#and make it clear that they have dreams they have regrets they’re people trying to live and make it

[cyeayt]

Listen I’m just thinking about them

I’m thinking about them as kids under Sid’s thumb and I’m thinking about Daveed being happy for Eddie but still feeling left behind for Joan,

I’m thinking about them after I’m thinking about Gabe learning to brush Rosé’s hair and Daveed holding Eddie’s hand while he gets his tattoo fixed, continuing twenty questions and a lot of times it’s still Joanie and they’re grieving but finding happiness in the mundanity,

And sometimes they hear news about disappearing hikers and simply change the channel and in a few years they reunite with Stache who’s found his own place in the world and they’re happy

[tasteracha]

kinktober — day four

kink: body worship with changbin

warnings: smut - MINORS DNI. implied thick!reader (but can be read with any body type). mentions of body insecurity. afab!reader.

when changbin get home from work, he finds you wrapped in a big sweatshirt and a blanket, hood pulled all the way up and your entire body a shapeless lump on the couch. it’s one of those days - not especially bad, but the kind of day that left you not wanting to be perceived. if you could have become one with the couch, you would have. 

living together is new - being together in general is new. you’ve been friends for years and years, but only took the plunge into a relationship recently, falling into each other in fast forward until you were moving in with him after just a few months. him coming home to you every day just felt so natural though, and with the frequency of how often one of you stayed the night at the others it just made sense. 

“hi, beautiful,” he greets you as he flops next to you, bone-deep tiredness clear in the way he melts against your side. he makes your heart squeeze as he nuzzles his head into your chest, and it threatens to beat right out of your skin.

“‘m not,” you mumble out, unable to keep it in. you’re usually so careful about separating your insecurities from him, scared to show them to him even though you know he would be nothing but sweet to you about it.

“excuse me?” he says, sitting up so quick you’re surprised he didn’t get whiplash from it. he left you no time to regret your words as he frames your face with both of his hands and turns your head to face him. “say that again.”

“i just,” you try and look away but he nudges your head back towards his face again. “i don’t think i am. beautiful. i guess i’m not ugly but i’ve never felt like i was something special, you know?”

“no, i don’t.” he says with intense ferocity, finality on his tongue like he was begging you to try and argue with what he knew was truth. “i’ve always thought you were gorgeous, even before we were together.”

“i guess i just don’t see myself that way,” you sigh, wishing you simply hadn’t opened your mouth. 

“every single part of you is beautiful, do you understand?” he rubs his thumbs against your cheekbones before sliding his hands down past your shoulders. 

“these arms?” he squeezes your upper arms with both of his hands, using his thumb to caress the skin there. “i dream about them, the way you wrap them around me when you’re happy or excited, it’s my favorite place to be.”

“but yours are too-“

“this isn’t about me,” he cuts you off, sharply but not unkind. he moves to your breasts, caressing them more gently than he ever had before.

“these? do you even see how many people stare at you when we go out at night?” he asks, pinching a bit at your skin. “it makes me so jealous, makes me want to take you home and keep you all to myself always. no one should be able to appreciate you but me.”

his hands roam further down, slotting themselves over your hips and squeezing with his fingertips. 

“see these? they’re what i use to hold you down when you’re on top of me. how else would i be able to get you in the exact position i want you, hmm?”

your breath picks up as his fingers ghost over the swell of your lower belly, and you have to resist the urge to curl up around yourself so that he doesn’t see you. 

“this?” he leans down to pepper kisses against your burning skin, leaving invisible marks that you can feel as though they were tattoos. “this is perfection. i want to bury my face in your stomach and suffocate in it, this isn’t a flaw to be hidden. it’s not something that you need to get rid of, not something that you shouldn’t have. it’s part of you, and that means that it’s perfect.”

his words are washing over you like tidal waves, wiping out your thoughts and replacing them with his. it’s all complimented by the scorching touch of his hands on your skin, you can feel him everywhere, consuming your entire being. 

“your thighs?” he continues, kneading at the skin around your quads. “they were made to be on a goddess, do you get it? i want to sink my teeth into them and never let go. i want to cover your thighs in bite marks until you can’t see your skin anymore, so they’re all mine.”

he grabs your ass with both hands, his long fingers covering a surprising amount of surface area as they dig into your muscle. 

“and do not get me started on this ass. this belongs in museums, on display so everyone can see what perfection looks like and feel bad about themselves for not being this perfect.”

and it’s a bit silly that you start crying because of that, but you can’t contain your bubbling emotions anymore. salty tears leave your eyes and you move to cover your face, but he stops you before you can.

“i don’t love you despite these things,” he says, caressing your face with the gentlest touch, feather soft. “i love you because of them. i’m sorry that i’ve never told you like this how obsessed with you i am. i think you are the most exquisite person that has ever walked this earth. do you understand?”

“yes,” you breathe out, finally understanding. finally accepting what he was saying.

“good,” he lets a smile creep onto his face, cheeks filling out. “now, will you let me make my pretty girl feel good?” 

you nod, taking in a gulping breath as he slowly undresses you, taking time to run his hands over your skin reverently. when he takes off your panties you’re surprised by how wet you are, the cold air hitting your pussy and making you shiver. he runs a finger through your folds, collecting the slick there and spreading it to your clit. 

“this perfect pussy? how could i want anything else when this is all mine?” he circles around your clit one, two three times before sliding one finger into you, slow enough that it makes you shiver. he crooks his finger inside of you, massaging your walls languidly like he’s mapping out every single millimeter of you to memory. it’s almost more overwhelming than when he bends you over and takes you on the kitchen table, hurried and frantic, because at least then you didn’t have time to think. now, you have all the time in the world to focus on the way he feels inside you, the way his free hand is warm on your thigh where it’s squeezing, the way his own breath catches when you clench around him like he’s the one with a finger inside of him. 

“i could keep my fingers inside of you all day, that’s how much i love it.” he slips another inside and you sigh at the stretch, your muscles tensing when he finds the spot inside of you that sends sparks running through your nervous system. he smiles at you, almost wickedly, before speeding up his movements, accentuating them by pressing his thumb to your clit. almost too fast, you feel your orgasm approaching, much slower than you’ve ever felt it. you can almost see it taking over your body, a golden light starting at your fingers and toes and spreading up your limbs to your core, slow inch by slow inch. you forget to breath, gulping in air when the light finally snaps into place, squeezing your legs around his hand as you ride it out for what feels like straight minutes. 

you come back to yourself in his arms, his fingers stroking the wispy strands of hair across your forehead out of your eyes. he’s looking at you with the fondest smile you’ve ever seen, like he can’t believe that he gets to hold you in his arms like this. 

“don’t hide these things from me anymore, okay? i can’t make you feel better if i don’t know that you’re feeling bad in the first place.” 

kinktober masterlist

[letters-adressed-to-the-fire]

three times Taylor presented us the same character in ttpd and we didn’t notice (or maybe you did)

So, what if I told you I found a connection between who’s afraid of little old me, the albatross and Cassandra?

As most of you have been doing, I’ve been listening to ttpd nonstop, but while I was reading some of the lyrics, I found a very interesting connection I wanted to share with you.

In this post, I’m gonna introduce you to the character of “the monster”. But to start this analysis, I decided to construct our protagonist through a short story first:

“Once upon a time, there was a monster. Well, she wasn’t always a monster. In fact, she was once tame and gentle, living a life that was far removed from the terrifying existence she now endures. But once she started to become something people weren’t ready to embrace, she turned into a threat in the eyes of everyone else. It was the harsh and unforgiving world around her that transformed our protagonist from a harmless creature into a being that others now fear and despise.

That's why society has decided to lock her in a cell. The “monster” is now incapacitated enough, so she can’t defend herself anymore. They stripped her of her power, taking out her defenses and leaving her vulnerable.

“I was tame, I was gentle 'til the circus life made me mean "Don't you worry, folks, we took out all her teeth"” (taken from "who's afraid of little old me")

After enough time had passed, our protagonist decided to accept the hardest of truths. She was never gonna convince her cagers that she was anything but the dangerous creature they think they’re protecting their people from.

“I was in my tower weaving nightmares Twisting all my smiles into snarls” (taken from "Cassandra")

The monster started calling herself a monster. She has come to accept this identity society has bestowed upon her: she wasn’t born as a monster but was taught to be one. Society's cruelty and rejection have finally forced her to become something she never wanted to be.

“You caged me and then you called me crazy I am what I am 'cause you trained me” (taken from "who's afraid of little old me")

Yes, her monstrous label stems from society's refusal to accept something about her—something that she now knows was right all along. But even if somehow the truth finds its way out (that it will), the damage has already been done. Her cell had already been filled with snakes countless times.

“So, they filled my cell with snakes, I regret to say Do you believe me now?” (taken from "Cassandra")

Our story ends with our monster finally finding a way to haunt those who wronged her and remind them of their cruelty. And she had to do nothing. When the deception died, everyone saw what had always been there.

“Locked me up in towers But I'd visit in your dreams And they tried to warn you about me” (taken from "The albatross")

---

Her transformation into a monster was not just a physical or mental change, but a profound shift in how she saw herself and how others saw her. Society created her monstrous persona through their fear and rejection, but in the end, she embraced it as her own.

This character of the monster, therefore, is not inherently evil or malicious. Instead, she is a product of her environment, shaped by the cruelty and misunderstanding of those around her.

The specific vocabulary she uses to describe this character (such as “tame”, “snarl”, “took out her teeth”, “caged”, etc.) is what makes it clear that she’s expecting everyone to picture the idea of a “monster” (or what is considered a monster by the people she’s referencing in these three songs). In a way, she’s trying to convey the feeling of being dehumanized by people’s opinions. Yes, she literally calls herself a monster, but it’s an obvious metaphor for how society strips those who are different of their humanity, reducing them to something less than human, something to be feared and controlled. Taylor is trying to remind us how social pressure and prejudices can transform the innocent into the feared and the gentle into the dangerous. She takes the figure of the monster and makes her stand as a symbol of resilience and survival, a testament to the strength it takes to endure and adapt in a world that seeks to cage and define you.

[hannahssimblr]

Epilogue (Part 4)

We are called to our tables then, and Jude and I have been seated apart, which, although thoughtful, I’m slightly regretful of because I was enjoying our conversation, but I’m hungry enough to not be that upset about it. I sit with a miscellaneous group of Shane’s friends and their partners, with whom I make inoffensive small talk with for the duration of the meal and I try not to turn around and look at Jude, who, as I’m a bit surprised to learn, I still have an impeccable radar for. How strange that even after all this time I can pinpoint his exact location in any room. 

The speeches come next, the long, dreary speeches from the fathers who say the same things as each other and thank each other back and forth forever. Then the best man, Will, stands up and mumbles awkwardly into the microphone, accidentally or otherwise revealing that Shane has a tattoo in an undesirable place that he didn’t want anybody to know about and saying that Claire was the finest girl in the girls’ school in Tullamore, and the rest I don’t know about because I zone out and start picking at the dessert trio that I wasn’t hungry for when it first arrived. 

But when Shane stands up and takes the microphone he has my full attention. 

He clears his throat, “Well. Hello all of you, and thanks for coming here today. I know that it’s a bit bitter and cold, and they’re saying now there’s a chance that we’ll get snowed into this hotel so… I hope you’re all prepared to get cosy. Sure we have the fires blazing here and all, hot whiskeys at the bar, you’ll be grand.” Someone whoops loudly at the back for the hot whiskeys, “I just want to say, like, first and foremost, a big thank you to everyone who made it here today. I know some of youse have come from all over. I’ve got a few friends here from the Sydney Swans who’ve come all the way across the world-” The Sydney Swans cheer, “And my cousins over there on table four have come from the south of France, and obviously then we’ve people from England, America, Italy as well… Just, thanks for making the journey lads, it means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to my new wife too,” He smiles down at Claire who smiles lovingly back.

“Lads, I’m not going to lie, I don’t like public speaking. I never really did, even like, when I had to be on the telly and all that, I never liked it, so I’m going to keep it brief and just say that… I’m a bit, like, overwhelmed by emotions here. It’s rare that you get all of your favourite people all together in one room, and it’s really special because you all get to witness the best moment of my life, and you get to be here as I’m marrying the most amazing person I’ve ever known in my life.

“When I first met Claire she was seventeen, and when I saw her I thought… jaysus, like, she’s pretty unreal. If you’d told me then that that gorgeous girl would have followed me across the world and back and married me at the end of it I’d have told you you were cracked. But like, here we are lads. Our house in Tullamore is coming along now, we’re in the last couple of weeks of construction and I hope that by the time we’re back from Bali that we can move in and have the absolute dream home for the two of us-” He pauses, “Oh, sorry, did I say two? I meant the three of us.”

I almost knock over my water glass as I whirl around to find Jude’s eyes across the room, my mouth hanging open, “she’s pregnant?” I mouth, and he laughs at my face and shrugs, “I guess,” he mouths back. The whole room erupts into cheers and as I burst into tears again I don’t even bother trying to stop it. 

“So,” Shane raises his champagne glass to the room, “To all of ye, for coming out, to my beautiful bride Claire, and to little baby Healy, coming in May,” He smiles, a huge, wide, happy smile, “Cheers, lads.”

I find Claire in a throng of relatives afterwards and I hug her tearfully, “Claire! You’re going to be a mammy.”

“I know,” she says, “We’re so happy, it’s crazy! Like, it just kind of happened? I don’t know, everything just feels like it’s all coming together and I’m so emotional about it, God, wait-” she fans her face to try and dry her mascara, “I’m very emotional, excuse me.”

“You’re allowed to be, it’s so exciting and so special.”

“The only thing is that I’ve been so bloody sick, I just puke and puke and puke… and then I sleep and sleep.”

I shrug, “That’s allowed.”

“Do you think it’d be absolutely awful if I left my own wedding early to go to bed?”

“What, like now?”

“No, but at like, ten. I’m just so sleepy.”

“You can do whatever you want to,” I point out, “it’s your wedding, and the party will go on.”

“Can you imagine if we really did get trapped at this hotel for days?” She says, “Wouldn’t that be mad? Do you think we will?”

“Would it really be the worst thing?” I wonder as Jude crosses my eyeline, “I’m so busy with work back in London, I’d really just love an excuse to not do it.”

“Fair enough,” she says, and then her attention is pulled away by a relative who wants to congratulate her, so I leave her be and wander the room until I accidentally find him again at the bar. 

“Did you follow me over here?” He wants to know.

“No, I’m just getting a hot whiskey.”

“Actually you’ve inspired me, I’ve just ordered one for myself,” The barman puts it in front of him. “But I don’t think I can hold whiskey as well as you apparently can, so this might be interesting.”

“I seem to remember a story about you getting whiskey drunk and then kicked in the face.”

He bursts out laughing, “Oh yeah, I was crazy back then,” and I glance at his right eyebrow to find, to my utter delight, the scar still perfectly visible, and it makes me feel warm all over, because even though there are new and different things about him, the scar still remains as a memory, like proof that it all ready did happen. 

“So Evie,” He says, and I take my drink from the counter to stir it up, “Are you here alone tonight?”

I glance over one shoulder and then the other, “I think so.”

He takes a sip from his whiskey and his eyes flit not-so-subtly to my left hand, and a laugh bubbles out through my lips. “Are you checking me for a wedding ring?”

“No.”

“Yes you are! Why would you do a thing like that?”

A shrug, “You never know.”

“I’m only thirty, I’m too young.”

He laughs, “Come on, it’s hard to deny that we’re of marriageable age, don’t you think? I’m attending at least five weddings a year these days.”

“Well then why aren’t you married? What’s a perfectly eligible, thirty two year old red blooded American male still doing on the market?”

“What a question. I’m not sure how I feel about marriage.”

“No?”

“Nah, it’s like, my parents are divorced now and happier than ever. I look at them and I think about how stupid they were for being together in the first place, I mean, completely weird, dumb behaviour. I suppose I just haven’t been in a relationship lately where I’ve thought ‘yeah, this is for life’. You know what I mean?”

“Mm, you’re still searching for something.”

So am I. 

We make our way over to a pair of empty seats at a table, moving other peoples bags and coats out of the way. “I’m not sure what I want,” He admits, “It’s weird. I’ll meet a woman and she’s great, smart and funny and beautiful, and after a little while I’m just not in it anymore.”

“That’s not like you. When I knew you, you were the king of long term relationships.”

“I think that I was the same in most of those too, and I stayed because I thought that’s what you had to do. For some reason breaking up was never an option, like the idea of being alone was worse than the idea of being unhappy in a relationship. I always thought I’d be okay as long as I didn’t ever have to be on my own,” He shifts in his seat, “You know in my whole life I’ve only ever had one girlfriend who I thought I’d marry?”

“Hm, lucky girl, whoever she is.”

He smiles, “How’s dating in London?”

“Oh, horrendous. What’s it like in LA?”

“Worse.”

I sigh, “You know, I just feel so old when I talk about it, but the apps, they’re awful. I swear I’ve hardly met a normal man through any of them, and if someone seems close to okay then they just ghost you after two dates, it’s infuriating.”

He shrugs, “Yeah, same in LA. It’s the curse of a big city, you know? Choice paralysis. There’s always the promise of someone better just a few swipes away.”

“Nobody would ever do better than us though, would they?”

“God, no,” He grins and starts absently folding a napkin in front of him, “I miss the old way, honestly, where we’d all go out into bars and stand around awkwardly hoping that the person you liked might like you back, or at least make prolonged eye contact with you so you could go over and have the most excruciating conversation that you’ve ever had in your life.”

“And then leave humiliated? Yes, I miss it too.”

“Fuck the apps,” he says, and I laugh at the way he says it, glancing around with paranoia like it’s become illegal to say it, he leans in a little closer, “I’m saying it, fuck them. Fuck Hinge.”

“Fuck them all,” I agree, “Tell me about your worst dating experiences.”

“Oh my god, we don’t have to go there.”

“No, come on, I want to know.”

“Fine, but you go first.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

[ndantalion]

The Landlord

I tore down every glowing star off my ceiling last weekend. I just thought I didn’t need comments about it anymore, in any direction. I was starting to realize that everyone who complimented them was younger than me and most of them didn’t even have jobs. The stars left little marks, where I guess the light had faded the parts that weren’t covered. I felt like it was my second chance to make something out of it, to paint around them and preserve their memory. But I couldn’t think of anything, and it’s not like these projects ever turn out well if I over-complicate them. So I followed an online tutorial to prime everything neatly and fixed it all in off-white.

There’s a boy I’m thinking about impressing. He’s new at work—he’s from Australia. Everyone thinks he’s super funny, but I wonder if it’s maybe the accent giving him an edge. Either way I can kill a lot of time asking about all the little ways things are different there and I love when I’m the reason he tells a story that makes everyone else laugh. It’s like I own a little part of it.

All I know is he has a serious job like me, so he probably won’t think the stars are cute. And I can’t imagine staying with someone who doesn’t think the stars are cute, so it’s best to cut out the chance of learning his opinion at all. I guess I also shouldn’t ask him, “What are the stars like in the southern sky?” because what if he can’t answer me?

I hope, for some reason, that maybe a little whimsy would rub off on someone who loved me, but where would they find it nowadays? I still lose myself in fantasy novels, but rarely do I dream myself into them. I just re-read a series from my childhood that everyone agrees is garbage now. It didn’t really make me feel any better or worse.

I sometimes wish that no one had ever believed in me, because now, I feel like I’m doing just as well as everyone expected. I’m too soft to defy any odds or doubts. Maybe because of all the attention when I was young, my life’s always been characterized by waiting for something to happen, for my real important purpose to begin. But now that I’m older even that feeling’s fading. I guess it’s a good thing, because it’s increasingly clear that adventure comes with compromises I’m not willing to make.

I think I’m settling into anticipation-free existence nicely. The money just accumulates. I started renting out my spare room so I could watch it accumulate faster, and because I thought maybe someone interesting would show up. And once in a while, you know, it will be young people up for some concert or event or any excuse to get away from living at home.

They incorrectly think I was one of them because we’re around the same age and they compliment the stars and they try to get me to talk with them about all the ways that the world might magically become a better place. And I’m always secretly thinking, well, you could get a job, your parents might appreciate it. But they all say it’s harder nowadays and I wouldn’t know, since I work for a friend of my mom.

And I can’t explain it but I think they experience the world more purely than I do, so about half the time I do manage to stay, even though I always regret it. They’re less intelligent than I am, of that I’m absolutely certain. It just has to be true, because otherwise, what’s the point?

[dnfrecs]

IRL DNF FIC RECS (GEORGE IN FLORIDA PT. 2)

light in a dark place [ two storms, 1/1, 3k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44415886

The sales associate asks Dream if they’re certain about the size, because they have the same one available in a king size which may be more comfortable for two people, and George is certain his face reddens at the realization that oh, obviously she can tell we’re a couple. It’s far from the first time that someone out in public has made the same assumption about the two of them—but it’s the first time the assumption has been made correctly.

at your fingertips [ riversofgold, 1/1, 3k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43959198

“Are you cold?” Dream asks, ready to wrap the blanket around him.

“No,” he answers. “Touch me anyway.”

Dream laughs from the bottom of his stomach. “I will,” he looks at him, and thinks that he falls in love more, if it’s even possible. He pulls him closer and wraps his arms around his back. “Sweetheart.”

George shoots a look at him. “Sweetheart?”

“You are,” Dream strokes his bare knee, makes his lip curl towards his cheekbones. His heart tightens his chest. “My sweetheart.”

or Dream, George, and a boundless love that grows within them.

down my arms, a thousand satellites [ crabnap, 1/1, 8k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40468806

“How do you feel?” George asked, low and soft.

“A little better,” Dream said. “Can you call me baby again?”

He really didn’t know where that had come from, the warmth and closeness pulling his thoughts straight off his tongue, but George’s mouth parted sweetly and his cheeks were bright pink and Dream didn’t regret a thing.

“Why?” George breathed, smiling a little, like he was trying not to but couldn’t quite manage it.

Dream was tingly all over. “Because I like it.”

or Dream gets sick and George, to his amazement, is actually very soft and caring about it. Surely nothing life-changing will come of this.

; sick fic aaaaa!! <3

down here it is always me and you [ littlemisssunmin, 5/5, 36k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35048242

They couldn’t possible talk about this, not even when Dream moved his hand closer, his fingers brushing his thigh just above his knee. Sapnap was still streaming, his voice blatantly clear in the background of their little moment shared on said best friend's bed.

It was all new.

And his heart was a beating drum in his chest.

George was used to dissect the voice on his phone for years. The inclination of his tone and intent of words.

This was the complete opposite.

They had to relearn how to communicate.

or George has finally arrived in Florida in the middle of November. He hadn't been prepared for a shift in his relationship with Dream that felt almost as easy as breathing.

; i recommended this before but it’s complete now!!

Whenever We Fall [ littlemisssunmin, 1/1, 5k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44048232

There is a man in the kitchen. A man that he knows. A man that he doesn’t really. One who hums along to a new song that started to play, frying eggs in a pan they had only bought last week.

or George has somehow a harder time matching a face to a voice that he knows by heart and loves, or, A disconnect is adressed on a quiet moring.

; so so very sweet i died + can u tell i love this author lol

I blinked and suddenly [ sweetuhcreature, 1/1, 7k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/41710104

George gives him a wide-eyed look, feigning surprise. “You think I’m pretty?”

“You are pretty.”

It’s nothing he hasn’t said before, but George falters. Dream feels it in his slackened thighs and the limp hand around his neck.

“You— You’re pretty, too,” he admits, voice sinking. “Is that— Can I say that?"

or Everything is better in person (bits and pieces of George's first six months in Florida, as experienced by Dream).

corduroy and a brown cotton flannel [ gatzbright, 1/1, 2k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/42297015

“God,” Dream murmurs, “come here.” And then he’s pulling George close, right into the warmth of his sweater-clad chest, and George goes willingly. “Too far,” Dream says, burying the words into George’s stomach. “Being at the other end of the table was too far—”

“I know,” George says, grasping onto the back of Dream’s sweatshirt and pushing his cheek against Dream’s hair. “I’ll stay next to you tomorrow, ‘kay?” And Dream nuzzles at George’s shirt.

“Please—”

“Not gonna go far,” George whispers. “I promise.”

[Or, Dream’s overwhelmed at TwitchCon and worrying after his first panel, and George holds him close.]

Lisbon [ nervouswaltz, 1/1, 3k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/42298842

“Yeah, you love me too.”

George’s brow furrows. “Thought we had established that.”

The casual way he says it, living and breathing right next to Dream, is enough to pull at something nestled deep in his stomach and send him back towards tears. As parts of his brain come back online, the rest of the day rushes back. The crowds of people, their relentless happiness, the actual living, breathing impact he’s had. The numbers and analytics pale in comparison to the visual.

Abruptly, Dream lets out a sob.

or, Dream gets overwhelmed with the everything that is Twitchcon. George is there for him, through all of it.

i will always be yours [ 21questions, 1/1, 2k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43804080

I love you. The three words that they don’t say too often, not even in a platonic way—it often takes a few minutes of teasing to get George to admit that he loves Dream too, but sometimes, he still says it.

I love you. I have for a while, I think. You’re just so smart, and you’re cool, and funny, and you’ve always been around. I love you a lot. I feel like everyone can tell except for you.

or Dream and George's relationship is already ambiguous enough, but after their first Christmas together, the feelings start to get a lot realer.

Lavandula [ Raincarnation, 1/1, 6k+ ]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43265064

George peered down at Dream. His green eyes stared back fondly, light dancing within his irises. His focus fell to his lips, and the fondness dissipated. Dream reached for his face.

"What are you doing?" George flinched back.

"Hold still.” Hesitant, but listening, George forced himself to stay put. Dream’s thumb felt around the flesh of his bottom lip, wiping the corner of his mouth. Frozen, and very possibly going insane, George held his breath.

"What is it?"

"You had something on your mouth," Dream uttered, finished. "Can't have anything on your pretty little face."

or George is given perfume for his birthday which tempts a very touch starved Dream.

[gogtopia]

how're u feeling jules :(

i was gonna give a meme answer tbh but i figure i should say something. i’m sad. and disappointed. but i’m not necessarily surprised. even if i tried to keep my blog more uplifting and positive i did have a feeling that this could be the case and had some conversations in private about it. i miss those friendships that i really cared about but i grieved them weeks ago

as much as i want to see the best in quackity because he’s like tied with george as my favorite streamer, i do think he’s being extremely immature in this situation. if an old friend reaches out to you personally about something like this, the right thing to do is respond to them regardless of how you might feel about it. i want to see the best in him because i’ve loved him for so long and i think that people claiming that he’s dropping dream over drama are probably oversimplifying it. idk i feel that quackity’s work has historically been unintentionally overshadowed by others and not taken seriously so it makes sense why he’d freak out when his more famous friend announces such a similar project to his own. but i can’t truly know his thought process because i’m not him and neither can anyone else, whether they’re a fan, hater, or something in between. i don’t think anything can excuse how disappointing it is that he can’t even respond to a discord message from someone he has been friends with for three years. i doubt that he revels in the toxicity of parts of his fanbase (i think that’s a pretty extreme take, and i’ve seen it from both sides) but at this point he should make an effort to put a stop to that behavior, especially when someone privately made him aware of it.

so yeah, i’m pretty disappointed. i still hope that quackity sees those tweets and actually talks things out with dream, regardless of the conclusion. i think when you lock yourself away in a bubble, it’s easy for negative feelings like resentment and jealousy to brew. a good honest conversation would do everyone some good, even if it means going their separate ways afterward (though selfishly i hope the friendship is salvageable, especially because his friendship with george is always something that meant a lot to me)

honestly as for me, idk whether i’ll change what i post or not. i’ve been posting less in general and the past few days i’ve been both busy and fairly focused on other content (i just don’t rlly post about it). i’ll probably wait to see this through before i make any dramatic changes to my blog or make up my mind in any way because i honestly don’t know fully how i feel and i think that the dtblr community knows well that sometimes taking an extreme stance against a creator that you used to love while emotional can lead to some regrets, to say the least. this is probably all i will say about the situation. i seriously doubt i’ll ever turn into a quackity anti even if i don’t agree with him in this situation (though i may end up taking a step back from his content idk) and like it says in my pinned, i try to steer clear of cc neg across the board so you don’t have to worry about seeing any vitriol directed at him here

[rhaenin-writing-time]

I have no idea if you’re still looking over comments for your outline, but I love what you’ve currently put up so far. Aemond as a certified parentified momma’s boy while trying to also not be with his mom is forever hilarious. You’ve absolutely nailed his character (it’s almost eerie how exactly you got his mommy issues/personality down, his “I regret that business with Luke” in the latest episode was such an Alicent moment).

For the falcon’s shadow, I know that’s supposed to reference Aemma, but does it/will it have any connection to Jace as well in his bird costume? Cause the Lost in the Dark section, with “too many kinds of light” makes it seem as if he might be in the same dream that Jace and Aegon were in. But Aemond also seems too disconnected from (or maybe stiff towards) his Valyrian side to really join them.

I do love the part about Dreamfyre and how Aemond views effort spent towards being respectful of dragons and customs around them as frivolous. The set up of showing how Aemond clearly has no real care or understanding for Valyrian culture - except when he “wants the kind of power and influence that is specific to Targaryens” - that will eventually lead him to essentially ‘forcing’ a bond with Vhagar without any comprehension of how dragons are their own beings, not just a simple extension of the rider, is great.

Do you know if you’re planning to add any disconnected relationship between Rhaenys and Laenor? Cause while Corlys is obviously more unaccepting of Laenor’s homosexuality, I feel like his acceptance with Laenor’s children probably helped a little bit (at least when Luke takes Corlys’ attention by liking girls). But Rhaenys’ lack of acceptance for his children, simply because they’re not related biologically, must have caused a rift. Cause her acceptance of his homosexuality in the show feels like the very shallow acceptance in real life of tolerating the idea of being gay, yet not acknowledging any of the actual consequences of being such.

You mentioned in your latest post that you expected the arc to only be about 5 chapters, do you mean the whole section of “under the Dragon’s eye”, or just “Dark Nightmare of the Soul”? I’m a bit confused.

For your fic in general: do you know where the chapter scene of Rhaena ‘poisoning’ Daemon went? I haven’t been able to find it anywhere since your story was reorganized. And do you plan to include any of season 2 for your story, or has the characterization not really changed anything for you? (Honestly, the only real change to me seems like Alicent and Aemond have gotten way more Catholic - their weird “if I’m feeling guilty then I’m forgiven” was so bad).

Forever going to love your story, genuinely one of the best fanfics I’ve read.

Haha yeah I don't know how some people were so surprised about Aemond, I thought he was pretty clear cut. Fortunately for us, and Rhaenyra, he got his coddling fix when Baela sent him running home crying into his mother's arms. so Rhaenyra's safe for the time being. Now he wants to feel like a MAN.

When I say "this arc" I mean going back to fire and ice packs lol. I really underestimated how much I'd need to include to believably (at least I hope) establish a lot of new status quo's that are wildly divergent from show or book, especially regarding Rhaenyra and her siblings. And I ended up moving a lot up from later parts to avoid repetition later on in this fic. But if you look back at the outline you'll see that I colored the part that were currently in red, because we are almost done this arc. Rhaenyra soon faces the "final boss" and the revelation, and then... time and PEOPLE start moving.

Rhaena poisons Daemon in "Never get involved in a land war in essos part 2. I just split the chapter up because it was relatively long compared to the chapters around it.

Idk Aemond and Alicent have always seemed super catholic to me. I'm not going to take any extra steps to accommodate season 2, and I'm definitely leaving out Alicent/Cole because 1. It simply wasn't earned after they cut so much of that thread from the first season and 2. It's far too "modern" Catholic of BOTH of them. These are medieval Catholic extremists who are perfectly capable of getting off on the superiority of their own celibacy and "courtly love." And I'm not saying it couldn't be a reasonable turn for the characters, but they needed to show the journey. And they didn't. So it just feels kind of cheap and like the writers don't understand the world these characters are operating in, or their specific place in it.

Anyways, chapter coming. I promise. Life is weird and also writing has gotten more difficult/complex for a variety of reasons.

[dulcewrites]

aemond expecting reader, the victim of the situation to spare alys' feelings because her conscience cannot stand being reminded of the fact that she took part in ruining a family???? i know infatuation and love can blind your senses but damn, that is just EVIL. what's next, him agreeing to alys not wanting to be around daella because she would rather prefer to live with him in a bubble of ignorance where the circumstances of them getting together were normal? (though i guess that would work in reader's favor and there's probably no way alys would ever broach the subject with aemond knowing how much it would hurt him). now im even more pissed for reader's sake, she should do a lot more, FUCK being civil 😭 do you maybe have more thoughts on reader's magazine cover shoot of her in the ruined wedding dress? i desperately need her to have at least one instance where in the moment she doesn't think about consequences, one that cannot be explained by it just being a part of her work or anything else but being unmistakably petty (with her maybe looking back at it years later like 'yeah probably shouldn't have done but deep down im glad i did'), i would even be satisfied with a realistic occuring dream of hers or aemond's where she takes her revenge LOL

I like think reader knows how the play the game. She was the lamb to be slaughtered first, now it’s alys turn (rightfully or wrongly). Much her civility, is yeah thats just her personality and how her parents raised her to be. But she also knows when to strike, especially now that the public is actually on her side for the first time since she’s been in Aemond’s orbit.

So let’s say the band does a rolling stone cover/interview. Maybe the journalist is a reader stan LMAO and they comes in swinging. Asks Aemond and alys about the timeline of their relationship and how it seems… suspicious *insert Dwayne the rock Johnson eyebrow raise meme* Alys and Aemond try their best to answer politely (Aemond goes on about how reader is such a great mother… true but a deflection). but yeah it’s not looking good for them 😭. It’s only compounded by the other members making slightly antagonistic comments. Helaena says something about sometimes being in a band, in a family, means dealing with decisions and people you don’t like 👀

Anyway of course this blows up bc they’re a big band and people love drama. Now reader is trying to keep her head down, get her bag. She’s on a shoot for a magazine, maybe a cool one like interview. And a creative director comes up to her and asks if she’d be interested in doing a spread. She declines at first bc she knows they will ask about Aemond and alys. It takes some convincing from tyland and some of her other girlfriends to do it.

The whole shoot is basically about rebirth.. a metamorphosis if you will. And the cover? Her in wedding dress covered in blood. Symbolizing of her essentially killing her old self but also idk if y’all knew this but blood on a wedding dress is considered a bad omen. Basically means regret in the end. The whole spread is about her finding independence away from the group. There’s no explicit “yeah he cheated”. But from the answers she gives, it’s clear something isn’t clean in the buttermilk. The implication is enough plus she gets seen as the victim. Win win. In the end, it’s iconic and she looks great. A lot people applaud her for not completely dragging alys and Aemond when she could. Surprisingly, Aemond has few qualms about the cover but partly bc he knows reader couldve gotten very nasty and hasn’t.

[wonda-fhr]

5, 8, 14 for David n Ortega, 19 for Lia and 18 for Justin, for the couples ask game?

Unfortunately, this took much longer than expected. But I have never forgotten it :) Thanks for your ask @silvery-bluish The Couple ask is here

5. How do they consciously realize that they like the other character? Does it take them a while? -David-

It mixes a little with 3. David liked him quickly. Ric accepted him with open arms and always made David feel welcome. Some time before the first kiss, David's imagination began to give him some pleasant daydreams as he watched from a distance when Ric was being interviewed. It was then that he first realized he was dreaming of more than just a good friendship. From then on, he daydreamed himself into a romantic relationship, but never acted on it before the first kiss, because it seemed hopeless.

8. What do they think about romantic love? Do they have baggage surrounding it? Do they idealize it? Is it an object of longing and wanting, or were they really not thinking about it until they started falling for the other character? What are their expectations like?-David-

Ohh, he always idealized it terribly hard. Losing himself in thoughts of perfect love saved him from many hours of loneliness. He never allowed himself to be disillusioned by the relationships he saw that didn't live up to the ideal. He knew that fairy tale love was not necessarily real, but he preferred to give in to dreams of it rather than the conviction of always being alone. When he entered into a relationship, he expected his dream world to shatter and give way to reality. Instead, he was surprised to find that the real feelings were so much more intense than those in his dreams. And he didn't have to give up his storybook romance, he just had to learn where to look for it. The perfect love is all in the little details.

14. What makes them feel loved? Would they build up the courage to ask for it? -David-

It doesn't always have to do with courage, some things you ask for have to happen unconsciously to feel loved. The small gestures that express deep connection are what make David feel loved. An arm that pulls him to his partner at the exact moment in the movie when it is clear his tears will flow. When he always gets the perfect coffee. The way their hand movements complement each other when they cook together. These are all moments he can't ask for, but he has to recognize when they happen. He is very attentive to those moments.

Some things he would ask for, for example, support in falling asleep. This is something he often needs and asks for because his inner turmoil can't always be seen right away. If the partner holds him a little tighter, or reads him a book, or they watch a movie together to help him fall asleep, he feels loved.

No goodbye without a kiss is also something he quite demands if it is forgotten in a hectic moment. If his partner takes this time even under the greatest pressure, he also feels loved.

18. They’re going through something incredibly difficult—perhaps they’re very sick, have lost a loved one, or have gone through a traumatic event. Do they ask for or accept support and care from their partner, or try to isolate themselves? - Justin-

Justin has to figure out a lot on his own, silence his brain and organize his thoughts to stay in control. He's always done everything by himself, but the truth is, he doesn't like to be alone. But people around him, even the nicest ones, usually demand some kind of attention, and Justin can't handle that in extremely stressful situations. Talking to him, hugging him, holding him, quickly leads to an escape reaction or words he later regrets. His partner needs to know him well to be able to respond, to wait for the right moments. And he should not feel rejected. Quiet support is what Justin can enjoy, what gives him strength and helps him cope with difficult moments. Someone who is simply close to him without smothering him with pity. When his partner makes him feel like he can come into his arms or run away at any time, he feels safe and supported. If he knows that his partner understands this, he will ask for it in a relationship.

19. Are they okay with public displays of affection? Do they like them?-Lia-

Subtle signs of belonging like the hand in the back, or one on the knee, or interlocked fingers, are very natural for her and she does it even if the partner is not a fan of it. She makes it visibly clear who belongs to her, and it is difficult to dissuade her from this. Everything else she adapts to the preferences of the partner. She does not force close cuddling and kissing in public, but if it makes her partner happy, she is 100% into it.

[shirtlesssammy]

The Winchesters 1x05: Legend of a Mind

In this week’s cold open, Councilman Gordon Baxter experiences the worst head trip ever.

“Spending a lifetime of hunting monsters takes its toll. There comes the time when you gotta let out that pain inside you. If you don’t, it’ll eat you alive.”

John is showing Mary around the carburetor of a motorcycle. Not just any motorcycle though! It was a gift his mom gave his dad two weeks before Henry disappeared. John acts nonchalant about teaching Mary about engines but Mary already knows her way around a car. 

John offers Mary a job because he’s a love sick puppy already. Mary doesn’t plan on sticking around Lawrence after she gives up hunting. John doesn’t like that answer so he goes to sulk in the office where Millie is doing paperwork. She sees how her son is looking at Mary Campbell and tells him he should ask her how she feels about him. She’s good for him. Mary interrupts their conversation with a case!

At the clubhouse, the monster gang gets caught up on the dead councilman. Carlos thinks they should track the leader of the Akrida, but Mary wins (again) and the gang heads out to learn more about Gordon Baxter and how his head was turned to mush from the inside. 

They interview Baxter’s campaign assistant. She tells them that he was suffering from nightmares for about a week before he died. They’re dealing with a djinn! Ada fills John in on a djinn’s MO. They then head to an abandoned warehouse to hunt the djinn. 

They immediately find him and chase after him. He escapes with the most elaborate backflip flourish ever. Five stars. Lata asks Ada if she knew him and she admits to them that he was her son. Drama!! Tony is her son and he’s half-djinn. She had a bit of a fling with a djinn back in the day. Ali and Ada were from totally different worlds (a story told by Dean Winchester about a human in love with a non-human? Sounds fake.) Well, anyway, he’s dead. Their half-human kid is struggling with how to not be a monster. (This whole story sounds ABSOLUTELY ridiculous.) 

Carlos believes that the Akrida are involved somehow. John doesn’t care. Monsters must die! Black and white! No room for nuance! He starts sharpening his pitchfork for Tony. Bold move considering you didn’t know what a djinn was five minutes ago! They search his stuff and find a beaded necklace that Ali gave Ada. Tony will be back for it. Ada then pleads with the others to let her try and talk to her son before they kill him. The team decides to break up. Carlos and Ada are going to hang out and hope that Tony comes back. John and Mary head to the police. Lata heads to learn more from the coroner. 

While Mary waits at the car, John talks with Betty. She’s painting a picture of Saint Miguel (MICHAEL). John doesn’t waste time asking about the councilman's death. Betty also thought it was suspicious. There were two other similar deaths. 

John tells Mary his intel and then they have a RIDICULOUS flirt fest.

Meanwhile, Ada and Carlos continue the stakeout. Tony does come back and talks with Ada –in her dreams! He makes it very clear that he’s not a killer. He feeds to survive and helps people. He came to Lawrence to help but the person already had a monster in his head and it was controlling him. It was a giant bug! 

Back at the clubhouse, Lata shows everyone x-rays of Baxter’s head. 

There are three points in the brain that caused the damage. John suggests he and Carlos look into the connections between victims. 

Mary finds Ada, who is busy watering plants in her super awesome bunker garden/library/spell room. She tells her that Lata uncovered proof that absolves Tony. Ada expresses her regrets over the rift between herself and her son, but Mary tries to bolster her spirits. Tony learned his strength from his mom.

John arrives on the scene. Er, actually John arrives outside the door, notices Mary and Ada talking, and decides to skulk behind a door and eavesdrop? John plz. Mary asks Ada if it was worth having a relationship with Ali since they were from “different worlds.” 

“I followed my heart,” Ada tells her because she has all the best lines this episode. “I don’t think that’s ever a mistake.”  

Carlos arrives, in full mission mode. He tracked down the next victim, Jacob Glasier. The team mobilizes and heads out to investigate a rickety old industrial site. They find their would-be victim at work and extremely awkwardly explain their presence as building inspectors. Yeah, they’re….college building inspectors? Jacob sees through their unsteady ruse immediately BUT—

An Akrida bug leaps into the room with them. They flee the beast but can’t evade it for long. It goes for Jacob. Mary hurtles herself between the Akrida and its victim, and collapses to the floor as the Akrida scuttles away. Mary slumps, exposing her neck. There are three ominous holes punched into the base of her skull. 

The scene cuts to the clubhouse. (Man, I just love that we get to call it that. So perfectly Scooby-Doo.) Mary’s barely hanging on, and orders herself tied to a chair. Carlos teasingly asks her for a safeword, beating all of us to that joke. They decide that the spikes in Mary’s brain need a little extra mojo to expel. Mary needs to find them in her mind and destroy them there. The only person who can help is Tony. Ada’s nervous, but she heads out to find her son. 

Ada finds Tony on the bus as it waits at the depot. She tries to assure him that he’s no longer a suspect, and tells him she needs his help. Tony, understandably, isn’t receptive at first. Ada settles next to him and apologizes for all that happened and how she made him feel. “You’re perfect,” she tells him. Tony relents and heads to the clubhouse. 

Tony quickly assesses Mary’s condition and takes charge. As they set up, he explains what happened to the councilman. The Akrida-afflicted get trapped in their darkest memories. The victims are too scared to dig through the memories and find the hidden poisonous barbs, so they end up dying instead. He needs a volunteer to go into Mary’s mind and guide her - someone she’ll listen to. I nominate CARLOS, but Ada offers John instead. 

John, Mary, and Tony join hands. Tony can slip into dreams, Mary’s slipping under control of the poison… So that just leaves John. How does he slip into dreamland? Carlos takes a single, extremely effective swing!

John wakes up in Mary’s dream. They’re in her house, but make it foreboding. 

Meanwhile, Carlos and Lata realize that all the other victims were involved with building a radio tower in town. Lata leaps to the next conclusion: that tower is sending out insidious waves which are luring monsters to Lawrence. 

Mary’s condition worsens as she goes deeper into her house. They find a memory of a young Mary standing over a dead body, looking horrified. The younger version of her is scared and regretful. The kid she killed was part of a werewolf pack and he transformed back into a human and pleaded for his life just before she killed him. This episode is shot in such a beautiful, grim fairy tale stage play kind of way.

For Excellent Work. Director. Science:

Mary tries to comfort her younger self, but there’s no comfort in her memories. They reach a door with a young girl’s “do not enter” sign on the door. Mary doesn’t want to go in, but John tells her that she has to face it or die. He’s there for backup. 

John kicks the door down and discovers a young Mary in bed, clutching a hunting knife as long as her forearm. “You said that you were afraid of a monster under your bed and your parents told you not to worry,” Mary explains. But for her, “my parents told me the monsters I was afraid of were real. And that one day it would be my job to hunt them down.” (I casually pop a shard of glass into my mouth and begin chewing it.)

Mary channels her anger into punching a hole in the wall. She was five the night her parents told her that, handed her a knife, and called it a day. “No kid should ever have to go through that,” John says, but I can barely hear it over the sound of my totally normal glass chewing. He convinces her to talk to her younger self. 

Mary tells herself that it’s okay to be scared - it’s GOOD, even. She tells her that eventually life will be okay. “I’m gonna find a way to open all the doors that were closed for you,” she promises herself. Young Mary uncovers the spines that were hidden under her pillow. Mary takes her knife and destroys them, breaking the Akrida’s hold. She wakes to her mystical support besties gathered around. Tony is a little worse for wear, but he’s okay too! Yay!

Back at the garage, John works on the motorcycle moodily. Millie tries to press him about the whole “opening himself up” plan when Mary shows up. She thanks John for being by her side while she encountered all her sad younger versions. John tells Mary that she should leave Lawrence when she’s done hunting. He’ll give her the motorcycle to give her the FREEDOM OF THE ROAD. I roll my eyes, and tell John that her car is a much more practical home-on-the-highway, and considerably more dry in inclement weather. 

At the clubhouse, Lata and Ada escort Tony outside. Lata gives Tony cute smiles and heart eyes, and Tony gives heart eyes in return!! Oh, also Tony tells them that the Akrida seem to be trying to collect “essence” from the remains of rare monsters. His plan is to drive somewhere far from the Akrida, safe from the signal. Ada and Tony decide to head out together, bond reforging! 

But anyway BACK TO LATA AND TONY. He asks to write to her. She says YES DEFINITELY. 

It is very cute. 

Later at the clubhouse, they wrap their heads around the new radio tower. There’s ONE owner with her hands all over the paperwork. They switch on the radio to hear Roxy roll out Nina Simone’s “I put a spell on you.” One of the Akrida’s minions appears and reports on Mary’s condition. Their plan to take her out failed. Roxy’s not worried about the hunters. She plans to keep the “hits” coming and wear them down.

__

On Today’s Quotest Hits:

If they’re hiding in a warehouse, we can track them down easy

Yeah. Of course, tell a group of hunters my son is half monster

What is this? … Saint Miguel. Patron saint of law enforcement

Mary Campbell, she’s easy to talk to

One thing you learn about plants. you can never treat any of the two the same. They each need their own perfect amount of light and water in order to grow. 

Run faster! Definitely run faster!

There’s a supernatural element involved. We’d need a supernatural brain surgeon

Our nightmares are rooted in trauma. They take shape in our darkest memories

__

 Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

[walker-extended-universe]

WIP Wednesday

stolen from @kedreeva

Rules:

Post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to post!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can’t share from (for example, an event fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it!

Mothering Abby Fic

“Abby, they’re grown men,” Bonham said as he started clearing away the leftover dishes. “If they say they're fine, I’m sure they are.”

“Says the man who hid his cancer diagnosis behind pain pills for a year,” Abby muttered.

Without warning, she had the back of her hand on Sam’s forehead. “As I thought; you have a fever.” She did the same to Dean before he could react. “You too, but not as high….” She sighed. “Back to bed; both of you.”

“Abby, we were-”

“Just about to go home, I know. But not like that. You’re sick. That means resting, not driving for hours on end and crashing in a motel room that’ll probably make you sicker. Bed. Now.”

Witchy August and Stella Mishap

August and Stella were slowly but surely climbing up the ladder from novice witches to practice witches. That meant Rowena was giving them more intense homework to practice with in between their sessions, which meant Stella got very excited about trying out new spells. And it’s not that August wasn’t excited to try out new things and see what they could do- it’s that Stella had a tendency to pick the harder spells.

“Are you sure about this Dream Potion?” August asked, swirling the dark purple liquid in his cup. “It doesn’t look right?”

“I’m sure,” Stella said. “I know what I’m doing.”

Cheating Fic

So the only real problem was when it was Stella’s turn to spin and the bottle landed on Sadie. And even that wasn’t really a problem. It was just a quick kiss. More than a peck, sure, but barely anything worth mentioning.

Except Stella couldn’t stop thinking about it. She’d never kissed a girl before. It felt…good. Soft. More enjoyable than most of her kisses with Colton.

It was dumb. She shouldn’t be thinking about it.

Kids got kidnapped too AU

Stella and August arrived at the meeting point. They were alone and they didn’t have the money and Stella was starting to regret letting August come along but it was too late now. She just had to hope Shannon would be agreeable and let her pay in installments. “Just stay behind me and don’t do anything stupid,” she muttered.

“I’m here with you; I’m already doing something stupid.”

Stella hit his arm to shut him up while they waited. She knew this was probably a bad idea. No, this was definitely a bad idea. But there wasn’t any other way to find their dad. She was just chasing down every lead, like her dad would. A small voice in the back of her head told her that following her dad’s example maybe wasn’t the best idea in this situation but what was she supposed to do? Just let this lead get away? Fat chance.

Shannon showed up late and she didn’t come alone. “You don’t look like you have a bag of cash on you….”

“We wanted to verify your information first.”

Walker Hospital AU

Colton slowly opened his eyes and immediately closed them. Why were the lights in his room so bright?

Someone in the room was humming. It was…nice. ALmost nice enough to send him back to sleep. Well, it would have if it weren’t for the shooting pain in his side. What was that all about anyway? He groaned and tried to adjust himself to be more comfortable but nothing seemed to work.

“Take it easy, Mr. Davidson,” said a soft voice. “You shouldn’t lay on your side like that; you’ll strain the stitches.”

[fawnhoards]

A collection of dialogue from Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer. To be used as sentence starters. As per usual, feel free to change pronouns or whatever you see fit. Mentions / implications of death, murder, violence.

“ Who’s after me? ”

“ They’re handing out flyers with your name and picture. ”

“ You gotta be extra careful. ”

“ I want to strangle him. ”

“ I can’t explain his actions. I never could. ”

“ How do we even know he’s alive? ”

“ What a pleasant surprise. I’m glad you’re here. ”

“ We don’t have much time. ”

“ They’ll be coming to kill you. ”

“ You know what? Never mind. ”

“ Let me help you, or you won’t live through the day. ”

“ Look, I don’t understand ninety percent of what you’re saying. ”

“ You have no reason to trust me. But you need to come with me right now. ”

“ Wow, thanks. That really answered my question. ”

“ Not all Norse people were Vikings. ”

“ I could give you a three-hour lecture on that topic alone. ”

“ Myths are simply stories about truths we’ve forgotten. ”

“ I’m definitely feeling the love. ”

“ You can’t drop a bombshell like that and walk away! ”

“ You want this? Come and get it. ”

“ Come on, I’ll race you to the beach. ”

“ Oh, I like you! We’ll have fun. ”

“ Don’t make me regret this. ”

“ Keep your mouth shut, nod your head, and try to look brave. ”

“ Don’t make me regret bringing you here. ”

“ If you embarrass me, I’ll be the first to kill you. ”

“ You’re not joking, are you? ”

“ I never joke about calculus homework. ”

“ Most important things have names. ”

“ What greater enemy is there than the sea? ”

“ Sleep well, and dream of glorious death! ”

“ You, sir, look like a huge dork. ”

“ You made quite a first impression last night! ”

“ Thanks. That’s much more confusing. ”

“ She’s a sweetheart, once you get past the fact that she’s a horrible person. ”

“ You can’t rush off and do something stupid. ”

“ Hard to know. It’s not worth the risk. ”

“ Nothing escapes your keen intellect. ”

“ On further reflection, I don’t care. ”

“ My skin will heal. My pride may not. ”

“ Let’s keep walking. Clear your head. ”

“ Folkvanger. It’s the name of Freya’s hall for the slain. ”

“ I don’t show this to many people. It’s too disturbing. ”

“ You mean the gods are gone? ”

“ Do I detect an or else? ”

“ I like you better already. ”

“ I might be able to heal this. ”

“ But I had this whole speech prepared. ”

“ I’ll admit I’m a bit of a clotheshorse. ”

“ We had one job. We failed. ”

“ Kid, you saved lives. ”

“ What’s it like…where you’re from? ”

“ I’m so sorry I didn’t know sooner. I could’ve helped you. ”

“ I’m not mad. You’ll know when I’m mad. ”

“ There’s a name I was hoping never to hear again. ”

“ Correct me if I’m wrong. I’d love to be wrong. ”

“ He may be charismatic, but he’s also a liar, a thief, a murderer. ”

“ And you promise to negotiate in good faith? ”

“ Cross my waters again and I will personally drag your soul to the bottom. ”

“ So will you tell me who you are, now? ”

“ I’m shocked. Shocked, I tell you. ”

“ Oh, there’s no need to draw your sword just yet. ”

“ I hate minions. ”

“ Well, that’s just perfect. ”

“ Can I see it? The sword? ”

“ I can’t fight them all. It’s leave now or be captured. ”

“ Come on. Let’s get this over with. ”

“ Once you discover its full abilities, you will be formidable indeed. ”

“ We’re not having this discussion again. ”

“ For one thing, we’re cousins. ”

“ Godly family lines are so tangled—thinking about it will drive you crazy. ”

“ I hate the word demigod. I prefer born with a target on my back. ”

“ You say I’m a demigod. I say I’m a receipt. ”

“ Glad you haven’t died yet. I want to be there for that. ”

“ Do you have any magic that will help? ”

“ I’ll be over here, weeping or whatever. Just ignore me. ”

“ If you could just make a clean cut right across the throat— ”

“ Go on. I love depressing stories. ”

“ Only people who have known great pain have the capacity to learn magic. ”

“ You were born with your magic—an inheritance from your father. ”

“ The only limits on your magic are your strength and your imagination. ”

“ Just theoretically, what would happen if we did? ”

“ How did you come to be with these strange folk? ”

“ Without you, we never would’ve gotten this far. ”

“ Sounds like powerful magic. Have you tried it before? ”

“ That was horrifying. I mean, great. ”

“ Just follow my lead. It’ll be fun. ”

“ However much magic you need to use, it’s okay. We’ve got you. ”

“ You could be powerful. You could make our father proud. Why do you fight it? ”

“ How long have you been waiting to use that line? ”

“ How dare you get yourself hurt like this? ”

“ Do not dishonor them by feeling guilt. ”

“ Knowing your fate is one thing. Accepting it is another. ”

“ I owe you my life. How about I buy you dinner? ”

“ Command me, and I will not fail. ”

“ Just remember: you’re not in this alone. ”

“ I thought it was better if I didn’t drag you into my problems. ”

“ Tell me what’s been going on. I promise I won’t tell. I might even be able to help. ”

“ You’ve come to kill me, I expect. ”

“ I hope you’re not making excuses? ”

“ Which of the gods besides me has bothered to speak to you as a friend and an equal? ”

“ Such is human memory…you forget the truth and believe what makes you feel better. ”

“ Stick with us and…well, you won’t do fine. You’ll get killed quickly. But stick with us anyway. ”

“ You are of interest to many different parties. Some of them are not as charming or helpful as I. ”

“ Some of us want to see the world in ruins just for the fun of it…even if we’re ruined along with it. ”

“ All I ever wanted was to design quality clothing and sell it at reasonable prices in my own store. ”

“ For every hero, a thousand cowards. For every brave death, a thousand senseless ones. ”

“ You ever do the right thing, and you know it’s the right thing, but it leaves you feeling horrible? ”

“ Somebody once told me that a hero’s bravery has to be unplanned—a genuine response to a crisis. It has to come from the heart, without any thought of reward. ”

[fox-buried-in-maple-leaves]

smiles. all of them for galin ^^

Ask Game!

🌟 When your OC loses all hope, who do they turn to first? What helps make them feel better? What calms them down and reassures them? Why?

Galin prays to their God. When things seem hopeless and they're lost and unsure of what to do. Galin will pray. Blessed by the deities above, a demigod themself, they pray for what they know to be out there. And they hope something responds, anything. Sometimes the Gods respond, most of the time they leave Galin hanging. But they are filled with hope nonetheless.

☀️ What makes your OC genuinely happy? A person, an item, their hobby? Where is the place they’re happiest, or most at home? What is the happiest they’ve ever been?

Fascinating souvenirs and exciting stories. Galin values experiences and the representations of them above else. They are their happiest exploring the streets or forests around them, taking things in, the people, the sights, the sounds.

🌙 If your OC could have one wish come true what would it be and why? Would there be consequences to this wish or would they regret it once they get what they want? What would they give in return for this wish to come true?

Galin is selfish sometimes, they know that. That's why they tossed away the chance to lead their kingdom for freedom of the greater world. And then, they'd wish to keep that freedom. No chances of going back, no chances of being dragged back against their will. Just freedom. But what is true freedom but a form of destruction.

❄️ What makes your OC sad, so sad that they can’t help but cry all day? How do they cheer themself up? Does their sadness upset any of their loved ones too?

They have a bit of a bleeding heart. A bit of softness they hide behind their wicked smile. But animals, man, animals really get to them. They get so sad when cute animals die needlessly. They'll cry all day over it. And their sadness is very infectious. They wail.

🔥 Is your OC known for having temper tantrums? If not, what gets them really angry? What makes their blood BOIL? Is there anyway to calm them down or are they unstoppable? What are they like when they’re angry? Do they take it out on their loved ones?

Luckily, Galin is very hard to genuinely anger. They roll with the punches more than anything. Rather, they tend to get annoyed. Bitter tone, very clear. If they've told someone something again and again and the person still does it, for instance. They get very annoyed very easily at stuff like that. And yes that includes even towards their loved ones.

❤️ What would your OC’s ideal lover be like? Appearance, personality, voice? Would their family approve or would it be civil war?

Somebody brave. Somebody who isn't afraid to love them. Galin refuses to be placed second to expectations. They have no real physical preferences. They just want somebody with a strong personality who makes an effort. Because if you don't make an effort, you are not worth their time. Anyways either way their family wouldn't be happy but that is NOT their problem lol

🕊️ Would your OC ever get married or are they already wed? If they’re married, describe what their wedding was like! If not, describe their ideal wedding (or do this if you feel like it anyway!)

At this point in the story, they don't want to get married at alllll. No dream wedding either.

🍼 Does your OC have any children or want children? What names would they pick? Are they good with kids or a complete disaster?

No kids please!! Galin is... not great with kids but not bad either. They're your older sibling who your parents didn't teach to properly take care of you but is cool and clearly trying.

☕ Give us one (or more if you feel like it) of your OCs deep dark secrets! Why do they keep it hidden? Spill the tea!

Galin knows their mother isn't Ma'at, something they must keep to themself. Though they have no care for their father, their kingdom could be thrown into an uproar if it was made public that they were born from a trickster.

🍂 What are their opinions on the different seasons? Which one do they hate and which one do they love and why?

Galin hates summer and loves spring. They don't mind fall, and their neutral on winter. Galin gets really hot and sticky in the summer, they just don't like it.. But spring has such pretty flowers!

🦋 If your OC could change everything (or just something) about their life would they? What would they change? What do they think would happen if they did? What would their loved ones think?

They wouldn't have accepted that letter, honestly. But Galin is a person of no regrets. They wouldn't actually change anything if given the chance, because they made their choice. They chose this path, they MUST live with that.

💐 Does your OC like flowers? What are their favourites? Do they keep a garden of some sort? What flowers would they use in a flower crown? (and if you like, research the meanings behind those flowers!)

Galin looooves flowers. Always asks Khris to grow some for them to keep in a vase in the kitchen. Globe amaranth(immortal love & unchangeable), amaryllis(determination), and magnolia(perseverance) are their favourites.

🌼 Write a short drabble from your OCs POV meeting their LI (or if they don’t have a love interest, their best friend. If you don’t want to do a drabble, describe their first meeting instead!)

Violet eyes scanned the people around them as they spoke, their own tongue pressed flat against the roof of their mouth. They were being led through the dark woods by the person in the black cloak. They'd overheard the person in yellow was named Khristine, and the one in green was named Sasha.

The man in the blue cloak slowed, his pace matching theirs towards the back of the group. "Kisa." He introduced himself in a quiet tone, a small smile on his handsome features. Galin wet their lips as they returned the smile, nervous.

"Galin! Nice to meet you."

Kisa gave a nod, his tail swished absentmindedly behind him as they walked through the snow after the others. "Are you cold?" He asked, noting the way they shook. Galin chuckled, sheepishly rubbing the back of their neck.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Sort of, yeah." Kisa pulled the violet cloak off, tossing it at them. Galin quickly caught it, cursing quietly under their breath as they nearly dropped it. The felisine smirked and Galin rolled their eyes, pulling the cloak over their red one.

"Thank you."

"Mhm."

🥀 Has your OC ever been hurt by someone they love? Ever been betrayed? Abused? Attacked? Give me the angst! (if you’d like, write a short drabble about it!)

They were more emotionally used by their dad than anything else, so like they've forgiven him for it. Beyond that, nobody they love have ever really attacked them? (Yet) so meh. No betrayals yet. Random people? Sure! But nobody they care for.

🏞️ If your OC could travel to anywhere in their world where would they go? Why? If they could live there would they?

Everywhere. Just everywhere.

🏡 Describe your OCs ideal house! Give us a tour around! What’s their garden like? Their bedroom? Kitchen? Where is it and how many people live there?

Big garden with lots of flowers, a fancy kitchen with a chef since they suck ass at cooking, and a room for all their friends! And anybody else who may need a place to stay.

🔪 Has your OC ever killed someone? Ever had to defend themselves against violence? How did this make them feel? Or, alternatively, has your OC ever attacked someone? Seen someone die?

They have. they don't enjoy it, but sometimes, some things must be done. It makes them sad, but they have to. They enjoy watching others die even less, at least the other ones they were involved in rather than failed to prevent something.

💎 Does your OC collect anything? Is there a reason? When did they start and is it beginning to turn into a little bit of a hoarding issue? What do they do with their collection?

Souvenirs from their travels lol, sooo many on shelves in their room.

📚 If your OC was given some kind of forbiddon knowledge, what would they do with it? Would they tell anyone? Use it for evil or good? How would it change their outlook on life, if at all?

Lock that shit away, none of their business.

🌗 Early mornings or late nights? What do they spend their time doing during these hours?

Late nights. All of Razvedka are night owls, except Inessa. Usually working, sometimes bullying Kisa.

👑 If your OC was made royal (or is royal) how would they use their power? Are they a good leader or bad? Do their subjects like them or is it ‘off with their head’? Do they enjoy being royal?

I think Galin would have been a good ruler, but they don't want to be. The priests didn't really like them, but their subjects did! Anyways, too bad. They hated being royal.

💕 How is your OC like with physical affection? What are their boundaries? Do they enjoy being touched or is that a no-go? Is there any reason behind this?

LOVES PHYSICAL AFFECTION. It is their #1 love language.

☁️ What’s something your OC wishes they could forget? Why is this? Or, what is something that your OC has forgotten? (or do both!)

Nothing, like the other question about change. This is their life, they don't want to change or forget it.

👀 Describe your OC through the eyes of another person! (bonus + specify who)

Loud and endearing. I'm lazy sorry

❓ A random fact or short drabble! Or make up your own question to ask the OC!

Galin HATES pants.. Always wearing shorts with thigh high socks instead. Yes that little bit of visible skin is FREEZING in Russia, no, they won't put pants on fuck you.

[properbantz]

BEACH HUT CONFESSIONALS 001 — EDEN FOSTER

BOMBSHELL ENTRANCE:

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT ENTERING THE VILLA? 

“ oh i’m absolutely stoked. i saw callie on the show and thought like, now there’s a girl with an idea. ”  her smile widens and she leans forward in the chair.  “ like i know i should be nervous or something but i’m just not y’know? ”  it helps that she’s used to a sort of reality tv type beat. talking in front of a camera is comfortable at this point given interviews or her family’s little day in the life show.  “ the camera’s don’t really faze me or anything and i’ve done this long enough not to like.. have a total freak out like that one guy with the hair, reece? or the boxer trying to throw his dick everywhere? or the other blonde? jenny’s an absolute dream but she’s gotta work on grounding breathing exercises. really, i’m just here to have a good time and whatever it is at the end of the day that’s that. ”  eden shrugs, bright smile returning to her features.  “ like obviously i’m hoping to find someone grand but i’m also being realistic. shoot for the moon, yeah? stars are pretty too. ” 

IS THERE ANYONE WHO YOU HAD YOUR EYE ON ALREADY OR HAS CAUGHT YOUR EYE OFF THE BAT THAT YOU’D BE INTERESTED IN GOING FOR? 

“ oh definitely. ” her expression twist as if she’s asking ‘are you serious?’  “ yeah a lot of the islanders already seem pretty ace. i’ve got a few that i’m looking forward to pulling for a chat before others, like miles, frankie, adela, but i’m keen on getting a chat in with everybody. not because i’m desperate or anything, ”  she laughs, pointing at the producers behind the camera,  “ but how else are you going to know if you’ve got chemistry with someone if you don’t even try to entertain a conversation? how do you know there’s not that spark or fireworks if you don’t go for the kiss? ”   

WHICH COUPLES SEEM THE MOST SOLID TO YOU? LEAST SOLID? 

her nose scrunches, clearly not wanting to answer this question and not having a good answer for it either.  “ none of them? ”  she feels bad saying that, but all of these couples seem so shaken around.  “ i mean if you want to get into it i guess angel and callie have got a really good thing going? but something about callie and frankie feels severely unfinished, like if they don’t get it out now they’re going to end up doing something they regret later or hurting their partners. like not intentionally, but that original fire pit just felt... intense. even in here, you don’t react that way to someone you’re over. i think jude and jenny are sweet. i’d like to see them succeed, i think he’s sweet to her despite the fact he looks like he would kill a pair of tracky daks. you think he owns ‘em? ” 

WHAT PEOPLE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF GETTING ALONG WITH?

“ overly optimistic to say everyone, like i’m being thrown into the lion’s den here, but that’s not unfamiliar in the slightest. plus i know cal, she and i ran in a pretty similar circle a while back. ”  her tone’s light, teasing. who would she be if she didn’t make some sort of wild animal reference right out the gate?  “ i’m gonna have to put a little more thought into what comes out of my mouth from time to time but i just call it like i see it. i’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings, the last thing i wanna do is make anyone upset. so like... that’s gonna be the thing. i hope i get on with angel and charlene. they seem like a good time, dante and jude maybe? ” 

WHAT PEOPLE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF NOT GETTING ALONG WITH? 

“ i’m not like hoping to go in making enemies. that’s not my speed. ”  she tries to make this aggressively clear,  “ but maybe dylan? maybe. which is like wild considering that’s another true blue right there but i think he just takes himself so seriously and i’m not really about that. but i hope that’s not the case. um... i don’t really know how it’ll go with josh. or naomi.  i don’t want to get sucked into that whirlpool of a mess just by being in their sheer proximity so maybe i’ll stay away from that with no less than a six foot pole. ” 

[enneamage]

people have been saying this but I hope this shift is what makes tommy really step back and evaluate what he's doing bc his content has kind of been all over the place and he keeps making jokes he seems to regret I think in part due to this persona he thinks people want or he's afraid to drop and I don't know tubbo that well so I can speak to how mad he is but it's clear between the marriage bit and the snapchat jokes tommy has crossed a line and I'm hoping a genuine conversation can bring him back down to earth from this over the top content prioritizing mentality he's seems to have taken on and as much as I think tommy is a natural entertainer streams right now are not his friend I think they are too much pressure maybe losing some of his audience and having to rethink/rebuild might be the best thing for him honestly bc he seems so afraid of losing his current audience he's driving them off

I feel like the loss of public trust because of his connection to Dream and his Tubbo-endangering content-brain are separate pieces, even though they’re happening at the same time.

Tommy is very likely going to keep his relationship to Dream, and probably has an opinion on the information he has about the situation rather than just ignoring it. He hasn’t said anything explicit, so I can’t say anything definitive either, but he behaves like someone with moral doubts about the situation. I would have to know way more about what Tommy’s opinion of ethics and power dynamics are than I will ever realistically know to be able to say anything further than that, but I feel like I need to let people down easy on this one. Tommy is not letting go of Dream because of what’s happened, and he’s made that clear. His joke showed his hand (not about the immediate situation but him being on joking terms about Dream), but it was always there, so this moment was both accidental and inevitable. Because most of the talk on twitter is about his connection with Dream over the joke at this stage, there’s not much that can be done with Tommy’s values being what they are right now.

I’m not sure what time you’re comparing it to, but both his streams and his Youtube videos seem about as regular as I’ve ever known them to be. He seems to be really trying to get it together lately, maybe not ethically but career-wise. I know people are worried that his content-brain is going to cause him to damage the relationships in his life, so he’s got the classic battle for the Youtuber soul: work-life balance, both time wise and morally.

The wedding video was questionably moral. It was also really good. As a viewer how in-tune you are with Tubbo’s emotions or how he thinks is going to change your experience of videos wildly, and I think the same goes for streams. Tubblings have been suffering both for and on behalf of their streamer, and I fully get that, but it is an issue that’s mainly within the two-person dynamic between them. Unfortunately, Tommy has always trampled Tubbo in some form or another so this is less a recent development and more him being able to do so through more and more extreme means.   

I don’t want to dip too far into Mages Theory Of Self & Persona but the short version is I believe that for as long as Tommy is put in the unique situation of sitting in front of a camera and addressing the public he’s going to have a persona for doing that. I know that his twitter persona deliberately playing tone-deaf is driving people crazy right now because he’s flagging deflection and apathy when that’s exactly what people are afraid he really feels. People get pissed off at it for the exact reasons why it works, it’s unserious and provocative at the same time, which was the kind of deadly attention grab he used to turn towards a lot more when he was younger. I think it’s a big mistake for him to signal that he isn’t listening or taking things seriously right now, but that seems to primarily his twitter approach and not what he puts out in videos or livestreams.  

People seem to keep saying that losing his audience is freaking him out, but I haven’t picked up on raw panic from him yet. He seems to be reaching for a new context to be stable in, but I don’t think he’s acting out from pure anxiety right now. He’s talked about the idea of coming to peace with a smaller but more involved audience, and it seems to resonate with him. He’s making changes but he doesn’t seem more erratic to me than usual.

I’ve known of people who tend to blurt things out nervously that they don’t mean to say, and Tommy has always struck me as that kind of person. I’m compelled to say he used to be worse before he was taught moral guidelines, we can hear him talking about what can/can’t be said and what would be a stupid idea to say a lot more often now. It’s at least on his mind and you can see him thinking about it from time to time, even if things come out without him meaning for them to. It really feels like a trait he’ll never have total control over even if he changes as a person because of the way his comedy and his disasterbrain are connected. I would like him to get better with this, but it’s a hard trait to tame.

Overall things are shifting for him and he’s in the middle of a number of tense situations, but I don’t see him deprioritising content anytime soon. He can be very stubborn so I think he’ll try and fight his way upstream to evolve what he does over taking a break, so time will tell how his methods change.