#anon has been on for a year+ atp.

[sakasakiii]

Every time I see your art it makes my day brighter. Glad to hear you're doing well!

hi hi hello!!!! thanks for checking in, anons, and for the kind words!!! im doing great, though im predicting ill be a bit busy in the weeks to come, so i hope you wont mind me if i slowly slink back into posting less and less OTL I've still got a few proper pieces to be posted per my usual time, but im gonna do my best to answer more asks in-between!! anon 1, i hope your day is even brighter than how you made mine when you sent in that ask <333

here's a quick sketch of tyelpe and annatar as requested :D anon 2, im so sorry for taking so long to get to this but im absolutely flattered to hear you like my art!! most of my gallery is filled with the works of artists i study, but its a foreign concept for me to consider that my art is potentially saved in someone else's?!... im not quite sure how to put it to words.... 😭😭thank you again aaarrghhh;;;;;

its been too long since i drew these two so.... redesigned buffer tyelpe finally gets his own piece :D thank you again anons!!! i hope you both have a wonderful rest of your week! ❤️

[sunkissedlouis]

.

[giveafike]

ben shelton taking you on a date after flirting for months on atp/wta tour 😋

TLDR: Tennisplayer!fem reader x Ben Shelton flirting on tour until Ben acc gets a grip and asks reader out.

EDIT: part 2 here!

Word count + info: 5.1k! A LONG one but I just do not know how to stfu!! Dialogue (including comments, texts, phone calls - lots of flirting and teasing). Mentions of Carlos Alcaraz too (couldn't resist) alongisde Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz.

Character Inspo: She's cheeky n playful (was listening to Promiscuous Girl - Nelly Furtado & 5 Star Hotel - Raye as I was writing this amongst many other similar songs so.... yea...behaviour like Sabrina Carpenter - yk just... fun! I didn't write any specifications but in my head I was envisioning Tyla so! But put whoever you want to cast ;)

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW, this is sooo cute. There is a little naughty tsk tsk suggestive scene (CAR SCENE - feel free to skip) bit but nothing NSFW, teasing, playful relationship, little jabs here n there, hope its making ur feet kick! I hope it's funny too, like it makes u smile bc I had sm fun writing this !

Azzie Notes ✚: I literally gasped and giggled when I saw this prompt - I can't!!! SO, so, soooo cute I loved this prompt anon pls keep sending me more, you have this writer wrapped around your finger now. I love the idea of Ben with a WTA player, such a cute and fun dynamic!! Anyways, hope you all enjoy ;)

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Game, Set, Match - B.T.S

You stood on the court, the crowd's roar fading into a distant hum as you focused on the match ahead. A small smile played on your lips, and your eyes narrowed in determination. The bright sun overhead felt like a spotlight, buzzing on your skin, illuminating your every move and sharpening each muscle in your body. You were a force to be reckoned with — both polarising and captivating, your quick wit and cheeky banter stirred strong opinions. With a playful shrug and a blown kiss to the crowd, you dismissed the critics, your confidence as effortless as your serves.

Years of competing in Junior Opens had forged your resilience, and now you have been stepping into the world of professional tennis, where the stakes were higher and opponents fiercer. You had navigated this transition well over the past few years, finding your rhythm amidst the pressure, your footing steady on the path to greatness. The attention came quick too, especially with names like Nike wanting you to be an ambassador, and all sorts of products wanting you to be the face of the company, from protein powders to headphones - it was endless. The taste of victory was sweet and addictive, each match bringing you closer to the big prizes and recognition you had longed for. But just when you thought you had everything figured out, a whisper of uncertainty began to tug at the edges of your focus... not a what, but more a who?

In the past year and a half, life on tour has shifted for you in a whole different gear. Don't get it twisted, tennis remained top priority, but there was an undeniable spark that made the grind far more enjoyable and unpredictable, and that spark was no other than Ben Shelton. You first noticed him from afar, where casual nods turned into lingering glances that made the hair on your skin stand. With his raw power, boyish grin, and confidence that radiated from him, "Big Ben" was impossible to ignore. But it was during the Australian Open earlier this year that things between you really began to heat up.

Ben was anything but subtle. Once he set his sights on you, his flirting was relentless. You couldn’t help but feel flattered; it was hard not to get hooked to that buzz. After all, it wasn’t every day that a guy like him, full of charm and a teasing smile paid you so much attention. Others had thrown glances your way and offered compliments, but Ben? He stepped up his game like no one else.

Your first interaction was at a practice session where Ben sat by in the empty stands, right up by the court, arms folded and a smirk on his face. You could feel his gaze following you, his presence hard to shake off, not that you wanted to. As you finish another practice set, you heave, closing your fist to celebrate, and walk over to your bag, glancing up as his eyes light up as you catch his.

“You’re looking decent out there,” he teased, leaning over the railing, his voice laced with a challenge.

You stopped, placing a hand on your hip as you shot him a smirk, squinting up at him as you caught your breath. “Decent? It’s okay, I get it, it must be tough admitting I’m shaping up better than you.”

He laughed, stepping closer, his eyes never leaving yours. “Better? That’s a stretch, Y/N. But I’ll let you keep thinking that.”

You shrugged, a teasing grin playing on your lips. “Believe it or not, it’s happening, Ben,” you winked before slinging your bag over your shoulder and heading toward the tunnel. His chuckle followed you as you disappeared from sight.

The banter didn’t end there, though. Throughout the tournament, you could feel his eyes on you, watching during your matches. On TikTok, he left comments that had both your fans and his buzzing. One day after you posted a training video, he had commented: “You sure you’re training for tennis and not modeling?”

You grinned, tapping out a reply. “I’m great at multitasking. What’s your excuse?”

His response was instant. “Just waiting for you to finally give me a real challenge.”

Comments turned into small conversations as you passed by each other, where you’d joke and flirt like it was the most natural thing in the world. His relentless teasing was addictive.  

It cooled off slightly to just a couple of liked stories and posts until Wimbledon had rolled around. By this point, the stakes felt higher. You were in top form, but off the court, the media seemed just as interested in your interactions than your matches. And it didn't end there either, it wasn't long before other peers started piqueing interest. For example, Carlos? He wasn’t subtle either.

After a long match, you were relaxing in the players’ lounge when Carlos wandered over, his smile too bright to ignore. He leaned against the table beside you, casually close.

“You were on fire out there today. Maybe we should hit the practice courts sometime,” he suggested with a casual grin.

You tilted your head, a playful glint in your eyes. “Careful, Carlos. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of your fans.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll risk it. Besides, we’re both Nike athletes, we’ve got to stick together.”

Before you could reply, Ben Shelton walked into the room, his gaze locking onto you and Carlos immediately. His smile didn’t falter, but the way he sized up the interaction was hard to miss. He strolled over, hands in his pockets, exuding calm confidence.

“Carlitos,” Ben greeted, his tone casual, though the unspoken tension hung between the lines. “What’s this? Making future practice plans?”

Carlos shot Ben a quick glance, still smiling but aware of the shift. “Just talking about tennis, you know,” he said lightly. “Gotta keep sharp.”

Ben’s eyes flicked between you and Carlos before landing squarely on you. “I’m sure you can manage without help. She’s been getting a lot of attention lately, let her breathe.”

Carlos gave you a light tap on the arm before backing off, offering a polite nod. “Catch you later, Y/N.”

You waved him off with a smile. “See you around, Carlos.”

Once Carlos was out of earshot, Ben shifted a little closer, though still maintaining that casual air. “You’ve got him interested,” he commented, his voice dropping lower.

You looked up at him through your lashes, the corner of your mouth lifting into a sly grin. “What, jealous, Shelton?”

Ben’s grin spread wider, but his tone remained easygoing. “Nah, just keeping tabs. Making sure I’m not falling behind.”

You stood up slowly, meeting his gaze as you adjusted your posture, your eyes glinting with mischief. “I don’t mix business and pleasure, Ben. We’re both Nike—gotta keep it professional.”

He chuckled, tilting his head. “So, you’re saying you’re all business?”

You turned to face him fully, taking a step closer, your voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “Oh, not always. But you’ll have to keep up to find out.”

With that, you brushed past him, leaving a lingering tension in the air. His eyes followed you as you walked away, and you could practically feel his grin growing. The banter was always playful, but now, with each exchange, the stakes seemed to rise; the unspoken understanding was clear: the game was very much on.

As the summer heat intensified, so did the buzz around Nike’s newest campaign. Your latest photoshoot was all about capturing both your athleticism and your bold personality. In a blue baby tee top with a heart-shaped keyhole and a matching skort, you struck poses that screamed confidence, captioned simply: "Ready?"

The comments rolled in quickly, and it didn’t take long before Ben made his appearance.

It didn’t take long for the comments to roll in. And as expected, Ben was quick to chime in.

benshelton:

"You call that ready? Looks more like you’re just warming up."

You chuckled, tapping your response.

Y/N.Y/LN:

"Warming up is all I need to beat you, Shelton."

benshelton:

"Beat me? Let's not get ahead of ourselves... You'd need more than a warm-up for that."

The banter was familiar, yet it always left you with a smirk. You leaned into the challenge.

Y/N.Y/LN:

"Careful, or I might just take that as a challenge."

benshelton:

"I play to win."

The playful back-and-forth didn’t go unnoticed by your fans, but it was clear this game of teasing wasn’t just for show. It must've been a week before it escalated further. You hsd landed a major Victoria’s Secret campaign, and it was unlike anything you had done before. They flew you out to Paris and guided you through the whole thing. The theme was dark and seductive—a fallen angel vibe. Lingerie, lace, and the kind of allure that left little to the imagination. You felt powerful, but also aware of how this would get attention—not just from the public, but from Ben.

You posted one of the shots late that night. The lighting was dramatic, casting soft shadows across your body as you reclined in lace.

The caption was simple yet suggestive: "Best kept secret. VS Summer 2024 Fallen Angel Collection, from me to you."

Naturally, Ben couldn’t resist commenting.

benshelton: Fallen angel, huh? Guess that means you’re trouble.

You rolled your eyes, suppressing a smile as you typed out your reply.

Y/N.Y/LN:: I thought you liked trouble.

It was no surprise when he slid into your DMs right after that.

benshelton: "I do. But you're playing a dangerous game."

You bit your lip, leaning back against your hotel bed. It was late, and the quiet Paris night settled around you, but your heart raced.

Y/N.Y/LN: " A game? Who said I’m playing? "

benshelton: "You might not be playing, but you're already winning."

You hesitated for a moment, then smirked as you typed out your next message.

Y/N.Y/LN: "And here I thought you said you could keep up."

Almost immediately, your phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t another text. It was a FaceTime call. You let it ring for a beat or two, your pulse quickening, before answering.

Ben’s face appeared on your screen, his hair slightly damp and his grin all too familiar. "You really know how to mess with a guy’s head, you know that?"

You smiled, pulling your covers up over you and leaning into the pillow. "What’s got you all worked up? It’s just a campaign."

He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Just a campaign? C’mon, you know exactly what you’re doing."

You blinked up at him, teasing. "And what is it that I am doing, Ben?"

His grin widened, but there was a glint in his eyes. "You’re pushing my limits. You're tempting me"

You chuckled, biting your lip as you let his words settle over you. "Tempting? Now that’s an accusation if I ever heard one. Maybe you're just easy to push."

Ben raised an eyebrow, viting a smile back as well. "Maybe I am. But you better be careful, or you might get burned."

The heat in his gaze made your heart skip, but you kept your tone light. "I think I can handle the heat."

Ben’s smile deepened. "That’s what I’m counting on."

You stared at each other through the screen, the tension palpable even across the distance.

Finally, you smirked, pulling the covers higher. "Goodnight, Shelton."

He sighed, but his grin didn’t falter. "Goodnight, angel. Sweet dreams."

From there, the texts seemed to pour out. Every random moment, one of you would reply to a post or find some excuse to message or call, any reason to interact. You had a secret surprise up your sleeve which you knew would practically bring Ben to his knees for you if he wasn't there already, and it had something to do with a custom dress for a red carpet.

It was a hot July night in Spain, the night draped itself around you like a warm embrace, the energy of the red carpet charity event still pulsing in the air. Your dress—a stunning, sheer, sand-colored creation—clung to your body in all the right places, slit at the thigh, your hair pinned back, accentuating your glossy, sheen skin on your neck down your shoulders. The dress shimmered under the streetlights, leaving just enough to the imagination, but not too much.

Photos were posted by your team, "behind the scene" shots and red carpet poses.  The cameras had devoured every moment, the attention was full on and the night buzzed well. You reveled in the limelight and felt like a true celebrity for the night but, as the evening wore on, you began to feel drained from all the social interactions and wished you could just be alone with your phone, texting the one man who truly kept you on your toes.

Finally, as you collapsed into the backseat of your car, exhausted but exhilarated from the night's events, your phone buzzed with a missed call from Ben. The driver glanced back at you through the rearview mirror as you eagerly turned on your phone and smiled to yourself. In that moment, all you wanted was to be alone with Ben and continue this thrilling game of flirtation and surprises. You call him back after a minute passes, butterflies in your stomach fluttering away.

"Couldn't wait, could you?" you teased, giggling as you leaning back against the plush seat. His grin appeared instantly, filling your screen.

"Wait? After that post?" Ben's voice was a mixture of playful frustration and barely concealed admiration. His eyes roamed over your dimly lit image through the screen as though he could see you sitting there in that dress. "You’ve been trying to kill me with these looks for months, but this? This is the final straw."

You laughed softly, pretending to adjust the neckline of your dress as he clearly struggled to keep his composure. "I'm just doing my job. Don’t get too distracted."

Ben shook his head, a grin still lingering on his lips. "Distracted? I’ve been refreshing Instagram like a madman just to catch another angle of you. And from what I saw, I’m not the only one. You’ve got every guy on tour dropping their jaw."

You smirked, rolling your eyes playfully. "You jealous?"

"Jealous? Let’s see. Alcaraz, Ruud… even Tsitsipas liked your post. You know that guy doesn’t just like anything. But trust me, no one’s more jealous than me," Ben teased, his voice dipping lower.

You laughed softly, brushing a hand over your dress as you adjusted the fabric, playing coy. "Ben, there’s only one person I’m trying to get a rise out of—and it’s definitely not them."

His grin widened, eyes gleaming through the screen,scheming away, "Glad to hear that. So...how about you give me something a little more exclusive?Just a sneak peek. Something that’s all mine."

You crossed your legs slowly, feeling the slit in the dress reveal just a bit more skin, and you caught the driver’s eyes flicking up to the rearview mirror. He quickly cleared his throat and looked away.

You smirked, feeling a rush of boldness. "I'm in public, Shelton. What are you suggesting?"

Ben’s eyes glinted with mischief, his grin widening. "Nothing crazy. Just a little something to hold me over."

You raised an eyebrow, leaning back, the sound of the city humming outside as you sighed. You stretched your legs out across the backseat, angling your body to the side, draping yourself across the backseat for a full body shot. The dress shifted, catching the city light while still being dimly lit, showing off your figure perfectly as you lounged effortlessly. "Is this what you had in mind, Ben? A full shot?" you purred, looking up at your phone, your eyes sweet and innocent.

Ben’s jaw tightened, his chest rising as he exhaled sharply. "Damn, Y/N, I knew you'd look good, but this…" He let out a low whistle, leaning closer to the screen, his eyes glinting and a blush creeping up all over. "You’re not playing fair."

You smirked, enjoying the power shift. "Fair? You asked for it, Shelton."

He laughed, but it was strained, the heat in his voice unmistakable. "Yeah, but you know how to take it to another level. Now I'm the one who's going to be distracted all night." His tone softened, a teasing edge returning. "Just one more reason for me to fly out, don't you think?"

"One more reason?" you echoed, playing with the neckline of your dress, a smile teasing your lips. "I think I’ve given you more than enough."

Ben groaned softly, running a hand through his hair, clearly captivated.

" Y/N, you don’t know what I’d do if I was there right now."

Your heart skipped a beat. "Yeah? What would you do?"

"I’d start with that dress," Ben murmured, his eyes never leaving yours through the screen. "Slowly. You know, just enough to tease. Then—"

The driver cleared his throat, and you bit back a laugh. Ben noticed, his eyes narrowing playfully. "Caught?"

"Almost," you whispered, your pulse quickening as you adjusted in your seat, the thrill of being on the edge of danger sending a shiver down your spine. "You’re getting me into trouble."

"Ben’s gaze softened, though his grin stayed. "Me? You’re the one that looks like that." He paused, his voice low and rough. "God, if I could just be there…"

"Careful," you warned, grinning as you looked at him through half-lidded eyes. "You might lose yourself completely."

Ben’s gaze darkened, and his voice dropped even lower. "Maybe I’m okay with losing it when it comes to you."

You bit your lip, heart racing as you shifted in your seat. The driver’s eyes flicked up to the mirror again, and you quickly glanced away, fighting the blush creeping up your neck. “You’re dangerous, Shelton. Keep talking like that, and I might have to mute you.”

“Go ahead. Mute me,” he dared, his voice thick with challenge. “But I bet you won’t.”

You smiled, a small, teasing hum escaping your lips. “Oh, you think I’m scared?”

“I think you like teasing me as much as I like it.” His voice was gravelly now, every word laced with want.

Your breath caught, eyes wide a bit before you were about to respond when the car pulled up to the hotel. The driver got out quickly, opening the door for you. You stepped out, feeling the cool night air wash over your skin as you walked through the lobby, Ben still watching intently through the screen. You could feel his gaze on you as you made your way to the elevator, the tension between you buzzing like electricity.

Once in your room, you tossed your bag onto the bed and sank down onto the mattress. "Alright," you breathed, "I’m back in my room."

Ben’s voice came through the phone, teasing yet low with interest. "So… how’s that dress treating you?"

You grinned at his not-so-subtle curiosity. "It’s treating me well so far," you teased, running a hand over the fabric. You stood up, positioning yourself in front of the mirror.

Slowly, deliberately, you reached behind you to the zipper. "I’ll give you a little preview."

You lowered it just enough for the strapless dress to reveal a sliver of your smooth back, keeping the front of the dress held firmly in place with your other hand. The exposed skin was just enough to tease.

You turned back slightly, catching his reaction through the screen, his eyes locked on you. "You wanted to see, right?" you whispered, mischief clear in your voice.

Ben let out a breathy laugh, clearly amused. "You really know how to keep a guy on edge."

You shot him a playful look over your shoulder, still holding the dress in place. "It’s all about the suspense. You should know that by now."

Ben's gaze flickered, his tone a bit softer. "You’re making it hard to focus."

With a smirk, you turned to face him, still holding the dress tight. "Goodnight, Shelton."

Before he could say another word, you ended the call, tossing your phone onto the bed, feeling satisfied. You knew he wouldn’t forget that little moment anytime soon.

By the time August had rolled around, the tension between you and Ben was impossible to ignore. Months of teasing, playful banter, and phone calls had built into something electric, something undeniable. Now, you were both in New York for the U.S. Open. The final Slam of the year where you'd cross paths for the year, and maybe the final chance for one of you to make a move.

After winning your third-round match, you made your way through the tunnel, your heart still racing from the adrenaline of your win. The buzz of the crowd still rang in your ears, but as you walked toward the tunnel, you heard familiar voices ahead.

Ben, along with Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, stood laughing and talking just a few feet ahead. Their voices echoed in the corridor, their banter unmistakable.

“Bro, it’s embarrassing now,” Frances teased. “You’ve gotta ask her out. She’s into you, we all know it.”

Ben groaned, looking exasperated, dragging his hand over his face. “It’s not that easy. I don’t want to screw it up.”

Taylor chuckled. “Screw it up? Dude, she’s been giving you eyes all week. Just make the move.”

Frances nudged him. “It’s not like she’s hiding it either. The way she teases you, she's a green light.”

You smirked, slowing your pace as you approached. They didn’t notice you yet, too absorbed in their teasing.

Ben sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just… I don’t know.”

“They’re right,” you chimed in, finally stepping into view, as you walked by, wiping sweat off your brow, smirking. Their heads snapped toward you, startled. “Take their advice, Benny. It’s 'bout time you did something.”

Ben’s eyes widened as you walked past, your tone light but with an edge of challenge. His friends burst into laughter, both of them slapping Ben on the back, shoving him back and forth.

Frances grinned. “See? Even she's asking you to make a move, man.”

Ben shot him a look, but his gaze lingered on you as you disappeared into the locker room.

Later, after a shower and a change of clothes, you made your way back into the lounge, feeling refreshed but still riding the high of the match. You didn’t expect to run into Ben waiting for you, leaning casually against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

You raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk tugging at your lips. “Stalking me now?”

He pushed off the wall, taking a step toward you, his expression shifting from playful to serious. “No, what-uh, but I... I wanted to catch you before you left.”

“Oh?” You crossed your arms, looking up at him. “What’s up?”

Ben took a breath, looking almost nervous. “About what you said earlier... maybe they’re right. Maybe I have been holding back.”

You cocked your head, feeling your heart quicken at his sudden change in tone. “And?”

“And I think I’m done waiting,” he said, his eyes locking with yours. “Would you want to go out with me? Just us. Dinner, maybe?”

For a moment, the world seemed to be still. Ben, usually so confident and playful, stood before you with a vulnerability that tugged at your heart.

You let the moment hang, letting him sweat just a little before your lips curled into a teasing smile. “About time you asked, Ben.”

His tense shoulders dropped, a grin spreading across his face. “So, is that a yes?”

You let out a small giggle, your voice soft but playful. “Yeah, it’s a yes. Better come like a gentleman though.”

That night, you stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sweet, soft dress you’d picked out. It was a pale pink dress, fitted at the top with a flowing skirt that flattered your figure perfectly. The neckline was delicate, with thin straps that accentuated your shoulders, and the soft fabric wrapped your waist before cascading down to just above your knees. The dress was sweet and soft, but still undeniably you—playful with a touch of elegance.

You headed down to the hotel lobby, taking a seat as you crossed one leg over the other, checking your socials. At 7pm on the dot, Ben walks in, running a hand through his curls before he sets eyes on you.

Ben stood there in a crisp white button-down shirt, the sleeves slightly rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, accentuating his strong shoulders, paired with dark, well-tailored pants. His curls were just tousled enough to seem like he hadn’t spent hours fixing it, but of course, he had. He looked handsome—maybe even a little nervous.

“You look stunning,” he said, his voice low as his eyes took you in.

You smiled, a soft blush warming your cheeks, as you stood up. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He offered you his arm, and you linked yours through his, your fingers brushing over the firm muscles of his bicep as you stepped out into the lobby. There was a quiet buzz between you, the usual playfulness replaced with something softer, more tender.

As you walked to the car, Ben opened the passenger door for you, giving you a gentle smile as you slipped inside. Before he could close the door, you leaned over, reaching for the driver’s side door and popping it open for him.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he got in. “You always keep me on my toes, don’t you?”

You grinned, sitting back in your seat, and pulling your seatbelt over. “Always.”

The ride to the restaurant was comfortable, a soft hum playing through the speakers, "Love is Only a Feeling" by Joey BadA$$, making you smile a bit at his subtle but purposeful details. As the city lights flickered by outside, you felt a sense of calm settle over you. Every so often, your hand would brush against his on the center console until finally, you slipped your fingers into his, holding his hand gently as he drove.

Ben glanced at you, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of your hand. “You seem... different tonight,” he said, his voice soft, almost as if he were trying to figure out the shift in your usual dynamic.

You smiled as you gazed at him. “Different how?”

He hesitated, his grip on your hand tightening just a little. “I don’t know. Less playful. More...”

“Serious?” you finished for him.

He nodded, giving you a small, sheepish grin. “Yeah. I like it, though.”

You let out a soft laugh, leaning your head against the seat. “It’s just nice to finally be doing this.”

When you arrived at the restaurant, a small, candlelit Italian place tucked away in the quieter part of the city, Ben quickly got out and hurried around to open your door again. This time, when you stepped out, you smiled up at him, letting him take your hand. Before you could fully stand, he bent down, bringing your hand to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on your knuckles.

Your heart fluttered at the gesture, the sweetness of it catching you off guard. “Such a gentleman,” you teased, though your voice was softer than usual.

Ben smirked, though there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes. “I’m trying.”

Inside, the restaurant was intimate, with small tables with flickering candles, and soft jazz music playing in the background. Ben led you to a corner table, pulling out your chair before taking his seat across from you. The low hum of other diners provided a cozy backdrop as the two of you settled in.

As you both browsed the menu, you found yourself resting your chin in your hand, watching Ben with a soft smile. He glanced up and caught you staring, a blush creeping up his neck. “What?” he asked, his voice a little breathless.

“Nothing,” you said, your lips curling into a grin. “Just... enjoying this.”

Ben reached across the table, his hand finding yours again. “Me too.”

Dinner was perfect. The pasta was rich, the wine smooth, but what made the evening unforgettable was how easy everything felt between you. Conversation flowed naturally, deeper than it ever had before. You talked about travel plans and places you both dreamed of visiting and shared stories about family traditions—like how your grandmother used to insist on making a very experimental desserts during the holidays, no matter how disastrous it turned out every year.

At one point, you glanced out the window, taking in the soft glow of the city lights before turning back to Ben. “What about you? If you could be anywhere right now… where would it be?”

Ben didn’t hesitate, his eyes locked on yours. “Honestly? Right here. With you.”

You felt warmth rise to your cheeks, your heart skipping at the simplicity of his words. He wasn’t trying to impress you, just telling the truth, and somehow, that made it even more meaningful. You reached across the table again, slipping your hand into his. His fingers intertwined with yours, the gesture now familiar, yet it sent a shiver through you all the same.

“I’m glad you asked me to dinner,” you said quietly, the weight of the night settling around you both.

Ben smiled, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of your hand. “I’m glad you said yes.”

As the night wound down, Ben drove you back to the hotel. The city outside passed by in a blur of lights, but inside the car, everything felt still and comfortable. You held his hand the entire way, feeling the warmth and quiet reassurance of his touch.

When the car pulled up to your hotel, Ben quickly got out, making his way to your side to open the door. You stepped out, and this time, you didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, you turned to him, standing close in the cool night air.

“Thank you for tonight,” you whispered softly, looking up through your lashes.

Ben’s smile was gentle, his eyes warm as they met yours. “Anytime. Thank you for being here, with me.”

Your eyes crinkled as you smiled before you leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek that lingered for a moment. His skin was warm, and you felt him inhale sharply at the unexpected touch. When you pulled back, your heart was racing, but you smiled up at him, feeling the lingering heat between you.

“Goodnight, Ben,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze lingered on you, and though he smiled, there was a quiet intensity in his eyes. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

You gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go, making your way into the hotel with a soft smile on your lips. You glanced back one last time to see him leaning against his car, a playful wave and your lipstick still visible on his cheek. For once, you weren’t in full control, but somehow, that felt right.

In a world dominated by meticulous moves, it was these quiet moments that grounded you. Now, with someone like Ben by your side, every win, every loss, and every day on the court held more meaning.

Sometimes, the most important victories happened off the court.

[supremeshrimpy]

please don't leave me again

Request: Hello! can you write reuniting with them after months/years due to work/curses/ or anything! (up to you!) with seperate! lilia, jade, azul, floyd, and leona? (atp im just desperate for content for the aforementioned characters badly) 

-Anon

Summary: stay a bit longer, it’s been so long! Just…don’t leave them again…

Characters: Lillia Vanrouge, Jade Leech, Azul Ashengrotto, Leona Kingscholar 

A/N: damn a 18 month hiatus is crazy huh… Also, I didn’t feel like writing a Floyd one because I’m a tired senior 

Lillia Vanrouge (Curse): 

Sometimes, when he closes his eyes at night, he sees you smiling at him in a field of flowers. Euphoria. Other times, he sees you lying motionless in his arms, he can still smell the toxin on your lips. He remembers everything so vividly, the way your hair shaped your cold face as he laid your body in your glass tomb. Still, hundreds of years later, he remembers his promise to you.

“For as long as my heart beats,” he whispered, “I will be restless in bringing you back to me, my love.”

So when he received a letter that you had awoken, he was overcome with emotions. As he flew back to the Valley of Thorns, he was angry at himself for missing the moment as your eyes reopened but so fucking excited to feel his cold skin against your warm self again. 

They moved you to our old room in the palace, everything was the same but so much time had passed. It had been so long since…everything. You can’t walk, you can barely talk, and all basic movements feel like challenges. Everybody that you once sat around a table and laughed with was now long dead. 

You were left to ponder how you could even exist in this new world. Everything you knew was gone, friends, family, and…oh no. What became of your dearest, Lillia? Did he go out as a war hero or as a criminal? Did he live to…find someone new and start a family? 

This was all too much, you can’t take the thought. Everything is too much, you just wish that you could close your eyes and go back to the ways things were. 

The door to your room slammed open and there stood a panting, young man. Why does he look so familiar? 

“You’re…this…by the Dark- you’re awake…,” even with his stammers he sounded a lot like someone you once knew. A certain someone who you shared a final memory with. 

“...Lillia,” your question comes out like a whisper as if it was taboo. Before you knew it Lillia had dropped to his knees in front of you. 

“YE-yes it’s me, my love,” he corrects his voice just as quickly as it came out. His head dropped on your lap; he wanted to feel your skin on his, “please, let’s allow me to stay like this for a bit….” 

Jade Leech (Moving Away):

His last memory of you was when you were both seven years old, Jade was clinging to your tail. He was sobbing and screeching for you not to move away. He remembers your parents dragging you away as his parents held him back, your figure slowly fading in with the bubbles. He hasn’t seen you since, so imagine his surprise when he receives a letter from his parents saying your family has moved back along with a photo of you. 

He’s never been so excited to go home for spring break, you’re back…you’re home. And here he is stuck at school while you're just a dive away. As he tried to focus on his studies, you were now permanently stuck in the back of his head. The photo of you sits on his desk, a beacon of what waits for him after midterms. 

“You seem unusually happy, Jade,” Azul says as stands in the doorway watching Jade pack his bag, “is it because they’re back?” 

Jade snickers as the thought of seeing you once again fills his brain, but this meeting won’t be the same. You and him aren’t the same people as you were 10 years ago. He’s so excited to see how you’ve blossomed in the time you were away from each other.

Jade couldn’t contain his smile when he saw you waiting on the other side of the mirror. He would have been the first to greet you if it wasn’t for Floyd jumping you into a surprise hug. Once Floyd was finally off of you, Jade was finally able to speak to you once again. 

“It’s good to see you again Jade,” you smile at him oh-so softly, “I’ve missed you.” You’re so fucking gorgeous, you look so different than the last time he saw you. 

“Now, don’t you look breathtaking,” Jade smiles, corking his head to the side. You don’t even know that your small giggles make his heart do flips. 

“Now tell me, Jade,” you say, swimming ever so close to him, “what have you been up to while I was away? “

Azul Ashengrotto (Different Schools) 

Azul loves the school’s open cultural festival for several reasons. One, the Monstro Lounge does wonderfully during the three days that the event is taking place. Nothing screams profit quite like parents wanting a quiet, relaxing place to lecture their kids about their grades. 

And that plays into his second reason too well, kids will do anything to get rid of their parents for a few hours. The contracts just keep rolling in for Azul as these kids sell themselves to him just to keep their parents busy and away from them. 

As the Octavinelle student mans the lounge, Azul is left in his office. His leg bounced anxiously for his third reason to love the school festival to arrive. Parents aren’t the only crowd the cultural festival attracts, students from other schools flock to see the wonders that Night Raven College has to offer. 

Oh, how Azul misses you. He misses the way you smile, the way you shake your hands when you get excited, the way your lips…god. He misses you so bad. With a huff, Azul brushes his hair out of his face and fixes his glasses to check his phone. 

“I’m so lost right now, I can’t believe your school is this big”

“Wait…”

“Nevermind I found the Portal room, see you soon”

Is it normal to be sweating this much, it's only been a few months since he last saw you in person, only a few days since you last talked on the phone, and only a few seconds since you last texted. He can’t honestly be this nervous to see you again. What happened to cool, suave businessman Azul? The Azul that can smoothly talk his way into the best outcomes for himself. Who is this nervous mess?

“YOOOOO! AZULLLLLL,” the door slams open, with no regard for Azul’s privacy

Damn it, Floyd…

“Floyd, what have we discussed about knocking before opening the door,” Azul grits through his teeth while fixing his crooked glasses. Floyd gives nothing more than a shrug before leaving the room. 

“It’s nice to see you again too, Azul,” you pout mischievously, fanning offense that your dearest octo hasn’t greeted you. 

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, why don’t you close the door so we may have some privacy while we…chat.”

Leona Kingscholar (Lost Contact)

Leona is a lot of things; smart, cunning, handsome, regal, but if there's one thing he isn't, it's communicative. This man can not keep a relationship running for the life of him. If you aren’t in front of him every day, Leona will just forget you exist. He doesn’t think anyone is deserving of constant contact with him. 

They should be the ones to reach out to him, not the other way around. So when your letters stopped coming in, he was…surprised. You have always carried the conversation in your guy’s relationship so for you to suddenly stop is out of the normal. 

Are you angry with him? Have you found someone else more worth your time?

Impossible there is no one more worth your time than the Leona Kingscholar. You must have forgotten to mail your letter in or the post must have lost it. He’ll have Ruggie go check your letter tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that until you come to your senses and mail that damn thing.

One, Two, Three damn weeks and no letter from you at all. As much as Leona thinks that it doesn’t affect him, the members can tell he’s irritated. If you ask Ruggie, he’ll say he’s seen Leona writing something at his desk and then immediately turning it to dust when he notices Ruggie’s in the room.

Oh, but Ruggie knew everything, he knew that if you stopped writing Leona he’d fall into such disarray. As much as Leon will deny it, Leona adores your letters and keeps them safely stored away in his desk for his eyes only. Ruggie’s been secretly keeping the letter you’ve been sending just to see how long it would take for Leona’s pride to break for you. 

Three and a half weeks is all it took. 

Leona catches Ruggie in the early morning (a time Ruggie thought Leona would never be up at) and hands him a neatly wax-sealed letter and simply instructs him to “make sure this makes it where it needs to go.” He also hands Ruggie a 5,000 Grimm bill and walks away. 

You bet your sorry ass Ruggie hauled him to the post to deliver the letter. 

And just like that, communication between you and Leona continued. And if you squint real hard, you can even see the faintest of smiles when he receives a new letter from you. 

He can’t wait for spring break.

[pulgarcito-perro]

dude i idolize your art so much 😭 how do you just come up with poses and draw so freely like that? ur so fucking good keep it up bro ily

Thanks a lot anon.🙌❤️

TLDR: I don't.

An average drawing usually takes me at least 5 hours. One time I drew the whole day straight from 2AM to 7PM. That's 17 hours. I only had 3 finished pieces by the end of it. Drawing doesn't come to me easy these days. (No clue how I used to crank these out on the daily. January Perro was on something else.)

As for poses I usually use references. (Pinterest, mostly)

If I don't use a reference I have like a few default poses I often revert back to. My visual library isn't all that strong.

[PROGRESS EXAMPLE BELOW]

I asked a couple of friends for help on this one. It felt stiff and weird to me. One of them pointed out that the head positions are a bit samey. Some anatomy fixes were also made.

It still looks a little wonky. Curly's left arm has something wrong with it that my eyes aren't skillfull enough to see. The hand is too small tho, that's for sure.

Point is, don't be too hard on yourself. I've been drawing for 19 years atp and it took me 14 to learn how to draw just men.

Have fun with art, take breaks and draw stuff you want to. Or you'll end up like me. Tired and bitter.

Thank you for liking my art. I hope it inspires you.

[januaryembrs]

Tea!

Hey, I'm the anon who requested the drabble of bugsy realizing her feelings for spencer. Can you write a drabble based on what happened after spencer saw bugsy and the guy in her apartment?? I found the ending to have been quite abrupt and am genuinely curious as to how things were between them after that (I'm a sucker for angst). Hopefully you aren't also planning a BONUS chapter on this 😭😭 if so, then I'll just shut up bcs I'm actually just spoiling shit atp.

THEN STRANGERS AGAIN | Spencer Reid x Prentiss!Reader [drabble]

description: Spencer thinks he and Bugsy may have invented Murphy's Law. Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong and has gone wrong.

length: 1.1k

warnings: some small hints at mature content, but no actual stuff. angst? curses.

part of the trouble almost all my life universe

authors notes: finally finished my requests off thankyou for being patient with me, now who's ready to for the next TAAML update??

“Who is it, babe?” A deep voice spoke, and Spencer felt his face go green when he saw the adonis of a man who stood behind her, his chest littered with smudged lip gloss and bruises resembling her own neck trailing down to his crotch. 

Her face was on fire when Spencer looked back at her, something betrayed in the hazel of his eyes which he knew was entirely illicit to feel in the circumstances, but it was true. 

“Fuck off, Renly,” She shoved him back behind the door, looking at Spencer like the friendship between them they were scrambling to salvage hung in the balance with whatever she said next. “You remember Renly, my lab partner at Johns,” 

Spencer nodded, the image of her lips on his pubic bone wouldn’t leave his mind, and he wondered what came after that, “I remember him,” 

She nodded back, and they went silent. 

They’d found themselves back at that stalemate.

“I’m just gonna…” Spencer trailed off, something sharp and painful in his chest as he looked at her. This was ridiculous, he had Maeve to worry about. Maeve, who was crazy about him, who he had a date with not even half an hour ago, who soothed the wound Bugsy had left when she’d moved to an entire other continent before he had a chance to tell her how he felt.

Except he did have a chance. He’d had plenty of chances, he’d just been too chicken to take them. And maybe that was what had made him so angry seeing a man twice his stature flirting and touching and grabbing her, knowing what they’d been doing before he’d interrupted. Maybe it was the fact he was irrefutably good looking, or that he was the kind of guy confident enough to call her babe and touch her so easily, or maybe it was the image of what she must have looked like underneath him to be as flustered as she was now. What had they been doing? Was he pleasuring her? Had she been teasing him? Had they been in the middle of full blown fucking?

Spencer didn’t know. The kid who had tackled string theory when he was fourteen years old didn’t know. And he didn’t think he ever wanted to. A whole Schrödinger's cat kind of fucked up where he knew exactly what they’d been doing, and yet his felt something hurt well in his chest at the fact he didn’t know at all. 

He felt like his head might explode, or like he wanted to rip his big brain out and kick it to the curb with how fast it raced with thoughts and images and sounds that all resembled her. 

“I’m just gonna go,” He spluttered, already turning to head down the millions stairs back to where he’d thrown his car into park, his footsteps clicking against the hard linoleum as he took them almost two at a time.

She didn’t care that she had little more than underwear and a shirt on, didn’t care that Virginia evenings had reached almost freezing at this point in the year. Bugsy didn’t care, because Spencer seemed hurt, and that was her least favourite look on him. 

“Spence!” She called, cursing when he didn’t turn back, and she’d barely had time to flick her door onto the latch before she was taking off after him, “Spencer, wait!

But he didn’t listen, he couldn’t. Not when he felt something close to tears welling in his eyes. Why was he getting upset? He was a grown man for fuck sake. He had three doctorates, a genius level IQ, and a job he adored. What did he have to be crying about?

He felt like he and Bugsy could only be described as Murphy’s Law, that everything about his day that could possibly have gone wrong between them did. That of course she was with some sort of adonis at this time of the evening, of course she was with someone else, because why wouldn’t she be? She was attractive, and quick witted, and sharp as steel. And most importantly she wasn’t his. 

“Spencer, what’s wrong?” She called, but his damn long legs were too fast for her, and he’d made it out the front door to her building before she could yell at him some more. 

By the time she got to the lobby, he was already half way down the street, his head straight down at the floor, his bottom lip quivering. 

The chill hit her like a stop sign as she ripped the door open, and she was quickly reminded how bare her legs were as she did so, her teeth gritting together. “Spencer!” 

But he didn’t look back, and she half considered risking the public indecency charges, only to quickly be reminded of her lack of socks and shoes as she took an experimental step onto the pavement, cringing in pain when it felt painfully harsh to her skin. 

Her stomach dropped. What had he wanted, coming to her at this hour when things had felt so odd and icky and wrong between them. Where was Maeve? Even the thought of the mystery girl made her face heat with annoyance, but Bugsy supposed that if Spencer was happy then she shouldn’t feel so damn bitter all the time. It had been the whole reason she’d brought Renly home, though bumping into him in the liquor store had been completely unintentional, because she’d wanted to forget all about the guy who used to be her best friend who she couldn’t have, who had a shiny new genius to hold his affections, to take the place she’d thought was hers. 

She should have known better. Bugsy should have known Spencer deserved so much better. She’d tried to dodge the fact of it in all the years they’d known one another, but it was like the reality had hit her square in the face, and the wind whipping against her bare shins was a wake up call. If things hadn’t been fucked up between them before, then they most certainly were now, all because she’d been so stupid to think she could drown her affections and squeeze out her love for Spencer into another person.  

An arm wrapped around her shoulder and a jacket was shrugged over her, and she looked up at Renly with a quivering bottom lip. She felt like she’d been punched in the gut seeing Spencer so distraught, lost for words, lost in general. And despite her better judgement, for the sake of the fact she’d never felt so alone, she let herself lean into Renly’s warm stomach, his muscles rippling beneath her hands as she shoved her head into his pectoral, burying her face away in embarrassment, possibly to even forced the tears back into her sockets against their will. 

“Is it complicated?” Renly asked, because he’d always been the gentle sort of giant, surprisingly kind for a guy who looked like he pounded roids non stop. Bugsy could have told him it’s because he was raised with a single mother and four sisters, but she wouldn’t bother. Sometimes people were just the way they were, no profiling needed. He patted her back soothingly as if he’d heard what she was thinking. 

She nodded, because nothing summed up Spencer better than complicated. 

“Yeah, it’s complicated,” She murmured, allowing him to kiss the crown of her head, because she was tired of licking her wounds alone, tired of being the one to beg for affection from people too good for her. 

Spencer blinked back the tears the entire way home, cursing himself for the way his stupid, envious brain produced every image possible of the goliath man in her doorway who could squash his head like a coconut, wondering what they were doing now that they weren’t interrupted. They were probably naked by now, probably-

Bugsy let Renly make her a green tea, and in turn he let her sulk and mope and didn’t take it too personally when she made it clear that sharing a bed was as far as they were going tonight. There would be no more nudity than they already were, no more lustful kisses fuelled by cheap red wine and misguided intentions, no more pretending she was someone else entirely. There would nothing.

Because perhaps Spencer didn’t know her as well as he used to, and perhaps that was entirely the problem.

[lukolabrainrot]

Naive Anon here

I have heard on other platforms that A is retuning to her former living arrangements. The assumption is that she was staying at L’s place up until recently. I am struggling to wrap my head around that type of living arrangement if their relationship was only FWB. Am I missing something here?

What are your thoughts?

I just want to say we don't have any definitive evidence on what exactly A's living situation has been this year. It is all speculation atp. So I can't definitively say where A has been living this year, but below is my THEORY (so not a FACT) on what is going on based on everything I have seen:

Based on IG information from the end of last year until now, it appears A moved out of her apartment around the end of last year, and one of her friends moved into her old room. And recently it appears this person has moved out of A's old room, and this is why people are speculating that A has recently moved back into her old room. There is no definitive proof of this though. HOWEVER, I do think A is in a position where she needs to move back into her apartment/find new housing....

Here's my theory: I think in some kind of capacity, L has been funding WHATEVER A's living situation has been since she moved out of her old room. That could either be her own place OR A was living at L's place. I have mentioned multiple times that I do not believe L has been living at his place for a while (I think he's actually been living with N for at least a few months atp tbh). I think part of the NDA was L agreed to continue paying for her living situation (whatever that was). But I am assuming this NDA is coming up to expire soon, so I would assume there is no way A would be able to continue to cover these living expenses by herself. And this is why we got all the recent SM activity that this friend needed to move out of the room ASAP. Because A needed it back.

Just my thoughts though. What does everyone else think?

[youareatragedy]

hello— this has been nagging at me for a while but why does feyre suck at being a high lady? i get that sjm probably did it to make it some sort of feminist power move— but she really only handles surface level stuff. she may be powerful and have small drops of each high lord but does she do well enough in running an entire court and overseeing their entire lives? she’s only in her twenties and is in charge of everyone. i’m ngl i’d be hella pissed if i was living in velaris and had to watch a young woman who is illiterate be crowned as MY high lady? after all that she’s done? or *after the shit she’s pulled?* yeah, she broke the curse and saved everyone in prythian— but girly your actions after that are questionable🤨 destroying of the spring court, stealing the book of breathings from tarquin which i’m pretty sure was a very important artefact— like they couldn’t have just asked him instead? and then she’s giving HIM orders, in HIS house? and then her overgrown bat of a husband claims “she’s the high lady of the night court, she can do what she wishes” mr riceman, this isn’t the fucking night court. i swear feyre is such a wack narrator— because all she cares about is rhys and the IC. never mind the people dying around them as she did what she did in the tent, or never mind the women suffering in illyria of having their wings clipped as they watch as she flies around, *or* when they decided to have s*x in the sky. where the poor citizens of velaris could have seen that. like how inconsiderate can you even be atp— smh. it’s so funny— she’s titled the high lady of the night court yet she can barely read or has any experience in running a court💀💀💀 i wonder if she knows her precious inner circle will only heed rhys’ orders and not hers and if they do follow her orders it’s because they don’t want to suffer the wrath of rhys😭💀

feyre is… a questionable character. i liked her more in the first book. but when she became high fae— girl wtf happened to you😭😭 she became riceman’s trophy wife. i just know that sjm will make them high queen and high king (totally undeserved btw) and everyone will eat it up.

i’m sorry for this rant btw— i sound like such a feyre hater. 😭😭 nesta’s book slays as always, because at least we get a perspective on someone that isn’t so biased.

Anon, let me hug you. I think you answered your own question lol. But I'd like to add that she sucks at a job that is just a fake title anyway, so I bet all of Prythian knows no one should rely on her to do anything important and still asks Rhys for serious matters. And I think they do, because after ACOWAR, what she did as a High Lady was write correspondence (maybe Rhys gave her that task so she could practice what must be her ugly penmanship), visibly look uncomfortable when visiting a dive bar (she already forgot she lived in a hovel a year ago), and create an art studio that she will use anyway but in the name of "look at this thing you will all benefit from but it will be mine to do as I please."

Most of all, I think it's selfish for both her and Rhys to have a death pact. It's not romantic it's stupid as all fuck to do that when they're supposed to govern. The chaos that would ensue if NC lost both their highest ranked leaders in the same minute? Feysand do not care about their court. Assuming Nyx would be the next HL, what would happen to him if he's only four years old when his parents die (because remember there's still a war coming soon)? Who will take care of him and the NC for him when he's still a toddler? How is that fair for the caretaker? And not to mention how easy it would be for someone like Keir to just kill Nyx. There might be a coup. Chaos. Death.

So Feysand are just bad leaders and bad parents because they selfishly think they can fuck, breed, and orphan their child because they're entitled and assume someone will step up and be Nyx's parents. And the thing is, they did it without agreement from anyone in the IC (the people who will have to take care and protect Nyx).

So Feyre is a bad High Lady, Rhys is a bad High Lord who thinks it's fine to let his wife believe she's in charge when she's actually a tradwife who will not have time to use all that power she has anymore because she's too busy being a mom and painter, and I'm sure there are things we've missed regarding how bad she is as a High Lady. But everything you said is the answer. I would not want a war criminal to lead me, but I guess her stans think it's cute that a barely literate female who doesn’t understand fae and fae laws at all can be a girlboss "first High Lady ever" (again.. fake High Lady), as long as they can have fanart of her wearing gowns, tiara and cool tattoos.

[verysium]

I’ve been seeing some discourse around twitter about the blue lock boys and whether they’d be a loyal bf or not 😭 Curious to know who do you think would be more inclined to cheat or who just wouldn’t at all!!!

I saw someone say sae would 100% cheat like whattt I feel like he wouldn’t even bother looking at anyone else if he already has someone (Cuz I mean dating him would likely mean you actually mean something to him) but I digress

ok anon you had me pulling up a whole argumentative essay here cus WHO TF SAID SAE WOULD 100% CHEAT??? 😔 that mischaracterization is so painfully inaccurate. twitter really took the whole emotionally unavailable itoshi archetype and ran with it. let me just clear the air here because my man deserves some explanation.

sae itoshi would not cheat. as in capital N and capital O. he took nearly an entire decade off his life just to work on his own issues and finally form a functional and healthy relationship with another human being. and you're telling me he's just going to let all that wash down the drain for someone else? 😒 twitter logic really be showing its illogical side here. apparently a man can be loyal to a professional sports career for eighteen years, but he can't be loyal to his significant other.

i think this misunderstanding probably happened cus of shidou. people read the manga and saw that sae dropped rin for a bug-eyed freak and automatically assumed he was disloyal. 😑 let me just say two things here:

(1) sae and shidou's relationship is strictly professional. imagine being stuck in an god awful corporate office with coworkers who bore you with their weaponized incompetence and a boss who annoys the living shit out of you. and then one day, the company hires a new recruit who is probably the most unhinged and debauched creature known to man. you're probably left wondering how he even got hired in the first place. but then you find out...he's useful. he takes risks and gets a high return on what he invests. it's impulsive and stupid, really. but at least it's unconventional and outside-the-box. he has your interest piqued. that's basically sae and shidou in a nutshell.

(2) just because sae gave shidou his number after the u-20 game does NOT mean he would do the same to any other person who would try to encroach on your relationship. and let's be real here. sae would get one text from shidou and block his contact.

anyways, here is my analysis on the bllk boys in general. introducing the anti-cheating to pro-cheating spectrum:

(A) cannot cheat under any circumstance (as in they already hate the fact that they live on a planet with 8.1 billion other people who are not you):

itoshi brothers (atp they don't even have the physical or mental capacity to entertain a third party), ness, reo

(B) cannot cheat due to physical incapability (literally cannot pull anyone within a five-meter radius to cheat with):

ego, igarashi, raichi, bachira (not that he's in any way unattractive...it's just...i feel like he would purposefully act weird to drive off people who aren't you)

(C) could not cheat (basically option A and B but less problematic version)

yukimiya, barou, kunigami, noa, loki, gagamaru, chigiri, niko, hiori, karasu (baby boy literally felt inferior cus his crush was the cutest in his class), kurona (head empty, just you)

(D) would not cheat (on you but everyone else is not included)

isagi (unintentionally a homewrecker to others but would never let anyone homewreck his relationship with you), leonardo (idk why but i just don't trust him entirely)

(E) could cheat (depends on what they get out of it):

kaiser, shidou (honestly what did you expect when you willingly dated a blonde man...)

(F) would cheat (either proven by canon or they accidentally fucked up somehow):

otoya, oliver, nagi

[durgeapologist]

I find it hilarious that people are turning a post that was originally about resisting the use of AI in creative spaces into some kind of hate fueled anti-bullying soap box campaign. They make multiple posts where they act like they're being vague and don't want to actually call anyone out but then they keep sharing screenshots with usernames in them and they're putting it all in the solavellan/solas critical tags. Meanwhile their posts have nothing to do with Dragon age at all. It's so transparent that they've got personal beef and they can't even see that they're in danger of becoming the kind of bully they claim they're "protecting" the fandom from.

i have been just sitting on the sidelines watching the convoluted tale they are weaving literally day after day after day, and not speaking on it bc everyone except for them wants to move on and, frankly, no one outside of their lil bubble they have cultivated believes a word they are saying, but i have to fully agree with this. bc why are you tagging a harry potter fic post with dragon age related tags? why are you tagging questions about the bg3 fandom with dragon age tags? why are you tagging nonsensical ramblings perpetuating the exact behavior you white knight against with completely unrelated tags?? you just look silly atp.

(if you are as tired of the drama as i am, feel free to literally scroll past. seriously, trust me, i get it. smooches)

to that point and the only other lie (somehow pulled out of thin air) that i will be addressing: i never told this person that if they proved they could simply write on their own that i would take the post down. literally never once said that. what i said (and what was clearly tagged on my callout post) is that if they tagged their fic as ai, then i would take the post down. bc they admitted to using an ai editing software built on genAI. but the five people rallying around this one person seemingly don't know how to read or do any research of their own, i fear.

now, if anyone else is reaching out to this person and saying the post will be taken down if they just prove they can in fact write in the same style and flow as the fic that was called out (not a harry potter fic from two years ago that was beta'd and has nothing to do with the current situation) then i ask that you all to maybe... start thinking critically. who has the authority over my posts? i do. i decide what is proper proof and i decide what constitutes as reason enough for the post to be taken down. i already stated what that would be: just tag your shit accordingly. bc then there would be no need for me to spread awareness about dishonest use of genAI in fandom creative spaces. which again, was the entire point of the post if you would have just taken the time to read it properly. they literally admitted to using the software. they also said they couldn't provide a writing history bc they write.... in grammarly. (google docs, microsoft word, ellipsus, scrivener [bc no one said google docs was the only word-processing program people are allowed to use, it's simply the one they said they export their story to] all have revision history available. i'm sure there are many more, too; these are just the ones i have used and know for a fact have this feature)

and yeah, anon, they plague us with bullying accusations, yet we have all stayed silent aside from continuing to be outspoken about the use of ai in fandom or other harmful stereotypes and untrue narratives they are trying to perpetuate (and my 3? comments from a burner account to defend myself on the reddit callout post of me in a sub they mod that they had previously banned me from in retaliation of speaking out against their dishonest use of ai). they cry witch hunt this and bullying that but... they are the one who won't shut up about me and mine. calling people out by name now?? bc i didn't give them the back and forth beef they wanted?? truly wild (and hilariously sad) to witness.

i've said it once (twice, thrice, whatever) before but i do truly mean it this time because i have been having a blast not focusing on the trainwreck of lie after lie after wacky fucking lie that they are building up, but this is the last thing i will say on the matter. truly (i promise guys). if you hear of anything else, i implore you to realize this person has perpetuated this behavior in two (three if you want to get nitty gritty with it) completely unrelated and separate dragon age fandom spaces. there is a pattern here. anyways!!!!!!!!! have a wonderful week and go smoosh ur rooks with solas and play barbies fr <3

[mrs-monaghan]

https://www.tumblr.com/mrs-monaghan/761311828387217408/claiming-you-are-a-ot7-army-but-pushing-and?source=share

claiming ot7 and loving all members, isn’t the same as being able to see someone’s faults, and V has many many faults. They all do, they are human.

There are many questionable behaviours as you’ve just pointed out Shaz. He is shady af and salty over something, I’d say jealousy honestly.

hes Petty and vindictive and for some reason finds it appropriate to woo the cult over and over. That’s a fact not a lie. It’s like clockwork normally. He did it around Muse and AYS release and it just results in hate on his so called best friend.

and I’m sorry other anon but calling nearly 30 year old men soulmates is beyond infantile.

Army need to give it up. Their relationship is still strong but it’s definitely not the same and that is normal. Not only does V have Wooga but he also has Miss Jennie, this changes things and it’s normal. I assume he invited himself to jeju bc he was going through something atp, but he still was distant and went off with Wooga. He knew he was 3rd wheeling. Dude has no self awareness or appropriate boundaries.

Jimin has a really good and fostered relationship with Hobi, Jin, Yoongi and Joon, but I can tell you from things he’s said he and V have not really been keeping tabs on each other in chapter 2 save for a few outings, and that’s also fine. People grow apart but remain friends, it’s normal. They are not soulmates, and not even bff atp. Hobi is Jimins bff.

👆🏾 💯

[pluviatrix]

should I watch blonde boy alchemy anime. if yes where do I start

#1 : you are asking fma 2003's #1 champion in all things if you should watch it. yes absolutely. i am always saying this.

#2 : unfortunately or perhaps fortunately fma 03 is not available to stream legally anywhere. insane actually. but it should be accessible on most anime pirating sites (i recommend checking out the piracy subreddit, that's where i've been able to watch severance).

#2 (addendum) : this is personal preference, but i strongly recommend the english dub. stay with me here. the fma 03 english dub was specifically written to comment on the then-current events of the american military's involvement in afghanistan and iraq. it has a lot to offer and, for all i want to curbstomp him and his stupid ass, vic mignogngngnanga's performance as ed in 2003 was really raw and unique.

#3 : newcomer disclaimer: this anime is from 2003, so it falls into a couple pitfalls of that era. there are a few filler episodes that are fully bullshit and i do not like them, but there are a few that while do not move the story forward have really good things to say about the show's central thesis. i would suggest checking out a spoiler-free (or spoilery, the show is 22 years old atp) episode list to see if you are interested in watching them. the fillers are pretty front-loaded so if you get to likeeee 15? you're good.

#4 : the show is pretty short at least compared to brotherhood. u gotta watch the movie afterward to get the full narrative. I WILL WARN YOU. even as someone who likes what the movie is going for and what it does for ed elric, the movie is a hot mess. it has really good moments and music tho so it's not a waste of ur time to check out. probably also available on the same very very legal streaming sites

#5 : I HAVE TO WARN YOU. part of 03's appeal is that it is a VERY different anime from its successor. i've said this before: it is not a shounen anime. it is a shounen deconstruction. there are probably trigger lists out there you can find but if u prefer u can come off anon in my dms i can give u a more detailed breakdown.

#6 : if u don't like it i will be soooooo sad and miserable.

does that help??

PS: WE DONT TALK ABOUT TERMINARCHER

[ilikekidsshows]

I feel so mean for saying that, but you know what I think would be ironically funny about the foreshadowing now that Marinette will loose her memories at one point, so Alya will obviously have to somehow restore it again (cuz no way is that gonna be more than a 2 parter thing. There are no stakes in this)?

If its not some outside force that forces Marinette to do it or some situation that actually requires for Marinette as guardian to give up her memories to keep the Miraculous save

It would be so funny atp if it happens because Marinette is stressed(tm) again and can't handle it when her giant web of lies are revealed by Lila, and because people are having some kind of a negative reaction and don't immediately prioritise her, she thinks that's the worst possible thing that ever happened and gives up her guardianship and memories of the last year to escape that and go back to being normal girl with a normal life Marinette.

I know it's so mean, but I can see it happening so easily that this is what the temporary memory loss will be. And then Alya has to talk to memory Marinette to find out why she gave up her memories, is told by her in pretty words that it's yet again her avoiding any long overdue consequences of her inactions (and bad choices), so Alya has to clue in memory-less Marinette on what happened until Marinette eventually make the decision to use whatever random way they'll come up with to restore her memories and face the reality "for the greater good"

But of course only AFTER everyone learned to not be mad at her for anything and view her as the true victim bc "don't you see how much she suffered? Everyone was so unreasonable and mean and bullying her that she felt the need to give up her memories! Grrrrrr, don't be mean to Marinette! It's not her fault she never said anything!"

Everybody in the fandom is angsty as shit about this, but I think this is way more likely to happen. The ultimate way out of facing consequences when the lies are out that doubles as perfect way to make everyone priorities her feelings again

---

Damn, anon, you cooked with this. I have nothing more to add other than this is perfectly in character and matches how the show has repeatedly handled Marinette’s “consequences”. Marinette’s consequences for her behavior are always self-inflicted punishments. She makes herself feel bad, she calls herself bad things, she convinces herself she’ll never find love and doesn’t deserve it. Even her Lucky Charm had now been a part of her self-flagellation. Taking away her own memories because she doesn’t “deserve” to be a hero anymore is 100% in character as a reaction to her web of lies coming undone.

It even comes with the follow-up that Adrien’s justified anger at her no longer has a target. Adrien is no longer “justified” in being mad at Marinette, because Marinette can’t remember doing that, so holding her responsible would be unfair and mean. Adrien has to, once again, be the bigger person and let his hurt go to help Marinette.

[celestie0]

ok, this is something that i've been thinking about for a while, and i need to share my thoughts with you so hear me out…

imagine gojo and yn being academic rivals at school, both wanting to be better than the other, and both wanting to be the student council president. but in the end, gojo ends up taking the role as he's popular among everyone, leaving yn bitter.

gojo and yn graduate high school and go their respective paths—gojo to med school and yn to law school—never seeing each other again (or so they thought). years later, gojo is a surgeon working at his family's hospital (yes, because he's a nepo baby lmao, his parents both came from generation after generation of doctors and surgeons, so it was natural for him to go in the same direction, although he had a strained relationship with his parents). yn, on the other hand, is a qualified medical lawyer (i think you know where this is going atp but imma continue lol).

imagine yn breaking up with her bf of almost a decade and being left completely heartbroken. upon realizing that her life wasn't as perfect as she thought (having barely any friends and only depending on her ex), she goes through a whole identity crisis and decides that she needs to change her environment. this is where she moves cities and starts a new life in a whole different place. she gets a new job at a hospital as a healthcare lawyer.

on her first day of work, she turns up all excited at her new workplace and everything is going well. as she works through the day, she gets familiar with all the departments and the staff, makes new acquaintances like shoko, who insists on introducing her to her other friends/colleagues whom she went to college with. yn agrees, reminding herself that she needs to make more friends and not end up like she was when she was with her ex—all alone. shoko introduces her to geto and then a very familiar face who also seems to recognize her. upon realizing who she was facing, they both immediately start tweaking, and the rest is history (i can't be bothered to write more hahaha).

pls i was so invested reading this LOL xd this sounds soooooo freaking good i love stories where there's like professional aspect or just workplace romances in general,, those are my FAAAAAVESS and this has academic rivals trope?!?!? anon i fear you've just created like my most ideal story ever lmfaooo if you ever write this PLEAASASEEE lemme know

[neverenoughmarauders]

Hi! what are your thoughts on the ever present fanon idea that James repeatedly asks Lily to date him before she finally concedes (he pesters her tbh)?

I feel like this throws a lot of people off of Jily as it just adds a bit of creepiness to the ship and makes it weirder for Lily to get with James considering this behaviour, after what must’ve been a fair amount of reckoning since he tormented her childhood best friend for years. Like even if Lily hated Snape at this point I don’t think she’d forget how James treated him easily and let James off the hook without a proper reckoning so adding pestering behaviour to that dynamic just makes their relationship more unlikely ya know. Honestly just tryna find reasons why fandom in general dislike Jily more than jegulus atp.

Hi anon

This idea that James repeatedly asked Lily out I think far precedes Jegulus. In my youth, the few fics I engaged with (often because my best friend kindly helped translate them) seemed to position it as a very cute thing - although it always annoyed me even then, because it has no basis in canon. The day and age where James persistently asking Lily out was seen as cute are over, and now this fanon idea is presented in favour of Jegulus or Snily.

Actually, as an aside, in general the marauders' story is one that has aged poorly... You can't really view the marauders without the lens of it being the 70s and during a wizarding world war - but people do and it completely changes everything.

How do I feel about it?

I feel the same way about this as I do with all fanon ideas that get presented as evidence. It drives me up the wall no end. We all get carried away with our own interpretations and that's fine, but if people cannot separate canon from interpretation of canon /headcanon from fanon, how can we have an informed debate?

Canon:

"Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you care what they’re doing at night?” “I’m just trying to show you they’re not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are.” ... “I didn’t mean — I just don’t want to see you made a fool of — He fancies you, James Potter fancies you!” The words seemed wrenched from him against his will. “And he’s not ... everyone thinks ... big Quidditch hero — ” Snape’s bitterness and dislike were rendering him incoherent, and Lily’s eyebrows were traveling farther and farther up her forehead.

My interpretation of canon:

The conversation between Snape and Lily to me indicates that it is a relatively new development (which means sometimes not long before/after the whomping willow incident). At this point I think it's hard to argue that James has asked Lily out - why on earth would Snape feel the need to point out that James fancies her if this be the case.

Canon:

“I will if you go out with me, Evans,” said James quickly. “Go on ... Go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.” ... “I wouldn’t go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid,” said Lily. “Bad luck, Prongs,” said Sirius briskly, turning back to Snape. ... “There you go,” he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, “you’re lucky Evans was here, Snivellus — ” “I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!” Lily blinked. “Fine,” she said coolly. “I won���t bother in future. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.” ... “What is it with her?” said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him. “Reading between the lines, I’d say she thinks you’re a bit conceited, mate,” said Sirius. “Right,” said James, who looked furious now, “right"

Also canon: Lily found James attractive at this point, despite not liking him very much. It was confirmed in an interview, in response to whether or not Lily hated James, but as we know even from the source text:

“How come she married him?” Harry asked miserably. “She hated him!” “Nah, she didn’t,” said Sirius.

My interpretation of canon:

James is being an immature d***. That aside, nothing about this dialogue suggests to me that James has ever asked Lily out before. Why? James looks FURIOUS at the rejection, he does not give off the vibes of someone who has routinely been rejected by Lily.

There's also the small stuff which doesn't by itself mean anything but which adds up, such as Sirius' and Snape's reaction. Sirius doesn't come across as someone who has seen this a hundred times. He's obviously far less affected or surprised by the outcome, but that's not the same thing. Snape completely loses it with Lily - why? It's not the first time James and Sirius has bullied him, but if it's the first time Snape has listened to James ask her out - worse still, use him to ask her out, he might be furious. He told her so, didn't he? James Potter fancied her.

My headcanon:

We know Lily found James attractive, and that James is shocked to be rejected. We also know Snape is nervous that Lily might be falling for James: 'I’m just trying to show you they’re not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are' Why? Probably because by now Lily and James have flirted a little on and off. If Lily spoke the way she spoke to James by the lake - if James routinely asked Lily out - then the conversation between Severus and Lily makes no sense.

If people want to like Jegulus, they can. Personally, I think Jily holds everything I want from an "enemies" to lovers trope, and if I want another trope it's usually best friends to lovers, and I've got prongsfoot for that. Or if I am feeling like I want both, there's always Jilypad <3

[sitp-recs]

Hey do you have any Drarry fic recs which basically have Draco completely changing in 8th year/after the war, like he's dyed his hair and has tattoos and just has become more friendly and changed and Harry basically loses his mind? Kinda tired of the grovelling Draco or animosity fics atp.. Thanks :)

Hi anon! Omg yes, love me confused Harry losing his mind over a changed, hotter and confident Draco. This trope always delivers even when Draco doesn’t go through major physical changes (I love it when he gets extra though 🤌🏼). I have a few recs but they’re all post-Hogwarts, I hope they still work for you!

Enjoy the Silence by @shealwaysreads (M, 3.4k)

Draco stops speaking, gets some tattoos, and discovers that Harry’s happy to be quiet with him.

Under Your Skin by p1013 (E, 4k)

He initials another section and flips the page. Being a junior Auror is a lot more grunt work than he expected, and the paperwork isn't even the worst of it. He's also managed to catch intake duty. It's getting close to 2 AM, there hasn't been a single arrest brought in tonight, and he's still got another six hours before his shift is over. Rubbing a hand over his face, he prays for something, anything, to make the interminable evening better.

The Study of Change by p1013 (M, 4.3k)

Harry's going to hell. He's going to hell immediately. Even with all of the good he's done in his life, he's never going to overcome the impure thoughts racing through his head at the sight of Draco Malfoy looking like an academic wet dream in a room full of barely legal adults.

Starstruck by phrynne (E, 4.5k)

Yeah, Malfoy has pink hair. Or sort of. Half of his hair is shaved short and dyed an aggressive pink. The other half is still white-blond, a strand falling over his right eye, only the left side of his face visible at all times. He turns it slightly and spots me beyond the moving bodies. He doesn’t stop dancing, a smile plays on his lips. This time I don’t look away like I used to when all this began.

Sex on Legs in Six-Inch Heels by @tessacrowley (E, 9.6k)

Draco Malfoy is a brilliant freelance cursebreaker and the only one who can help the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with a very dangerous case, but more importantly, he's wearing six-inch heels, and Harry cannot handle it, he really just can't.

Dream by the Fire by GallifreyisBurning (M, 11k)

When Draco Malfoy resurfaces in England after eight years abroad—tattooed, pierced, and wanting to take over a corner of Harry's coffee shop to work on a writing project—Harry can't help but be intrigued. Where has he been? What is he working on? Why here? And why does he have to look so stupidly hot with all those tattoos?

Cold Like Fire by QueenofThyme (M, 12k)

Head Auror Harry Potter had no problem with mandatory consent training for his team. He’d actually been looking forward to it, that is, until he discovered who the teacher was. Now, he had no idea how he was going to get through the training without throwing a hex at Draco Malfoy. Or a punch.

In the Shape of Things to Come by @academicdisasterfic (E, 15k)

Existential angst and chronic boredom are plaguing Harry Potter in his cushy post-war life. However, a chance encounter with a tattooed, pierced, disgruntled Draco Malfoy in the middle of Muggle Camden seems to spark something in Harry again—and he never could stay away from Malfoy.

We Might Be Too Old for a Bildungsroman by @wellhalesbells (T, 21k)

Harry finds something he’s been looking for since the war’s end. Admittedly, the packaging’s a bit odder than he expected.

Ink (My Skin With Your Name) by Kandakicksass (M, 22k)

Several years after the war, an ostracized Draco Malfoy covers himself in tattoos, becomes best friends with a muggle, and debates abandoning magical society entirely to work in a tattoo shop. All in all, he's having a hell of a time trying to figure out who he is and what he wants to do with his life. The last thing he needs is to run into Harry Potter, who seems intent on becoming his friend, even if he has to get a lot of ink to do it.

All Bets Are Off by dualwieldteacup (M, 31k)

Harry Potter's latest security assignment brings him to Las Vegas for the International Wizarding Casino World Series. At a magic underwater hotel, he is tasked with guarding the legendary and mysterious gambler known as Snake Eyes. The stakes are high when both Galleons and emotions are involved. Not to mention peacock pool floats, secret pizza, and most importantly of all, second chances.