#and he said ''lets take it slow'' like we'd have other chances?

[cigaretteparfum]

gosh i spent the night at this dude's place the other day but we didn't have sex; literally just made out then cuddle until we're both asleep and i've been hella frustrated since then.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY GARRUS VAKARIAN, updated version  *  assorted dialogue from the mass effect trilogy, adjust as necessary

i can't find any hard evidence.

good luck, [name]. maybe they'll listen to you.

i'm coming with you.

sometimes it feels like the rules are only there to stop me from doing my work.

i just couldn't take it anymore.

maybe i can get the job done my way for a change.

if you're wrong, we'll pay for it. but if you're right, and we did nothing, i think we'd regret it a whole lot more.

i thought you were dead.

it sure is good to see a friendly face.

at least it's not hard to find criminals here. all i have to do is point my gun and shoot.

my feelings got in the way of my better judgement.

i'll make you a deal. you get me out of here alive, and i'll tell you the whole damn thing.

nobody would give me a mirror. how bad is it?

don't make me laugh, damn it.

some women find facial scars attractive.

i'm fit for duty whenever you need me.

when i got to the meeting point, no one was there.

kill you? no. but i don't mind slowing you down a little.

what do you want from me, [name]?

i know you want to talk about this... but i don't. not yet.

it's so much easier to see the world in black and white. gray... i don't know what to do with gray.

my instincts are what got me into this mess.

never knew you had a weakness for men with scars.

well, why the hell not? there's nobody in this galaxy i respect more than you.

if we can figure out a way to make it work, then... yeah. definitely.

you're about the only friend i've got left in this screwed-up galaxy.

you don't ever have to worry about making me uncomfortable. nervous, yes... but never uncomfortable.

i brought wine.

your hair looks... good. and your waist is... very supportive.

hopefully that's not offensive in human culture.

i want something to go right. just once.

think you can win this thing, [name]?

i'm pretty sure we'll still need giant guns... and lots of them.

so... is this the part where we shake hands?

the scars are starting to fade. i remember they drove you wild.

i've been doing some more research on human customs.

glad to know my romantic skills made an impression.

let's not go there.

i can afford the good stuff.

what about you? i'm starting to see some wear and tear.

don't forget to come up for air. and not just because all these people need you. because i need you.

if you're suggesting i'm scared... game on.

still trying to make me blush, huh?

i'd be lying if i said i didn't hope it would inspire a certain... mood.

it seemed like you needed time to... figure us out.

the worst part about the galaxy going to hell would've been never getting to see you again.

not saying you don't know how to handle a gun. just saying some of us know how to make it dance.

i've actually seen you dance. no comment.

i know there are other things you're good at.

probably not a lot of air in here. an hour if we're lucky.

so tell me. think a girl would fall for that?

it gets even better when you try it in bed.

you don't lack for places to get lost.

did we break anything last night?

you'll find a way to win. and when this is over, i'll be waiting for you.

if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there... meet me at the bar. i'm buying.

forgive the insubordination, but your boyfriend has an order for you.

come back alive. it'd be an awfully empty galaxy without you.

we're in this 'til the end.

we didn’t kill these people. and we’re going to shut down the bastards who did.

looks like we’ve got a siege on our hand.

if anyone needs fresh clips or a bathroom break, now’s the time.

oh crap!

guess he didn’t like the food.

looks like we got the jump.

pretty extreme, but those were desperate times.

we won’t get a second chance.

that was me, sorry.

nothing like being stranded.

we’ll do more than that.

just the usual minor flesh wound.

what would these people have done if we hadn’t shown up?

i was there when you two had your thing, remember? just get a room and work it out.

stay angry. we’ll need it to get through this.

drinks will be on me.

one of my favorite places to fight!

i’m hard to kill. you should know that.

it’s gonna be bad all over.

for whatever it’s worth, i’m with you.

you’ve waited long enough for this day.

just wait ‘til this war is over.

you came along and warmed my heart with your winning personality.

maybe you’d like to go work for them instead?

how do i not have one of those?

surprise on our side for once. i like it.

brutal, but it makes a certain kind of sense.

[nausicaamusiclover20]

Warnings: Strip game, a bit of explict language, sexual content, teasing.

I didn’t know how the night would turn out when we started. It had begun like any other Friday—another movie marathon, takeout scattered around us, and his lazy, teasing smile that always made me laugh a little harder than I meant to. We'd known each other for years, long enough that we could read the subtext in each other's silences. But tonight, there was something different in the air, an electricity simmering just beneath our usual banter.

He shifted on the couch, leaning back with that sly, half-smile that always preceded some kind of challenge.

“You’d never,” he started, his voice laced with amusement.

I glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. “Never what?”

He shrugged, that smirk deepening. “Give me a show.”

His words caught me off guard, and I laughed, trying to shrug it off. “Please. You think I wouldn’t?”

“Not a chance,” he teased, his gaze roaming over me with a look that was both playful and just serious enough to make my pulse skip. W“You’re all talk.”

“Oh, really?” I said, standing up with a surge of boldness, the hint of his challenge making my heart race. I strode over to the stereo, flicking through my tapes until I found the one I wanted. *9½ Weeks*. I slid it in, pressing play, and after a few seconds of whirring, Joe Cocker’s raspy voice filled the room, the first notes of “You Can Leave Your Hat On” spilling into the space between us.

I turned to see his reaction, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He hadn't expected me to take him up on his challenge, but his wide-eyed look of intrigue was all I needed. The thrill in his gaze fueled me as I let my body sway to the slow, pulsing beat of the song. I could feel his eyes on me, and the air seemed to thicken, growing warmer with each note that played.

I rolled my shoulders, letting my arms fall in sync with the rhythm, swaying my hips as I let the beat move through me. I hooked my fingers under the hem of my fitted shirt, lifting it slowly to give him a glimpse of my midriff, teasing him with just enough skin to make his breath hitch.

I took a step back, letting the fabric slide back down, and watched as his gaze darkened, his hands clenching in his lap like he was trying to keep them under control. “What’s wrong?” I teased, enjoying the way his eyes flared with desire. “Still think I’m all talk?”

His voice came out rougher than usual, a low rasp that sent a shiver through me. “You’re…definitely proving me wrong.”

I let my fingers trail over my skirt, teasingly twirling the hem, and leaned forward, my lips curling into a playful smile. “Maybe I should give you a real show.”

With that, I turned my back to him, letting my skirt ride up slightly as I bent over, giving him a view that made the air crackle with tension. I could feel his eyes on me, heat pooling in my stomach as I decided to play this game to its fullest.

I stood up straight, letting the skirt sway around my thighs, and began to unbutton my fitted shirt, savoring the anticipation in the air. “You’re going to have to wait a little longer if you want a real show,” I said, my voice low and teasing.

I let the shirt slide down my arms, finally letting it fall to the floor, exposing my lace bra beneath. I could see the way his eyes widened, his breath catching as he struggled to maintain his composure. The intensity in his gaze only fueled my desire to tease him further.

“Do you like what you see?” I whispered, my voice playful yet sultry, letting my fingers trace along the edge of my skirt.

“More than you know,” he replied, his voice a mix of frustration and admiration, eyes glued to me as I began to sway to the music again, this time moving my hips side to side, drawing closer to him, a teasing grin on my lips.

I hooked my fingers under the waistband of my skirt, inching it down just a little, letting it slide over my hips. His jaw tightened, and he leaned forward, almost as if he couldn’t help himself. “You’re playing with fire.”

“Oh, I know,” I replied, letting the skirt fall just enough to give him a glimpse of my thighs. “But I think you like it.”

Finally, I turned to face him completely, standing there in my lace underwear, the music wrapping around us like a sensual embrace. I took a step closer, my heart racing as I could see the struggle in his eyes. “Still think I won’t?”

Before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist with a sudden burst of determination and pulled me onto his lap. The unexpected movement took me by surprise, and I landed softly against him, our bodies close, the heat between us rising like a flame.

His breath was warm against my neck, sending shivers down my spine as he leaned in, his voice low and intense. “You’re in trouble now.”

The music faded into a distant hum, the world around us melting away as we locked eyes, the energy crackling between us, thick with unspoken desire. I could feel his heart pounding against mine, the tension palpable as I settled onto his lap, feeling both exhilarated and nervous.

He brushed a thumb across my cheek, a gentle touch that contrasted with the heat simmering between us. “What if I don’t want to wait anymore?”

I could hardly breathe, the weight of his words hanging in the air, a challenge and an invitation all at once. “Then don’t.”

He pulled me in closer, his lips brushing against mine in a feather-light touch that ignited a wildfire of longing inside me. It was a tentative kiss, filled with both desire and sweetness, and as it deepened, everything else faded away. The music, the teasing, the playful banter—none of it mattered anymore.

Finally, we broke apart, both of us breathless, and he rested his forehead against mine, his hands still holding me close. The warmth of his body enveloped me, grounding me in this moment where everything felt perfectly right.

“Are you always this bold?” he murmured, his voice soft but laced with affection, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from my face.

“Only for you,” I whispered back, smiling as he let out a low chuckle, his lips curving into a smile that softened his gaze.

In that quiet moment, with the music still playing softly in the background, it felt like everything had finally fallen into place, like we’d found exactly where we were meant to be—right here, together.

[mustainegf]

Hello! Can you do "dancing under the rain" with James Hetfiled x reader?

AWWWWW THIS IS SO ADORABLE 😭

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 ¹⁹⁸⁵

It was a nippy autumn evening in San Francisco of 1985. The city was embracing a soft mist, the raindrops from the sky gently smacking into the windows of the small, cozy house that James and I had shared with the rest of the band.

Our one year anniversary was something I had been looking forward to for weeks. James insisted on making it special, despite seeming like he wasn’t entirely sure how.

We sat next to each other on the worn couch, a record playing softly in the background. The house was somewhat quiet, with Lars, Kirk, and Cliff all tucked into their rooms, we could hear drifting bass lines humming from Cliffs room in the corner of the house.

James was his usual self, all sparkling eyes with a secret that only he knew. He was so handsome in the glow of the lamplight, gentle features I had fallen so in love with.

"Come on, I’ve got your surprise," he grinned, getting to his feet and holding out his hand to me.

"Oooh sounds important," I teased, taking his hand and letting him pull me to my feet.

James led me to the front door and opened it wide onto the rain soaked street. I faltered on the threshold, shivering as the cold air whipped into my face.

"You're crazy, it's pouring outside," I rebutted, half laughing at how ridiculous it all was.

"Trust me," he said, his smile broadening. "It'll be fun."

He stepped out into the rain, tugging me after. I hung back a little longer, but that didn't stand a chance against his excitement, and I trusted James.

Sighing and grinning, I followed him, feeling the cold rain immediately start soaking through my clothes.

James led me out to the middle of the street before he finally turned to me, smirking over at me. "Will you dance with me?" he made a slight bow over his extended hand, as though we were in some kind of grand ballroom and not on the damp street in San Francisco.

I laughed and shook my head at this silliness but took his hand. He pulled me right into him, one arm around my waist and the other holding mine.

It is raining steadily all around us, streetlights lit through the downpour.

First, I was stiff and a bit self conscious, aware of how soaked we were getting. But as James led me in slow circles, his body warm against mine, I began to relax. This man was my everything.

I looked up at his face, watching the way the rain clung to his long sandy hair, pasting it around his cheeks and forehead. His round nose was pink with the cold, and the blue eyes slanted a little, in that sweet way they always did. He was beautiful, and he was mine.

"You're crazy, you know that?" I whispered to him.

"Yeah, but you love me," he shot back, grinning down at me.

I couldn't argue with that. “I do…”

As we danced, I just felt this overwhelming love for him, it was so strong that it actually physically hurt my heart, like really ached.

On top of being hard to fathom that it had been a year since we'd first gotten together, it was even harder to fathom the how hard I had fallen for him in that time.

James spun me around, and I laughed as I stumbled a little on the wet pavement. He caught me, his strong arms steadying me. We just stared at each other for a second, our eyes locked, and the rain kept pouring down around us.

"This is perfect," I whispered, moving in close to him.

"Yeah?" he said, pushing a chunk of wet hair out of my face. "I wanted to do something special for you."

"You've succeeded," I said, and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. His lips were cold from the rain, but the kiss made us both warm.

We continued dancing while James glanced over his shoulder toward the house. "I bet the guys are watching us right now," he said, chuckling.

"Let them," I giggled, imagining them inside making jokes. "Lars will be jealous."

James laughed, rich and full of joy, that laugh I’d fallen in love with. "Yeah, probably. He wishes he could have someone as perfect as you."

We kept dancing in the rain, and it did not dampen our spirits at all. James spun me around one more time, and I felt myself floating, my feet barely brushing the ground.

The rain kept raining on, knowing that this was one of those moments I will always remember.

Eventually, cold began to seep into our bones, and James led me back inside. We were both soaked and shivered a little as we went into the warm house. He wrapped a towel around my shoulders and rubbed up my arms to warm me.

"Happy anniversary," he smiled, bending to kiss me again, his lips still cool from the rain.

"Happy anniversary," I whispered against his lips.

“Now… get in bed, I’ve got another present for you.”

[thatkippycat]

Hi! I'd like to ask for a Rocky x reader oneshot (female or gender neutral works), where him and the reader were childhood best friends, and still are close. Basically since he joined Lackadaisy, he's been talking the reader up, and telling the group about the amazing stuff they've done, and telling them about how he'd like to take you on this date, then laying out said date.

Basically, he's simping hard. Then the reader comes down to Lackadaisy for a drink

How it ends could be up to you. Maybe the crew asks the reader outright, or states that he likes them, or maybe they force him to confess. Whatever you feel is right.

Aye aye cap'n!

Rocky Rickaby x GN!BestFriend!Reader

A little tired today so I will keep my little prelude short. Hope yall enjoy!

     Today was rough. Work sucked, the rain sucked, etc.,etc. Everything was just...blah. Luckily, you had a surefire way of cheering yourself up.

     Rocky Rickaby was an odd guy, to say the least, but you grew up with him. You knew him better than most other people, and that made being around him for extended periods of time fun instead of life threatening. Sure, you played the straight man in this comedy duo, but it felt good. Plus, Rocky's a sweetheart. Well, at least when he's not causing property damage.

     The Cafe was empty, which was pretty standard. The crew was probably down at the bar. Maybe Zib and the band were playing. Maybe Rocky was up there too. First thing first though, you needed to dry off. It was pouring rain outside and you were drenched. Plus, you could always sneak something from the kitchen.

     After a while of drying off and raiding the cafe's fridge, you headed down to the Lackadaisy. Horatio was sitting down by the door. It was more common for him to sit down when business was slow. Oddly enough though, the door was cracked open. Horatio put his finger to his lips, telling you to keep quiet, before motioning to sit down by him. You were confused until you heard Rocky's distinct voice carry through the opening.

"--and then I'd take Y/N on to the bridge overlooking the Mississippi and serenade them long into the night. I'd get down to them and finally ask Y/N out, and then we'd cuddle by the tracks until the sun comes up and the crickets go home."

"...wow Rocky, that's, um..."

"Excessive? Agreed. Just tell Y/N you love them and stop going on for hours about how you would ask them out."

"That's not what I was gonna say Zib, but I do agree a little. Why not just make ot simple."

"Oh Ms. Pepper, you know I can't do that. I just have to wait for the perfect moment, and then..."

     That was...a lot to take in. You wouldn't deny that you did have some feelings for Rocky, you just weren't sure how to act on them. Although now, you had a few ideas. One definitely stuck out to you.

     Getting off the ground and dusting yourself off, you headed towards the door, shooting Horatio a sly wink on the way out. Carefully, you maneuvered through the entrance, careful not to make a sound. Rocky was too busy talking about you to notice everyone looking over at you. Luckily, none of them said a word, letting you get up right behind him.

     You tapped him on the shoulder, making Rocky turn around. As soon as you got the chance, your grabbed him by his lucky tie and pulled him in for a kiss. A mix of quiet cheers and exasperated "finally"s accompanied the two of you as Rocky wrapped his arms around you. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Zib handing over some cash to Viktor too, losing a secret bet betweenthe two. As your lips parted, Rocky leaned into your ear, and whispered to you.

"Y'know, I think this was better than my idea."

[velvetcloxds]

looking for somebody- send me a gif of a character and I'll write a little baby blurb for it. — THIS :D

POPTARTS | E.M.

word count: 1k

warnings: just that idk how I feel about this, oh and also like some casual conversations about blood and vampires and murder and whatnot, eating

summary: elijah stocking up the cabinets with all of your favourite snacks

"I'm starving," you groaned, as you and Elijah walked into the kitchen, his arm still snaked around your waist, blazer around your shoulders, lips against your temple as he kissed you briskly.

"Leave it to Niklaus to ruin our dinner plans," he noted and you smiled, pouting slightly as he let you go, moving to get the wine glasses from the cabinet, slow in choosing a bottle, trying to decide what best fit the mood.

"He always does this, you know..." you kicked your shoes off, though you felt you'd spent too much time picking them out to be abandoning them so quickly. "Truly, couldn't you ask your brother to keep his death threats until after they served the main course," he breathed a laugh at that, looking over from where he'd finally found what he deemed the perfect wine, amused as you twirled around the island in the center of the kitchen, always in a world of your own.

"I'll have a word with him when he comes back," he promised, stealing one more lingering glance before pouring the glasses midway, walking over to the island to cage you in, a shy smile finding your lips as you looked up at him. "Did I get a chance to tell you how marvelous you looked tonight?" you took a glass from his hand, humming both in acknowledgement of his question and at the sweet taste of the wine as it settled on your tongue.

"I believe you tried to do so right before Klaus jumped onto a table to make a dramatic proclamation," you noted and habitually grabbed his shoulder for support as he hoisted you onto the counter, careful, efficient, not even spilling a drop in the process, raising a brow when you didn't let go, tugging his collar back into place. "And then again before you broke that rogue vampire's neck for spilling blood on my shoes," he was the one to hum, a guilty sound, the reminder a silent reprimand from you even if you didn't point it out. "And then again when you insisted on coming home instead of stopping at the corner store to get me poptarts."

"You could've simply said yes," he tutted and though you were happy for the little moment with him, you were still hungry, feeling slightly grumpy for looking forward to a fancy dinner and then having to come home to nothing. "And you know that if we went to that store we'd have left with bags full of candy, not just poptarts," he was right, you knew, he knew, but hell if you'd admit that out loud.

He pulled away too suddenly, leaving you with a frown as he moved to one of the cupboards, not even trying to ignore the way your frown twisted into a delighted smile when he opened it to reveal boxes of poptarts flavours and other snacks you'd on many occasions begged him for in the middle of the night.

"What flavour?" he asked very casually, pulling a clean plate from the drying rack hovering next to the sink, a knowing grin, an arrogant grin if he'd ever held one, on his pink lips.

"Surprise me," and he did, making a great show of hiding the wrapper from you, giving you one as is and slipping the other into the toaster, satisfied when you sighed happily at the first bite. "Cherry," you concluded and he nodded, as if proud you'd guessed, as if it was some big mystery. "Sweet, like the wine."

"I take the pairing process very seriously, you shouldn't be so surprised," he informed you and took the hot pastry when it jumped out, placing it in the plate with a little thud, holding said plate under your hand to keep you from messing on your dress. You offered him a bite of the one in your hand, thumb brushing a sprinkle from his cupid's bow and of course he stole the opportunity to kiss your finger, then your palm, all the way up to your wrist until you giggled at the feeling. "You look ravishing tonight, my love," and he nibbled, it was a daring thing, so close to your pulse, teasing himself just as much as he was teasing you.

"Slow down there mister," you shook your head, faux disapproval as you took another bite, not even bothered by the bit of icing that fell onto your lap. "Poptarts first, more of that later."

"Ahh, priorities," he agreed, moving both your wine glasses out of the way, content to wait, to watch, appreciate you in your little bubble of bliss.

[dollywheeler]

October 2nd, 1996

Dear diary,

Apparently, mom has run out of things to clean and is in instead coping with her nerves by continuing to sort through the stuff in the basement. She said she'd noticed some things while we'd been clearing space that she thought Mike might want back. It's already waiting by the door, as if she wants to make sure she doesn't forget - as if she only has one chance to give it to them. I almost tripped over the box when I rushed into the house to change and shower before coming here.

I don't think I'm nervous about it anymore. Sure, I'm worried about Mike and mom interacting - I have no idea what to expect from that. The theater had already been awkward enough that was only a conversation of about five minutes. Now they'll be spending the entire evening together. Hell, do they even know how to cook? Mike's letter said he could, but I just assumed he meant being able to boil potatoes and cook sausages to an acceptable degree.

It's going to be weird seeing him host.

The first time with Nancy had been weird like that too, seeing mom be the guest for once instead of the one in charge. Except, Nancy had been happy to let mom help, recognising mom's instinct to take care of her children. I doubt Mike will let her even step foot in the kitchen. Mike has always been stubborn like that.

I think he's caught on to me and Daniel - I mean, obviously he should have seen us at the dance, but he disappeared for a huge chunk of the night so I thought he'd missed most of the slow dancing. By the time I noticed him and Will return, the night was almost over and everyone was making the most of dancing with all their friends one last time. Still, he has this knowing look on his face when he watches us now, like he's sizing Daniel up. If he dares give his opinion though I might strangle him. So far he hasn't said anything, but he's generally been really good at being professional at school.

He doesn't go out of his way to talk to me unless I approach him first - which I only did to ask more details about Friday. Maybe I'm starting to look forward to it. Just a little bit. I just want to know what their house looks like from the inside, and even though it's going to be awkward talking about what they've been up to the last eight years, I can't help but be curious what life has been like for them outside of Hawkins.

The Stevenson's hallway light just started flickering, so I had to grab a chair and screw the bulb in tighter. Luckily that seems to have done the trick.

I hate when lights do that; it always sends chills down my spine. It's funny because I know it's nothing, it's literally just a faulty bulb, and yet I'm bothered by it. Sandy would joke it's because it wreaks havoc on my sense of perfection, which honestly might be the case. Blaming that one nightmare would make more sense, except nothing about that dream had been all that frightening. I think about it often, so even if it had been scary at one point, it's just a cool curiosity to me now, a weird association my brain makes; table lamp -> weird dream I had when I should have been too young to remember.

Speaking of; I handed in my final assignment for Will's class but I don't know if Will liked it. I mean, I think it's as well as I could have made it - even though the details on the wallpaper are lacking - but he always gets this weirdly pinched expression when he looks at it. Usually I would assume it was disappointment, like he'd hoped I would have done better, but even I'm proud of my drawing so I doubt that's the case. We'll see when I get the grade back.

Anyway, I'm going to get back to practicing guitar. I got distracted playing - or at least attempting to - 4 Non Blondes before, but I should get back to Where's My Mind? so that I can at least play one full song before jumping onto other things.

Love, Holly

[dragynkeep]

Oh boy! Time to be RWDE again!

Volume 1:

Why is Glynda set up with every possible anime trope of being Ruby’s mentor, yet she gets shafted?

Who thought two minutes and forty seconds is an episode? No, that’s a clip. A short.

Speaking of episode length (or lack thereof), what is up with this pacing…

So…team RWBY aren’t going to ever speak to each other? Why not assign them to different teams?

Borrowing from Young Justice, Weiss could lead the team until Ruby is mature enough to handle the role. Why yes, I do think Weiss has the head to be a leader, or at the very least, try to be a leader and fail, teaching her how to be a better team player. Character Arcs 101.

You had Weiss having a internal dialogue (great! Do that!) and then drop it to never use it on her or any other character. That’s a staple of anime, geniuses.

-we’re not copying Soul Eater down to the school layout, we swear- Uh huh. Sure.

Why is Ruby giving Jaune advice she doesn’t know herself??? How did she learn/know that???

Also PS- While Emerald’s redemption is something RT did, it could have been pulled earlier in Volume 2 or Volume 5, but that requires actual good writing and planning.

So many points, so little time with this show fr.

1:

RWBY just hates women. Like I'm not even joking, this show hates women despite being a female-led show. Glynda was given the oppotunity to be this figure for not just Ruby, but the team as a whole, but every chance she gets is given to the male teachers for no reason.

Professor Port was the one to lecture Weiss about being a good teammate and to not allow her ego to blind her to her own shortcomings, even if that scene is dogshit in retrospect. Professor Oobleck was the one to challenge Team RWBY's ideals around being Huntresses, to the point where we got depth into his character on why he wanted to be a Huntsman.

Even when Yang had lost her arm and needed guidance, Port and Oobleck were there with Tai for that arc. Glynda never gets a chance to even talk properly with our main team, or even flesh herself out as a character to the point that the most we got is from the AA game.

2.

The reason why V1 was like 20 episodes long. The episodes were like five minutes long and would've done better just shoving the parts together. It also meant that the pacing was really slow because we'd be waiting a week for a continuation only to have another five minute long episode.

3.

Interteam relationship outside the partnerships have always been an issue tbh. It's just more egrigious now because it's been like ten years and Ruby/Blake are barely friends, let alone close enough that Blake would admire Ruby like she said she does. Classic told =/= shown.

4.

I think the whole leadership issues with Weiss and Ruby were concluded far too quickly, they could barely be counted as arcs. Weiss has justified issues with Ruby not taking Beacon or her role as their leader seriously, but rather than that being built up more and having the two actually grow together, they just get lectured at and immediately change.

5.

Unpopular opinion but I hate the inner monologue used in anime and I'm glad RWBY doesn't go into it all that much outside of that one time with Weiss. The issue rises because they don't ever let the watchers in on what these characters are thinking or feeling, and even contradict themselves over the volumes.

6.

The advice Ruby gave to Jaune is honestly bad advice? A leader isn't someone who puts the team before themselves, that just opens up for the burnout and idiolising the leader, which is exactly what happened to Ruby in the later volumes. But they didn't show that the advice she gave them was not meant to be something taken seriously.

If they even remember what Ruby told him when they can't even keep track what happen in the volume before.

7.

The whole thing with Emerald's redemption is that she really wasn't given much to flesh out. She started the show straight up ignoring Cinder's orders to go out of her way to be more evil and violent, murdering a minority who ran from an organisation she has no part of. Only for the show to try and paint her later as a lost soul who doesn't realise how bad Cinder is for her.

Nevermind the actual redemption doesn't have her face consequences for the fact that she murdered countless people without much care and only ever pulled sad faces rather than, you know, having actual character to push her redemption.

[bokettochild]

Legend vs Sky, who would win?

Okay, this has been lingering in my ask box for a bit because my golly gosh, I'm not sure what it was meant for.

Like, there are so many ways you could compare them, but for the sake of my sanity (and orientation) I'm going to just say you're asking about who would win in a fight.

So!

Both Legend and Sky have training under the Master Sword's spirit. Obviously, Sky was in a knight's academy for an unspecified amount of his life, but he also had Fi teach him how to be a hero who could kill a god. And yeah, Sky killed a literal god, so we have that weighing in for him.

Now, Legend was taught some skills of being a knight by his uncle, but only right before the man died. if you go with Manga lore though, his grandfather has also attempted to teach him their heritage and the ways of their family line of knights. On top of this though, I would like to point out that Legend spent nearly his first adventure with hardly any training, but he is, cannonically, capable of hearing Fi, so it's likely she gave him a lot of help too, since the hero before him kinda died without her aid (to be fair, he had Navi, and two blue ladies screaming at him would have been too muc for him).

So both have training. Sky's training as a knight is iffy though, since the only thing Skyloftain knights needed to do was fight aerially. Still, he knows how to weild a blade. Granted, Legend's is also iffy, as he was, quite frankly, a terrible student.

Experience wise, Sky had a long and arduous adventure that relied heavily on his skills with a blade.

Legend has had six adventures, but typically speaking, he was using a lot of weapons that were not swords during the main journeys, and most of his actual sword fighting skills were only employed with boss fights.

Sky killed Demise.

Legend killed Ganon.

Now, Demise is clearly the greater foe, being a god, but I would like to throw out, before I break down a fight between these two, that by Legend's time, Ganon was an immortal being with infinite power per the Triforce, so... kinda of bordering god-hood. All of Legend's adventures have also focused on saving deity's, or their avatars, so that would imply that he is someone powerful enough to fight things that a literal goddess cannot handle.

Sky, however, has done the same.

Now, if they were to fight each other, we'd have an interesting situation before us. According to JoJo, Sky is the most skilled swordsman in the group, and he's scary fast and scary skilled. Legend is not nearly as skilled as Sky, or graceful, but the vet does have more experience, meaning he'd be less likely to really fight Sky head on in an honest to goodness battle. Legend's style, most likely, would be more defensive and evasive, since that's what works best when playing his games: avoid being in the path of destruction, and dart in to strike a blow right as your opponent is recovering from attacking you.

Sky is also much larger than Legend, and probably a great deal stronger; Sky can run around carrying a tower of pumpkins and Legend needs a power bracelet to pick up clay pots. Legend does have speed on his side, but take that away and his chances go down.

I'd say in a fight, Sky would definitely win. If they were using swords. If limited to blade alone, Sky would just have to slow Legend down, and then he could take him outr quite easily.

That said, in a fight were Legend has full access to his arsenal, there's a good chance he would win. He's better skilled with multiple weapons, and with the use of his items, he could hamper movement, create barriers, and even turn himself intangible for short periods of time to avoid heavy blows (magic cape). Granted full use of his arsenal, and with Legend adaptiveness in battle and resourcefulness, he could manage, with a lot of effort, to take Sky down.

In a one on one, mano y mano fight though, with only basic tools, Legend is getting his ass handed to him.

Lets not forget though, Sky would compliment him regardless. In case you haven't noticed, Legend is his best friend in the chain, or so far anyway, so if these two fought, yeah, they'd give their best. They're both competitive power-houses, but Sky is a good sport (most of the time) so he'd play nice after the fight is over, and we've seen that Legend isn't incapable of showing his respect for another's skill either.

[imdoingitareyou]

what could’ve been — joel miller x reader

summary: in jackson, you and joel talk about how things might’ve been, had you met outside of all the mess

warnings: its just fluff. its straight fluffy drabble.

After a day that wasn't particularly long at all, that hadn't left you tired or sad, that resembled something regular—as close to it as you could come in a post-apocalyptic world, anyway—nothing mattered because, still, all that you had wanted was Joel. You wanted him next to you, filling the air with his musk of wood and leather. You wanted his hand to hold and his lips to kiss. That was all.

Hence the instant relief when you heard the creak of your front door after a quick jangle of his spare key, and the immediate apologies that he cast down the hallway, explaining that Tommy had needed a hand with cleaning up some mess at the bar.

You were glad to see him when you did, having rushed out immediately from the lounge and finding him with one boot in his palm and the other still on his foot.

At just the sight of him you were grinning like a kid with ice cream.

He was tackled into a hug before he could even return the gesture with one of his more tame smiles.

Through a light chuckle, he said, “I missed you too.”

Head sunken into the crook of his neck, you mumbled some weak response, breathing him in. He did the same, his lips pressed against the top of your skull as he could finally do more than just imagine the scent of your strawberry shampoo.

It wasn't after long that the two of you were tangled up on the couch, just talking, when a thought crossed your mind.

“Do you think we would've had a chance, were it not for all of... this?”

“If I'd known you then... I would never have let you go.” You smiled again up at him. Joel did the same, briefly pressing a kiss to your cheek before holding your face in his palms. “Just like now.”

Through your nose, you exhaled slowly, contently.

“I wish it didn't have to be like this,” you uttered, “I wish I could take you places.”

He tilted his head. “Yeah?”

“Mm-hmm. I would've been the first person to get you outta Texas; would've been momentous,” you giggled lightly.

“Oh really?” he leaned back slightly. “Well, you'd have had to abduct me.”

You shrugged, “Maybe. But you'd like it, that place we'd go. Sicily—my mom's family had a lemon orchard there. Of course, I'd abduct Sarah, too,”

“Of course.”

“Yeah. We'd head down there in the fall, when they start to ripen, and would look out at the sea and fall asleep in the fields, looking at the stars. It's so beautiful there.”

As you spoke, you watched as his eyes closed slowly and he pictured it, breaths slow and heart rate steady.

“You'd meet my family and they'd get you drunk to show they loved you. We would do anything we wanted. And when we got back we'd already be planning the next visit—my parents usually go around Christmas. We'd think about bringing Tommy along, too. Back in our lives, we'd fill the time with trips to the museum for Sarah, and card games that I'd win, and she'd meet a quirky girl at school with a weird sense of humour—shitty puns and sarcastic comments. And I'd kiss you every night before we fell asleep and then every morning before breakfast.”

When he opened his dark brown eyes yet again and found you smiling he couldn't help from doing the same. “Sounds perfect.”

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 71 - Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together!

The gossip at the Taste of Tartosa bar is juicy tonight.

Ophelia: You guys didn't have to quit for me!

Moses: We're not working for someone who treats anyone, let alone our friend like that.

Ophelia: But what are you going to do for work?

Moses: We have a pretty good idea.

Moses: We're starting our own band!

Ophelia: Can you do that?

Drew: Yeah, we just can't be Let Them Eat Cake anymore. Thing is, we need a lead singer…

Ophelia: Of course I'll do it, no question, but where would we even perform?

Moses: There's all kinds of bars and nightclubs that'd host live music. And you know we love you and we'd have you no matter what, but your celebrity status would definitely get our foot in a lot more doors.

Ophelia: Well, if anyone can pull this off, it's us. I'm in!

Ophelia: We're gonna need a new name.

Drew: Moses and I rattled off a few ideas on the way here, but we both kind of like The Main Squeeze.

Ophelia: Is that a pun about my last name?

Drew: Well, you're kind of the face of the band. Plus, it's fun to come up with lemon puns.

Ophelia: This is going to take a lot of planning. We need to contact venue owners, get new equipment, figure out our fees… But that's for another day. Tonight, let's get juiced!

Drew: I've never been more proud.

Xander: That's my cue!

After a couple hours of drinking and celebrating, Xander starts to clean up for the night.

Ophelia: The Main Squeeze… I really do like that name.

Moses: I still think Citrus Got Real is pretty good.

Drew: Guess it's official. We just need to find our first venue.

Xander has been a bit quiet tonight. He's had a lot to think about but he's confident in his decision.

Xander: I think a new bar is opening up soon that'd be happy to have you as regular performers. The owner is pretty great. And handsome.

He told Ophelia all about it the other night, but she knows he wasn't quite sold yet.

Ophelia: Sweetie, are you sure?

Xander: Positive. This is what my parents wanted, and it'd be a chance to bring some new life to Tartosa.

Moses: Uh, want to clue us in?

One explanation later-

Drew: A bar? Hell yeah! Finally, a party spot in Tartosa!

Ophelia: You're not just doing this on our behalf, right?

Xander: Of course not. I want to do it for me. I've been thinking a lot about my future and starting now fits perfectly with my plans.

Before Drew and Moses head out, Ophelia wants to make a toast.

Ophelia: I'm so proud to be part of this band. We've joked so much about being family that we actually became one. The world won't know what hit 'em. To The Main Squeeze!

Moses and Drew: To The Main Squeeze!

It's closing time and everything's cleaned up, but Ophelia and Xander stay for a slow dance to the stereo and a chat.

Ophelia: You're really sure it not just for me?

Xander: Yes, I am. I was hesitant, but I know I can do it.

Ophelia: I know you can too.

Ophelia: You've been thinking about the future lately, huh? What's it look like?

Xander: Well, I'll be running the bar, and I'll have a talented, kind, ambitious blonde bombshell by my side. Y'know, if said bombshell will have me.

Ophelia: Rumor has it she will.

Xander pulls Ophelia closer and kisses the back of her hand.

Ophelia: The bombshell has it pretty good in your vision of the future too. A thoughtful, sweet goofball and a future master mixologist? How could she resist?

Speaking of resisting… Time to go home.

The two have a little pre-woohoo fun.

Xander: Help me, I'm dying… And the only cure is… to touch a butt.

Ophelia: Sorry, butt machine's broke.

Xander: Tell my girlfriend… I love… her ass.

Ophelia: You're such a doofus.

You're the one getting in bed with him, girly!

Poor Marshmallow. Someday they'll have a bigger bedroom and you can have a bed near theirs.

[allmoshnobrain]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

part 07 of ? | masterpost

word count: 2285 | ao3 link

I wondered if he knew he was the first one to touch me like this. I couldn't resist him. Apparently, he could tell — and he enjoyed it, the power he held over me.

✦ summary: As Cliff's birthday party approaches, Dave and Nore deepen their relationship and feel the sexual tension between them growing stronger and stronger.

✦ on this chapter: dave mustaine x female oc, oc is cliff's cousin, nsfw, +18, language, slice of life, mentions of sex, no smut but almost, drinking, smoking, fluff, cliff being cliff (overprotective older cousin), lars being lars (a little shit but in an endearing way), james being a good friend, dave and oc completely in love with each other

✦ a/n: hello! so today i will finish posting the parts that are already on ao3 (parts 7 and 8). later tonight i will release part 9 (which hasn't been posted anywhere yet). after that, i will resume the posting schedule, with new chapters coming every wednesday and sunday. hope you like it, feedback is welcome! ❤

✧ if you love me, be my angel ✧

"Hey, Nore, how about a beach party?"

Cliff's question caught me off guard. I was chilling on the couch, reading a book he had loaned me. It had been a few weeks after I moved in, and after the usual moving tensions, I was starting to feel like I fit in like I’d never felt at home.

"When?"

"For my birthday, this weekend. Joe's folks have a sick beach house, and he's down to let us have the bash there. You coming?"

I grinned.

"Hell yeah, count me in. Wouldn't miss your birthday."

"Awesome. I'll give Lars the heads up and hit up Leanne," he flashed a smile.

"Have you told James and Dave?" I asked, and he shook his head. "I'll give 'em a heads up then."

"Sounds good. But grab me a beer on your way back."

I jumped up, leaving the book on the couch as I headed to the hallway. I breezed through the kitchen and snagged a beer can from the fridge before heading upstairs to Dave's room. I stopped at the door, catching sight of Dave chilling on the bed without a shirt, strumming his guitar, while James kicked back in a chair with a beer in hand. I admired the scene for a moment; when they weren't at each other's throats, those two actually got along pretty well.

"You should, man," James was saying when I arrived. "For real."

"Hey," I said, and they looked at me. Dave flashed a smile and got up.

“Hey, Nore," he said. "Wanna come in?"

"Oh, I didn't want to barge in. I just came to tell you that Cliff said he's having his birthday party at Joe’s this weekend."

"Damn, party at Joe’s! I'm in," James grinned. Dave glanced at him, and they seemed to reach a silent agreement. I watched, curious, as James quickly got up to leave. "I'll give Lars the heads up. Catch ya later, Nore."

"Uh, bye," I said, confused.

He checked out the clothes by the foot of the bed, grabbed a Sex Pistols t-shirt and quickly put it on, running a hand through his hair to fix it. He smiled. "Is that beer for me?"

"Well, it was Cliff's actually, but I'll get him another when I'm back. You can have it," I handed him the beer. He held my wrist, pulling me onto his lap, making me blush.

"So, you going?" he asked.

"Where?"

"Cliff's party."

"Oh, yeah. Are you?"

"Like I'd miss the chance to see my girlfriend rockin' a bikini," he said, flashing a smile and gently brushing my lower lip with his thumb. I blinked, confused, feeling my heart skip a beat.

"Your... girlfriend?" I whispered, puzzled. He let out a soft laugh, and I realized he was a bit flustered. That was definitely new, I thought. He was always so confident, even bordering on cocky. I hadn't seen this side of him before.

"You know, I was just talking to James. I know we said we'd take it slow... with all this stuff happening between us. But he thought it was a good idea, so..." He held my chin in his hand, making me look into his eyes. "I really like you. I think we should be together for real."

I blinked, my heart racing and a sense of happiness welling up in the pit of my stomach.

"You mean..."

"I want you to be my girlfriend, Nore," he said, then glanced away with a sheepish smile. "Of course, if you don’t want to..."

"Dave," I cut him off, placing my hand on his cheek. He always seemed to think that I wouldn't want to be with him, but how could I not? He made me feel accepted. He made me feel safe. He made me feel loved in a way I had rarely felt before. I felt my heart flutter as I answered him, "Of course, I want to."

He didn't say a word, just pulled me close into his lap, his lips meeting mine as he held me tightly in his arms. All I wanted was for him to devour every inch of me. Even in that moment, I could feel the electricity in the air that sparked when we touched, as if we couldn't bear to be apart for too long.

If that was love, then we were way past the point of no return.

There was no turning back.

And I didn't want there to be.

I wasn't sure whether we should tell Cliff and the others about our relationship. I was certain that Cliff would give me a hard time about it one way or another, but Dave convinced me:

"Hey, I'm not going to hide that you're my girlfriend. If we're going to be together for real, I want everyone to know."

Of course, after hearing that, I couldn't deny him anything.

"Come on," he said, taking my hand in his. I smiled as our fingers intertwined. "Let's find Cliff."

We didn't even have to go far. I jumped back in surprise when I opened the door and came face to face with a grinning Lars.

"Lars, what the hell is this?" I yelled. Taking a closer look, I saw Cliff and James leaning against the hallway wall, Cliff looking bored and James barely holding back his laughter.

"So, are you two a thing or what?" Lars asked.

"We're what?"

"Dating! Are you his girlfriend now or not?"

"Oh," I felt my face heat up. "We... Yeah. I am."

"Ha! I knew it!" Lars celebrated. James chuckled, and Cliff rolled his eyes.

"Wait. How did you know? And what are you three doing here?" Dave asked, furrowing his brow. "Were you spying on us or something?"

"I just told them you wanted some alone time with Nore," James explained himself. "The rest Lars figured out on his own, and he dragged us here to confirm."

"You sneaky bastard, Lars," I said, smiling in disbelief. "Unbelievable."

"Hey, I ain't to blame if you two are the most obvious couple in California," he answered, making everyone laugh. Dave wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close and planting a gentle kiss on my forehead, and I smiled as his embrace surrounded me.

A month ago, I could hardly imagine feeling so alive like this. Yet, here I was, living with my cousin, dating the guy I liked, and having new friends who truly cared about me.

I couldn't be happier.

The weekend of Cliff's party started off sunny, although a bit chilly, which got me excited. I woke up early and packed my swimsuit and everything I needed in a bag, then loaded it all into the borrowed van. James was loading the van with crates of beer when I arrived.

"Hey, are we good to go?" he asked.

"Not yet," I answered. "Lars and Dave are still asleep. Cliff left. I think he went to pick up Leanne."

"Yeah, he did. Just talked to me a sec ago before he split. But you know those two, they'll be running late 'cause they're busy fucking again," he chuckled. I laughed, feeling a bit awkward. "Hey, mind lending' a hand with this stuff?" he asked. I nodded and started helping him load up the van.

We were quietly working for a bit until he asked, "So, how's it going with, uh, you and him?"

"Him?" I questioned.

"Yeah, Dave," he clarified.

"Oh," I blushed, "It's going well."

He chuckled. I gave him a curious look.

"You blush so easily," he shrugged.

"It's not on purpose, I swear."

"Nah, but it's cute," he smiled, "Just don't tell Dave I said that. He might throw a punch at me... again. Looks like you're surrounded by some jealous dudes, huh?"

"That's not on purpose either," I chuckled, awkwardly.

I handed him the last crate of beers, and he placed it in the back of the van.

"I'll go fetch Lars. You should wake up Dave… Before Cliff shows up," he said, grinning.

I headed inside the house, quickly climbed the stairs, and hesitated at the door of Dave's room. I turned the knob and let out a soft giggle at how he was sprawled out asleep on the bed. I shut the door before stepping in and perched on the edge of the bed, giving his arm a gentle shake.

“Dave...?” I whispered. He turned in bed, opening his eyes amidst a mess of ginger hair, and smiled when he saw me.

"Hey," he said, taking my hand and kissing it, making me smile.

"Good morning."

"Come here," he said, shifting in bed, making room for me. I lay down beside him, and he pulled me into his arms. I nuzzled his chest, feeling comfortable in the warmth of the bed and his body. He kissed my forehead and breathed, "You're adorable, you know that?"

I blushed, wondering why he was being so affectionate. Maybe he was just sleepy, but it didn't matter — I loved it when he praised me.

He held me with one hand on my waist, pulling me close effortlessly as he buried his face in my neck, using his other hand to lift my leg and place it around his hip. I shivered as he kissed the base of my neck and then my collarbone. 

"Cliff left, didn't he?" he whispered, his lips against my skin.

"Yes," I whispered back, my heart racing. 

"So no one's going to bother us now?" I could feel his smile against my neck. 

"I hope not," I said, softly. 

He held me firmly, turning me in bed as if I weighed nothing, and rose, kneeling with his legs around my hips as he took off his shirt. I stared at him, his dark eyes in the dimness of the room, his hair a mess of curls; I could see in his gaze that he wanted to devour me right there.

I was completely surrendered to him.

He held my brown hair firmly in one hand, his lips meeting mine in a kiss as his tongue eagerly invaded my mouth, his other hand holding my hip vigorously as he pressed his hips against mine. I moaned in his kiss when I felt his erection against me, my heart racing as my whole body shivered. I wondered if he knew he was the first one to touch me like this. I couldn't resist him. Apparently, he could tell — and he enjoyed it, the power he held over me.

Dave moves his hips slowly against mine while his kisses trailed off to my neck again. I raised my legs, placing them around his waist and bringing him closer to me while his hand cupped my face softly. He lightly bit my neck as I held onto his arms, my nails digging into his skin as my breath quickened. 

"Dave..." I whispered. He pulled back slightly, looking into my eyes and smiling sweetly. I felt my face flush as he caressed my lower lip with his thumb, his brown eyes getting lost in my blue ones. In that moment, all I wanted was to stay in his arms forever. 

Of course, that's when we heard someone knocking on the door.

We froze, waiting. After a few seconds, the knocking repeated, followed by Cliff's voice. 

"Hey, you guys ready? We're already heading out." 

"Fuck," Dave growled, getting up and forcefully swinging open the door, revealing Cliff leaning against the frame in a relaxed position, holding a lit joint in his hand. "Damn it, Cliff! Why did you have to butt in now?"

"Oh, did I disturb something?" he asked, smirking with irony. 

"Yeah, you did. Everyone has to wait when you go to Leanne's place, but now you're busting in on us? Come on, man!" 

"Well, at least I don't make everyone late," Cliff answered, coldly. "Get dressed or I'll leave you behind. Hurry up, Nore."

I quickly got up and left the room, blushing as my eyes met Cliff's. He seemed to be enjoying my embarrassment, but I didn't say a word to him. I walked outside and got into the van, sitting next to Leanne with an annoyed sigh.

“Rough morning?” she asked with a smile.

"Thanks to Cliff, that moron," I grumbled. She let out a little chuckle. 

"He cares about you, you know?" 

"A bit too much." 

"Well, it's nice to have someone who looks out for you like that, isn't it?" she smiled. "So, what did he do this time, anyway?"

“Ruined the moment, like always.” I grumbled, feeling my face heat up. She laughed. 

"You and Dave were...?"

"No!" I blurted out, then buried my face in my hands, embarrassed.

"Okay, maybe... almost," I confessed. 

"Hey, think about it this way. At least you dodged the whole pregnancy scare thing, right?" 

I arched an eyebrow. Honestly, that hadn't even crossed my mind.

"Guess I should be thankful then," I mumbled, and she let out a soft chuckle.

James and Lars popped out of the house and hopped into the van. James took the driver's seat while Lars settled in the one right in front of us. 

"Morning, ladies," Lars greeted with a smirk. He glanced at me and snickered. "You know you've got a hickey on your neck, right?" 

I blushed, instinctively covering my neck with my hand but stayed silent.

Soon, Dave and Cliff showed up. Dave plopped down next to me, while Cliff squeezed in beside Lars, arms crossed. The atmosphere became slightly tense. Dave wrapped his arms around my shoulders as the two of them locked eyes in a tense stare-down.

I sighed. This trip was gonna be one hell of a ride.

[compassionatereminders]

Hey Kat, firstly I'd like to let you know I'm wishing all the best for you, and I'm always glad to see your posts on the dash. Secondly, I'd appreciate a chance to get something off my chest, because I feel like an asshole but I also don't.

So, ten years ago I hit it off with someone online - like, best friends within a couple weeks. Two years later, despite the distance (they live in another country), we decided to consider ourselves partners, because the distance actually appealed to us (at that point we were both antisocial & averse to physical contact, so eliminating presumed obligations towards touch that came with dating was a relief).

It was literally a few hours later that I started second guessing my response of 'yes' to them asking me to be their partner, but I pushed the apprehension down, chalking it up to being nervous as it was my first relationship (I was 17 at the time).

But that gut feeling that I should have said 'no' never went away.

Over time it got worse - there came a point where I decided I *did* want physical contact and affection, and I made sure to tell them that. They gave me approval to take a chance if one arose, but that's because I assured them that my emotional affection was all for them - and at the time, it sincerely was. I just wanted experiences that I couldn't get from them (I did visit three times, and we'd only ever held hands - which I'd always respected, and never would I dare ask for anything more than someone was willing to give).

i had a minor experience with someone else, immediately decided I didn't like it, and returned myself solely to the comfort of the distanced relationship I'd had for 7 years at this point.

But it was so unfulfilling. This person had BPD and appointed me 'their person'. I don't speak ill of mental illness, but what this did was put me in a position where any little thing I did dictated their mood to me that day. It was constant walking on eggshells. I had to carefully choose my words every time I spoke. I had to tend to their mental stability, while struggling through my own.

I overcame depression, thankfully, and I'm a much better person than I'd ever been, and I continue to grow - but they have been in the same rut for years, and gets volatile when I try to help them ; I don't make demands, I don't tell them what they have to do, but if I make suggestions towards improvement, they get snippy and cold to me. Some time later, we actually decided to refer to ourselves as 'queer platonic' partners, but I still felt this weird obligation I was expected to meet that went deeper.

Cut to last June. I was feeling exceptionally lonely, so I signed up for an app that would help me find local friends/partners. I was intending only for friends, because my circle has two people in it. I ended up meeting this guy who asked me on a date.

Kat, I fell in utter love with him.

I'm hopeless, he's like sunshine.

When I met him, I told my prior partner I was going on a date. A *date* . I told them when he asked if he could be my boyfriend, and I approved.

Around this time my work had picked up severely, and I told them so. We went from talking daily to under ten messages a day.

Two weeks ago, it was a message or four every other day, if even that. For the past week, I haven't sent anything, and my work has greatly slowed.

I ghosted, I guess. I used to think this person would be in my life forever, but I always knew a relationship would never last - we couldn't fulfill one another, not to mention neither of us were willing to move out of our countries. Additionally, we both outgrew the same interests we once shared and went in very different directions with our new fixations. As an aside, if ever I mentioned my boyfriend, who I am always keen to gush about, they would ignore it completely and change subjects. I tried to be respectful about that, but it stung that they didn't acknowledge my happiness.

I made a lot of promises that I feel bad I couldn't keep, but by god it felt like I was the only one trying. They'd give me apologies hours after snapping, but never change their behavior, and I would feel like shit again and again every time we spoke, because it would always turn into the same conversation.

I'm sad for them, for not knowing what I needed to do to help, or just not being strong enough, but. Like I said, I came a long way myself - I believe entirely that someone won't change until they decided they've had enough themselves, but I was really rooting for their recovery.

However I've moved on. I'm sitting with my boyfriend right now, overwrought with love for him. I dont think I intend to message this old friend, because I am in a good, safe, fulfilling place right now, and I want to progress towards further goodness with him.

I don't think you're in the wrong for letting go and moving on and I definitely don't think you're a bad person for doing so. But I have a desire to encourage you to say goodbye before cutting them off entirely. It doesn't have to be more than one short message. But I think it's a good and right thing to do after many years of being a primary person in someone's life

[wafflesetc]

*Long negative rant ahead - sorry if you decide to read this, let alone post it*

There's just way more questions than answers now. Let's hypothetically say they decide to write the divorce route (cries). Jay's in a different country. There's no possible way he doesn't have a say in that, yet we'd only ever see/hear it from Hailey's side. The Jay that we know would never agree to that without a fight. Then there's all his stuff and their apartment. Would they just haul it all into storage until he comes home? - but then if he came home, why couldn't they work on things together - Hailey would have to find yet another place to live, and season 11 would (I fear) become Upstead divorce era and Hailey trying to find herself again without him just to give her a significant storyline to fill a season. And for what, yet more trauma. More abandonment for her. More storylines that are just hit after hit, just for the hell of it, all because if lazy writing. They could've done this all SO differently and very easily, they could've done SO much more with what they had/have, and it certainly wouldn't have pissed off the fandom like it has.

Unless they can magically turn this around in the final episode and Jesse's 'trust the process' did actually mean something, I can't see how they can make this work without digging themselves into a deeper, more ridiculous and a more discouraging hole - for us and for them.

I really do feel for Tracy and Jesse. Watching these writers and showrunners burn this ship to the ground for no justified reason must be gutting! All these years of hard work, one of the best slow burn relationships I think I've ever seen on TV.... to just do this.

Sorry for (negatively) venting in your ask box! 😬 - And on the off chance you do read though this scroll, thank you in advance for taking the time 💙

This is a few days late in being answered because I have been traveling for work an insane amount. Please don't apologize about the length, I don't mind the longly worded asks. They are fun to read and engage with people, regardless of opinions and thoughts!

Also, your thoughts and feeling surrounding all of this are completely valid. I also agree with you, almost on every level of this.

I was talking to a friend and it feels like every time they add another layer to this whole plot line, it only leads to more questions and not answers. I don't know if that is intentional or if they are just sort of half-assing things and hoping they make sense to the fans.

Eventually, even if things are "over" for now, it's going to lead to more painful things for Hailey rather than any kind of "closure." With the trend PD has been going, it also wouldn't shock me if they do all of that within the whitespace of season 10 and season 11 and the next time we see her next year, she's in a new place and it's just Hailey.

As for rectifying it - it's TV so literally anything is possible. With the route they have chosen, I have a small inclination Tracy might be staying at least one more year. If that's the case and season 11 is her last one, (or whenever she decides to leave), I could very much see them bringing Jay back for a couple episodes and fixing them and having them off screen together. It's possible and been done on other shows before. It's not a secret that Hailey (since she's the one on screen) has been the writer's priority - not Jay/Upstead.

If we are hurting, my assumption is that Tracy and Jesse are also hurting, probably in more ways than even we realize and can understand. I truly think that Tracy meant it when she said #UpsteadForever and maybe I am delusional, but I'll hold on to that until I see Hailey Upton's final scene, whenever that might be.

[tuiyla]

ok! so i'm curious- what do you think is going to happen with bela and eric? i feel like they'll definitely get back together because it's TV, but how do you think it'll go down?

Oh I wouldn't be so sure they're getting back together, Sex Lives feels like a TV show that'd be more than happy to shake things up. Even if they do eventually get back together, which to be clear I see the chance of, I sure hope it won't feel like it happens just because it's meant to.

I don't think there's a realistic chance of Bela and Eric getting back together this season. We have two episodes left and Bela has a looot of growing to do. Eric was right in everything he said to her in episode 7. Bela needs to look in herself, take responsibility, get her self-image in order and only then can she genuinely apologize to Eric.

Not to mention, some time needs to pass by until Eric will even be open to that apology. He's currently hurting and he needs time and distance away from the relationship. Ideally, we'd have Bela be confronted with her mistakes and root causes at the end of season 2 and start down on a path of growth. And then we'd better get season 3 where I imagine them bumping into each other by chance and Bela taking the second chance at a proper apology. But this time it would really only be for Eric, not to protect her own feelings. And she'd leave him with that, even without needing for him to say that he forgives her. That moment of maturity would make Eric think and be open to letting Bela back into his life. Not romantically or sexually, at first. They need to take baby steps and re-establish trust.

I think any new relationship they start without that slow and careful process is doomed to fail again. I hope the writers will consider that and not have them get back together out of nowhere at the end of season 2. Bela needs time with herself now and ideally I'd love to see the girls each bring out a different chance for growth for her. Bela already kinda understood things and herself more in the Priya situation, putting her personal pride aside to preserve a relationship important to her. So that's the path she needs to go down on. She has lots and lots of reflecting to do.

I honestly think Bela's attempt at an apology just made things worse with Eric because it made him realize how much she wasn't prioritizing him, and how not right with herself she was. So she needs to work on all that, then apologize, then rebuild any sort of relationship with Eric.

Out of the all the girls' previous relationships, this is probably the one the most worth saving. I'd also say Whitney and Canaan still have a shot and that wasn't as big of a mistake in the first place, but we'll see what happens there. Nico has like no chance of returning anyway so not much to talk about with Kimberly there. And we know Alicia is coming back, but that's the one where I'm lowkey really hoping an actual reunion won't be happening,

[softtransbf]

Fake Out, So Good Right Now, and Flu Game for Trent? c:

<3 ty for asking!

4: "Fake Out" - It’s 3 AM. What are you and your f/o doing at that time? Are you asleep? If you’re awake, what are you doing?

At 3 am, I'm asleep for sure. But if Trent's got a deadline or is just really excited about what he's working on, there's a very good chance he's up and writing, completely unaware of what time it is. But usually he looks up and realizes the time around 3-4, so that's when he'll come to bed. (Apparently when he does I'll wake up, swear at him for waking me up, and then cuddle up as close to him as I can possibly get. I never remember this when I wake up for real later)

6: "So Good Right Now" - Do you and your f/o live together? If you do, what does your place look like? If not, if you did move in together, what would your ideal place be?

No, we don't live together. Since I rent my place and he owns his, it'd be me moving in with him, which normally wouldn't affect much. But he's got split custody of his daughter, so me moving in is a HUGE step that we've talked about and agree we're not ready for yet. (When his ex wife has his daughter, though, we do spend basically every night together.) I was about her age when my mom moved us in with her partner at the time, and it was really hard for me. Her happiness is the most important thing- I'm perfectly happy taking things slow for her sake. His place is honestly ideal, though. One of those homes where you're like "yeah this is the house of a busy single father and a small child who love each other so very much". Not super messy, but definitely cluttered, and all the furniture is definitely more for durability and comfort than any sort of cohesive aesthetic. SO many books oh my god the walls are fuckin lined with them. Old books, new books, on every subject imaginable. You walk in and feel that it's not just a house, it's a home.

9: "Flu Game" - How open are you about your relationship? Do you prefer to keep it private, only tell a selective few about it, or do you let everyone know about your relationship?

We started out being super secretive about it, for a few reasons. Mostly a combination of the age gap and the fact that we are technically coworkers, but at first there also was a lot of consideration for Colin. He knew, of course, he was there when we met. But basically we wanted him to have control of the conversation about queerness in the club, if that makes sense. Us coming out would certainly start that conversation, which opens up the possibility for players to say some bad shit. Odds are slim that'd happen, but it is possible, and any homophobia among the team would affect Colin far more than either of us. He, obviously, wouldn't have to come out as well, but the three of us decided that we should keep it quiet until he was ready for that possibility. Well, that was the plan. But I'm terrible at hiding my feelings, so it didn't take long for Rebecca and Keeley to figure it out, and in getting advice from the Diamond Dogs, Trent had said a bit too much and they were all suspicious as well. Fortunately, it wasn't too long before Colin changed his mind and echoed a thought that Trent had posited at the very beginning- it might be better for us to be the guinea pigs of sorts, so that we'd be the on the receiving end of anything that could then be dealt with before Colin comes out. So that's what we did. Now we're all out and Trent and I are open about our relationship, and everything is really, really great ^_^