#and no where else in the series does he get so direct about women in general

[juniperpomegranate]

YES to all of this~

I have succumbed to another Some Like it Red rewatch, so here are the things I liked!

Ray tells Fraser to ask anyone about the nickname and then Fraser takes it literally and asks some random guy just to disprove Ray

Sister Annie's fuck you're a cop face

Mmmm whatcha say~

The fact no woman wants to help Ray and fake injuries. Ray, what have you done?

Elaine compliments Fraser's dress <3

Never forget Welsh was attracted to Ms Fraser

on another note, go Fraser for being more confident to set boundaries, the way he dismissed Welsh when he was putting his arm around him :D

and on another another note, I was pleasantly surprised they didn't follow up with a 'lol look at this dude attracted to a dude in a dress' gag. Welsh doesn't even come back. Good shit

Fraser crosses his legs <3

Fraser wants to know if teal or mustard works better (you got the right dress colour Fraser, it matches the purple!)

the fact Ms Fraser has a little heart pin for her scarf

at first I cringe at the 'child bearing years' bit, and then I think of it as Fraser channelling his grandmother because he's nervous to be in a classroom again

Baby Lesbian Melissa!

SCARF FLIP

Fraser being absolutely appalled by Ray thinking he's responsible for his ex-girlfriend becoming a nun

boing boing boing

"Fungus" :/

The Car Changing Scene(TM)

the dialogue with the mixed metaphor is chef's kiss

*honk* "Would you put that down?!"

again, they don't do the stupid gag when the jewellery store owner asks if Ray and Fraser are the girl's parents. It's taken seriously like any question

OPEN THE DOOR FOR HER RAY

the girls are gonna run away together ;_;

Ray having a moment of questioning his sexuality for two seconds when he's dancing with Fraser

THE DANCE

how did they absolutely nail the awkwardness of the gym dance

*hair flip* "Grading papers indeed"

this is the second episode where Fraser uses men's sexism to kick ass

THE SCOTCH

That last bit... Ray. Ray, c'mere, I wanna talk to you. Ray let me talk to you RAY

As always, feel free to add to the list!

[atinystraynstay]

Pretty Boy Rock - Yoon Jeonghan

Synopsis: Every girl in your office swooned over Yoon Jeonghan besides you. Yet, Jeonghan always liked a challenge.

Pairing: Colleague!Yoon Jeonghan x fem. reader

Genre: "I won't fall for you because everyone else does" girl meets the "I get whoever I want" boy

Inspired by @aaniag - thanks for tagging me in this post ♡ this is only the second one so we still have a long way to go!

First Encounters Mini Series: #1: #2: #3: #4: Wonwoo #5: Jeonghan #6: #7: #8: Dino

Word Count: 2k

Friday afternoon, 12:25pm

"Did you see what Jeonghan is wearing today?" "Girl, how could I not notice? My attention was all over his slacks." "The front or the back?"

Oh god. Give me a fucking break.

If there was one thing you hated, it was gossip around the office. Especially when it came in the form of girls basically drooling over one of your colleagues, Yoon Jeonghan. And of all places, they decided to take their little thirst fest into the break room.

"You know, there is something that I noticed," you said, popping into the conversation.

Immediately, heads snapped towards your direction. You were a bit taken back by the abrupt movement, fearing that their own heads would fall off. Either because they didn't realize you were in the room or they were interested in what you out of all people had to say. You were one of the few survivors of the trance Jeonghan seemed to place over your female colleagues. And if you had something to say regarding the matter, they surely were interested.

You couldn't help but smile slightly as you set down your silverware. The element of surprise had to be on your side here. You just had come in to enjoy your salad, but why not enjoy a show?

All the women leaned in, anticipating for what you might have to say. Your eyes glanced from side to side, as if you were scooping the scene to make sure there were no unwanted listeners. Getting the hint, the women leaned further in to hear the secret you were about to spill.

Time to go in the for the kill. In the loudest voice you could possible muster, you said the following:

"The way you talk about Jeonghan is quite disgusting. You hate when the men in the office talk about your skirts or how tight your blouses, but here you are drooling over Jeonghan in just a pair of pants? Pathetic. Close your mouths, ladies, or you might flood the office."

The small group gasped at you, eyes glaring at you but also glancing around to make sure nobody had looked in their direction. Their faces red in embarrassment as you smirked triumphantly.

Being the polite person you are, you bowed your head gently to pardon yourself. Gathering all the trash from your lunch, you threw it away and was about to make your exit.

"You're just upset that you're not Jeonghan's type," one of the woman muttered.

You couldn't help but laugh at their claim. You turned towards the group who seemed to be mustering all the courage they could to stand up to you. At the same time, you raised an eyebrow and had your hands on your hips. Do they really think their words will hurt you?

"Oh no! What will I ever do?" You said dramatically. "At least I don't live in some delusion where me and my friends are all after the same guy? I mean, he can only pick one of you. Or worse, he picks none of you."

Their eyes widened and mouths dropped at your words. Don't mess with the bull or you might get the horns. They seemed to be trying to come up with another comeback, but all you could do was walk away. Not worth wasting your breath on them.

You began to make your way back to your cubicle. You still had a few reports you needed to get done with before you could close out for the weekend. It wasn't that you hated your job. If anything, you kind of liked the routine it put you in. You even were beginning to be handed more responsibilities like leading presentations and joining brainstorming sessions for different marketing campaigns.

You definitely didn't have the time to be oogling over the looks of Yoon Jeonghan.

As you settled back at your dress, you let out a sigh. As invested as you were in the work you were doing, you couldn't help but feel as if time was dragging now that it was towards the later part of the day. Just 3 more hours.

"Well look who it is," a voice called out.

The hairs on the back of your neck rose a bit. You recognized that voice anywhere. Your attention was locked on the computer monitor in front of you, thinking that if you ignore the interruption it would just go away naturally. That was until you felt like something was looming over.

With a narrow gaze, you looked up to see the devil himself - Yoon Jeonghan. His arms rested against the top of your cubicle wall. You realy thought you had been silent enough to get back to work without alerting the beast. But by judging by the smirk curled on his lips, you knew he had been waiting for you. The black tie was loose around his neck with the sleeves of his white button up were rolled up to his forearms.

"Missed you, darling." "What can I do to help you, Mr. Yoon?" You did your best to keep a montone voice.

You didn't want to give any sort of impression you could be into what is happening.

"Mr. Yoon? What is with the formalies, y/n?" He gasped. "Well, I'm here to do my job and not entertain whatever this is," you explained.

"Is it actually that harmful for a man to be friendly?" "But what's the catch?" "Go out with me."

Your eyes widened and you nearly laughed. He frowned at your reaction but still stood his ground. There was no need to give any indicator that his ego had deflated a bit. He was not used to someone being so upfront with their rejection, normally accustomed to a shy "I don't know." But you were different. There was a reason he did this little waltz with you.

You and Jeonghan have been working together since you joined the company last year. He was technically someone in your department that could have been a mentor, but you were quickly swayed away by his flirtatious manner. Seeing that you were not dropping on your knees, begging for his attention, Jeonghan saw the challenge and knew he could beat it. There was a way to get into your heart, no matter how icy and impenetrable you wanted to come across.

He would crack the code, one way or another.

"I don't think it's a joke, doll. We're two attractive people. Come on. One meal couldn't hurt you." "Jeonghan, being in the same room as you is sometimes insufferable. How do I even know you don't want to go out with me because someone else was busy, hmm? I mean, weren't you just coupled up with the receptionist?" "Couldn't be fit into her Google Calendar."

You rolled your eyes at his response before dropping your gaze back down to your computer. You pretended to be typing away at one of the numerous documents you had pulled open, hoping it was enough for Jeonghan to get the hint.

However, he could tell you weren't budging quite yet. He also picked up on your little act as your screen was completely black. The brightness from the screen wasn't reflecting onto your face whatsoever. Still, he found you absolutely adorable.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. This is unprofessional of me, y/n. I'll leave you be."

Fucking finally.

Monday morning, 8:59am

Ding

Your heels clicked along the tile flooring of your office. It poured during your commute into work, which caused you to be stuck behind more traffic than usual. You didn't always mind, but it just put you in a foul mood. Especially since you had to sacrifice your Monday morning coffee run. It was ritual for you, and now the whole week felt like it was just off balance.

"Woah y/n. Your bad mood seems to have brought the bad weather," a voice called out to you.

Your gaze narrowed in the direction the voice came from. Your hair was slightly damped as you had to run into the front of the building from your parking spot because of course you didn't think it was going to run and didn't bring an umbrella with you.

Looking over, you noticed it was one of the girls from the break room on Friday. You rolled your eyes to refrain yourself from sticking up your middle finger. You just offered a polite smile before marching to your desk. As you moved, you heard her and her friends giggling at you. This is why you despised any sort of office relationship.

"Hey, y/n. You okay?" Jeonghan called out.

You were about to enter your cubicle when you saw Jeonghan overlooking your cubicle again. Your jacket rested on the back of your chair. it would be a miracle if it dried at all before the end of the day. You were also grateful you had a pair of flats you could change into in attempt to save your soaked shoes too. Plus, it as a good excuse to slip out of heels. You didn't mind wearing them but always valued comfort over appearance.

"Yeah," you murmured.

Usually, you would expect a snide comment from Jeonghan. Or a flirty attempt in righting the situation. But there was nothing. It cause you to freeze and look up to see what was going on. Jeonghan was only staring at you with almost a friendly smile on his face. Not a smirk but a smile.

You wanted to question it, but as you were calming down from your hectic morning, something else caught your attention. An iced coffee was sitting on your desk with a winky face on it. What the fuck?

You opened your mouth to question it but looked at Jeonghan instead. In response, he winked at you before slipping behind the wall that divided the two of you.

Standing there, you felt something unusual throughout your body. You felt warm and tingly, especially in your stomach. Your heart was doing somersaults. It was comparable to in cartoons when the heart leaps out of the character's chest. You stared at the coffee, specifically at the marker drawn winky face staring back at you.

Jeonghan did this? For me?

Your eyes couldn't help but wonder to see if this was a prank or if there was a hidden camera. Jeonghan still wasn't lurking in his usual spot. You also noticed that nobody else had an iced coffee on their desk awaiting for them. A blush overtook your cheeks, but you quickly sat down before anyone noticed.

Reaching forward, you moved the plastic container towards you to see it was from the local coffee shop you frequent. It was the place you went every Monday morning, the place you had to skip out on today or else you would be late. But what struck you was that he got your exact order.

Your blush intensified. You kept your head ducked as you took a sip out of the delicious drink. There was no denying the smile on your face wasn't just because of the coffee but because of Yoon Jeonghan.

And on the other side of the wall, Jeonghan was smirking to himself. He got his computer turned on before going to make himself a cup of coffee from the break room. He didn't often frequent coffee shops as they often didn't have decaf coffee. When he walked into the place around the corner from your office building, he asked the woman behind the corner if you had been in yet. Saying no and noting how odd it was, Jeonghan seized the opportuntiy. He asked for your usual order and requested a winky face drawn on it.

"Are you her boyfriend? She's mentioned there's a guy she's interested in at her place of work."

That's all the encouragement Jeonghan needed to go through with his plan. He shook his head but smiled at the barista. "No, not yet. I'm hoping this catches her attention."

And by the looks of your blushing face, he was close to winning you over. He always gets what he wants, and he certainly had his eyes locked on you.

[brynn-lear]

a/n: I won't be writing a oneshot about this since I already have a yan!capitano fic series I'm committing to, but I might randomly post about this idea more every now and then lol. tagging this AU as #the captain and his duchess

Yandere noble!Capitano who couldn't stop asking Fem Tutor!Darling to spar with him. With the weight of his inheritance, █████ must strive to be as great— if not greater— of a Captain like his father, the Duke.

But before he gained his infamous strength, you were his beloved mentor. You were a prodigy in swordsmanship with high confidence to boot. Hence, you gleefully accepted the Duke's request to tutor his eldest son. Coming from a minor noble household with only a title to uphold and not much else to boast, it's only natural to grasp unto that opportunity. It just so happened you've been clearing off competitions, and the duke has a good eye. Your parents, bless their souls, wouldn't dissuade you from your decision. Pride meant nothing when there's not even food scraps on the table. With a heart that still bleeds for the misfortune of those around you, you set off on horseback alone.

Whoever it was you were expecting to teach, it certainly wasn't a terrified noble hiding behind a helmet. Young █████ was not to blame. He carries the same dignified moral compass as his house, but he was ill-prepared to talk to people other than his family and servants. In fact, you couldn't get a word out of him as soon as you're done assessing his skill level with a first match.

Much to be desired, but the foundation is there.

... Perhaps you were too harsh with your phrasing.

"Young master," you shook your head, knocking on his door. "I couldn't teach you if you scamper about- hiding like meek prey in the closest room you'd burrow yourself in."

█████ didn't made a sound. You sighed. Truthfully, you wondered if you had done something to offend. It couldn't possibly be due to fear of authority. You're 21 and he's 19, not to mention that he is to be future sovereign Duke of Snezhnaya while you're not even reserved a seat in the council.

"F-Forgive him, Lady (Y/n)!" Elena squeaked. "He's not usually like this. I believe this is because..."

You raised an eyebrow. "Because...?"

The maid hurriedly shook her head, heat crawling up her neck. "N-No, I mustn't say. As a servant, I would step out of line."

"I'm pretty good at keeping secrets, you know?" You grinned. Skillfully, you placed a hand on the wall, leaning closer as if cornering her. You tucked the few stray strands of her hair behind her ear. "I'm not from this House, I wouldn't scold you for a little bit of sin."

She looked extremely offended. Suppose you should've expected that much from the most honorable Harbinger House's staff.

"I'm inclined to believe that this young maid's hypothesis requires no detective to solve."

You both looked to the direction of the voice. It was Prince Zandik, cousin to █████ and heir to the throne. Though to both of you, you are his most favorite gladiator and he is your best sponsor.

"Greetings, Zandik. You appear just about anywhere, huh? Are you sure you're not pulling my leg about the secret twin rumors?"

"Not one for tact, as always. But that's just how I like you, Lady (Y/n)."

Elena looked at you incredulously, wondering just where on earth did you find the audacity to refer to the Prince without proper decorum. Zandik doesn't seem sensitive to your lack of sensibility. You and Zandik have been friends since childhood was never a secret, but those who would recently find this resurfacing fact never fail to act surprised.

"I'd ask you why you're here, but the answer would be dull and overly verbose." You feigned a yawn, which made Zandik chuckle. "So, instead, why don't you tell me what you know about this █████ situation? Does he fear women?"

Zandik schooled his expression, but you can almost just about hear him say that's your best guess?

"█████ has never been one for sublime subtlety." Zandik rolled his eyes. "He admires you greatly, couldn't you tell?"

"Me? And greatly?" You scoffed. "Please, he'd outpace me with just a few lessons.

Zandik laughed. You both knew that to be true, but the future isn't quite as close to that prediction.

"Since the day I discreetly snatched him from his quarters to observe one of your sparring sessions, he has maintained a keen interest in tracking your career." The Prince remarked. "Do you recall the first bouquet of roses you've received?"

"I wasn't meant to be the recipient, do not reopen old wounds." You cringed. It was an unfortunate mistake from the messenger.

"Forgive me, I meant the second bouquet you received." He crossed his arms. "One from a secret admirer who curtly explained how he couldn't bear to see the sadness from your face and made it his honorable responsibility to buy you a larger bouquet."

You blinked.

"N-No way. I'm pretty sure that's from, um, my father."

"Buy you the most expensive bouquet in Snezhnaya? With what money?"

... A cruel but fair point.

"He even dons the same headwear as you do— the helmet he would rarely take off, did you not find it identical to your own?"

You paused.

... Wait a second.

"Well, I shall remove myself from this conversation. I have dull and overly verbose matters to attend to."

"Zandik, halt!"

[noxturnalnymph]

Devotion 🖤 Epilogue

CultLeader!Joel x OFC!Reader

Series Summary: When is it enough? When is it too much? When does Devotion become Obsession?

Visit the Series Masterlist for series warnings, cult info, timeline info, and HCs on ages. Reader has a nickname and some minor physical descriptions - is an OFC from Reader POV.

Thank you all SO MUCH for reading. Thank you to everyone who supported me and listened to me babble about this series since December. Thank you to all the readers who messaged me, commented, liked, reblogged, etc. I see every single one of you and I appreciate you so much. I injected a LOT of my own experiences and trauma directly into this story, and it meant a lot to me to be able to share it with you all. Whatever you're going through or whatever you've been through - you are a survivor, you are enough, and you can save yourself. Writing this has been such a journey and it wasn't always easy, but it was always worth it. xoxo

PREVIOUS

Epilogue

Some Summer Sunday (900) Sunday service is a regular occurrence for you and Joel, and the church gets more crowded every week. You've been noticing the building filling up with people of all faiths, packing in the pews until there’s only standing room left, and then lining the walls. Joel tells you residents from all over The Valley make the trek into town every weekend to see you but you’re pretty sure he’s just being complimentary. Guys say all kinds of shit when they’re trying to get in your pants so when he acts like everyone thinks you’re the holy madonna you just chalk it up to that. 

He’s asked you to wear a nice outfit today in preparation for a big announcement, so you’re wearing a flowy yellow gown with a little too much tulle in the skirt and feeling like a tragically awkward beauty queen. You’re worried he’s going to make a big deal of the greenhouse plans and you’re going to have to stand there while everyone - including Isaac - stares at you, waiting for you to make some kind of speech like you just won a humanitarian award. 

You don’t want to be raised aloft like some kind of goddess, that was where Joel made his mistake. You think it’s more effective to meet people on their level, to just act human and blend in with the group. People like having something to believe in but as long as they’re being taken care of and heard, they work better as a collective. Plus, when something goes wrong there’s not someone risen above everyone else for them to direct blame at, instead everyone just works together towards a solution to the problem.

But what Joel does on this day is even worse than you could have imagined. He asks you to join him in the thick, sweltering summer heat, standing in front of the maxed-out congregation and then, holding your hand in his, he gets down on one knee. Your brows knit in confusion and you’re honestly about to ask him if he’s okay until he pulls something out of his pocket. A ring. A fucking ring. Several women in the crowd gasp and squeal, and a smattering of clapping makes the rounds. 

You can’t believe he’s doing this to you right now.

“I want to give you everything I have, to share everything with you.”

You’re going to die of embarrassment.

“I want your partnership, your company, and your sage wisdom.”

No, he’s going to die. You’re going to kill him.

“I want your mind, your heart, and your body.”

Jesus fuck-, in a church, Joel? 

“I will spend the rest of my life loving, honoring, and obeying you.”

Did he just say-

“Baby,” he winks. “Marry me.”

That wasn’t even a question. He just ordered you to-

The crowd erupts in applause as Joel rises and places the ring on your finger, grabbing both sides of your face and kissing your mouth.

“I didn’t say yes,” you murmur against his lips.

“But you will. You know we’re perfect for each other” he says, looking deep into your eyes. He whispers your name. “I’m so in love with you.”

Words that you once wanted to hear so badly still carry an edge to them, a phantom sting in your gut from an old wound he made.

“You just said you’d obey me in front of everyone,” you say, your voice a whisper.

“I know,” he hums. “And I will.”

This is a lot. You let your guard down at the house, when you’re all alone. You let him hold you and kiss you and fuck you on every surface... but in public? You raise your walls back up, barely letting him touch you. Now he’s proposing marriage - marriage - and practically submitting to you in front of the whole Valley.

“What if I still don’t trust you?” you ask, your voice even quieter.

“That’s one of the things I love most about you.”

This is so fucked up. You know this, you know how fucked up this is. This is so fucked up that you should push him away and tell everyone exactly what kind of man he is, create a mob to distract him while you run away and leave this valley permanently. Tess would probably even help you this time. But the most fucked up thing of all is that you don’t want to do that, you don’t want to leave him. Part of you might hate him but there’s a part of you that loves him too. 

Not the way you loved him before, of course, when you were willfully ignorant of who he was. There’s a part of you that loves the Joel you now know he is. The anger, the power, the obsession. It rolls off him in waves that you can taste and smell, like a thick incense it fills your nostrils, intoxicating you. It makes you crave his violent nature, makes you want to sick him on your enemies like a junkyard dog, makes you want to climb him like a tree and howl at the moon. It makes you feel… exalted. 

“Marry me,” he says again. Just as much a command as it was the first time.

You look him in his dark eyes and nod slightly, watching his devilish smile grow.

You’re not going anywhere. You’re exactly where you belong… at his side.

🖤

THE END

Thank you SO MUCH to Bug for stepping in and helping me when I needed it, you are always fucking there when I need you and your friendship means so much to me I can't even put it into words. I love you I love you I love you. TY Beef for helping me in this process and for your amazing suggestions, encouragement, and absolute hyping up along the way. I am SO grateful for your friendship, you are such a ray of sunshine. I love you so so SO much. 🖤Cult Joel (CJ) would not be what he came to be without both of your help.🖤

no taglists going forward - follow @nox-notifs & turn on notifs🫶

TAGLIST @strang3lov3 @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin @covetyou @iamasaddie @sr-lrn @clawdee @theywhowriteandknowthings @beefrobeefcal @merz-8 @pinkypromisepascal @alltheseperfectimperfections @survivingandenduring @afraidtofear @millennial-teenybopper @missladym1981 @xdaddysprincessxx @lumoverheaven @ghoulettesinspace @brittmb115 @wintersquirrel @obscurexsorrows @littlevenicebitch69 @lulawantmula @pedroswife69 @joeldjarin @heimtathurss @untamedheart81 @pixielou5 @feel1n-h1gh @elegantduckturtle @koshkaj-blog @vickie5446 @lilipads @macaroni676

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Jake Sim's Perspective Reading

On to the next person for this reading series. I will say his energy is not as easy to break through as Heeseung, as for Heeseung I got messages rather quickly, but for him, there is a harder layer to get through here. Now, I don't only channel through cards, but I also can get messages, during this whole process. I also meditate on the energy to see if anything comes through as well.

Now, for these readings I do like to think of a main theme song, like I did for Heeseung. Although, he quickly gave me one. I had to dig to find one for Jake. the song that popped up was Hold My Heart by Sara Bareillas, with the lyrics, "I'm crying, is anybody listening, does anyone know how to hold my heart." This could indicate he wasn't emotionally nurtured growing up, yup going there, or he doesn't feel anyone understands his hurt or pain. So, we'll see if this has relevance throughout this reading. I also got the message hardened soul, which can indicate he is a hard shell to crack.

I am also seeing the Strength card in my mind when I think of him. Now the card I am thinking of is the card that popped up in that reading that showed a need to overpower women. What I am getting is there is some insecurity here that stems from not getting the support or validation from his Mom (all alleged, no facts) Going with what I am getting. I hate getting this feeling or going too personal, but it may be the only way to explain his side of things, so got to go there. Now his energy is pulling me to do the heavier decks first, unlike Heeseung, so we are going to start off strong, I guess.

So, I like to elaborate on the things I said about his Mom. I won’t say she was a bad Mom, but parents are human, and they may not always provide the emotional support and validation a child needs. This may be the case here, so this may be where his insecurity stems from. Which then gives him this need to want to overpower women. I do feel he isn’t aware of this or has addressed this as it can take a while to heal childhood wounds. I just felt the need to express this as this will help understand him a bit better and where he is coming from.

So, I am getting he tries to hide his true colors, maybe this has to do with his insecurities, but I am also getting this struggle to face himself. It is like he molds himself into something or tries to fit a mold. He cages himself in. His inability to face himself and show his true colors can lead him astray, or lead to disastrous results. It is like he falls for the trap each and every time, an endless cycle. Women can be tempting for him, maybe someone to conquer. Maybe they are a trigger for him, but how he is with women is a lesson he needs to learn. His relationships may trigger childhood wounds, as all romantic relationships will do, but for him it is a huge lesson for him. This is what he should work on healing, if not, his relationships will not end well for him and create despair for him. I am getting a lot of cards of showing a facade for him. There is a strong insecurity here, and that his need to show a better version of himself, even though he is flawed, seems to be very important to him. There could be some pent-up anger, or passive aggressiveness with him. I do see him being cool, calm, collected most of the time, but out of nowhere blow up and get very upset. Honestly, I do this too. It comes from lacking emotional maturity, calling myself out here too. I feel there could be anger he may have of someone, but may direct it at someone else, this could relate to romantic relationships. This could also be pent up frustrations from his childhood that he hasn't resolved.

I am not really sure he ever felt protected, and there is this need to protect his energy. I agree, his energy gives me way too much information, please work on protecting it! Although physically he can shield himself, energetically he is an open book. I am just getting there wasn't a gentle, loving protective figure in his life. There is a lot of stuck energy this boy has, and if energy is contained and gets stuck it could lead to illnesses, so he may want to work on clearing out this energy. I agree his energy is stuck, because every time I read for him, the same strong message pops up. There is a message for him to work on healing and integrate this into his life. I really wish I knew this boy in real life, so I could tell him all this. He really needs to heal his wounds, if not, he will have a battle with who he is and how he may treat relationships with women. Healing work/shadow work is very hard, but it needs to be done to become a better and happier person. I just keep seeing the card Fated to Suffer from my one deck in my head, he did get that card. This means that may be his fate if he doesn't heal. I would suggest for him to practice mediation, this may be helpful for him on his healing journey.

He utilizes his career as an idol to gain this validation he craves. He craves the attention. But for him to transcend and reach a higher level of awareness he should work on healing, yup lots of cards of healing here coming up for him. There is something about giving and receiving love in a healthy manner. To find value in his loving relationships, but also find value and love within himself. Not sure he has much love for himself either. He will need to release the skeletons he has, do some shadow work to remove the stagnant energy that keeps him in a loop. Okay, I will finish off with some Tarot cards, because it just seems there is repeated themes here. Which means this is important lesson for him to learn.

Jesus, they really want to stress the importance of his connections. He got all cups from this deck, so yeah, this shows he is a very sensitive and emotional persons and that connections he has will teach him a lot about himself. So, I am using a deck with keywords on the card, and for the 2 of cups he got, the keywords intimate connections and romantic connections stick out, this indicates relationships will be important to him on his life journey. I can see him being very heavily influenced by his emotions. So, I also got a card with Pisces energy, the words that stick out are, overly emotional, sensitive, romantic, moodiness and can't let go. These could be things he may need to address with how he goes about things. And last, he got the King of Cups, which is an emotionally stable card, which is great. Generally, he is pretty emotionally stable, caring, loving and compassionate. He can be very intuned with his emotions, but this energy can also create a barrier to their emotions, so it can be hard to get deeper with him. So, he might make it hard to penetrate through to deeper levels of him.

Okay, so I was drawn to another deck as well, now why they drew me to this?, because girl, he isn't seeing this, and this deck is for your own personal journey, but maybe they want you to know. So, once again, another card about validation is popping up, the card wants him to recognize that validation is within himself, not externally, so it is important to seek validation from within, his validation is enough. And once again, another card of him needing to release some things, be it negative and limited thoughts about himself, or self-criticism he may have. He should create an open space filled with love, abundance, positivity and opportunities. They also suggest him doing morning rituals or practices that help him tune in to himself *cough* mediation I am guessing. He should take space for himself first thing. He should not rush first thing or look online first thing in the morning. But focus more on what is going on with him and be still for a bit, before going about his day. I know that will probably be hard for him, but that is what I got.

Okay, this was long. This wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be, wasn't too bad. I am glad I did this, because I felt I humanized him a bit more here, because my readings of him put him in a negative light and that is not my intention, so hopefully this sheds light on him.

[canonmisogynyvictimstournament]

PROPAGANDA

ATHENA CYKES (ACE ATTORNEY)

1.) Despite supposedly being the MAIN CHARACTER of the game she was introduced in, she somehow still always ends up playing second fiddle to Phoenix and Apollo, to the point where she isn’t allowed to take the lead on even so much as a single case. Instead of the senior lawyers standing to the side in a mentorship role like they do for literally EVERY OTHER PLAYABLE CHARACTER, Phoenix and Apollo keep stepping in to outright take over for her. She literally does not make it through even a single case without needing some male character or other to swoop in and hold her hand every step of the way, not only Phoenix and Apollo but once even Blackquill, her rival prosecutor, as well.

Why? It has nothing whatsoever to do with her competence level. It’s a video game; her competence is determined by the player’s, just like everybody else. It seems like the writers just couldn’t STAND the thought of her doing anything on her own, or thought that the players would walk out en masse if it wasn’t the Phoenix and Apollo Show every second of gameplay. (And yeah, it DOES sometimes take me some time to warm up to new characters, but that was the case for Apollo too! At least give me the CHANCE to judge her on her own merits rather than assuming that I’ll immediately write her off!) Like, why did you even WRITE this character if you think so little of her?

2.) WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN. She’s introduced in the middle of a male characters “trilogy” (Apollo justice) so the story is never about her. She appears in aa5 only to NEVER headline her own case IN HER INTRODUCTORY GAME and always fail unless a man comes in and saves her. Her own story is sidelined for Apollos. Next game, she only really appears in one case that’s a throwaway and still can’t do shit on her own. Ugh. She deserved to be treated better, more competent, etc.

3.) my girl is an attorney and a practicing psychologist at age 18 (youngest defense lawyer in the series) & is often shown to be more competent than her male colleagues, and yet is constantly pushed out/sidelined/generally treated like an assistant character rather than a lawyer (the assistant position in these games is usually reserved for characters who don’t have law degrees/are generally not educated enough to understand the courtroom proceedings to their full extent. athena is none of those things but she gets treated the same way by the game because. well. we know why.) Instead of being the main playable attorney in her debut game, the story is taken over by her male colleague (WHO ALREADY HAD A WHOLE GAME DEDICATED TO HIS BULLSHIT BTW) & her development is ignored in favor of his in both her debut game AND her second game. Even when her backstory IS explored it’s done via a male family friend of hers, meaning even when her OWN story is being told it’s not even about her it’s about simon’s lame ass. for extra context here in her debut game she is only the playable attorney in one case out of five, while the other (male) playable attorneys were playable in all or all-but-one of the cases in THEIR debut games. capcom hates women sooooo bad

KOTORI MIZUKI/TORI MEADOWS (YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL)

1.) first: ygo zexal is directed (and partially written) by known misogynist shin yoshida who is on record as saying that he would Never write female characters if he wasn’t being forced to by higher-ups. kotori’s voice actor signed a legal contract forcing him to include her character in Every Single Episode. she gets no duels that aren’t tag duels (2v2 duels), one of those is interrupted in the middle and all others she both loses, aren’t even shown in full, and all happen in the same episode. she is literally contractually required to be a major character and the dude in charge still point blank refuses to do anything with her despite the fact that she’s supposed to be the female lead of the series. please take pity on her for being handed to one of the worst people in the world and how despite the active attempts by other people to make her relevant in the story she was still denied that

2.) She only dueled once in the whole show and it was when she was brainwashed. Her main role is to only cheer the male protag on and say his name during his duels I guess.

[vigilskeep]

Out of curiosity, what direction would you have taken Cullen's character in Inquisition? Or would you have included him at all? :3

oh man well

first of all i’m not sure i’m the best person to answer the question because i am profoundly uninterested in cullen. even in dao, his most cohesive appearance by a mile, where he features in my favourite origin, he um... he sure is there! he serves his narrative purpose! i don’t know what else to say

more in the spirit of actually answering your question, i think dragon age inquisition is as fundamentally incapable of making good use of cullen as a game that would make cullen part of its main squad inherently must be. dragon age inquisition is not capable of breaking down what is wrong with the templars, which is why you get... i don’t know why people call it a redemption arc even in quotation marks. he just shows up. he still supports the templars, and would rather you go to them, who shouted you down in the street, than the mages, who by all appearances straight up invite you over. he has not had to face the consequences of his work in the templar order or his treatment of mages; for all intents and purposes, from his perspective, all he did wrong was not notice that his knight-commander was an anomaly who was crazy. he is fundamentally the exact same guy who told me to my face mages were not people, except he’s polite about it now, because this is dragon age inquisition and we all just need to shut up and come together to defeat the Real Problems. it is completely canonically possible for him to have taken part in two circle annulments, one of which he personally instigated. dragon age inquisition does not care!

so to take cullen in a decent direction for his character—if you insisted on bothering to include him in yet another game at all—you would have to be writing him in a different game than the one where the hero has no choice but to lead an organisation with cassandra and cullen at their side, where every challenge to that organisation’s divine purpose is laughed off. (meanwhile one seemingly humble elven apostate, who actually has entirely other concerns, is the only compulsory mage. no rebel aligned mages are even optional companions in the game.)

i am interested in what it would theoretically take to write a compelling ex templar character. my own inquisitor is an ex templar! dragon age is a series designed to challenge your ideas of what backgrounds allies can come from, and designed to throw in your face that, for better or worse, good or evil, everyone on every side is also a person who believes they have their own reasons to do what they do. but if you wanted the ex templar character to be cullen, you have to challenge the foundations of his beliefs as a templar. you have to make him... actually regret being a templar? criticise the templars for anything other than imperfect service to the chantry and impolite wording of their deadly prejudices? you might even want to consider centring his personal quest on, hey, the terrible things he’s done and believed, not on the harm to the poor little stoic self-sacrificing templars

sorry this is coming across a little aggressive. you see why i’m the wrong person for the job. i don’t like cullen and he was an antagonistic force in the previous two games who my characters felt personally threatened by. i don’t see why i have to swallow that he’s one of the good guys now without him facing a single consequence, much like cassandra, who was introduced interrogating my friend. (but hey, this religious army has good intentions!) and i certainly don’t see why you would not only do all that but make him the face of a ludicrously flat, wish fulfillment romance only available for women of the conventionally attractive races (available for circle mages! with a throwaway line about how she’s not like the other girls to address it!) to get straight married and settle down with a dog and a picket fence. (i’m not saying there is no place for wish fulfillment romances whose only stumbling block is cutesy awkwardness. but that’s not what dragon age is for! where’s the teeth! it’s representative of a wider tone change in dai that i deeply dislike and if i get onto it i’m going to make this post so long. and with this man?)

idk i think cullen should have been the rogue templar breaking rules to hunt wardens in awakening and sigrun should’ve got to cut his head off. the end. that’s my ideal. sorry again

[endless-summer-soldier]

dr. feelgood - chapter six

pairing: Surgeon!Bucky x SurgicalIntern!Reader

summary: Y/N has a one night stand with a handsome stranger the night before starting her new job as a surgical intern. Little does she know, the handsome stranger also happens to be her new boss

warnings: must be 18+, drinking, some surgery descriptions, smut, self-pleasure, praise kink, very minor character death, unprotected sex, rough sex

Word count: 1.8k

series playlist: here

taglist: @sebsgirl71479 @ozwriterchick @notmeddy @drewsuncrustables @lokidokieokie @hextech-bros @nats-whore @m4nulup1n @arcanebabe @tanyaspartak @jackiehollanderr @princezzjasmine @fallenlilangel99 @pono-pura-vida @mavrellover91 @milanaasblog @helluvapimp @almosttoopizza @esposadomd @charmedbysarge @theroyalmanatee @zannemes​​(message me to be added!)

series masterlist

Bucky walked into Pym’s and approached the table near the dartboard where his two best friends were currently sitting.

“Now that's what I call a good day’s work,” Bucky smiled.

Steve slid a bottle of Yuengling over to him and Bucky took a long swig, savoring the crisp malty flavor that caressed his taste buds. The three of them recounted the highs and lows of the day as if it was a drunken night out, smiling at their success. 

As soon as Y/N walked in, Bucky’s participation in the conversation ended due to his current distraction. He hoped that she might show up. It took her a few steps past the door to lock eyes with him. She gave a shy smile and waved, but continued on to the bar. It was only then that he realized Steve and Sam had seen the whole interaction.

“It’s a little inappropriate to think about sex during surgery, don’t you think?” Sam said, clearly directing the question toward Bucky.

Bucky shook his head, returning to reality, “What are you talking about?”

“Buck, you were making bedroom eyes at her all day,” Steve added.

“I was not!”

“I mean, she was making them too. So they must’ve hooked up already,” Sam mused.

“We-”

“She called you Buck,” Steve added.

“Only your closest friends and your girlfriends call you Bucky. Everyone else at the hospital calls you Barnes”

Bucky sighed, knowing he’d been caught.

“Tell us what happened,” Steve asked, settling in to hear him out.

Bucky looked toward his two friends and knew he couldn’t get out of this. He sighed, “She’s the mystery girl.”

Sam’s jaw dropped and Steve looked at Bucky in disbelief, “The mystery girl?”

After he spent the night with Y/N, he told Sam and Steve about the amazing girl he had met at the bar. What he did not mention was the interaction he had with Y/N later that day when he ran into her at the hospital.

“When I told you guys about her, I genuinely didn’t know who she was. And then I saw her at the hospital and realized she was an intern. I’ve been trying to figure out my next move ever since.”

“So you haven’t hooked up since then?” Steve asked.

“Wellllll…she did pull me into an on call room.”

“That little minx!” Sam chuckled, peeking towards Y/N. 

“But she was very clear that she doesn't want it to happen again.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Steve chimed in. “She was undressing you with her eyes all day.”

“Which is why I don’t know what to do.”

“You know what to do, go talk to her,” Sam replied, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“And say what?”

Both Sam and Steve looked at him incredulously. 

“Since when do you need help talking to women?” Steve commented.

“Y/L/N must really be something else. I’ve never seen you like this,” Sam added.

“This is not helping.”

“Just go talk to her!” Steve said, giving him a gentle shove toward the bar. One of the other interns had just left and there was a free seat open next to Y/N. Bucky chugged the rest of his beer before approaching the empty seat.

“Is it a tequila night or a whiskey night?” he asked her, hovering over her shoulder.

“Definitely tequila.”

Bucky flagged down Scott and ordered them two tequilas. He placed the shot glasses garnished with limes in front of them, along with a salt shaker to complete the routine.

Bucky took Y/N’s hand and gently licked a spot on the back of her hand between her thumb and index finger. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with a shocked expression. He returned her gaze with a smirk and carefully poured the salt onto her hand.

“That,” she said, looking from her hand back up toward him, “was not appropriate.” Although she was scolding him, the look in her eye was playful.

“How about you do me and we’ll call it even?” He presented his hand toward her. She held his stare for a moment before giving in and slowly licking the back of his hand. Then she picked up the shaker and poured salt onto his hand.

“Are you guys going to take these shots or just make eyes at each other all night?” Scott called, with his boyish grin. 

“Easy there Scott, you’ve got some very loyal customers here,” Bucky retorted. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…” he waved them off, attending to another patron.

Bucky pulled the lime off the rim of his glass with his salted hand, then picked up the shot glass with his free hand and Y/N did the same. 

“To good days?” Bucky proposed, holding up his glass.

Y/N nodded, “To good days.” She tapped her glass to his and they both licked the salt, took the shot, and bit into the lime wedges.

“Ugh, I hate tequila,” Bucky said, placing what was left of the lime wedge into the shot glass.

“What!?” she turned toward him. “Why did you order it then?”

“Because I know you love it.” He took the seat next to her and ordered them a couple of beers to wash the flavor of agave from their tongues.

“I have to commend you on saving the day today,” he said.

“I was just doing my job,” she replied.

“Yes, but you outsmarted four attendings.”

She blushed, “I’m sure you would’ve caught it. You knew there was something missing.”

“You were also amazing with the patient. I don’t think anyone else could’ve kept him calm.”

“He was hardly calm,” she retorted.

“Will you just let me give you a compliment?”

She took a long swig of her beer, “That is a slippery slope.”

“Accepting a compliment?”

“Accepting a compliment…from you.”

“And why is that so bad?”

“Because it’ll make me like you more,” she admitted.

“Ahh…that explains it. I don’t know how to tell you this but you are going to fall in love with me eventually.”

She smiled at him as she rolled her eyes, “Maybe in your dreams.” 

“Oh, that’s already happened in my dreams. Along with some other fun activities.” He delivered the second sentence with a sultry air.

Although she wouldn’t admit it, her heart was racing at the thought of a repeat session with Bucky. It was a bad idea and it was something that should not happen again, but her eyes kept falling to his mouth and imagining his wet lips caressing her everywhere.

She distracted herself by flagging down Scott to order another shot of tequila, attempting to use alcohol to numb her feelings. She was surprised to see two shot glasses placed in front of them and Bucky reached for the second shot glass.

This was going to be an interesting night.

I had lost count of the amount of tequila that had been consumed, but I was surprised to find the bar completely empty except for Bucky and I. Scott announced last call but we decided against a final night cap, having consumed plenty already. 

After the second tequila shot, the conversation flowed easily between Bucky and I. It wasn’t just the usual flirty banter either. We talked more about our interests, had a friendly debate about our differing opinions, and we slowly grew closer and closer until I was regularly leaning on his shoulder and placing my hand on his leg.

It wasn’t until I wobbled up from the barstool that I realized how drunk I really was. Bucky steadied me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder saying, “Come on, let’s get you home.”

He pulled out his phone to call an Uber and I instinctively did the same until he questioned what I was doing. When I replied I was calling an Uber he stopped me and said he would take care of it.

“Bucky, it’s fine. I can get myself home.”

“Let me do this, I just want to make sure you get home safe.”

“Okay,” I said, not one to argue with his pleading eyes. A Nissan Altima pulled up almost instantly and Bucky opened the door for me before entering from the other side. It was a short ride to my house and we sat in comfortable silence. But I couldn’t help noticing the proximity of his hand near mine on the middle seat. It became a game to me. I’d slide my hand toward his, a fraction of an inch at a time. Finally the edge of my pinky gently rubbed up against his finger tips. He didn’t miss a beat. He placed his large hand directly on top of mine, interlacing his fingers so that he was gently gripping my palm. 

I felt like a teenager again. The butterflies dancing around my stomach threatened to spread a smile on my face. All because a boy I liked started holding my hand. Sometimes life really seemed so simple.

As we pulled up to my place, I expected Bucky to remain in the car. But instead he asked the driver to wait for one moment and he walked me to my door. We walked in silence but the tension between us was palpable. And I was drunk enough to know what my next move would be.

“Would you like to come in for a night cap?” I asked him.

He let out a sigh and I could read the divide on his face.

“I would like nothing more than that. However, we’ve both been drinking and you’ve made it very clear that you’d prefer things remain professional between us.”

I was kicking myself for pushing him away before because now the only thing I wanted was to bring him as close to me as possible. I was wracking my brain for what I could say that might convince him to stay, but I was too late. 

“Now go inside, drink a big glass of water, and get to bed,” he added, slowly backing up towards the Uber.

I watched him walk backwards to the car, maintaining eye contact with me. I had to come up with something soon, there were only a few steps left of his journey. 

He reached the Nissan and opened the back door. The minute he turned to climb in, I found my voice.

“Bucky, wait…”

He turned back toward me, those intense blue eyes piercing right through my soul.

“Please stay with me. I don’t want to be alone.”

He turned back toward the Uber driver and exchanged a few words before shutting the door. Then the car drove off, leaving Bucky standing in front of me with that signature smirk on his face.

He gently shook his head and said, “I’m never going to be able to say no to you, am I?”

[violivs]

NMTDaily: Makeup Tutorial feat. A Special Guest!

- Real interesting time to be watching this episode right now. Someone gave me the feedback that it’s kind of cool that I’m so behind on my liveblog because it means you all get to read them and look back on older episodes through the lens of the ones NMTDaily is currently on. I’m really understanding that with this episode.

- Hero is a little angel. Using “sneaky filming techniques”… like hiding a totally different video in the bloopers for this video, mayhaps?

- Claudio is here! He’s the special guest.

- “Dear Claudio” and “my boyfriend does my makeup” - the Hero/Claudio relationship has gone to the next level of official.

- Tea is a love language in this series. Claudio coming in with tea for Hero because he’s trying to impress her is a direct parallel to a later scene where Ben has already made Beatrice tea and they’re sitting in his room with their cups as he tries to comfort her.

- Hero and Claudio’s mugs are plain block colors, showing that they don’t really know each other at all, in comparison to the fact that the mug Ben will choose for Bea is Game of Thrones themed and is her favorite GoT family crest. Because he does know her. (I don’t know GoT well enough to be sure which one, or if they’re even called family crests. Sigils? Anyway.)

- (Also, I can’t remember, is “everyone deserves tea” a Hero line, or is it a Jane Bennett from the LBD line? It could go either way. Kind of the same character archetype, different font with those two.)

- Hero and Claudio are very blushy and nervous around each other. There is no easy rapport- this is still big emotional surface-level crush territory.

- “Just gonna admire the artwork in progress” The first of many subtle lines that show how Claudio sees Hero as a prize, a pretty thing to look at and possess.

- We’re also doing some light reinforcement of heterosexual gender roles: the man is utterly clueless about makeup while the woman knows exactly how to apply fifty different products. Claudio is okay with looking like an idiot in this video because he’s a guy, he isn’t supposed to know anything about makeup. If anyone else made Claudio look foolish regarding any other topic, we would see the sullen, angry side of him come out.

- Fun fact: ya girl is exactly as clueless as Claudio, I wouldn’t have known that wasn’t foundation without the footnote Hero puts onscreen. Or without reading the packaging. Gender roles are fake! I know I could do nicer makeup than Claudio, though, lol.

- Yeah, letting someone who has never done mascara before near your eye with a mascara wand is some scary shit. This shows just how much Hero trusts Claudio.

- “ya wanna know how I got these scars?” I mean, Claudio actively invoking The Joker is extremely on the nose, but it does count as foreshadowing his villainy, so I will mention it. The smiles he causes Hero to smile now will turn painful soon enough.

- Also! Remember that at the costume party, Benedick is Batman. Ben is Batman, and Claudio is Joker.

- Hero kisses Claudio on the cheek, leaving a lipstick stain, and he deadass says “jokes on you, now I look like a ladies’ man”. Because it’s perfectly okay for him to BE a ladies’ man, to show interest in other girls. Men get to do that. It is not okay for Hero to even be implied by a third party to be showing interest in other guys, because women must be perfectly faithful or branded sluts.

- The eyeliner! He writes his name on her cheek. The most direct, on-the-nose statement of Claudio’s view of Hero. “Now people know who you belong to.” Who you belong to. Spine-chilling.

- Hero is right to punch him for that. Interesting that he apologizes for saying it.

- Just the genuine fear on her face about seeing her makeup look, though. And the “Claudio, what have you done to me?” Said in laughter, in a moment of happiness, but also a totally valid line for her to say again later in a much more devastated way. (She doesn’t say it again later, but she could.)

- It IS very sweet that he won’t let her say she looks like a monster, that he keeps telling her how pretty she is and kisses her forehead.

- “The fact that you’d still kiss me now says a lot for our relationship” No, Hero, your boyfriend still liking you when you’re looking goofy is the bare minimum! He should!

- “Your turn” and all she does is put guyliner on him. The minimum level of makeup to not be embarrassing, to still allow him to think he looks sexy. Claudio’s masculinity must be maintained. He does have lipstick on in the following close-up shots, but that could be from kissing her, so plausible deniability.

- “Maybe you could do my makeup for my 16th?” *dun dun DUNNN*

- Hero is back, looking lovely again. She’s going to post outtakes.

- Beatrice is predictably disgusted both by this video and the prospect of outtakes, giving Hero a reason to post the outtakes on Ursula’s channel. Handy.

- “I’m sure one day even you yourself will watch that video” Says Hero, thinking to herself that one day Bea will see how her friends played matchmaker for her and Benedick, and she’ll be happy about it. Very optimistic, Hero. (She also does just mean ‘someday you’ll be in love like this and you won’t think it’s gross.’)

- Beatrice and Hero edited this video together, because Hero knew Bea would hate it, and she needed Bea to swear never to watch the makeup bloopers video. The plan moves along swimmingly…

- In the comment section, Benedick himself is plugging his own response video, “Disgusted” by dropping a link with “that was so disgusting! watch my video if you agree!” I love the character comments.

- If I didn’t know this was a Much Ado retelling, I’d think Ben needs to learn boundaries. The girls already told you to leave them alone, their comment section is not the place to plug your channel, mister. As it is, though, it just screams “hey Beatrice, I thought the makeup video was disgusting too, just like you did! Notice me! Pay attention to me!” This nerd. So obvious. And he genuinely doesn’t even know he’s doing this. Wild. It’s also great that Hero and Bea’s response is to completely ignore him, lol.

- We’ll also see in upcoming videos that Ben’s comment is a reflection of his insecurity about losing Claudio as a friend now that he has a girlfriend.

- Plus, the comment linking his video lets Hero know that Ben has also taken the bait and will not be watching the bloopers video either.

- In the rest of the comment section: many people gushing about how adorable Hero and Claudio are, some people doing so with a tinge of sadness because they know what’s coming, praise for how natural the acting feels in this and all the episodes, and folks picking up on the hints of Claudio’s possessiveness.

- Mooble1325 hits the nail on the head with “they strike the right balance between making him sweet enough that hero would believably like him and already showing that touch of possessiveness that John plays on so well”

- There’s even a comment saying Hero/Claudio are cuter than Jane/Bing! It was always very interesting to compare and contrast different LIWs to each other, I love that.

- Someone also compared Claudio to the youtuber Jim Chapman, and I had to think very hard before remembering who that is. I think there’s a slight blond-white-dude resemblance, it just trips me out to remember how many youtubers I’ve forgotten existed over the years.

- Hero in the video description urging us again to watch the makeup bloopers, you won’t regret it! This will be plot-important! The game is afoot!

💖🥭🦩

[crazyunsexycool]

Company Picnic

Steve Rogers x Reader

word count: 1.0k

Warning: Just some fluff and a kiss

A/N: Here is the third part of the earpiece series.

The sun is high in the sky and not a single cloud is present to ruin the day. It happens every year since Shield was dismantled and the Avenger’s Initiative started. The company picnic was a great way to boost morale and work on team building exercises. This year it was a bit different, because you were dating Steve but you hadn’t made it official yet. Of course there were rumors but you were both enjoying the relationship quietly. The moment it was made public you knew both women and men would be either trying to become your friend to get closer to the team or pushing you aside. Steve was also worried that once it was known that you were his girl your safety would be compromised. Although you’d only been dating for about two months he had made it clear that he cared for you and your well being above all else. 

So on a day like today where you would normally be all over each other you were keeping your distance. Even though it was killing you to not be able to be as close to him as you wanted to. It didn’t stop Steve from finding you in the crowd and sending a wink your way every now and again along with a smirk. You were ready to walk over there and kiss that smirk right off his face. But the day went on and you went off with your friends to do one of the many activities that had been planned for the day. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 o’clock rolls around and the very anticipated baseball game is going to start. It was the most exciting part of the day. Tony and Steve were the team captains, obviously, and they would be choosing their teams. Everyone that wanted to play reported to the designated field and stood in a line. One by one Steve and Tony started picking their teams. They were down to their last one when Steve noticed you were waiting to play. You sent him a look that said ‘you better pick me or else’, so he did. 

Your team consisted of Steve, Bucky, Sam and some employees from accounting, other agents and you. Tony’s team had Nat, Clint, Rhodey and a few other employees. With both teams ready everyone took their place and the game started. 

The game has everyone on the edge of their seats. The crowd is divided on Team Cap or Team iron man and they’ve made a show of cheering their heads off. There’s still no one in the lead as it goes back and forth between the teams. The game is charged with electricity as the game comes to a close. You’re last up to bat and the game has already lasted longer than necessary with all the superhumans running around. 

The crowd cheers as you stand and grab a bat. 

“Alright honey, just do the best you can. The last time you were up to bat you were great.” Steve says as he watches you roll your shoulders to loosen up a bit. 

“Don’t worry about it, handsome. We are definitely winning this game.” 

You walk to your place at the home plate. As a bit of a joke you lift your bat and point up and out toward the field to signal the direction in which you would be hitting the ball.

“Go get’em Babe Ruth.” Bucky shouted from the bench.

“Emphasis on the Babe.” You shout back and turn your attention to Clint, the pitcher.

He looks at you for a moment and then takes his stance and throws the ball. Like thunder cracking in the sky you hit the ball. The baseball bat splinters as you toss it to the side and start running to first base. The crowd cheers as Sam runs to home and then one of your other teammates does the same. You rush from first to second base and then to third. From third base to the home plate though instead of running you start to strut like you were on a catwalk and not a company picnic baseball game. 

Halfway down you spin and sway your hips and smile. When you finally make it to the home plate you strike a pose before Bucky and Sam are lifting you in the air as they cheer you on. As everyone continues to celebrate, the guys put you back down. In the heat of the moment, when Steve steps up to you with that boyish smile, you grab him by his shirt and pull him down so that your lips can finally meet his. Steve’s hands are on your waist pulling you closer. Quickly your brain catches up with what you’re doing but by then it’s too late. Everyone now knows.

“It’s about time, Capsicle. I thought I was going to have to build you a girlfriend.” Tony shouts while others whoop and holler. 

“Well that’s one way to let everyone know we’re together.”

“I’m sorry. But to be fair you have been teasing me all day, so really it’s all your fault.” You say, leaving no room for disagreement. Steve shrugs and then dips his head to kiss you again. He smiles against your lips.

~~~~~~~~

Night settled over the fields quickly. Everyone had calmed down and were just enjoying each other’s company. Since your impromptu reveal during the game you and Steve have been inseparable. Your hand in his, his arm around your waist. There was a mixture of approval and jealousy in the crowd but you couldn’t care less. Tony gave some speech about the day having been a success and what not before he started the fireworks show over the park. 

Steve had spread a blanket on the grass and you sat right between his legs. Your back pressed against his chest while he held you. It was the perfect end to a perfect day and now you didn’t have to hide that you were falling madly in love with the sweetest, selfless and kindest person you’ve ever met. 

Part 4

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[mermaidsirennikita]

Any recs where the hero just takes care of the heroine? Like very Daddy in acts of service and what not doesn’t necessarily need to contain the kink explicitly but just one of those strong men who love to take care of their women?

Sure!

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas is obvi The Example.

But beyond that, I would say:

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang in that the hero is generally very much a caretaker in a very REAL man way, but also because there was a scene where he parallel parked for her and she got so hot over it and I did too

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy! The hero is very much a caretaker (while also being an emotionally messy widower). The heroine has ADHD (which I found well-done) and he initially pulls her into his Christmas mansion because she has nowhere to stay. I'd say they take care of each other, but it's definitely there.

Kate Clayborn heroes often come through on this level—I'd definitely recommend The Other Side of Disappearing has as strong (physically and emotionally) caretaker hero.

Kylie Scott heroes!!!! Omg. The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck has a heroine who's kind of messy and a hero who's kinda grumpy and buys her clothes with his black card and is like "SETTLE," which I love. End of Story has another somewhat surly hero who arrives to help the heroine work on her house, which... And then Deep is an oops baby book wherein the hero initially has a hard time with the news (lmao) but one he straightens up he's very authoritative about caring for the heroine.

Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield, obviously. Which DOES have them roleplay, but also has the lighter, more everyday stuff. And a big age gap.

If you're open to something on the darker side with MMF, I will once again recommend the ongoing Lyonesse series by Sierra Simone. Because all of Sierra's dom heroes take care of their partners, but Mark Trevena, for all that he's a ~villain in many ways, is suuuuch a caretaker. He's strict about aftercare, he cooks for Tristan and Isolde, there's the scene where he helps Isolde into her wedding shoes, there's the scene where he massages Tristan, he carries Isolde around like it's nobody's business (and to be very clear, Tristan is her bodyguard and also cares for her, but Mark cares for BOTH of them). I think that with him you feel the WEIGHT of caretaking but it's also so tender. I was rereading this morning and she's literally like "I'm tired" at a party after... things happen... and he's immediately like "ARE YOU OKAY? DID I HURT YOU?" after being so cold to everyone else lol.

The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan (direct sequel is Rebel King). THIS SO MUCH. Lennix is such a genuinely strong heroine as well, which makes the way Maxim cares for her so beautiful. And then at one point she gets to take care of him in a way I found delightful. Reel also has a great caretaking hero, especially important as the heroine has a chronic illness. He's also a movie director, and he's generally very authoritative which... yes.

This is a dark romance, but in King's Captive by Amber Bardan the hero takes care of the heroine... And it's kinda weird.... Because she's been kept captive on his private island lol.... But I just have a vivid memory of the way he cared for her. And him cooking steaks.

Managed by Kristen Callihan has a wound-tight hero who takes care of EVERYONE and gets all huffy about the hero's resistance to him MANAGING her.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang has an amazing caretaker hero. He's very affirming, he cooks, he loves to tailor things, he also gets AGGRESSIVE in the right situations...

Alright, some more....

The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley. Of course. Hart is growly and aggressive and a general menace, but he's also like. Everyone's dad. But Eleanor's DADDY. Will never forget the scene in a book that wasn't even theirs, introducing the fact that they'd been together in the past with him being like "You and your dad need rent money?" and before she could refuse him, tucking cash into her bodice lmao.

Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley. The Sound of Music if Captain Von Trapp was a Scottish lawyer with only two (horrible but great) kids and Maria was a street urchin who was stalking him before he hired her.

Regarding the Duke by Grace Callaway. This is an amnesia book where the hero conks his head, wakes up, doesn't know anyone, and is like "wait I'VE ONLY BEEN BANGING MY WIFE ONCE A WEEK???" Pre-amnesia, Adam is a (hot) but restrained PROVIDERRRRR which is one type of caretaking. Post-amnesia, he's full everything caretaker as soon as possible. And a great dad.

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe. BUT OFC. Lockwood has approximately no money, but he still wants to take Nellie out to eat (and then take her back home to eat), and to swan her about and take care of her. "I'm keeping you, Eleanor" PLEASE.

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. All Galen wants to do is buy Hester things and take care of her and swan her about town and line his carriage with indigo fabric (because he calls her "ma petite Indigo". Truly one of THE BIGGEST CARETAKER HEROES EVER.

Lorraine Heath heroes often do caretaking. Waking Up with the Duke comes to mind, The Earl Takes All, Between the Devil and Desire, The Duke and the Lady in Red, The Duchess Hunt... most of them, tbh.

[callmebrycelee]

9-1-1 REACTION

Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to discuss the latest episode of 9-1-1. This reaction is for the season 7, sixth episode “There Goes the Groom” which originally aired May 2, 2024. The episode was written by Tim Minear and Nicole Barraza Kiem and directed by John J. Gray. Just a word of warning, this reaction will contain spoilers. You have been warned …

“He’s Tubbs, I’m Tubbs and this isn’t my puke, I don’t think.” – Eddie Diaz to Maddie Buckley

We start things off at a gorgeous venue where Maddie and Chimney’s wedding is to take place. We see Bobby and Athena looking restless and John and Anne Lee sitting with Jee-Yun. We then see Maddie freaking out because the boys (Chimney, Buck, and Eddie) are 30 minutes late. Phillip Buckley (played by Gregory Harrison) tries calling Buck’s phone but keeps getting his voicemail. Hen rushes in to tell Maddie that Buck’s car has arrived. When Maddie asks if Chimney is in his tux, Hen tells her she didn’t get a good look. Buck and Eddie arrive looking like they’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. Eddie’s covered in someone else’s puke (gross!!!) and inexplicably missing his shirt. This season is all about giving us what we need and what we need is Ryan Guzman shirtless. Maddie asks them about Chimney. Buck tells her that it’s complicated. 

Cue title card.

We get a flashback to the bachelor party Buck organized for Chimney. It should be pointed out that Chimney doesn’t want a bachelor party, something he’s intimated to Buck numerous times. I must say, the venue Buck chose to host the festivities was really cool-looking. There were all these neon signs on the walls and twinkly lights galore. It reminded me of a space where you’d play laser tag. Buck and Eddie are dressed in matching pastel Miami Vice-esque suits and Buck is being very fussy about everything. Tommy (played by Lou Ferrigno Jr.) arrives dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans and Buck nags him about not sticking to the 80’s theme. I’m gonna assume that Tommy is in his late-30’s and therefore Buck should be lucky he even came in the first place because the thought of leaving my house on a weeknight to go to a bachelor party does not sound the least bit appealing. Eddie offers Tommy a drink and he tells him he’s on standby which for all you kiddies out there who don’t know how jobs work, standby means that you’re technically not scheduled for the shift, but you have to be ready in case you get called in to work.  

“You put that back, right now.” – Evan “Buck” Buckley to Ravi Panikkar

Tommy does give us a hint about Chimney’s nickname when he reminds Eddie that he knew Chimney before he was Chimney. I love the whole mythos surrounding the name and I hope by the end of the series we finally get an explanation. I also like how sassy Tommy is in this scene. Hen, Karen, and Ravi arrive but our guest of honor is missing. While Buck calls Chimney’s cell, everyone else looks bored out of their mind. Buck asks Hen to call Chimney since he’s more likely to answer her call, but she declines. She reminds Buck that Chimney told him he didn’t want a bachelor party, but Buck tells her he didn’t. We then get a small scene where Chimney doesn’t mince words when he tells Buck he does not want a bachelor party. It should be noted that Eddie is present for the exchange and yet he is the one to suggest to Buck that they dress as Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice. Now, this is my one pet peeve about Eddie. He always indulges Buck and then kind of absolves himself of responsibility when things go awry. 

Back in the not-so-distant future, people start to leave. Buck begs Hen and Karen to stay but they tell him they have to get home to Denny and Mara. Ravi is the next to leave followed by Tommy who gets a text to report to work. Buck is so disappointed to see him go, and I love how he tells Tommy to be safe before he leaves. Eddie is the only one left and when a group of young women wander into their party space, they decide to salvage the rest of the night by turning up with a bunch of strangers. Now, prior to the episode airing, Tim Minear announced that a previously advertised scene involving Buck and Eddie singing karaoke was cut due to the episode being too long. This led to more than a few irate fans, mostly Buddie shippers, sending a barrage of tweets and comments to the series co-creator voicing their frustration with the decision to remove the scene. Some even accused the writers of queer baiting which is really dumb when you consider that one of the characters is actually queer so what baiting is even involved. I get being upset because your favorite pairing on the show is not being featured as prominently as you would like but I find it absurd that someone would then go to Beyonce’s internet to harass the writers and the cast about said decision. I find it disgusting and I wish a certain ship would realize that certain writers would take them more seriously if they weren’t acting like a bunch of coked up baboons. But I digress.

Buck and Eddie wake up the next morning in a completely trashed hotel room. The place is wrecked. Seriously, who is going to pay for all the damages? I’m honestly surprised by both of their behavior. Especially Eddie’s. He’s usually the more level-headed of the two but it’s odd to see him exhibiting such frat boy behavior. Perhaps he needed to blow of some steam. Anywho, they go to check on Chimney but only find his tux. Oh dear!

Buck and Eddie wake up the morning in a completely trashed hotel room. Seriously, who is going to have to pay for all the damages? I’m extremely surprised by Eddie’s behavior. 

“I am 9-1-1.” – Maddie Buckley to Margaret Buckley

Back in the present, Maddie tries calling Chimney herself. When he doesn’t pick up, Hen asks if she has him on Find My Friend, a feature that will send current or last location to anyone you choose to share it with. She sees that Chimney is on Century Park East but wonders why he’s there.

We next see a guy named Jeff (played by Khorri Ellis) knocking on the driver’s side window of Chimney’s vehicle. Chimney is inside looking a little worse for wear. He’s sweaty and bleary-eyed. He looks like he has the flu. He also seems out of it. Chimney rolls down the window and Jeff asks him if he’s okay. He tells Jeff that he feels like he should be somewhere. Jeff asks him his name and Chimney says his name is Howard. Chimney says he needs to leave but Jeff, rightfully, tells him he is no condition to be driving. He offers to drive Chimney where he needs to go and when Chimney steps outside the vehicle, Jeff gets in, chucks Chimney’s cell out the window, and drives off leaving Chimney stranded. 

FOUR DAYS AGO

“I promise to never put her in a position where she feels she needs to stab me to death.” – Howard “Chimney” Han to John and Anne Lee

We see Chimney with John and Anne Lee (played by Kelvin Han Yee and Freda Foh Shen) practicing Jesa, a Korean ceremony in which one pays tribute to a loved one on the anniversary of their death. I love any time we get to see Chimney with the Lees because while he has been able to make amends with his father, John and Anne Lee are his real parents and Kevin Lee, their son, is his brother. Chimney and the Lees have dinner together and Anne asks Chimney if he is excited about the wedding. When Chimney goes to respond, his hand starts shaking and he drops his food. John jokingly asks if he’s nervous, but Chimney assures him that he doesn’t have the jitters. He is, however, feeling jittery and tells them he has a headache he can’t seem to shake. Anne offers him aspirin, but Chimney tells her that he will be fine after he says, “I do”. 

John asks him about what happened to him and Maddie’s plan to have a simple ceremony at their home. Chimney tells him that the plan has changed. Phillip and Maddie Buckley are flying out for the wedding and have offered to foot the bill for the venue since they were not at Maddie’s first wedding. Anne says they waited to attend the right wedding. Chimney makes a dark joke about Maddie having to kill her first husband Doug and the Lees laugh. Chimney says he looking forward to having a traditional wedding; however, there is one tradition he is not looking forward to and that’s having a bachelor party. 

Back in the present, Chimney sees his phone lying in the middle of a busy road. We see him walk into traffic to retrieve it and he almost gets hit by a bus. The driver opens the door and Chimney boards the bus. When she pulls off, the wheels of the bus crush Chimney’s phone. 

We head over to the wedding venue where everyone except for Chimney is gathered. It was so fun seeing all of the main and secondary cast in the same scene together in their formal wear. Athena gets a call from Officer Williams (played by Chris Wu) who has located Chimney’s phone but neither Chimney nor his car is with it. Athena asks him to put out a BOLO for Chimney and his car. Maddie asks Officer Williams if there are any traffic cameras nearby and he says there are a few. 

Maddie, Hen, and Josh go to the dispatch center. Maddie says she will check the Century Park East traffic cam footage to see if she can find Chimney and Josh will check the call logs to see if there have been any calls from that vicinity in the last 12 hours.  Sue sees them and asks if this is a runaway bride situation. Hen tells her they are looking for a runaway groom. 

Back on the bus, Chimney is clearly not in his right mind because he is hallucinating Doug Kendall (played by Brian Hallisay). Doug sits next to him, and Chimney asks if he knows him. Doug says that Chimney may forget everything else, but he could never forget him. Doug is wearing a Santa hat and has a gift he says is from the both of them to Maddie. He opens the bag and pulls out of knife which he uses to stab Chimney in the side. Even though I knew that Doug wasn’t real, that didn’t make this scene any less troubling to watch. Doug twists the blade and disappears leaving a confused Chimney alone on the bus. 

“Maybe I got too caught up in the dream wedding. I was so excited about marrying him.” – Maddie Buckley to Hen Wilson

Meanwhile, reviews the camera footage and sees Chimney walking into traffic. She sees him almost get hit by a bus and then board said bus. Josh says the bus is a metro bus and asks if there’s any way they can see the bus ID number. Maddie writes down the number and gives it to Sue who tells her she will call the MTA. We then see Chimney get dropped off in an unfamiliar part of town. We switch back to dispatch where Maddie and Hen are reviewing the footage from inside the bus. I love seeing these two work together because out of all of our characters, these two love Chimney the most. Maddie notices that Chimney’s talking to himself, and Hen thinks he may be hallucinating. Maddie wonders if this is some sort of delayed reaction to his brain injury from back in season one or if he’s having some sort of breakdown. Hen reminds Maddie that when Chimney gets stressed, he deflects. Maddie wonders if Chimney marrying her is the thing that’s stressing him out, but Hen quickly lets her know that marrying her is the one thing he wasn’t stressed about. She tells Maddie that the only thing she’s sure of at the moment is that Chimney can’t wait to marry her. 

Josh returns and tells them that he talked to the bus driver who says that Chimney seemed a little out of it but otherwise normal. The bus driver also said that Chimney kept talking about being late for work. Hen points out that the bus Chimney was on wouldn’t go anywhere near the firehouse and wonders where he could have been dropped off at. Speaking of Chimney, we see him standing out in front of a building. He talks to a man named Carl (played by Exie Booker) and asks him about Skinny Bob’s K-Town Karaoke. For those of you who recall the episode “Chimney Begins” that is the name of the bar where Chimney used to work prior to joining the 118. Carl tells Chimney the bar burned down which we saw in the very same episode. Chimney has flashes of the night the bar burned down but he can’t quite piece together the memory. The make matters worse, he starts to see Doug again only this time his future wife’s dead husband is covered in blood. Chimney freaks out and runs away.

“”We’re gonna find him, Maddie.” – Athena Grant to Maddie Buckley

Athena checks in with Maddie and Hen and tells them she talked to Carl who says that Chimney looked agitated and feverish. Carl also told Athena that Chimney thought that the bakery where Carl works was a karaoke bar. Athena tells them that she has some officers searching the area and she and Bobby plan to stick around just in case Chimney comes back. She assures Maddie that they will find Chimney. Josh reminds them that Chimney’s bachelor party was at a bachelor party; however, Maddie points out that the bachelor party was the night before. Sue asks if it is possible Chimney doesn’t know what day it is. Hen chimes in and says she’s not sure if he even knows what year it is. She pulls up an article from 2005 on her phone which shows that Chimney saved a lot of people by getting them out of the karaoke bar when it caught on fire. Maddie wonders if he’s forgotten 20 years of his life and Hen says he might not be the only one.

TWO WEEKS AGO

“You don’t have to worry about this. It’s all taken care of.” – Evan Buckley to Maddie Buckley

We get another flashback scene, this one involving the 118 responding to an emergency where Thom DeSalvo (played by Brandon Bales) is trapped inside an air duct. Buck broaches the topic of Chimney’s bachelor party and the latter volunteers himself to go into the air duct while the rest go inside the room directly beneath where Thom is trapped. Chimney locates Thom and checks his vitals. Thom tells him that his heart is racing, and he has chest pains. He then sneezes directly into Chimney’s face. Chimney tells Thom to relax but he says he cannot relax because he just saw his fiancée having sex with another man. I kind of felt bad for Thom because he is truly heartbroken although if I were his friend, I wouldn’t have advised that he go spy on them. Meanwhile, Bobby, Hen, Eddie, and Buck are able to knock out a portion of the ceiling and lower Thom down. As he is loaded into an ambulance, Hen talks to the woman Thom said was his fiancée and discovers that she is, in fact, not his fiancée. She says that Thom is her ex-husband and that they’ve been divorced for 17 months. 

Back in the present, Buck brings Maddie a change of clothes and Eddie brings food. Buck notices that Hen is on the phone, and he asks Maddie who she is speaking with. Maddie tells him that Hen is checking on the patient Thom from their emergency two weeks ago.  Eddie is surprised the guy is still in the hospital since he wasn’t even hurt. Maddie tells them that Hen thinks that Chimney is exhibiting the same behaviors as Thom. Hen announces that Thom had viral encephalitis that he picked up while in Central America. Buck points out that Chimney was in close quarters with Thom. Eddie suggests they all get checked to see if they have it. Hen points out that Chimney was the only one who had direct exposure to Thom. Josh asks her what the prognosis is and Hen says that if Chimney were in a hospital it would be good but every minute that passes without treatment, the swelling in his brain gets worse. If Chimney does not get medical attention ASAP, he is going to suffer permanent brain damage and most likely die. Maddie asks her about Thom Desalvo’s status and Hen tells her that he died earlier that morning.

“He may not remember who he is but he is who he is.” – Athena Grant to Bobby Nash, Evan “Buck” Buckley, and Eddie Diaz

We see Chimney wandering the streets of Koreatown in a state of delirium. He nearly gets hit by a car and the driver, who is either under the influence or experiencing a medical emergency, plows into a farmers’ market, hurting a lot of people in the process. The paramedic switch is flipped in Chimney, and he springs into action. He tells a woman to call 9-1-1 and tends to the driver who is having a seizure. It’s amazing that Chimney is able to stay focused to help everyone, even while in the midst of his own medical emergency. This scene reminds me of when Mateo on Lone Star jumped into action during the dust storm back in season two.

Athena, Bobby, Buck, and Eddie arrive on the scene of the accident and Bobby reports that a man fitting Chimney’s description was on the scene triaging the area. Eddie thinks this means that Chimney knows who he is but Bobby quickly adds that Chimney told one of the witnesses he works at a karaoke bar. Athena sees this as a good sign regardless because Chimney is tapping into something that is so natural to him which is helping others. Bobby says that Chimney was last seen 30 minutes ago so he suggests that they canvass the area to look for him. Athena says she will get the police involved in the search as well. 

Buck strikes off on his own to look for Chimney and he does end up at the spot where Chimney is at; unfortunately, Chimney is passed out, so he does not hear Buck calling for him. Chimney receives another visit from Doug who tries to convince him that Maddie left him. Chimney remembers the video Maddie left him before she left for Boston. Doug tells Chimney he is sick in the head and that he screwed around with a married woman. Chimney then sees himself lying on the ground after he got stabbed by Doug back in season two. Doug tells him to stop fighting and to go to sleep. Chimney eventually passes out and sees a white light.

“Howie, you got to get up, man.” – Kevin Lee to Howard “Chimney” Han

Now this is the part where I started to tear up in the episode. A man dressed in turnout gear steps out of the light and Chimney sees that it’s Kevin Lee (played by James Chen). It is in this moment I realized that we never saw Chimney grieve his fallen brother. Chimney starts to cry upon seeing Kevin. Kevin tells him to get up and Chimney says he is so tired and that his head is hurting. He wants to rest but Kevin says he cannot. He tells Chimney he is sick and needs medical attention. Chimney touches Kevin’s face and tells him he misses him and that he’s glad he’s okay. Kevin tells Chimney that he will be okay, but he needs to get up. He drags Chimney to his feet and tells him that Doug was never there. Chimney says that Kevin is there, and Kevin says that Chimney invited him. Kevin tells him all he needs to do is get home. 

“We always find our way back to each other somehow.” – Maddie Buckley to Howard “Chimney” Han

Chimney ends up at the Lees house asking for Kevin Lee. Anne tells him that Kevin is dead. Chimney starts crying again and finally collapses onto the floor. He wakes up in the hospital where Maddie is at his bedside. She asks him if he knows where he is at and he shakes his head. She asks him if he knows who he is and he apologizes for missing their wedding. Maddie starts crying and now I’m crying, too. Maddie is happy he remembers. Jee-Yun runs into the room with Phillip Buckley close on her heels. Chimney tells Maddie he was trying to get back to her and Jee-Yun the whole time. Chimney asks Maddie if she will marry him, and she says she will the minute they get out of the hospital. He asks her when that will be, and she says the doctors say it will be three weeks. Chimney tells her he doesn’t want to wait that long. He doesn’t want to wait another minute.

We next see Maddie back in her wedding dress. I must say, the viewers give Phillip and Margaret Buckley a hard time based on their previous relationships with Maddie and Buck, but I have to say it was so nice seeing the Buckley family together and on the same page. Back in Chimney’s room, John and Anne Lee are helping him into get into his tuxedo jacket. John tells Chimney that Kevin is smiling right now, and Chimney agrees. Okay, cue more tears. While Jennifer Love Hewitt sings a cover of “Islands in the Stream” which is the song Maddie and Chimney sang karaoke to, we see Maddie being walked down the hospital corridor by Phillip while flower girl Jee-Yun walks ahead of them. Phillip leads Maddie into Chimney’s room and Bobby officiates their wedding which feels so appropriate. They exchange vows and rings and finally kiss in front of their family and friends. I loved the moment when Bobby is talking about the significance of the rings, and he looks over at Athena. It’s just a reminder of how perfect the couples on this show are.

“Thanks, Tommy. It looks like you were … busy.” – Howard “Chimney” Han to Tommy Kinard

Buck gets a text and leaves the room while everyone is applauding Chimney and Maddie’s union. He makes it to the emergency room just in time to see Tommy walk through the sliding doors. Tommy is covered in soot and ash and immediately apologizes for being late. He tells Buck that the fire he just fought was a beast. Buck calls him a beast and kisses him. Now this kiss was an upgrade from the kiss two episodes ago which is already a great kiss. It was a great first kiss. With this kiss, the passion was turned all the way up to an 11. Seriously, these two have such amazing chemistry and I love how things are gradually escalating. I do love that Buck is the one who initiates the kiss because it shows that he is all in on their romance. 

Buck and Tommy head back to Chimney’s room aka the wedding and Tommy immediately apologizes for missing the wedding. He congratulates Chimney and Maddie and Chimney thanks him. There’s this amazing moment when Chimney puts two and two together and realizes that Buck and Tommy are together. He is immediately accepting as I knew he would be and Hen whispers to Karen that it’s about damn time and of course Hen already knew because Hen is very perceptive. We get other reactions as well. Eddie looks both proud and happy for his best friend and Margaret gives her husband Phillip a look that says, does that mean what I think it means and Phillip looks content. As I mentioned before, the Buckleys get a bad rep by the fans but I am choosing to see this as a good sign of things to come. 

We end the episode with Maddie and Chimney. She asks him how he is feeling, and he tells her he is feeling right at home. She jokes and asks if that’s because every significant moment of their lives happens in a hospital. He tells her that he feels at home because they are together. He looks around the room and says it’s not the most romantic place for their honeymoon. Maddie says there’s worst and at the same time they say upside down cruise ships. Ha! Maddie looks at her ring and says she can’t believe they are married. She says it’s the wedding of her dreams and Chimney says it’s a day he’ll never forget. Chimney asks Maddie if Buck and Tommy were a thing before his amnesia and she says yes. He says that means his memory is back. In the last moment of the episode. Chimney asks Maddie about the meaning behind his name and then it fades to black. I guess we will have to wait to find out how Chimney got his infamous nickname.

So, that’s our episode and what an amazing episode it was. Looking back at the promo for “There Goes the Groom”, Tim Minear and Company really had me convinced that we were getting an homage to The Hangover. I was not expecting this episode to be as heartbreaking and heartwarming as it was. Shout out to Kenneth Choi who deserves his flowers. He not only delivered some of the most powerful moments of the episode, looking back, Kenneth has been constantly delivering since season one. The scene where he talks to Kevin shattered my heart into pieces only to superglue it back. Chimney is usually the comic relief of the show and it’s often been said that comedians are some of the most unhappy people on the planet. Who knew he was holding onto so much grief. In many ways this episode reminds me of last season’s “In Another Life” where Buck learns just how valuable he is to those around him. Chimney has a similar journey in this episode and thankfully he’s walking away from this horrific ordeal knowing just how loved he is by his family, his friends, and most importantly his wife. 

The Madney wedding wasn’t what I was expecting but it was better than anything I could’ve ever imagined. One thing I think the writers did well with this wedding that I wished they did with TK and Carlos’ wedding over on Lone Star is the joy aspect. Everyone in that hospital room was filled with love and happiness despite everything that had transpired. I love how once a season we get these moments where the cast is all together, celebrating, and it’s the rare occasion we get to see the actors come through their characters. This is a cast that loves each other and it’s so apparent. It’s one of the many reasons I love this show. But, I digress. Maddie and Chimney’s wedding was absolutely beautiful and had we not gone through all the drama and tragedy, we would’ve missed out on Bobby being the officiant. It makes total sense that our fearless leader would be the one to marry Chimney and Maddie. I look forward to what happens next for Chimney and Maddie. These two have endured so much trauma and heartache and I pray the writers leave them alone for awhile. 

Lastly, I have to talk about the moment that has set both Twitter and Tumblr ablaze albeit for different reasons. Many have doubted and still doubt the legitimacy of Buck and Tommy’s burgeoning relationship, but I think this episode made it abundantly clear these two are here to stay at least for the rest of this season. I don’t know what plans Tim Minear has for these two characters but I love the slow burn of it all. Sometimes I’ll be sitting, doing nothing, and it’ll dawn on me that Evan “Buck” Buckley is bisexual, and he is dating a kind, patient, and extremely hot firefighter named Tommy Kinard. And maybe it’s my imagination but this is the happiest Buck has ever looked. The smile he gives after he comes back to Chimney’s room with Tommy is something I will rewatch this episode over and over again just to see again. Oliver and Lou’s chemistry is off the charts and that shouldn’t suggest that there’s anything wrong with Oliver and Ryan’s chemistry. I think Oliver has chemistry with everyone he appears on screen with. And, as the mostly one-sided war rages on between Buddie shippers and BuckTommy/Tevan/Kinley shippers, I think at the end of the day, the most important thing to remember is that Buck is bisexual, he is (mostly) out, and he is happy. We have seen this man endure emotional and physical turmoil since episode one. I’m happy that he gets to be happy and that’s what matters. I cannot wait to see what happens next. Until next time …

[bluedalahorse]

I’d love to read fic (and maybe it already exists, rec it to me if you know about it) that explores August’s relationship to traditions and rituals in good faith. Particularly if those fics build on the questions raised in season 3, where August is starting to reflect on how his initiation harmed him and the other third years.

Part of the reason I find August interesting—dare I say relatable at times—is his relationship to traditions. How they give him a sense of belonging, and how when he’s at the top, he’s emotionally invested in continuing that sense of belonging for others. Caveat: especially early on, those “others” are a narrow group of elite, so that makes him insufferable, even harmful. I think what makes him compelling anyway is that we know at one point he wasn’t always the leader of tradition at Hillerska, that at one point he was a scared kid looking for a way to belong. Tradition became August’s lifeline in a way that it never did for Wilhelm, who felt stifled by it and always wanted to break away. I’ve been in Wilhelm’s shoes at points of my life, where I’m like fuck this place, but I’ve also been in August’s shoes where I’m like fuck this place but also it feels like home and I’m afraid of what leaving would mean.

I’m curious about how August’s relationship to tradition might change after season 3, with him stepping into the crown prince role. Theoretically he’ll be trying to lead traditions for a whole country and not just a group of rich boys on the rowing team, and I think he’s smart enough to know that looks different. After the emotional fallout of season 3 and him revisiting the trauma of his first year, he might also want it to look meaningfully different, but will the people around him lead him in that direction?

And I also wonder like, what that looks like when he’s theoretically being mentored by Kristina. What’s Kristina’s relationship to tradition? We see her as its staunch defender through much of the show, but what happened in her teenage years? Does she have a trauma bond with tradition like August does? I’m sure she does. I wonder what memories of her past might be closer to the surface now that Erik’s death and Wilhelm’s choice to not be prince and everything else really are all shaking her out of her worldview.

Also while we’re thinking about August and Kristina’s interaction, can we collectively imagine a story that digs into the gender of it all? Obviously both men and women can be keepers of tradition, but—okay, I feel like in the US, women keeping tradition always gets wrapped up in this divine aura of ~motherhood~ that makes everything more fraught and complicated. I don’t know if that’s as true in Sweden, but that’s something I’ve always been fascinated by, the way Kristina’s roles of queen and mother are in conflict. What does it mean for her now that she’s handing down tradition to the boy that isn’t her child? How does August feel about all this given that he felt so abandoned by his mother in the first season but may be reaching for her again by the end of the series? Also, how do people respond differently to a king as compared to a queen?

Anyway I’d love to read fic about that (I’d write it but my plate is full until January) but you know what I’d also take a spin-off series where the frame is crown prince August reading teenage Kristina’s diary and then we get all the flashbacks ever to Kristina’s teenage years and what she and Carl Johan got up to. Like where is that show. I want that show. I know Malte and Pernilla have other things to do now but it would be so good actually.

[allwaswell16]

My favorite One Direction fics that take place in a dystopian universe as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

—Louis/Harry—

💥 Love After the End of the World by @mercurial-madhouse

(E, 168k, soulmates au) When staying alive is already a constant battle, the deadliest weakness is to be in love. For Harry and Louis, finding each other sits on top of the endless list of What Else Could Go Wrong.

💥 With a whimper by @kitundercover

(M, 132k, slow burn) Louis has been alone for too long to remember how not to be, and Harry has too much to worry about to deal with a scrawny, wild, stranger.

💥 Praise the Mutilated World by @creamcoffeelou, delsicle / @eeveedel

(E, 106k, a/b/o) An enemies to lovers dystopian au where Harry is an elite alpha and Louis is a rebel omega with too much to fight for. 

💥 landscapes of war (series) by orphan_account

(M, 99k, politics) Harry and Louis had never imagined that, when they would finally go back to New York, it would be as spies.

💥 waving to the hard times by @beardyboyzx

(NR, 80k, a/b/o) Twenty-five years ago, a group of alpha soldiers led a revolution to dispose of the beta oppressive monarchy. 

💥 Last Day Alive by @creamcoffeelou

(E, 42k, rebellion leader Louis) Harry Styles was born to the leader of the Following - the organization that keeps their world peaceful and just.

💥 Barren Souls by @snowy38

(E, 37k, Handsmaid Tale inspired) Organic men and women are no longer fertile and only genetically modified humans are permitted to procreate.

💥 You Try To Be Everything (I Need) by @lululawrence

(NR, 36k, magic) Louis embarks on the journey of a lifetime where he uses his newly developed abilities to search for his friend, even when it takes him to places he never thought he would see while surmounting trials he never could have imagined.

💥 nursing on a poison by forthetherapy / @forthetherapyy

(E, 28k, enemies to lovers) louis is one of many children stolen from their families to be raised by the upper class of the inner circle

💥 solid as a stone (when everything is gone) by cinemayougot

(M, 20k, zombies) it's the zombie apocalypse and Louis is stuck with Harry, with whom he shares a complicated relationship with

💥 The Post-War BP by @jaerie

(E, 17k, a/b/o) To ensure the survival of the country, the government opens The Breeding Program where young omegas can apply to carry an alpha's child in exchange for benefits. 

💥 the beauty of the blistering sky by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou

(E, 14k, post-apocalypse) He plans to make the journey alone, but a twist of fate brings him Harry, a stranger with a kind smile in a world that's forgotten what kindness means.

💥 Amor Deliria Nervosa by Chelsea Frew / @chelsea-frew

(E, 13k, angst) In a world in which love has been outlawed, two boys meet and fall in love at first sight. 

💥 it's time to find your wings again by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(T, 12k, prison guard Louis) His fascination for supernatural creatures had turned into something most closely resembling loathing over the years, due to the many stories of their evildoing, and although he still doesn’t believe in hanging them for their crimes, he does believe in keeping the town safe.

💥 my love will never leave you by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(T, 10k, established relationship) In a world where memories are used as currency, Louis will do anything it takes for Harry to get better.

💥 never coming home by rainbowsandgucci

(M, 8k, war) Later, after the lantern has been blown out and their emotions have been sated, Louis presses a kiss to Harry’s chest, and whispers into the darkness. “What if you hadn’t come home?”

💥 across the river is where my heart is by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou

(G, 8k, girl direction) She remembers carefully raising her hand and waving—her little heart beating hard in her chest, as if she had done something dangerous, something forbidden, even though back then she could not understand the true divide the River made amongst them.

💥 Simple Gifts by @larryatendoftheday

(T, 6k, grief) the fic where Louis realizes the end of the world doesn't mean you stop living

💥 Rebels (series) by 28sunflowers / @vintageumbroshirt

(G, 5k, rescue mission) In a world ruined by environmental catastrophes and extreme wealth concentration, attacks against the government and the rich that started out as local riots but became a global movement.

—Rare Pairs—

💥 I Built A Home for You, for Me  by aimmyarrowshigh, thediamondskies

(E, 70k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) In the year 2114, Nick Grimshaw is the voice behind the morning broadcast for a new England’s BBC—the voice behind the Counsel heading an England that has regained international supremacy through colonialism and violence, and domestic supremacy through the oppression of its people. 

💥 Aftermath by StormDancer

(M, 11k, Zayn/Louis) In that other world, when Louis hadn’t won Zayn in a card game. When the chains around Zayn’s wrists that kept him with Louis were emotion, not gold.

[spotlightlowlife]

There's a Helluva lot that can be done with Stella

Let's be honest, Stella got done dirty.

We first met a woman scorned, upset that her husband cheated, nothing wrong with that. Bothered by losing a major bag in the divorce, fair enough. The bounty, overly dramatic but an understandable motive.

Seeing as she's been reduced a lifelong meany who's the cause of someone else's actions because she deserves it and her sinister brother is better at scheming, where could her character be taken next?

Unlike many other characters Stella has a, questionable, yet apparently close relationship with a sibling who will intervene in or take over on the scheming front, which could open more doors for her.

We have a widely unexplored family who were would have to be someone of high standing to be able to marry royalty, pose some business prospect and be expected to supply a heir? Though things do get confusing as anyone seems to be able to rub shoulders with anything else, there are still questions..

Who are her family.

What is her relationship with her father in law?

All these could result in us getting to know more about the highest ups in society, Stella serves as an excellent inbetween, not quite up there with the royals but perhaps holds some influential position, she is also a character who could has a direct connection with Blitzø, the leading character. What does she think of him ?

Since the divorce isn't her doing, has she tried to reconcile, had she tried prolonging it, has she appealed in any way and does she have a prenup? Tedious contracts have been seen to be a thing in this series, she would definitely be a candidate to go to a hells equivalent of California court, somewhere notorious for very controversial spousal support drafts.

In the real world, those Real Housewives shows are full of unhappily married and divorce women, drama, parties and hospitality, she would fit right in to a show like this. Perhaps entrepreneurial greedy sin Mammon saw the internet buzz of the showdown at his pageant and realized there's a gap in the market for royal gossip so started up a newtork and show, if he doesn't already have them, and cast Stella with her bitter divorce being her scandalous storyline.

Imagine Stolas tuning into his favourite telanovela and seeing an ad for 'Real Housewives of the ... ring' and watching his estranged wife sat discussing her no good ex in some abridged conversations and episode by episode her social media star is on the rise showing the power of celebrity and public opinion.

A socialite lifestyle is rather fitting, it may be canon but if not it could easily be because unlike many other characters, Stella has friends.

Not only that but she appears a confident, extroverted people person who can throw a lavish and busy party for little reason but she just felt like celebrating. She could have numberours self important people attending, we could got to know her connections, the show could be a big product placement where viewers flock to high street stores and the net to buy fast fashion and low quality variants of the goods they have seen on screen, feeding back to a certain greedy leader. Stella could boost her connections further which results in more options, simply by being her glamorous, social and mean spirited self.

We haven't seen how she engages with her daughter. Though they're not leading characters they are a rare example of a mother and child, mother and daughter and parent to a child who is still a minor.

They appear to be drastically different in disposition and appearance. Is Stella one of those parents who constantly wants their child who is growing into their own to look a certian way, someone who would like to see her daughter wearing a dress as she does,

or is she one of those pretentious parents who boasts about everything their child does and how unique and destined for greatness they are, which may actually be the case for Octavia.

We don't see Stella and Octavia interactions and Octavia's screentime has consisted of Stolas realizing he hasn't been hearing his daughter, there's no reason to believe that they are close or don't get along.

All in all, another assassination attempt was quashed but she's still ruthless, she's not the most calculating person on the scene, money is and isn't an objective and she lives an active life. Where writers have diluted character in order to have them be more likeable, the give and take that has been done with Stella could possibly open more doors?

[faithandfairies]

I'm watching the new Interview with the Vampire series and honestly, I've read and seen a lot of vampire stories (mostly read) and this one, this one is everything I've ever wanted a vampire story to be.

Now I'm partial to werewolves, shapeshifters, as in if I was ever a mythical creature I would want to be a shapeshifter, be able to shift into anything I can think up. But I've always been fascinated with vampires.

Vampires as mythical creatures are inherently erotic, passionate, mesmerizing. The way they feed is inherently erotic, passionate and vulnerable. It involves having tastes that society frowns upon as they experience extasy while often bringing extasy to the person they choose to feed from. It's inherently queer-coded.

Even when I didn't know I was gay, this creature appealed to me because it was.

But no vampire story I ever read or saw went there. Had the courage to fully go there. Until this new version of Interview with the Vampire.

Even in the 1994 movie the queerness was implied. Lestat turns Louis on their first meeting but only because it's the only way to keep him alive. And everything about the encounter, the feeding, is gay.

In this new one they actually give us a clear juxtaposition between Lestat feeding on Louis versus Lestat feeding on everyone else.

With everyone else, it's a quick hunt. Unceremonious. Predatory to the max. He has no care for his victims. Spares no thought for them. They are beneath him. He tears them apart. Slaughters them. It's excruciatingly painful for the victims and not quick enough, however quick it is.

With Louis, he hunts him slowly. It's a dance. The way men chase women. And initially he gives him a choice. Or maybe the illusion of one. And when he does taste him, he does so slowly, it's sensual and vulnerable and they are both in extasy, both completely naked after a make-out session that Louis initiated. It's as careful as he can be and afterwards there is aftercare. As they are both at their most vulnerable, Lestat takes the time to heal the marks he caused, with his blood, which in itself gives the impression that he's marking Louis as his.

The whole thing, from the make-out session to the feeding and the extasy and levitation to the aftercare reads like a mating ceremony. It's such a stark contrast to Lestat's other feedings. Because from Lestat's words you get that he chose Louis, singled him out. But then he pursues Louis until Louis chooses him in return.

Even with the sex, Lestat is not interested in Lily. He barely touches her, only doing so to give the impression to Louis that he's interested in her. When he's actually there because his romantic interest is in Louis himself. Every look and touch from Lestat directed at Lily is distracted by and actually focused on Louis, until he can get his hands on Louis himself with Louis wanting him as much as he wants him. Lestat is there because he wants Louis. Nothing else. Everything he does is driven by that single(-minded) want.

In the 1994 Interview with a Vampire Lestat also turns Louis because it's convenient. Lestat needs a home, or wants one, and Louis has a huge one to his name.

In the new version Lestat is also looking for a home and then Louis himself becomes his home. He tells him so. He pretty much tells Louis he was looking for a mate and found one in Louis and is looking for Louis to want him as his mate in return.

It reminds me of this fic I read where a vampire falls in love with a human and chooses him as his mate without him fully realizing that's what's happening. The vampire then gets rejected by his chosen mate and instead of pushing his chosen mate to choose him in return, the rejection forces him into hibernation and inevitable death until the mate realizes what happened and chooses him in return.

If you consider Lestat choosing Louis as his mate and Louis then rejecting him, which he does, first by not going back after their first mating session, then by physically pushing him away when Lestat shows up pretty much to claim him, then by trying to choose Lily over Lestat and then confessing to a priest that he's sleeping with the devil and needs help to get away from him, effectively insulting Lestat and verbally rejecting his love in hearing distance after he's done so every other way, then it stands to reason that Lestat might be going mad with lust and desperation and hunger for Louis, if his intent was to mate Louis, then keep him human and feed off of him.

It doesn't make it romantic though. Because they don't sugar coat Lestat's inherent predatory nature. He is a predator. He is possessive. He killed Lily because she couldn't satisfy him and because even when Louis clearly wanted Lestat, for a brief moment, he chose Lily, to pleasure Lily, over him.

He approaches Louis at his most vulnerable, after his beloved brother's death. He puts his hooks into him and doesn't let go. It's selfish. If he did mate Louis everything he does after is about self-preservation. For all we know he put the thoughts in Paul's head that made him kill himself in the end. He isolates Louis. Doesn't allow him to go to anyone for help. Kills anyone he tries to get help from. Anyone he tries to choose over Lestat. At one point it's unclear if Lestat is really in Louis' head because he's a vampire or simply because Louis' is in love and lust with him and is going wild with thoughts of him of his own accord and unable to accept his own wants and needs. Either way it's not romantic. It's a toxic nightmare. And it's everything I ever wanted a vampire story to be.