#and you're not sure if people's intentions are what they say they are

[starrihan]

Enhypen When You're on Your Period

-> Pairing: Enhypen x afab! Reader

-> Plot: How i think enhypen act/ what they do for you when you're on your period

-> Genre: fluff, very slightly suggestive, comfort, intentional lowercase

-> Warnings: none

-> Word Count: 950 (jungwon and niki's parts are slightly longer)

-> Notes: self-indulgent because I'm on my period rn and the thought of enhypen taking care of their girlfriend's on their period is so cute to me

Heeseung

hes so sweet about it but also cracks jokes. I do believe he'd be the one to be at the store when you ask him to pick up pads/ tampons for the first time and him asking "what size is your pussy?" and he's so serious. after being together for a couple of months he'd learn your cycle (so he can track the next time yall can fuck)

he would try his best to make you feel comfortable if you were having cramps. he would show up at your door with boba/ coffee/ tea, whatever you prefer and then offer to order takeout and spend the night in

༄ ༄ ༄

Jay

I know everyone thinks he's husband and its because he is. he would be on top of your period and better prepared for it than you would be. he would predict the day you would get your period and he's right 95% of the time. he always makes sure the bathroom is stocked with whatever you use, making sure to buy extra toilet paper and wipes that week.

he makes sure your favorite snacks are stocked in the kitchen and buys you a heating pad if you don't already have one. would cook dinner for you and set everything up and then clean up afterwards because you shouldn't "worry your pretty little head about a thing."

overall just the perfect person to take care of you on your period

༄ ༄ ༄

Jake

nervous pt. 1. I think jake would be nervous the first time you get your period when you guys started dating. he'd be scared to say or do the wrong thing that could make you upset or frustrated. its a stark contrast to his normally silly personality. he would treat you like you're made of glass if you tell him that you're cramping, as if you'd break if he touched you.

you'd have to reassure him that you're okay and that you're not gonna feel more pain if he holds you. once you calm him down of his fears, he'd be so sweet and perfect. he'd bring you a big bag of snacks and propose you watch funny youtube videos to cheer you up. he'd offer to massage you and then cuddle until you fall asleep

༄ ༄ ༄

Sunghoon

he's very calm the first time you get your period. he has a little sister so he knows about periods and knows the basics. he asks you what you like to do during this time and what you prefer to eat, etc. he likes to buy you small gifts that he thinks will cheer you up. he also proposes you guys go out and take walks to help you feel better, only if you're up for it, of course.

he'll make ramen for the both of you to eat cause he knows it warms you up and will throw on a movie for you two to watch. cleans everything up and then at the end of the night, he picks you up and carries you to bed

༄ ༄ ༄

Sunoo

the moment you told him you were on your period, he started researching everything there was to know about them. "I read that women prefer to have chocolates on their period so i bought you the one you like!"

he's very attentive to your mood. he knows that he can be sassy and while its normally for jokes, he eases up on the sass if he sees that you're uncomfortable or in pain and focuses on you feeling better. will do skincare with you at the end of the night because he knows you sometimes skip it if you're too tired. gets you matching headbands and wristbands to make the process cuter. he's just so lovely

༄ ༄ ༄

Jungwon

nervous pt. 2. of course he knows what periods are and he's been around people who have had their periods. but the first time you get you period he makes a joke about "how bad could they be?" and he immediately learns his lesson when you're shooting daggers at him. once you tell him all the things that happen to your body during your period (in too much detail for his liking) he is very mindful about your feelings.

he's like a little puppy, fetching you whatever you need the moment you ask for it. he learns the queues of when you're in pain or when you're feeling too hot or too cold and tried to remedy it instantly. he gives you plenty of hugs and kisses to help make you feel better and will do anything to see you laugh, your favorite being him making funny faces or messing with his hair <3

༄ ༄ ༄

Niki

he knows a lot more than it may seem. you may be his first girlfriend but he surprises you with how much he knows. he asks you what size pad/ tampon you need when you tell him. even if you don't need any, he'll go out and buy you some anyways, so you don't run out of them. he also would always keep an extra one in his bag whenever he's out with you in case you need it.

he would take you on cute little dates for ice cream for whenever you're craving a sweet treat. he would suggest you two play video games. if you're against each other he'd let you win, despite your protests. at the end of the night, he'd tell you to get ready for bed while he tidies up. he would find you laying in bed, already asleep and would pull the covers over you both before cuddling you to sleep.

[crowhyun]

gym rat taehyun who you end us seeing frequently at the gym whenever you’re around too and he starts helping you out on some of the stuff and sexual tension and then BAM, sex

a/n: I haven't written smut in so long so please bare with me 😭 I'm trying to get back into the groove of it but I've kinda lost confidence though I hope that doesn't show in my works lol. I hope you enjoy this, anon, and thank you for requesting!!

Warnings: smut, pnv, exhibitionism, unprotected sex but hyun's pull out game is top tier, I would know

WC: 1.8k

The gym a few blocks away from your apartment was always too crowded for your taste. Midday was the worst, with every piece of equipment occupied, and the ones that weren't were a sweaty mess due to peoples' lack of politeness.

Though, around 10PM was always the best time to go. It was much less crowded, and it was almost calming, in a way.

You, along with a few other late night gym rats, took this time to your advantage. The gym was nearly empty, and hip-hop music played quietly from the speakers. The sound of equipment moving and barbells clanking was miniscule compared to how it usually was.

Though, you'd be lying to yourself if you said that that was the only reason you came to the gym at that time.

Your other reason - your main reason - was currently at the pull-up bar, biceps bulging and sweat dripping down his clear skin as he effortlessly hoisted himself up on the bar. You were quite familiar with this man, or at least as familiar as you could get from afar. Without fail, he'd always be at the gym at this time, always alone, and ever so efficient in his workouts.

You tried not to stare as you leisurely stretched. You weren't in the mood for heavy lifting or cardio, yet you were fully intent on boy watching.

After what seemed like over a dozen pull-ups, the man hopped down from the bar, turning around with a hand on his hip to grab his towel, and you quickly looked away to not get caught ogling. To look busy, you continued with your stretching, doing basic stretches to pass the time. You were so distracted trying to look busy that you hadn't even noticed a certain someone approaching until you heard his voice.

"Your form isn't good." He said, causing you to flinch and sir upright, staring right at the man who was sipping from his water bottle.

Is he talking to me?, you thought. Though, he was obvious who he was talking to, due to his large brown eyes seemingly piercing into your soul. "...huh?" Was all that you could muster out.

"Sorry." He apologized, screwing his water bottle shut. "I don't mean to bother you, but I just thought that I should tell you that your form isn't very good. You might hurt yourself."

Your lips went into an O-shape as you realized what he was saying, and you couldn't help but feel embarrassed. You fully expected him to just walk away after that, but he spoke once more.

"I can help with some stretches if you'd like." He said. "I'm no personal trainer, but I know a thing or two."

"Oh...you'd do that?" You asked, trying to keep your voice steady as you inwardly fangirled, knowing that this was the perfect opportunity to get closer to the man you've been crushing on.

"Yeah, of course." He nodded, placing his water bottle down and coming closer, your heart beating a mile a minute. He gave you a sweet smile before he bent down to your level, and you got a close up look at his sweaty skin and well built arms, causing you to shiver in anticipation.

"See, when you're doing lunge stretches, you have to make sure your back is flat and your core is engaged so that you can keep your balance." He said, his voice soft, though the near emptiness of the gym made it seem as if he were loud and clear. He got into position beside you, showing off the proper way to stretch, and you followed suit.

Throught the stretches, you had learned that his name was Taehyun, and he was pretty flexible himself. You may have even purposefully made yourself seem incompetent in your stretches so that he wouldn't leave anytime soon. It was getting later and later, but you didn't want to go home - not yet.

"Hamstring stretches are a bit harder, as most people don't stretch for long enough." He informed you, gently pushing you onto your back. "How flexible are you?" He asked, helping you to hike your leg up. You were hyper aware of the feeling of his strong hands on you, and the change of position nearly made you dizzy.

"Uh, maybe moderately?" You spoke, clearing your throat in an effort to sound like your panties weren't starting to get damp.

"Moderately?" He chuckled with a slight tilt to his head. "We'll see about that then, yeah? Just tell me when it's too much." He said, his hand circling around your calf as he started to slowly push your leg up...up...and up.

You winced a bit, the stretch starting to get painful, but you were too distracted by how he placed his other hand right on your thigh.

"There you go." He encouraged, your leg straight up and pushed against his shoulder as he kneeled down in front of you. "How're you feeling? Think you can go a bit more?"

"I can definitely feel the stretch." You chuckled, your heartrate beating a mile a minute. "I think I can go further, though."

With that, he started to slowly push your leg up once more, your thigh almost touching your chest. "Hmm, you're pretty flexible, aren't you?" He spoke, and you don't know if it's the rising desire within you or not, but his voice was starting to sound more...intimate.

"I didn't...I didn't realize before now." You said, finding it hard to breathe.

"Good thing you have me here then, huh?" He smirked, the sight making your walls clench around nothing. He then started to slowly lower your leg before doing the same to the other one. Your breath hitched at the stretch, and you winced.

"Fuck..." You whispered, unable to keep it in.

"Just a bit more, you got it." He said, his whisper matching yours as he stretched you further. His torso pressed against your leg, and you couldn't help yourself from taking a peek down between your legs. Truthfully, you just wanted to make sure you didn't completely soak through your leggings, but instead, you got a glimpse of what Taehyun was packing. The dim light of the gym reflected on the bulge in his gym shorts, and you literally felt your heart beat in your clit.

You quickly looked back up, eyes slightly widening, just to see that he was making eye contact with you. There was a certain gleam in his eyes that told you that he knew exactly what you were looking at.

If that didn't tell you enough, then his next actions did.

Stretching your leg so that your thigh met your chest, he positioned himself so that he was pressing up against you, and your breath hitched once you felt his bulge directly press against your clothed heat.

Shit...he's so close.

"There you go..." He said, his voice dangerously lustful. "Now you're all stretched out for me."

You weren't exactly sure when the switch flipped, and at this point, you didn't care if you were soaking through your leggings or not. You weren't crazy, his voice definitely held some underlying tension there, and neither of you could hide from it.

"Now that you're all stretched out, you can work out safely, no matter how hard."

Next thing you know, your leggings were hanging off of one leg, and your panties were pushed to the side to accommodate for how Taehyun's girth was stretching you out in a completely different way.

Sweat dripped down the strands of his wet hair, and your leg was hiked up on his shoulder, ensuring that you had no way to hide from just how deliciously he was rocking his hips into yours.

It was a caconaphy of hushed moans, grunts and whimpers, the sounds of your bodies colliding. You but your lip harshly to try and silence yourself even though you were pretty sure the gym was empty at this time. Taehyun's cock ruthlessly massaged your g-spot with each thrust, and he groaned in ecstacy as your nails dug into his arms in order to brace yourself.

"Ah- ah- ah-" Staccato moans left your lips as your body jerked each time his tip slammed against that spot within you, his pelvis hitting your clit over and over again.

"Fuck, you're so tight." He groaned, his brows furrowed in concentration, solely focused on fucking you dumb on his cock.

A loud keen ripped from your throat as he slightly adjusted his positioning, his cock hitting so deep inside your fluttering walls. Your hips bucked up and your other leg lifted, the urge to close your legs and run away from the numbing pleasure growing greater.

"Nuh-uh." Taehyun tsked, shaking his head as he roughly spread your legs, his cock pushing deeper inside of you. "C'mon, you can take it. Take this cock." He grunted, gifting you with a particularly harsh thrust that had you reeling.

Your head fell back on the mat underneath you and your thighs shook. You could feel his cock throb inside of you, his low grunts only driving you closer to the edge. You then gasped loudly, your jaw dropping and your body tensing.

"C-cumming, I'm cum-" You stammered out, only to cut yourself off with a high pitched moan that would've been impossible for you to keep in. Your pussy walls clamped around Taehyun's thick shaft like a vice, and he felt like he was seconds away from absolutely losing it at the way your fucked out face contorted into barely concealed pleasure as you creamed all around his cock.

He wrapped his hands around your wrists, holding you down as he pumped faster, his balls tightening as he saw completion on the horizon. "Mmmh, that's it...cum on my cock just like- hah- that." He groaned, his jaw clenching as his blunt nails dug into your wrists, and before he knew it, he couldn't take anymore.

He was quick to pull out of your tight heat, which was almost painful, but that no longer mattered to him, because his hot, thick cum was spurting out of his glistening cock and onto your stomach. The hottest whine left his throat as he came down from his high, his chest heaving up and down, and his eyes darting down to your fucked out form.

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed, the only sound being the low volume of the music playing through the gym speakers and the sound of the both of you catching your breaths.

"Well, uhm..." He suddenly spoke, clearing his throat. You noticed that he was avoiding eye contact, and the tips of his ears were tinted red.

Was he...embarrassed?

You fought the urge to laugh as he continued.

"If you just, uh...do those stretches before every workout, you should be good to go." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Thanks..." You spoke, your voice a bit hoarse. "For helping me stretch...and for the little present you gave me." You said, referring to his seed that was splattered across your stomach, seeping down to your belly button.

His eyes widened and he choked, almost as if he forgot that he had came on you.

"I'll...deal with that."

[urpriest]

So just to clarify, I agree with your broader point: I think the thing people are evaluating in these tests is something like "does this have the vibes to be art" (with some people like Scott who just habitually enjoy art mostly on those grounds), and that that's not particularly central to how people who actually care about art think about it.

And there is definitely a big chunk of poetry-enjoyers and literature-enjoyers out there who care about authorial intent. This both includes the sort of random person on the street you're gesturing at above, and also the more nostalgia-motivated poetry enthusiasts who see themselves as part of a great historical tradition or whatever.

(I think it also includes people who write fanfic! Yes they like to make up their own stories, but I do think they typically care about where those stories come from. They weren't who I was talking about.)

But I feel like if you're arguing about what counts as "real art", then the people you need to convince aren't those people, nor are they you or me. They're art professors and the like. And those people tend to be critical theory types who explicitly claim to not care about authorial intent.

I doubt that those people would call current AI art "real art", but at this point I'm not entirely sure why. Like, in that ACX post where he reads The Last Psychiatrist analyzing The Giving Tree, The Last Psychiatrist clearly doesn't actually care what was in Shel Silverstein's head or what he was trying to do, he's just making up a story that reflects the themes he wants to convey using the piece as raw material. And if you're in the business of doing that, then AI art should work just as well.

(I guess the work needs to be well-known, so that your audience cares about what you're saying? Is that the only barrier at this point?)

There are two big "AI Art Discourse" events of note recently, which I thought were interesting: ACX's "AI Art Turing Test" and the new paper on "AI Poetry Beating Human Poetry". Both of these I think reveal the shape of "what is AI art for", and also say a lot about how these results were utilized in discourse.

To take the latter first, some academics quizzed people on some poetry and had these results:

We found that AI-generated poems were rated more favorably in qualities such as rhythm and beauty, and that this contributed to their mistaken identification as human-authored. Our findings suggest that participants employed shared yet flawed heuristics to differentiate AI from human poetry: the simplicity of AI-generated poems may be easier for non-experts to understand, leading them to prefer AI-generated poetry and misinterpret the complexity of human poems as incoherence generated by AI.

More human than human poems! This certainly seems impressive - and it is. You couldn't have gotten these results ~5 years ago. But that maybe doesn't mean as much as you might think? Because here is the opening half of the winning "Walt Whitman AI" Poem:

I hear the call of nature, the rustling of the trees, The whisper of the river, the buzzing of the bees, The chirping of the songbirds, and the howling of the wind, All woven into a symphony, that never seems to end. I feel the pulse of life, the beating of my heart, The rhythm of my breathing, the soul's eternal art, The passion of my being, that burns with fervent fire, The urge to live, to love, to strive, to reach up higher. I see the beauty all around, the glory of the earth, The majesty of mountains, the miracles of birth, The wonder of the cosmos, the mysteries of the stars, The poetry of existence, that echoes near and far

This fucking sucks. Straight up 2/10 poem. Did this bitch seriously establish the world's most predictable rhyme scheme only to try to rhyme wind with end? You had one job that you chose for yourself, and you screwed it up! This poem has been written a million times before, and says nothing - the Miley Cyrus lyrics of verse.

The reason this won is, yes, because AI tools have advanced heavily in the past few years. But it is also because it is being tested on a dead art. No one cares about poetry - certainly not the survey respondents:

We asked participants several questions to gauge their experience with poetry, including how much they like poetry, how frequently they read poetry, and their level of familiarity with their assigned poet. Overall, our participants reported a low level of experience with poetry: 90.4% of participants reported that they read poetry a few times per year or less, 55.8% described themselves as “not very familiar with poetry”, and 66.8% describe themselves as “not familiar at all” with their assigned poet. 

"Or less" is doing a LOT of work there; "yeah I read a few nonfiction books a year" oh sure, totally. 90% of these respondents haven't read a poem that wasn't displayed in the end credits of Minecraft since high school. No one does, poetry as a medium is essentially a relic. That isn't an insult to poets, by the way! There is no shame in being a niche. Not everyone can have the reach of hentai doujin artists; the community is small but they get a ton out of it. But you can't take the art of the community and expect that art to hit outside of it.

This survey didn't ask people to evaluate art; it asked people to evaluate their stereotypical impression of an art they don't care about. It was ~600 people hired off a website, they banged it out ASAP and moved on. This is not to invalidate the results; I am not actually claiming that "real" poets would have scored much better? Maybe, I don't know - that just isn't very relevant.

Let's swing to the AI Art Turing Test results to get more into why. Again, AI art is absolutely "art" in the sense that it is able to pass the test handily. You have to be head-in-the-sand at this point to think that AI can't make an impressionist painting a la the "most liked" art in this contest:

I have seen the "well real paintings have physicality this is a jpeg" discourse points and the cope couldn't be more real - 99% of art consumption in the modern world is digital or at least prints, let's get you back to bed grandma. But I did find it pretty funny that Scott noted this AI piece as one he particularly liked:

Because it is nonsensical, right? All that "faded paint", how was it originally painted - just bucket splashes of red and blue? What are those random doors, the random stairs going nowhere on the sides, the vague-nothings engravings? Scott just didn't care about that - he liked the vibe, right? Ancient ruins, epic scale. It isn't a coincidence that the Impressionist art did the best - current AI tools are always impressionist, they have an idea of the vibe and invent the details in between. In Impressionism that is the whole point.

Now the trap is to go "REAL artists can tell because of this or that" because idk, the tools might get better, they might fill in more and more details. The real revelation here is that you don't need the tools to get better - visual art isn't so different from poetry. Most people don't pay attention to it all that much. You see thousands, thousands of pieces of art a week; you probably don't even realize how many. Do you really care if the fading paint makes coherent sense on a billboard ad or a doctor's office wall painting? So much art that is made is "industrial" in this sense - it has no need to be good. Only good enough to fulfill its utilitarian role. In these fields AI absolutely is going to Take Your Jobs in some form, and already is (though imo not a ton of them). And it won't really bother most people. This can go pretty deep - I promise you people are "utilizing" AI porn right now. They are ~appreciating the details~ way more than is typical, the product is working.

All this works until it doesn't, though. When it is an art book by a favourite artist whose vision you want to pour over, learning that all the individual details were just made by AI completely defeats the purpose, right? Imagine reading a book of these poems. Outside of the novelty, "AI is the point" factor you would rather watch infomercials on repeat, I can't imagine a more pointless use of my time. "Reading arbitrary poems" is never fun, regardless of the quality of the poems. Most people don't care about poetry! The reason you care is that you care about the poet, and what they want to say. You read poetry with context, it being inserted with intent into the pages of a manga, at the end of a video game, because you like the artist and follow them on twitter. The quality of the prose isn't more important than that.

Which is a harsh limit for all of these kinds of tests. They essentially aren't testing art, right? You do not ever get paid twenty bucks to sit down and read a dozen poems and score them. That has no bearing on how you would actually ever learn to care about a poem. Which doesn't make AI art useless or anything, more that these tests will very quickly run into their limits of what they can meaningfully tell you. The actual bar is "creating something someone cares about". From that lens, I fully believe hybrid methods that privilege artistic intent are currently working and will improve. But I think for "solo" AI art getting that to work is going to be complicated.

[theorphicangel]

thinking about taking miguel to the christmas markets. at first he hated them. there's too many people, too many bright lights and overall, it is an overwhelming experience.

but somehow...you manage to drag him.

with a kick in your step and with you tightly wrapped in your bundle of a hat, scarf and winter coat you practically drag your roommate out from his cave and onto the city streets.

the mixed aromas of hot chocolate, roasted nuts, pies and other food have your mouth watering. miguel observes each stall, taking a mental note of the more creative ones. perhaps that's where your christmas gift will come from.

'oh look there's fudge! wanna try some?' you perk up.

miguel grumbles, " 's bad for your teeth"

"who cares? it's christmas, let your dentist worry about that in january."

with no intention of buying anything at all, miguel complies and follows you over. there's a hand at the bottom of your waist to guide you in and out of the crowd, but most importantly, to make sure that miguel doesn't lose you and that you stay safe.

you gasp at the array of flavours. you point at a few, noting them to miguel.

he offers no reaction, merely glazing over them. your moment of observation is interrupted by the salesperson coming over to provide a free sample. the sample consists of a few different flavours: biscoff, caramel, dark chocolate and peanut butter.

you watch miguel's reaction as you simultaneously take a bite. he frowns at first but then you watch his face relax as he chews, grasping the flavour.

'not bad right?' you smile, watching miguel slowly convert from a hater of fudge to a lover.

he hums, not really interested in giving a response.

for a second you doubt yourself. what if he does hate it? should you move onto the next stall? the awkwardness is interrupted as miguel moves away from you and to the salesperson. for a second you think he's about to complain yet instead you hear...

"i'll take salted caramel and hazelnut please"

it doesn't take long for miguel to pay, returning to you with his hands filled with bags of fudge. already there's a smirk on your face and miguel knows exactly what you're going to say before you've said it.

"see I told you!"

"shut up"

[xoxo-sarah]

Visiting Home for the Holidays

↝a/n: for my people who don't celebrate Thanksgiving, you can interpret this as Steve meeting your parents for the first time. 🩷

↝pairing: Steve Harrington x reader

↝warning: Thanksgiving? Not proof read, rushed

|| Disclaimer: I do not own Steve Harrington, or any character from Stranger Things. I only own y/n and any characters I create with my own brain. ||

↝⎙ 11.27.24

Steve Harrington masterlist | main masterlist

Steve stood at the edge of the driveway, his heart pounding in his chest. He adjusted his brown sweater for what felt like the hundredth time. You had told him it looked good on him.

He glanced nervously at the front door. The memory of his disastrous first meeting with Nancy's parents played on a loop in his mind. He could still hear the awkward silences, feel the judgmental stares, and remember the feeling of not being good enough. He remembered passing by the house and feeling ashamed when he caught the eye of Mr. Wheeler as he mowed the lawn. Truthfully, Mr. Wheeler hadn't thought of Steve since that night. That didn't change the fact that it haunted Steve. The thought of repeating that experience made his palms sweat and his stomach churn.

"Steve, it's going to be okay," you said, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "They're going to love you."

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I just... I don't want to mess this up." Last time, it was a disaster. He didn't dare say the last sentence. This is different. It's a different time with different people. He's changed. He's not King Steve. You're not her.

You smiled softly, squeezing his hand. "You're amazing, and they're going to see that."

Steve nodded, taking comfort in your words. "Okay, let's do this." With one last deep breath, he followed you up the walkway, feeling a little more confident with each step.

Peering eyes watched through the window, in-between the curtains. Excited eyes softened and protective eyes glared, slightly wavering as you slightly smiled. You were happy.

As you knocked on the door, he glanced at you, and you gave him a reassuring smile. The door opened, and your parents greeted you both warmly. Steve felt the tension in his shoulders start to ease as he saw the welcoming expressions on their faces.

Dinner was a cozy affair, filled with laughter and stories. Steve found himself relaxing more and more as the evening went on. Your parents were kind and engaging, nothing like the cold reception he had feared. Every now and then, he'd catch your eye, and your encouraging smile would give him the boost he needed to keep going.

"Steve," your dad started, a hint of question as he said the name, not sure if that was right. He gave time for correction, but it never came so he continued, "Y/n tells us you work at a video store. How's that treating you?"

Steve started to feel that familiar anxiety creeping back. Then he felt your hand gently touch his under the table, grounding him.

He took a deep breath and began to talk, feeling more confident with each word. "It's fun; decent pay." He started, before going on about working with friends and his boss.

Your parents listened intently, nodding and smiling, genuinely interested in what he had to say.

By the end of the night, Steve was laughing and chatting comfortably with your parents, the initial nerves long forgotten. He realized that with you by his side, he could face anything.

As you said your goodbyes, your mother stopped you, bringing you into a hug. "He's a keeper," she whispered and grinned, pinching your cheek and your became embarrassed.

Your dad brought you closer to him, after shaking Steve's hand firmly. "Be careful on the roads. Holiday traffic is the worst."

Steve grabbed your hand and began walking back to the car, Steve turned to you, gratitude and affection shining in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I couldn't have done this without you."

You smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I knew you could do it. And now you know it too."

Steve smiled back, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the chill of the night air. He knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, with you by his side, he could handle them all.

After Steve opened your door, helping you get in without hitting your head, you turned back to the house as Steve rounded the car. Your parents stood on the edge of the porch, expressions soft. They waved, smiled gracing their face. Their little girl was with someone who seemed nice. He was respectful; he helped clean up and respected you and them. He listened when you talked, eyes scanning your face. A few times, they caught him smiling as he admired you. He even fixed a piece of hair that had fallen in your face.

They were willing to welcome him back anytime, as long as he made you happy.

•2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

•My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [I don't give permission!]

[anonymityisfunwriter]

The Heir and The Spare - Part 4: Then and Now

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Stark!Reader Summary: Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Heaviest is the head that was always second best.

The Heir and The Spare | Steve Rogers Masterlist

"You're not listening to a word I'm saying, are you?" 

"Of course I am," you hum, staring out the window, watching as the streets of New York City pass you by. Perhaps Steve was onto something when he said there was more to the city than just business and that eyesore of a building with your last name slapped on its helm. "I always listen to you." 

He snorts, intently watching your every move. Since he picked you up this morning, he wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or concerned for you. "You usually do, but you're distracted today. I usually expect this behavior from Tony." 

You scoff, "I resent that." 

"Well, I had to move that donor meeting to tomorrow, which means you'll be doubly booked. You'll have to cut tomorrow's lunch meeting short, and we may have to extend out your trip." 

"That's fine." 

"And I know, I know, you hate - wait, what?" 

You don't even tear your gaze away from the window. "I said that's fine." 

"Are you feeling okay?" Happy presses a hand to your forehead. His eyebrows pull together, now leaning more towards worried than relieved. "You don't have a fever. Maybe I should call a doctor." 

You swat his hand away, "I'm feeling fine. Good, even."

He leans forward, staring you down with a sharp, discerning stare, "You're stuck in New York an extra day, you were in a good mood after meeting with Tony? Who are you and what have you done with Ms. Stark?" 

You roll your eyes, "You're being particularly bothersome today." 

Happy sighs in relief, "And there she is." 

The truth of it was, as cliche as it sounded, the morning shone bright after your date with Steve Rogers.

You were so unused to this feeling. The feeling of butterflies and excitement creeping up and down your spine. You simply couldn't get over the feeling that you might possibly have someone in your corner. For once, someone who didn't put Tony first. Someone who didn't make you feel like the spare. 

As with all your visits to New York, your time was sparse, but for the first time in over twenty years, you found that you didn't want to take off to your corner of the country so soon.

Sunny LA could wait for another day or two.

After a morning of meetings and listening to men in suits drone on and on, it was finally time to meet with Pepper.

It always presented a nice facade of you and Tony being closer than you actually were. Photos of you entering and exiting establishments with Pepper usually calmed rumors for a while.

"Those photographers get more ravenous every year."

"Only for the ever elusive younger Stark," Pepper jokes. "Thank you for meeting me."

You roll your eyes, a huff of laughter leaving your lips. "You know as well as I do that my issues don't lie with you. I think you're good for my brother. Probably too good."

She tries to hide her smile behind her glass of water, "Was that a job offer?"

"It's a statement of fact," you easily reply. "You could do so much better, but I know that you're loyal to him."

"That I am."

"He's lucky to have you. Frankly, I don't know how you put up with him."

"He's not so bad. Though I do think he could take a page or two out of your book about discretion and privacy." She looks around the empty restaurant, thankful there's no listening ears. "Speaking of privacy, I'm glad you made arrangements today. There were a few things that we wouldn't want people to overhear." 

You quirk an eyebrow at her. "Oh?" 

"Happy and I think that it's time for another photo op. The rumors are stirring up again." 

"Well, attempting to buy your sibling out of a family company might do that," you bitterly quip. She tilts her head at you, an unspoken reprimand in her eyes. You hated that you listened to her as much as Tony did. You roll your eyes, sighing in defeat, "Alright, fine. I'm sure Happy's already taking care of it. He's desperate to get Tony and I back on our own corners of the country."

"He's content to keep peace. Especially after what happened the last time." 

"I maintain that Happy fell into that table on his own." 

"I vividly remember him stopping the two of your from lunging at each other."

"Tony started it."

Pepper doesn't bother entertaining the bickering. She spent the last two years hearing Tony saying the exact same thing. Instead, she changes the subject entirely, "Anything exciting you're working on? Only for me to know, I swear."

"Mostly working on getting that new foundation going."

"And how's that going?"

"Well, I think we've settled on the timeline. I'm hoping to announce cornerstone initiative in the fall. Trying to keep the board and backers happy is an entirely different story. You make it look easy."

She hums, "That's because you've taken it all on by yourself. My offer still stands to help, I hope you know."

"I think Tony would throw a fit if he had to share both you and Happy."

"I think you underestimate him - I know why you do but, he's different now. After the kidnapping, after the Iron Man of it all, he's changed. Not quite grown up, but more grown up."

"I won't hold my breath."

She sucks in a breath. "He cares a lot more than you think. I would even go as far as to say that he misses you."

"Pepper..." It's a light warning. A reminder that nothing good ever came from this. It was the reason that you could be cordial, even friendly, with Pepper. She didn't put herself in between the two of you. "He still keeps that picture of the two of you on his desk. Right next to the one of your father. He told me you two used to be close, he talks about those days all the time."

Your lips purse in distaste. Your arms defensively cross over your chest. "So then why is he trying to drive me out of my father's company?"

Her lips press together in a tight line. "I don't know."

"It's because he hasn't changed, Pepper," you answer. "He is and will always be the person that will do anything to get to the top. I expect nothing more or less of him."

"I tried telling him."

"I'm sure you did. Just like I'm sure he didn't listen."

"It's misguided. I'll give you that."

You scoff, "That's an understatement."

"Do you two ever think you'll get past this?"

It's the second time that question has caught you off guard. And though your voice is confident and unwavering, you're not fully convinced that your answer is true, "No. I don't."

"Not even if he apologized?"

"That would require an understanding of his own wrongdoing. It's been twenty years and he doesn't think he did a damn thing wrong, Pepper. Besides that, I don't think he's capable of apologizing."

She presses further, "But if he did?"

"I don't think I could ever forgive him, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't want to." And though neither of you have eaten a single bite, you both know you're done here. You offer a tight smile, "It was nice meeting with you, Pepper."

She reaches for you, giving your hand a squeeze, "Don't give up on him."

There's a vague pain emanating from your chest. A reminder that Pepper, like everyone else, would always put Tony first. A reminder that, while you were friendly with Pepper, you could never be friends with her. Her loyalty to Tony would always run far too deep for that. "That's where Tony and I couldn't be more different, Pepper. I don't make promises I have no intention of keeping." 

Next Chapter AnonymityIsFun Masterlist Steve Rogers Masterlist

As always, let me know what you think! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated! 💛

Taglist: @marianita195 @meli18gonzalez @ludicbouquetfromearth @matchat3a @famousbreadcherryblossomsstuff @valoraxx @blue786sworld @buckyandgeraltsupremacy @geminigengar @ansaturn @ecolle @lexhalstead3 @ybflkmj @mediocre-daydreams @shanye1112 @thegirlnextdoorssister @toomanyfanficsbruh @moonlightreader649 @breathtaking-cynthia @mirikusashes @beans-and-toast @niyahcoca @katiechikin @elxvrr @antiheroxsblog @infamouslyclumsy @krissydclayton93 @buckysbarnes @deadheadwbedhead @qualitygiantshoepsychic @whitexwolfxx310 @getosprettyboy @matchat3a @weallhaveadestiny @mostlymarvelgirl @honeydew3064 @michealharrypotter @mrs-bucky-barnes-73 @withyoutilltheendoftheline @the-photo-hoe @rae-nna @sarachabeans1@double-shot-of-tequila @spookyparadisesheep @lunaalovesyouu @daisy-loves-bucky@roseproseposts @theoraekenslover@king814318 @maybesomedaytho @carlie-babes99 @sunshinechikin @as-white-as-snow-love @melala1030 @badasswlthafatass @armystay89 @multiversefanfics @cherrysscinema @breathlesspieceofdeath @ravenn-darkholme @bxckybxrnes24 @guiltyasreid @bellabarnes1378 @blithecapricorn @mrsnikstan @marvelatthem @capswife

[claraweems]

The two instances in VG that really were jarring to me were:

1) At some point, you're in Minrathous (pretty sure) and Rook points out that something looked "cool." He said the word cool in that context. My brain literally stopped and went through my internal roll-a-dex to figure out if that was some kind of callback to a previous game or if there was a double meaning... No... No, that was just really bad word choice. I'm gonna be real: I could see 'cool' being slang for SOMEthing, but not like that. Make it something funny like the "What's Shapin'?" line, which was one of my favorites from the game. (It was modern, sure, but it was corny as fuck and used previously established lore as it's base. It was a perfect combination.)

2) Of COURSE the use of non-binary bothered me! The word, the phrasing, it was just so ... Ugh! Of ALL the races to NOT have a word for it. Make up something! "I've heard other qunari use the word <whatever> for people who are of two souls, and then there's <whatever2> for people who feel like they are neither." And then have a brief canonical conversation about it. Cringe: erased!

EXCEPT... Didn't we already establish that the Qun don't necessarily assign gender in the typical Thedosian/European way anyway!? I know Taash isn't part of the Qun, but wouldn't her very Qunari mother use that system to easily recognize what her daughter is or isn't? Wouldn't Taash being a specific type of warrior instantly assign her a specific gender other than "woman" anyway? Did I misunderstand something from DAI here?

Edit to add this excerpt from the wiki:

The Qunari also have the concept of "Aqun-Athlok," which means "born as one gender but living as another".[61] For example, a woman who shows sincere interest and outstanding talent at fighting will be considered male regardless of biological sex, and socially treated as male for all intents and purposes. For the Qunari, gender is inexorably linked to their role within the Qun.[62]

While this does not necessarily encompass non-binary individuals you cant tell me the Qun don't have a concept for them!

The only other times I can recall anyone in a DA game making a fuss about gender was the Qun gender rolls thing (99% it was a conversation with Bull), learning about Krem's identity, and then Dorian saying he prefers the company of men. And all of those fit in perfectly fine with the world. Even at the time, during first playthrough, none of them stood out as out-of-place. This isn't looking back fondly on something that was jarring at the time.

im definitely not a fan of this man on a personal level for several reasons but guys im starting to think da lost a load bearing wall when he left

[plusvanity]

In one of your ask answers from September you wrote: ''I am a bit reluctant to say what I really think of Faust''. I skimmed over other answers as well but you never really spoke on this matter or about him (concerning this) again. Perhaps it's going to be an empty ask because you're still not comfortable elaboring your views on this - which I accept naturally - but I'm just way too curious to not shoot my shot: what do you REALLY think about Faust?

I personally do not have much going on opinion wise when it comes to him, he seems loyal to Øystein's memory (visiting his grave often, speaking highly of him always, keeping his legacy alive and over all being full of admiration for him, which is understandable since Ø could count as his role model, in a way) which is nice considering how people from the BM scene try to paint Ø, stuffing their mouths with his name just for views and/or turning their backs on him after his death ; but I am also aware of the crime he commited and as far as I recall, he never really spoke about it? Which is also why many people despise him (which is normal, absolutely not trying to imply that 'talking about it' would solve the problem!) the double amount, for example you can see it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/rabm/comments/mz7s97/the_lgbt_heavy_metal_podcast_24_emperor/. Anyway, I'm more interested right now if your opinion, if you'd like to share. Thanks!

There are many reasons why I'm reticent in saying what I truly believe about Faust, but I will try to express it in the gentlest way possible. My opinion is not something colossal as there isn't much information available on the subject, but it's definitely a radical one.

I see lately that more and more people have a tendency to make opinions about certain problematic black metal individuals that are 'Øystein approved or disapproved'. In this case, I can easily include Faust. I see people willing to downplay the gruesome and intentional murder that he committed for the simple fact that he was one of Øystein's loyal 'students', so to speak. So, my question for those is:

Does the simple fact that Faust spoke honorably about his mentor make him less of a bad person for taking the life of a man? The most rational answer is no.

I see many people believing blindly that Faust is truly remorseful and that he learned his lesson in prison, and my question about this is: How can you be so sure? Just because he is out now, talking about how he messed up because he was a kid and how much he changed since then doesn't mean that he means his words. Anyone can say anything. You don't know if it's real unless you know that person personally, and even so, he went to prison for first degree murder. I don't think it's far-fetched to doubt his words. Once you're some kind of celebrity, you need to keep your PR good. And if you don't think that everything in this world is business, then you don't really know how the world works, and I apologize for sounding rude.

No one can prove or disprove that his mentality (not action) changed.

It is very expectantly for him to try to clean his image and redirect the attention to other subjects like talking positively about Øystein. I don't say he is not respectful and he doesn't carry on Øystein's legacy, but I'm saying that it's wise to be aware who says what and what might be the reason behind it. There are other people that I'm more inclined to believe their feelings towards Øystein and loyalty are more authentic, like Mortiis for example. This is just my opinion, I encourage everyone to think for themselves.

Maybe I'm too harsh on him and I don't give him many chances, but he is a criminal after all, and I don't minimize this aspect. He didn't kill in self defense, he talked in interviews about 'stomping' on the victim's head, and this is cruelty. Do people think this cruelty somehow goes away over time? It never does. You're either born with it or you learned it. That's not PlusVanity being bitter about what can be changed in people. That's a well-known psychological fact. He is in the ASPD spectrum towards the high end, that's no speculation.

The time spent in prison is the equivalent of a joke because of the Norwegian system. You're basically living like in a hotel there, painting and doing crafts, playing basketball with the guards, living a long vacation. There is little to nothing that a troubled individual can learn and self-reflect in such conditions. I'm not saying that more violent habits are the answer for behavioral change as I strongly believe that violence is primitive and unnecessary, but the only way in which someone can get an insight on themselves is by feeling the equivalent consequences of what they've done.

People question if he killed a man because his victim was homosexual or he if simply killed just to feel how it is like. Both options make Faust just as much of an asshole because he took somebody's life intentionally. When asked about his opinion on homosexuals, he answered: 'Basically I don't care about them (as long as they keep it to their own people), but... what can I say... they are nice to put knives into..' In another interview he describes luring that man to the spot in which he committed the crime. There's always the element of shock-value in the black metal scene, but I tend to believe his words back then were a bit more genuine than what he insists on now because, to be fair, who wouldn't want to clean his image after something like this? Especially because he is still relevant in the scene.

Of course that his peers accepted right back like 'hey, bro! nice to see you again' and many people forgot his dark past because he's famous (to a certain degree). Is he a perfectly good guy now just because he says he is? When talking about antisocial behavior, somebody who did this can always do it again. They have it in them.

To sum it up, from a moral perspective, I don't like Faust and I'm not easily impressed by his post-prison statements because of the gravity of his act. Should he be forgiven or cancelled is not something I will comment about. There is no way to verify what's in his head and talking more about it is simply rambling.

From a musical perspective, he's a good drummer.

That's all I can say.

[peridot-tears]

The case of Jennifer Scott

Something that has haunted me since I finished the Black Flag game and novel all those years ago is: What the fuck happened between Edward meeting Jenny and the events of AC: Forsaken?

Chronologically, AC: Forsaken came first, and then the Black Flag game and novel. We have Haytham's perspective, we are introduced to Jenny as someone who's upset that their father wouldn't train her as an assassin and, ostensibly, Edward and Tessa just want to marry off. Haytham is a bit of an unreliable narrator, because the adults try not to argue in front of him, so we don't know if getting rid of Jenny is what Edward really wanted, but the idea that she doesn't belong in the household is pretty well-established at this point.

Decades down the line, after Reginald Birch kills their father and Haytham saves his sister, Jenny says in her own words that that was the case:

"I hated him. All his talk of freedom—spiritual and intellectual freedom—didn’t extend to me, his own daughter. There was no weapons training for me, remember? No ‘Think differently’ for Jenny. There was just ‘Be a good girl and get married to Reginald Birch."

Then Black Flag the video game releases a year later in October 2013, and Black Flag the novel releases in December 2013 two months later. It's already been well-established that Edward was a flawed father to Jenny.

The Black Flag video game ends with this girl having the guts to travel across the fucking ocean all alone to meet a father she's never met. She's the milestone. She's Edward's commitment to a new life and fostering a child's view of the world.

Let's look at the Black Flag novel. This man addresses his first-person life story (the novel's narrative framing) to Jenny. Like Haytham does with Ratohnhaké:ton, he tells her his background, and is even honest with how was cast out by his own mother when he came back to Wales. Oliver Bowden wrote out Edward's adoration and willingness to stick with his daughter knowing full well of the eventual gap in their relationship.

Meta-wise, we know the writers probably wanted to make Edward as flawed as possible, and also tragedy is like candy to Ube Softee.

In-universe, what the fuck happened between the events of Black Flag and Forsaken to make Edward neglect Jenny?

Maybe while he was trying to rebuild his life, he couldn't spend as much time with her as he wanted. And when Tessa came into the picture, and then Haytham, well. Even if you still love your kids equally, the way you treat them is different. Jenny was probably neglected.

I'm not dissecting this in the context of Edward-drinks-respect-women-juice or whether or not you can call him a feminist, because I think those are really broad terms for someone who's lived in at least three different worlds with different rules all before he's 40. That deserves its own post.

But it seems wild to me that Edward -- someone who married a woman who matched his energy and stood up to drunken assholes to help other people; someone who in his own words respected Mary Read more than anything; someone who took counsel from Anne Bonny and trusted her to be his quartermaster -- wouldn't train his ballsy daughter to be an Assassin, and instead groom his son to be one instead. Where did that double-standard come from?

Did he want to protect his child from that world? Maybe he changed his mind by the time Haytham came along, but it was too late for Jenny.

It could go back to how he neglected Caroline too. He left to seek his fortune, out of selfish personal glory but also because she'd given up her inheritance to live a humble life he was ashamed to put her into. And because she eventually left him because all he could do was dream about it. He left his parents -- and in a sense, his wife -- to chase his dreams. Maybe that pattern repeated with his daughter. Once he started building a new life in England, with a new woman, there just wasn't space to consider training her anymore.

I think he decided on a certain life for her -- married, with a good reputation in high society -- and dismissed her when she wanted to become an Assassin, because he'd lived that life and didn't want it for her. Even though...that's incredibly myopic of him. Did he really think that the girl who, as a kid who'd just lost her mother, crossed a pirate-infested ocean to be with him would want to be a housewife? She said herself to Haytham:

"I once told you that our lives were mapped out for us, remember? ...I was born to serve men, and serve men is what I have done."

And did he really, truly just want her out of his life when she got older? Or was forcing marriage on her a way to ensure she lived in comfort, the way he wanted for Caroline?

And here's the part where we could comment on misogyny -- maybe he felt that he had to protect the women in his family, and couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she could decide for herself. Mary Read and Anne Bonny were pirates he met and befriended. Caroline and Jenny are his family, under his charge.

I think it's a combination of selfish and selfless reasons, of course, but I wish I could have seen what happened while Jenny grew up.

[ilovedthestars]

i understand and appreciate the sentiment behind them but god, as someone in the process of getting an art degree and intending to pursue a career in art, those "don't get a job doing what you love because you'll start to hate it" posts are depressing

[shoechoe]

I have a guess as to how Araki ranks his villains in terms of "evil" because I think it's based on their intention and their worldview just as much as their actions. Like, Diavolo doesn't give a shit about anyone except himself and all of his actions stem from that, so he's designated "Most Deplorable" category despite his actions not actually being as bad or as gruesome as lots of the other villains

[immortalsins]

help. how do i respond to 'do you want to meet up sometime' when i am not interested. genuinely can't figure out what to do, last time i just said yes and am now stuck in an awkward situation so this time i have to say no because i do NOT want it but there's really no way i can think of it say 'i don't want to meet because i know what that means even though it's normal on the surface'

[sskk-manifesto]

Ep 4 :)

[riiviir]

i wanna know more about kyer and alisia, their designs are super cool and the stuff u said about them in tags sounds super interesting!!

AA PEOPLE BEING INTERESTED IN MY OCS

so. they're both major characters in this RPG I would really like to make someday called The Mission Of Imperium.

Basically everyone is aware of the 4th wall, Players are seen as an entity that must be summoned when the world is faced with a dilemma that ordinary heroes cannot solve.

however, Players need a vessel.

in this particular story, Kyer is The Intended Vessel. they were chosen for this role because they tend to be a pushover and thus would be easy for the Player to control.

Alisia has been Kyer's best friend since childhood, and planned to go with them and basically be the Game's deuteragonist while Kyer would be the protagonist. she doesn't trust the Player, nor does she particularly like the idea of Kyer being possessed, but she is willing to let this happen and support their decision to act as a vessel.

however, when the player tries to inhabit Kyer's body, it is revealed that they are actually unable to act as a vessel. having the Player inhabiting them causes a lot of pain and could lead to death (that the Player would not be able to respawn them from) within less than an hour if the Player is not removed from their body.

Because of this, the Player ends up switching vessels last minute, causing Alisia to become the Player's vessel. she hates this, but for the fate of the world and the fact that she seems to be doing just fine as a vessel, she ends up becoming the Game's protagonist.

aside from the main conflict of "go defeat evil and save the world", this story centers a lot around the Player being able to make whatever choices they want regardless of what Alisia and Kyer want. and boy do I have plans regarding that

[risingsunresistance]

damn they werent kidding that reading comprehension CAN piss on the poor

[ricoka]

sometimes I wish you could post an opinion on a fandom blog without inviting a whole witch hunt or being accused of causing drama but alas