#and free him from Thea

[drowningmoon]

The most frustrating thing ever is when writers create the gayest character ever who is so gay that you can see the rainbow a week before the rain but the writer is so deep in denial that they then put the gay character in the most diabolical, jail worthy straight relationship

[rriverrunning]

lately i've been really interested in the portrayal of sansa & her ability to lie:

acok sansa i

acok sansa ii

acok sansa iii

also acok sansa iii

this early in the book, it seems like it's general consensus that sansa is a bad liar. it's something she and everyone around her are very aware of, yet she still manages to get herself out of these dangerous situations (joffrey's anger at his tourney, being caught sneaking back from the godswood, & being trapped in the hand's apartments where she'd be unable to sneak out, respectively) not despite, but because of this fact. because she's often telling these obvious, bald-faced lies, people easily project their own assumptions of sansa's thoughts onto her, though these assumptions are often wrong. being so obviously 'stupid' to those around her, few can seem to fathom that she could be planning anything else, or bother to seriously interrogate what she might be thinking but not speaking aloud.

like it's pretty obvious that sansa is not going to be able to escape king's landing with ser dontos any time soon, but it is her first foray into really making her own plans for her future. however it ends up failing, it is significant as a little piece of defiance that previously seemed impossible to her. it's also proof that no matter how bad at lying or naive she may be, those around her are also unwise for how they underestimate her. we're watching her slowly learn when and how to lie, right under her captors' noses.

in other words, this is a theme i'm definitely going to be tracking for sansa! it's the fallout of her storyline in agot, and feels soooo important bc of how vital these perceptions of her are to her survival.

[thesovereignsring-if]

The Empress is dead. The Throne is free for the taking.

Demo: Prologue 2 Part 1 (08/17/24)

EDIT: IF YOU PLAYED THE GAME BEFORE AUGUST 17 2024 YOU WILL NEED TO START A NEW SAVE.

The Sovereign's Ring is an 18+ dark fantasy game filled with drama and romance.

When the Empress dies without issue, you play as the youngest out of four possible successors to the throne.

Civil war is on the horizon. The other successors will stake their claim- but you’re the one who’s in possession of the Imperial Signet Ring, the sole symbol of the Sovereign’s authority and a relic of great mystery.

Choose your loyalties. Build relationships- or don’t. Tear them apart. Sabotage your rivals and pave the path to the throne for yourself. The choice is yours to make.

There are no right or wrong choices- only consequences.

CONTENT WARNING: The Sovereign's Ring is intended for an 18+ audience. The Sovereign’s Ring contains disturbing/dark subject matter that is not for everyone, such as graphic depictions of violence, gore, death, trauma, sexism, racism, poverty, misogyny, sexual assault/violence, child abuse/grooming, suicide, depression, alcohol more.

LINKS:

✦ Itch

✦ Ko-fi

✦ Patreon

✦Pintrest

Features:

✦ Choose the heir you wish to be, customize your name, gender, sex, sexual orientation and appearance. ✦ Choose between one of three backgrounds: Warfare (Soldier), Academic (Scholar) or Politics (Diplomat) ✦ An alignment system: Follow the code of law or follow your own. Decide the future- the Empire you wish to see and the ruler that sits at the top. ✦ Build or break your relationship with your older brothers. Help them realize their goals- or don’t. There is no way to make everyone happy ✦ Romance one of four love interests(and maybe a few secret controversial one(s))…or pine for unrequited love.

(Ages as of Chapter 1)

Duke Alberich Nibel Vagnyr | He/him | 26 | Male

Alberich is your eldest brother, who raised you after the death of your parents. He's an astute and charming politician. You love each other dearly. Despite knowing him all your life, you can never tell where his true ambitions and intentions lie.

Sir Sieghardt Nibel Vagnyr | He/him | 25 | Male

Sieghardt is your second brother and Captain of the Nibelhiem Heath Knights. Unlike Alberich, Sieghardt is a like ghost, often occupying the shadows in your memory. He’s a quiet and stoic person, but is loyal to your brother Alberich above all else. There is a weight he carries with him that no one knows. 

Eirik Nibel Neaera | He/Him | 23 | Male

Eirik is your only cousin, the son of your Father's twin brother. He still holds your family responsible for the death of his father and will do anything to avenge him. He's arrogant and hot-headed, but he's also resourceful. Despite being a jerk, he inspires great loyalty in the people who follow him.

Sir Griffin (Finn) Brynhildr | He/him | 19 | Male

A young boy from your childhood. He was a good friend- maybe even your first love, but you two have drifted apart over the years. Now he's a Nibelhiem Heath Knight and heir to a Great House. His passion is second to none and charges into every situation with enthusiastic sincerity- sometimes to his own disadvantage.  He hates Sieghardt with every fibre of his being.

Lady Linnet Brynhildr | She/Her | 24 | Female

Linnet is Finn's older sister and childhood friend of your older brothers. She's a part of the renowned Shield Maidens and harbors a flame for Sieghardt, but due to her family's ambitions, nothing becomes of it. Above all else, she wishes to serve her country and fulfill her duties- but must it come at the cost of her own happiness?

Prince Thea ana' Isadora Brigid | She/her | 18 | Female

A young Prince from the neighboring country of Brigid. Thea is one of seven children in line for the throne. She was a good friend and pen pal- maybe even your first love, but she stopped answering your letters one day. Her short stature and demure demeanor causes most people to underestimate her crafty nature.

Medea | She/Her | ??? | Female

The Wizard Rothbart's assistant. She's a woman of many questions and little answers. A flirtatious and beautiful woman, who is easy to like, but hard to trust. There’s something about her sincerity that makes you uneasy. Her smiles never truly meet her eyes.

Helios | He/They | ??? | ???

Helios is a great sorcerer of unknown origins with great knowledge of the occult and the Wastes. Aside from that, no one knows who the fuck this person is.

[starryhiraeth]

Toddler Headcannons

Acotar & Tog

PT 1 here-

Acotar pregnancy Headcannons

(Btw I’m so sorry it’s been so long, I’ve been doing my exams and I’ve been so busy with them but I’m back so please feel free to request anything)

(There might be spelling errors, idk I did read through it but it’s anyones guess at this point🤷‍♀️)

Rhys-

•He might as well shout from the tallest mountain that he has a daughter

•Will bring her EVERYWHERE, even high lord meetings, she’s just sitting there ether on yours or his lap, or she’s playing with toys in front of you

•You cant tell me Rhys isn’t the parent to dress his kids in thousands worth of designer clothes that they are going to grow out of within like a month anyway

•SPOILED FUCKING ROTTEN, she is SO cheeky, most times her giggles will echo throughout the halls. She has absolutely NO FILTER, at the high lords meeting she’ll point a Beron and repeat what she heard Rhys say when talking about him “Ginger cunt” it was quite an awkward meeting after that

• He literally can’t say no to her, and she knows this, all she has to do is the puppy/baby doll eyes and she gets whatever she wants

Azriel-

•Your two daughters are polar opposites, of course they had Illyrian wings and Az’s hair but they have your eyes and Az adores it, he’s very protective over his daughters

• Thea is much more gentle than her sister, when she was younger she was scared of her shadows but now they are a comfort to her and Az taught her how to wrap them around herself like a blanket (she has gotten stuck a couple times tho)

•She usually does that blanket thing whenever she’s snuggling with Az, they are both very calm so she defo a daddies girl

•Petra is a mini psycho, not really but she is much more wild, when she was a baby she would have massive tantrums whenever she wasn’t near you, she’s a mummas girl, and was never scared of her shadows but instead used them to freak out her sister #sistertings

•Like I said, Petra was much more wild, like she would act first and think later, this stresses Az out SO MUCH because he’s scared something will happen to her but it brings him comfort when he sees her finally calm while asleep laying on you whilst your on the sofa

Cass-

•Goes flying with Jaxs almost everyday, it gives you a mini heart attack every time but you trust that he won’t drop him, Cassian would rather fly into a volcano then put your son at risk

•Jaxs is prone to having tantrums, he doesn’t mean to be stroppy, he is just very emotional and doesn’t know how to explain is and so he cries and sometimes hits

•The first time Jaxs hit you in a tantrum, he was 2, it wasn’t hard and he tried hugging your after but Cassian was pissed, he put Jaxs on the naughty step and was scared his son would just get more violent, to which you had to explains that Jaxs just had big emotions for a small child and is learning

•After that you all fell asleep in an armchair, you in Cassian’s lap and Jaxs in yours, somehow it was beautiful and chaotic, Cassian held you both closer and couldn’t remember a time when he had been so happy

•When he’s not unhappy, Jaxs is the most rambunctious, you can’t count how many times he’s come to you with a red mark on his face because he ran into a glass door, he’s a sweetie though and such a carbon copy of his father, also I can totally see Cassian wearing those baby carries that go across the front, with no shame, he’s comfortable in his masculinity

(Btw, he’s still hung up on the fact that you didn’t let him call Jaxs Cassian Jr)

Lucien-

•Lucien is very warm, idk how to explain it but I imagine him giving very homely vibes

•Kalea is the same, she likes staying close to her parents and really likes nature, so much that every Saturday you all go on walks in the country side

•There, Kalea chases butterfly’s and picks flowers, though the orange ones are always here favourite

•She doesn’t really have a favourite parent, she just finds comfort in both of you and is a little cautious meeting those she doesn’t know but when she gets to know then she is super cute

•You two are Lucien’s entire world, nothing, and I mean nothing could make him happier then playing board games in pyjamas as a family, Infront if the firelight whilst the sun sets

Eris-

•So-Berons dead!

•Anyway, he DOES make tiny thrones next to yours and his for your sons, Idris is the older one but Maël is the one who acts older, Idris is the one accidentally setting trees on fire whilst Maël judges from a distance

• Maël will usually be found in your lap, playing with whatever necklace you have on and trying to relax when suddenly Idris, with the tips of his hair on fire comes running through the hallways yelling like a madman and 2 seconds later Eris is running after him

•After that Maël will probably mutter something like “They crazy mama” to which you just nodded

•Eris will make some serious changes to the decor in your house, whilst growing up all Eris remembers is the lifeless dark hallways so he changes that immediately, he is determined to be better than his father and give his children a happy childhood

Helion-

•Yuna is the probably one of the most spoiled children ever! And I mean like- if it were a modern AU her room would be worth like 30Mil by the age of 5

•Her favourite colour is gold and she is absolutely covered in it! Gold clothes, gold jewellery, gold glitter, gold everything!

•speaking of gold glitter, it’s everywhere! And if you think for one second that Helion is embarrassed to be covered in gold glitter then I’ll just let you know that he is the one who keeps buying it for her, He wears the glitter and wears it proud!

•Your lives are luxuriant! Just imagine, in a row, Helion, you, Yuna, all in massage chairs with cucumbers on your eyes and face masks in silk robes detailed with golden flakes…you lucky bitch

•Yuna will sit on her fathers throne ALL THE TIME, she’ll be high lady one day and she knows it, actually there were many times where you sat on Helion lap on your throne and Yuna had a mischievous smile on her face as she sat on her fathers throne all by herself

Dagdan-

•Okay so- Rune and Zara kind of hate each other, they are always arguing and I don’t mean normal sibling arguments, it actually worries you and since Dagdan thinks that twins are important and doesn’t like them fighting, he’ll sit them in a room and tie there hands together when they argue. Think:

•and as much as you feel bad for your babies it kinda funny

•the only time the twins get along is when they are making CHAOS

•Setting the throne on fire ✅

Trying to jump into the cauldron ✅

Stealing their great uncles crown and throwing in a nearby river ✅✅✅

•You and Dagdan love them but sometimes you’ll put them in Brannagh’s room and just take off, for her to look after them for a couple days 😂

Tamlin-

•soooo- there was a joke on my last post in the comments about Tamlins kid being born with dark hair and purple eyes and as funny as I thought that was, I’ll continue will my original plan😂

•Tamlin originally thought he would want a son but when your daughter arrived he couldn’t have ask for anything more or different, he loves her more than life and have every plant based nickname for her “Petal” “rose” “Lily flower” and the list goes on

•Persephone is the sweetest child that ever was, she had Tamlins hair and your eyes and lots and lots of freckles, she also has dimples ☺️

•She is know an as the “The realms Joy” throughout spring court and the people love the little princess though Tamlin sometimes worries that the harshness of become a ruler will kill her happiness, you assure him that she’ll have people by her side to help her

•She does this really cute thing where she’ll go up to someone, usually you or her father and ask what your favourite flower is, it doesn’t matter if you’ve already told her, she’s little okay? She forgets these things!, anyway she’ll ask your favourite flower and after you say it she’ll nod her head and march out of the room only to return 25 minutes later with basket full of the flower that you named and maybe a couple weeds she’s just so happy she could give them to you and Tamlin will have them put in a vase every time, weeds and all

Im so sorry this took like a century to write 😂

Anyway, exams are over so I can write so much more now and I’m open to requests

I’m honestly kind of surprised how much I wrote for Tamlin, but I guess it’s Tamlin fans lucky day, your welcome 😉

Anyway ummm

Bai?❤️

[tortillamastersblog]

⊱Drawing Stars Around Your Scars | Oliver Queen⊰

Pairing: Oliver Queen x reader

Warnings: injuries and mentions of blood

Summary: Oliver would do anything to regain your trust. . .

________________________________________________

“Good Night, Doctor Y/L/N.” Ella, one of the nurses at the nurses’ station waves me goodbye and I return the gesture with a tired smile.

I just got out of an eight hour surgery and I can’t wait to get home. I make my way through the busy halls of the hospital and down to the parking garage without changing out of my scrubs.

It’s freezing outside and when my fingers curl around the cold leather of my steering wheel I shiver.

I pull out of the underground parking garage and make my way home.

The streets of Starling City are busy, even at this time of day, which is why it doesn’t take long for me to be stuck in traffic.

I sigh and turn on the radio, humming along to the Christmas songs that are playing before my phone rings.

I glance at it and smile, answering the call on my car’s hands-free. “Speedy, what are you doing up this late? It’s a school night.” I tease, but my smile quickly vanishes and turns into a concerned frown when I hear the girl crying softly on the other end of the line.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. Are you still at work?” she say quietly.

“No, I’m not. Are you okay? What’s going on?” I ask, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, worried.

When Oliver vanished at sea five years ago, Thea and I grew extremely close. While she grieved over her brother, I grieved over my best friend and partner in crime.

We grew so close in fact that she’s like a baby sister to me now and whenever she’s in trouble, or feeling down, I’m usually the one she calls since Moira and Walter are both emotionally unavailable.

Thea doesn’t answer right away, so I promt her softly. “Speedy? You still there?”

“I—Yeah, I’m still here. It’s just. . . Ollie. He not home, again! And he’s acting like a complete stranger. I don’t even recognize him anymore it’s just—“ she breaks down in tears and I make a u-turn the next chance I get, heading toward the Queen’s manor outside the city.

This isn’t the first time she’s broken down over Oliver’s return and how different he is compared to five years ago.

“C-Can you come over?” she hiccups and I tell her that I’m already on my way.

The traffic thins out once I’m out of the city, staying on the phone with Thea the entire time until I pull up outside of her family’s manor.

The security guard at the gate greets me with a polite smile and let’s me in without hesitation.

I get out of the car, the gravel beneath my feet crunching as I walk up to the front door, which swings open before I get the change to ring the doorbell.

Thea basically jumps on me, pulling me into a hug, and cries into my shoulder.

I hold her tight and waddle us inside, away from the cold and let the door close behind us with a gentle click.

“Thank you for coming,” Thea whispers, her grip around my shoulders not letting up.

“Of course. Anything for you, Speedy,” I reply just as quietly, rubbing my hands over her back.

We stay like that for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s company before she pulls back, her eyes roaming over my outfit.

“You just got off work, didn’t you?” she asks, guilt scrunching up her face. “You must be so tired. I’m sorry for making you come here.”

I wave her off and squeeze her shoulders. “Hey, no. Don’t be sorry. I am tired, yes, but you’re more important than sleep,” I joke softly which earns me a small smile.

Thea sighs and uses the sleeve of her sweatshirt to wipe away the remainder of her tears. Then, she eyes me hopefully before asking, “Have you had dinner yet?”

I shake my head and she pulls out her phone, waving it around for emphasis.

“Do you want to order some takeout then and watch a movie with me?”

Tomorrow is my day off, so I don’t mind staying with her, especially because she’s home alone and it seems like she could use some company right now.

“Sure,” I agree easily, “but I need a shower and some comfy clothes.”

Thea nods adamantly and pulls me upstairs and into her room.

“Use whatever you like in there. You know the drill,” she says gesturing at her en-suite bathroom. “I’ll go and find some clothes for you.”

I thank her and smile, going into the bathroom and stripping out of my scrubs before stepping into the enormous shower.

A knock on the door lets me know that Thea’s found me some clothes and she cracks it open just enough to reach inside, placing some clothes on the floor before closing the door again.

I finish quickly, shutting off the water before drying off and putting on the fresh clothes.

I frown when I pull on the pair of gray sweatpants, figuring that they can’t be Thea’s because she’s a head shorter than me and the sweatpants are oversized, even on me.

The same goes for the sweatshirt and when I pull it on and a familiar cologne surrounds wafts around me, I know why.

These are Oliver’s clothes.

I shiver involuntarily and can’t help but bury my nose in the fabric of the sweater, taking a deep breath.

I’ve missed this smell, I’ve missed Oliver, but I haven’t really admitted that to anyone since he came back.

We’ve always been best friends, but since we were teenagers I knew that my feelings for him weren’t solely platonic.

I never acted on them though because I knew we could never work. While he was a millionaire playboy, I was a nerd, passing all my classes in school with flying colors and getting into med school before even turning twenty.

I also hated how he hooked up with anyone he had a chance with, and I swore to myself a long time ago that I’d never let myself be just another one of his conquests.

Now though, things have changed. Oliver has changed and I have, too. We’re both grown up and it seems like he’s left behind his playboy lifestyle.

Every time I see him nowadays, he’s calm, well spoken, and a true gentleman. He no longer drinks or takes drugs, and I’ve caught him shamelessly staring at me quite a few times now.

It’s something he didn’t used to do, and it gets my hopes up that, maybe, he secretly feels the same way about me as I do about him, but then he goes and blows me off time and time again, without answering any of my texts or calls.

It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even agree to hanging out with him any more because I know he’ll leave me hanging anyway, but still, every time he asks me to dinner, or offers to buy some coffee my heart flutters and I feel my cheeks grow warm.

“So, what do you want to watch?” Thea asks when I exit the bedroom, throwing myself on the bed next to her.

“I don’t care,” I say honestly, checking my phone before leaning back against the headboard.

“Okayyy.” Thea hums in though. She scrolls through some movies on her TV before settling on Elf.

The opening credits start rolling and I get even more comfortable, patting Thea’s head playfully when she rests it on my shoulder.

Fifteen minutes into the movie, our food gets delivered and we eat on the bed in silence, continuing to watch the movie.

Thea eventually falls asleep and I sigh, turning off the TV.

I get off the bed and drape the comforter over her, chuckling softly when she frowns in her sleep.

“Nighty night, Speedy,” I whisper before leaving her room.

I make my way down the dark hallway toward the grand staircase, ready to go home, but the sound of breaking ceramic makes me stop in my tracks.

I squint in the darkness, straining to hear where it came from before deciding to investigate.

The sound most likely came from Oliver’s room and because he’s not supposed to be home, I’m curious to see what caused the slight commotion.

Maybe the Queens got a cat I don’t know about?

I highly doubt that, but then again, Thea’s done some crazy things over the last couple of years, lashing out every chance she got to mask her grief.

I slowly open the door to Oliver’s room and peek inside, freezing when I see a hunched over figure by one of the bedside tables.

They’re picking up what looks like shards of a vase, stacking them neatly before getting back to their feet.

A quiet grunt escapes them and once they’re upright with their back turned toward me, I recognize them, or should I say him?

It’s Oliver in his vigilante suit and when I take a closer look I notice he’s clutching at his side with one of his hands.

He’s hurt.

I turn on the light with an annoyed sigh and put my hand on my hip, watching him spin around with a dagger in his hand.

“What are you doing here?” he asks in his fake deep and gravelly voice and I just raise a challenging eyebrow in return.

“Drop the act, Ollie,” I say calmly, watching with mild amusement as his eyes widened.

“I— What are you—?” he stammers before his shoulders curl forward and he whispers, “How did you know?”

He takes off his hood and even though I know it’s him underneath, I still feel a chill run down my spine when his exhausted eyes meet mine.

I’ve known he’s the Green Arrow ever since he returned to Starling City. I mean, how could I not know?

All the sneaking around? His sudden interest in his family’s business? The constant bruises and cuts on his face?

And let’s not forget how he physically changed over the last five years. Where he used to be a thin, athletic kid he’s now a broad-shouldered hunk of a man and I’d be lying if I said it makes him less attractive.

“C’mon, Ollie,” I scoff, crossing the room to look at the injury on his side. “You do know who you’re talking to right now, don’t you?”

Oliver hangs his head and stays silent, allowing me to pull up his bloody clothes to get a better look at his side.

The wound isn’t too deep, but it will need stitches and judging by its frayed edges I’m guessing it’s a graze from a bullet.

“Do you have any medical supplies?” I ask. I have a small emergency kit in my car, but I’m too lazy to get it right now.

Luckily, Oliver nods and points at the bedside table where he was just crouching, picking up the shards of the shattered vase.

“Take off your shirt and lay on the bed,” I command without looking at him. In times like this, my doctor-ly instincts kick in and I don’t care who my patient is. All I’m focusing on is getting the wound cleaned and stitched up.

Oliver does as I say and once I’ve gotten everything I need from the bedside table, I turn to him, sucking in a breath when my eyes land on his exposed upper body.

It’s covered in scars and a tattoo I didn’t know he had and I can only imagine what he went through to look like this.

Thea did say that over twenty percent of his body was covered in scar tissue, but actually seeing it up close makes my stomach twist.

Watching me with a knowing look, Oliver gently wraps his fingers around one of my wrists which brings me back to reality.

He smiles reassuringly, silently telling me not to worry about what’s happened and I return the smile albeit a little weakly.

I take a deep breath and square my shoulders, getting to work on cleaning the wound and the area around it.

It continues to leak blood, no matter how many times I wipe at it and after a while I just give up, getting right to stitching it up.

“This might hurt,” I whisper as I press the needle against Oliver’s skin, but he not so much as twitches when the thin metal pierces his skin.

I work in silence, focusing on the work at hand before Oliver’s head rolls to the side to look at me directly as he says, “I’m sorry, Y/N.”

I hum, not taking my eyes off my hands and brush off his words, thinking he’s referring to right now, making me stitch him up and care for him, but then he continues.

“I’m sorry for blowing you off so many times over the last couple of weeks,” he says quietly. “And I’m sorry for cutting you out of my life right before getting on the Gambit with my dad.”

I clench my jaw and finish the last stitch. I stare at my hands and take a deep breath.

I tried to forget about that.

The days before getting onto that cursed yacht with his father, I called Oliver out on his hypocritical behavior and his playboy attitude which lead to him basically ending our friendship.

I cried for days, missing several important college classes, but then the news of the Queen’s Gambit sinking sobered me up and I forgot all about our falling out.

I cried some more then, this time for a different reason, but as time went on I grew numb to it and put all my energy into med school.

“It’s fine. . .” I whisper, moving to get back to work, but Oliver grabs my hand, making me look at him.

“No,” he says with furrowed eyebrows. “I was such an asshole and you were right. You’re always right and I’m really sorry it took me this long to apologize .”

I chuckle weakly, not liking the sudden tension between us and avert my eyes. “I’m not always right,” I argue,

Oliver squeezes my hand, getting me to look at him again. “Well, maybe not. . .” he says with a small smile. “But you were right about what you said and— again— I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to admit it. I felt backed into a corner when you called me out on my shit and I didn’t know what else to do other than lashing out at you.”

“Ollie—“ I try to stop him, but he cuts me off by squeezing my hand again and continuing.

“Y/N. I’ve been through. . . a lot. . . over the last five years, but I’ve also had a lot of time to think and—“he bites the inside of his cheek and scratches at his eyebrow nervously— “and you’re honestly the only constant in my life. The thought of you and sometime’s even Thea kept me going when I felt like giving up and I swore to myself that if I ever got the chance to, I’d make things right between us. . . I’d do what I should have done a long time ago.”

I gulp and try not to pull my hand from his. “What are you talking about, Ollie?”

He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying, can he?

Oliver sits up, grimacing slightly when the stitches on his waist strain against the movement, and swings his legs over the edge of the bed so he’s sitting next to me.

The heat radiating off his body makes me shiver involuntarily and when he places my hand against the scar on his chest I gasp softly.

“I don’t want to spend another day worrying about what ifs and maybes, so I’m asking you now, Y/N, would you do me the honor of going to dinner with me? As in like, a date, you know?” He stumbles a bit over the end of his sentence but his question takes my breath away nonetheless.

My brows furrow and I feel my heart clench at the conflicting feelings running through me at the moment.

“I don’t— I don’t know,” I admit.

Even though this is all I’ve been hoping for since we were kids, I can’t help but have doubts about his intentions.

What if he hasn’t changed as much as I think he has? What if he’s still a narcissistic playboy?

I don’t know if I could stand being used by him, so I shake my head and move to back away.

Seeing the doubt on my face, Oliver’s eyes soften and his hold on my hand tightens ever so slightly.

“Please, Y/N this is not— I’m not. . .” He trails off, biting his lip in thought.

Then instead of trying to explain himself, he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes briefly.

“This scar,” he says quietly, pressing my hand against the uneven patch of skin on his chest for emphasis, “is from a guy named Kovar. He. . . tried to stop me from leaving Lian Yu and pressed the hot tip of his gun against my skin, right here.”

My eyes widen, not only because no one knew he wasn’t alone on that island, but also because he’s actually telling me what happened.

Since he came back, he’s barely spoken of his time on Lian Yu and the fact that he’s willing to open up about what happened makes me trust his intentions.

He moves my hand down his chest, against a long, gnarly looking scar that follows the downward slope of his ribcage right over his stomach.

“This one is from when I first stranded on the island. There was this guy, William, or Billy, Winter—“

“No, Ollie, stop.” I cut him off, shaking my head. “You don’t have to tell me any of this just to prove yourself to me.”

It’s clear he’s struggling to put into words what happened if his overly tense muscles are anything to go by and I don’t want him to feel like he’s forced to share his trauma in order to get me to trust him again.

“But I want you to know,” he argues weakly, letting go of my hand.

I shake my head and move closer, tracing my fingers along the edge of the scar.

It makes Olive twitch slightly and I smile at the effect I have on him.

“And you can,” I assure him, skimming my fingers over his warm skin before brushing over the scar on his hip that looks suspiciously like a shark bite.

What the hell happened to him on that island. . .

“Just not now. Not all at once and not when you’re so obviously not ready to talk about it yet,” I continue, mesmerized by the way his muscles twitch beneath my touch.

I continue exploring his skin, raising an eyebrow at the tattoo on his chest before skipping over it and touching the scar on his shoulder.

They all look like they never healed properly and I get a chill, thinking about the possible infections that could have killed him, but then my train of thought is suddenly silenced when Oliver brushes his lips against my own.

Not realizing how close I’ve gotten while inspecting every little detail about him, I pull back with a surprised squeak and place a hand on his chest to stop him from closing the distance between us again.

“Shit,” he whispers, bringing a hand to his lips. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—“

“It’s okay,” I say with a soft chuckle. I take his hand away from his mouth and lace our fingers together. “Just. . . Take me to dinner first.”

Oliver’s cheeks turn red, a rare sight, and I squeeze his hand before straining to press a kiss to his forehead.

“Right. Sorry.” He meets my eyes shyly and I smile at him when he tries to suppress a yawn.

It makes me yawn as well and Oliver gets to his feet. He kisses my knuckles and lets go of my hand.

“I need a shower,” he explains before nervously scratching at his eyebrow again. “Will you still be here when I get out?”

I melt at how vulnerable he sounds and nod, slipping under the covers of his bed. “Only if you don’t take too long.”

Oliver’s eyes widen comically and he springs into action, gathering some clothes before rushing into the bathroom.

________________________________________________

God, the chokehold this man’s got me in. . .

[wiseatom]

it's the first kiss, it's flawless, it's really something. it's fearless.

ok i am feeling fearless tonight, and thea byler first kisses are The Byler First Kisses so i am politely requesting a first kiss in the rain!

this was a VILE prompt to send in that i am so emotional about fearless (taylor's version) and byler and byler first kisses. i hate you so much. i hope you love it.

“Probably shouldn’t have taken our bikes, huh?” 

Will looks over at Mike, blinking rainwater out of his eyes – they’re standing under the awning of the entrance to the only bank in town, closed for the afternoon and completely free of any other miserable, rain-drenched suckers. The bikes in question are lying on their sides on the pavement, abandoned in their haste to get under cover. And Mike is completely soaked, dark hair plastered to his forehead and shirt clinging to hm probably just as uncomfortably as Will’s is sticking to his own skin, and he’s got this sheepish, guilty grin on his face. It had been his idea to take their bikes, hadn’t it? Something about we only have a few weeks left of this weather, Will and let’s enjoy the summer sun, Will and it’s only a twenty percent chance of rain, Will, we’ll be fine. 

Famous last words. 

“Well, it was only a twenty percent chance of rain,” Will points out, doing a bad job of suppressing a smile of his own. This one, though, is less in the realm of guilty, and more in the realm of, I told you so, idiot. "How could we have known?"

Mike shoves at him, a playful brush of wet skin on wet skin, and Will laughs. “Shut up,” Mike says, but he’s still smiling. He reaches a hand up, tangling his fingers in his hair as he brushes it up and off of his forehead, and Will immediately looks away, biting his lip – he shouldn’t think Mike looks cool right now. In actuality, Mike looks like a drowned rat; in actuality, Mike is the reason that they’re stranded here, soaked from the rain; in actuality, none of that makes Will want to kiss him any less.

“How long do you think it’ll last?” Mike is asking now, somehow heard over the sound of the rain hitting the pavement and the sound of all the blood in Will’s body rushing all at once to his ears. He crosses his arms over his chest, resolutely staring at the empty office building across the street, at the trees in boxed planters swaying in the wind – anywhere but Mike, willing his heart rate to go back to normal.

“Check your phone,” Will suggests, doing a very good job of keeping his voice even and steady. “Hot tip: if there’s a little rain cloud under the number, that means it’s still going to rain.”

He doesn’t have to look to know that Mike is rolling his eyes. “Really living up to your name, o’ Will the Wise,” he says, and then presumably turns his attention to digging his phone out of the wet, gross pocket of his jeans – or at least, that’s what Will guesses he’s doing. He still won’t look at him, so he wouldn’t really know, but there’s a lapse in conversation that Will can only attribute to looking at the weather app. “It’s only going to last for another half hour,” Mike declares, affirming Will’s assumptions. 

Will lets out a scoff. “Let me see,” he says, more aggressive than he intends to be, but he doesn’t trust Mike’s assessment of the weather at the moment, thank you very much. Good thing Mike has no interest in meteorology, because Will would have way too much fun bursting that bubble. 

In a feat that has taken years of a mixture of natural talent and diligent practice, Will manages to avoid looking at Mike directly, instead just looking at the raindrop-smeared screen of his phone.  Fortunately for Will, Mike is actually right – the app does show that the rain is going to clear in thirty minutes, the forecast free of tiny thunderclouds for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately for Will, his herculean efforts of not looking at Mike are thwarted completely by standing so close to Mike that he can feel the body heat radiating off of him, and he literally jumps back, cheeks burning.

Smooth. He still won’t look at Mike, but he can tell Mike is looking at him, now. Great.

“You’re jumpy,” Mike comments, sounding amused. 

“I’m not jumpy,” Will barks back, rocking back and forth on his heels, which is almost jumping. He plants his feet to the ground instantly, standing as still as possible. 

“You are,” Mike says, taking a step closer to Will, who immediately steps away from him in – well, in a jumpy way. Damn it. “You’re like a little rabbit.” 

Will flushes something violent, his cheeks burning with it, and this is not what he had in mind when he was urging his respiratory system to act normally around Mike Wheeler, please, for once in our pathetic life. 

“I am not,” he says haughtily, still refusing to look at him. 

“You are,” Mike insists, reaching out to grab at Will by the waist. Will yelps and hops away from him, out from under the cover of the awning and nearly tripping over a nearby parking block. Mike laughs at him. “See?” he says, sliding his phone back into his pocket and taking another step towards Will, who hops backwards out of his reach, involuntarily proving Mike’s point. “Bunny rabbit behavior.” 

“Because you’re trying to grab me,” Will seethes, no real heat to it, taking several steps back as Mike steps out into the rain after him. “Go away.” 

Mike only smiles wider, lunging for Will again with his arms stretched out. His fingers brush the wet fabric of Will’s soaked t-shirt, but on account of it being wet and Will once again jumping away from him, he doesn’t quite get a hold on him. 

“Bunny behavior,” Mike repeats, a gleeful sing-song, and Will flips him off. 

“I hate you,” Will spits out, dodging another grab attempt. 

“You don’t,” Mike says. 

“I do,” Will insists, letting out another yelp as Mike comes after him again. He does more than jump away this time, trying to beat the bunny allegations, and instead turns to run towards the other side of the parking lot. 

Mike makes a noise of protest, and Will glances over his shoulder to see Mike start after him. “Come back!” he calls out, following Will’s path through the parking lot, “I’m not agile enough for this!” 

“Not my fault!” Will yells back, though he’s not having much luck, either, the oil from the asphalt of the parking lot working together with the rain to make him slip and slide all over the place. Mike is working against the same conditions, but even with Will’s head start, Mike and his stupid long legs make the distance between them a lot closer than Will would like. “Oh my God,” he screams, jumping away from yet another close call, “get away from me, you freak!” 

“You’re just mad that I caught up to you,” Mike laughs, and then immediately slips in a puddle. It would be funny, except it sends him sliding forward, and his momentum is too quick for Will to react on time – which lets Mike crash right into him, grabbing at the clinging fabric of Will’s t-shirt for dear life. 

“Yes,” Will grits out, trying to squirm out of his grip, but Mike’s hold is firm, “I’m very, very mad. Let go.” 

“Nah,” Mike says, pulling Will closer and spinning them around, their sneakers sloshing with every step. Will grips onto Mike’s biceps, fingernails digging in for some sort of purchase on his wet skin, desperately trying not to topple over backwards and take Mike with him. “I like you right here.” 

They’re close – so, so close – but Will won’t look up, fixing his gaze on Mike’s bony shoulder and the way his shirt clings to it, almost transparent. The rain beats down on them, flattening Will’s hair against his forehead and sending a cascade of water dripping into his eyes, but he doesn’t care. It beats the alternative. 

“You’re an idiot,” he accuses Mike’s shoulder, furiously blinking against the onslaught of rainwater. 

“You like me, anyway,” Mike answers easily, fondly, hopefully. “You like me so much.” 

Despite himself, this makes Will tip his head back to look up at Mike, rain be damned, because that’s not the way a friend says those words. And that’s certainly not the way a friend looks at a friend, either. 

Will blinks, and the entire day restructures itself in Will’s head: Mike, calling him at noon, insisting he find his bike, because he’d be over in twenty; Mike, almost crashing into a fire hydrant, because he’d been too busy looking at Will to pay attention to where he was going; Mike, paying for his meal at the burger joint they’d gone to for lunch, a normal occurrence; Mike, constantly tapping his foot against Will’s beneath the table, brushing Will’s ankle with his toe, something that’s never happened before. 

And then there was Mike, insisting they go grab ice cream and share it, so that they could get the most bang for their buck; and there was Mike, offering his same spoon to Will, waving off Will’s halfhearted concern about germs; and there was Mike, lying back in the grass with him, his body angled towards Will as he let Will ramble about the portfolio he’s preparing for his college admissions; and there was Mike, who offered to bike back with Will all the way to his house, even though it was in the wrong direction from Mike’s own. 

This entire day has been a date. He payed for Will’s food, and played footsie with him, and shared his ice cream, and happily listened to Will rant, and chased him in the rain, and, and – Mike took Will on a date, and Will didn’t even notice until right now. 

Maybe they’re both idiots.

“I do,” Will says now, squinting up at Mike through the rain. He lifts one of his hands from Mike’s bicep to Mike’s hair, ignoring the way that it shakes in favor of pushing Mike’s hair back off of his forehead again. He lets his fingers card through the wet strands, traveling from Mike’s hairline all the way around his scalp so that his hand is resting at the nape of Mike’s neck, its tremor slight, but still there. His voice is steady, though. Braver than he feels. “I do like you so much.”

Mike’s hold on him tightens, pulling Will forward so that their torsos are pressed up against each other, and any and all nerves get washed away with the rain. Holding tight onto that courage and running with it, he uses his grip as leverage to pull Mike’s face down to his, stands on his tiptoes, and brings Mike’s mouth to his.

The first thing Will registers is that wet, the rainwater catching between them, but as Mike’s mouth moves against his, gently pressing for something beyond the static stack of lips on top of lips, the kiss bursts with new sensation. Mike’s mouth is warm, stark but welcome against the chill of the rain, and the strawberry flavor from his ice cream from earlier makes itself known in the next brush of their lips, bringing a sweetness Will hadn’t expected. It’s soft, slick, sweet, and somehow – shy yet fearless, all at once. 

Will lowers himself back to the ground, breaking the contact but bringing Mike down with him. He holds his face close and just breathes him in, all sweet strawberry breath and the fresh muskiness of petrichor and somewhere beneath them both, that same generic bath soap Mike’s mom has been buying for him as long as Will has known him. It’s a mix of old and new and Mike, Mike, Mike, and best of all, it’s his. It’s his. 

“For the record,” Mike says, his breath fanning out across Will’s face, and through the haze, Will wonders why he was trynig to get away from Mike earlier when this is so much better, “I like you so much, too.” 

Will smiles, big and wide and bright enough to banish the storm clouds, but he doesn’t want them to leave. He’s not ready to give this moment up, not yet.

“Good,” he says, bringing his other arm up to wrap around Mike’s neck. Mike’s thumbs brush at his hips through the soaked fabric of his t-shirt, and Will shudders, the feeling soaking him to the bone in a way the rain could never hope to manage. “Kiss me about it.”

And as certain as the rain falling down all around them – Mike does, and does, and does. 

[e-adlirez]

A Callout Post

You've read the title, and Geronimo Stilton fandom, today's subject is this guy, @geronimosothercadilac.

Warnings: Misogyny, hypocrisy, crappily done suggestive art

Do not be deceived by the blog's innocent title, he is.... well, we're gonna get into it right here.

See, Cadillac, on top of the occasional post about the Geronimo Stilton movie and some nifty old illustrations of G, he also makes R-16 content of Geronimo, mainly him having an open shirt or having no pants. Viewer discretion is very much advised when browsing his blog.

Now, for some this may not be a problem, since we live on a hellsite. However, the line has been crossed since Cadillac has also been reported to have harassed fandom residents into making art that suits his "tastes". (These screenshots are from a dm between me and deadkat, and a dm between deadkat and ratonahat, respectively.)

And the line has been crossed even more with sheer hypocrisy, because he's gone on record being a prude about mundane things that have appeared in the Geronimo Stilton books.

This reply comes from a Violette sketch by melonforbrain, and yes, you're reading this right. This same guy who's made at least five MS Paint edits of Geronimo with his p$nis uncensored, is being this much of a prude over this sketch post that has since been unfortunately deleted. Have a look and feel free to make your own judgments on it (credit goes to @melonforbrain give them some love please). Please keep in mind that this was a WIP at its time of posting.

If you think the rabbit hole is done there, then you have another thing coming for you. The guy's also pulling a door-to-door salesman and sharing his posts in DMs with random people.

(Little warning for uh, his Geronimo Stilton open shirt MS Paint art)

Yes, that is him roping in people who have and want absolutely nothing to do with him! He mentions @2deadkat in these DMs and says they can vouch for him, but uh, around the same time Kat had him blocked for harassing them on similar grounds. (I've tried finding an @showdraws and I couldn't find anything, I think it might be showdrawn, who I don't think does any work for this fandom?? idk, all I know is that uh, no one's on this man's side fr.)

Also with him talking about an open-shirt G not being "suggestive"? Can I just point out that he's called this cover of Thea "sexy" and "seductive"? Do you smell the hypocrisy and misogyny yet? I sure hope you do because this man is pathetic. Do Not Interact, block this man's ass to kingdom come.

And Cadillac? If you're reading this, this is my message to you: Take down those reposts of 2deadkat and ratonahat's drawings you made without their permission, as well as these ones where you didn't even credit an artist. Leave us alone, and don't you dare say someone else is sided with you. I can assure you, no one is. Take your creepy art and your rotten vibes to R-34, you freak.

[bqstqnbruin]

Mat Barzal Teacher AU

@nicohischier listen I will crtl f if I want to but I didn't do it for this one

But this is the 9th one I've written and posted since Monday so that's gotta be something, right?

Teacher AU Series

Warnings: swearing

WC: 813

______________________________

“What are you doing?” Thea asks, walking into Orla’s room. 

“Looking at my glassware.”

“Is it nice to look at?”

Orla sighs, closing her cabinets. “I have to replace like half of what I bought brand new last year because the students broke everything.” 

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah, oh, shit.”

Orla gets her computer out of her bag, where it had been sitting since she arrived in her classroom for the first time since the last school year ended, pulling up the Flinn website and praying that they had some sort of sale going on. Not that it was likely for the stuff she needed, but she could still have hope. “How much will it cost you?”

“The smallest beakers I need are five dollars, the largest are twenty three.”

“Each?”

“Each,” she groans, drawing the end of the word out. 

“Oh, shit.”

Orla laughs. “I think we found our new catchphrase for the year.”

“A downgrade from last years, ‘oh, fuck,’ if I do say so,” Thea laughs. 

Orla stares at the screen, adding everything she needed to buy new into the cart and watching the total cost increase by the second. “Why don’t we work at a school that pays for everything?”

“Because I don’t think those schools exist.” The two of them sit there for a second, Orla staring at her computer trying to figure out how she was going to pay for everything she needed for the school year. “Oh, do you know who your new humanities partner is?”

Orla shrugs. “Whoever that new French teacher is, I haven’t met him yet.” 

Thea sighs. “I got paired with Richard,” she grimaces. “Why do we have to do this again?”

Orla sits up straight, folding her hands in front of her on her desk and tilting her head back so her nose was pointed into the air. Thea burst out laughing, knowing that she was imitating the vice principal they both hated. ���To ensure that we are providing the most extensive cross-curricular education to our students.”

“More like to ensure that we have more busy work we don’t want to do. I mean, what cross-curriculum stuff can we do between biology and English?”

Thea looks at her friend as she puts her feet up on the top of the desk she had commandeered. “You teach AP Bio.”

“And?”

“Don’t they have to read and comprehend long passages just to write essays about them?”

“And?”

“Babe, that’s English. Richard is the perfect person to pair you with.” 

“He’s a dick.”

“In more ways than one.”

Thea laughs, getting up to head back to her classroom to do some work before they had to head to the auditorium for their first week back meetings. She turns back to Orla “Don’t you know French?”

“Not really, no.”

Thea, with her hand on the door, stares out the window in the center. “One of your ex’s did, though, right?”

“Two; blue eyes and nostril boy.”

Thea nods, a smirk on her face that told Orla she wasn’t going to like whatever her friend was about to do next. 

Orla sat back in her chair as Thea finally left, the door closing behind her. Why would she mention Orla’s exes? It wasn’t like either of them would be a teacher. Blue eyes moved away a while ago, Orla losing track of him after he ended up somewhere in Canada. Nostrils, however, was still somewhere on the island, which she knew because she ran into him way too often for her liking. They broke up because Orla thought he was way too self-involved; stopping just short of an actual temper tantrum when he didn’t get his way. 

Granted, they were younger and much more immature when they dated, but it was still enough that Orla knew she didn’t want that.

She shrugs it off, going back to the Flinn website to see if she could pull any of their free resources that could be useful in order to make her feel better about the nearly one thousand dollar glassware purchase she was about to make.

She’s interrupted by a knock at her door while she’s reading about a nuclear decay inquiry lab, not looking up to see who walks in when she calls for them to enter.

“Orla?” she hears a familiar voice, her head snapping from her computer to see the one person she didn’t want in her classroom.

“Mat?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I teach here,” she says, hoping he can’t hear the shaking in her voice. Having a short conversation with him when they randomly happened to see each other was fine, but this? “What are you doing here?”

“I work here.”

The realization of what Thea’s facial expression meant finally dawned on her. You could see who was coming into the building from the hallway outside Orla’s classroom thanks to the weird design of the building. Thea had to have seen Mat coming in. “You’re the new French teacher.”

“You’re my curriculum partner.” 

“Oh, shit.”

[ressonancee]

THEN I WILL BLOSSOM FOR YOU

Seokmin can't really explain why, sure you both are attractive, you guys make a cute couple, and you guys have chemistry, but none of that explains why Seokmin feels so fucking curious, it doesn't explain why he feels like he is trained to watch you two from afar.

✦ LEE SEOKMIN, YOON JEONGHAN - f!reader ✦ genre: smut (minors don't interact) ✦ word count: 5.2k ✦ title inspired by Carly Ra Jepsen - No drug like me

✦ Thea note: My mind is a vast place and sometimes conjures images that I think oh nice everybody needs to hear about this! and you guys can argue, and can make a 3 pages letter but in my head seokmin is jeonghan's favorite - and jeonghan knows that love is sharing so 🫶also @userelv hope you enjoy this

✦ Content warning: threesome, slight degradation (?), please everyone be safe and sound use condoms!!!, cum eating, penis in vagina sex, I feel like we need a warning like Jeonghan is crazy kind of thing, also mention of hell (i was raised catholic we see a wrongdoing we think of hell), also there is little seokmin x jeonghan action so there is that, also seokmin is horny for them both so just to make that clear, so yeah homoerotic action and subtext just to make it clear

Seokmin is a nice guy.

Seokmin is known for being a nice guy. And Seokmin likes being a nice guy, he actually thrives at being nice. The nicest. 

He likes being well-loved, nicely treated, being told he is the nicest person ever. He loves it, and he works himself to be even nicer.

So when Jeonghan shows up with a girlfriend, Seokmin does what he is best known for: he is nice, the fucking nicest person ever.

But why he feels so fucked up in the head when he is just being nice?

Seokmin feels fucked up in the head every time you go near him, and it is even worse when Jeonghan is right there at your side. Seokmin feels fucked up when you guys go to a nice club, nice enough for idols to go and not have pics all over the internet. And thanks god for that because half of the night Jeonghan's hands are under your skirt, and his lips are on your neck. And Seokmin feels fucked up because somehow he can't take his eyes off you both. Seokmin watches the way Jeonghan's hands are on your hips, or hiding beneath your clothes. Seokmin watches the way you claw onto Jeonghan's arms, and he also watches when you get a little tipsy and it's your lips on Jeonghan's jaw, leaving an open-mouthed kiss on it, tugging Jeonghan's hair and making your boyfriend give you more.

Seokmin feels fucked up in the head because you and Jeonghan are in a two years relationship, and his eyes still are glued to you two when you both are together. Seokmin can't really explain why, sure you both are attractive, you guys make a cute couple, and you guys have chemistry, but none of that explains why Seokmin feels so fucking curious, it doesn't explain why he feels like he is trained to watch you two from afar.

So when Jeonghan calls Seokmin and asks if he wants to come over eat something and watch a movie Seokmin does what he does best; he is a fucking nice guy and he says yes, dreading his answer when Jeonghan hangs up. And when time comes Seokmin does what he also has been doing so diligently, he watches how you both lay on the couch, you between Jeonghan's legs, how Jeonghan hands don't stop caressing you for a minute, and how you whine softly, Seokmin's ears almost not catching the sound.

And Seokmin thinks Jeonghan knows. To Jeonghan, Seokmin has always been an open book, a transparent vase, easy to read, easy to decode. Jeonghan must know, right? But if Jeonghan knows why Seokmin is the only one always invited? Why Jeonghan keeps calling him and asking if he is free? Why the hell Jeonghan calls Seokmin and ask if he wants to go to the beach? Why the hell would Jeonghan ask if Seokmin want to joy in a villa with them? That seems like the nicest trip to a couple - beaches, bikinis, cocktails, and a nice hotel bed, and none of that should include Seokmin. 

So when Seokmin says "Sure hyung" he doesn't think he is fucked up in the head, he knows that he is clinically and undoubtedly fucked up in the head. Being a nice guy fucked him up.

When Seokmin sits in the backseat he knows for a fact that he is dumb and he almost opens the door and throws himself in ongoing traffic when he remembers that you guys planned a four days trip.

"It's going to be so fun!" You say excitedly and turning to give Seokmin a big smile, and he can see how Jeonghan's hand rest on your thigh, and he can see how you are already using a bikini because he can see the way it's tied around your neck.

"Sure," Seokmin tries to match your excitement because he can't really say how this is the worst idea ever "I hope it doesn't rain."

"It won't we checked the weather," Jeonghan says looking at Seokmin through the rearview mirror.

Seokmin thinks that trip is exactly what his personal hell looks like. Hell crafted just for him, like a special present handed by Satan. Because he always feels Jeonghan searching for him in the rearview mirror, and Seokmin feels like he can get caught.

He can actually feel Jeonghan's eyes on him every time Seokmin looks at his hand on your leg. And Seokmin doesn't really know why, but he thinks he is obsessed. Every time Jeonghan caresses your skin Seokmin feels a tug in his chest. And in a way, Seokmin can't make himself look out the car window and enjoy the scenery. He can't bring himself to pick up his phone and just find something to keep him entertained.

It's not like he didn't question himself in the begging. He did, but he still didn't know why. He asked if it was jealousy, he asked himself if it was curiosity. He asked himself if it was because of you, or because of Jeonghan. Seokmin was about to check the boxes with the option all of the above.

Seokmin even spent an entire night thinking about if he was jealous of the relationship, of the idea of it. But he ended up jerking off because he replayed every single intricate memory that was stored in his brain. And Seokmin could feel them on the tip of his tongue, every time he replayed a touch, a soft spoken word, a smile or a glance.

He can't pinpoint really. When he realizes he is knee-deep in the water and he continues to enter the sea even tho the waves get stronger and stronger.

The car ride itself is not that awful. In Seokmin's mind, it was worse, like him popping a boner in the backseat every time Jeonghan and you touched, but it's not that bad, and he thinks that's because you sleep 30 minutes in. Seokmin thinks he knows Jeonghan enough, he knows that Jeonghan is mischievous, and he knows Jeonghan likes to banter. But Seokmin also knows Jeonghan enough to know that Jeonghan gives exactly what you can take, not a single drop more of what you can handle. And Seokmin knows that's why Jeonghan just enjoys the music and focuses on the drive, because if you are sleeping that's no fun - Jeonghan needs someone who can actually squirm and put up a fight, even tho everyone knows Jeonghan will win at the end.

And that's why Seokmin is sure that Jeonghan must know.

When Seokmin opens up the door to his room he realizes he can actually breathe and relax. The villa is cozy, with a nice private pool, and houses that look like little bungalows, and is so close to the beach that Seokmin can actually smell the sea. 

But Seokmin's peace and quiet don't actually last that much, with Jeonghan knocking on the door and urging him to change clothes and go to the pool. Jeonghan excitedly said to Seokmin that he basically ordered the whole drinks menu.

Seokmin thinks he is in the bad place. Everything is beautiful, and amazing actually, but the only thing he can think of is that he is sure he is going to hell. He is going to spend eternity in the flames. He is going to see the devil face to face because the way he can see your nipples on the fabric of that excuse you call a bikini makes his mouth water and his dick hard really. 

If that wasn't enough for him to earn a ticket to hell the fact that your boyfriend is right there seated on Seokmin's side with a drink in his hand seals the deal.

That makes Seokmin feels fucked up in the head, makes Seokmin feels dirty and filthy because even if Jeonghan is right there, Seokmin's eyes are on your body every step you take until you seat right there - arms reach but on Jeonghan's side.

"The water is pretty good you guys should give it a go." You say twisting your hair in the hope the droplets don't get everywhere before picking up a drink, and Seokmin can actually see the water droplets travel on your skin.

"I'm okay enjoy the view really," Jeonghan says voice lewd, and Jesus Seokmin is going to hell for sure.

"Jeonghan-" You scold giving your boyfriend a little shove and the only thing Seokmin can focus on is how Jeonghan's smile opens up and how his hands rest on your waist, pushing your body against his.

"What? Didn't even say anything" Jeonghan replies.

"Anyway, we should ignore him," you say to Seokmin, and he thinks his life would be easier if he could ignore the way that Jeonghan's hand is resting on your hips, against your bikini bottom. "Come on, you should have fun with me and leave him alone, he would probably die in five minutes"

And Seokmin knows that's not what you mean. You are talking about the pool, he is sure of it, but Seokmin's mind is big and vast, and he can think of every possibility of what having fun mean. And the way you say it, the way your voice rings against Seokmin's ear doesn't help Seokmin's states really.

"Don't be mean," Jeonghan says giving your shoulder a kiss but eyes focused on Seokmin, "Seokmin is having a hard time already."

And it's all so fucked up really that Seokmin don't even feel entitled to feel mad, to get angry, to answer Jeonghan and say that playing with his feeling like that Is wrong. Because to be honest, Seokmin is in no position to do so. Seokmin is always there, of course, because they invite him to be there, but again he could've said no. Every time they go out Seokmin is like the third piece of the puzzle. Seokmin is always too close when hands wander, or when lips crash, he lost count of it really. 

And when Jeonghan says things like that Seokmin can't really go against it, because yes he is having a hard time, he is always going against his urge to get dick hard when the topic is his friend and his girlfriend. So yeah, Seokmin is having a hard time because every time he sees Jeonghan's hand against your skin he doesn't actually feel the need to break that contact, to tear you two apart, but he feels the urge to put his hand on top - to be in this together. 

This is even more fucked up because Seokmin knows that maybe the voyeur experience is allowed, but to take part in it is another whole story.

So when Jeonghan is by his side after taking a shower and fixing himself up for dinner Seokmin feels like he is one step away from having convulsions, two steps of just dying right there. 

"What?" He asks as if he didn't hear, or didn't understand, but in reality, he heard Jeonghan just fine, but his mouth is dry and his heart skipped a beat.

"I mean," Jeonghan blocked his phone and gave Seokmin his full attention. "I think I am not wrong right? You are into my girlfriend or am I reading all wrong?"

"Hyung," Seokmin tries to start already feeling like he fucked up everything. Head falling and hand gripping the nearest furniture, grip so strong his digits are white. "It's not really-"

"I mean," Jeonghan cuts him and Seokmin doesn't even feel angry, he feels relieved really because what the fuck he was going to say? "for us it's not a problem really, I am not the jealous type, and if you actually say that you are not into her and I have to delivery that news to her she is probably gonna cry." 

"What?" Is the only thing Seokmin can say really. Because the words leaving Jeonghan's mouth are altering Seokmin's brain. And he thinks for a second Jeonghan is trying to mess with him, because that would be something that Jeonghan could do, but when Seokmin thinks and ponders he doesn't see Jeonghan as a mean person. Scratch that, Seokmin doesn't see Jeonghan as downright sadistic.

"Yeah, I'm telling you, why aren't you believing in me? Did I have lied to you?" Jeonghan says, voice still low and taking a step to get closer, and the only thing Seokmin can think is how he wants to just run away. "Oh wait. yeah probably, but like not in a serious setting involving you fucking my girlfriend so-" Jeonghan continues but Seokmin is so on his own head, in a way he feels so aware of everything, the way he finds weird how his eyes are blinking, or how he is aware of his own breathing rhythm - in a way he never actually cared about breathing outside the stage or studio. "what I mean is I heard about how hot you are for what feels like a decade."

"I-" Seokmin tries to answer but even his mouth feels weird, his tongue dry, his brain not forming words in the same way he is used to. His mind is just a blank space, and Seokmin thinks that Jeonghan finally won, Jeonghan broke his brain.

"Look this is weird, I know I am begging you to fuck my girlfriend but you need to step up," Jeonghan says, having the audacity to give Seokmin's back a little tap of encouragement. "Do you want me to join? Do you have any things you won't do? I mean I can totally watch in the side even tho cuckolding is not really my thing but what can I do? I am a man in love I do anything to make my girl happy"

"What the fu-" Seokmin says voice small

"Hey are you guys ready? I think the uber is arriving" You say like Jeonghan was not talking about Seokmin fucking you, you say like the three of you are just having a funny vacation on a villa, a few days to distress, to re-energize. Seokmin tho feels like he just lost a whole year, actually, five years, his longevity will be fucked up after this trip.

"Oh? Already?" Jeonghan answers putting his hand on the small of your back. "I was just having a great chat with Seok here."

And Seokmin is aware of everything.

He did suspect that Jeonghan knew. The thoughts always plagued his mind. But now that he knows that Jeonghan knows about everything just unlock another dimension on Seokmin's brain, and the fact that Jeonghan's words left him hyper-aware of everything doesn't help.

Everything just seems like Jeonghan is trying to break Seokmin's mind. 

He suspects when the three of you hop in the backseat of the uber, you in the middle with Jeonghan manspreading, Seokmin thinks it's intentional the way that Jeonghan makes you shift to Seokmins side, the way that Jeonghan arm just rests against the backseat so near Seokmin's nape. Seokmin thinks it's intentional every time the uber does a sharp turn you lean on his leg, hand hot against his thigh and he was insane enough to just wear shorts.

Seokmin thinks it's intentional when Jeonghan chooses a table that is almost hidden, in a dark corner of the restaurant, near the beach. Seokmin thinks it's intentional the way Jeonghan always leans to whisper something in your ear but his eyes not leaving Seokmin, the way that you hold Jeonghan's jaw so delicately makes Seokmin melt against his chair. The way that Seokmin can't make himself look away makes him question his own sanity.

Seokmin knows it's intentional when Jeonghan just keeps reordering wine for you and Seokmin's favorite soju. Seokmin knows it's intentional when every time Jeonghan mouths brush against your ear you look at Seokmin, both your and Seokmin's face red. 

Seokmin knows it's intentional when you hold his hand, it's a silly gesture really, just two of your fingers intertwined with Seokmin's when they back to the villa. And Seokmin knows it's intentional when you don't let go of his hand even tho Jeonghan is kissing you, body pressed against the door.

And again Seokmin can't bring himself to look away, can't bring himself to distance himself, so when Jeonghan leaves your mouth and trails kisses to your jaw and neck and you tug Seokmin's hands he just gives in.

Seokmin knows that he never really had a chance or the strength to say no.

Because in the next second you are kissing him, position weird enough because Jeonghan is right there, and Seokmin thinks he is crazy but the way he can feel the whisky and wine mixed together on your tongue, the faint trace of Jeonghan makes his whole world spin. 

"Do we-" You finally say when your mouth leaves Seokmin's but hand still holding him, fingers hot against his wrist. "Hannie" You say trying to get Jeonghan's attention and Seokmin realizes how your boyfriend is still on your neck, hands against your hips, almost rutting against you. "don't we need to talk about it?" 

And Seokmin again feels his mouth dry, his tongue weird on his mouth. Seokmin knows that everything about this is wrong, he just kissed his friend's girlfriend. He can feel how hot it is, how his clothes cling to his skin, how he can feel the warmth radiating from you and Jeonghan, how your hand doesn't leave his arm. And for the first time in a while, Seokmin just give up on being nice, and he just kiss you again, feeling the urge to just act for once and leave his head. 

And your hand finally leaves his arms, but just to grip on Seokmin's nape and he feels like you and him are just hanging for dear life, one step wrong and you both could fall. 

Because the way Jeonghan feels against your body, the way his mouth feels against your skin feels amplified when Seokmin's mouth is against yours. 

And in a way, it just feels too much already. The feeling of two bodies against yours, the way Seokmin feels against you - totally different of the way Jeonghan does. The way that the unknown feels in Seokmin's touch and the familiar feeling of Jeonghan by your side makes it hard to grasp. 

"fuck-" Jeonghan's voice rings against the silence making your mouth and Seokmin's disconnect. "you two are so hot together but really I think the bedroom is a better place."

So that's how Seokmin is pulled to the bedroom by you, hands-on Seokmin's biceps and Seokmin feels grateful he is hitting the gym regularly, but Seokmin also is so aware that he can feel your need to touch him, hand squeezing his muscle and almost leaving an imprint on it.

Seokmin thinks the whole world is enhanced. Like his touch and his vision just increased, like he has a new set of senses and he is just discovering now. Because when you tug on his clothes the sensation of it against his skin feels new to him. Because when his eyes land on Jeonghan's fingers opening up your dress, feels new to him. And when you speak your voice feels foreign, because he never heard you like that, panting and begging.

"Can you take this off?" You ask so prettily that Seokmin almost sinks on his knee but in contrast to that Jeonghan just giggles.

"Since when are you polite during sex?" Jeonghan asks still laughing but not stopping opening your buttons and Seokmin can see your boobs peeking through the fabrics.

"Jeonghan" You complain.

"Just because we have visits she is behaving nicely" Seokmin feels fucked up in the head because it's a level of intimacy he never actually saw, a whole new experience that he never actually taped into. And in a way, Seokmin feels so close to his personal hell he can actually feel the flames burning his skin - the funny thing is he doesn't actually care anymore. 

Seokmin actually hears your pained whimper when he takes a step away to take his shirt off, but that's what needs to be done really, and because Seokmin is so fucking eager to please he just get his short off but then he feels your hand splayed against his stomach. 

"God you are so hot" You say before giving him a kiss and Seokmin's head starts spinning because one second all his focus is on how you lick his mouth but then your hands are on his boxers, and then he hears Jeoghan.

"Seokmin is pretty right? Go on praise him." And the thought that Seokmin thought he knew Jeonghan flickers in Seokmin's mind because that Jeonghan too is a new version Seokmin never experienced, a Jeonghan he never saw.

"Can I suck you off?" You ask, already palming Seokmin's dick, hand inside his boxes, with Jeonghan glued on your back, kissing your shoulder, and working on your bra strap. 

Seokmin is not a difficult guy really when a pretty girl asks to suck his dick he goes haywire, mind fucked up and body limp, so when you give him a little push he just melts, his knee gives away and he just sits on the bed because really that's the only reaction he can do.

Seokmin feels like his brain is almost leaking out of his ears because the image of you on your knees between his leg is almost enough to make him cum. Just the fact that you, his friend's girlfriend is sitting so pretty between his leg is so fucked up Seokmin need to close his hand against the base of his dick trying to not cum right there.

"Fuck" You start to nuźzle his thigh. Hands still on the floor, mouth open, tongue tracing Seokmin's thigh. "God I love your thighs they are so big." You say giving Seokmin's thigh a little kiss.

"Come on baby, you can do better than that," Jeonghan says kneeling behind you, and now Seokmin knows he is going to hell or going crazy. Jeonghan grabs your boobs - the bra still acting like an obstacle in Seokmin's view, and the need to actually see Jeonghan's skin against yours makes Seokmin crazy.

Seokmin feels your teeth graze against his skin he can feel himself leaking, dick so fucking hard it almost hurts, head already gone - he can't even think about what is right and what is wrong anymore. 

"You can praise Seok a little better or at least say thanks to him because he is fulfilling your crazy fantasy" Jeonghan says fingers thigh against your stomach, while the other is still grabbing your boob. And oh god Seokmin is jealous, he is jealous of Jeonghan touching you like that, he is jealous of you being so at ease moaning head against Jeonghan's shoulder, he is jealous of you two and the relationship you both build. And Seokmin thinks he is the worst person ever.

"Oh god baby you are already this dumb? You want Seokmin so much you are already in this state? He didn't even fucked you properly." The way Jeonghan speaks makes you and Seokmin whimper in unison, both failing to hide the neediness.

"Come on, open up." And Jeonghan's digits tap against your lips, and his other hand guides your head in Seokmin's direction. And when you lap on his dick Seokmin almost cries. Because you are so fucking beautiful, hair held by Jeonghan, lips swollen, and you look so fucked up. And that should be enough for Seokmin really, but then Jeonghan starts again;

"That's it, baby, take Seokmin's pretty cock in your mouth I know you can do it," He says eyes glued on your mouth enveloping Seokmin. "You talked so much about how he must have a nice cock right? Now that you have the opportunity you need to choke on Seokmin's dick right? So fucking big-" 

And Seokmin goes crazy every time Jeonghan says his name, and every time he feels your lips rubbing against his cockhead Seokmin he feels really close to insanity. And when you actually gag a little because Seokmin's hips twitched, Seokmin thinks he has nothing to lose.

"God you are drooling you really wanted that dick in your mouth, right babe?" Jeonghan continues, but now Seokmin can see the way his hand disappears between your legs, your panty hanging between your thighs. "Poor you," Jeonghan coos, and Seokmin can feel the way you just swallow and hums against his dick. "Did Seokmin was too hard for you to get? But now he is here, baby go on, choke on his dick." And Jeonghan's hand leaves your hair to caress your cheek, and the juxtaposition of Seokmin's hard dick against your mouth and Jeonghan's acts make everything so wrong.

When Seokmin hips buckle he knows he is so close to cumming that he can almost taste it, he closes his eyes and waits but his orgasm is ruined it never arrives, and when he looks down Jeonghan's hand is on his shaft, fingers tight against his base. "You can't cum now, she likes when we cum inside her."

"God," Seokmin says, hand tugging his own hair. "this is fucked up"

"How do you want her?" Jeonghan asks like he is talking about furniture or about Seokmin's laundry.

"Shouldn't you be asking her that?" Seokmin asks because really he is taking what he can get, he isn't picky. But you look almost so out of it really Seokmin almost laughs in disbelief because you and Jeonghan are always bickering - but now your body is so pliant against Jeonghan, his hand still going between your legs.

"Not really I know she will enjoy it in any way but-" Jeonghan hands stop and Seokmin can hear you whine, and Seokmin's eyes don't blink when Jeonghan helps you to get on your feet. "She can ride you, I mean this way is better for me to watch."

Jeonghan says patting Seokmin's thigh so Seokmin can lie on the bed, and when Seokmin's back hit the mattress Seokmin feels your mouth against his, and he can actually taste himself on your tongue. And the way you kiss him, almost lazily makes his hand claw at your waist. And when Seokmin feels your legs caging him in, thighs against his hips he just wants to enjoy what he is feeling. And when you whimper against Seokmin's mouth because his dick is finally against your folds Seokmin just gives up.

When you actually sink into his dick Seokmin can almost taste his downfall.

"Fuck-" Jeonghan says tugging at his own dick. When did Jeonghan get naked? Seokmin has no fucking idea. He just grabs your legs and focuses on the way that you feel, your body against him, because if he thinks too much about how your mouth is hanging open at the sight of Jeonghan's dick he may malfunction. "You are so pretty together, gonna keep this going, you guys can fuck anytime if you let me watch it." 

"Hanie" you moan and the fact that Seokmin dicks on you but you are moaning another name makes his head spin - he is a nice guy, he has nice guy bones, he is a nice guy down to his core and he has nice guy cells why the fuck he is partaking in this situation?

It just feels so fucking wrong. 

It feels wrong the way you call Jeonghan and the way Seokmin can feel your pussy clench when you and Jeonghan kiss. It feels wrong the way your hands grab Seokmin's pecs when Jeonghan kisses your jaw. 

"You can cum on her, she likes it messy."

It feels wrong the way every word that leaves Jeonghan's mouth makes you and Seokmin twitch at the same time, hips buckling. And Seokmin feels like he is so close to hell, but when Jeonghan actually uses his body to help you keep your body straight he knows he is lost for eternity really, Seokmin knows he never gonna experience anything close to that. When Jeonghan's hand travels on your body, digits lazily on your clit Seokmin just lets everything goes.

Because everything is so fucked up he can't actually take it, the way you keep chasing even after Seokmin is done, and the way that Jeonghan keeps coaching you until you cum makes Seokmin's mind spin. 

The way Jeonghan just laughs when he helps you chase positions, body spent is so fucking crazy to Seokmin he can't wrap his mind around it. And when you chase Seokmin's mouth to give him a kiss when your back hit the mattress doesn't help Seokmin's state of mind.

"Come on princess, my turn now," Jeonghan says, again doing what he wants to your body, and opening your legs so he can put himself in between. Seokmin can't wrap his head around this either, he never actually thought about how Jeonghan could manhandle you. "Gonna fill you up too don't worry." 

The way that you touch Seokmin's body when Jeonghan enters you make Seokmin swallow nothing. Seokmin never really saw himself as a voyeur, even tho he was always watching, but the way Jeonghan fucks you so slowly and the way Seokmin can hear you whimper just make him crazy all over again. The way you actually hold Seokmin's hand for dear life, the way that Seokmin can touch you while watching takes everything to a new level. And when Seokmin can actually tell you are close he thinks he can't get even more fucked up.

Seokmin feels like the world just stopped for a second or two after Jeonghan cums, everything gets so silent and so still that Seokmin starts to question what is real.

"Come on baby," Jeonghan says and Seokmin looks even tho he thinks Jeonghan is talking to you, but to his surprise, Jeonghan is talking to him, because Jeonghan's free hands are turned to him. 

So Seokmin does what a fucking nice guys does, he complies.

Seokmin gets closer, and Seokmin thinks he can cum again, untouched, because your pussy is so fucking messy, cum dripping out of your hole and dripping on Jeonghan's fingers, and Jeonghan gives Seokmin a little smile and fuck the cum back to you, you squirming because you are so fucking sensitive. "Come on Seok you need to clean up the mess we made." 

And Seokmin feels like he is about to collapse and drop dead because he is so spent how is he feeling horny again? But he does what Jeonghan says, he licks your pussy, cleaning and fucking his tongue on your hole trying to put everything back. "please I-" you say but Seokmins ignores it, continuing his job, cleaning up the mess that he and Jeonghan did. 

"Oh, baby is sensitive?" Jeonghan coos. "Maybe next time you think about wanting two cocks baby. Or maybe next time Seokmin may stretch your ass to give this pussy a rest." Jeonghan says and Seokmin puts his mouth against your clit, lapping at it, because just to think about a next time is enough to make him actually cry "Fuck, you are such a whore," Jeonghan laughs "Do you want to come in Seokmin's mouth thinking about his dick on your ass?" And Seokmin can see you two kissing when he still eating you out. "God look at him, he keeps going."

"You guys are perverts," Jeonghan says like he was not involved in the whole scheme. Laying on the bed, spent, Seokmin keeps going until you cum against his tongue.

[purple-dreams9]

If Thea was Theo, a controversial opinion

I want to preface this post by stating that this is not meant to change anyone's mind or opinion. I am not here to tell you to like a character or to ship a certain ship. You are free to hate Thea, write her off your fics, ignore her existence, and ship Kevin with the milkman if you so desire. This is also not an essay. Instead, think of it as the thought dump of someone munching over it for days.

This all started with a conversation about Thea with a couple people on a Discord server. I've been mostly neutral about Thea, not understanding the overall hate but not knowing much about her either. It led me to read Nora's most recent post about Thea, the replies and the "Why do you not like Thea?" poll, and I've seen plenty of Tweets about her, too.

In general, I noticed one main element when people explain their stance: it is not because Thea is a woman and people want to ship Kevin with male characters. The real reason(s), branched in different directions: the age gap, the lack of building of her character, how little she shows up/how little we know about her/the feeling of her being shoo-ed in out of nowhere as Kevin's love interest, and her attitude (inc. her lack for communication with Kevin after he left the Nest, her comment to Jean in TSC, etc.)

I have been in many fandoms for over a decade, some with more prominent mlm ships, and to be honest, none of those reasons seemed to truly justify the dislike of Thea to the degree she is disliked in the fandom as a whole, especially as the romantic interest of a main character. It seemed to me that most of it is rooted in the desire for Kevin NOT to be straight, but to be gay and be with a guy (or bi, but I see more people using "gay" for Kevin. And some prefer Aro/Ace Kevin, but these fans are a bit more quiet and subdued with their headcanon.) See, even taking Thea out of the equation, there are no popular mlw ships for Kevin with characters from canon, and even in fanon ships the counterparts are mostly (if not all) men.

That got me thinking: "What if Thea was Theo? How would that change how fans interact with this character, even if her personality was the same? What about the relationship with Kevin? Would fans approach the ship differently if he had had Theo as a boyfriend instead of Thea as a girlfriend?"

Of course, it is all hypothetical. For one, a big part of her character is that she is a woman of color (note that I am not black, so I am in no position to talk about how her race plays out with her character) in a predominately male and white team (violent cult) that had to fight her way to the top. It wouldn't quite have the same weight or the same background if she was a male. For two, I am aware it would bring another discourse to the table, that of the "predatory gay men stereotype" (even though there was nothing predatory or "grooming" in their relationship, but that conversation is not for this post.) I am sure plenty of fans would still hate the Kevin/Theo ship, and Theo himself.

Still, I allowed myself to picture it. I read, once, that women used to ship male characters together because female characters were underdeveloped and were not interesting. I wondered if this applies to fandom as well, how certain fandoms prefer to develop and grow male characters.

Things like "lack of canon information about Theo" would not be an issue. Fans are very good at filling in the blanks and building a character from the few spare parts given by the source. This also applies to "there is almost no interaction with Kevin" because let's be honest here, guys, ships are sometimes made from nothing. Rarepairs exist, and even ships like pre-TSC Jerejean can explode in popularity.

With how big of a part Kevin plays in the books and how big his shipping fandom is, if Theo was a thing, I truly believe we would have seen him bloom in fanon spaces. He would have given space and opportunity to grow, change and develop both as a character and in his relationship with Kevin.

The "forbidden relationship" trope and the possibility for angst would have fans foaming, fics working around Theo's past and how he had to fight his way to the top would be written, AUs where he leaves the beliefs of the cult behind and reunites with Kevin would also exist. We would see stories about how his and Kevin's love story played out before and after Kevin left the Nest (at least one primarily focused on the notes they used to pass each other in secret). His mean comments and bitchiness would be ignored, played down, understood, forgiven, or found charming (like Andrew's throughout the series, or even Abby's in TSC.) In a few words, he would be more present and less disliked.

AFTG is a predominately queer fandom, and there is nothing wrong with wanting representation, but I also think it's necessary to use the same scale for female and male characters that are romantically or sexually involved with more popular ones. It's fine not to like Thea, but also to sit and think: would I asses a male character in the same way? How would my view of them change regarding their gender? Just food for thought, I guess.

Again, this is not a call to action of any sort. It is just me, rambling and putting my thoughts down. I can't see different realities so this is basically all fiction. I wanted to take it out of my brain, hear what others think and that's it. Ship what makes you happy. Create what inspires you. Curate your experience. All that being said, Id love to hear your thoughts, but I wont debate anyone's opinion because that's truly, not what Im seeking.

This got longer than I intended so I'll end this here. If you made it, thanks! I hope you have a nice day.

[thedeviltohisangel]

Fall For A Shooting Star//Cassian Week 2024: Day One, Flying

a/n: So many people were expecting my first foray into ACOTAR fic to be my Azriel novel and that is coming too I swear it. I just saw it was Cassian week and knew I HAD to participate. I've had Cassian and Thea rolling my head for a bit and I have more plans for them so anticipate this being a little one shot series. Over the week I will introduce to them you further. I hope you all like it!

tw: allusions to physical abuse

Windhaven was as it always was. Snowy and windy and filled with the sounds of swords clashing and men fighting. It was home, for all its flaws. The canvas tent she shared with the other females her age would no doubt do nothing against the weather when she finished her chores and retired for the evening. 

Thea was at least thankful she was on cooking duty tonight. It gave her an excuse to be close to the fire and not incur the wrath of Lord Devlon. He had been keeping a careful eye on her ever since the incident from last week. It had earned her ten lashings that were still tender across her back. It also hadn’t helped that they’d rip her one cotton shirt to bare her skin and she was left with the scratchy, stiff fabric of the laundress who had been kind enough to lend it to her. She would have to figure out a couple of replacement garments soon. The eyes of the males finishing their training for the day told her that they knew it too. 

“I heard Cassian got a siphon today.” That was Scarlett, her closest friend in Windhaven. “He came by looking for you earlier.”

“It must have been while I was at the healers.” Every morning Thea had trudged across the camp for the healers to spread a thin layer of salve across the scars of her whipping. The scars from the loss of her wings had healed over many moons ago. Scarlett furrowed her brow as Thea continued to stir at the pot and begin to prepare herself for the leering that came from the males lining up for dinner.

“Something happen between you two?” Normally the mention of his name would send Thea into a flush. Now she was gritting her teeth and looking like she could snap the ladle in half.

“No.” Thea paused. “No. I just-”

“I’m hungry, wench.” The metal bowl was thrust forward by the warrior, knocking the breath from her as it found a landing against her stomach. 

“Apologies, Emmett.” It was always better to show fealty. Then they were less likely to find an excuse to beat her later. He took a step closer and grabbed the collar of her dress.

“You best learn to keep your mouth shut before I get any ideas on how to fill it for you.” His eyes looked her up and down like he was hungry for more than just stew. Thea shivered. While she hadn’t been able to fend off the loss of her wings, she had been successfully fighting every day to keep herself from a marriage or a bedmate. Cassian’s shadow had certainly helped. “That bastard doesn’t seem to be coming back for you any time soon…Maybe I’ll take my chance and pay you a visit tonight.” She did her best to hold his gaze. To not flinch when a wicked smile spread across his face. Everything had to catch up to her eventually. And he was right. Cassian wasn’t around to protect her anymore. Not with his completion of the Blood Rite and receipt of a siphon and a war looming on the horizon. 

And Thea had pushed him away for that exact reason. He deserved to be free of this place. To live his life with the heir to the Night Court and the Shadowsinger. Together they would be formidable. Make a difference in all their lives. The burden of her would do nothing but drag him down. Cassian deserved to soar.

“I’ll rip your fucking throat out if you even think about it, Emmett.” Yet he always happened to know exactly when she needed him. The male had the nerve to laugh. Cassian took a step forward but Thea threw her arm out to stop him.

“Don’t, Cass, he’s not-”

“Fucking son of a whore.” Emmett spit the ground by their feet. “Your mother get whipped for your behavior the same way she does?” Scarlett physically choked at the statement. Thea felt the blood drain from her body. She knew she should turn and face him. Explain what it was the Illyrian was talking about. But she couldn’t find the necessary skills for her brain to talk to her legs.

She felt the growl in his chest as it pressed to her back, his arm wrapping around her waist. “Thea,” he whispered into her ear, “Take a deep breath.” He exploded into the sky, her hands grabbing at his forearm as the war camp disappeared beneath them. And if anyone asked she would say the tears streaming down her face were from the cool air and not the release of emotions that always came with flying. From being with him. 

He banked to the left and arced until she recognized the flat patch of dirt that overlooked Windhaven and the white valley below. It was a place of solace on the occasion it was just the two of them. A place he hadn’t even thought to share with Rhys or Az because it belonged to him and her.

Thea tucked her knees into her chest as he landed firmly, his arms not loosening their hold around her in the slightest. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way,” she whispered after a moment of silence. “I was hoping my back would heal before I saw you again.” 

“Your back…” 

“They didn’t care that they were lashing over my older scars if that is what you are asking.” 

“Why?” She blinked back more tears. Anything to not tell him why they had punished her. 

“Because I used the dagger you got me to get one of the newer camp members to leave me alone. I cut him and he didn’t like it.” She found the courage to spin his arms, gasping as the red siphons gleamed on his hands. “Scarlett said you got a siphon. Not two.” Cassian bristled as she distracted herself with a soft caress of his hand.

“Seven, when I’ve got my armor on.”

“Cassian, that must be a new record. Gosh, the look on their fucking faces when they gave you seven siphons. I could only imagine.” Thea smiled and, despite better judgment, brought the back of his hand to her lips. “You’ll get your own legion in the war. I’m sure of it.” He was a born leader. A skilled fighter. She could think of no one better to lead the Illyrians into battle against Hybern.

“We’ll see,” he murmured. “I’m sorry the dagger got you in trouble but I’m not sorry, and will never be sorry, that I taught you to protect yourself. And you should never apologize for doing so.”

“Soon you’ll all leave for the front anyway. Windhaven might be peaceful for once.” Thea fell against his chest and his lips pressed into her hair. “You don’t need to come back, Cassian. Go with Rhysand and Azriel and make this world a better place.” She was giving him permission to leave her behind. To move on from whatever thing lingered in the space between them and unleash himself across the sky. 

“It’s not coming back when I’m taking you with me. Right here.” He pointed at his chest. 

“Do the siphons amplify your levels of sap?” she teased with a smile. 

“I’m not kidding, Thea. Wherever I go after the war, I’d like to bring you with me. If you’ll have me.” He had thought about marrying her years ago when she had first bled to keep the rest of the camp away from her. But then they had removed her wings and she’d been sent away to heal and the timing was never right. After the war, Cassian would force the fucking Mother to time it right if he had to. 

“Only if you promise to fly me out here whenever I ask. Just us. Our own sacred corner of light.” His wings flared and his head bowed. 

“With every breath and heartbeat I have, I promise.”

Hell would be awaiting her at Windhaven when she got back. Of that she was certain. And the hell of war would be awaiting in the coming days. Of that she was certain. But there was something on the other side of all that. Tantalizing and taunting. Urging her to dream and hope and believe that the after was possible. 

And what a dangerous thing that was.

@cassianappreciationweek

[bradshawsbitch]

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎↠ 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 - ⅱ ↞

⁘ bradley bradshaw, the notoriously ill mannered head chef at the small franchise pub down the street, is quite content with his fast paced job. no commitments or obligations outside of his kingdom of sharp knives, pots, pans, prep work and a shot of jäger after a double. that is until a new waitress is hired, and suddenly his strict and rigid rules of no obligations or commitments starts to waver. . .

› pairing; bradley bradshaw x f!reader

word count; ~ 2.5K

× chapter warnings; swearing, mentions of infidelity, general adult themes.

disclaimer; I am basing most of the chefs/waitresses on people I have worked with/encountered. Most of their traits will be as realistic as possible.

previous chapter | masterlist | next chapter

“So, would you like to go out for drinks and maybe get some dinner? When’s your next day off?”

The wet rag stilled as you were about to dunk it in hot water again, the knife you’d been about to polish suspended in mid-air. Thea was smiling at you as she made her way through the newly washed wine glasses, checking for water spots and polishing them out with her own cloth. The two of you were standing at the cashier, during the time between the end of lunch and the start of dinner service that was almost always completely quiet.

“Are you talking to me?” your voice was a bit small, uncertain, seeing as another waitress - Mir - was fiddling with the sound system just a few paces to your left. Perhaps Thea was asking her.

“Of course I’m asking you, Cookie!” Jake’s nickname for you seemed to have stuck for most of the staff - apart from Bradley, of course, who still mostly called you ‘Bambi’ or ‘Flounder’ - if he spoke to you at all, something that made you grit your teeth. 

Thea told you that she’d like to get to know you better, which made you smile - and that smile turned into a wide grin as Mir asked if she could come too. Truthfully, your other friends had accidentally taken a back-seater as you’d started working the restaurant. There just never seemed to be a time that fit.

They worked when you were free, and you were headed to work when they got off. During the weekends was when you always had to pull doubles, or just shifts in general - and most of your friends used Sunday as a wind down, and Monday they started their dreaded week again. Those had now turned in to your Saturday and Sunday. 

Which was how the three of you landed on dinner and drinks tomorrow evening, a Sunday. The notion felt a bit strange to you still, but you could tell the other girls had gotten used to it. As you continued polishing cutlery, you found yourself giddy at the notion that you were getting accepted into the small crew of people that worked here. You hadn’t talked to Mir much, but apparently she liked to gossip. And the upcoming dinner reservations seemed to have made you a new ear for her to talk to. 

At the end of your shift, you were pretty certain you knew most - if not all - about the chef’s and servers personal life. John had dated a fellow waitress a few years back, and she’d dumped him in the parking lot. Mickey had been caught getting it on in the maintenance closet, and Jake apparently had an on again off again girlfriend. According to Mir, it was ‘a whole mess’ because Jake’s girl had cheated on him, and then he’d cheated on her after that to retaliate - and now they were back together again. 

She spent about 40 minutes lamenting the loss of a chef who’d previously worked here. They had had a drunken hook-up, and he’d accidentally come up her nostril. This fact made you spit out the sip you’d taken out of your Pepsi Max. Mir only sniggered, winking at you before continuing with her story, as if having cum up your nose was completely normal. 

“What about Bradley?” the sentence slipped out before you could stop yourself. Immediately, you regretted it, as Mir’s head snapped to yours, a curious look in her eye. 

“Rooster?” Mir stalled a little. “You should stay away from Rooster, Cookie.” she sounded as serious as you figured Mir could sound, and it only made you more curious. 

“You know why we call him Rooster, right?” she leveled you with a knowing look, and you shook your head silently. “He gets a lot of chicks, yeah? Sleeps around a lot. Mates all year round if you get my drift?” the euphemisms were starting to make your head swim. 

“Anyways, one of the waitresses quit abruptly a couple of years ago. Complete mess. Poor thing was wrecked–” the rest of Mir’s sentence was drowned out by an elderly man, asking if y’all served coffee. Licking your lips, you took the draft of beer you’d been pouring to the waiting table - a small frown apparent on your face, deep in thought about the information you'd gotten out of Mir. 

As you made your way over to the computer that held all of the orders you put in, you noticed that the time on one of the tables seemed a bit outrageous. Over an hour. They’d asked about their food twice now, and you’d looked apologetic before telling them it should be out soon. Now though, you could feel their harsh glares on your back, and you figured it was time to ask the chefs when they were pushing it out.  

Walking briskly to the kitchens, you saw Jake man the window, calling out a new check as he went. Usually it would be Bradley calling out checks and plating, but for some reason he always had the grill when you worked. 

“Hey Jake, I was just wondering–” your soft sentence was drowned out by Bradley loudly calling time on another table. “-- I was just wondering when table 53..” once again you were cut off.

“Listen, Cookie - you’re too nice. Too soft spoken, okay. Tell me what you want.” Jake was rarely unkind, in fact, he’d been very nice - if not downright flirty since you started, but now his voice was strained with stress. He looked at you fleetingly, seaglass eyes hard as Bradley barked out about timing. 

“Well, table 53 has waited for quite some time now, and I was just wondering–” Jake sighed tiredly, whisking away to grab a saucepan, yelling ‘behind’ as he danced behind Bradley’s back. You thought of Thea, and Mir, and John - they usually just talked as loud as they could - kept their sentences short even though you had been raised to ask nicely for things. To say please. To say ‘may I’, to say ‘is it possible’. 

“Where the fuck is table 53?” 

Everything stopped. Jake smirked, he looked pleased. Your loud voice had rang out, stress and agitation shining through as your eyes widened slightly. 

“Time on table 53?” Jake called out loudly to his fellow chefs, quickly scanning the row of checks before him. 

“What’s on it?” Bradley looked confused, counting the current steaks he had on the grill. You rambled off the order off the top of your head, and Bradley shook his head. 

“Well, Flounder - seems like you fucking forgot to put that order in because we don’t have it!” your mouth dropped wide open at the way he was speaking to you. You just fucking checked the computer. You had put it in!

“I have put it in! I swear, I just checked the computer–” 

“It ain’t fucking in here, sweetheart!” the term sounded scathing falling from his lips “And Jake doesn’t have the fucking check so you must have missed it. Fucking waitresses, I swear to god,” Bradley made a show of slamming cupboards as he talked. Tears swam in your eyes. 

“Don’t have the check, Cookie. It’s alright, sometimes you miss putting orders in - happens to everyone. Tell me what you need and I’ll bump it,” Jake spoke to you and you wrote the order down, fighting hard to keep the tears at bay. You knew you’d put it in. Why didn’t anyone believe you? As he called the order out loud, Bradley exploded again.

“For fuck’s sake, Bambi - that’s a well done steak! This is a fucking 40 minute wait!” Bradley yelled. “Calm the fuck down, Rooster - use one of your medium well ones!” Jake barked back, gesturing for you to leave the kitchen. You did so, biting your cheek to keep the tears from falling freely. Outside of the door stood Thea, putting some dirty dishes in the dish room.

“Hey, hey, honey - what’s wrong?” her voice was soft, reaching out to you. You explained quickly what had happened, and her brows furrowed at your words. “You’re sure it’s in the system?” 

“Yes! How else am I supposed to know they’ve been waiting for an hour and twenty minutes?” your voice was high pitched, stress and anxiety lacing into every word. Thea pulled you to the computer closest to the kitchen, checking your table. Her eyes widened slightly as she read the information there. 

“Fucking…” she trailed off, clicking a few buttons, and a new check appeared where the receipts usually showed up. Thea marched into the kitchen, and you hurried after her like a small child who’s scared of losing their mother in the grocery store. 

You didn’t catch the first part of the conversation, but made it just in time for Bradley to be stood head to head with Thea, towering over her as he read the check - Thea’s eyes ablaze with rage. “You can’t always fucking blame us for everything Rooster!” Thea yelled as Jake scrambled around his station, looking to see if he’d missed it somehow. 

“Oh shit…” Jake’s voice was pained, embarrassed almost, as he held up a check. It had fallen from the rows, down onto the small shelf below the window - where they kept the clean plates. 

“Jake… please, be so fucking serious right now,” Thea’s voice was trembling with annoyance. Bradley looked so shocked he could hardly speak. “You, you fucking big idiot of a man…” Thea’s finger was pointed into the black clad chest of Rooster. 

“I’m sorry.” the words were spoken through gritted teeth, but for once, Bradley’s brown eyes were fixed on you. Thea balked, a look of pure shock on her face. She blinked a couple of times “Well I’ll be damned. Good boy,” she said sarcastically, patting his chest before turning to you. “I’ll deal with your table. I’ll give them a discount, and these clowns will bring out the food as soon as it’s done with their sincerest apologies!” she left no room for argument, grabbing a hold of your forearm and leading you out of the kitchens.  

Smiling softly to yourself, you later saw Bradley’s large form look so out of place on the floor, stopping by the booking computer, squinting to try to find the table. He stopped Mir to ask her which one it was before he made his way to the waiting table, offering his apologies, a bit awkwardly, as to the wait. Mir didn’t waste a second before she scurried over to you, eyes wide.

“What’s Bradley doing in here?!” you merely shrugged, pouring some red wine into a glass. “Thea told the chefs to bring out food to that table cause they messed up the check for me,” Mir’s eyes widened even more, like you had just told her the juiciest gossip she’d heard for years. 

“Oh my- but he could’ve sent Jake… He would usually send Mickey, I guess, he’s most comfortable talking to guests… oh, I need to go ask Jake!” and just like that, Mir was gone. 

As service wound down, you closed out your last table, sighing happily as Thea asked you to take the dishes today. Most of the staff hated closing down the washroom, but you didn’t mind. It was like a reprieve - a room where you didn’t have to smile, a room where you could just… rinse, stack, through the machine, onto shelves. Easy. Un-tying your apron, you walked towards the kitchens to see if there were any stray plates or glasses you needed to take.

“Hey, Cookie - say, you wouldn’t mind fetching me a jug of water? Haven’t had any since lunch,” Jake confessed with a small smile, still working on plating up some last minute orders. It was always hot in the kitchen, but now you had the time to take in the conditions the chefs were working in. Bradley looked worse off, brow heavy with sweat at the grill - and Jake’s longer strands that peaked out from underneath his hat had curled slightly due to the warm window. 

“Of course! Mickey, do you need anything?” you turned to the pastry chef, and he smiled at you before asking for a Pepsi “To get the energy going again,” licking your lips, you only hesitated for a moment before you turned towards Jake again, taking a small breath before you dared “Bradley?” furrowed brows and confused brown eyes looked into yours.

“We can share the jug of water,” said Jake dismissively, figuring Bradley would stay mute. “I’ll take Fanta… s’got more sugar if you’re looking for energy, Mick,” he turned to send a small smile to Mickey, who only laughed before wiping down his station. 

“Sure, I’ll be right back,” figuring you’d be nice, you put some ice into Jake’s water, but refrained from doing so to the sodas. You’d heard them ask of the other waitresses not to put any into the beverages that weren’t water, they’d just end up watered down by how fast things melted in the hot kitchen.

“Ugh, Cookie! You’re a star!” Jake exclaimed, “I could kiss you. For that, you’ll be getting the best staff meal today,” he winked at you and you couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of you.

“Oh so that’s how it’s done? I was wondering how Mir always ended up with a medium rare steak at the end of the shift…” the tone was teasing, and Jake chuckled “You know it, babe. Took Mir way longer to figure that out though,” narrowing your eyes, you looked at Jake. Truly looked. You knew now for a fact he had a girlfriend waiting at home, but you’d seen him and Mir flirting outrageously before. You were actually quite certain the blonde waitress had a bit of a thing for the blond chef. 

“Hm… good to know.” quirking a brow, you turned on your heel to disappear back into the dish room. 

Washing the dish pit usually took a couple of hours, and you found yourself getting lost in the monotony of it all. The boys could be heard from the kitchens, laughing and joking around as they cleaned, listened to music, and argued over sports. Sporadically they’d bring in some dirty plates they’d found, Mickey and Jake apologizing as they did so. As you were hosing down the floors and the actual machine, you noticed the chefs had changed and were ready to go home. Your heart skipped a beat at seeing Bradley in a pair of black jeans and a tight fitting dark t-shirt. It hit you then that you’d never seen him without a hat on, and the way his hair curled slightly against his forehead had your breath stuttering a bit again.

Mickey dragged you from your thoughts by calling your name and saying his good-byes. Waving gently, you smiled at him as Jake approached you for a hug “Bye, Cookie - good job today!”. Last out was Bradley. He stopped for a moment in the door opening, taking in your slightly soaked frame. 

“Bye, Bambi. Sorry about before,” he grumbled before he hurried off. 

For the first time, ‘Bambi’ wasn’t filled with as much disdain as it had been before. Damn the butterflies fluttering in your stomach to hell.

next chapter

ahh! part twooo, it's a slow burn folks! also, in my experience - ain't no way a chef would actually take your plates out to your table - but this is fiction and this is my way of daydreaming about them doing something nice for you... ahhh *dreamy sigh* there is something wrong with me

@dhwanishah09 @keyrani @roosterforme @bradshawbabe @gretagerwigsmuse @up-thereinthesky @gracelovesteller @lt-bradshaw

[hyperblue]

I love Chemtrails Over the Country Club as a Timkon song especially these lines:

You're in the wind, I'm in the water Nobody's son, nobody's daughter

Kon El is a free wind and a son belonging to no one, Thea Drake is silver-blue water and a daughter belonging to no one.

Not in the sense that there is no one next to them who would love them, there are people who are attached to them and want to have them around. But not in the depth on the parental sense that they crave.

Kon El was born as nothing more than a weapon and a means to achieve its goals. Clark, on the one hand, is glad to have someone related to himself, but the circumstances of the birth of Kon are unpleasant and puts tension in their relationship, Lex Luther calls himself his father, but given his own relationship with his father, this is not a very good sign. He wants from Kon filial obedience and the uncomplaining recognition of his authority. They both feel affection for him in their own way, but neither Lex nor Clark really want to recognize their son in him.

Thea never received enough affection and attention, her parents, although they loved her, were constantly busy, which made her feel abandoned and lonely most of the time. It's like loving a lilac that blooms once a year and then fades quickly. Then her parents die one by one and she grieves for those whom she had so little. Bruce is something that should be given special attention, it was not the standard situation of Batman adopting a new orphan with blue eyes and dark hair - this is not a situation of a child in a terrible situation and activating Bruce's paternal instinct. Thea came to Bruce on her own in his bad times when he was grieving for Eirini and was almost on the verge of breaking down. She practically blackmailed him into accepting himself as the new Robin and Bruce did it partly out of the need to have sidekick and that Thea is gifted in this field. There is a warm relationship between them, but at that time, under those circumstances, they could not have a healthy full-fledged parent-child dynamic.

Thea is water and Nobody's daughter, Kon El is wind and Nobody's son.

P.S — I love fem so fem!Tim and to clarify, Eirini is the name for fem!Jason.

timkon having an instant "abandoned kid 🤝🏻 abandoned kid" connection despite their situations being drastically different is everything to me

ALSO fem!timothy drake i think about you everyday

[thecorvidcurio]

PLEASE NOTE: This game is in very early development. Only the first two chapters are done and posted, but there may be bugs. If you run into any issues or notice any glaring errors, please let me know via asks or messages. Also, please bear in mind that the writing will be reviewed, revised, and updated as the project goes on. What you're reading is not the final product.

Summary: For as long as you can remember, no one you've loved has ever lasted very long.

The moment you come to love someone,  whether that love is familial, platonic, or romantic, tragedy befalls you both. In a desperate attempt to escape this cycle, you have moved somewhere remote, to a run-down apartment building in a mostly-abandoned area of an isolated town. However, the few others living in the building are far friendlier, and stranger, than you anticipated.

The more time you spend around these bizarre people, the more certain you are that there's a layer of reality you've previously been unaware of. As you discover more of what was previously hidden from you, though, it begs the question:

Is there something more to your tragic circumstances than an unfortunate run of bad luck? Could it be the result of some power you don't understand? And, if so, does that mean there's a way out of it?

Or, perhaps more importantly, does that mean there's someone to blame for your suffering?

Can be played as a romance, or with a focus on platonic connections.

Six potentially romanceable companion characters: Two women, two men, and two non-binary options.

Set your pronouns, appearance, and build your personality over the course of the game.

Decide how your character copes with their difficult situation, how their circumstances affect the way they interact with others, and whether any of that changes as the truth is revealed.

Help your new friends face their own troubles (or potentially make things worse...)

Discover the truth and, potentially, a solution. Or, at the very least, find some closure.

You can play the demo for free on itch.io.

More information about love interests and player stats can be found under the Read More.

Vicente - A very polite and put together man who values kindness and respect above all else. He's happy to help, and keen to look after others, but seems unsure what to do with himself when someone tries to show him the same kindness he shows others.

Abby - An eccentric person with seemingly limitless energy who values fun and excitement above all else. He's always looking for new and interesting things to occupy himself with, and seems to have no sense of self-preservation.

Kaida - A taciturn fellow who values knowledge and secrecy above all else. Knowledge is power, and there is safety in secrets. He's quite mysterious, seems to always be many steps ahead of everyone else, and seems to know things no one else does.

Marina - An unapologetically loud and rambunctious woman who values rebellion and individuality above all else. She's easily bored, and always looking for something new to challenge herself with. If you tell her she can't or shouldn't do something, it's just about guaranteed she'll be doing that thing in the near future.

Thea - An elegant and classy lady who values loyalty and honesty above all else. On the job, she's as glamorous as a starlet, singing on a stage and captivating any who hear her hypnotic voice. Off the job, though, she's something much different, and hopes to find someone who can appreciate both sides of her.

Shiloh - A cripplingly shy and skittish entity of uncertain origin who values privacy and comfort above all else. Shiloh enjoys observing others interacting, and lives vicariously through witnessing the connections other people form with each other, though Shiloh is quite sure that it will never manage to make such connections itself.

Personality:

Adaptable - Adamant Are you able to roll with the punches and adjust according to the situation at hand? Or are you stuck in your ways and insistent that the situation should yield to you, not the other way around?

Isolation - Connection Have you given up trying to connect with others? Did you ever want to in the first place? Are you content to keep a distance between yourself and others? If so, is that what you truly want, or what you believe you must settle for? Or do you crave connection? Will you grasp for it if given a chance?

Courteous - Callous Do you try to be kind to others, regardless of your ability or willingness to form actual connections with them? Or do you treat them coldly and keep yourself unapproachable?

Candid - Calculating Are you genuine in your interactions with others, or are your words and deeds measured carefully for specific purposes?

Approach to the Unknown:

Hopeful - Hopeless Do you believe things will ever get better? That it’s worth it to keep trying, keep holding on, keep hoping? Or have you long since learned that hope is too painful, too dangerous to risk?

Curious - Cautious Are you driven by the need to learn, explore, and discover? Or are you held back by the thoughts of what might happen if you stick your nose where it doesn’t belong?

Skeptic - Believer Do you believe the agonising tragedy of your life is just a consequence of the callous indifference of the universe? Do you think it’s just an unfortunate coincidence, a roll of the cosmic dice that you always lose? Or do you suspect something deeper is afoot?

[jackiequick]

Bravery in Her Blood | April Merlyn♡

-> Face Claim: Grace Phipps

Name: April Roberta Merlyn-Queen

Aliases/Nicknames: Ally, Robbie, Goldie, Sparrow

Age: 8-22 years old (age depending on appearance)

Height: 5'2

Birthday: March 20

Zodiac Sign: Pisces  

Family:

Biological Father: Tommy Merlyn

Biological Mother: Isla Mendes

Uncle/Adoptive Father Figure: Oliver Queen

Aunt/Mother Figure: Dinah Laurel Lance

Aunt: Thea Queen

Uncle: John Diggle

Biological Grandfather: Malcolm Merlyn

Grandmother: Moira Queen

Grandfather: Robert Queen

Background:

April Roberta Merlyn, known affectionately as "Robbie" or "Goldie," was born into a complex family with connections to both the Merlyn and Queen families. Her childhood was marked by the dynamic relationships within her family, including her close bond with her biological father, Tommy Merlyn, and her adoptive father figure, Oliver Queen.

Raised primarily by Tommy, April grew up as a daddy's girl, cherishing her time with him and viewing him as the best father figure in her eyes. Her relationship with her Aunt Laurel also played a significant role in her upbringing, with Laurel serving as a maternal figure and role model for April.

Despite the challenges and turmoil within her family, April developed a protective streak, often finding herself entangled in their struggles and challenges. Her loyalty to her family was unwavering, even as she grappled with her own fears and vulnerabilities.

———————————

Personality:

April Roberta Merlyn is a dynamic and multifaceted individual. She is ambitious and determined, always striving to achieve her goals and make her mark on the world. Her wit and charisma make her a natural at connecting with others, and her courage and compassion shine through in her interactions. 

April is also creative and imaginative, often using her talents in writing and photography to express herself and capture the beauty of the world around her. Her loyalty and kindness are unwavering, making her a reliable and supportive friend.

Despite her positive attributes, April has her struggles. She can sometimes be lazy and unmotivated, preferring the comfort of her own world to facing challenges head-on. Darkened by revenge for what happened to her father and hatred towards her grandfather. Trust issues and feelings of hopelessness occasionally cloud her judgment, leading to moments of jealousy and rash decisions. 

However, her faithfulness and respect for others usually guide her back on track. April's journey is one of growth and self-discovery, as she learns to balance her strengths and weaknesses while navigating the complexities of her family's legacy and her own aspirations.

Skills and Interests:

April is a talented writer and aspiring copywriter/content writer, with a passion for storytelling and creative expression. She enjoys photography, writing, and occasionally playing the guitar in her free time. In her youth, she created videos using her Barbies, showcasing her early creative instincts.

April also has experience playing baseball and possesses basic combat skills, having learned archery and firearm handling from Oliver, Diggle, and Laurel. Despite her initial reluctance to engage in combat, April eventually embraces these skills as a means of self-defense and protection for herself and her loved ones.

Relationships:

While April is single for the most part, she develops occasional crushes on individuals like Dick Grayson, Superboy, and others. Her friendships extend to superheroes like Supergirl, The Flash, Batgirl, The Atom, Starfire, Miss Martian, and Beast Boy, among others, highlighting her ability to form meaningful connections beyond her family.

--------------------------------

Likes:

Writing and storytelling

Photography

Playing the guitar

Making videos using her Barbies (when she was younger)

Baseball

Spending time with her family and friends

Watching comfort movies

Dislikes:

Betrayal and manipulation

Feeling trapped or powerless

Uncertainty and instability

Conflict and violence

Being lied to or deceived

Feeling isolated or alone

Professional Aspirations:

April aspires to become a copywriter or content writer, leveraging her passion for writing and storytelling to pursue a career in creative and strategic communication. She envisions herself using her skills to craft compelling narratives and connect with audiences through impactful and engaging content.

~~~~~~~~~

Strengths:

Ambitious and determined

Charismatic and witty

Courageous and compassionate

Respectful and kind

Creative and imaginative

Faithful and loyal

Weaknesses:

Tendency towards laziness and lack of motivation

Struggles with trust issues and feelings of hopelessness

Prone to bouts of jealousy and rash decision-making

Vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by others

Difficulty managing intense emotions and conflicts

Can become hateful and switch sides depending on the situation

Challenges & Turmoils:

April has faced numerous challenges and traumas shaped by the tumultuous events surrounding her family's past and their involvement in dangerous conflicts. The custody battle between Oliver and Malcolm placed her in the center of a power struggle, along with issues within the League of Assassins, forcing her to confront her own fears and vulnerabilities.

The death of her father, Tommy Merlyn, in a tragic accident deeply impacted April, leaving her grappling with grief and loss. The traumatic events surrounding her aunt, Thea Queen, further tested April's resilience and fortitude, exposing her to violence and danger that threatened her sense of security and stability.

Despite these challenges, April has demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience, navigating the complexities of her family's legacy and finding her own path amidst the chaos and turmoil. Her journey towards self-discovery and healing promises to be a compelling narrative of growth and redemption.

———————————————————

->Discovery of Oliver's Secret Identity:

One evening, during a lavish party at the Queen mansion, chaos erupted as intruders infiltrated the premises, sending guests fleeing for safety. Amidst the confusion, April found herself separated from her family, lost in the crowd as panic spread throughout the house.

As she sought refuge on an upper floor, April stumbled upon a masked figure clad in green, engaged in a fierce battle with the intruders across the hall. Fear gripped her as she instinctively reached for the nearest objects, hurling them towards the intruder in a desperate attempt to defend herself.

To her surprise, the masked figure approached her with caution, his voice gentle and reassuring as he spoke. April's initial fear gave way to curiosity as the figure revealed himself to be none other than her uncle, Oliver Queen, known to the world as the vigilante Green Arrow.

In disbelief, April questioned Oliver's motives and identity, uncertain of whether to trust him. However, Oliver's gentle demeanor and familiarity with her family's history convinced her of his sincerity.

With a mixture of shock and awe, April watched as Oliver removed his hood, revealing his face beneath the mask. In that moment, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and April realized the truth about her uncle's secret identity.

Overwhelmed by the revelation, April struggled to comprehend the implications of Oliver's double life as both her beloved uncle and the masked vigilante who fought to protect their city. However, as Oliver extended his hand in reassurance, April made a silent promise to keep his secret, knowing that their bond as family was stronger than any mask or disguise.

With a newfound sense of understanding and connection, April emerged from the encounter with a deeper appreciation for her uncle's heroism and the sacrifices he made to keep their family safe. As she reunited with her loved ones, April carried with her the weight of Oliver's secret, a silent guardian of the truth amidst the chaos of their tumultuous lives.

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Archery and Marksmanship:

April possesses a natural talent for archery, honing her skills with dedication and passion. She first discovered her love for the sport under the guidance of her uncle Oliver, who recognized her potential and encouraged her to pursue marksmanship as a means of self-defense.

Though April also knows how to handle firearms, her favorite weapon of choice is a crossbow. She finds comfort and familiarity in the weapon's design and mechanics, favoring its precision and versatility in combat situations.

Whether at home or at the Arrow Cave, April can often be found practicing her marksmanship with her crossbow, fine-tuning her aim and mastering her technique. She approaches each shot with determination and focus, channeling her passion and conviction into every arrow she looses.

As she grows in skill and confidence, April embraces her aunt Thea's words of wisdom, remembering what she's fighting for with every shot she takes. 

The quote, "If you remember what you're fighting for, you'll never miss your target.”, becomes a mantra for April, guiding her in both her marksmanship and her life's journey as a guardian of justice and defender of her family.

With her unwavering determination and her trusty crossbow in hand, April stands ready to face whatever challenges may come her way, knowing that as long as she keeps her eyes on her target and her heart set on her purpose, she will never miss the mark.

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—April Roberta Merlyn is a young woman shaped by the legacy of her family and her own personal trials, continuously growing and discovering her path.

As she navigates the challenges ahead, one thing is certain: her story is far from over, and the future holds endless possibilities for this resilient and determined heroine.

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That's all folks! Pls let me know what you think Remember to like, comment and share

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[incompleteninny]

The sixty-seventh free, unedited chapter of my upcoming book, “The Heist at Cordia Aquarium” is now available on its website (or click here to read from the beginning).

It's dark. Cramped and humid and hot. Thea tightens her arms around her knees; each breath comes rough. Haggard. Harsh against her throat, dry and raw as it is.

It's my fault. I could have said something; I could have stayed out of this and let them find someone better. Then Ivan could become a wrestler; Waylon could help whoever it was that needs him. But no, I'm selfish. I took everything from them.

Her thoughts bounce around inside her head, repeating — never-ending. Those that she escapes just add to the weight of the air around her. Floating at the edge of her perception, like specters waiting for another turn to haunt her.

She presses her head into her knees and she wretches. A dry, tearless sound — just as it's been for a while now. How long am I going to sit here, useless?

[...]