armchair he was sprawled on, before clearing his throat.
“Yes, I did call you. You see, Y/N, I’ve found myself in a sort of… situation, for quite sometime now, and I’ve tried everything I could to get myself through it. There’s only one thing left, now. You.”
My eyebrows flew up while I opened my mouth several times, in search of something to say. Still, with the little amount of information I had, all that was left for me to ask was “Me? How can I help you?”
By the way the corners of his lips twitched up - the closest thing to a smile coming from John Winchester - it was clear that while he anticipated my questioning, it still amused him greatly. I got the impression that he thought of me as something precious, innocent even, and while I couldn’t understand neither where I got this idea or why he thought of me like that, the truth was that it got me hot like nothing else.
“Considering you are the very reason for my problem, I’d say there are a lot of ways you can help me, sweetheart.” My heart had started beating more quickly, the innuendo in his words, the tension that had been ever-present in the atmosphere between us, it all made sense. But I still couldn’t believe this was actually happening, that he actually wanted me.
I didn’t want to do or say anything that let on what I was thinking about, because God, how embarrassing would it be if I had completely misread this situation?
John sighed at my lack of response, throwing a hand through his hair as he looked around the room before fixing his eyes on me again. “Listen, sweetheart. I don’t want to put you into a difficult position and I most definitely don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want, I just think you might be interested in taking up my offer. I’ve seen the way you look at me, it’s not much different from how I look at you either. None of the boys need to know. This would just be between me and you.”
I was certain he was able to hear my heartbeat by now, but still, I forced myself to speak over the thundering sound resonating in my ears. “And what would that be, exactly? Your offer, I mean.”
John didn’t immediately answer, opting instead to run his eyes through my figure once more. I forced myself to contain the inevitable shiver, pondering how the hell was he able to feel so dominating while remaining seated, whereas I was standing up.
John’s P.O.V.
“I want to use you as my personal fucktoy,” I decided to get on with it, lay it all out in the open as soon as possible. There was no reason to hide, after all, I wasn’t exactly a blushing virgin and I wanted her to know exactly what she was getting herself into if she accepted my proposal.
“Now, I need you to really understand this, pretty girl. I’m not fucking around and I’m most definitely nothing like the boys you probably fucked up until now. When I say I want you to be my fucktoy, I mean you will be my fucktoy. I have a lot of pent up frustrations to deal with and I will not do anything other than use you. It will be rough. I will not be gentle.”
I watched with clear interest as my words registered in the girl in front of me. It wasn’t hard to see that she was interested in what I was offering, by the way she was biting her lip and changing her weight from one leg to another. I was willing to bet that she was wet already. 
“Are you sure we’ll be able to keep this from the boys?” I smiled at how she called my sons, who were both older than her, and at her priorities. There was a reason I knew I should take the leap and look for relief in her. Instead of worrying about how rough I could be, she just wanted to know about the privacy of it all.
“Come here, sweetheart,” I asked, beckoning her to my lap. She obeyed with barely any hesitancy, which instantly aroused me. There was nothing I loved more than a girl who knew her place and what she wanted.
As soon as she was in touching distance, I pulled her to sit on one of my thighs, relishing in the tiny gasp of surprise she let out at the sudden movement. “You don’t need to worry,” I assured her, while wrapping a strand of her hair on one of my fingers, while my other hand secured her in her spot. “We’re both consenting adults, right? They never have to know about what we do when they aren’t here.”
Her eyes had been staring at my mouth as I talked, and by the end of my question she quickly raised them to meet mine again, like she was scared to be caught staring. A chuckle caught in my throat, I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to me. “Just come here,” I said right before meeting her lips with mine.
It was exactly as I imagined, her softness meeting my chapped lips with some timidness as I forced her to welcome my eager tongue. The tiny moan that she let out as I parted her lips to get my first taste of her went straight to my cock, making me groan before I adjusted her so she’d sit properly on both of my thighs, facing me. 
Her hands clutched my shirt as mine explored her body, masculine satisfaction filling my chest at the knowledge that from now on, she’d be mine to take.”Wanna start being a good girl for me?” I whispered in her ear, fully enjoying seeing the goosebumps that rose up on her arms at the touch of my breath on her skin.
Y/N’s P.O.V.
“Yes,” I breathed out without even thinking twice, completely lost to the feeling of John’s warm, manly hands groping my body. His ever-present smell of whiskey and gunpowder was going straight to my head, making me feel like the world was swirling around us as he savored my lips, my jaw, my throat, his hands getting lost in my hair before grabbing my ass over my jeans, grinding me against him.
“Then get up,” he ordered, already helping me do as he said with his hands on my waist. When I was standing in front of him again, he ran his eyes through me one more time before continuing, “Now strip.”
I’d normally feel at least a bit timid of following his direction, but with John looking at me like I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid his eyes on, I found myself wishing that my clothes were already on the floor - especially since it suddenly felt way too hot in this bunker, the fluorescent lights a sun in itself. 
First went my shirt, before I unbuttoned my jeans and let them fall down to my ankles. John licked his lips at the sight of my body in just my underwear, before telling me to step out of my jeans.
He didn’t need to tell me to proceed with my strip-tease, I did so instinctively, my bra quickly falling down to the floor before my panties followed the same path. John’s gaze had darkened considerably, and had become so strong that it almost felt like a physical presence over me, exploring my crevices.
“Pull out that chair, sweetheart,” he nodded towards one of the simple wooden chairs we kept by one of the dining tables, and although I quirked an eyebrow in his direction, I did as he said, positioning the chair to face him, before he tutted. “Turn it around,” he instructed, and I did so quickly, my breasts bouncing with each step I took. “Now brace yourself on the back of that chair.”
For the first time, I hesitated before doing what he wanted. With him still seating right behind me, I’d be quite literally giving him a vision of everything. But of course, that was precisely what he wanted, so I just resorted to doing exactly as he said, wrapping my arms around the back of the chair and leaning over so that my pussy was on display for him.
I didn’t witness any sort of reaction for a few seconds, and my heart was beating so loudly I couldn’t even hear his breath to be able to actually pinpoint if he was still seated or not. All I knew was that with each passing minute, my nerves stood on end, my nipples tightening in the warm air of the room while I could feel my wetness start to seep out of my lower lips.
But then, I felt his hands on the back of my thighs, his warm breath right over my most intimate part, like he was teasing himself with my smell before allowing his own satisfaction. “Such a pretty little pussy,” he whispered in that rough voice of his that always gave me shivers. Accompanied by a sweep of his knuckles against my most sensitive part, it almost made my knees buckle.
John’s P.O.V.
I had to stop myself from chuckling at how much my little actions affected her. I could only imagine how she’d look all fucked out, when I was done with her. “Hang there, sweetheart, I wanna get myself a taste.” Keeping her still by my grip on her legs, I buried my face on her pussy from behind, paying attention to the adorable little gasp she let out at the first swipe of my tongue. “You can be as loud as you want, pretty girl. The boys aren’t here to hear ya.”
I slowly collected some of the wetness already slipping out of her with the tip of my tongue, relishing in her sweet taste. I immediately needed more, needed to have it dripping off my beard, imprinted on my taste buds.
All calmness and control recklessly abandoned, I pressed myself further inside of her, only half-listening to the broken moans and gasps leaving her lips as she tried to remain in the position I ordered her to be in, while I lapped up her cunt with a vigor I hadn’t felt in a long time. 
“Fuck, you really are a sweet thing, aren’t you? I’d forgotten how great young pussy tasted. Hang in there, sweetheart, this might take a while.” It wasn’t my plan to spend so much time just eating her out, but she was just too delicious to leave without having her cum directly against my tongue. So I gave her my all, engulfing her pussy in my mouth as my jaw rubbed against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, my beard certainly leaving a burning sensation I could only take egoistic pride in. Finally, she gave me what I wanted, cumming directly into my mouth with my nose pressed against her little clit, and I drank it all in, licking my lips and hers to make sure I wouldn’t waste any drop.
She was still trembling and trying to catch her breath when I pulled away from her, rubbing my lips to chase the remnants of her taste. Then I paused, once again looking her up and down, from the tiptoes she was resting on, the back of her thighs until the perfectly presented cunt just there for me to take.
“Wait just there, darlin’, I think I might need a second taste.” By the time I was done with her, three orgasms later, she’d cum with my hands spreading her asscheeks, after I fucked my tongue inside her pretty little asshole, with a single finger inside of her while I bit on her thighs and finally, with three digits buried to the knuckle, as she begged me for a release I was more than happy to give her. Her juices were already dripping past her ankles, and as much as I wanted to lick it all up, clean her with my tongue, my cock had been throbbing inside my jeans for far too long to continue to be ignored.
Rising up behind her, I caressed the skin of her back as I tried to calm her down, while I kept one hand on my belt, prying it open. “There, sweetheart. We’re almost done, aren’t we? All that’s left for you to do now is to welcome my cock into that tight cunt of yours. Think you can do it?”
Y/N’s P.O.V.
My heart couldn’t keep up with what was going on. It felt like I’d just run a marathon, my skin all sweaty while my wetness dripped on the concrete floor below us. “Y-yes,” I answered with all the energy I had left, flinching at how hoarse my throat felt. “I can do it.”
John chuckled warmly, and it was with a jolt of excitement that I realized his cock was out, as he pulled me against his chest by my hair. “I know you can, sweet thing. The question is… how badly do you want it?”
He rubbed his cock against me as he whispered the question in my ear, and I gasped at how thick he felt, immediately comprehending what he wanted from me. “Please, John, I want it so bad. I want your cock inside of me, I need it.” 
The growl I got in response let me know I had gotten it right even before I felt the head of his cock pressing against me, spearing me open. He shoved it all inside of me in a single thrust, not allowing me anytime to get used to the feeling of being so brutally stretched after he bottomed out.
“Now, darlin’, you just hold onto that chair and let me ruin you.” Pushing me against the chair again, he immediately started to pound against me, both hands so tightly holding onto my waist that I was sure I’d have bruised in the morning.
He wasn’t lying about ruining me. I’d never been so forcefully fucked in my entire life, and it wasn’t hard to see that I had John’s sexual experience to thank for it. “John!” I screamed out his name as I felt myself reaching that high again, my channel throbbing around him. He just kept fucking me with the same intensity, turning my sensitiveness into overstimulation in a second.
“John, please!” I begged as tears rolled down my cheeks from the way it all felt like too much - the feeling of being so filled, the way my clit ached and throbbed, my pussy trying to push him out and keep him in at the same time. Still, I couldn’t be certain of what I was asking for - for him to stop? To continue? Both ideas sounded equally necessary to me at that moment.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to be my fucktoy?” He asked threateningly, pulling me by my hair again so he could lick the salt on my cheek. “You can take it, sweetheart. You’re a big girl, aren’t you?” With a slap over my clit, I cried as my last orgasm suddenly intensified and I felt myself bursting with a white hot flash of an orgasm as I squirted all over our clamped legs.
When I finally managed to blink my eyes open again, I realized John was still hugging me to him, but he’d stopped moving. Then, I realized the mess between my legs was even stickier, and it all made sense.
“I forgot to ask you where I could cum,” he joked, kissing my temple before slowly pulling out of my abused pussy. He looked around for my clothes before selecting my shirt to wipe the excess moisture on our skins.
“It’s okay,” I explained as I tried to catch my breath, still frozen on the same spot and holding the chair, since I was scared my legs would fail me if I tried to move. “I’m on the pill.” Before I could say anything else, John picked me up bridal style and started moving us towards the bedrooms, making me wheeze in surprise. “Where are you taking me?” I inquired, confused and tired, but he looked down at me like I was suddenly gone crazy. 
“My bedroom. I figured I’d let you soak in a bath while I take care of the mess we left in the living room. Then I can come back and hold you for a bit, before you fall asleep. How does that sound?” As hard as it was to wrap my head around the concept of John Winchester performing aftercare, I was too tired to even question, so I just nodded, smiling softly up at him.
“Sounds perfect.”
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wordynerdygurl · 4 years ago
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Skin Deep - Part 6
Author’s Note:  Honestly, this story is nearing it’s ending.  Hard to believe that a little idea I couldn’t shake has now grown into this mini-series!  For all my die-hard homies, waiting for the next installment, I hope this is worth your while!  If you’re new here, take a look around, see if you like anything and please, let the management know if you have any questions!! As always, writing like this requires the emotional support of people and pets.  My dogs, Murphy and Winston, get me through a lot of plot bunnies just by being stalwart companions.  My husband, graciously, lets me take these flights of fancy when I probably should be paying better attention to him and his day... and some of my besties here on Tumblr make it possible for me to do this for you guys.  @sammy-jo1977​ , my sister from another mister!  Couldn’t/ Wouldn’t do it without you! To all the folks who follow me... My Minxes!  Love you all!  Stay well, be kind, and remember that Love, really does conquer all!  If you want to be a Minx, send me a note, I’ll happily add you to my tag list! Lastly, be sure to like and share anything that you see on Tumblr that catches your eye.  Creative types, we need the constant validation, you see?  Without it, like an unwatered plant, we wither on the vine and perish!  Be kind to those who help you through the day and reblog! Skin Deep Part 5 - click here for the previous chapter! Pairing:  Loki x Reader, Steve, Valkyrie & Thor all make appearances Summary:  Continued from Part 5, You and Loki put your plan into action, returning to Farmhouse.  When you encounter Steve again, you learn there’s more than two sides to this story. Warnings:  Loki’s POV and perspective, including mentions of his time under Thanos.  I’m re-writing MCU history here, but some of the main beats are the same, so look out for SPOILERS for Dark World, Ragnarok, and a touch of Infinity War.  The SNAP never happened because, reasons.  
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Empathy used to seem such a human emotion.  Loki had no time for that on Asgard, not when Odin denied anything as frivolous as feeling.  Hiding in plain sight was the means to survival and if that made the young prince sneaky and sly, so be it.  By placing those parts of himself under lock and key; the parts that hurt, the ones that ached, Loki found it was safer to disconnect from others than subject himself to their suffering too.
Operating under the influence of Thanos and his minions when he held the scepter, Loki had purposefully divorced connection of any kind from his mind.  It was dangerous.  Weak.  And moreover, it allowed Loki to do what Thanos commanded without really experiencing the horror, the havoc, of his actions for himself. 
  Who could hear the screams of women when the voice of Ebony Maw subliminally chanted all the ways that one could be dismembered at Thanos’ hands should Loki fail?  What man would shed a tear after the near constant beatings doled out by Black Order members, just for the fun of it?  How could someone care about a house, a car, a city, when they no longer cared about themself? Losing the Battle for New York had consequences far beyond the destruction of property.  With Thanos’ hold over him vanquished, the walls around his heart, constructed in youth, crashed and burned like the dream of ruling Earth.  Suddenly and completely out of reserves, Loki was powerless.  And he felt everything.  The fresh hurts caused by his manipulated ambitions in the hands of Thanos. The furious feelings of his brother, the inadequacies of his character, the feeble needs that drove his wild ambition washed over him unceasingly.  Anger.  Loss.  Lunacy.  Loki learned a hard truth in that moment.  He was a monster.  A freak.  A creature beyond hope and salvation; proving his adoptive father right and his own hopeful heart wrong.  Bitterness soured the fallen prince. Endless hours in isolation on Earth, which continued in his father's house, had Loki believing he had no chance of seeing the world outside again, and it hardened his heart further.  To feel was so painful, so raw, and so humane.  Why bother anyway?  All that emoting, those high spirits, all they really did was expose you to derision.  What was grief to a goblin?  What was horror to a monster?  What was love to a villain like him?  An evil, conspiring demi-god, with a mind bent toward domination.  A damaged, destroyed, deity alone and in pieces.  Who would ever give someone like Loki Odinson a chance?  Why should they?
Turning to his mother, Loki did everything but ask for forgiveness.  In long rambling talks, her projection to his jailed person, the pair talked around ideas of guilt and innocence, of fate and fortune, of destiny versus desire, yet Loki never heard the words he needed in order to truly find peace.   
If Frigga was aware of her son’s need for absolution, Loki would never know, as their last exchange was harsh and full of anger.  Another stroke of loss, crippling now, because there was nothing Loki could do to change any of it from inside his prison cell.  No illusion could conceal the painful ache that consumed him entirely. 
Those days were dark, even for a soul as dusky hued as his own, and Loki’s thoughts followed a similar path.  If there had been a way for him to shake off this immortal coil, free himself of the burden of living, Loki would have done so and been glad.  Death was welcome compared to all this longing and heartache. But life, even a nearly immortal one, was funny. 
When Thor provided a chance at redemption, Loki snatched at it, in his own detached way.  He played hero, rescuing Jane, aiding his brother.  And if he took a bit more in the form of deposing his arrogant, aging father, who would be surprised?  He was Loki, God of Mischief, after all. Ruling the Nine Realms without the oppressive oversight of his father allowed Loki to prove himself in ways he never imagined.  And Loki wasn’t just good at it.  He was great. Of course, it helped that no one knew he was Loki.  Living disguised as Odin was often unpleasant, frequently frustrating, but entirely necessary.  Being Loki was still too difficult and likely to bring unwanted attention in the form of The God of Thunder, a thing that no one truly wanted, Loki least of all. Return Thor did, along with an unknown sister and the end of Asgard.  When confronted with the insanity of Hela’s bloodlust, Loki’s only thought was of his kingdom, now without a ruler.  He had worked too hard, too long, to see the land he cared for in the hands of an enemy, even if she called herself sister.  Opening the Bi-Frost, panicked, his mind was solely on saving those he had recently held dominion over.  They were his people, after all.  But he never reached Asgard. Swallowing his fear, Loki focused all his energy on staying alive in a new and distracting environment, initially.  What Loki found on Sakaar wasn't a new home base under a flamboyant, ineffective leader that he could control, even if that was his first design.  On Sakaar Loki found his loyalty.  
The proud, deep resonance of being Asgardian, of being an Odinson, of being capable and cool under pressure.  Sure, he had to prove himself to Thor, Valkyrie, Banner and honestly, the rest of the kingdom, but actions speak louder than words.  And through his actions on Sakkar, and by extension rescuing the people of Asgard, Loki had shown everybody his true mettle. It was on the deck of a stolen ship headed for Midgard that  Loki had made a commitment of sorts.  One that was not to the people, so recently saved or for his found family.  This time, the promise Loki intended to keep was for himself.  Loki was going to change. The problem is, a task like that takes time.  Patience.  Motivation.  It was something that Loki had to work at and it was exhausting. They say that the best things come to those who wait.  Loki was learning to wait everyday.  Having earned a place at the side of his brother, he worked tirelessly to win over the heroes of his new home planet.  Was it easy?  Hardly, but Loki wasn’t willing to compromise.  Not anymore. A life like Hela’s was not in his runes.  Loki was simply going to be better.  Not perfect.  No one could be as good hearted as Captain America, nor could one be as tech savvy as Stark.  So Loki was planning on being the best Loki he could possibly be, and that’s how he found himself going to meetings at The Avengers Tower, a mostly welcome addition to the team. Meetings weren’t all that exciting and boredom was an awful temptation for a deity devoted to mayhem.  In fact, Loki spent more time doodling in his notebook than listening to whoever was droning on about whatever part of the world needed the attention of this motley crew.  That was, until Pepper Potts hired her new assistant.  That you were polite, pretty and pert wasn’t lost on the young god.  Sitting outside Mrs. Iron Man’s office, typing away with a phone tucked under your ear, moving faster than anyone he had ever seen was certainly impressive.  You were quick witted, clever and most of all, funny. Everyone else seemed to fall under your spell without much effort on your part, something that Loki found frustratingly fascinating.  Here he was, struggling to get people to say his name without having a traumatic flashback, while you simply smiled and smarted off prettily, and had everyone singing your praises.  But Norns, were you adorable. If he thought about it, and while off planet, Loki definitely had, he could remember the moment he realized that you were the woman he wanted.  You were busy, as always, fielding phone calls and flipping through screens yet every moment your flying fingers weren’t hovering over a keyboard or pushing down telephone buttons they curled around a heart shaped charm at your throat.  Clearly, it was a habit and one that you weren’t even aware of, still - it transfixed him all the same.  Watching you from his side eye, your voice never wavering, your tone always so pleasing, and your nimble digits returning again and again to the small sigil around your neck.  “Loki?” “Huh?”  Dumbfounded at your call, those deep sea eyes blinked wildly at the sound of his name on your lips. “Hi!  Yes, Pepper can see you now.  Go ahead, she’s ready!” He rose on stiff legs, adjusting his tie, about to lie to Tony Stark’s woman all for the chance to see you in passing.  Who had he become? It started out innocent like that, but soon, Loki was having to invent excuses for being in the office so frequently.  Missing files, random visits, even going so far as to buy Tony coffee just for the thrill of seeing you.  Something needed to change, and quickly, or Loki was going to blow. On another made up errand, hanging around the executive’s high rise office, Loki was doing a bad job of pretending not to see you.  His mind was on your pouty lips as you sipped lemonade through a straw and not on the stately woman seated behind the desk. 
“Loki, you’re a man of some… style.”  Pepper said it so casually that he almost didn’t hear, his head lost in thoughts that would shame any other person. “I like to think so.”
Shutting her folder with a snap, Pepper smiled, “And you’d love to help your old friend Pepper out, right?” That got his attention, and quickly.  Loki, shoving his hands in his pockets, turned to face Pepper with a widening grin, “I feel like I’m being baited.”
“Baited?  Never!  It’s just, you’re always here and I have a… project that needs the kind of help that you can provide.”  At those words you entered the office, ready for action with a notebook and pen, eager and excited. Suddenly, it was all clear to Loki, “Pepper, no.”  
The noose closed in on the handsome god as Pepper gathered paperwork without looking his way, “Come on, it’s the Stark Homecoming Gala and the two of you will do great!  I have faith in you both.  I can’t wait to see what you come up with!” “Really, Miss Potts, I simply can’t-” Stopping short, the strawberry blonde whipped around, almost nose to nose with Loki.  Shrewd and straightforward, Pepper interrupted, saying, “You’ve been dancing around my office for weeks now.  Clearly you like her and… against all the odds, she likes you too.  I’m doing you a favor and when someone does you a favor, you say “Thank You”.” “Thank you.” Nodding curtly, “You’re welcome.  Now, make yourselves comfortable, order some dinner, my treat.  And do whatever you need to make sure this is one great party!” That’s how Loki found himself sitting at a clear glass table over sweating bottles of iced tea as you discussed color themes and tablecloths.  You were shy, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear as you reviewed notes from previous gatherings both large and small.  His hands itched with wanting to do that job himself. “So, what do you think?”  It was the first time you had addressed him directly since coming through the door and for a moment Loki couldn’t answer.  You were too… not beautiful, that wasn’t the right word, although you were.  No, you were too open, too easy to read, and the earnestness you offered him was downright frightening. Sitting forward in the uncomfortable, yet fashionable, office furniture, Loki cleared his throat and again tugged his tie, “What I think is that you should let me take you dinner.” Dropping your eyes, your cheeks colored slightly as your fingers found that locket charm once more, “Loki, I… I don’t know-” Grabbing for your hand, suddenly afraid that you would take those shining eyes away, Loki lowered his voice and did something he never thought he would.  He begged.  “Please?  I find that you’re all I can think about.” It rushed out of him in a torrent, the way truth so often does, and he found himself unable to look you in the eye.  Loki was afraid to see rejection on your easy to read face, afraid that wanting you had cracked open the lock box holding his heart, afraid that you would see just how weak you made him.  Your fingers twined with his own as you replied, “You didn’t let me finish.  I don’t know what took you so long.” Sighing with relief, his face melting into a genuine smile, “Me either.” Over the next two months the pair of you worked tirelessly to plan and execute a perfect party.  You were inseparable during the day, heads buried together as you discussed linens and table settings, the quality of cocktail glasses, and debating over a band or a dj.  But at night, at night Loki talked about the things that haunted him in the dark.  And you loved him in spite of the awful things he had seen and done and said. Others took notice.  Loki was more lighthearted, more available.  He listened when people spoke and wasn’t constantly doodling during meetings.   Yes, Loki was learning how to love through your loving him.  If empathy had seemed too humane before, then sharing his life, his love with you, was the kind of immortality that earned someone a place in Valhalla.  It was the bravest thing Loki Odinson had ever done and he didn’t mind one bit.
The first time Loki tasted you was burned into his brain, as bright as a flash of lightning.  A firefly in a memory jar that he kept returning to, time and again.  Loki remembered what you were wearing.  He recalled exactly how the light shone in your eyes.  If he concentrated, he could tap out the rhythm of your racing pulse as he held you in his arms. It was the night of the gala.  Inviting everyone under the Stark Industries banner, up to and including the heroes tasked with saving the world, the event was a way to earn money for one of the many charities Tony supported.  The place was full of beautiful people wearing gorgeous clothes under perfect lights set to the hand crafted soundtrack you had created together.
But, Norns, he could still remember the way your eyes sparkled under the lowlights of that hall.  How your dress, simple but sophisticated, clung to the fullness of your bottom.  Low cut but somehow still modest, Loki couldn’t tear his gaze away from the promise of your curves, willing himself to find anything else as interesting as the idea of you.  
You were across the room hanging onto Tony’s every word, eyes bright and cheerfully glowing as you sipped champagne.  It made Loki want to do something grand, something suave, something that would demand your attention for his own.  Moving towards you, his tuxedo perfectly pressed and fitting better than it had any right to, Loki looked long and lean.  Each of his steps seemed to echo, even though the room was full of sound, and you turned your head as if you also heard.  Breaking away from the cluster of acolytes surrounding Iron Man, you bit into your lip as the crowd parted, moving closer together one step at a time.  It was one of the sexiest things Loki had ever witnessed. Lifting your glass in a toast, taking in the room of mingling millionaires, wealthy hangers on and Avengers, “Well, we did it!” “You did it, my dove, I just hung around and judged everyone.” “Oh stop.  I couldn’t have done it without you and you know it.”  Playfully you pushed against his shoulder and Loki took advantage, using your momentum to pull you to his side, your curvy figure flush against his own. Crooning into the shell of your ear, his lips brushing over that sensitive skin, “Somehow, love, I think you would have managed.”  Before you had time to think, Loki had melded his mouth with your own, stealing your breath along with your heart.  Loki’s feet moved in time with the music as he pulled into a dance, laughing in his arms, your cheeks hot and your head swimming. You laughing was, without question, Loki’s favorite sound.  Nothing in this world or any other came close to matching the joyful, childlike glee of that enchanting noise.  Loki memorized its melody, the rise and fall of your giggle.  He had craved it, being away for so long, and now he wanted… no, needed to hear it.  But you were the furthest thing from happy at the moment.   
"Darling, please.  We have to go."  Loki tapped his watch, shaking himself free from the memories of your previous life together and barely suppressing his irritation.
Tears filled your eyes as you whipped your arms around Thor’s mighty shoulders, his deep voice grumbly with emotion, "Take care of him, would you?  He's a jerk, but Loki is the only brother I have."
"Of course… always.  And Valkyrie, your highness, I can’t thank you enough for-"
"No need.  Loki, and by extension yourself, will always have a safe haven here in my palace."
Looking on, Loki and Thor embraced almost tenderly before crashing their heads together.  
"Stay safe, little brother."
"Be good, Thor."
Eyes on the sky, Val ignored the show of masculine emotion, chastising your plan, "You’re going to start a war, Loki."
Straight backed, Loki turned to the king, "Not on the grass of New Asgard.  I will take the fight to them, that is my vow to you."
As Loki offered his hand, Valkyrie shook it, with parting words, "Work on staying alive.  You have a tendency to worry your brother."
Solemnly nodding, "As the king commands.  Shall we?"  With that Loki laced his fingers with yours, leading you a few paces away from the people who loved him most, before summoning the magic that had you both transcending space and time.
This time when your feet touched down it was on the familiar turf of the orchard, surrounded by the scent of apple blossoms and the buzzing of happy bees.  Morning had broken and the world seemed full of promise, with the exception of that knot in your stomach.
"Are you ready?  Darling?"
"Oh… yes.  I mean, I still don't love this plan, but-"
"But it's going to work."  Only it was no longer the baritone voice of your long, lean Loki speaking.  In his place stood Nick Fury, leather duster and eye patch in place.
"If you say so!"  And you clutched your own throat as Natasha’s bored tones came out of your mouth.  The suit, skin tight but flexible, molded to your modified form.  All in all, you were comfortable, "The boots are a bit much."
"Ya think?  This jacket weighs a ton."  Pulling at his collar, "Why does he wear a turtleneck anyway?"
"Loki, this is so weird.  It feels so weird."
"Agreed, but then, why am I so turned on?"
Laughing, you shook your false red hair, hands resting on Natasha’s waist, "God, I've missed you."
"Same, dearest.  Now… let's get your necklace and some answers!"
---
 Convincing Bucky to head home had taken a lot of work, but sometime around 2 am Steve had finally seen his friend off.  The house was empty.  Steve felt the same way.
Turning the black velvet box in his pocket, fingers crushed against the fragile fabric, Steve struggled to feel anger.  When that didn't materialize he shot for sadness but even tears seemed beyond his ability.  
With a sigh, climbing the same stairs he had trudged up a hundred times before, Steve started going through the motions of bedtime.  Only tonight you weren’t there to tease him about the wildly inappropriate amount of toothpaste on his brush.  He didn’t have your light footsteps to follow to the bedside or your help with stacking all of your extra, yet entirely essential, pillows on the chair.
Someone must have changed the sheets, he thought.  There was no evidence of you and Loki’s adventurous afternoon anymore.  Steve made a mental note to thank Buck for that little piece of kindness in the morning.
Shucking his shirt, Steve sat on the mattress, a hand to his forehead.  He had lost.  Captain America had been bested.  Beaten.  And by Loki, no less.
Moonlight in silver slivers shone through the window panes, squares of light in the deep of night.  Steve was alone.  Utterly and totally alone.
And there was no one to blame but himself.
Sighing hard, Steve stood, pacing the floor to work off some of the unspendable anxiety he kept creating.  The room still had your energy, your vibe, as you liked to call it, and the feeling was a prickling itch Steve couldn’t quite satisfy.  Traces of you were everywhere and something about you leaving all of it, and him, behind was just too big to process. “Damn it.”  Even whispering sounded like thunder in the silence of your recently vacated room.  His hands, so big, so strong, smoothed along the fabric of your hanging clothes.  All that power had done nothing to help Steve get the thing he wanted. Sorting through the baubles and trinkets on your dresser, bottles of perfume he had purchased, necklaces and pins, each with a moment of memory it hurt him to recall.  Your watch ticked away the minutes as he stood, stoic and still, surrounded by the shadow of you.  In the orchard the birds were waking, their song filling the air, as morning broke in low golden rays.  Abandoning his plan for sleep, Steve watched as the light chased away the dark, casting rainbows on the floor.  The sun was reflecting off of your Grandmother’s necklace.  A pretty, ancient, carved cameo,  heart shaped locket.  He recalled his own mother owning one just like it, pictures of loved ones pressed inside, holding them as tight as history would allow. Fisting the filigree chain, winding it around his fingers as if it would somehow undo what he had done, Steve slipped it into his pocket before settling back onto the bed.  ----
At the back door to the home you so recently shared with Steve, Loki hung back, “I think this is where we split up.  You go find your treasure and me… I’m going to find some answers.” Nodding, Natasha’s signature red hair swinging, you squeezed the hand holding your own.  It no longer looked like Loki’s long fingered paw, but that was only a skin deep change.  You felt the undeniable essence of him in the press of his fingers against your own. “Be careful.” “That’s no fun, dove.” “Loki-”  You hated the way your voice broke as you said it, but there just seemed to be so much at stake and you had already lost him once. Sensing your unspoken concerns, Loki flashed you Nick Fury’s best smile, “I will.  I promise.”
“Ten minutes.” “Ten minutes.”  You watched the black coated back of your charmed paramour as he opened the shed door, hoping that he’d find something worth knowing in that place out of sight.  Inhaling deeply you twisted the doorknob as quietly as possible, letting yourself into what was once your kitchen, “What a mess.”  It was impossible not to notice the unwrapped leftovers and empty bottles littering the table.  An overturned trash barrel, crumpled beer cans littering the counter, things that Steve, your Steve, would never have tolerated.  All evidence that the grand evening he’d envisioned had been thwarted by Loki’s arrival and your collective escape.  
You started up the stairs, praising Natasha's footwear for its stealth, when you heard the toilet flush and the unmistakable shuffle of Steve’s feet on the carpet.  There was no place to hide on the wide stairwell.  It was time to see if Loki's plan was going to work.
Voice blurry, eyes rubbed red and raw, you couldn't deny that Steve looked like shit, “Bucky?  That you?  You back?”  Steve’s voice bounced around the brightening room as morning sunlight filtered through the soft sheers you had picked out for exactly this reason. Panicked, you backed into the railing with an over loud “Oof!” “Nat?  What are you doing here?  I thought you and Fury were headed to New Asgard?”  Suddenly wide awake and wondering, Steve rushed to your costumed side, eager for information. The man in front of you now bore little resemblance to the angry Avenger you had escaped from hours before.  This man had hair sticking up in odd angles from near constant finger raking.  This man had a hint of a stuffy nose and red rimmed eyes, all indicators that tears had been shed.  Now those blue eyes were scrutinizing you closely, full of concern.
“Uh… We... We got intel.  Yea, intelligence, that Loki was headed back this way.  Turned around… and uh, here we are.” One of those sandy blonde eyebrows lifted, “Natasha?”
Squaring your shoulders, channeling that cool confidence you’d see Black Widow display over and over, “Steve?”  Something about your tone of voice convinced him in a way your words couldn’t.  He visibly relaxed, those broad shoulders going slack as he asked, “Didn’t make it to Norway, then?"
Nodding a negative, you felt the unfamiliar brush of her red hair at your cheek and had to fight the urge to tuck it away, “No.  Loki’s using some sort of transporting power to move them around.  Fury suggested I keep an eye out here, in case they come back this way.” “She won’t be back, Nat.  There’s nothing for her here.”  To you, Steve sounded so sad, so removed, that you had to will yourself not to comfort the giant before you.  “That’s not true!”  It came out of you forcefully, thoughtlessly, and you saw the shock register on the Captain’s face. “That is, Fury and I… we… have reason to believe that she will come back.  They left with nothing, Steve.  She’ll need clothes… maybe some shoes… and-”  Swallowing hard, you didn’t want to give anything away, “-a necklace from her grandmother.” Steve, patting his pocket, felt the weighted chain and it’s heart shaped locket, “I don’t think-” Stepping up to his bulky form, suddenly aggressive, you started, “Never mind what you think, Captain.  We're here for a necklace...  the necklace.  Our intel suggests that your former flame might return for it and… And, I want it, with me, as a means to subdue her when she arrives." Sounding forceful and official was enough to back Steve down.  Just a touch deflated, you watched him shrug, “If that’s what you want, Nat, here-”  From his pants he pulled out the shining bauble, a trinket really, but full of sentiment and memory. Sitting in his palm, the tiny heart that held the picture of your grandmother and mother looked so small, almost unreal.  Reaching for it with wet eyes, you smiled at Steve as you lifted the charm and chain, “Thank you, Steve.  Thank you.” Nodding deeply, that golden head bobbing, “You’re welcome.”  The large grandfather clock could be heard ticking throughout the house.  The sun was gaining on the day and you, dressed as Natasha stood in silence in front of a somber Steve.  For another long beat nothing was said, then, as if sensing a shift in your conversation, Steve flashed your fake Natasha a weak smile, “I could use some breakfast.  How about you?”
“Um… sure.  Yea, ok.  Breakfast.” 
Steve started moving again, downstairs towards the cluttered kitchen when he paused, "So how did you get back so fast?  Cause that's like a 7 hour flight, even with you in the cockpit." “Steve…”  You could hear it, the whining almost pleading tone that signaled the end of Loki’s well planned charade.  That wasn’t enough to stop Steve.  He broke hard, one of those strong arms stopping you in your tracks before you could reach the lower level. “It’s clever, I have to give you guys that.  Almost perfect, really.” Panic rising, you doubled down on the ruse, struggling to keep your voice even, “I don’t know-”  Blocking you in, his body the perfect unmovable buffer, “Loki’s here too, isn’t he?” Pushing against “Steve, I… I don’t…” “Don’t lie.  You don’t have to…” “But… how-?” “You’re not mean enough to play Natasha, doll.  Not by a long shot.”
--- It was strange to be seated at the table and chairs that you and Steve had picked out together one sunny Saturday when you thought that your future was going to be Loki-less.  Your place, the one that you had imagined filling with children that had golden hair and bright blue eyes, felt like a set.  Something false and fake.  A facade, put together simply for show. Steve must have felt it too because his fingers drummed against the white washed table incessantly.  Clearly he had something on his mind.  “Steve-” “No.  No.  Please, let me just get this out, ok?” Raising an eyebrow, you waved at him to continue, nervous but interested in what the super soldier needed to explain. With a shaky inhale, running his constantly moving fingers through his golden locks, Steve caught your eye and didn’t waiver.  “When I saw you… No, that’s not right.  Let me start at the beginning. “When Loki left Earth, you… you were so sad.  It hurt me to see you so… deflated.” “Steve, I-” “You know it’s true.  When he returned to Asgard, something in you, it dimmed, and I just couldn’t allow that… Not when I felt the way I did about you. “I don’t think you realize just how incredible you are… how full of life!  And since I had already missed one chance to be with you, I knew I needed to prove that I could be the man you needed… If you forgot about Loki along the way, even better. “Only… you never did.  I waited years for you, ya know, doll?  Years.  And just when I thought there was no chance with you, Nat gave me a reason to hope. “She was your friend.  An ally.  Someone you could trust… someone I could trust.  I swear it started out that innocently, at least for me.  I just wanted to make you smile again.  But she had other plans.  Plans that came from higher up the ladder of SHIELD. “Fury, he wanted us to watch you… something about Loki being too powerful.  And-”, grabbing your hand tightly, Steve emphasized his point, “-I promise you that I had no idea about his success, or the messages he had sent to you through Nick.  Like you, I thought that Loki was gone.  Missing.  Never coming back.” “I… I believe you Steve.  I know that you didn’t do all this on your own… but what was Nick hoping you’d find out?  I knew less than nothing about what was going on!” “I think he was worried that Loki would get to you first.  That if… when Loki returned, you would be his first stop.  Then you would know about Loki’s success and, frankly, Fury’s failures.  You would also know… well, everything you know now.  That Fury had you tailed, lied to, and led on in an effort to stop Loki from out flanking him.” Frenzied and frantic, you felt anger boiling up inside of you, “But I thought Loki was gone forever.  There was no hope for him and I… and Natasha, she told me that he was dead.” “All a part of Fury’s plan to keep you neutralized and Loki away.  If Loki thought that you’d ignored his letters, that you no longer loved him, why would he come back here?  And, if that didn’t work… when Loki came back and you were with me, what else could keep him on Earth?”
Whispering with realization, “So, they used you too.” Steve sighed and buried his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt, “Don’t feel bad for me.  I let them use my love for you, let them twist it up and shape it as they needed.  Honestly, I wish I could tell you that it was for you, but it wasn’t.  It was for me.  I wanted you, so, so badly.  I didn’t care what strings were attached.  And we built a life together, you and me.  I thought I could outrun the reality of the constant monitoring and daily reports.  Telling Natasha and Nick about every word and each email.  Don’t you see, I love you… and I wanted you, however I could get you.” Shaking your head, Natasha’s red wisps flying, “That’s not love, Steve.  I don’t know what that is… but love isn’t it.” “No?”  With a loud thunk, Steve slammed a small velvet box on the table between you. “Is… Is that what I think it is?”
“Last night.  It was going to happen last night.  Our friends here, under the lights and the stars, I was going to ask you to marry me.  I still would if-” Realization hit you like a ton of bricks, “If Loki hadn’t stepped back into our lives.” “-If Loki hadn’t stepped back into your life.” It made you both laugh in a sad way, how you finished the same thought, and for a fleeting second you could see why you had allowed Captain America to sweep you off your feet.  He was a lot of things to you now, but there was a time when he had been almost everything.  The evidence of that was in the small black square that said nothing but spoke volumes. “Steve, I don’t know if I would have said yes… even without Loki’s… arrival.  I think I have always known that you and I… we are very different people.” Sitting back in his chair, his gaze still locked on your own, “I just want you to know that I’m sorry.  I’m sorry about what I’ve done… what I’ve said… How, shit, how I’ve behaved.  I could say that it was my duty.  I could tell you it was out of love, but the plain truth is that I have always been jealous of what you and Loki share.” “You’ll find it Steve.  You really will.  There’s a person out there waiting for you.  And once you’ve found them, oh Steve, you’ll see that this… what we had, it’s a shadow.  An illusion.  Because love, real love, doesn’t come with caveats and catches.  It is an undeniable force which, in my case, even the boundaries of time and space can not deny.” Something like a sob burst out of Steve, and you were surprised to see tears in his eyes, “I was so wrong.  Could you ever forgive me?” “I want to, Steve.  I really do... “  What more could you say?  Patting his hand you started to rise, “I have to go now.  Loki and I need to keep moving and I don’t want to risk running into Nick and Natasha.  At least, not yet, anyway.” “Where are you planning to go?” “To the Avenger’s Tower.  I believe I know what Mr. Fury has been planning all along.”  Loki’s strong voice entered the conversation as smoothly as his arms wrapped possessively around your waist. Steve took in the protective stance of your returned lover with a raised eyebrow, and without further comment asked Loki, “Really?  And how are you going to breach the building?  They’ll be looking for you, even with disguises…  Fury is no fool.  Plus, there’s little chance that Tony hasn’t activated a million safety and security protocols by now.” Only interested in you, Loki refused to give Steve any of his attention, “Getting in can’t be that hard!  I’ll figure it out when I get there.  Ready pet?” With a gentle push under his broad hands your feet started to move towards the door.  Loki was eager to be off and away, especially after hearing so much of Roger’s confession.  Just knowing what Steve had done, manipulating you while also convinced of his love for you;  it was enough for Loki to commit murder.  He was having quite a difficult time not tearing the good Captain’s limbs off his body. Softening his tone, Steve practically pleaded, “Loki.  Wait.  I… I can help.” Turning his attention fully to your former flame, Loki purred venomously, “You can help?  I’d love to know what entails, Captain.” “I can get you into the place and take you exactly where you need to go.  Fury’s going to hate it, but I’m tired of taking orders that hurt the people that-”  His pause was as lingering as the look he gave you, “- That I love.”  Before Loki could offer a sincerely sassy reply you grabbed his sleeve, tugging, “Um… Excuse us a minute Steve.” Pulling him down the hall of a home that felt like a familiar faced stranger, you waited until you had a bit of distance from Steve before harshly whispering, “How long were you listening?”
Serving you that small, sexy smile, Loki grinned, “Long enough.  How did you know I was there?” “You are sneaky, but even you, God of Mischief, cast a shadow.” Swinging you close enough to catch your mouth with his own, Loki pressed a sweet kiss there before answering, “A mistake I will be careful not to make again!” “The tower, huh?  That’s where you want to go?”  Grabbing you at the swell of your hips, grinding his frame against your own, “Where I want to go, my darling, is to the nearest bed, preferably naked, with you and you alone.” Your hands traced over the lapels of his borrowed leather duster, pausing only to jerk him closer by the supple fabric, “Hmm… is that so?” “Oh yes…”  Loki’s buttery grumble filled your ear as his strong hands dug into the flesh of your bottom.  For a moment you thought he’d give in to temptation, his sweet lips teasingly close to your own upturned mouth, “But-” On your toes, leaning into Loki’s sturdy, leather draped frame, you paused, “Ugh.  But?” Moving you to a safer, less kissable, arms length away, Loki sighed with the same frustration you felt, “-But, where we need to go, as soon as possible, is the Tower.” Moaning grumpily, you stepped out of the arms you longed to linger in, “I was afraid you were going to say that.” “I know it’s less than… ideal, love, but I did find something useful before the good Captain unburdened his soul this morning.” “And that is?” “Fury’s plan.  At first I couldn’t figure out exactly what he was after.  What did Fury want?  How was I involved?” Loki was dragging this out, loving how it kept you hanging onto his every word, and you rolled your eyes, “Well?  What is it?  Weapons?  War?” “All of that, yes… and… yours truly.”  That triumphant smile that filled Loki’s whole face lit up his mischievous eyes.  Tilting your head, struggling to make sense of what Loki had just told you, “What do you mean, you.  Fury wanted you… to do what, exactly?’ “Loki was going to be the patsy.” You both turned toward the sound of Steve’s baritone at the door, suddenly remembering that the Good Captain was still there and that he was waiting to see what you were going to do next.  Leaning his 100 year old bones into the doorframe, Steve crossed his arms, “The fall guy.  An example of what happens if you cross SHIELD.” “I think, my dear Mr. Rogers, that you mean, I am to be used as an example of what happens if one crosses Nick Fury.”  Loki countered, slinging an arm over your shoulder protectively. The idea was frightening.  A man like Fury had too much power, too much at his disposal.  Just knowing the lengths he had gone to in order to keep you and Loki apart was scary enough.  Making enemies of your friends.  Threatening the people you loved.  Selling your affection to Steve in an effort to control Loki.
Now, the knowledge that all of it was done in an effort to ensure that Nick Fury was the toughest guy in the galaxy, it made your stomach clench.  “What do you mean, an example?” “Unless my intelligence is flawed, I believe that Fury was going to kill me.  Is that correct, Captain?” Steve felt the weight of two sets of eyes on him.  Yours, full of fearful love and blind hope that this was all just some misunderstanding.  Innocent and naive and as lovely as he could ever remember.  Loki’s were reflecting a deeper understanding.  The kind of knowledge that only time in the trenches teaches. There was no answer from Captain Rogers.  None was needed.  Honesty, final and resolute, was out in the open.  “Look.  I know I’m not the guy you want on your side.  I’ve… I haven’t been the man I needed to be.  Not for you-”  Steve locked his bright blues onto you, offering a small smile that spoke of sadness before facing Loki, “-Or you, Loki.  But if you let me help you now, I promise that I can get you into the tower and maybe, one day, you won’t think so little of me.” 
Around you the morning gained strength.  Somewhere nearby birds chirped wildly, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding in the modest little farmhouse and its implications on intergalactic politics.  Without  moving a muscle, Loki plainly asked you, “Do you trust him, dearest?” Squaring your shoulders, you crossed your arms, staring down the man called Captain America.  Nodding decisively, “I do.  I don’t think he’d spill everything like that only to turn on us.  He’s not so bad Loki, really.” “We’ll see about that.  For now, we trust Steve.  Ok, what’s your plan, Rogers?” --- “Hey.  I… I have one other thing to show you.”  Steve was dressed for action in his branded tactical gear, looking every inch the super soldier that Dr. Erskine envisioned. “Steve, we have to get moving.  Loki’s eager and -” “Just open it, ok?”  The envelope was thick with folded paper, the flap tucked under and not sealed.  Clearly it had spent time in and out of pockets, the edges frayed and tattered.  In exasperated curiosity you gingerly pulled the sheets free.
Shaking, your hands trembled holding the once white documents as your voice thickened, “Is this… is this what I think it is?” Cocking his head playfully, that rueful smile pulling at his full mouth, Steve almost seemed cheerful as he teased, “It’s yours.  I think something about this place has always been yours and I want you to have it.” “But-” Folding your small hands in his mighty ones, Steve squeezed gently, “It was a wedding present, or it was supposed to be.” “But we’re not getting married.” “I know.  Still-” “I can’t, Steve.  It’s yours.  Your house, your farm, your dream.” Shaking his head, disagreeing, but feeling lighter than he had in decades, Steve insisted, “Too late, I’m afraid.  It’s done.  Actually, that version of the deed has been signed since our second week here.” As realization sunk in you appraised the man changing right before your eyes, astonished but exhilarated, “Where will you go?” “I dunno.  Think I might need to be alone for a bit.  Maybe see the world… but first-” “First, we have to stop Nick Fury.”
To Be Continued... My Minxes:   @scrumptious-finicky-illusion @iamverity​ @mizfit2​ @sammy-jo1977​ @wolfsmom1​ @jessiejunebug​ @iluvsumbucky​ @unadulteratedwizardlove​ @procrastinatinglikeabitch​ @shxdowofdarkness​ @nonsensicalobsessions​ @ahintofkiwistrawberry​ @alexakeyloveloki​ @rorybutnotgilmore​ @crystalizedcaramel​ @lokislittlecorner​ @capcapcapsicle @jamielea81​ @caffiend-queen​ @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​ @jenjen8675309​ @that-one-person​ @roguewraith​ @toomanystoriessolittletime​ @vodka-and-some-sass​ @just-random-obsessions​ @brokenthelovely​ @lots-of-loki​ @thefallenbibliophilequote​
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jellyluchi · 3 years ago
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Happy anniversary to this tweet. I didn't think of the trajectory my life would take just from this single decision at 1 fuckin am on a random Wednesday. But I eagerly waited to make this post since last year for many reasons. Because recounting how I came to love Pros and why this blog exists is always fun for me. Because indeed, why not?
Around July 25 of 2020 was when I watched the TGD arc for the first time. I'd already seen Pros before then (in a meme and a fancam LOL) but I was so glad I didn't get spoiled for this arc, I LOVE this arc. I originally thought I'd have a hard time enjoying part 5 (ironic) because at the time my main fav character from all of Jojo was 4taro. So I knew I'd watch part 5 slowly and I did, do that throughout the rest of August. Bruno and Mista (two other characters who I seem to have stopped talking about) were my favs back then too and I had a little list in my carrd with all three of the above mentioned. Somehow after the TGD arc (at the time I rationalized it as me thinking he's pretty) Pros made it to the end of the list. I thought hey LS are a random group of white men I should pick out a fav, this is my token white man!
I really didn't want to admit I liked him like that. Especially when he was introduced I thought 'oh he's one of THOSE dudes' I could feel the scene of him hitting Pesci coming and I was like yeah he's lucky he looks kind of ok compared to the rest of them. But then the scene of Pros consoling Pesci arrived which really threw me off a loop and changed my opinion of his character entirely. Suddenly there was a hidden depth to him I didn't expect. Either way, I enjoyed it and I thought that was it. I spent a lot of August looking at 4taro art and getting spoiled about Stone Ocean while reading SBR lmao. Around September, lots of my mutuals were reading reader insert fanfics. I wasn't in jojo tumblr back then and I didn't read reader inserts nor did I enjoy them as a form of fic. But inspired by the rest I decided to go down my fav character list. 4taro fics were nice but I couldn't see myself with someone like Jotaro. Bruno fics were nice but forgettable somehow and Mista fics were fun and cute but diddn't make me feel much.
That's when the tweet happened. I didn't want to read Pros fics per se, it was a run off the mill decision, I didn't even consider him seriously my fav, just some character who I liked to see art of on the TL because he was the prettiest to me out of La Squadra. I even ignored the silly brainworms that came before I even read fics for him. I was expecting to find some hardcore NSFW fics because he's villain. I thought I'd get a good laugh and move on! Especially because I didn't even like NSFW fics they felt so awkward to me. But when I searched "prosciutto x reader" on AO3 the first fic that showed up literally had "domesticity" in the title and "wifey status" in the description. It was this fic that I read. The writer is no longer active, they were already inactive when I was reading it. My domesticity loving ass was like "lol sure I'll be 'Prosciutto's wife' lmao" as if it was all fun and games. I mean, it was before I read the fic. Because after I read it... the brainworms were instantaneous.
What the fuck!!!! I enjoyed it so much... I already thought he was so cool. I tried to convince myself that he's ugly in places of the anime so I would like him like that, but it wasn't working. I loved his interpretation SO MUCH... He was so sweet, gentle, and charming. I was like damn maybe I DO wanna be Prosciutto's wife real badly... who's shit at baking but tries to be domestic anyway. He was so tender I just... words are all I have, but when I try to speak about him got none. He makes me stupid FOR REAL. I couldn't stop thinking about that fic, his smile, his gentle presence just... anything! Suddenly I was straight up constructing a reality where I get to take him back Canada and meet my family because yeah... we're married that's what married people do. But I knew I was fucking gone when I was trying to take a shower and I got so distracted thinking of him next to me, him being with me, I accidentally used body wash as shampoo. I told you he makes me stupid.
That little favorite character list got an update REAL fast and I was consuming Prosciutto content at the speed of light. Every single hc, fic, drabble, whatever I read made me love him that much more. He's so perfect. I really really REALLY wish I had the words to describe it other than 'he's perfect' but again, I run out of words! Maybe I don't know enough words to describe what I'm trying to say, maybe these words simply don't exist or the feeling transcends words entirely, I don't know. I didn't know what selfshipping or an f/o was either back then. But I constantly came back to tumblr to read Pros content and imagine myself with him. I only knew of jojo tumblr because the writer of that fic linked back to their blog in ao3 and I'd made a request of another fluffy pros fic (it never happened which is understandable). Even though I had a lot of fun reading about him, it was incredibly lonely. I didn't have friends with f/os they couldn't understand the depth of my feelings. I was afraid of being made fun of and so I couldn't admit that I liked him more than just a fav or comfort character on top of being incredibly insecure about my selfship. I'd never been sadder in my life than back then when the thought of sharing Pros made me cry multiple times, I felt stupid. I'll be honest, I still struggle with that now sometimes but I'm much better about it. I just don't talk about it but if there's people out there who are uncomfortable sharing f/os I send you all the strength <3
But since I was reading about Pros so much from cruising his ao3 / tumblr tags multiple times a day to obsessively reading and re reading and scrolling the same blogs over and over, google even suggested Prosciutto (the meat) before I typed anything into the search bar. I thought enough was enough and made this blog to save all the content I wanted to see and to track new Pros content that might come up. And I'm so happy I did!!!! I didn't think I'd meet so many wonderful people because of him! I remember being sad because I thought people would think my selfship is silly or I'm a bad fit for Pros or something but knowing there's so many good friends I've made who are all so supportive makes me so so so happy!!! I'm glad I read that fic, I wouldn't be here otherwise. I wondered where I'd be a year later. I was afraid I'd spend too much money on Pros and then not even enjoy him less than a year later. But I'm so happy to be in love with him still, to enjoy him still, and to not enjoy him alone. A lot of friends have told me they like my brainworms (thank you friends <3) and the same me was absolutely silent back then about him. I'm glad I don't hold in my thoughts for him anymore and just spill them out whenever. I used to think self-inserts were silly and now I have Focaccia who I'm so proud of. That little fic changed my life so incredibly, I can't recount every detail. And this is just one year, I can't wait for more years!!! I was relieved to think I'm free to love Pros as long as I want. So I'll be like 99 and showing my grandkids a black and white picture of him saying "that's your grandfather before the war" if I so wish.
Happy anniversary, Prosciutto 💜.
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ordinaryschmuck · 3 years ago
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What I Thought About "Eda's Requiem" from The Owl House
Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.
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...HOW IS SEASON TWO SO GOOD?! WE'VE HAD SEVEN EPISODES SO FAR, AND EACH ONE OF THEM WAS A HIT!
Take "Eda's Requiem," for example. It's yet another episode where I have NOTHING bad to say about it! That's two weeks in a row where that happened! HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!
HOW!
HOW!
...But anyways, "Eda's Requiem." It's another fantastic episode, and I'm about to dive into explaining how and why. Just keep in mind, it's gonna require spoilers to do so, so be wary of that as you keep reading.
Now, let's review, shall we?
WHAT I LIKED
Eda’s Checklist and Grom Photo: Within the first second, "Eda's Requiem" perfectly sets up Eda's central conflict in the episode. Despite spending years being on her own and looking after herself, she now has two kids that she's constantly caring over. Eda can try all she wants to say that she doesn't care, and I bet she has in the past. But given the hard work she's putting into getting King and Luz what they need and having a grom photo of the three of them together pinned in her mirror, it's pretty clear that those two knuckleheads wormed their way into her heart and are never getting out.
Eda’s Worried About King and Luz Leaving: And thus, that's precisely why something like this bothers her so much. Eda inadvertently adopted two rambunctious rapscallions (Yeah, I know. I'll get to it), so the idea of them not being around her anymore is going to be terrifying. That is a situation most parents, especially mothers, can identify with. It’s called empty nest syndrome and it proves just how much Eda loves Luz and King that she can't stand the thought of her babies leaving the nest. It's yet another well-made, wholesome, found-family moment that this series continues to excel at each week, making me extra excited for more like it to come...while also readying myself for heartbreak when one of them eventually does leave Eda.
Eda and Raine’s Music: Ok, I don't know the exact instruments that were played during this episode, but I also don't care because it was all (for lack of a better term) music to my ears. Every time Eda and Raine played resulted in melodies that are so beautiful and filled with so much emotion and feeling that I'm honestly tempted to listen to them again, multiple times, on repeat. Shows rarely do that for me, as background music doesn't always draw me in as much as lyrical songs do. Usually, it takes something so extraordinarily composed to give me the desire to listen again, and that's the case here. So huge congrats to Brad Breek for doing so. Seriously, the man's been killing it this season.
Eda’s Bard Magic Causing Things to Turn to Ash: This was assuredly a surprise side-effect of the curse. The fact that Eda can sort of do magic at all was its own shock. To then reveal that a specific type can do dangerous things to people and environments is...Well, it definitely brings up its own fair share of questions. Like, how can she do this? Will she do it again, one day? And are there other types of spells that can be negatively affected by Eda's curse? We don't get answers for any of these questions, and odds are, we never will. But that's alright with me. Because if a show makes me consider these many possibilities after a brief amount of time, it is a show that has to be doing something right. Even if I don't get the answers I want, the fact that it caused such a reaction makes me less willing to care.
Raine Whispers: Hey, would you look at that. Another fun, interesting, and compelling character added to the list of this shows' other fun, interesting, and compelling characters...how is this series so good at this!?
Joking aside, Raine's pretty good. I like Raine. They could have been this super serious leader who lost all their fun after years apart from Eda, but I'm glad that they're not. There are moments when Raine takes their job as leader of the BATs seriously, as one would, but I still prefer the fact that they kept a jovial nature despite how grim their situation is. It's an admirable trait to have, and it avoids the trope of making leader characters boring just because they're the ones who have to take things seriously.
Oh, and also, Raine's Disney's first non-binary character who has a stake in the plot. This is a tremendous deal, as you don't usually see that many non-binary characters in children's animation, let alone ones that hold importance to the story. So it's pretty cool for the writers to feature Raine, as it helps several kids feel as though they're finally seen and respected. And the fact that Disney of all companies gave the thumbs up is even more impressive. I hear people say that Dana Terrace should have pitched The Owl House to more progressive networks to avoid pushback, and while I absolutely see your point, I'll have to respectfully disagree. Disney is the largest entertainment industry of all time, so if you want to make LGBTQA+ representation normalized, you gotta stop making splashes and start making waves. Because if the same company that made three racist cats in the span of a few years manages to say that being gay is a-ok, then you know there's something wrong with you. Yes, Disney ended up screwing over the show anyway. But for that one moment, when kids felt pride after seeing a character like Raine, then, in the end, it's kind of worth it.
Also, if you're still having issues with more representation like this popping up in kids' shows, then allow me to redirect you to the complaint department.
...I made that post earlier today for this bit. YOU HAVE BETTER APPRECIATED IT!
Day of Unity is meant to be a Secret: At least, that's what I got when Raine stumbled over their own words. So if it's true, then I wonder why? Why does Belos want to keep the most critical change in the Boiling Isles a secret? Does he want to make it a surprise for his grateful subjects, or does he not want to spread worry and fear amongst the wild witches? It has to be something big if he doesn't want his followers to even say the words "Day of Unity." Whatever reason he has, we most likely won't know until the future. A future that I grow more and more afraid of each week.
Hooty Eating Echo Mouse: My heart sank in that brief moment when I thought that Hooty intensely screwed Luz over in getting back home. But looking back...it is pretty funny.
Just the suddenness of Hooty eating the poor creature that Luz desperately tried to earn its trust is priceless in how shocking it was. And also, Luz's expression.
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That was the look of a young girl who immediately shoved her hand down an owl demon's throat the second the scene cut away. The Owl House may not always be a hit in the comedy department, but scenes like this prove that when it's funny, it is hilarious.
Luz and King Entering the Grand Prix: Not much to discuss here. It's just a cute subplot that adds frivolity to the intensity of what's going on through Eda and Raine's story. But I will say that I love how both stories occasionally interconnect with each other through the many moments of Eda being worried about King wanting to leave to find his father and avoiding any conversation about it. It helps both plotlines feel like they belong together, without being something like "Through the Looking Glass Ruins," whereas both stories could have been in their own episode. Which is neat.
How Bard Magic Works: I really love how this season is diving into how the other magic types work. More specifically, the ones that seem a little vague. I mean, stuff like healing, potions, and plants are easy to figure out, but what does it mean when a witch's talents are construction, beast keeping, and bard magic? We've been getting a lot of clearing up lately, with bard magic looking like a witch can control their environments and enemies through the power of music. Which is fair. Music is pretty powerful in the metaphorical sense, and I actually love that it's powerful in the literal sense when in the Boiling Isles.
The BATs: Not much to comment on these three either. The BATs have the potential to have an entertaining dynamic, but they do very little in this episode that I can't say much other than I hope they make a return in the future. But I will make this claim: Amber is my favorite. I'm sorry, but her screaming "You're not our mom!" to then go, "Bye, mommy Eda" is just too precious for me not to love.
I'm a simple man who falls for cute s**t. Leave me alone.
Raeda (RainexEda): Well, EdaxCamila, you were a fun crack ship while it lasted, but I'm afraid that this is now goodbye. The current canon has provided an incredibly adorable and believable relationship that I would be a monster not to support with my whole bi-heart. It's been real.
Ok, back in serious mode: I love these two together. Eda and Raine are grown-ups, and they still act all flustered near each other as if they were still Luz and Amity's age. It's definitive proof that you're never too old to get flustered near a crush, and seeing them interact adds a sense of wholesomeness when seeing them together as well as heartbreak when they're forced apart. Plus, we get confirmation that Eda's LGBTQA+! Whether she's bi, pan, or whatever, now that we know Eda can catch feelings for someone like Raine, it's yet another case that The Owl House is the most important series to the community. Because having the main character be queer is fantastic in its own right. But having the same apply to the motherly mentor figure? That's is an extra bit of normalization that anybody would be willing to appreciate.
Unique Guard Designs: Not many fans are going to appreciate this, primarily compared to everything else this episode does perfectly. For me, I actually like that you see a few Coven Guards looking differently from the others, as it helps make them less like clones and makes it seem like anybody of any body type could be a part of the coven.
Gus Looking Uninterested when Presenting Grand Prix with his Dad: I am positive that you didn't notice this (I didn't even notice it until someone else pointed it out), but there's something to dissect here. It hints that perhaps Gus isn't as interested in his father's field of work as one might think. If he did, he would look a lot less bored and much more excited to be helping Perry Porter present the race. It could just be the race itself, but judging from Gus' expression, it really seems like the kid would prefer to be anywhere but there. And why would he have that reaction to a race that his best friend is competing in? To me, this seems like an inkling of what Gus' relationship with Perry could be, which may not actually get time to shine, what with how little wiggle room the series has now (Thanks Disney). Regardless, it is interesting to notice, and it will certainly have fans thinking for a while.
Bump Being Smug of Luz Being in the Lead: That's it. Principal Bump looking smug as his human student is beating the students of his rivals is yet another moment that proves why Bump is easily the best cartoon principal.
Darius: First of all, this guy is f**king fabulous, and I love him. *Snaps*
Second, he is definitive proof that you do NOT want to f**k around with Coven Leaders. Lilith may have had her intimidating moments, but none of them compare to the guy who can turn himself into an abomination monster where only magic that hasn't existed before can take him down. It's genuinely scary to see Darius lose control, and I fear for the day when Luz inevitably ends up in his crosshairs.
With that said, Darius' still a ton of fun! He may be threatening, but he's just a flamboyant guy that hates the idea of getting his outfit the tiniest bit dirty. And I love that. I love that these Coven Heads have actual personalities instead of being generically evil. I consider it preferable to make villains entertaining rather than blatantly scary as I'll remember the personalities first and the villainous acts last.
Eberwolf: But this one's my favorite. I told you: I'm a simple man who gets easily swayed by cute s**t. And Eber? I mean, just look at her:
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She's just a cute widdle rascal! I just want to pinch her cheeks, give her a belly rub, and--
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...Eberwolf is not a cute widdle rascal. She is a strong, independent woman, and I will respect her as such from this moment forward...lest I feel her wrath.
That is all. Let's move on.
Eda and Raine Attempting a Final Performance: This was the best scene of the episode. It looked gorgeous, it shows the dedication Eda and Raine have for stopping Belos, and it says so much through so little. Go back and look at how Eda and Raine regard one another when performing Eda's requiem. Through their expressions and a few short words, you know they understand that if they complete the song/spell, they probably won't make it in the end. And yet, they don't care. They both know bad stuff will happen if Belos wins, so Eda and Raine put everything to the side, both their feelings for one another and the people they leave behind if it means putting an end to a tyrant. That level of dedication...Words can't fully describe how powerful that is.
Raine Sacrificing Themselves Instead: But in the end, Raine can't do it. Not when they know the life that Eda has and the people she'll be leaving behind. It's an extra bit of nobleness to the character seeing that Raine refuses to take away a woman from two kids who need her the most. A tad bit selfish, sure, knowing what Belos has planned. But when it comes to love, the romantic, familial, or platonic, the best decisions aren't always the logical ones.
Eda Crying: Luz crying tears me up, but seeing Eda cry is a whole different level of heartbreak. Like Lilith, Eda has her emotions locked up tight, with the closest she came to weeping were those two tears in "Young Blood, Old Souls." In "Eda's Requiem," she cries but almost quickly stops herself. As if she knows that doing so isn't going to save Raine. That is...even worse than seeing Luz break down after losing Eda. The fact that Eda refuses to give herself time to mourn losing someone she loved is tragic because crying is the most natural way of showing grief. Turning that off isn't healthy, and seeing her do it with little resistance is sad to me. It's sad to see a character I love can easily shut off all emotions despite how badly she may want to embrace them. It's one of those moments that, again, by doing so little, it shows so much.
“No one watches Crystal Balls anymore. It’s all about streaming.”: Oof. Even I felt that burn towards cable.
King’s Message: King's message was the pick-me-up I needed after the heart-wrenching sadness this episode put me through a few minutes ago. Seeing King say who he is and listing all the things he loves is nothing short of adorable. On top of that, I adore that Eda willingly recorded the whole thing. She may not want King to leave, but that doesn't mean she'll sabotage the one thing he wants. Especially not after Raine gave up everything so Eda could be with her kids. The opening scene may prove how much Eda cares about a rascal like King, but this heartwarmingly sweet moment reveals just how far she'll go to make him happy.
King’s Dad Reveal: ...ok, I'll be honest, I did not think we'd get that reveal this soon. Dumb of me to say, considering the number of times I've said that these writers don't waste time getting to the s**t, I know. But still, it's pretty cool knowing that King's dad is alive and well, added with the fact that we've got a fair idea of what he looks like. At this point, it's only a matter of time before we see him figure out where the Clawthorne residence is and witness the tear-jerking moments that will follow.
King Changing his Name to King Clawthorne: Not the official adoption I was expecting Eda to make...but DANG IT, is it still diabetes-inducing levels of sweetness!
Personally, I feel like the main reason why Eda breaks down this time is not only because she shouldn't be worried about King leaving her life, but also because Raine's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Her kids really do need Eda because no matter how far apart they'll be, she will always be a part of their life...dang it, I'm going to cry too!
What those Coven patches really do: Well...that was horrifying to see.
...Writers, if you kill off the best non-binary character in animation (it's a short list, I know), we are going to have PROBLEMS!
IN CONCLUSION
"Eda's Requiem" is--surprise surprise--another A+. The emotions hit hard, the representation hits harder, Raine is a fantastic addition to the cast, and it was all surprisingly cute at times. Season Two is currently on a hot streak, constantly winning with every episode that's come out so far. When a bad episode does eventually show up (IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!), I'll be sure to sing my requiem then. For now, I'm just gonna enjoy the ride.
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