#apparently he “has an image to uphold”

[lovesick-level-up]

🍀🏵️ : For the system ask game! Have fun :]

-eternal express

🍀- Make an edit based off the system member you're closest to.

icons 1 and 3 are free to use with credit, but icon 2 is specifically of a fictive, so please don't use it!

oooh, fun! for this one, i had to pick mr explosion murder himself. we split around the same time and are from the same "universe", i guess is the best way to put it, so we ended up sticking together. we also think we might have split from the same person - but yeah, you get it, we're two peas in a pod.

some facts about dynamight:

despite what you may think, he's actually really chill. he matured a lot when he became a pro, and now only gets super angry when its justified. still calls us all dumb nicknames though!

he's definitely the responsible one - he's already got us on a better path since he started fronting more frequently. making us take vitamins, doing some light exercise, getting a better routine, you know, stuff like that.

he's up there with the most music loving of us! he's been trying to convince us to do drum lessons, but it'll probably have to wait until we can afford it lol.

he hasn't figured out a name yet and it annoys the shit out of him! though we don't require alters to change their names from their source unless they want to, he wants to, he just can't find one he likes lmao. we usually call him dynamight or kats.

🏵️- Make an edit based off your favorite area of headspace.

now, for this, i could not figure out what kind of edit to do lmao, so i'll just tell you. we have a big gym/hall space! its a lot like the ones at UA, with a lot of different equipment and machines. a lot of us more active alters get super bored, so we have sparring matches to keep ourselves in shape and to let off steam. my favourite sparring partner is probably ajax, though sparring with dynamight is always nostalgic. i also really like my room lol, but apparently we didn't take screenshots when we built it in the sims, so i can't show you. we all have pretty awesome rooms tbh.

~ volt

[nunyabznsbabes]

Katniss is like Lucy Gray this, Katniss is like Sejanus that, and yes fine that's all good and true and lovely but Katniss Everdeen is also a direct parallel to Coriolanus Snow and people NEED to start talking about this because it's driving me crazy.

Think about it: they both grew up poor and deeply vulnerable, losing parents at a very young age, with a matriarchal adult (Katniss' mother and Coriolanus' Grandma'am) who fails to provide for them emotionally and physically. They intimately understand the threat of starvation, even developing with stunted growth because of it, and their narrations in the books share a fixation on food. Throughout their childhoods, both experienced constant fear and suffered a fundamental lack of control over their circumstances. Because of this, they're inherently suspicious of the people around them. They resent feeling indebted to others, especially those who have saved their lives. They're motivated almost entirely by family and deeply connected to their communities. Both are used and manipulated by the Capitol, both are forced to perform to survive and despise every inch of it, both are thrown into the Arena and made to kill. Both have a self-sacrificial, genuinely sweet sister figure acting as their conscience. Peeta and Lucy Gray - performers and love interests with a fundamental kindness and sense of hope about them - fulfill markedly similar roles in their narrative. Both contribute to the development of the future Hunger Games, Snow throughout tbosas and Katniss towards the end of Mockingjay.

It's easy to ignore these similarities because, as mirrors of each other, they are exact opposites. Katniss is from District 12, viewed and treated as less than human; Snow is the cream of the Capitol crop, given the privilege of a name with social weight, an ancestral home, and the opportunity of the Academy despite having no more money than a miner from 12. Katniss has no agency over her life, and responds by being kind whenever she's able, while Snow justifies horrendous evils in order to continue his quest for complete control. Katniss does everything she can to protect her family; Snow does everything he can to protect his family's image as an extension of his own ego. Katniss loves her District and connects with its inhabitants on a meaningful level, but Snow is indifferent at best to his peers - the apparent "superior people" - and only engages with his community for personal gain. Katniss emerges from the Arena horrified at herself and the system, but Snow takes his trauma and turns it into an excuse to perpetuate the violence with himself at the top. Katniss cares for Prim until her death and then snaps at the loss of her little sister, while Snow survives on Tigris' blood, sweat, and tears and then torments and abandons her, presumably because she calls him out on his insanity. Snow actively adds to and popularizes the Hunger Games because of his vendetta against the Districts following his childhood wartime trauma - Katniss briefly agrees to a new Hunger Games in the pursuit of vengeance, but later stops them from happening by killing Coin and choosing a life of peace and privacy. Snow is obsessed with revenge, but Katniss empathizes with the Capitolites and does what she can to keep them from suffering. He exists in a cruel system and selfishly upholds it; she exists in a cruel system and works to dismantle it for the good of her family and community, at great personal cost. And Peeta and Lucy Gray are incredibly similar, but Katniss and Peeta forge a relationship of genuine love and understanding that shines in comparison to Coriolanus' obsessive projection onto Lucy Gray.

So, yeah, Katniss is Lucy Gray haunting Coriolanus. But I bet you anything that eighty-something year old President Snow looks at her, the girl on fire, bright and young and brilliant, emerging from a childhood of starvation with a relentless hunger for success, a talented and charming performer helping her win the Games, and he sees the ghost of his own past. And that's why he's so afraid of her! Because if he sees himself in her, then he's up against his own cunning, his own talent for manipulation, his own charisma, his own genius. He's up against the version of himself that he once wished to be, with the nightmare army of his childhood at her back and her star-crossed lover at her side, spewing Sejanus' truths in his own voice. This isn't to say that Katniss ever achieved the level of power and agency that Coriolanus did during her time with the rebellion, but it is to say that Snow was taken down by what truly terrified him - his own morality, come to finish the job.

[sttoru]

clan leader!satoru, whose smile isn’t actually a. . . smile. it serves as a gentle (yet not-so-gentle) threat to whomever it is dedicated to. a lot of the gojo clan members, as well as members from other noble clans, have heard of that infamous smile and know of its true meaning.

ever since marrying you, that smile often finds its way onto his lips. it’s not because of you, but rather because of the ones interacting with you. satoru didn’t ever expect to feel so possessive about someone he initially didn’t care for.

a marriage of convenience is all that your relationship was for. it purely existed for the sake of a connection between two famous families. your first weeks together have been awkward. any form of affection - any touches or loving words - were for the sake of his image.

however that all was fated to change: satoru eventually found himself falling for his wife.

your kind personality, your subtle smiles, the embarrassed expression on your face whenever he teased you in front of others even if it was all a faux display- an act of being all lovey-dovey. your inner and outer beauty was slowly becoming more apparent to the white-haired man.

you don’t know when it started. you can’t recall why satoru is suddenly acting affectionate even behind closed doors. usually, he’d drop the act the second you’re in your chambers. now he continues to compliment you, pepper you with chaste kisses as long as you allowed him to… even refer to you as his ‘dear’, ‘pretty girl’ or ‘sweetheart’ to your face like it’s nothing.

you shrug off your own guards and maids when they curiously inform you about their lord’s sudden change of personality, which was supposedly all because of you.

“ah, my wife,” satoru’s voice echoes above the loud chatter in the main hall. you turn your head and find your heart racing for some reason as he addresses you in that gentle tone.

he makes his way through the crowd, eyes never leaving your face, even as other important figures try to catch his attention to talk business. “i was greatly worried about you,” your husband sighs.

a gloved hand cups your face and satoru leans in, his glossy lips inches from yours. you’d think this was part of the fake arrangement, but there’s this genuine hint of adoration behind his cerulean eyes that you cannot ignore.

“i— my apologies,” you murmur softly, eyes darting around the room while you try to ignore the loud thumping of your heart. “i was simply talking to one of the guards,” you explain and nod your head to the bulky man standing next to you.

the guard respectfully bows to satoru the second you introduce him. your husband doesn’t respond for a single second, his fingers twitching lightly at his side. he can’t stand the thought of you talking to another man while he isn’t around.

is it for your own safety? or is it because he’s jealous and immediately wants to get rid of any man who dares speak to his precious wife? perhaps it’s a mixture of both.

“i see,” satoru replies. his eyes darken for a second before he catches himself. the corners of his lips curl upwards, though the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

that familiar sight makes you nervous. you’ve seen it before, when your husband would subtly threaten others for whatever reason, while hiding his true feelings behind that smile.

“well,” satoru continues, his arm wrapping around your waist. he pulls you against his side and places a kiss on top of your head while glaring at the guard through his white eyelashes.

“thank you for keeping my wife safe,” the clan leader says through that tight smile, trying to keep it as ‘genuine’ looking as possible. he has a reputation and image to uphold after all.

you’re about to say something, but are cut off as satoru adds another comment. “i’m here now, so you can return to your post.”

it isn’t a suggestion. it is an order— a command. a disguised threat.

the guard immediately picks up on the subtle hint and nods without saying a word before walking back to his spot at the doors. you can hear the faint whispers from others as they also seem to recognise that change in satoru’s demeanour.

it’s not like you’re totally oblivious to what’s happening either. you look up at satoru and place a hand on his chest, trying to catch his attention. “satoru,” you whisper his name.

the white-haired man immediately snaps out of it and excitedly shoots you that boyish smile of his instead of the fake, cold one he wore on his face just a second ago.

“you called, my dear?” satoru tilts his head, bringing a hand to rest over yours on his chest. your eyes widen a bit at the way he seems to relax and look at you with that same devoted gaze.

you don’t think it’s an act anymore. the words die on your tongue and you can’t recall what you wanted to say anymore. those sparkling blue eyes and charming smile have you rendered speechless.

“…it’s nothing,” you mutter under your breath. you have no clue how you’ve managed to turn that once, cocky, overly confident and cold-hearted ruler into a total softie for you. it’s something you still need to process yourself.

satoru doesn’t leave your side for the rest of the night, glaring at the men who pass by, shooting them that fake, threatening smile if they looked like they desired to converse with you.

you’re his wife, and that’s that. he silently wonders when you’ll realise that he actually fell for you. perhaps you are already aware of it, but hide it from him on purpose.

whatever the case is, satoru will make sure that you know his true feelings for you. one day he will tell you those three words explicitly— if it wasn’t obvious enough through his sudden change of behavior.

[coralinnii]

In the villainess au, do you think Riddle, Azul and Malleus will ever directly say in og FL face that they will never love them or even threaten them?

In reference to my Being Reincarnated into a New World as a Bad Guy series

While I haven’t ironed out the details of the stories for every character yet, I played with the idea of what would it take for the Villain/ess au TWST guys to ever come to that.

Riddle: Riddle would not willingly interact with OGFL unless it was politically necessary. She wouldn’t even be a passing thought unless it was brought up. There is literally no reason for Riddle to truly know her beyond her name. He would only speak to her if OGFL directly expressed her feelings towards him and that’s when he would speak so matter-of-factually that no, he does not and will never reciprocate her feelings. End of conversation. However, Riddle would definitely threaten her if she was foolish enough to speak ill towards his partner, be it calling you an unsuitable spouse or claiming to be a better fit for Riddle than you are. If that were to happen, it’s OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!

Azul: Azul would be a bit more vague with his rejection. He can’t help himself if he feels he could reap some benefits using OGFL’s feelings for him (that’s not a good thing to do, btw) but he will never truly accept her. However, if you expressed that you feel even the slightest discomfort with his interactions with the OGFL, he will stop immediately and sets the record straight for real. No amounts of deals is worth losing your trust in him. Azul has an image to uphold so he wouldn’t outright threaten OGFL but he’s benevolent enough to give her some “well meaning warnings” should she attempt to approach you or him again.

Malleus: Absolutely, from the get-go. Malleus is aware of the pain and suffering you went through because of this insignificant human and he will never willingly associate himself with someone that would hurt his dearly beloved. Malleus is not foolish enough to fall for superficial compliments or “heartfelt” confessions, he’s just short from flat out calling OGFL a shameless leech right to her face (he’s too noble for that, apparently). And if he felt even the smallest hint of malice from her towards you, his soulmate, she would have to be extremely fortunate to get a threat without being struck by lightning where she stands first.

[cantareincminor]

For the Sake of Appearances

It's obvious that Eden Academy is a superficial place, despite the efforts of Henderson and other teachers to uphold its educational mission. Like any elite institution, most of its students hail from rich families and don't actually need a degree from Eden to be more than comfortable in life. Most of them are there acting as proxies for their parents, to accumulate even more wealth and power, often by schmoozing with people higher up on the chain like the Desmonds.

Twilight of course is aware of the dynamics and rules of the game at Eden and is playing to win. He crafts an upper middle class cover that will fit in decently without being rich or powerful himself. He looks for a smart child. He looks for a wife. Because apparently only children with two parents can get into the school.

Throughout the whole story so far he has been concerned about his family's image, both so his cover won't be blown, and so that Anya will advance Plan A or Plan B. He is sensitive to Anya acting out of turn, like punching Damian, or falling behind academically and having no talents with which to gain extracurricular Stellas.

Back when the Imperial Scholars Mixer chapters came out (before I joined the fandom), I'm sure there was a lot of discussion about the moment Anya made her speech to Damian and said this:

The sadness around Anya not knowing whether her adoptive father even likes her dominates this chapter, at least for me. But on a second read I thought about Twilight's perspective here.

For someone who has been so worried about appearances -- making sure his family can at least pretend at cultured tastes and manners, somehow pushing Anya to get good grades or preventing her from failing (by breaking into the records room), and ensuring his own image is immaculate -- one might expect that Twilight would also worry about appearances here. His daughter just admitted to his chief target's son that she doesn't know if her father loves her. Is that not breaking the facade of a loving nuclear family, which he needed to project at the Eden admissions interview?

But, sadly, having a loving family isn't actually a requirement among the many appearances people have to keep up in the Eden crowd. Damian himself is exhibit A on that front. Both his parents hardly ever bother to visit him or talk to him, and as we see in Chapter 104, it's made him avoid going home except when none of his family members are there. From a utilitarian perspective, it may be good that Anya said this to Damian, so she could appear empathetic to his situation.

What is really interesting is that we don't get any of Twilight's inner thoughts about Anya's speech, probably because he's so focused on Donovan's arrival. All we see is an "Anya..." which could be Endo hiding any further insights on Twilight from the audience, or Twilight genuinely not knowing what to think, or Twilight turning off his over-analyzing tendencies for once and even forgetting to worry about appearances, because his daughter really got to him with that speech. If the latter is true, it might explain his behavior during the cruise arc where he tries so hard to please Anya, with the whole "I'm a normal father. A good father," piece. Bit by bit, he starts to care about more than just appearances or outcomes, and shows through his actions that he wants Anya to be happy. He doesn't tell himself that her happiness is for the cover or for the mission as often as before.

I really do hope that in some future chapter we get a callback to this scene in Chapter 37 where Anya was uncertain whether her father likes her. After 103, where we even got a brief flashback to their first day out as a family overlooking the shopping street, I feel a bit more hope that at some point Twilight will give Anya the reassurance she needs directly or indirectly.

Or maybe, Anya has already figured it out, from all the things he's done for her and how his behavior has changed gradually since that day in the courtyard.

[lizzy019]

𝐼𝓃 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒞𝓁𝓊𝒷, 𝐼𝓃 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝒽𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈, & 𝐼𝓃 𝑀𝓎 𝐻𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉.

Dom!Johnny Cade x Soc!Fem!Reader

cw -> mentions of his parents fighting, some angst, degradation 0.0, smutty but sweet

Word Count -> 1.5K

Brooo this request has me digging deep in thought, I love it!

A drink in hand and a soft sway of your hips as you chat lightly with an acquaintance of yours.

The party was dedicated to a friend who was celebrating some big event in their life, you weren’t informed and frankly, you were only there for free drinks.

“Did you hear? Apparently they invited some of the Greasers to the party, isn’t that swell? Maybe there’ll be a fight.” Your friend murmured to you, sipping their alcoholic beverage while whooshing over to another friend of theirs.

Your heart sank.

The Greasers? Maybe Johnny wouldn’t be there, hopefully he wouldn’t be. You prayed he wouldn’t be-

Three knocks hit on the door, and everything ruined your vain attempt at believing your ex and his buddies wouldn’t arrive.

Someone scurried off to open the door, and instantly a wave of fear and reticence hits you. He was right there, with some of his gang buddies all high and confident.

But he wasn’t.

He never was.

But he looked.. more sad in a way. You couldn't help but pity him.

Refilling your drink and paying the little bill for all the drinks you’ve bought previously, you prepared yourself to head out and escape your ex as soon as possible.

Except.. you accidentally bumped into him and got a bit of your drink on his shirt. But his sad face just got sadder and your heart couldn’t help but wish to help.

“Hey, I’m sorry. Do you want me to drive you back to your place so you can change? I didn’t mean to spill my drink on you.” You apologized instantly, looking up at Johnny with a frown.

He was still as pretty as he was the day you left.

With a reluctant expression, Johnny nodded and followed you out. The cold of your drink seeping through his clothes had him shivering in the cold night air.

“My stop’s here.” He muttered out, watching you park just a bit further from his house. A small thing you did when you two were together to keep him out of trouble with his family.

“You wanna maybe.. come inside with me?” He asked shyly.

How bold and peculiar!

Was the shy Johnny really asking you to join him at his house after everything? You were nervous, but took the keys from your car and nodded as you exited the vehicle. His house looked the same, all small but so cozy. Except for what laid inside.

Johnny walked in, ignoring all the arguing of his parents. They were yelling, hitting each other, glass shards on the floor, it was horrible.

You pitied him, and gently offered to take his jean jacket to wash.

“I’m.. sorry once again for ruining your clothes. I can pay you the money for new ones if it’ll help you at all.” You murmured.

Johnny didn’t quite care, his eyes locating a new shirt to wear while he threw out the purple stained one.

“Forget it. I can’t believe you.” He started, finding a new dark gray tee to wear instead.

His words had you shocked, but truly you knew you deserved it. You broke up with him, you left because you thought he embarrassed you rather than really caring about him. But you prioritize your reputation, as you do with everything.

“Johnny, it’s not that I don’t like you anymore. Really, I do! You’re a sweet guy with a kind heart, the softest brown eyes and the most beautiful smile. It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just.. I have an image to uphold.” You sighed, fiddling with your fingers.

“That doesn’t give you no damn right to use me! I did everything I could to make you happy, I was the one who really made you feel special, didn’t I?” He fought back.

This had you pause, you’d never seen Johnny yell or fight back, advocate for himself or even use harsh words to voice his true feelings.

He did though. He made your heart sing every time he’d smile at you, or every time he’d say “I love you” or “Sugar.”

“Well, what was I supposed to do? I have a picture to uphold, I have a reputation to keep on streak, I can’t be seen with you whether I damn want it or not! Johnny, I’ve loved you for so long that my heart burns for you, but I dunno how this is gonna affect me in the long run!” You exclaimed, hand coming to grip your hair in pure frustration for his lack of understanding.

This made Johnny freeze up, he was truly stumped for a minute before his memory rejogged and he retorted with what was nagging at his mind since the breakup.

“Well, why does it matter what everyone else thinks, huh? If you’re really bein’ honest and you like me for who I am, why does your reputation come first and not true happiness? True joy and satisfaction in life?” He vociferated, crying out in anguish and disbelief.

Your whole body froze, watching with rapt attention before your body acted quicker than your mind could stop it.

Hands seizing his waist and lips mashing against his, the kiss you two engendered was congenial and heavenly, true emotions showing as tongues invaded separate mouths.

All that could be heard were soft, dulcet kisses along with the occasional gasp or whine. Your hands furiously trying to get him out of his shirt and pants, desperate to have what you craved and longed for for so long.

Without hesitation, Johnny shoved your body to his bed, a soft creak emitting from the weight before he stripped himself bare, watching you do so too.

“You know how long I’ve been jackin’ off to the thought of ya? I’ve seen you in my dreams, sugar.. seen you so many times I thought my heart was about to jump out and run to find you.” He whined, giving your aching core two fingers for prep while he stroked his own floppy length to prep it for what was to come.

The words that had flown out of Johnny’s mouth so casually had you blushing like a goof. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t experiencing the same thing almost every night.

“Baby, ‘m sorry, gotta have you now.” He apologized before spreading apart your folds to thrust his now semi erect length into your core.

Moans were flying out of your mouths, creating symphonies only conducted by the two of you in the solace of each other’s company. What a heavenly feeling it was, to finally be connected with someone you strived for yet couldn’t quite reach.

“Johnny! Yeah baby, come on, go deeper. Fuck!” You cried out, having to stuff your face into his pillows so his parents wouldn’t accidentally hear.

Johnny was relentless and merciless in his movements, watching the way your ass bounced every time his pelvic bone hit the fat of your cheeks. It was satisfying in a way.

He was dominating your body in such a fierce way, it made you feel powerless and to feel powerless because of Johnny was insanely erotic and hot.

“Shut the hell up, you whiny ass. You’re gonna get us caught.” He almost growled it out, hand pushing your head into the pillow while his other slapped your rear in light degradation.

You simply whimpered into the fabric, giving into such pleasure. Your walls beginning to spasm as your knees start to buckle.

“Close! Close!” You tried to alert him, but your voice was too muffled by the sound. It was worrying, but you were too engulfed in pleasure to care.

And like you’d suspected, a sharp searing pleasure dissipated any worry you had as you let your body talk for you. Mass amounts of congenial ecstasy took your body up to cloud nine, and you felt a moist sensation begin to cool between your legs.

Had he cum? Maybe.

Nope, it was you. Long ropes of your own translucent release of pleasure were spewed out from your core to his legs, your legs, and the fabrics beneath you.

But Johnny kept going, mercilessly and maliciously pounding into you with no regard for your overstimulation.

This had you squirming and writhing, enduring such pained pleasure that you didn’t quite know how to handle it. Yet in just a few more seconds and a few more hard thrusts, he came undone as well.

A soft moan was heard when he released all the tension and built up feelings he had been stuck with for so long.

“Ohh baby, yeah..” He whimpered, slowly pulling out and flopping on his side to rest beside you.

The moments that passed by were simply spent in each other’s arms, limbs tangled as you both muttered apologies to each other. This was what two heartbroken people needed, the right love and care.

Yet just as you were about to fall asleep, a knock was heard from behind the door before it swung open and you were met with an angry Johnny’s mom.

“What the hell were you two doing in here?!”

[harmonysanreads]

i keep on thinking about yan!neuvillette lately ever since i saw those posts you reblogged 😭🙏

yan!neuvillette who has you arrested and tried in fontaine’s supreme court. having secretly worked with the prosecutors to make sure that the odds are against you, he rules that you are guilty of a crime which you, in reality, didn’t commit — but the evidence was stacked against you, and the defence certainly had no chance in winning the trial.

after all, neuvillette was the chief justice of the supreme court. the highest position one could have in this nation, second only to the hydro archon herself. who wouldn’t trust his judgement, especially when it appeared that you truly were guilty of the crimes you were accused of?

yan!neuvillette, expected by society to uphold the law and help maintain peace and order within the nation as their reliable chief justice, but neuvillette knew how to keep his position and reputation secure while using his vast knowledge of all the ins and outs of the laws, and what loopholes there are and aren’t in order to bend things to his will — namely, your circumstances. nobody knew fontaine’s legal system better than he did; and you’re the only thing he’d bend the rules for.

the majestic ornate walls of gold within the opera epiclese have never felt so suffocating before.

and, as she always did with every trial, the hydro archon oversaw yours; but it appeared that all she cared for was excitement, seeking thrills and theatrical twists that belonged to the stage. it was made clear rather quickly that the last thing she would do was interfere with neuvillette’s verdict, evidently having long lost her interest in your case.

there’s nothing else to turn to. no one else to turn to. neuvillette had the highest form of authority that a citizen of the land of justice could hold, so even if you were highly dissatisfied with the result of your trial, there was no higher court you could appeal to. the decision of the supreme court was final.

yan!neuvillette who even gave periodical visits to you down in the prisons, much to your surprise and apparent confusion — you would’ve thought that any business with this man was over the moment the gavel was struck and the court adjourned. but whatever matters a man as important as neuvillette had to tend to in the prison, he certainly spent a good portion of that time speaking to you. even the prison guards were momentarily dismissed while he stood before the bars of your cell to hold brief talks with you.

yan!neuvillette who one day quite nonchalantly revealed that he was actually fully aware of your innocence during the trial.

does he truly hold the right to judge the crimes of others if he, too, is guilty of committing such injustices behind the scenes?

the sudden spark of realisation and anger in your eyes, that shift in expression that was a fire that burned so strongly, caused the slightest change in his otherwise neutral conduct. it’s something that made you so interesting to him. however, venomous insults began to spill out of your lips, ruining that momentary image. you should remember your current circumstances, he reminded you. you were in no position to be uttering such expletives towards him, of all people. and to think he was about to offer you a way out, a way to clear your name, perhaps..

but you only deserve such a mercy if you hold your tongue and cooperate with him.

the conversation continued no further that day — he walked off without another word, leaving you to your own thoughts.

- 🕯️

Mmmmmm, delectable as always nonnie! I love how we all agree that Yandere!Neuvillette is so unfair in all the ironic ways. Not only are you unable to oppose his unjust verdicts but also you cannot reason with his logic. Since we're still yet to see more of him, you know what would make him absolutely terrifying? If he had not even a shred of guilt for what he was doing. And seeing as how Focalors never really intervenes in the trials, we can guess who gives him all this power and self-assurance. All speculations thus far, of course.

Neuvillette seems like someone who values etiquette. That being said, I don't think he's someone who'd opt for physical punishments rather, he'd probably make you memorize all the ridiculous court etiquette of Fontaine. Especially if you misbehave, the tomes of Fontaine's constitution are waiting for you.

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

a big german newspaper (die zeit) recently published a more critical article on the so called „verrichtungsboxen“ (literally: boxes of execution; boxes on the street where prostituted women and sex buyers can go to consummate the sexual acts; anyone who knows german will know this is a gross terminology, fitting for a gross concept).

while the fact these boxes exist is in itself a tragedy, the letters to the editor are giving me hope that there are sane people left in this country - even though from their names and writing style i would guess they are of the older generation, pension age.

heinz wohner: „if you dont get a visceral reaction of disgust and shame looking at these obfuscating boxes called ‚eco toilets‘ and the image of what is going on in them, you have to be extremely cold. calling what is being done to these women for little money ‚work like any other‘ is sugarcoating the issue.“

wolfgang wendling: „maybe there are women who voluntarily prostitute themselves, but the majority is doing it out of necessity and under pressure. calling the oldest trade in history a profession like any other is pure mockery. its not an honor to call our country europe‘s biggest brothel. but it‘s true. we should be ashamed that women are being exploited, humiliated and abused before our eyes. the more severe the poverty is in the country of origin, the cheaper you can have them. we should finally stop this, which is the only appropriate action for a civilised country.“

brigitte kosfeld: „the photo of these boxes alone speaks volumes on the inhumane practices hidden behind the liberalisation of prostitution. when the law was introduced, there were convinced social democratic women who were holding speeches on ‚prostitution as a profession‘. the intentions behind the law might have been honorable, but the reality has always been deeply anti-woman.“

professor claudia reuter, phd: „the liberalisation of prostitution in germany has failed in all regards. according to a french study, the average life expectancy of a prostitute is 33 years. babbling about self-determination in this case is inhumane. the state is not supporting prostitutes’ workers rights and their health, but their economic and sexual exploitation. its about time for the swedish model: protection for women and consistent punishment for sex buyers and pimps.“

joachim kasten: „social democrat august bebel already wrote in 1879 (…) that ‚honorable family men‘ were contributing to uphold the system prostitution with their money. according to him, they were generously let off their responsibility to disappear in anonymity. apparently today we are still where we were at the end of the 19th century.“

sabine moehler: „the description [in the article] of typical injuries prostitutes have reminded me very much of those women in physically abusive relationships show as well. a man who abuses, humiliates and demeans a prostitute in any way will do the same to his partner, wife or lover as soon as he doesnt like her behavior. (…) even reading about this is upsetting me a lot.“

and of course the one sex buyer who just had to write to the editors, peter müller: „its one sided to use the misery in berlin street prostitution with sex on public toilets as a reason to debate the liberalisation of prostitution. there are many brothels were the ladies are treated with respect. of course working as a prostitute harbors certain risks - but there are women who freely choose this job, and in my experience, some of them are doing it with passion and love. the regular prices are not the dumping prices you mentioned (5-10 euros) [note: which is indeed normal in street prostitution] but actually 80-100 euros for half an hour - not to mention those dont include extras and humiliating sex practices. i met women who earn better in prostitution than some employees in germany.“

loose translation and highlights by me.

[lil-shiro]

Article: LANCE STROLL ON F1’S FUTURE & THE NEW ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE

As always – article highlights under the cut with pics included, full one linked in title

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team's Lance Stroll reflects on how far he's come, the team's current direction, and the new Vantage in an interview with BH.

The Canadian youngster emerged as the Italian F4 Champion with Prema Powerteam in 2014 before becoming Toyota Racing Series champion in 2015. A little later on at the 2015 FIA Formula 3 European Championship

[FIA Formula 3 European Championship / Thomas Suer]

Lance Stroll would ink his page in history as the youngest Formula 1 rookie to ever record a podium finish (P3) at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. And at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, he’d earn his maiden F1 pole position. To date, he’s collected 285 career points across 155 race weekends.

Stroll has had the good fortune of partnering with elite-calibre veterans, four-time champ Sebastian Vettel and two-time champ Fernando Alonso, during their respective tenures at Aston Martin F1. So what exactly has he learned studying at the proverbial feet of these world-beating masters?

“From Seb, I learnt a lot about how to go about a weekend,” Stroll explains.

“He was very detail orientated; he wanted to know every little detail behind any decision. He also did a lot for the sport over the years, which I really respect.”

“Fernando teaches us all about passion and motivation. That’s what makes Fernando who he is. Like all great athletes, he’s constantly pushing himself to get better every day.”

Posed with the hypothetical scenario of being able to partner any driver in history — apparently something F1 athletes get asked “a lot” but not something they ever really think about — he replied:

“Growing up, I was a huge fan of Michael Schumacher. I used to get up super early in Canada to watch him race against my current teammate, Fernando. So, I think I’d go Michael.”

Aston Martin F1 is in a crucial transition stage. One that could inform its success as a constructor for coming half decade.

“It’s like you said, we’re in this building stage and there’s such a lot to be excited about right now,” offers Stroll when I prompt him.

“This is a team that is really pushing hard, and it’s an amazing thing to be a part of. We have the Honda partnership from 2026, a state-of-the-art campus with a new wind tunnel, we’re working on our own gearbox… There’s so much to be positive about.”

“The goal has always been to build a team that’s capable of fighting for — and winning — World Championships. That’s a goal that I really believe in, and one that I want to help the team achieve.”

If there’s one statement Lance Stroll wanted to make about both himself as professional driver and Aston Martin as a brand… what would it be?

“We’re doing things with focus, dedication, attention to detail. Aston Martin is a 111-year-old brand and it’s part of British, and international, culture. We want to uphold that tradition and quest for excellence by creating a Formula 1 team that represents the very best.”

“I’m proud to play a part in that, and I’ve been incredibly excited by the progress we’ve made and the developments that have been coming to turn us into a team that can represent one of the greatest brands in the world on the global stage.”

[All non-archival images included in this article have been captured by photographer Simon Emmett. Lance Stroll dressed by BOSS Menswear.]

[mariacallous]

Like millions of others who lived behind the Iron Curtain, I grew up in the Soviet Union viewing America as a beacon of hope. The difference between free and unfree was readily apparent to me as a young player on the international chess scene, and I began to use my platform to protest repressive practices back home. When I retired from professional chess in 2005, I channeled all of my energy into preventing Russia from sliding back into the hands of the KGB, the Soviet Union’s secret police and most sinister spy agency. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful: Vladimir Putin consolidated power and rebuilt an authoritarian state in the image of the Soviet regime under which I was born. Facing imminent arrest, I was forced into exile and have lived in New York since 2013. I never thought I would need to warn Americans about the dangers of dictatorship. 

Donald Trump has been breaking down the guardrails of American democracy for nearly a decade now. Generations to come will reap the consequences. His presidency—and his three campaigns for the office—have demonstrated that the institutions so many of us took for granted are, in large part, based on custom and tradition, not written law. As Ronald Reagan famously said, freedom is “never more than one generation away from extinction.” The political system we hold dear is deeply fragile, and depends on our constant commitment to uphold it. 

Trump hasn’t even won the election yet—and his victory is far from assured—but we are already seeing signs of preemptive obedience that should look familiar to many refugees from repressive regimes like me. Both the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times canceled endorsements of Vice President Kamala Harris earlier this month at the behest of their owners, a de facto silencing of two major national newspapers. It should come as no surprise that business owners are careful to avoid upsetting someone who has frequently called for his detractors to be locked up, or in the case of Liz Cheney, have guns “trained on her face.”

Given my experience, I am not willing to stand idly by and watch the beacon of hope that I am grateful to now call home slide into the authoritarianism of my childhood. This election is a choice between a candidate who has vowed to fight for America’s institutions, and one who is deeply dangerous—a candidate who I believe will bring total mayhem and destruction to this country. 

I want to speak, now, more specifically about Kamala Harris.

I have never been shy about criticizing administrations, regardless of party. I harshly condemned Barack Obama’s foreign policy—from his fecklessness in Syria to his dangerous Iran deal—as well as George W. Bush’s naivete when he claimed to have seen Putin’s soul after peering into his eyes. My criticism of both Trump and Joe Biden has been far from quiet. Only 28 percent of Americans today believe the country is moving in the right direction, and I understand their frustrations. While the situation at home certainly raises concerns, the geopolitical landscape is disastrous; the worst I have seen in my living memory. America’s prestige abroad is disintegrating. No wonder, then, that Trump’s hate-filled rhetoric is finding purchase.

But the role of the president and the vice president is not the same. With the notable exception of Dick Cheney (and perhaps Mike Pence when it counted the most), no vice president in recent memory played any meaningful role in setting policy. They do not hold the same responsibility as their boss for the direction the country takes. Biden essentially functioned as Barack Obama’s messenger, because his main task as vice president for eight years was to carry out and effectively communicate Obama’s vision—not his own. The same has been true of Kamala Harris for the last four years; her job has been to further Biden’s agenda, not her own. Consequently, J.D. Vance’s constant refrain—as vice president for nearly four years, Harris owns Biden’s policies—doesn’t make sense. It wasn’t Harris’ job to put her ideas into practice. And while she initially hewed closer to the administration’s stance, she has since stepped out from her boss’s shadow, making clear in interviews and on the campaign trail that she will not just follow in Biden’s footsteps. The policy proposals she is offering, whether you agree with them or not, are her own.

In an area particularly close to my heart—foreign policy—Harris’ agenda would represent an improvement from the status quo. Biden has spent many of his 40 years in government during a time when the threat of nuclear war was high, and that experience has undoubtedly informed his approach to foreign policy as president. Harris, on the other hand, doesn’t carry the same Cold War baggage, and has said that she would not allow Ukraine to succumb to Russian aggression. I don’t believe her administration would continue the Biden administration’s policies of betrayal when it comes to Ukraine—and Trump and Vance have obviously made no secret of their plans to essentially give in to Putin’s desire to swallow Ukraine.

Because Harris hasn’t been on the foreign policy scene for decades, my prediction is that she will hew closely to public opinion, which is currently oriented around a consensus that America should stand up to dictators. And on the domestic front, as a new president interested in being reelected—and likely constrained by a divided Congress and conservative Supreme Court majority—Harris would be unlikely to make waves and institute radical progressive policies. 

Were Harris up against a Republican other than Trump, disagreements over her limited price controls, tax policy, or stance on social issues might constitute strong arguments against electing her. In this race, however, these arguments are moot. If you disagree with her policies, start challenging her the day after the election. I certainly will.

This election is bigger than policy, as the long list of prominent Republicans who are willing to stand up and support Harris demonstrates. Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, Liz; former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; former Sen. Jeff Flake; several members of Trump’s own administration, including some of the most senior. Many still align with Republicans on policy issues—some, in the case of Reps. Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, even voted for Trump in 2020. Unlike sycophantic outcasts like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who made the reverse journey from the Democratic Party to endorse Trump, these are true, dyed-in-the-wool Republicans. 

Legally, we have a choice in this election, but morally, the answer is clear: If we want to preserve America’s institutions and its standing on the world stage, we must elect Kamala Harris on November 5.

Ultimately, I am cautiously optimistic about a Harris presidency. She has the opportunity to normalize a deeply fractured political climate, to bring together the center-left and center-right under a banner of creating real opportunity for all Americans. I look forward to challenging her when we disagree, which I imagine will be often. But if her opponent is elected, the very institutions and traditions that guarantee our right to freely disagree would be under threat. Anyone who has lived in the Soviet Union or in Putin’s Russia will tell you what it’s like to fear publicly condemning the government. In Trump, I hear echoes of Soviet leaders past and Russian leaders present. Kamala Harris’ election is the only way to preserve democracy, at home and abroad. She may not be the best choice. But on November 5, she is the only one.

[dallasgallant]

Gone with the wind |

Made a meta a while ago combining a few themes within the novel to Great Expectations, a novel Pony mentions reading for school. So I’ve decided to read Gone with the Wind too.

This meta is somewhat easier than Great Expectations as the book outright tells you why it’s important to the story and just what Pony and Johnny take out of it! The traits of “them southern boys” as they find themselves having to uphold similar standards of masculinity. Their gentle traits internal to the outward standard, though with less pressure to some degree due to class.

In the book it mentions ‘riding into battle. Gallant men’ and the movie draws two paragraphs a couple hundred pages apart. One on bodies sprawled in the sun during the siege of Atlanta(?) and then ‘those who refused to recognize defeat who road into sure disaster because they were Galant.’

Southern honor:

A sense of self tied to perception and status, often tied to adherence to tradition and independence.

It is an incredibly interesting historic concept which was delved into a lot in a class I took on the Old South, it’s been a semester and I will look through my notes but please forgive this for being a little more rambly then distinct. There’s going to be a loss of nuance here just because this isn’t a full lecture lol. The concept is a duel thing as on one hand, having honor and pride is not inherently bad but it’s the headstrong refusal to accept any other view that leads to self and societal destruction. Something to note is that the particular brand from Gone with the wind and that tends to be talked about the most academically is of the “large planter” variety, a class of people so rich and powerful and few they’d essentially become a aristocratic group of hyper elites. It’s interesting to look into but not the point of this meta, just setting the stage. The novel goes into even the aftermath the old views don’t die, there’s no adapting or accepting- just festering in confusion and hate… to be so headstrong is both remarkable and incredibly stupid. An analogy would be the emperor’s clothes caught fire but he walks around as if he is still clothed. Gone with the Wind is a really fascinating book to be told from the Uber rich perspective, the views of society and war from that class and Homefront perspective and its criticisms. Apparently, the movie is not nearly as analytical and more pretty dress gone how sad, but it’s not what we’re here for.

That’s more me rambling than proper analysis, it may be bare bones without some background but I’m going to tie it together now.

As the type of Southern honor they’d admire while reading is more the base concept of it, they’d relate far more to some conscripted “white trash” than the elite. This honor did defuse a bit across the society, though like any poorer people aren’t subject to half as many social rules and have their own variation but the base remains.

Greasers have their own similar sense of honor.

They’re brash and quick to fight and get angry. They’re defiant. Their duty to protect their own and what’s theirs, to help, fight to maintain appearance in their own little circles. They’re loyal and bound to help each other. They have dignity. They’re tied to anger and masculinity and the confusion of youth. The same goes for being gallant, their loyalty and duty to each other and their bravery shown in a rumble or just facing the day to day struggle with a stone face. Staying cool in the face of it all. That’s tuff. That’s gallant. That’s Greaser honor.

Similar to the concept of southern honor it also depends greatly upon others perception of you than your own, it is putting up a grand tough facade. It is doing everything to protect the image you fought so hard to maintain.

It’s easy to see why Johnny latches onto and recognizes Gallant behavior. They focus more on the tough and cool and strong parts because they do in lives all the time.

Another connection is the loss of innocence, Pony has his life forever altered by the events of the book. Pony can’t go back to who he was when he left the movie house just as Scarlett can’t go back to a Belle who never knew want. The change to his person is not as drastic but it is too a loss of a place in time. When the gang was all together, happy and simple. That too is… Gone with the wind.

—

Thinking about how Pony would stop and explain civil war stuff to Johnny because he didn’t know much about it, which is so sweet not only reading aloud but explaining. But also thinking about if pony got stuck on some big old words and they just went “I dunno” and moved on.

Also unrelated but I went out of my way to find a blue cover copy because I’m a nerd. Don’t have the second copy from the Hospital giftshop though, it was a hardcover and we never get a good look.

Props to them for getting half way in 4-5 ways this book is like 800+ pages, oh my God. I’m still not completely through (have 100 or so pages) and it’s been months 🫡

[baby-stay92]

Love At First Sight - Part 5 (FINAL)

Pairing: Idol!Han x Fem!Reader

FLUFF

Warnings: mention of anxiety, pregnancy, alcohol, let me know if I missed something.

WD.: 2k

Credit: baby-stay92 ❤ m. list

@adestayskz ❤ @kpop---scenarios ❤ @hanjsquokka

<- Prev

~~~~~~~~

It had been almost a year since he had spotted her amongst the crowd and she had turned his entire life upside down. These many months they’d had together had been bliss with how she would help him with lyrics, dance moves and most of all, she never judged or got mad when he received flirtatious words and looks from the fans. She understood that he only flirts back for the image that he has to uphold. She respected when he was busy with either practice, recording or performances. Shortly put, she was nothing short of perfect. When thinking of her, Han could easily imagine the rest of his life, having her by his side. Hell he had imagined that many times and that is why he now found himself in a jewellery store, looking for the perfect ring. He debates between two for a good while, wanting to make sure that he picked the perfect ring to bejewel your hand forever. After careful deliberation he finally decides on a beautiful rose gold ring with a big oval moss agate in the middle, with small vines around it on which smaller matching stones rested. He paid and soon left the store with the ring box safely tucked away in his pocket. Now he “just” needed to plan the perfect evening for this big event, but he also wanted something intimate, and kinda private. Han walked back to the dorms where he hid the ring in his nightstand before joining the guys for their weekly meeting about how things are going and what’s to happen during the week to come.

***

Another couple of months pass, in which Han works hard on planning the perfect way to go about asking you the big question. He had asked all the boys for help and they had happily done everything they could to make this as memorable as possible and tonight was the big night. Han had invited you out for dinner at your favourite restaurant, where he had asked the staff to make sure there were candles and live music playing softly in the background.

On the big evening, he picked you up at your place, where he was blown back by the beautiful knee length soft green dress you were wearing. It was strapless and around your neck hung a beautiful, yet simple, necklace with a moss agate glittering. He had never seen that necklace before, so it must be faith that it matched the ring so perfectly. You had on your favourite black pumps that he once had complimented, as they perfectly prolonged your legs and really showed off your stunning legs. He had kissed you softly before complimenting your dress, to which you repaid the favour by complimenting his simple white dress shirt that he had on under a dark green blazer and to finish it off, of nice fitting black jeans. Once in the car, he drove to the restaurant that he had handpicked for the occasion, with help from the ever so romantic Hyunjin. Apparently Hyunjin had had many amazing meals (and dates) at this particular place. Hyunjin had however warned him about the steep prices, but Han couldn’t care less, not when it came to this - not when it came to you. He would spend every last cent he ever made, if it meant you’d be happy. Hell he would lasso the moon to give it to you, if you asked.

Once at the restaurant, he led you inside and the hostess quickly greeted you and showed you to the only table in the entire place, which was placed dead centre of the room. After a bit of pushing, Han finally admitted that he had paid a hefty price to have the places to himself for the evening. Admitting this earned him a slap to his arm from you, only causing him to chuckle as he sat down. You both quickly ordered and soon fell into your usual smalltalk.

“This is so sweet of you, babe” You smiled at him from across the table as you both ate your meals. 

“I’m glad you like it, love” Han smiled at you, trying to manage his anxiety that kept pulling at him. You ate whilst making smalltalk and afterwards you decided on getting desserts, which easily was both of your favourite part of the meal. He loved listening to you talk about… well anything really. When it comes to you, even a three hour long monologue on something stupid like snails or grass would probably be amazing, just because it would be you talking. After finishing desserts, He navigated you outside and to his car, which he helped you get in before joining you and driving off. He drives down town to this gorgeous small park, which he has made sure was empty and lit with torches along the path leading to the centre of the park, where the boys had been decorating and setting up hidden cameras whilst you’d been eating. Once he had received a message from Chan that everything was good to go, he had escorted you out of the restaurant. Once he has parked at the park, he gets out of the car and quickly walks around to your side, to open the door for you and to help you out. He takes you on a bit of a stroll around the park to enjoy the flowers that’s growing everywhere on both sides of the tiled path.

“This park is so pretty.” You smile and take his hand, still walking.

“Not as pretty as you, love.” Han smiled back at you and intertwined his fingers with yours. You giggle and blush at his compliment, feeling butterflies appear in your stomach. Han makes a turn and you follow him, staying by his side.

“Where did all these torches come from?” You ask and look at them as they lead the path ahead. At the end of the path you think you see something, but you can’t quite make it out yet.

“I had the guys set them up.” Han smiles as he keeps walking with you. You giggle and as you get closer to the end of the path you realise that the thing you noticed before was a big sakura decorated archway, which was lit up but fairy lights hanging amongst the sakuras. You smile widely as Han stops walking not far from the archway.

“You like it?” He asked and turned to face you.

“I love it, Sungie, it’s beautiful!” You smile, still not facing him, causing you to not notice it when he pulls the ring box from his chest pocket before dropping to one knee. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“L/N Y/N,” He says, making you turn to him with a gasp, “I’ve loved you for over a year and I can’t imagine my life without you. You’re the last thing I think of when I fall asleep and you’re the first thing I think of as I wake up everyday. My life without you was so incredibly dull and I never even knew it, until I met you. Meeting you turned on the light of the world and I hope you’ll do me the delightful honour of marrying me and thereby making me the happiest man alive.” Han speaks every word with precision, just as he has practised and at the end he opens the ring box, holding out in front of him, to offer it to you.

“Jisung….” You whisper, tears forming in the corners of your eyes, you’ve never felt this loved, surprised and lucky all at the same time. You couldn’t find the words to accept his proposal, without the tears falling as you continued through the tears: “I’d be honoured to call you my husband.” You say, your voice breaking a bit. Han stands back up and pulls the ring from the box, to place it on your right ring finger, before kissing the back of your hand softly. You can’t help yourself as you pull him closer and kiss him softly on the lips. You pull away as you hear loud explosions in the sky, making the both of you look up at the beautiful fireworks that’s cascading across the night sky.

“You did this?” You asked him, smiling at the sight.

“N-no…” Han said confused but still with a smile on his face.

“No, that is our surprise,” Chan says from behind the two of you. The guys were all standing in a row behind you, smiling and Felix was even crying as Minho had an arm around him.

“I hope you like it” Chan added and smiled at you.

“I love it, thank you” You say and hug him, before moving on to hug each of the guys, Han doing the same. The guys all say their congratulations and you thank them all. Hyunjin steps away from the group and pulls out his camera, starting to take pictures of you showing off the ring, making all the guys group hug you and Han.

“I better get a copy of those pictures, Hyunnie” You smile at him as he lives his best photographer life, making the guys laugh.

“Oh I promise to send them to you, along with the video footage.” Hyunnie, assures you.

“V-video footage?” You ask and look at Han, a confused look on your face.

“Yeah, I had the guys hide cameras in the bushes, to capture the moment forever.” Han explains and you kiss him lovingly.

“I, however, went a step further.” Chan smiles and goes on; “When you guys walked up the path, I flew a drone over your head and it captured the whole thing from above.” Chan smiles and you giggle, as Han chuckles next to you.

“Only you would think of that, Hyung.” Han laughed and hugged Channie again, saying his thanks.

“So you guys were all a part of this magical evening?” You ask and blush, looking at the guys, with a loving smile.

“Yup, we’ve all been planning for weeks.” I.N. explains and smiles widely. You all start talking in smaller groups until you notice Seungmin running off. He soon returns with a basket in his hand, which he places on the ground next to him, before he begins to pull out glasses. He hands everyone a glass before revealing a bottle of champagne, which he starts to pour, but when he gets to you, you cover your glass.

“Not for me, I can’t” You blush and all the guys look confused at you.

“Why not?” Han asked confusedly and looked at you.

“No way!” Changbin gasps, clearly realising what is going on, “You’re pregnant?!” he adds loudly and you nod, a huge smile on your lips. 

“I sure am - I got the confirmation from my doctor yesterday” You explain and turn to face Han, who was sporting the biggest smile you’d ever seen. 

“Surprise!” You smile and he hugs you tight and places a kiss on your forehead, which quickly makes Hyunnie take more pictures.

“I’m going to be a dad?” Han asked, tears forming in his eyes as you nod softly.

“Please say those are happy tears.” You giggle and now it’s his turn to nod.

“Well then,” Chan says, living up to his role as the leader, “Congrats to the happy couple on not only getting engaged but also on welcoming their first little baby” He says, proudly and raises his glass, causing the boys to follow, and you even raise your empty glass, just to join in.

“Thank you Channie.” You smile and kiss his cheek, “This truly means the world to me.” You smile at your chosen family. You knew that the men standing around you would be the perfect family to your coming baby, and you had never felt any luckier, nor more loved than you did in this very moment. Your life was perfect, and nothing could ever ruin it - you simply wouldn’t let it get ruined.

THE END

[littleandless]

thoughts on season 2 episode 3:

HOTD SPOILERS AHEAD

“nonbinary bracken” has been occupying my thoughts for at least 2 days so it was delightful to see them in action

poor rhaena! she’s obviously very resentful of her current role, but it is important so idk :/ the feeling of being a dragonless targaryen is probably so strange, especially in a time where mature dragons are required if you want to be of any real importance. and corlys obviously does NOT want her to be his heir, despite rhaenys’ support of it. truly sad stuff.

i know the dragonseeds are an important part of the dance, but it feels strange when they cut to scenes about seemingly random characters. if not for closed captions i probably wouldn’t have realized that was ulf!

i’m honestly surprised that aegon expected his new bros kingsguard members to uphold their vows of chastity. it seems strange and naïve for such a bawdy character.

it was so sad watching aegon laugh at aemond, especially since we just saw him tell sylvi “they used to tease me.” well apparently they still do :( poor meow meow. but he managed to walk away with his head held high and his shaft bare for all to see. good for him!

the “capture” of harrenhal felt very lame. daemon ~his grace~ felt more like a kicked dog nursing his wounds than a badass soldier acquiring support for his cause.

anyway they seem to be embracing the supernatural elements of harrenhal so YAY hallucinations etc etc.

ALYS RIVERS MY BELOVED

am i crazy or did that “you will die here” sound very american? i had to replay it because it just sounded so out of place but maybe it’s just me.

MILLY ALCOCK RETURNS? don’t tease me, showrunners.

alicent being disregarded at the small council meeting…again.

helaena said “i forgive you.” but for what? is she trying to help alleviate her mother’s religious guilt, because she believes it was a punishment for her sins? i’m genuinely a bit confused about the significance of this. but it clearly meant a lot to alicent so +1 mother-daughter point.

criston has a very jarring haircut between scenes.

i forgot alicent even had a brother. the microaggressions are not cool gwayne! dornish people are cool, you just happened to meet one who isn’t.

i thought alicent giving cole her favor would be more of a romantic moment, but at this point i think his sheen has worn off in her eyes.

rhaenyra sneaking into the sept was insane. truly not a good plan, but man was it the juiciest thing ever. i loved it. alicent giving major side-eye to this random septa who chose to sit right next to her even though there’s a ton of empty space elsewhere…the shaky knife placement. lots of scoffing and blustering. “i’ve begun badly” LOL.

i was wondering when the song of ice and fire would be brought up again. once rhaenyra explained a bit about it, i think alicent realized that she fucked up, despite believing (mayhaps a bit delusionally) that viserys actually changed his mind. but she’s right. it’s too late!!!!!!! womp womp.

also why is alicent wearing a glossy lip? it feels so out of place in this universe.

she looks pretty, but very different from her adult presentation in season 1. she seemed more like a dowager then than she does now. she was basically covered from wrist to ankle but now she’s got looser hair, lower necklines, noticeable makeup, and even her seven-pointed star necklace has decreased in size. maybe it’s her way of breaking free from the queenly image and reclaiming her lost youth.

[woman-of-many-fandoms]

Honestly though, it must be so weird to work with some people for a few years of your life and for years, decades, later people are shipping you with your co worker.

I'm obviously all for shipping fictional characters, but this is the actors job. Where they get a paycheck. They are literally being paid to act like found family.

Like imagine you worked in an office with some people for 3 years in 2004-2007 and in 2030 people are making clips of you and how in love you look while eating lunch with Carol or saying hi as you both arrived in the parking lot.

I've seen this in pretty much every fandom I've been in. Star Trek, good omens, X men, Marvel. I do not think RDJ has any emotional attachment to Chris Evens or that Shanter really cared about and enjoyed spending time with Nimoy. I'm positive for David Tennant, Good Omens is just his next job and Michael Sheen only likes it because it made him much more well known in the acting world and it'll be easier to get his next gig. Yes Pine and Quinto look like they are actual friends outside of the movies but that is an exception.

Anyway, just my thoughts since I just saw a post of some Trek actors in I'm assuming the late 80s or 90s and people were saying 'how could he not be bi saying stuff like this'. Money, the answer is always money.

edit: OK let me address some of what is in the comments. Do actors say they are friends, sure, and if you want to take that at face value then you are right, they are friends. I personally don't think it counts if you are being paid to do so. And before anyone says anything, no not directly. But they have a whole 'image' to uphold that their income is tied to.

I don't know much about the entertainment industry and don't know why people would want that life but it's .... well, different, is the nice way to say it. My sister's career is considered part of the entertainment industry though she is behind the scenes. (And, side note, even being behind the scenes I've still found photoshopped images someone made of her in her in sexy lingerie ... )

TBF we don't talk that often but I've heard some stories (apparently Bill Nye is more then a bit of a jerk behind closed doors) She's lived in Hollywood 12 years now and there is the face people put out in the public and who they truly are. Yes, we all have a self that we hide (I'm autistic so I know all about masking) but it seems that is pushed to extremes.

I've seen her act like many people's best friends (house parties and giving favors and gifts that I question) and promoting their good name in public then she'll tell me in private some horrible things that person has done to others and how it's just how it works. She house/cat sat for a guy (and sent me views from his balcony, my god it was nice) who I think a lot of people would recognize from TV but their relationship was built on respect for each other careers.

Sure, you can tell me not to base the examples off my sisters stories and, ok fair. But I'd also want to point out - the part of RDJ buying evens a car, I did some math. He has 300 million net worth according to google. I have a salary, not net worth (or a negative one cause of student loans I guess), but it is the equivalent of me buying my co worker a $32 gift assuming the car was 150k. I met a guy who performed in Vegas shows and told me how they've had dinner with (I honestly don't remember if it was Penn or Teller) at their house with their spouses. And private chats ... doesn't really tell me much.

I'm currently seeing a bunch of clips of the main actors for the new Wicked movie saying how each other changed each others lives and it just comes off as more acting to promote the movie to me.

And even with Pine and Quinto , I only gave that one a pass because they said knew each other and got along before being in Trek and even then, eh..

Again, just how I interpret things. I know friend can mean different things to different people and a lot of what I see I don't interpret as friend, I see it as networking. I would absolutely be 'friends' with someone if it helped me make and maintain my multi millions .

[somebluemelodies]

in honor of my one year ✨blogiversary✨ if you will, as well as, consequently, one year of my beloved lil royals au, here's a little (read: accidentally a smidge long) something something with our favorite prince and guard :> feel free to read the rest of the royals au here <3

Roier doesn't understand the idea of traditions.

Well, he does, to an extent, but the fact of the matter is that he, truthfully, doesn't care about traditions.

He doesn't care for anything about the life of royalty, really, and would much rather run away with his beloved to live in a cozy cabin outside of the kingdom, getting eloped to an audience of no one but themselves and whoever's ordained to marry them, but alas, he can't get everything he wants.

No, he'll just break the rules set tradition instead.

Tradition says Roier isn't supposed to see Cellbit the night before their wedding, and his parents stationed two guards outside his room to make sure he doesn't leave.

Roier laughs at the fact they forget he always escapes through his window, anyway, and the fact they thought he could be left devoid of quality time with his beloved.

Besides, tradition says he's supposed to marry another member of the actual royal class, and, well, he let that concept go months ago.

(Apparently, guards don't count. Apparently, Cellbit especially doesn't count. Oh, well.)

(If his parents could marry who they loved, so can he.)

He knows where he's going. They set a meeting spot hours ago. Their spot. He'll miss being able to do this so much when he's king - when they're kings - but at least he won't have to go sneaking out to spend time with his husband.

(Husband. Husband.)

(His heart races at the prospect, warmth igniting his veins. Husband.)

So, this is what it feels like to be lucky.

...

Cellbit has heard the townspeople talk.

He's overheard it from the townspeople, hell, he's even overheard it from some of the guards themselves.

He's not supposed to be on the throne. He's supposed to be beside it. Guards aren't supposed to become proper royalty, let alone a king. That isn't tradition. Guards aren't supposed to marry their princes. That isn't tradition.

The personal guard has heard the words tradition and unusual and improper so many times that they're starting to not sound like real words anymore.

And it makes him worry a little, admittedly.

(Not for himself. Never for himself.)

(It's Roier he's worried about.)

Cellbit knows he got lucky becoming a guard in this kingdom, let alone Roier's personal guard. It certainly wasn't his unknown background that got him these positions, it was purely dependent on skill.

(If they knew who he truly was, he'd have been marched to the guillotine months ago. He wouldn't be here.)

Cellbit knows traditions. And he's fairly certain he doesn't fit a single one of them. By marrying Roier, marrying into a family that's always been so keen at upholding traditions, he knows the prince's image is at stake.

(Roier might not care about it, but Cellbit does.)

(He might not be a guard for much longer, but he always will be at heart. He swore to protect the prince with his life, and he will fulfill that to his last breath.)

He wonders if Roier made the right decision, abandoning his arranged marriage and choosing him, instead. Emotionally-speaking, certainly, but logistically...

Tradition getting thrown to the wayside typically doesn't bode well. The embodiment of everything tradition isn't taking its place? Well...

Cellbit holds onto the fact that Roier chose him anyway, throwing care to the wind and rekindling the dying embers because he loves just that intensely, and trusts that everything will be okay.

They will be okay.

(Even if the townspeople don't like him after this marriage, it doesn't matter. Roier likes him. Roier loves him, enough to drop it all in a heartbeat just for him. Just so they can be together. How?)

(He has the whole world right beside him; he doesn't need anything else. How can someone love so much?)

The storm of thoughts assailing his mind are brought to a grinding halt by a hand grasping his arm. Startled, he turns, but the surprise melts into a fluttery excitement when the moonlight illuminates his prince's presence, and he can't control the way his heart starts to hammer against his chest.

(Beautiful. Ethereal.)

(He wonders how he used to be so stoic around Roier, used to go to sleep without seeing soft brown eyes and a saccharine smile and--)

You're staring, gatinho.

Roier's laugh draws heat up the back of his neck, and he fumbles for a response that won't make him look stupid. Is staring at beautiful art suddenly a crime, guapito?

The prince shakes his head fondly, reorientating himself so he can cradle Cellbit's face in both of his hands. Ya, mi amor. Come here.

He pulls his face closer, pressing their lips together, and he feels gloved hands on his waist close any remaining space between their bodies by pulling him flush against the guard's chest.

(It's almost disorientating, feeling like they could burst. Feeling like the flames could burn them from the inside out.)

(It's addictive. It's love. How could they have come so close to giving this up?)

They only pull apart when oxygen demands it, and even then, Roier chases him for another brief kiss before taking a real moment to breathe.

Their foreheads press together, breathing in each other, the serenity that comes with their nights under the moon. And then, the prince is smiling again, a knowing curve of his lips. Mañana, eh?

It's Cellbit's turn to smile, holding him a little tighter at the words. Amanhã, meu príncipe.

(Everything changes tomorrow.)

(Tradition is useless, anyway.)

[civilotterneer]

is livic on any other websites?

perhaps blue and polygonal ones

Hehe, unfortunately, I am not.

Lye has said that I'm 'not allowed' to do that. Apparently Civ has some kind of 'image' he wants to uphold, so until he decides to get over that, you will not be seeing the more interesting shots...yet.

I bet I can convince him. There's nothing wrong with that kind of art, Civ's just a bit too modest to let us have this kind of fun right now. And Lye's been quite the buzzkill, saying that "You have Civ's body, which means it's some kinda consent thing," which I think is stupid.