#and my choices early on in fandom were questionable at best

[breezypunk]

I made a bold move and unblocked pretty much everyone who ever caused me distress. I'm starting fresh. I made a promise to myself that 2024 was gonna be a good year for me fandom wise, and it ended up being the polar opposite, I'm letting myself get upset and angry over things out of my control and it's not healthy and not good for me.

In the three + years I have been here, I've made mistakes and hurt people, and people have hurt me and I'm done dwelling in it, I can't do it anymore, I'm moving forward, I'm an adult. I'm ready to just have fun and do my thing :]

So yeh, if you wanna interact cool, if not cool, but I'm ready to finally let go of all the BS and play with my blorbos, and speaking of which.. I'm gonna go play with the blorbos <3

[fluentmoviequoter]

Confident in Us

Requested Here!

Pairing: Tim Bradford x confident!fem!reader (single mom)

Summary: You're confident, you keep Tim on his toes, but he realizes that it's not enough. He learns that you have a son from a previous relationship while Angela is pressuring him to ask you out, but you beat him to it.

Warnings: misogynistic comments (not from Tim), fluff, flirting, Tim gets a little nervous around r, r's son likes Optimus Prime (bc I like Transformers)

Word Count: 2.8k+ words

Masterlist | Tim Bradford Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List

“C’mon, babe, wake up!” you call again, holding your phone away from your face. “Okay, sorry, Angela, how can I help you?” you ask into the microphone.

“Babe? Did someone spend the night?” Angela teases.

“You know he did. Early morning calls from you are new, though.”

“We’re infiltrating a money laundering scheme. The Metro captain said you’d be a good fit to lead the operation,” she explains.

“Yeah, I can do that. I’ll be there in twenty.”

“Perfect! And I’d tell you to take your time getting ready, but you always look good.”

“Back atcha.”

You end the call and yell another wake-up call with more urgency. There’s a case to be worked on, and you know you can get it done. If you can get to work, that is.

“Sergeant Bradford,” you greet as you approach Angela’s desk. “Detective Lopez.”

“Morning,” Tim replies.

You smile at him before asking Angela where your temporary team is. She tells you they’re arriving shortly and meeting in the roll call room. There’s a case file spread open on her desk, and you lean beside her to look at it.

“When do you think your captain will just realize that I’d be a great permanent fixture on your team?” you ask Tim, looking up through your lashes. “I’d only distract you boys sometimes.”

“I think that’s the major concern,” Tim deadpans.

“Granted, we wouldn’t be able to work together,” you sigh.

“Why not?”

“We’d draw too much attention, Tim. Look at us.”

You smile again and Tim shakes his head. Your confidence reads as flirtation occasionally, but Tim has always been drawn to you. He’s constantly impressed by how good you are at your job, and how aware you are of what you are worth. Your strengths and weaknesses are well-known to you, and you use them to your advantage. Most importantly, you don’t let anyone walk over you. Being a woman in the police force is hard, but you make it look effortless and do it with grace.

“Why am I in charge of this?” you ask.

“You’ve worked a laundering op before, right?” Angela asks.

“I assisted in one when I was on patrol, yeah.”

“A very successful one, from what I hear. Since you’ve been on the ground for one, you were the best choice.”

You nod before you notice the Metro team enter. As you stand and move toward Tim, he wonders if you’re this confident outside of work, or if it’s something you’ve built up to maintain your sanity in a job surrounded by men.

“Think we’ll be done by eight?” you murmur.

“Why? Have a date?” he counters.

“Something like that,” you reply with a wink. “Let’s go catch some money launderers, Bradford.”

“We’ve got three Metro teams here for this op,” the Metro captain explains as you enter. “Work together or get out of my station, is that clear?”

Overlapping replies of “Yes, ma’am” mix as you lead Tim toward the front of the roll call room. A television screen shows the layout of the warehouse you will be infiltrating, but you have to explain all the minor details. Your previous success in a place like this was due to the precision of little movements, and this will be no different.

“So, what’s the plan?” a man in the front row asks.

You nod toward him and say, “Our goal is-“

“I was asking Sergeant Bradford,” he interjects.

You smile at him as you explain, “I’m in charge of this operation, so I can answer any questions you have. Our goal is to infiltrate the operation without breaching. Once inside, we can better understand the operation. Then, three different teams will breach from the locations marked on the map.”

“‘Scuse me,” someone calls from the back.

“Yes?”

“Why leave the front side open during the breach?”

“Excellent question. This unit backs up to a storefront on the opposite side. Patrol units will evacuate that store before the raid, so there will be no exfil points nor civilian interaction.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“No problem. You have your team assignments, and we will ensure each team is in location before the infiltration. In the case of anyone exiting the building before the breach begins, immobilize and detain as quickly and quietly as possible. Are there any other questions?”

Everyone shakes their head, and you hear the first man who cut you off mutter something under his breath.

“One more thing,” their captain adds. “If any one of you have decided to feel misogynistic today, get out now. I will not tolerate you rejecting orders for any reason. One more disrespectful comment toward another officer will get you benched. Indefinitely. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the men call together.

As they leave, she apologizes to you, but you brush off her concerns with a smile. You’re used to it, and she is too.

“Thank you for letting me join this operation,” you tell her.

“Of course. I hear you and Bradford are the best,” she replies. “Prove ‘em right.”

You nod before following Tim out. There’s a bit of time until you have to change and prepare to infiltrate, and you have paperwork to do until then.

“Good work in there,” Tim says.

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls, Bradford,” you joke. “See you in a bit.”

He watches you walk toward your desk. When Angela slaps his arm, though, he turns away quickly with wide eyes.

“What was that for?” he demands.

“Are you going to ask her out or not?” she sighs.

“Not.”

“Why not?”

“Um, I don’t have a death wish,” Tim says dramatically. “She does not like being hit on, you know that.”

“No, she doesn’t like being objectified. You asking her out – genuinely being interested in her – would get an entirely different response.”

Tim rolls his eyes and notices a man walking toward you. He lays a hand on Angela’s shoulder and turns her toward you.

“Hey, baby, you need someone to escort you home tonight?” the man asks, though his eyes are nowhere near your face. “No need to go home without a man one more time, right?”

“The only boy I’ll be taking home tonight is my son, so no thank you,” you reply easily.

“Son?” Tim whispers.

“You didn’t know?” Angela asks.

“No, I… Look, Lopez, the point is I don’t need her to stop talking to me because I asked her out.”

“Then don’t ask her out like that.”

“She doesn’t want anything!” Tim exclaims. “Drop it.”

You look up when his voice raises, and your brows furrow when you see him talking to Angela. They wave, and you shake your head in amusement before returning your attention to your paperwork.

“I didn’t even know she had a son,” Tim adds quietly. “She keeps me on my toes at work, and that’s enough.”

“Sure,” Angela agrees. “But what about when it’s not enough anymore?”

“So…” Tim begins as you walk down a street to reach the target location.

“Put your arm around me,” you say suddenly.

Tim doesn’t question your request as he wraps his arm around your shoulders. His eyes are on your face, and you smile as you look up at him.

“It’s busier than I thought it’d be,” you murmur. “Don’t need to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.”

“Not a problem. We’re going to a place that doesn’t exist anyway,” Tim replies.

“You seem… off. Are you okay to do this?” you check.

“Yeah, I’m good. Angela just pried into my personal life again. Made me question things, for some reason.”

You chuckle and shake your head against Tim’s forearm. “Trust me, I know that situation all too well. She’s been trying to get me to start dating since my son got old enough to be left with a babysitter.”

Tim hums and you realize he may not have known as much about your personal life as Angela. You don’t talk about your home life much at work for a couple of reasons, but the biggest is your concern about the comments you’d get. Being a cop is hard enough, but a cop who is a single mother is much different. The things that the men you work with would say require a level of patience that you don’t have, and your confidence can’t conceal that.

“We’re here,” Tim alerts as you reach the entrance.

He removes his arm from your shoulders and opts to take your hand as he opens the door and leads you inside. The false front, Coo-Coo Cash Checking, is tiny, though you suppose they need as much room as possible for their backdoor counterfeiting business.

“Welcome, folks,” a man says as he steps to the desk. “What can I help you with?”

“My girlfriend and I are looking to buy a house but can’t get approved for the loan we need. A friend of mine told me you, or your boss, Malcolm Dmitri, could help,” Tim explains.

The man nods at the mention of the code word and steps back. “Sure, we can. Mr. Dmitri is in a meeting right now but should be done in about five minutes. Mind waiting?”

“That’s perfect,” Tim replies. “Thank you, sir.”

The door closes behind him and you turn toward Tim.

“Something feels off,” you murmur.

“Yeah,” he agrees.

He looks around, but there isn’t much to see in the five-foot-deep entryway where you stand. You rise to your tiptoes and look over the desk, but there’s nothing back there, either.

“They’re going to do something unexpected,” you say. “Let’s just roll with it.”

“Within reason,” Tim argues.

“What if my reason is different than yours?” you ask, leaning against him and smiling.

“Then I’ll pull rank,” he answers, sounding breathless.

“And here I thought we were friends.”

You pout, and Tim looks away quickly. Just as you stand and prepare to apologize for going too far, the door opens again.

“Mr. Dmitri can see you now. The problem is his office is small, so it’ll have to be one at a time. He’ll see you first, Miss…” he trails off, waiting for your name.

“Walton,” you answer, making up a name quickly.

Tim squeezes your hand, but you run your finger over his palm as you step forward. He registers your signal but doesn’t like what you’re about to do.

“I’ll be right back, honey,” you promise as you walk through the door.

Tim leans back against the wall as he waits for your signal to breach. He will rush inside the moment he hears it. Not a moment before, though, because he knows you and you know what you’re doing.

As you and Tim walk out of the front door after a successful raid, you pull his hand into yours again.

“Ask me what you wanted to ask before,” you say softly. “I don’t keep my personal life a secret from you on purpose, it’s just that some of the guys at work… I know how they’d treat me if they knew I had a kid.”

“I get it,” Tim replies. “You said you’re a single mom. I guess I’m just surprised anyone would leave you.”

“I left him,” you admit. “I know what I’m worth and that didn’t always sit well with him. I wouldn’t change a thing, though, because I got an amazing son out of the deal.”

“What were you thinking?” one of the Metro officers demands as you near the rendezvous point. “Going in there alone was stupid!”

“I had the situation under control,” you reply calmly.

Tim drops your hand and levels his gaze on the man before you. He’s too close to you, but Tim won’t step in unless he has to. You can handle yourself, he knows that, but it doesn’t keep him from getting angry with people who talk down to you.

“Clearly! They could’ve taken you in a second!” he replies. “How do you deal with her, Bradford? You just let her waltz into a death trap.”

“She is good at what she does,” Tim answers. “And you would do well to treat her like the cop she is and not my assistant. This is her operation, so stop questioning her decisions.”

“Oh, she’s got you on a tight leash, Bradford.”

“That’s enough,” you interrupt, your friendly smile long gone. “I know what I am doing, and since you clearly have no trust in me as a member of your team, you can go.”

“That’s not your call, girlie.”

Tim steps forward, but his Metro captain approaches before he can say anything.

“She dismissed you, officer. That means go. Now.”

The officer rolls his eyes and stomps as he pushes against your shoulder to get past. You shake your head before you ask if all of the suspects are in custody.

“Every one of them,” the captain answers. “Excellent work in there.” “I appreciate that,” you reply. “Sergeant Bradford was a great asset in there.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Reviews are coming up soon.”

She winks at Tim before she pats your shoulder and returns to the mobile command unit. You exhale and roll your shoulders back to stand straighter.

“I’m sorry,” Tim offers.

“I don’t let it affect me anymore. My confidence threatens their insecurity, so they try to knock me down. I’ve gotten very good at standing my ground. But I meant what I said, you were great in there; couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I wasn’t even with you,” Tim argues.

“Yes, you were. I knew that you’d be there the moment I signaled. That’s why I was okay going a few steps further alone because you had my six.”

“Always.”

“There is one thing I’d like to ask you to do, though,” you begin. Tim nods, and you request, “Whatever Angela wanted you to do, go do it. She looks out for our best, even when it just feels like pointless meddling.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Sure, you can.”

“No, I really-“

“Tim,” you groan, leaning back.

“She wants me to ask you out,” Tim blurts out.

You stand up to look at him, and he simply shrugs. Though you suspect why he doesn’t want to do it, based on how you usually respond to being hit on at work, you know that you would say yes before he even finished.

“I have a kid,” you remind him quietly.

“So?” Tim asks, furrowing his brows.

“That’s a non-starter for most guys.”

“Most guys are idiots, then.”

You smile as you agree. “But you’re not. So, what are you going to do?”

Tim shakes his head, so you sigh and do something for both of you.

“Tim Bradford, will you go out with me?” you ask.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m asking you out. Now, my son may have to crash the date because my sitter is supposed to leave early tomorrow, but he’s a good kid. Most of the time.”

“Okay,” Tim says. “Yeah, let’s go out.”

“See, that wasn’t so scary,” you tease. You lean toward him to whisper, “And I promise that I’m not just using you to be a good influence in my son’s life. He has all the father figure he needs in Optimus Prime.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Tim asks quietly.

“Which part?”

“The-“

You cut Tim off with a kiss on the cheek, and when your hands hit his shoulders to steady yourself, he knows that Angela was right. She can never know that, though, and it was a one-time thing. Tim pulls you into a hug before you can pull back.

“Thank you for defending me,” you tell him.

“You didn’t need it,” he counters.

“Yet you did it anyway. That makes it even better, Tim.”

“Thanks for asking me out.”

“Now that we did need. I can get another sitter so we can go on a real date.”

“No, bring your son. He’s important to you, so he needs to be a part of this. If he doesn’t like me, we go back to being work friends.”

“And if he does?”

“Then I guess I have to fight Optimus Prime.”

“Mm,” you hum, pretending to think. “I think you could take him with a little help from me.”

“A sentient robot who turns into a semi versus two human cops? You’re more confident than I thought.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“No, I don’t.”

You step away from Tim and smile. “Then it’s a date. Am I in charge of this operation or are you?”

“Well, you did this one so well… I’ll handle the date; you just look perfect as always.”

You gasp and point at Tim as you walk backward toward your car. “You can flirt!”

“I learned from the best,” he replies playfully. “See you tomorrow.”

“Twice!” you remind him. “And, Tim, don’t bother to brush up on your fighting skills. You’re better than Optimus, every day of the week. He’s going to adore you.”

I hope so because I adore his mom, Tim thinks. Maybe more than adore.

[sevensoulmates]

Buddie 7x04 Meta Part 4 (of 4)

Click here for part 1, part 2, and part 3.

This is the last part so it probably won't be as long (hopefully).

This entire conversation with Tommy includes a lot of references to Eddie. Whether Eddie's mad, how Eddie feels, why Eddie would like Tommy, how Eddie/Chris feel about Buck, how Eddie is such a great person and everyone would want to be friends with him, etc. Even when they're not talking about Eddie, they're talking about Eddie. And I love the idea of Tommy and Eddie being friends. Because honestly at the end of the day, it was Buck who was projecting more than friendship onto Tommy and Eddie's relationship. Queer men can have platonic friends that they like without wanting to be with them, and it genuinely does seem like that's what Tommy and Eddie are to each other. Their chemistry wasn't all in Buck's head, but how the two of them together made Buck feel? That was so real and super super telling.

Here's callback number ∞ to the streetfighting arc. This line in particular borrows a very particular...word...from a very particular grocery store fight. In 3x05, Eddie is the maddest he's ever been at Buck because Buck starting the lawsuit meant "I couldn't even talk to you", "Do you know how much Christopher misses you? How could you you weren't around?", "because you're exhausting!" Exhausting has been a buzzword in the Buddie fandom for many years and most people use it as an excuse for overdone and unnecessary Buck whump, but it's an interesting choice here. Especially in conjunction with Buck's acknowledgment of "making everything about him" which is another thing that is mentioned in the same episode 3x05 AS WELL AS in 3x09. But now, it's being used in a different context. Buck is falsely ascribing all of his attempts to get Eddie's attention over the last however many days to trying to get Tommy's attention. Even Tommy's like huh? "My attention?"

Lou places emphasis on "my". "My attention?" So even Tommy knows that this whole time Buck has been trying to get Eddie's attention. He's surprised that Buck is suddenly saying it's been about Tommy the whole time when quite obviously, it has not been.

Even Buck himself is not so certain about that. He "guesses so" because in this moment he's feeling infatuation, a connection with Tommy, a warm feeling that maybe reminds him of how he felt in the early days getting to know Eddie. He "guesses so" because that's the easy explanation to a question that's been circling his mind non-stop the past few days. It's an answer, and as we know Buck is always seeking an answer. It's a "for now readily available easy explanation" that Buck can take at face value because it means he can sleep easy at night knowing that his place with Eddie is safe again for the time being.

Even just a couple of seconds before the kiss happens, Buck brings up Eddie one last time in case you forget who's always on Buck's mind. He then mentions Maddie's words "There are better ways to get someone's attention", before he's interrupted. But before I dive into the kiss, I want to mention the implications that Tommy believes the best way to get someone's attention when you like them, instead of getting jealous, is to kiss them. It's an interesting suggestion, that all of this time, instead of all Buck's stupid peacocking attempts to try and get Eddie's attention this episode...he could've just kissed him. Foreshadowing? Only time will tell.

And boom. There we have it folks. Tommy kisses Buck, and the lightbulb goes off. Buck is attracted to men, he likes men AND women. This is 911's definitive statement that yes, we were right, Buck is bisexual, has been this whole time, and will always be in the future. And no, it's not just in relation to Eddie (which by the way is an IMPORTANT distinction). Buck is attracted to men in general, he's a bisexual man, and the show is not doing a "gay for you" trope here. They're committing to Buck being a queer man and this opens a world of new doors for him.

And again, I've said it once and I'll say it again: finally letting Buck realize his bisexuality, and act on it ON SCREEN (not just a throw-away mention) is REVOLUTIONARY. This representation is incredibly important and Buck's bisexuality on its own, separate from any love interest, will always be a part of him. Whether you like Tommy or not, that's not what matters. What matters is that Buck is realizing he can find happiness with a man. And more than likely, he will end up with a man, not because he has to, but because his perfect partner in the show has already been proven to be a man.

Eddie Diaz.

With this kiss, we are officially on the path towards Buddie. Buck kissing Tommy, or having a temporary relationship with him does not negate that. Just like Buck was always going to end up with Eddie even through his relationships with Abby, Ali, Taylor, and Natalia. Tommy is no different. And if after four long essays explaining point by point why that is true isn't enough to open your eyes, then I simply can't help you anymore.

Some last tidbits:

This reminded me of the Lonestar crossover where Eddie begs Marjan to "for the love of God, please follow Buck back on Insta." Just interesting since Eddie x Marjan was another fake-out love interest coupling.

And finally, the last 3x09 callback. This reminded me of the line when Buck says Eddie wanted to throw punches at him, Eddie says "I wouldn't do that", gives him a seductive look, and then says "You're on blood thinners". To which Buck says his famous "I could still take you". Yet another verbal comparison of Tommy to Eddie.

Final thoughts: This episode was fucking amazing (I really liked Athena's story too). This episode was more than enough proof for me that Buck and Eddie are going to get together. Buck is bisexual and FREE!!!!!!!

We were right about that, we're gonna be right about Eddie, and we're gonna be right about Buddie. Just unclench and enjoy the ride.

And for my fellow warriors who've been in the trenches for years telling everyone that the story will get there eventually, I salute us all! I hope yesterday's episode was vindication for you all as much as it was for me. I had a blast working with you all. See you all again for our celebrations when Eddie comes out and Buddie becomes canon. For now, I hope everyone had a Happy Bi Buck day!!

Full meta: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

[karniss-bg3]

Salute, Larian Studios

Heya folks! It’s been a while, I hope everyone is doing well. I’m breaking my hiatus to discuss the recent announcement made by Larian Studios on their steam development blog. I will add the link here for those who wish to read the blog in its entirety but be warned, there are patch seven spoilers within. I wish to focus on a particular section in the final three paragraphs of the document, which reads as follows:

“Being given the chance to develop a game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe has been a dream come true for all of us. But as Swen recently confirmed, we won't be introducing any major new narrative content to the story of Baldur's Gate 3 or its origin characters and companions, nor will we be making expansions or Baldur’s Gate 4. As an independent studio since 1996, we value the freedom to follow our creativity wherever it leads. In this case, after six years in the Forgotten Realms and much discussion and rumination, we’ve decided to seize this opportunity to develop our own IPs. We’re currently working on two new projects and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future has in store. It’s still early days - we’ll tell you more about those later down the line. But know that even as our focus turns to these new games, the sensibilities that brought you Baldur’s Gate 3 are alive and well here at the Larian castle. We’re fueled by the very same fire in our bellies, one that drives us to create immersive experiences shaped by your choices, and we can’t wait for you to join us on this next adventure.”

I will admit, when I first read this I felt a tinge of disappointment. As someone who had a lot of hope in seeing some stories continued, Kar’niss especially, this feels like the once open door is now sealed shut permanently. To be entirely fair, I always looked at an expanded Kar’niss story with skeptical optimism; hope for the best but expect the worst. After all, Kar’niss was designed as a throw away plot device that had no real bearing on the over-all narrative. Most of what has been derived of the character is entirely fan driven and not based on anything confirmed by Larian as a whole. Furthermore, there were many fan favorites that had a larger base than our dear drider and chances are even if Larian did decide to do an expansion, Kar’niss still wouldn’t make the cut.

With that said, I respect Larian in their choice. To expand on other characters would cost a lot of money and time. To juggle that alongside making new games would be unrealistic, and I understand their point of view completely. We also don’t know what is going on behind the scenes which could’ve influenced their choices all the more. Over all this situation mirrors the old saying, “Don’t cry because it’s over, be happy that it happened.” I am happy, and grateful. Without Baldur’s Gate 3 this blog wouldn’t exist. All of the amazing interactions I’ve had over several months would’ve never occurred, nor would I have found the courage to publicly publish stories to the internet. While I don’t consider myself an awful writer, I never believed my work was good enough for those outside of my personal circle. To say that my confidence has blossomed over the last few months is an understatement, and I owe that to the fantastic support of those in the fandom as well as those close to me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

With Larian closing up the BG3 shop after the next few patches the question becomes, what’s next? For me, I don’t know. Sadly I’ve been swamped lately and it’s not destined to slow down until the middle of May. By then I hope to have a sufficient breather so I can return to projects I’ve left on the back burner in the interim. The Kar’niss blog will remain in place along with all of the archived stories, theories, and miscellaneous posts that are present. I still have a few writing requests that have waited a lot longer than I anticipated, so forgive me for the delay. I may also make a new blog that is dedicated solely to writing and other fandoms of interest. When the time comes I’ll post it here and folks can follow it if they wish but I’ll understand if not. Regardless of what the future holds, I am very stoked with the experiences I’ve had within the Baldur’s Gate 3 fandom. I’m a painfully shy individual and I am not a spotlight seeker by any stretch of the imagination. This section of the internet allowed me to expand my horizons a bit proving that you can indeed teach an old writer new tricks.

I look forward to seeing what is in store for Larian Studios. So long as they stick to their passion for making good games and treating their customers like people instead of money cows to be milked, then I will support every game release that comes in the future. While I’m sad that the many questions I had about Kar’niss will go unanswered, at least the drider will live on through the stories, art and other creative works made by his fans. In that way he is eternal, as are all of the other characters we’ve grown to love over this journey.

I hope to return on a more regular basis soon. Until then drider army, take care of yourselves and thank you for your continued support.

[sgiandubh]

Our Lady of the Earrings

Almost 3 AM and as always before any flight/train (but mercifully not when driving myself) trip I am struck by a severe case of Reisefieber, which translates to almost complete insomnia, in this noble house.

Thanks to one of @bat-cat-reader's Anons, I immediately went to watch C & Alfred Enoch's seven minute segment on The Booker Prize 2023 Livestream you can watch, too, on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/OgIGnfxISk0?si=nfUz7KoCFgEzQmQB

Some quick observations:

Not one, but two new ear piercings I took the gracious pain of documenting (sorry for the thumbnail size, it's the best I could do with the primitive technical means readily available) :

What would that be? Punk C? How could that even be? A speculative coin dropped: last time, it was cutting her hair, but now I see a body modification impulse. I am still pondering this one and I have to say I am torn between a simple fashionista reflex and something deeper than that (new beginnings? healing? letting go?). Either way, I am not in a hurry, because I know dots will eventually connect.

Thoughts?

Also, the rings. I have never been paying much attention to that particular merry-go-round, but anyways, for the fandom pundits, there goes:

Because I am not an Our Lady of the Rings kremlinologist, I shall leave it here as is. By all means, do comment, if you feel inspired.

Onwards to content. You know, by now, that I am a book freak (after all, my fandom journey started with a bookshelf!), so I listened very carefully. Her answer to the comment prompt on Paul Lynch's Prophet Song was, I am sorry to say, so restrained it sounded almost cookie-cut. She mentioned the tension of the quoted and performed (almost to perfection, I have to say) passage of the book, but little else and it left me still hungry for more. I mean, when you love a book, you have this urge to talk about it at length. She was almost subdued, even if I am absolutely sure she read it and liked it.

By contrast, Alfred Enoch (🎵it's a small world, after all 🎶) was totally chill. I shamelessly skipped, yet couldn't help but notice the contrast.

Second question was very interesting: 'what books made you fall in love with reading?' I always find this very telling about people, because anything related to books is very personal. We are not only the sum of our choices, but also the sum of all the books we read. Something C apparently knows very well, too, because she elegantly sashayed and said absolutely nothing about her first love book. She simply mentioned her mother taking her to the library, from a very early age and how all these books were windows which opened on The World and finally how seminal this experience is for someone growing up in a small village. But no particular book made it to her lips and again, I found it very curious. I am nobody and I can still quote not one, but two books that changed my whole world (and then I never looked back): Alice in Wonderland and The Wind in the Willows. It's not that she couldn't, it's that she wouldn't. So, for Christ's sake, Mrs. B, stop punishing your fandom like that! There's nothing wrong about sharing your joy of books, it really isn't!

Third and last question: 'are you a Kindle reader? do you like a physical book? audio books? what's your favorite medium for reading?' I could have bet handsome money she was not a Kindle reader, for obvious reasons (cannot remember/retain information), but I found endearing the almost sneaky confession she needed her couch and snacks for a good reading session (same, same and since forever: I grinned). She buys a lot of books, 'and then they sit and look at me and it takes a certain time to get in'. Same as Enoch, who wondered what the Japanese word for 'buying books for the simple pleasure of seeing them pile up' was (it is, correct me if I am wrong, tsundoku).

One of the other people talking about reading and books was Dua 'Behave' Lipa. I am legit howling like the cretin I am, but the project she supports is about bringing Booker Prize books to women in prison. And this, my friends, is absolutely extraordinary.

Also, no red carpet pictures on Getty. The only one who made it was Alfred Enoch:

And somebody else seems very interested by Getty, lately (as of yesterday, to be more exact):

But surely, that is only a coincidence.

PS: it has been asked in the comments thread chez Bat. C's pinky ring is Cartier's Trinity. My favorite of them all, spare my big butterfly 1925 chevalière (which is a Chaumet, by the way).

[Edit]: I am told she had the three ear piercings for years. My bad. I can't know just about everything. Thank you @crispyflapdeputyflower for the info. The rest is fresh, though!

[feyres-fireheart]

I'm once again going to defend Aedion and Chaol. They get wayyyy to much hate, sure they do a couple of questionable things but I think people forget that they're in their early to mid twenties (Chaol being 22-23 and Aedion 24-25). They have reasonable reactions to extremely emotional and traumatizing situations, especially for their ages. People hate on Chaol for being upset about Aelin killing people as the king's champion because he knows that's what she does. But there's a huge difference between knowing she kills people and physically seeing it, especially for someone who is a) like 22/23 years old and b) is not at used to death, it's clearly stated that Cain is the first person he's ever killed, so that has to be a tough thing for him to deal with. And Aedion loved and tried so hard to fight for Aelin no matter what. The whole thing with Lysandra boils down to her and Aelin deciding to use Aedion as a human sperm bank without his knowledge or consent and expecting him to go along with it. Imagine of roles were reversed and it was Aelin and Aedion making that decision for Lysandra, they'd be crucified by the fandom for even suggesting it, the double standard is insane. At the end of the day they're two young men doing the very best they can in horrible situations. It's wild to me that they don't get the same grace as other characters who, in my opinion, also make some very questionable emotional choices because they are all so young and in impossible situations.

[strixcattus]

I'm supposed to be working on other things right now but I'm thinking about that question on the survey that asked about which ending you preferred/considered canon. And I'm about to say a lot of things that may or may not make sense or all be related to one another, and I'm not sure they'll come out in a parseable order, so I may or may not even end up putting this in the main tag. We'll have to see.

I chose the answer I consider best. Or, least bad. And not in a narrative sense—after the update, I like the scene of the "And? What Happens Next?" ending better than perhaps any other. But I chose the one that I believed led to the most favorable scenario after the end, which would be the loop ending. And I've got a post in my drafts, half-written, that explains in detail why I consider each ending to be a "bad ending" for the world or the characters or both in some form, which I had to put on a back-burner because I wanted to ensure I wasn't doing some sort of bad-faith reading on the Shifting Mound during my discussion of one ending, and even though with the benefit of distance I can see I generally wasn't I've never gotten back to it. To sum it all up, each ending requires you to trade away something the game's story makes you value (unless, I suppose, you come to hate the Princess and by extension the Shifting Mound, or the Shifting Mound and by extension the Princess, on a nonnegotiable level) in order to resolve the narrative, but the loop ending allows you to put it off ad infinitum. What you're sacrificing is the resolution itself. So you lose nothing, and gain nothing, and probably something really horrible happens to the world, but you don't have to think about that part.

But I consider the canon ending to be "There Are No Endings." Maybe it has something to do with it being the first ending I got. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I consider it the optimal outcome for the world—you sacrifice everyone who's unconditionally been on your side this entire time (Shifty doesn't quite count, since she wasn't present in the same way the Voices were) in order to maintain balance and surety. Maybe it just says something about what I value, and that unseen value says something about the endings.

Shifty's right. She doesn't get it right about what you, the player, feel and value (unless your values happen to align with hers—mine don't, but I know some people's must), but that's how people are. She says it—and normally I'd go sifting through the files or the game itself for when exactly she says it, but it's late and I have other things to do, so I'll just say she says it very early on—she says very early on that she cannot know your mind, because you are not her.

It's the same way as your final words to the Voices in the mirror. None of your options are poorly worded. If you expect the Voices to take the harsh truth gracefully, that's an honest mistake, because you can't know what's going on in their heads. Your options are to lie kindly, or tell them a truth that will make them hate you, because just as you can't see inside their heads, they cannot see inside yours, and they will assume you must have some other choice. You don't. But you don't get to articulate it. Lie or hurt them. Those are your only options.

But aside from that Shifty is right. I've seen people ask—and this was early in my entrance to the fandom, and I don't know how much discussion went around about it because I wasn't in the circle, so to speak, even less than I am right now, but I've seen people ask if Shifty could have killed us.

That's not the question to be asking. Of course she could have killed us. She can do anything we believe her to be able to, and if we believe her able to kill us, she can. She always could have killed us.

But she never would have, because she knows. She knows something as a god that you cannot know until you choose to raise yourself to her level—she knows that a universe without either one of you may not be a universe worth living in. She knows that she needs her counterweight. She may not value people on the same level you might, but she does not want them to suffer—she specifically wants them not to suffer, or at least not to suffer in a way she could have prevented. She is a detached god, not a cruel one.

She's right. She's forceful, but she's right, and she can't understand why you would rather be a person than a god, because she has never been anything but a god, and her Vessels are as much a part of her as your Voices are a part of you, but while you lived alongside your Voices as a person before cannibalizing them, she only welcomed her Vessels back upon their absorption. She does not know firsthand what it is to be a person, but she is right about everything else.

(I have to wonder if she is less cruel to her Vessels than you are to your Voices. Hers maintain their form throughout.)

And now this has me thinking—what if the Voices are you? Not in the way in which they're obviously you. I mean that you live your life, you make your decisions, and then you die. And then there is a new one of you. But the new one is not the Voice that has appeared in your head. The new Voice is the old one, fully realized into his own person with a personality you can no longer mold, just as the Vessels are not their own persons until you make the choices that make them into real people. The new entity is you, unmolded, without any personality save what you, the person who does not exist in this world, pour into it.

[coffee-colored-hopeless-romantic]

Katsuki Bakugo x Fem! Reader

He is aged up, this is taking place in college

CW: Degradation, public place, swearing

MDNI

(Also feel free to leave a request in the comments or message me! I’m a multi fandom person! I’ll let you know if I know/don’t know what you’re looking for💕)

——————————————

Tutoring Session

Okay so you weren’t a ‘hero’ or in a hero’s course but that didn’t mean you didn’t want a good education, you and your family worked so hard to get you here and to be perfectly honest you didn’t expect it to be this difficult to get through. You knew you were smart but everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, this class was a weakness.

You bunkered down and got to class early, took detailed note and tried to do extra credit but you were just not getting the grade to where you wanted, no NEEDED it to be. You didn’t want to graduate with a fat “D-“ in there. You wanted at least a “B” to even feel like it was worth getting into this school.

Your brain was fried and due to you not being the most social person, making friends wasn’t really high on the to do list so you had nobody to help you from your class. So you went to the Professor and asked what you should do.

She looked at you with concern and sighed a bit, “Y/N I see your effort, and I really love your dedication! But you can only do so much on your own if you’re this stuck, I would recommend a tutor, there’s plenty in this school, I can assign you one personally.”

Your pride took a metaphorical stabbing but you figured if that was the best option, you might as well go for it, it helped that she said she would hand pick the tutor herself so that gained a bit more confidence from you.

A day or so passed and you get a direct message from your professor with the schedule for your new tutoring lessons and honestly you were kinda excited but mainly nervous as hell. You thanked her once again and prepared yourself for the upcoming lessons.

You didn’t dress super nice or anything, some sweats and a sweater over a tank top and throwing your hair into something out of the way. Who were you trying to impress, also this is college, everyone wears stuff like this, right?

You walk into the empty little room, early as usual you thought to yourself, stroking your own pride until a voice spooked you back to reality. “Good at least you’re not late.” A lower gravelly tone filled the room. Did he speak louder than intended? You jump slightly and dart your gaze towards the voice, seeing a spiky blonde haired man with piercing red eyes. He was wearing something nice, a dress shirt and blazer combo, he looked professional. Now you’re regretting your own outfit choice. You notice him doing a quick scan up and down and looking…unimpressed.

“Hi! My name is Y/-“

“Don’t care. Sit down we have work to do.” He says sharply, you sigh and do so. Your professor chose THIS asshat? Are you being punished?

The lesson begun and he was anything but pleasant, he was crude he was rude and he insulted you, to your face! Saying things like;

“How dumb do you have to be to not understand this?”

“How did you even get into this place?”

“Dumbass”

And other things of the liking. Once the session was over he stood up and began to walk out. “Oh, I’m supposed to tell you, the names Katsumi Bakugo. See ya.”

With that he made his exit before you could reply, he really didn’t give a rats ass about your name. You questioned if you really want this grade, you do.. fuck.

This went on a couple more times, humiliating sessions and still not knowing your name, being referred to as “girl” or more commonly “stupid” and “dumbass”. You finally muster the courage to go back to your professor to ask some questions, she smiles and greets you.

“Y/N! How’s the tutoring?” She asked and you huff in frustration, causing her to furrow her brows in confusion.

“How’s it going? HOWS IT GOING?!” Your emotions were getting the better of you. “He’s an asshole! He does nothing but degrade me and call me names, he doesn’t even know mine!” You huff once again, thank God the room was empty at this point. The professor sighs and puts her hand to her face “I know Bakugo can be… difficult..”

“Oh Difficult is putting it nicely ma’am..” you almost spat out

“But he is one of the best tutors we have. He’s a straight A student with an amazing academic history. He’s the best for what you’re going for. He just needs to know you’re not some pushover and this matters to you.” You weren’t sure how to take that, yes you didn’t LIKE confrontation but you could do it sometimes.

You sigh and apologize for your outburst, saying you’ll try a little longer before thinking of switching. So, you did, you decided enough was enough and if he was going to be disrespectful to you, you can match his energy until there was a compromise, or something like that.

Next session you were actually there before him, studying independently before he arrived. You hear the door open and don’t look up from your page. He comes over and sits across from you. “You’re actually early this time,” he stated as he sat the books down, you don’t reply.

“Do you even remember anything from last time, or are you still dense?” You still don’t respond. He lets out an annoyed scoff “Hey! I’m talking to you, stupid!” You finally look up as if you just heard him come in, still not saying anything. “What? The silent treatment? What is that supposed to do? You think I care or something?” Silence. “Fuckin hell what is your problem?!” His irritation growing the longer you just stare at him. As he was about to say something else you cut him off.

“What’s my name?” The first words you finally speak to this man, he looked confused, as if he doesn’t understand why you’re asking.

He scoffs, assuming you think you got the upper hand. “Y/N L/N.” He says confidently. You were actually a little surprised he knew but your face didn’t falter.

“Use it then.” You demanded calmly and his eyebrow raised. “What’s got you on a power trip today huh?” He leaned onto the table with a side smirk, he does love a fighter. “How am I supposed to give you respect when you don’t even address me properly, it’s unprofessional.”

He laughs once loudly “OH so sorry didn’t know I was in the presence of a professional, I thought I was tutoring some dumbass who can’t study for themselves.” You grit your teeth and stand up, looking down at him. “Listen here, I’m only here because this is important to me, I can study just fine on my fucking own thank you but I just need a little assistance. So if you actually sit down and teach me the damn material I’ll be out of your spikey blonde hair in no time. So stop fucking me over and help like you’re supposed to.” Where THAT came from you have no idea, maybe you were on a power trip.

Bakugo stood up, now looking down at you and got into your face, calmly. “I’m not Fuckin’ you sweet cheeks. Trust me you’d know.” He grinned “Now that you had your tantrum. Let’s get this session started. Okay Y/N?” Finally he used your name, wait a second.. what did he say. Once you processed the beginning of that statement your cheeks grew warm and a red shade melted down your face and onto your ears.

Admittedly this session went a lot smoother and you felt like you actually could retain some more information though his hurtful comments remained and he still called you names, you felt that the progress was still worth it, if this kept up you believed you could actually reach your goal without working yourself to death.

The next week or so passed and there was a test, you did as best as you could and crossed your fingers for the results, you were so nervous because this was first test, even though small, since you began the tutoring sessions. Nervous and frankly alone you texted Bakugo, (you had his number in case you needed to cancel or reschedule a session) asking if you could have him tell you the result of it next time you meet. He just replied with a ‘sure I guess’ and that was it.

You entered the all too familiar room at this point and saw Bakugo sitting in his usual spot. You rush over with your phone in hand, giving it to him when you sit, it was unlocked and all he had to do was tap the email with the results posted. He did so with a his slightly annoyed face he always seemed to have and looked up at you. “What’s your usual grading on stuff like this.” You sigh and admit “on a good day a C+..typically it’s more like a D or D+” he chuckled a bit and turned the phone screen towards you “then you made good progress.”

Showing you a fat B marked on the results. You gasped and smiled wide, due to your excitement you without thinking flung yourself to Bakugo and gave him a right hug, he was obviously shocked from the sudden physical contact.

He didn’t push you away though, he knew you were happy and didn’t wanna be a total dickhead. He just patted your head and pulled away after a bit “yeah yeah you did alright. Enough of that.” You separated quickly and blushed knowing what you just did. “I’m sorry-“ you looked up at him and you swore you saw a dust of pink on his cheeks. Nah you gotta be seeing things. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at you. “You’ll need to keep it up if you want it to affect your overall grade at the end of the year. So don’t slack off now.”

You shook your head and smiled wide “with you I know I’ll get there!” That’s what she said, and that’s what Bakugo’s brain said. He chuckled a bit “dumbass that sounds wrong, you flirtin with me? Bold.” He teased. Your face became beet red and you stammered to try and correct what you meant and he just put his hand on your head, “I know what you fuckin meant.” He grinned. This was the friendliest you’ve seen Bakugo. Was he…proud…?

This was your relationship now, friendly. Still with the insults but at this point you grew to like them. They were a motivation almost.

You were in class, early as usual watching people flood in, seeing who was obviously hungover from the night before and the typical other faces. Though when the professor was supposed to get there, Bakugo walked in. Confused you stare at the man. Gasps can be heard throughout the classroom, girls getting excited and whispering to one another, guys getting hyped a little themselves.

“Oi settle the hell down. Professor Hime is out taking care of her sick daughter so she asked me to substitute for a couple days. You all seem to know who I am, good. You should, I’m amazing.” He smirked and soft laughter was echoing through the room. “But to be formal, like she asked I’ll introduce myself. My name is Katsumi Bakugo, or as you might also know as Dynamite.” It clicked. THAT WAS DYNAMITE?! You were tutoring with thee Dynamite. How could you not have connected the dots, you really are a dumbass. It didn’t help that you were a fan of Dynamite, now how’re you supposed to act around him?!

Class was distracting nonetheless. There were several times where you two specifically made eye contact and he would do silent gestures towards you, teasing subtly. Doing things like ‘write this down’ motions and mouthing ‘dumbass’ when you looked at the board confused.

After class was over you were planning to walk over to him but the flood of classmates surrounded him before you had the chance. So you decided to just wave when you caught him looking at you for a sec and leave the room to go to your tutoring room, even if you didn’t have a session booked you started studying there because it was hardly used. Soon enough the man himself walked in, “did you get all that dumbass?” He asked cockily. “Why yes I did Professor Bakugo.” He teased and he shook his head “kinda like the sound of that.” He admitted. Now when you looked up at him you saw the hero you had fanned over and honestly used to fantasize about. Your cheeks flush red and you hide the fact of that by going towards the window. “Oh man. It’s so nice out today!” Trying desperately to hide the fact you couldn’t look at him the same.

Bakugo came over and flicked your ear. “Yo what’s got you so fuckin bashful?” He asked confused. “You’re not gettin sick too are ya?” He asked with a hint of annoyance. You look at him, showing your red face and sighed “You’re never gonna let me live this down but, I had no idea you were Dynamite…” you closed your eyes, prepared to hear nothing but jokes and insults. But you didn’t hear anything but you felt a presence close to you. When you opened your eye, he was right there. In front of you, hands on either side of you, boxing you against the window. Your blush growing. “What? Does that change something for you?” He asked with an eyebrow raised.

It was surprising you became a stammering mess, “I- I I uh.. n-no! It’s just-“ he tilted his head slightly, if he came any closer you’d think he was trying to kiss you. “Just what, Y/n?” Oh god not him using your name.. “Bakugo please- s-some space…” nope he wasn’t moving. “I- I just Uhm… Yaknow… had a crush on Dynamite awhile ago- s-so it’s a l-little awkward n-now..” you could not make eye contact with him until he grabbed your chin and made you look. “Had?” He asked. What was he getting at? Does he want you to admit you still have a crush on him? How could you admit to THAT.

“Y-yeah..? H-Had.” A cocky smirk crawled onto his lips. “You’re lying. I can always tell when you’re lyin..” that he did, he always knew when you lied about understanding something in the material and this was no different. “O-okay. Yeah I have a c-crush on Dynamite.” You gave in, how can you fight him in this proximity? “On me. You have a crush on me.” His grin only grew, God he was an ass.

“W-what are you trying to do Bakugo?!” You blurt out, ripping your face away and covering it with your hands. Anything to hide from him right now. Bakugo chuckled and patted your head. “What? A guy can’t be hopeful to have a fan?” You peek out from behind your hands and scoffed “you have tons of fans? What do you mean?” He shook his head and finally gave you space. “Ahh you dense little thing. They’re not you.” He walked towards the door. “You say some dumb shit sometimes Yaknow?”

You went back to your dorm, confused to hell. They weren’t you?? Does that mean, no it can’t mean he has special feelings for you, he couldn’t. Could he? You went to every introverts friend, the Internet. You searched how to know if someone had a crush on you, yes you’ve had one partner beforehand but that doesn’t mean you knew they liked you. You weren’t finding what you needed to know but you did find an article of ‘ways to subtly flirt your way into his heart’ cheesy, it’s gotta be good.

- wear cute clothes. Something flirty and a little revealing.

Already a no go, you only wore comfy clothes 99% of the time.

- touch him when you talk

Oh god, you hugged him once. That was it. Okay.

So on and so forth. You decided to try it a little and see if there was a reaction next session, that would mean something right? Right. You rummaged through your closet to find anything even semi flirty. You found a lower cut crop top that you bought awhile ago to get out of your comfort zone but never actually did that, the tag was still on it. Then pairing that with some ripped high waisted jeans. That’s cute right? Sure. You got a little dolled up, concealer, a little blush and lipgloss, mascara to really bring it together. Was this too much? Too late now you were committing. You throw on your trusty hoodie to at least not show it off to everyone.

You made your way to the room found him sitting there as per usual. He was in casual clothes for once. The blazer made an exit awhile ago but he continued the dress shirt until now. But now he was just in a black tee shirt and jeans, it was a nice change of pace for you to see but also you kind of missed the button up. You unzip your hoodie and toss it on the back of your chair, immediately feeling his eyes on you.

You look over at him and grin, placing your notebook on the table. He didn’t seem to take his eyes off you, scanning up and down a few times. This was different than the first time he had done it, it wasn’t judgmental it almost seemed like he was admiring. “So, what are we workin-“

“Whatcha trying to do to me hm?” He asked calmly. You look up at him confused “w-what do you mean?” You grew nervous. “Coming in here, all dolled up. Think I wouldn’t notice or something? Think I’m stupid?” Uh oh was he insulted?? You weren’t trying to do that “I just- put more effort in today- I’m sorry I offended?” You defended yourself. Bakugo stood up and leaned over the table, getting close to you once again. “Did you get dolled up for me? You trying to do something?” You, who always thought before speaking, blurted out something you never would’ve thought of. “I-is it working?” Bakugo smirked and grabbed your chin, pulling you closer. “Yeah, yeah it is sweetheart.” You felt your knees go weak as he closed the little distance between you into a kiss. You were shocked but you melted into the kiss, returning it back.

Once he parted ways you looked at him with heavy lids “w-wow..” you breathed out, he stayed close for a moment before standing up, walking to the door, you spoke up thinking he was leaving.

He locked the door.

“What’re you doing…?” You ask timidly as he looked over at you “if it’s alright with you, I’m not done.” He gave you a look filled with hunger and a hint of something else. Lust..? It sent a chill down your spine straight to your core. Your body temp rising slowly but surely. You got your answer.

Bakugo returned to you, “I asked you a question.” Right he did, he asked if it was alright.. how do you respond..? You, with your red face, grab his shirt and pull him in. It’s time to fulfill a fantasy. You reach up and drape your arms around his neck kissing him once again, he returns it without hesitation, gripping your hips and pulling your body closer when you thought you couldn’t get closer. It wasn’t long until the kiss deepened. His tongue inserting itself into your mouth, you were all too willing and inviting. A low growl came from this man which caused your knees to buckle, he didn’t miss a step. He grabbed your thighs and lifted you up, carrying you the table you typically study at. He pushed your books off the table in one smooth swing of his arm, his hands making their way up your back shortly after.

Your breathing is getting heavy as you didn’t know how far he was going to take this. You got an idea when he unclasped your bra effortlessly. You pull back in surprise, he looked at you almost apologetically. “We don’t have to do anything crazy. I was getting a little excited is all.” He was being honest, his face blushing as hard as yours.

You didn’t care anymore. You wanted him. This craving was driving you crazy at this point. “Let’s get a little crazy.” You pulled your shirt over your head, along with your bra, throwing it across the room. “Fuck..” he breathed out, taking in your body, your curves, your shape, you. He took one breast into his palm, it was hot and firm, this make you gasp out in both pleasure and slight discomfort but you didn’t care. You wanted him to touch you. You whimpered when he squeezed which pushed him over the edge. He pushed you down onto the table, keeping your hips right at the edge. Kissing and nipping at your skin and collarbone, leaving small marks down your torso. The heat in your core growing hotter and hotter. He got to your jeans and swiftly took them off, you tried covering your precious spot out of embarrassment but he just grabbed your wrist, keeping them out of the way as he kissed you through the cloth barrier keeping him away from what he wanted.

You let out a soft moan feeling the heat of his lips so close to you, soaking through your panties already. He chuckled lowly “you’re already so wet for me and I haven’t even done anything. You’re a little bit of a slut aren’t you?” This didn’t help anything, you about whined on how long he was taking. He ripped off your panties and spread your legs, spreading your lips apart to see the meal he was about to devour. “What a dirty little bitch. Tell me what you want.” He loved watching you squirm under the mere touch of his fingers. “Y-you. Anything you want..” he wasn’t expecting that exact answer but he felt his member throb through his jeans, he growled again and began to just eat you alive. It was quick, it was deep, he knew what he was doing. You moaned and not down on your finger, these walls weren’t thick enough to hide the fact that if someone listened they could figure out what was going on.

He was doing everything right, keeping the pace and you felt your core tighten, it was building and building quick. “F-Fuck-“ you breathed out. He stopped right when things were getting good and started to unbuckle his belt. You bit your lip watching him, his face was nothing but hunger. His chin dripping the remnants of his meal, “you gotta keep that pretty little mouth shut for me okay? Think you can do that?” He smirked as he wiped his mouth as he got his hard cock out. You nodded and your jaw dropped a little seeing it, it was bigger than you imagined and you weren’t expecting him to be that hard. “Tell me what you want again?” He said as he teased your entrance. “I-.. I want you to fuck me.” You whined out again. He slid in without any resistance, you were about moan until he covered your mouth his with hand “I said to say fuckin quiet.” He groaned out. He pumped into out hard and quick, he was gritting his teeth on how good you felt. You suppressing your moans and sounds as much as you could, a whine and whimper along with muffled curses of pleasure being the only thing you allowed escape. “You’re doing so fuckin good sweetheart. Just like that, look at me with those pretty eyes.” You didn’t know you had a praise kink until now.

Your walls being stroked so perfectly and rhythmically you felt that familiar knot starting to grow tighter as you were building to your climax once again. His pace got more aggressive, he was building too. “Holy Fuck you feel good..” his grunts accompanying your muffled sounds, his hand left your mouth and gripped your hips to pull you closer and lift your hips, reading an angle you didn’t think was possible but it was slamming into your spot to send you over the edge. “FUCK!” You couldn’t help yourself but shout out as you climaxed, it was so intense and unexpected.

He didn’t even stop you that time he just kept pumping “I’m close-“ he muttered as he slowed down but thrusted harder into you. Cumming inside unintentionally. He panted and pulled out, watching his semen leak out from you, a sight he liked a little too much. The room filled with you both catching your breath, you say up and laughed a little. “What a tutoring session.”

[sofoulandfairaday]

I don't know if you'll even receive this because of the godforsaken shadowban, but what do you think of Bella's relationship with her parents? I know it's unpopular but I've always seen her as a mama's girl personally. I think Andy was Cygnus's favourite and for Narcissa I can't decide between her being nobody's favourite and everyone's favourite but in a more subtle way lol.

This is honestly such a good question - and something I wanted to talk about for ages.

I appreciate your takes a lot, even if I somewhat disagree. You were the first person in this wretched fandom who made me see the light about Bella's relationship with her family. Not in the sense that it's necessarily wrong to headcanon her as being abused, but you were the first person that made me see that there could be other interpretations: no one, both in the English and Italian fandoms, seemed to think that Druella might have not been a stuck-up bitch.

With this being said, I think Druella was a stuck-up bitch. Nah, kidding. Kind of. Long post under the cut, but this is one of my favourite pieces of meta I've ever written.

I think Bella has a very bad case of Older Daughter Syndrome. I believe that both her parents had wished for at least one son because that is unfortunately what was common in noble families in the 1950s (and pureblood society seems to be stuck much further than that). I actually hc that Druella had one or more miscarriages (all boys) before and after having her daughters. When C&D were told that they couldn't have more children, both by her own volition and by being unconsciously pushed by her parents, became desperate to prove herself. Of course, it was useless. Not because her parents were cartoon villains ("I wish you were a boy" bullshit, only said in Disney movies), but just because they would never see as they would have seen a son.

Bellatrix confronted herself with impossible expectations throughout her life, as very often happens to the oldest children (daughters most of all). I'm sure she was brilliant, magically talented, possibly good at most things she tried - it was never enough. Not that her parents weren't proud of her, they were, but there was always one grade that could have been better, one hour more she could have spent practising, one sentence she could have said better at a social gathering, etc. Whenever something wasn't up to par, as it was bound to be, there would be corrections. Always too many corrections and never enough compliments. Parents often fall into this trap: it's not enough to be proud of your child if you never tell them you are.

I'm also sure she was immensely spoilt. You can imagine how that goes: Cygnus and Druella were probably very cold people, bad at demonstrating affection, and tried to show their immense love for their daughters by showering them with gifts and material things. They always told their daughters how good and special they were, how they were destined for the best. Personally speaking, this is not enough. It's not enough to point at all the money you spent on family holidays and private schools - "look at what your mother and I have done for you; is this how you repay us?" - if you've never taken interest in your daughter's interests. If you've never asked her opinion on the world, what she wants to be when she grows up. If you've always taken for granted that she would follow in your own footsteps - no doubt, the best possible life choice. It's not enough to tell your daughter she is destined for greatness because she is a Black. She should be destined for greatness because she is great.

Also, I'm sure she was put in charge of her younger siblings from a very early age. Again: oldest daughter. Simultaneously loving them more than anything in the world and resenting them immensely because they were probably held to lower standards than she was. Parents often go softer on the second child, especially if less successful, or less gifted (I'm sure that both Andy and Cissy were bright and talented witches, just not as good as Bella overall).

She would be the bossy one, and the comforting one. She would be the one teaching them right from wrong, the one to go to when they had problems (she would act high and mighty about it, and maybe tease them, but heaven help anyone who dared do anything to Bella's sisters - and they knew it). She would go out of her way to help them.

She would feel extreme amounts of pressure on her shoulders, she would be more solitary, more reserved than her siblings, less likely to share except for the times when it all came gushing out - imagine everyone's shock when they found out about her interest in Dark Magic. Andromeda would be appalled, "I thought I knew my sister". But did you, did you really?

So: reserved, more academically skilled, both proud and resentful of her younger siblings, who were probably considered more charismatic (Andromeda was meeker and kinder and Cissy was probably a social butterfly, the popular pretty girl with tons of friends), who don't realise that they could only be that way because someone else before them had taken up the burden of the family's expectations upon herself. Of course, Andy&Cissy probably saw big sister Bella as the best, most successful, most intelligent, confident girl in the world - probably had inferiority complexes - but she never knew that. (keep in mind: the Blacks, a British upper-class family in the 1950s, probably had all of the generational trauma that we see in shows like The Crown. They were NOT the type to talk about their feelings at the dinner table).

Bellatrix was also probably very controlling of her younger sisters, and a bit of a perfectionist. She probably never apologised (a sign of weakness) and never admitted when she was wrong. She gets it from her parents. You can see how this is a recipe for disaster for the things to come.

And what happens then? She graduates from Hogwarts with whatever number of NEWTS and exceptional grades in all of them for her parents to say: "Oh, good, you did your duty. ANYWAY, no pressure, but we kinda really need you to pick a good pureblood boy and marry him. A trip around the world (to explore dark magic in faraway lands) as a graduation present? Don't be ridiculous, dear. We'll throw you a big party".

OH. OH. I would go insane. I would seethe. I would combust with rage. And I think Bella probably did. That was her breaking point, her "let it go" moment where she said: you know what? I've tried so hard to be proper, and good, and fit into """"patriarchal""" standards and it's never fucking enough. No more. Everyone is talking about this new dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, and I've been following his work. Of course, you people, my family, don't know because you've never asked me about myself beyond how I was doing in school, but my view on the world is that Mudbloods are infiltrating our society and we need to fight for survival (ironically, a view absorbed from her parents). I choose Rodolphus Lestrange, who is more than willing to let me pursue a military career and we'll happily practice Unforgivables on random Muggles that live too close to our house. Suck it.

Andromeda (who is secretly dating Ted behind her sister's back because she's afraid of her disapproval) is appalled. Narcissa is too young still (and being the youngest, possibly the most immature). Her parents go "Ehm, we don't really think you should blow up buildings- how about silently influencing politics?" But nope. Bellatrix marries Rodolphus to appease them and then she happily follows Voldemort from one Muggle village to the next, blowing up houses and getting railed by the Dark Lord next to her victims' corpses - he is the only one who sees her for what she is: dark, talented, hungry.

Andromeda runs away, and Bellatrix takes it the hardest. She sees it as a personal failure. The sister she helped raise. You can hear the hurt even thirty years after it happened.

As for her parents: Cissy was without a doubt Druella's favourite, as the daughter who looked most like her and lived the life closest to hers. Andromeda was probably nobody's fave (Middle Child Syndrome, a whole other post), but likely both her sisters' fave.

Bella... Bella was the child Cygnus understood most and was probably proudest of. She was also the hardest to love: I think that the few instances of physical affection he showed his daughters were for Andy (a naturally kind and bubbly child, who would not relent in her pursuit of affection even when told to go away) and Cissy (who was always slight, non-threatening, delicate, etc). Bella was prickly, maybe easily hurt (by her parents, seeing how attuned she was to their reactions). She strikes me as the sort to push away any display of sweetness saying she didn't want it, as a preventive measure. The kind of child who hides so that people will go looking for them, to see if they care. She was the same with Rodolphus, probably (but the man is a saint and at a certain point must have been like "it's not just that enjoy fucking you, i do like to hold you, i do like to kiss you, you are not a duty to me, i don't care if you're stubborn. i love you") and the Dark Lord (who is so scarce with his affections, she must have brainwashed herself in saying "it's fine, i don't really need it. i only need to be held in high esteem by him").

Anyways, Bella is the child Cygnus (and secretly Druella) are proudest of. Yes, Cissy made conventional choices, but imagine having Lord Voldemort, your old classmate-turned-Dark-Lord, over for tea and he keeps going on about how he didn't expect to find such an apt pupil in Bellatrix and that she is wonderfully skilled with a wand (pun intended, and Tom knows it, the little shit). I'm getting carried away, but you get the gist. [Although, while I hc Cygnus as a Voldemort fanboy, albeit not a Death Eater, I always liked the idea that Vold and Druella didn't like each other much]

Also. Bella: Daddy Issues, yes or no? Yes. Obviously. She hides them (with more or less success, after Azkaban) because she is a Black, but it's pretty clear from her entanglement with Voldemort that having a male figure her father's age, giving her validation does things for her. Happens to the best of us.

Did Bellatrix and Druella hate each other? No. No, I think that blood is too important for someone like Bellatrix. But I think that Druella's lack of understanding of her feelings and her life choices (and also the fact that Druella, to me, is the sort of mother who always plays the victim "oh, what did I do to deserve this?") definitely didn't help their relationship. I think that Bella was a dutiful daughter, the kind that would take care of her mother in her old age and stuff like that, but they would fight a lot.

Oh, look, another ginormous post. Anyways, I hope I painted a good picture. I could talk about this for hours.

[angelasscribbles]

Victim of Love Chapter 8: Exposure

Series: Victim of Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Drake x Riley, Liam x Riley

Word Count: 1,609

Rating: NSFW ��🍋🍋

Warnings for this chapter: Brief lemons

Song Inspiration for series: Victim of Love by The Eagles

Some people never come clean

I think you know what I mean

My other stuff: Master List.

The morning light filtered in through the French doors that lead to the balcony as well as the big bay window of the cabin’s master bedroom. But that wasn’t what had woken him up.

It was the incessant ringing coming from his cell phone. He mumbled something incoherent as he rolled out of bed and fumbled through his discarded clothes on the floor looking for the source of the annoyance. He finally came up with the phone and silenced it as he glanced back at the bed.

Riley made a few muffled sounds as she turned over, but she didn’t seem to be awake yet. He sat on the floor and looked at his screen.

Three missed calls from Liam. What the fuck? Why was Liam blowing up his phone so early in the morning? He opened his text messages. There were several. All from Liam.  

What the fuck is going on?

Where are you?

Is Riley with you?

I think you owe me some answers.

There was a link. He clicked on it.

It was an article from the Cordonian Star. His eyes quickly skimmed the article.

Duchess Riley Brooks, long rumored to be the king’s mistress, was spotted last night cozying up to another man. The man in question is none other than the king’s long-absent best friend, Drake Walker. The couple was spotted at Xtreme, one of Stormholt City’s most exclusive nightclubs. According to witnesses, they seemed very much taken with each other. Has the duchess traded in her married lover for a more eligible bachelor? It would certainly seem so. One can’t help but wonder how the king feels about this turn of events.

Her Grace was considered the front-runner during the king’s social season but was unable to secure council approval. Rumors have long swirled that their love affair never ended, despite his marriage to another woman.

He skipped the rest as his eyes found the accompanying photographs. They were definitely incriminating. Riley wrapped in his arms on the dance floor, his forehead resting on hers. The two of them leaned across the table toward each other as they talked. Their hands entwined as they left at the end of the night. The two of them leaned against the car in the parking lot, kissing. There was no mistaking that one.

Well, shit.

He hadn’t wanted to blow up her life. He’d had no intention of pushing her into any kind of choice or decision. While he wasn’t trying to intentionally deceive his best friend, he had thought any conversation about feelings he might be developing could, and should, wait until he had some kind of clarity on what exactly those feelings were.

But now the matter had been taken out of his hands.

He glanced at Riley again and his heart stuttered in his chest. The sight of her sleeping peacefully in his bed felt righter than anything he’d ever felt in his life. Like she belonged there.

He stood and quietly stepped into his pants, sans underwear, before slipping out of the room. He pulled the door softly shut behind him and then made his way downstairs. He passed through the living room to the kitchen before dialing Liam’s number.

Liam picked up instantly, “What the actual fuck is going on, Drake?”

“Listen, I-“

“You know the vehicle you borrowed has a GPS tracker on it, right? I know you’re at the cabin. Is Riley with you?”

“Yes,” he ran his free hand through his hair with a sigh. He might be okay with keeping his mouth shut, but he couldn’t outright lie to his best friend when asked a direct question.

Drake could hear Liam’s fury as he demanded, “Did you sleep together?”    

Another sigh, “Yes.”

“How could you do that to me? I trusted you with her, you’re my best friend! At least I thought you were!”

“I am your best friend, Li! Just calm down!”

“Calm down? Calm down? Yesterday you told me you were going to check on her and this morning I find out that not only did you take her out, but you fucked her as well and you did it all publicly! Were you trying to humiliate me?”

“Jesus, Li!” Drake’s voice rose a little as his anger made him forget he was trying not to wake Riley, “Is that really the part you care about? What the public thinks? I thought you told me you loved this girl?”

“I do love her! But my public image-“

“Is already tarnished by infidelity! You have a wife at home, a pregnant one, in case you’ve forgotten!”

“It was a political marriage! I’m entitled-“

“Stop right there! I love you, man, like a brother, I do but you’re being a colossal ass right now! Can you even hear yourself? Talking about what you’re entitled to? She deserves better than what you’ve given her!”

“Oh, is that what she told you?”

“She didn’t have to tell me anything, Li! I have eyes!”

“What are you trying to say, exactly?”

“I’m saying that regardless of if you like it or not, you are married, and she is not!”

“So?”

“So that makes her one hundred percent available!”

“Do you really think you can just sweep in here and take her? You have no idea what you’re getting in the middle of! I know things have been rough between us recently, but we love each other!”

“Sometimes loving someone means letting them go.”

“Oh, does it? Really? Since when are you the relationship expert?”

“I’m no expert. I just know she doesn’t seem happy with the current situation, and she deserves to be happy!”

“I make her happy!”

A movement in his periphery drew his attention. He turned to find Riley standing in the doorway watching him. “I gotta go, Li. I’ll talk to you later,” he pressed the end button over Liam’s objections. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough.”

“Riley, I’m sorry-“

“For what?” she asked, “Sounded to me like you had my back.”

Relief swept through him, “Glad you see it that way.”

She made her way into the kitchen looking around for a coffee pot. “So, how’d he find out?” she asked as she rummaged around in the cabinets and started brewing coffee.

“There was an article in the Star…”

“Of course there was,” she shook her head, as she turned to face him “We should have seen that coming.”

“Maybe,” his eyes swept down her body. She was wearing his button-up shirt from the night before and nothing else. “Should I get you back to the palace so you can deal with the fallout?”

She clocked his interest in her attire. A sultry smile lit up her face as she sashayed across the room to wrap her arms around his neck, “I told you last night that I’m not in the mood to go back there right now. Nothing’s changed since then.”

“Okay,” his hands dropped to her waist, “What do you want to do then? I could make breakfast, or…..” his lips trailed down the side of her neck.

“Oh, you’re going to make me breakfast, but I thought we could do….other things while we wait for the coffee.”

“Other things, huh?” His fingers sank into her ass as he lifted her and sat her on the counter, capturing her lips with his as he did so.

Her legs spread open as her hands tugged him forward by the top of his pants. Her teeth sank into his lower lip as she popped the snap on the top of his jeans and lowered his zipper.

“Ow!” His head jerked back a little, but his hands were already helping her push his pants down.

“Sorry!”

“Don’t be sorry! I liked it!” He growled as he lunged for her lips again. His fingers deftly unbuttoned the shirt and then each hand cupped a full, supple breast.

She grasped his very erect cock in her hand and stroked it a little, causing his body to jerk forward. She lined him up with her entrance and scooted to the edge of the counter.

“Don’t you want-“

Her fingers twisted in his hair, “I want you to fuck me, Drake, right now!”

That was all the encouragement he needed. Sinking himself into her, his eyes locked on her face. She threw her head back, moaning loudly as he pounded into her. His eyes dipped down to watch her breasts as they bounced in rhythm with their frenzied lovemaking. His gaze snapped back to her face as she screamed out his name, clenching around him, warm, wet, tight.

“Fuck!” One hand wrapped around her and held her from behind as the other tangled in her hair, pulling her head back as he tumbled over the edge of the abyss after her.

His arms were wrapped around her body, his breathing heavy, forehead resting on hers, still pulsing inside her when they heard the knock on the door.

“Who even knows we’re here?” She blinked up at him.

He pulled out of, and away from her, with a sigh. Reaching down to yank his pants back up he gritted out, “Who do you think?”

Liam must have already been on his way to the cabin when he’d called.

“Shit!” She shrugged back into his shirt, her fingers fumbling shakily at the buttons.

“Here,” he said gently, brushing her hands away and quickly buttoning it up for her. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before helping her off the counter. “It’s going to be okay,” he told her before turning and heading for the door.

[princeescaluswords]

This is more a comparison thought, but with the release of the X Men ‘97 trailer there’s been an increase in the “Wolverine is the real leader, Scott (Summers) is a dolt” sort of comments. Because I saw a text post about Scott (McCall)’s leadership skills I immediately made a, admittedly simplistic, comparison.

Fandom so often attaches themselves to the loud and angry characters, often the most reactionary, and declare them the most proactive and real leaders. I see it as a common thread in fandom, and one I worth a further discussion. How often characters with ideals, who consider the ramifications of actions, who attempt a steady hand are dismissed for the characters that meet our desire for action and violence.

I don’t believe I’ve fully formed thoughts on this, but it was an immediate consideration after seeing posts.

Before I tackle this question, I want to clarify that I only read Marvel Comics from 1984 to 1995 and then again from 2007 to 2013. I did read back issues during both periods, but those are the time periods where my opinion were set, and so there might be things from outside those time frames which do not impact my analysis.

The first time I stopped reading was due to two trends that simply made me uninterested. During the 1980s, the X-Men comics had adventures but there was at least some degree of being grounded in everyday life. The 80s X-men worried about fitting in with the people around them and about having a life outside the spandex and fighting off the Brood and the Marauders, etc. When Riptide put Nightcrawler in a coma, it influenced how other characters reacted to events. By about the summer of 1995, I didn't find that anymore in X-men.

The early 90s also saw the rise of the antihero in Marvel and a greater emphasis on bombast. The Punisher became a hero. Wolverine stopped worrying about his body count. There was no slow build up in the comics to a pulse-pounding conclusion; instead, there were pulse-pounding conclusions every three months. The comics I read slowly pulled away from "people with powers" and into what I referred to as "powers with a name tag attached." It was most likely me aging out of my interests.

The second time, I picked up the comics out of nostalgia and I found that there was a new level of maturity to be found in the storytelling. Characters like Captain America and Charles Xavier were being pushed out of their roles; a new generation had to learn how to protect themselves and others. And then came "Time Runs Out." It did, but in this case it was the time running out was my interest in the comics. Marvel Comics, like Hollywood, decided to go for retreads of original characters than take a risk on something new.

Both times, nuanced visions of leadership were the first thing to go. The "best" leader became the character who ignored everything but resolving the immediate problem as quickly as possible. With that criteria, Wolverine and characters like him -- lets call them what they are, killers -- were the best choice. But just as importantly, leaders who attempted to address systemic problems in the comic's world, the things that created the immediate problem were portrayed as bootlickers too inured to suffering to even notice it (various leaders of the Avengers), anxious managers whose refusal to act decisively simply perpetuated the problems (Cyclops and Spider-man), or hide-bound egoists too infatuated with their own visions and status to want to actually solve the problem.

Yes, I'm talking about Charles Xavier.

Don't get me wrong, Deadly Genesis is rightfully praised, and the terrible errors that Xavier committed there are legitimate criticisms of the character and how he approached resolving mutant oppression. But Marvel, as it frequently does, saw a golden goose and then beat it to death. Xavier barely remained a hero, instead becoming a stand-in for every corrupted politician in the history of the world. The thoughtful recognition of Xavier's sacrifice, his nobility, and his ultimate belief in the necessity of finding common ground was obliterated for the next episode of "What Did Charlie Do Now?"

The X-men wouldn't have been what they were without Charles's vision. The present writers know that too, they just resent it. I feel that Cyclops, too, has been robbed of his principles in order to become a Wolverine with speeches. When you can't tell the difference between one of Cyclops' bubbles and one of Magneto's speech bubbles, something's gone wrong. (This is not a criticism of Magneto. I thoroughly enjoy his perspective as one among many.) As far as I can tell, there are only two types of leaders in Marvel Comics who aren't villains: manipulative old people who have lost touch with the people they're trying to protect and the Voices of Generational Violence Embodied. I'm sure that there are people who enjoy that, but I'm not one of them.

[alpydk]

If you ever find yourself bored again, you can do this 😉

CHARACTER ASK GAME!!! 💫

For Astarion: 5+6+8+12+25

For Gale: 14 + 16+ also 8+ 23 (I expect cowboy hat 🤣 just kidding)

I'm going to do this now before I fail to ever find the ask game questions again! (I love answering questions and using my brain to think over stuff like this.)

Right! Astarionnnnnnn!

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Keep me dumb, keep me small Keep me closer to you Keep me still, keep it all Keep away from the truth Keep me here, keep me cool 'cause it's already done Everything is so intimidating

My partner's choice was "Walking on Sunshine..." - -

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

Reactions to trauma, baby! It's too early to share further than that. Just know I struggle with his romance if I'm playing a good serious run through and I don't take him to beat Cazador because his breakdown is too relatable. (Even if it is one of the best acted scenes in the entire game.)

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Essentially make him out to be sin free the moment they romance him. You can't fix someone just by fucking them! It does not work that way. You think he's going to be healed within 6 months? A year? No, this guy is going to be fucked for at least another century, if not longer. You want a fucked up relationship with someone mentally ill go for it, but don't think you can truly fix him. #endrant

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

Going to take from my fic CoO for this.

“When they buried me, they forgot to wipe a spot of blood from my neck.”  He wiped the dirt and scarlet spots from her cheek, revealing the pale complexion beneath. “And when I woke up, I found myself trapped in the darkness, within the confines of the box they’d placed me in.” He placed the cloth in the water, squeezing it slightly, watching as the fluid changed colour to a murky red. “I remember the dirt falling in on me as I broke through the wood, terrified I was going to suffocate. It took some time to realise that it wasn’t happening as I swallowed the soil and emerged above ground.” Astarion began to softly wipe at her hands, delicately tracing under her nails. “And yet despite how I felt, how my clothes were left muddied, how much earth was beneath my own nails, all I really remember is that dried blood on my neck.” 

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

Killed him in my first run with little regrets. I didn't find him until near the end of act 1, got attacked by him, then bitten, all in a very short time span. Then I found the Gur and handed him over. Oops, but served him right.

Now though, he's my team cleric of Lathander (Irony!) - And he's my ride or die bro.

Gale time!

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

I'm a member of the messy suit brigade. Get that man an unbuttoned collar, stat! (Also picture related, I want that too.)

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

Shadowheart x Gale - Just don't see how it works. Or like I do, with him teaching her to swim or something, but I don't think she'd put up with his long lectures on subjects and he'd get annoyed at her snappiness. Just doesn't work for me.

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

I've ranted about this before. Pining God!Gale! -

23. Favorite picture of this character?

I have so many! (But these are my favourites, before I get dragged into my screenshots folder and you lose me forever)

[fluentmoviequoter]

Proud to Listen

Requested Here!

Pairing: David 'Deacon' Kay x fem!reader

Summary: You perform in a talent show, and your boyfriend Deacon is proud of you for singing a song that means something to you.

1.1k+ words of pure fluff! He is With Us by Love & The Outcome

Masterlist Directory | Deacon Kay Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List

“Hondo, 20-Squad’s needed for assistance on a federal raid out in Covina,” Hicks calls as he exits the situation room. “Grab one of Rocker’s guys to fill the gap.”

“What gap?” Luca asks.

Hondo looks to Deacon, who answers, “I’m leaving early.”

“Why?” Street inquires. He gasps when Chris backhands his arm and brings his opposite hand to cradle where she hit him. “What? It was just a question!”

“I’m going to watch a talent show,” Deacon says.

 “You’re abandoning us with Rocker’s guys to watch a talent show. That’s cold, Deac.”

“Your kids?” Luca guesses.

“Not exactly,” Deacon says carefully.

“Your church?”

“It is there, yeah.”

“They’re gonna keep askin’, Deac,” Hondo points out. “May as well let ‘em start getting the questions over with now.”

Deacon nods before he admits, “My girlfriend is singing.”

Hondo smiles as the rest of the team looks at one another and then at Deacon. They knew he’d been on a few dates with someone, but he hadn’t told them that the relationship was getting serious or that he’d moved on to the next step of 'boyfriend/girlfriend.'

“Can I come?” Street asks.

“No, you’ve got work,” Hondo says.

“Deacon’s going!”

“Because his girl is singing, and he asked off weeks ago.”

“Well, if he hadn’t kept it a secret, I could’ve asked off too.”

“Kid,” Hondo warns.

“Guys, I’ll introduce you soon,” Deacon promises. “But I didn’t think dragging you all to watch her sing in front of a crowd would have been the best first impression. And I didn’t tell you that we were getting serious because we’re just getting there.”

“I’m happy for you, Deacon,” Chris says as she wraps her arm around his shoulders.

“Thanks, Chris.”

“We’re all happy for you, even if one of us has a weird way of showing it,” Luca adds.

“She’s already said she wants to meet you guys, too, just not today. We’ll plan something soon, but you need to focus on prepping for the Covina raid,” Deacon reminds them.

“Yes, sir,” Street replies with a pathetic salute. “Enjoy your ‘noon at the theatre.”

“What is wrong with you?” Chris asks under her breath.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Tell her I want to see the video!” Hondo calls after Deacon.

“Why does he get to see it?!” Street yells.

“Hi,” Deacon says as he walks to your side. “How are you feeling?”

“Good, a little nervous but mostly excited,” you answer honestly.

“You’re going to be amazing. Hondo asked me to record it for him.”

“Of course, he did.”

“I take it you finally picked a song?” Deacon teases, reminding you of the hassle you went through trying to find the perfect song.

“I did. But you’ll have to find out when I’m on stage.”

“Like everyone else?” Deacon asks.

“I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Me too. I’m going to go get a seat, but you’ve got this, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Deac. I love you.”

Deacon has heard those three words innumerable times since you first said them several weeks ago, but they still impact him just as deeply as the first.

“I love you,” he replies before kissing your temple. “See you after.”

You squeeze his hand before he steps back and leaves to find his seat. With a deep breath, you steady your shoulders and hum the song again. You picked a song you have been listening to and singing constantly over the last few weeks. Even while browsing other popular songs, you were humming it to yourself. So, you’re confident you made the right choice and are excited to perform it outside your car or shower.

After a brief intermission, you peek onto the stage and see Deacon sitting in the second row with a clear view of the stage. He supports you in all you do, but having him here for you now brings you the peace that you need to walk onto the stage and smile at the crowd. Deacon’s smile lights up when your eyes meet his, and as the music starts, you nod at him before losing yourself in the lyrics and what they mean to you.

“Remember when your hope is lost, and faith is shaken. Remember when you wonder if you’re gonna make it. There’s a hand stretched out through your deepest doubt. We can’t pretend to see the ending or what’s coming up ahead, To know the story of tomorrow. But we can stay close to the one who knows.”

As the first chorus begins, you find Deacon again, and he is still smiling, but there’s something else in his eyes. You know his faith is important to him, but you’re still surprised that he seems so touched by the song. Or maybe it’s just that you’re the one singing it.

“We can trust our God. He knows what He’s doing though it might hurt now. We won’t be ruined. It might seem there’s an ocean in between, But He’s holding on to you and me, And He’s never gonna leave, no. He is with us…”

The crowd applauds as you finish the song, and you smile as you exit the stage. There are only a few performers after you, and your eyes remain on Deacon until the announcer dismisses the performers to join their friends and families in the audience. You rush toward Deacon, who pulls you into his arms and hugs you tightly.

“You were amazing!” he cheers. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Thank you, Deacon,” you answer as you step back and sit beside him.

“Even if you don’t win, you should know that you affected every person here. You meant what you were singing, and that’s incredible.”

You nod and whisper another thanks to Deacon as the announcer returns to the stage with an envelope containing the winners’ names. Deacon takes your hand between both of his and holds you tightly. Even if you don’t win, Deacon being proud of you is more than enough reward. Besides, you’d like to sing more songs like this one where people can hear them.

Deacon shakes your hands when your name is called, and he helps you stand so you can walk to the stage and receive your certificate. You don’t hear the nice things that the man awarding you says, but you hope the audience listened to your song, not you, but what you were singing.

“These are for you,” Deacon says, extending a bouquet of flowers.

“Deacon,” you whisper as you take the arrangement.

“I’m so proud of you,” he says again. “What do you want to do? Dinner, movie date, anything you want.”

“Why not both?”

Deacon pulls you into his arms as he says, “For you? I’d do it all.”

“Even make plans to introduce me to 20-Squad? Because I love Hondo, but the rest of them are your family too.”

“Of course. They’re going to hear all about this, too.”

You drop your forehead against Deacon’s shoulder, but you love that he’s so proud of you. He’s amazing, and you’re grateful to have him by your side.

[nickmillerscaulk]

omg! disregard my first message. SCREAM. i put the wrong show 🫢 😭 brain malfunction.

anyway, let’s try this again…. top five good girls hot takes?

and, are you team brio or team rio had a long term gf headcannon? i’ve seen so many takes on my tumblr journey.

hahaha i'm so glad you re-asked bc i have zero gossip girl hot takes and that would've been a v disappointing response! then again, idk if any of my good girls takes are hot either. but i'll try!!

this hot take is directed at nbc specifically: the fact that good girls was canceled without a formal, planned ending. it's been how many years, and i'm still upset?!! i desperately needed to see annie go to school to become an emt. they threw away such a juicy potential storyline! not a hot take, but: annie deserved better.

the music choices in s3 were garbage, save for a few songs

s3 in general was garbage, s1-2 were supreme, and s4 redeemed itself enough that i enjoyed it overall

i didn't like the introduction of nick's character at all. it really skews how i see rio in the early seasons. i just find it v hard to believe his strings were being pulled by his brother-cousin or whatever the f*ck they kept calling each other. didn't work for me. see also: phoebe and the 'secret service' HARD PASS ON THEM ALL

i didn't *hate* two of the scenes that a significant portion of the fandom felt were controversial/unnecessary at the time (rio getting shot at the end of s2 and the wire strip down scene in s4). sure there were some problematic elements to both, but i took the scenes with a grain of salt each, i guess.

to answer your second question, i never thought rio had a long term gf, and tbh it's news to me that that's a headcannon! i think he had a kid with a woman (with whom he was maybe serious with at one point) and they were co-parenting as best as they could given his... line of work lol. forever team brio, though i never *really* saw them as an endgame ~couple~. i more so envisioned them keeping up a crime colleagues with benefits-type relationship. y'know, the occasional bathroom hookup or mid-bbq fingering or car-smashing foreplay. as crime hubs/wives do.

[bulletbilltime]

Pikmin 4 verdict: Ok this is gonna be the best game in the series isn't it

Stray thoughts below:

SPOILERS FOR THE PIKMIN 4 DEMO BELOW

The caves are... actually interesting and well designed?? no more half-assed roguelike random cave attempts (sorry pik2 fans but that game's caves just cannot compete IMO)

That being said... I'm a bit disappointed so far that we're only seeing the same styles of caves as Pik2. They do look gorgeous though, mind you.

Industrial Maze was such a cool cave, simply by virtue of actually having a proper puzzle it's already my favourite cave in the series not named Submerged Castle.

Oatchi my beloved!!! he actually works way better with the game flow than I expected when I first saw him in the trailer. He doesn't feel too overpowered; he's basically an upgradable super pikmin but he doesn't ever particularly feel like he truly outshines the actual Pikmin. (Maybe he could if he gets all the upgrades but

YOU CAN FUCKIN MOVE BASES I'M FSBGFJKSHSAJKDLHS I WAS PRAYING TO THE GODS WE'D GET AN OPENWORLD PIKMIN GAME WITH MULTIPLE BASES AND IF THIS IS AS CLOSE AS WE GET I'M FINE WITH IT

The 20 pikmin in the overworld thing might feel super limiting after being used to squads of 100 piks in the previous games... But honestly I think it's a very inspired design choice! It makes it so the early game stuff can still wreck your shit if you're not careful. You can't just easily roll up with a squad of 100 piks on day 3 and destroy everything in your path. It allows for your in-game character to become progressively more powerful which I think is more satisfying in the long run

I love how you don't just automatically get the onion upon finding new Pikmin types. Makes them feel more precious. Basically: the wild pikmin mechanic is really neat! And it could allow for the return of Purple/Whites without feeling too unbalanced.

"Olimar is the fuckin leaf boy" basically confirmed. Question is: what's with Moss? My current theory is parasite pikmin are involved.

And speaking of... the wild pikmin mechanic means we could possibly get overworld bulbmin if they add them... if this happens, I imagine the entire fandom will go nuclear (in a good way)

If you look through the controls, the Form Line controls basically confirms that you will obtain some form of SWARMING as an upgrade!!! C-STICK FANS REJOICE (The text mentions cardinal directions only but I feel like the odds are high that you will be able to actually swarm your crew with this mechanic. I'd say 70-30 odds of it being true. Don't quote me on that. But if true, then fuck yeah)

Honeywisp is back 🥹

Collecting raw material is so much fun, and

I feel like this game is really leaning on fan service, but also manages to balance it with new things to make it feel fresh!

Someone said it felt like all 3 previous games mashed together and yeah I absolutely get that feeling

Very disappointed that they only have the co-op star bits thing. This game in genuine co-op would rule.

So far the music of the game doesn't quite strike me quite as strongly as the themes from the previous games. Hopefully this will change with time.

Is this game like... an alternate timeline to Pikmin 1? Moss was definitely NOT in Pikmin 1, and the story segment seems to hint that Olimar met Moss during that first crash... Giving the "bad ending" theorists more food IMO.......

This game really, really drags out the wait between Y/N landing on the planet and the first Pikmin huh. It felt a bit too much that you went through the first cave before even getting a single pikmin IMO.

I really like the crew in this game!! They're fun, though they do talk a lot and I could see that bothering some ppl.

Honestly I was super disappointed when I thought there were only 6 crewmates to find in the entire game... but then I found the first castaway and I was back to being excited

I like that you have a little base to meet ppl and discuss tasks!

One of the castaways I saved wrote notes on the Treasures I collected. This implies that we will probably get a biologist who will make notes on the creatures 👀

TL;DR: July 21st can't get here fast enough. The 2 hours or so I've played of this game is already my GOTY and it could genuinely challenge for GOAT (game of all time) if it sticks the landing with the rest of the game.

[asystemerror]

Al’s Silly Ooc Ask Game 2

I wanted to make a silly sequel with some questions I forgot to add in my last ask game. This is mainly focusing on This or That style questions or silly intractable ones that the anon can tailor to the mun (be evil and silly!) :3

[Og Here]

This or That:

Which do you prefer?

-Cats or dogs?

-Hot or Cool weather?

-Early Bird or Night Owl?

-Sweet or Sour?

-Tea or Coffee?

-Clutter or Tidy

Friend/Moot Appreciation:

Assign your pals silly things!

-How did you and (friend/moot’s name here) first meet?

-What do you associate with(friend/moot’s name here)? Why?

-Doodle (friend/moot’s name here) by memory/assign them a silly sona

-If you and (friend/moot’s name here) were isakaied into a story, which one do you think you two could survive the best?

Insert Topic Here:

Let the anons pick your brain!

-What is your favourite character in (insert fandom here)

-What is your least favourite character in (insert fandom here)

-What would you be in (insert genre)

-What do you think of (insert genre)

-Who would win in a fight? (Scrunkle A) or (Scrunkle B)?

-If you had a choice between 3 million (random item) or 3 million (other random item) what would you pick?