#but more importantly WHY WOULD YOU EMPHASIZE THAT

[francisforever2014]

series of events that happened in the family (my mom, my sisters and my best friend) group chat yesterday:

mom sends in wordle

i respond with my wordle. saying i will get back into it this semester

my older sister says ooh i’ve never played am i gonna get addicted?

i say and i quote “it's addicting if you can deal with the ego death of not being able to figure one out”

my sister (context: 31 years old, going through a catastrophically bad divorce, just moved back in with my mom, quit her job in seattle to do so, is unemployed and legally homeless rn) says “my whole life lately has been one big ego death tbh what's one more!!!! lets goooo”

my mom EMPHASIZES THE TEXT AND SAYS NOTHING ELSE

nobody says anything in the group chat for 24 hours

[jaggedamethyst]

easy (part 2) (bucky barnes x gn!reader)

content: secret relationship/established relationship, miscommunication/misunderstanding, angst, self-doubt, mentions of death, cheating (kind of), not proofread

notes: part two this this...good luck lmao (a short one but it’s the right length i fear)

main masterlist

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　

You’d been woken up by the sounds of knocks on your door. They started off normal and quickly became more frantic…aggressive, even. 

The sound of your name made you sit up on the floor. Suddenly, the door pushed open—revealing Bucky there. His hair was disheveled, clearly having run his hands through it. He hadn’t bothered with saying hi, kneeling in front of you and looking you over.

He cupped your face, “Are you okay?” He pressed into you more, nudging you to sit up. “What are you doing down here?”

You reached out to him, making sure you hadn’t tricked yourself, that he was really here. 

He continued, “What happened? Sharon said you disappeared and she couldn’t find you.” 

Somehow Bucky was missing the point. You could only blink at that, knowing that his energy was so misplaced. Why would he care about you right now when this entire relationship had so quickly gone awry? Why would he focus on you being on the floor when he ruined this—him. 

Bucky spoke again, rubbing his hands up and down your arms. “I called you a shit ton, where’s your phone?” 

“Don’t know.” 

He paused, confused at your first and only words to him being so carelessly spoken. “Steve said he saw you—that you just…ran.“ 

You nodded. You had ran. Swift motions out of the building and to your place weren’t enough to erase the imagery in your brain. The way Bucky had seemed so carefree—so happy. With someone who wasn’t you, most importantly. A woman who looked so remarkably different than you. 

Your skin and body physically repelled him—pushing him away without a thought. Moving to stand, you watched his face twist in hurt. 

“How was recon?” 

“It was fine…am I missing something?” 

You ignored the question, asking your own. “You said Steve told you he saw me?” He nodded. “Did he know who I was?”

“Course he knew who you were—he’s my best friend.” 

You bought your in front of you, wringing them together. “Does she?” The question was meant to quell your anxiety, but instead made the prospect of him cheating infinitely harder to swallow. You looked at him expectantly, an answer seeming to escape him—despite you both knowing what happened that evening. 

“Does who?” 

“Natasha…Romanoff…the one you went on recon with.” You moved your head as you slowly spoke the words—breaking it down for him. “Does she know about me? About us?” 

“You know that we keep this a secret for your safety. We’ve talked about this a thousand times-“ 

“No, you keep it a secret and you've talked about it.” You moved to sit on the couch, “I agreed because I love you and I understand the stress of your job. But what I saw today,” you shook your head and looked up at him across the room. “That wasn’t a secret for my benefit. It was for yours.” 

“That’s just not true.” Bucky moved from his spot, finally, stepping across the room to sit beside you. “You have to understand my perspective on this. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I was the cause of anything happening to you.”

You twisted your entire face, staring up with an incredulous look. “Did you stop to consider how much worse it would be to have to live with the knowledge of you doing god knows what every time you’re not here?” You paused, feeling his hands attempt to wrap around you. Moving back instantly, you continued, “What happened with her? What haven’t I seen?” 

“Nothing.” Bucky waved his hands in front of him, emphasizing his words. “Nothing happened-“ 

“I saw you. Sharon showed me the feed, Bucky.” 

His face glazed over in realization—not that you had seen him with her, but that you had seen him with her. Bucky’s head started to move on its own, searching for how to make sense of this for you. “That wasn’t what it looked like.” 

A huff escaped you. Without a second thought you got up and moved toward the door, Bucky right on your trail. “If we’re gonna act like this you can just go.” You put a hand on the door handle, raising a brow at him. “You of all people know I won’t sit here and look stupid. Not when I’ve already wasted so much time waiting for you.” 

A moment passed, the reality of what you were saying lingering in the room. The two of you had talked about it before, how you’d waited so long for someone like him to appear. There’d been years of self discovery and “loving yourself first” before Bucky showed you that someone else could. When that happened, you settled for the relationship existing in its very specific confines—under the lock and key of his life’s restrictions. Even then, he’d get a call; people needed him. Bucky would go away for however long, and you’d wait. The amount of time spent yearning for the world to suddenly be quicker for you, for him, was immense. In every instance it seemed that despite the relatively common cosmic occurrences he’d faced, none of Bucky’s opponents could grant your wish—to get the man you loved back to you sooner. 

“I’m sorry,” he finally spoke. You watched his hands ball into a fist, angered with himself. The mechanical whir of his arm filling the empty space. “I don’t feel that way about her.” 

You scoffed at that. He sounded so textbook it was physically making you ill. 

He continued, though, “She’s been my friend for a long time. We spend a lot of time together…and I wanted to tell her about you.” He inhaled, “But I didn’t. I don’t know why.” 

“Did you sleep with her?” 

“Of course not…and she kissed me. I regret making her feel like there was even a slight chance of me seeing her that way—because I don’t. I can’t.” His voice wavered, “Can’t because I only love you.”

He reached a hand out to you and it caused you to move away from him—impossibly closer to the door. 

“Bucky…I don’t think I can do this.” 

“Doll, please-“

You waved a hand, interrupting him, “Wait—just…listen.” You let go of the door, fully looking at him now. “I don’t think I can be with you if it’s like this.” He let you continue, “I know you want to protect me, but all of this has hurt me more than it could’ve ever helped. I feel so removed from you—like I don’t know you outside of our apartment walls.” Sweat had accumulated on your palms, making you realize how anxiety-inducing this had been. “I haven’t felt confident in myself around you in…a while-“

“But-“ 

“Bucky, please.” He nodded, stilling himself in commitment to let you speak. “That’s not your fault…but I think I need space to figure out why that is.” 

Bucky whispered your name, a shakiness on his voice. “I just…can’t stomach the idea of you dead…dying...because of me.” 

“I would’ve.” You moved to open the door. “I think I would’ve been fine facing death as long as everyone knew I loved you first.” You stepped back from the threshold and offered him the space to step out. “But they don’t. Nobody knows except us. That hurts.” 

Bucky didn’t speak as he stepped toward the hall. His entire figure seemed to hang lower than normal, and it pained you to see. You felt the heat of tears in your eyes, but you wouldn’t cry. There was a sort of satisfaction in facing this—breaking up with Bucky. It was always going to happen, you reasoned, so bearing your soul…crying…would’ve been too easy.  

tags (tried to get everyone who asked lol)

@julvrs @shanksstrawhat @vicmc624 @preeyas-world @ilovemcuff @winchestert101 @caity1995 @hereforfun-31 @cjand10 @nadinekr @wintercrows @read-just-cant @behindmygreyeyes @ordelixx @pklol @bookworm3570 @largarei @fairlyfatale @kittenkiryu

[muletia]

𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 <𝟑

[tfp] various x human!reader optimus / ratchet / bumblebee / smokescreen megatron / soundwave / starscream / knockout

word count: 2200

I know this has been done by others about 486212 times, but I wanted to share my own thoughts. I also know that Orion won the poll, but tbh I have slightly different plans for him that I’m seriously considering. I’ll share the details in a separate post soon <3

Optimus most often kisses the back of your hand

He learned this way of showing affection while delving into Earth’s culture. Perhaps he read about it in one of the books you recommended to him. Maybe he saw a scene where a gentleman kissed his chosen one exactly in that spot. What matters most to him is the meaning of such a kiss and the emotions tied to it.

Optimus could pour all his love into a single gesture. Demonstrate to the whole world that he has the most wonderful partner and is endlessly grateful for your presence in his life. Make such a kiss merely a greeting, but Optimus desires you to see the multifaceted nature of his feelings toward you

When he bows down and takes your hand in his servo, he wants to show the respect he holds for you. By brushing his thumb over the back of your hand, he demonstrates gentleness and support. Finally, by enveloping your knuckles with his lips, he pours all his adoration into the gesture. He reveals his admiration for you in the least intrusive way, so as not to overwhelm you with the true strength of his love. He shows respect, proving his gallantry

He wouldn’t hesitate to kneel on one knee during a hand kiss to further emphasize his feelings. To meet you at eye level, look optics to eyes, or make you look down on him. He would renounce the title of Prime in your honor. For you, he is simply Optimus, striving to unveil the boundless, infinite love he has for you <3

Ratchet most often kisses the top of your head

He is a busy mech, often working overtime on research and ensuring no Autobot faces health issues. He doesn’t have time to be romantic. He rarely takes you on rides, and persuading him to go for a walk around the hangar borders on a miracle. Even in his private habsuite, he only appears sporadically, sacrificing recharge for a few more hours of work. And constant exhaustion means using mass shifting is out of the question for fear of fainting and possibly harming you

Still, Ratchet wants to be a good partner—or at least try to be. To thank you for choosing such an old mech, despite being a young human, without having to say it outright. To convey what he struggles to say aloud. To appreciate your constant presence and the support you give him, even when you do nothing extraordinary

That’s why he loves kissing the top of your head. You don’t need to do anything special—just sit there reading a book—and suddenly you feel passion and gratitude in the touch of his lips on your hair. But before you can ask, Ratchet is already back at work, leaving behind only his silent love

He’s always gentle, blending the precision of a medic with the softness of affection in his kisses. Sometimes he lingers there a little longer, taking in the scent of your shampoo, experiencing the unique texture of your hair—both firm and fluffy. If he’s feeling particularly sentimental, he wraps his servo around your back. It’s his way of showing he’s there for you, even when his work often keeps him away. To remind you of his feelings, that they still hold him firmly by the spark <3

Smokescreen loves kissing you on the lips

He’s a young mech, full of energy and hungry for experiences. That vitality is something he wants to share in his kisses, along with his passion for life—and most importantly, his weakness for you.

He seizes every possible opportunity. Greeting you, saying goodbye, or simply showing affection. He always aims for your lips, even in front of others, as he has no problem with PDA. Besides, he wants others to know you’re taken. That you belong to him, just as he belongs to you. And there’s no better way to express that than through a kiss

He loves catching you off guard. First, he runs his servo through your hair, then leans in to kiss one corner of your mouth, only to immediately claim your lips because he has no patience for the other corner

It’s worth noting that he’s terrible at kissing due to a lack of experience. He focuses more on showing than perfecting, losing his senses around you, always craving more and more. His intake moves impulsively across your lips, chasing the motion of your mouth, often outpacing you in his insatiable appetite for affection. Eventually, it leaves you with swollen lips, breathless, and a very satisfied Smokey, already eager for the next make-out session <3

Bumblebee places kisses on your cheeks

Or at least he would, if his lips were accessible. As a young mech fascinated by human culture and well-versed in its nuances, he knows how significant kisses are in human relationships. It pains him deeply that he can’t give you such an important experience, no matter how often you reassure him it’s not his fault and that you don’t hold it against him. Bee still feels disheartened about it. That’s why he’s come up with his own way of showing physical affection

He nuzzles your cheeks with his battle mask, always remembering to do both sides. It’s a sweet gesture he’s utterly addicted to, so much so that he’ll “kiss” you this way at every opportunity. Greeting you, he caresses your cheeks, chirping cheerfully and listening to the melody of your radiant laughter, immensely pleased that he’s its source

If he’s mass shifted, he always pulls you close, wrapping his arms around your back, practically supporting your entire weight against his chassis. In this position, he has perfect access to your face, which he overzealously takes advantage of. He snuggles into the softness of your cheek, tracing uneven circles and pushing his mask forward as if truly planting a kiss. If only he could, he’d spend an eternity pampering your face, pouring all his nonverbal love into the gesture <3

Megatron particularly loves kisses on the palm of your hand

At first, he simply wanted to surprise you with his tenderness. To prove that he even possesses it, doubting your trust that he could be anything more than a domineering, unfeeling tyrant. That’s why, when he first took your hand and placed a kiss in its center, he got exactly the reaction he anticipated: surprise, but also bashfulness, that the mighty Megatron could treat you with such calculated delicacy

Over time, such kisses became almost an everyday occurrence for you both. He leaves kisses to draw your attention when you’re lost in thought, focused on something other than him. To elicit the reaction he desires, to see the smile on your face and that captivating shyness, so rare in your usual demeanor

He grabs your wrist to guide your forearm into supination, bringing your hand to his lips with a roguish grin because he knows he’ll surprise you again. His kisses in that spot are subtle, unhurried, but they remind you always to think of him. He always looks straight into your eyes, as if showing respect—or perhaps issuing a challenge? Or maybe, deep within his spark, he’s a gentleman

It’s undeniable that he has class. He’s calculated and self-assured, traits that carry over to his kisses. He always knows exactly where to "strike" to tickle you or send shivers down your spine. He knows the effect he has on you—how you squirm when he lets his shark-like teeth lightly graze your skin, mocking your self-control. In a way, he plays with you, teasing only to stop and move to another spot, this time the base of your thumb. Again, he proves his tenderness, cherishing and adoring, only to move to yet another place, striving to show you that his feelings for you burn as fiercely as the values he believes in <3

Soundwave loves to kiss your forehead

Another mech without a mouth who’s devised his own way of compensating for having a display screen instead of a face and a human significant other. With access to all the information on the internet, he knows well that humans love kissing and that it’s important to them. That’s why he’s determined not to deprive you of this pleasure, to not deny you something you deserve due to his anatomical limitation

So, Soundwave touches his forehead to yours. It’s a delicate gesture but carries the weight of his complex and multilayered feelings for you. It shows that he cares, that he’s there for you—even when he spends countless hours standing by a console. He doesn’t need breaks, capable of working endlessly, but for you, breaks have become a daily ritual in his life, just to prove that he’s with you, not just in thought

He pulls you close until you’re level with his faceplate, tilting his helm to connect your foreheads in an unusual yet tender kiss. He loves when you close your eyes during this gesture, giving him tangible proof that this form of affection satisfies you and that you’re content with his efforts, no matter how minimal they might seem. You validate him, giving him a sense of trust that you don’t regret entering a relationship with him

Sometimes, he tilts his helm in a similar gesture while working, as if kissing you from afar. Manifesting you suddenly before him, so he could spend hours in such a position, foreheads melded together in a silent confession of love. He often misses you, and that longing later translates into prolonged sessions of such kisses, as he strokes your forehead with his, trying to pour all his feelings into the gesture <3

Starscream most often kisses your neck

Not necessarily to spark desire and lure you to the berth. Starscream isn’t a sappy mech. He’s not romantic, but his kisses bear the weight of his complicated and uneasy feelings for you. Sometimes they’re soft and sweet; other times, they’re fierce and fiery, trying to engulf you in flames of yearning. He has no qualms about kissing your hand to achieve a similar effect, but kisses on the neck hold great significance for him

He can lose himself in them—in the sensation of skin beneath his lips, the warmth radiating from it. The bones pressing against the flesh, the moles, scars, and marks. Above all, he loses himself in the feeling of reducing the world to your form alone. In the hollow of your neck, he hides from the demons that haunt him. He doesn’t feel Megatron’s breath on his nape, nor the impossible duties, broken promises, and missteps. There’s only you and the safety you offer, even if you can’t truly protect him

He can spend hours like this—or as long as his duties aboard the Nemesis allow—exploring your neck with his lips. Sometimes, he nips at your skin when he wants to extract a compliment from you, but most of the time, he tries to be gentle, as much as his ego permits. Hidden and surrounded by you, grateful for your presence, though he’ll never say it aloud

With his limbs wrapped around you, he pulls you to his chassis. There’s no escape from this trap; Starscream ensures you sit perfectly before him, where he has ideal access to your exposed neck still bearing traces of your previous rendezvous. He immediately buries his helm in your softness, kissing a trail from your collarbone to your ear. Subtle at times, yet swift, as if trying to devour you—eager to seize the rare opportunity for genuine and natural contentment obtained without schemes or deception. Just you and him, mutually showering each other with affection <3

It’s no surprise that Knockout adores French kisses

However, to "mature" to them, the Decepticons’ sex symbol has to overcome a long road of shedding his phobia of human bodily fluids. Only then does he discover how incredibly satisfying it is to explore your intakes with his glossa. How much passion he can convey through this gesture, showing desire not just through interfacing

He usually catches you off guard. Maybe you weren’t paying him enough attention, or maybe he just suddenly felt the urge to kiss you. He places his servos on either side of you, trapping you with no way out, and starts to charm you before launching into fireworks

He quickly learned what to do to make a kiss anything but average. It took a few tries—in the beginning, your kisses felt more like bumping faces—but Knockout has a knack for kissing. He can adapt to your rhythm or set his own. With unrelenting fervor and intensity, he explores the depths of your mouth. He never cares if anyone’s watching or not

Knockout can be quite possessive, a trait that shows in his kisses. He’s not bothered by PDA; any fear of your relationship being exposed to the public has long been forgotten when he can show everyone who you belong to. This often impacts his patients, who must patiently wait until Knockout reaches a satisfactory level of affection to pull away. Otherwise, you’re inseparable.

He won’t let go until he’s sure he’s poured all his feelings into the kiss—the ugly and the tender, the physical and the ones rooted in his spark

He always leaves you breathless with his intensity and passion, ending with a fleeting peck on your lips. <3

[the-joy-of-knowledge]

Becoming an Intelligent Woman

My Dears,

There is no greater goal than being a fine woman who is intelligent, kind, and elegant. As much as we all want to be described with these adjectives, it takes a great amount of discipline to get there. It is very doable only if you are ready to put in the work.

Here are steps you can add to your routine in the next 4 weeks that will make you 1% more intelligent than you were before. This is a process that should become a habit not a goal. It is long term, however, I want you to devote just 4 weeks into doing these steps first and recognize the changes that follow.

Watch documentaries: This is the easiest step, we all have access to Youtube. Youtube has a great number of content on art, history, technology, food, science etc that will increase your knowledge and pique your curiosity. I really did not know much about world history especially from the perspective of World war 1 & 2, the roaring 20s, Age of Enlightenment, Jazz era, monarchies etc but with several channels dedicated to breaking down history into easily digestible forms. I have in the last 4 weeks immersed myself into these documentaries. Here are a few I watched:

The fall of monarchies

The Entire History of United Kingdom

The Eight Ages of Greece

World War 1

World War 2

The Roaring '20s

The Cuisine of the Enlightenment

2. Read Classics: I recommend starting with short classics so that you do not get easily discouraged. Try to make reading easy and interesting especially if you struggle with finishing a book. Why classics? You see, if you never went to an exclusive private school in Europe or America with well crafted syllabus that emphasized philosophy, history, art, and literary classics, you might want to know what is felt like and for me this was a strong reason. Asides that, there is so much wisdom and knowledge available in these books. In these books, you gain insights to the authors mind, the historical context of the era, the ingenuity of the author, the hidden messages, and the cultural impact of these books. Most importantly, you develop your personal philosophy from the stories and lessons you have accumulated from the lives of the characters in the books you read. Here are classics to get you started:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

Candide by Voltaire

Paradise lost by John Milton

3. Study the lives of people who inspire you: I dedicate one month to each person that fascinates me. I read their biography (date of birth, background, death, influences, work, style, education, personal life) For this month, I decided to study Frank Lloyd Wright because I was fascinated by the Guggenheim Museum in New York. I began to read about his influence in American Architecture (Organic architecture, Prairie School, Usonian style), his tumultuous personal life, his difficult relationship with his mentor (Louis Sullivan), his most iconic works etc. By the end of the year I would have learned the ins and outs of people I am inspired by through books and documentaries. Here are other people I plan to learn more about:

Winston Churchill

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Ada Lovelace

Benjamin Franklin

Helen Keller

John Nash

Isabella Stewart Gardner

Caroline Herrera

Ernest Hemingway

Catherine the Great

Ann Lowe

My dears, I hope you enjoyed this read. I cannot wait to write more on my journey to becoming a fine woman. I urge you to do this for four weeks and see what changes you notice. Make sure to write as well, it is important to document your progress.

Cheers to a very prosperous 2024!

[thydungeongal]

So there is a pretty clear shift in playstyle between TSR D&D and WotC D&D: for better and for worse, D&D 3e introduced the idea of encounter balance, de-emphasized mechanics that had previously encouraged the GM to think of the monsters as real living creatures (reaction rolls, morale, etc.), and it had the effect of making D&D a much more combat-focused game. D&D has always been a game that's opinionated about combat, it's basically the most expressive and detailed form of play regardless of edition, but combat in the TSR editions was not exactly zoomed in and tactical. The WotC editions purposefully made combat zoomed in, granular, and tactical.

And this has had an effect on playstyle: since combat is now the main form of player expression what players actually want is for their characters to get into combat. Because combat is the most fun part of the game. But the game has also changed from the largely amoral dungeon-crawling game into a game of fantasy heroics (even though a lot of the trappings of the amoral dungeon-crawling still remain, which contributes to the dissonance), so you can't just have the player characters going into combat for the sake of it. That would frame the player characters as kind of Fucked Up, and we can't have that in our supposedly heroic fantasy.

What you end up with is a variety of contrivances like "they're bandits," "they're cultists," or, my all-time favorite, "they attacked first" to make the action seem morally justifiable, even though gameplay is still motivated by a desire to fight. The monsters fight to the death and, importantly, can often not be reasoned and negotiated with, partly because combat is supposed to be the fun, engaging part everyone is here to do, but also because if they actually acted like reasonable people it could cause dissonance with the whole "the player characters are the goodest heroes."

As my friend @tenleaguesbeneath once called it: what is actually going on is that the player characters are hunting people and monsters who have been programmed to fight to the death and never negotiate for sport, while justifying it as self-defence.

It's a simple power fantasy, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Sometimes you want to play a morally uncomplicated game about killing guys with cool magic swords. But I think it's also fun to think about what the specific types of monsters players end up fighting reveals about Society the invisible, unexamined ideology lying under the surface that the designers of even modern D&D have failed to examine. And to me it often reads like a frontier justice fantasy. None of that is to detract from anyone's joy of the game, and for me it's just fun to think about and post about this stuff while Still Enjoying the Game, but if someone expressing that opinion makes you feel uncomfortable, why? That's pretty silly imo.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Many of Harris’s mistakes were similar to those Hillary Clinton made in 2016. Like Clinton, Harris cozied up to billionaire donors. Mark Cuban, for instance, said he was delighted that Harris was abandoning Democrats’ commitments to progressive principles and letting the business community propose the policies it wanted. Like Clinton, Harris and Tim Walz made hubristic campaign stops in solidly red states like Texas and Kentucky rather than spending the final days laser-focused on crucial battlegrounds. Like Clinton, Harris emphasized celebrity endorsements while failing to successfully court unions. (Most notably, the Teamsters declined to endorse her after she refused to pledge that she wouldn’t break a national railway strike.) Like Clinton, Harris focused too much on the danger of Donald Trump (which is very real) and not enough on the reasons why she would be good at being president herself. Most importantly, like Clinton, Harris ultimately decided upon a strategy of trying to woo moderate Republican voters away from Trump, reasoning that it didn’t matter if doing so alienated progressive voters and the Democratic base. Chuck Schumer, speaking of Hillary’s 2016 strategy, infamously promised: "For every blue-collar Democrat we lose in western Pennsylvania, we will pick up two moderate Republicans in the suburbs in Philadelphia. And you can repeat that in Ohio and Illinois and Wisconsin." In fact, they just lost the blue-collar Democrats and didn’t pick up the Republicans! In 2024, Harris, too, aggressively touted endorsements from Republicans, promised to put a Republican in her cabinet (she even cited that as the answer to what she would have done differently from Biden!), and went so far as to praise and embrace Dick and Liz Cheney! The strategy was an abject failure. Because she wanted to appease both Republicans and progressive voters, Harris had to further indulge her weakness for speaking in meaningless word salads, since taking stances that were meaningful could have alienated one of these constituencies. Trump, who is canny about portraying himself as more anti-war than Democrats, correctly pointed out that an endorsement from the hawkish Cheneys should be a badge of shame, not honor. (Specifically he said Cheney is “"the King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars, just like Comrade Kamala Harris. I am the Peace President, and only I will stop World War III!")

[...]

The lesson to Democratic leaders in 2016 should have been that Bernie Sanders had been right, that the party had betrayed working-class voters and would be doomed if it could not effectively counter Trump’s pseudo-populist appeal with a visionary alternative. (See the excellent analysis in Thomas Frank’s Listen, Liberal.) Unfortunately, the lessons weren’t learned then, and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to be learned now, either! MSNBC anchor Joy Reid is already insisting that Kamala Harris’s campaign was “flawless” (because she got “every prominent celebrity voice”), and pundits like Jill Filipovic are saying things like, “this election was not an indictment of Kamala Harris. It was an indictment of America.” (Good luck ever winning with the slogan “You’re the problem, America!”) USAToday’s Michael Stern says that instead of talking about “where the Harris campaign went wrong” we should talk about “where the American people went wrong.” The Harris campaign itself is blaming unspecified “obstacles that were largely out of our control.” 

6 November 2024

[official-sonic-team]

the new frontiers dlc brought up interesting information regarding the symbol we periodically see throughout the game

the main point is that the symbol of the game is worshipped by the ancients as a god, or as a miracle of the god they believed in. it’s interesting to note that sage gives this information, as she has data on the ancients in her data banks, and thus can be relied as giving accurate information.

it is also important to note what sage also says: “perhaps the god of the Ancients depicted by the wall markings still exists out there today.”

which feels very poignant. sage has by this been point been carefully observing every action sonic the hedgehog has been doing. she has been adding more and more data to her collection, and has frequently shown before hand her own curiosity at sonic’s power.

importantly:

“how are you able to escape cyberspace?” and “how can you use the chaos emeralds?”

we know, of course, that all of sonic’s other friends were trapped in cyberspace. Sonic managed to be fast enough to escape. obviously, this is quite the outlier ability.

we also know that sonic’s ability to manipulate the chaos emeralds is an odd phenomenon. there is simply no other character in this series on par with sonic in his ability to transform using the emeralds, as he does so the most frequently and usually without consequences. sonic has even been seen transforming into his super form for fun (sonic 3) or staying in it for days at a time (sonic advance 1), and now using them multiple times in a row (sonic frontiers).

sonic is also one of the few characters able to perform “chaos control”, often said to be a “miracle”, was used as a parameter for gerald robotnik’s “ultimate lifeform”, and a rare ability. most characters are either robots (metal sonic, emerl), or developed by gerald (shadow, biolizard), or, in black doom’s case, are also an alien.

then, we learn that the chaos emeralds are originally from the ancients and their home world. most normal mobians on sonic’s planet can not use the power of the emeralds, or for very long.

knuckles also says something very interesting:

the connection between Angel island and the ancients are clearly stated, heavily implying the ancients built the ruins that are noticeably stylistically different from the echidna ones, which lean towards a more maya inspired style. the ruins being spoken about are implied to be the very technological advanced ones we see throughout the island, much more bold in color, reminiscent of futuristic realism, with inventions such as warp pads throughout the island. we know the ancient echidnas were not familiar with the emeralds (considering Chaos would never have been provoked if they had), and it seems unlikely in their dedication to protecting the master emerald from harm they would abuse that power to create technology. it’s also highly possible the chaos emeralds separate from Angel island/the master emerald given that sonic finds them in sonic 1 while exploring South Island, where the chaos emeralds seem to have been residing long enough to cause geographic changes. in essence, it’s highly unlikely the echidnas had created those ruins, and knuckles confirms it was likely the ancients. sonic frontiers emphasizes that the ancients were incredibly technologically advanced.

and within these ruins, we find two interesting artifacts:

the realistic depictions of hedgehogs in hydrocity and the infamous hidden palace mural- both of which are on angel island. the style of these artifacts match neatly with the futuristic, brightly colored ruins associated with the technologically advanced machinery around angel island.

thus, it can be implied that the ancients are the ones who make these pieces of art. which then begs the question: why? what interest would they have in a hedgehog?

perhaps that was the form they most often depicted their deity in. through prophetic visions inspired by the chaos emeralds, which transcend time and thus know one day sonic would have hold of them, or for other reasons, mystical or physical in nature, their deity was often considered to be a hedgehog.

and what is Sonic’s purpose, in sonic frontiers?

a) he guides the koco to the hermits, protecting them

b) he and his friends help the koco move on, as they are extensively ghosts, and often during these scenes, the symbol appears in the sky

c) he defeats the end for good

it is also interesting to note that the ancients parallel the story in sonic adventure one in quite a few ways, mainly in how tikal could not soothe chaos and simply caged them in the master emerald for all eternity, and it was sonic who pointed out that locking him up wasn’t fixing the issue at hand, but only worsening it. the ancients, too, had locked up a god like creature, and failed to defeat, or otherwise solve the problem at hand, and it is sonic who comes to finally destroy what had terrorized them for so many years.

is sonic the hedgehog the manifestation of the ancients god? an interesting question.

[il-miele-che-scrive]

Constellations

lando norris x reader

summary: a blurb where lando surprises his girlfriend arriving earlier than planned

words count: 1k

People told Y/n that Lando and her wouldn't last a week in a long distance relationship when he first moved from the UK to Monaco. Yet, there they were - almost three years of long distance and three more in general going strong.

Y/n loved summers because she traveled with her boyfriend wherever his races were, and Lando loved Christmas because it was the time when he would come back and spend time with his girlfriend and both their families.

As soon as Y/n woke up, she started getting everything ready, it was that time of the year again. Cleaning up her apartment and most importantly baking gingersnap biscuits. After she took them out of the oven, she went to the bedroom in the order to choose an outfit. She was going to pick Lando up from the airport that evening and wanted to dress pretty.

When the girl was picking out something to wear, she suddenly heard the doorbell. With a quiet sigh she went to open the door, hoping whoever it was wouldn't take too much time. All her friends knew she'd be busy.

Her facial expression changed from slightly annoyed to beaming when she saw Lando.

"Why didn't you call?" Y/n asked as she hugged her boyfriend. "I was going to pick you up, remember?"

"I decided to take an earlier flight," Lando confessed, "it's been the plan from the beginning, actually. I wanted to surprise you."

"And you surprised me, indeed. Come on in."

Lando stepped into his girlfriend's apartment. Leaving his suitcase in the hallway, he walked towards the kitchen.

"You baked?"

"Yeah, ginger snaps. A small training portion before Christmas, to check if I still got it." Y/n propped herself on the kitchen counter in a theatrically proud pose. "Turns out I do."

Without thinking, Lando took one biscuit and bit it. He quickly regretted this decision when he noticed how hot it was.

"No, Lando!" Y/n exclaimed. "I've just took them out of the oven!"

The girl fought the need to start laughing at the sight of Lando panicking. Despite the temperature, he ended up swallowing the biscuit.

"You know you could've spit it out, right?" Y/n laughed.

"Are you kidding?" Lando snapped jokingly. "I love when you make those, I would never waste even a bite."

"Consider yourself initiated into the Christmas spirit." The girl opened the fridge and poured milk into a glass, then passed it to her boyfriend.

"Well, now I know your gingersnaps are still as deadly as ever." He took the glass with a mock salute.

"That's a nice definition of irresistible."

"Absolutely."

"You know," Lando began when he and his girlfriend laid down in the bedroom watching TV, "I missed this place. Your apartment feels like a second home."

"A second one?" Y/n questioned, a teasing glint in her eyes. "That's flattering, I'd expect like third or fourth."

"Consider yourself promoted."

The boy gently cupped his girlfriend's face, her head turned to look at him. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then looked into her eyes. Their eyes met in a silent exchange of affection that needed no words.

She connected their lips in a kiss. Lando ran his fingers through Y/n's hair, savoring the simplicity of the moment. The outside world seemed to fade away, leaving only the comforting glow of the TV screen.

Some Netflix show on the TV played in the background, its characters living their own dramas, but in that quiet space, Lando and Y/n found their own story.

"Y/n," he began again, his voice a gentle whisper, "I was counting down the days until Christmas, couldn't wait to be here with you."

Y/n smiled, her eyes matching the love she felt. "I love it when it's Christmas and you're here... summer is great, we spend much more time together and with your friends, but Christmas is a vibe."

"Definitely a vibe," Lando laughed, emphasizing the last word. "You have a way with words, don't you?"

As the couple kept watching the show, occasionally adding their own comments, it got dark outside and now the screen was casting shadows om the walls, being the only source of light in the room. Y/n and Lando remained cuddled up to each other, his fingers tracing shapes on her arm.

Once again, Lando broke the silence. "I've been thinking about us." From the tone of his voice, Y/n could tell it wasn't anything she should worry about.

"What were you thinking?"

"We're like constellations up in the sky. Even when we're apart, there's this invisible thread that keeps us connected."

"Have you just made it up?"

"Probably, I don't remember hearing it anywhere before."

"Look who has a way with words," Y/n smiled, not a tint of sarcasm in her voice. "That was poetic, wouldn't expect that from an f1 driver."

"We've been dating for over five years and I plan on keeping surprising you for many, many more."

"And people had the audacity to say we wouldn't last a week after you move to Monaco."

"In these past few years our love has been like a guiding star. No matter where I am, it points me back to you. Always."

"And no matter where you go, I'll always be here, waiting for you."

Lando's fingers continued their gentle dance on Y/n's arm, a rhythmic lullaby. Her eyelids felt so heavy when she rested her head on Lando's chest, his steady heartbeat adding up to the sleepiness the girl felt. Wrapped in the soft glow of the room and in her boyfriend's arms, she felt so peaceful.

When Lando noticed Y/n breathing deeply, he realized she had drifted off to sleep. He decided to turn off the TV and do the same, shifting his body to provide comfortable sleep for both himself and his girlfriend. Christmas had a way of bringing everything together.

[sheastri]

Hell N Back ft. op81

Pairing: oscar piastri x fem!black reader

Genre: Social Media AU with story

Summary: In which the reader was finally done with love until Oscar came into her life and charmed (all he had to do was exist) her into giving love another chance.

Warning(s): None.

A/N: Recently been thinking about f1 so I decided why not write??Title inspired by "Hell N Back Bakar ft. Summer Walker" because I've been obsessed with it lately!! No specific fan cast, just photos off of Pinterest.

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The First Meeting

2 years ago

Y/n was walking down a street flooded by shops all around her with her best friend, A'lidyah. The two women were in deep conversation about love. Y/n was almost sure she would never comfortably be in love again and A'lidyah was telling her that love comes to you when you least expect it.

"You shouldn't fully mark it off because of a few mishaps. And love comes in so many different forms and can be found in so many different aspects of life." A'lidyah explained while moving her hands to emphasize her point.

"You know what, you're right. I love seeing the smiles of the people who walk the streets, I love skipping through town hand in hand, and I love music. I'm so grateful to have you in my life, like seriously." Y/n said smiling at her friend sincerely. A'lidyah returned the smile saying something along the lines of "life would be so dull without you, i thank God for you everyday." The conversation then resumed, the two girls having smiles seemingly permanently edged on to their faces.

While Y/n was speaking she momentarily shifted her eyes to glance at something on the side of the street that A'lidyah stood on and in that quick second she had walked into someone. He managed to catch her by her waist before she had fallen and she immediately began apologizing before looking up at the man.

As Y/n shifted to meet the gaze of her saving grace, she found she was met with a face that displayed the thoughts crossing her mind at the moment. Wide eyes and mouth agape, the man must've been experiencing the shock that circled her mind at the moment. She only broke through this trance at the sound of a witch like cackling that could come from no one other than A'lidyah. Y/n raised her eyebrow and side eyed her best friend with a smile on her face before turning her attention back on to the man who stood in front of her.

They exchanged eye contact one last time before his hold on her waist loosened and Y/n stepped back and bent down to pick up the things that fell on the floor. Oscar soon joined her and then apologized for almost knocking her over.

"Ah, no worries it was mostly my fault and I was able to be saved by a handsome man so I'd say we're pretty even?" Y/n responded cheekily.

"A handsome man? And then you a beautiful woman? Almost seems like a match made in heaven, wouldn't cha say?" The man said while his face was very clearly flushed and he looked like he had to muster up all his confidence and self-control to not stutter. His pupils then went off to the side catching another woman in his line of sight. Seeing that the man had directed his attention to her A'lidyah began to speak.

"That's actually perfect, Y/n needs someone other than me to add a little bit of pizazz and all that fun stuff to her life, mind giving her a name?" A'lidyah says holding back a teasing smile. "Oh that's my bad. The names Oscar, Oscar Piastri. It's nice to meet you Y/n and..."

"Oh I'm A'lidyah! Her wife, her wingman, her manager, and most importantly her best friend. Oscar meet Y/n, Y/n meet Oscar!" The girl says enthusiastically. The two laugh but greet each other anyway.

They exchanged numbers and that day when Y/n went home she found the idea of love just a bit more appealing and Oscar... well let's just say his google history was flooded with many "Do I Have a Crush?" quizzes, a lot more "How to Know if Your in Love" blogs, and one slightly embarrassing question that his friends would definitely tease him about, not that they wouldn't tease him about what he had already been searching up anyway.

Y/n is now following Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri is now following Y/n

♫ Could you tell where my head was at when you found me? Me and you went to hell and back just to find peace ♫

୨୧–------------------------------------------୨୧

Current Time

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, whosalidyah, mclaren and 276,943 others

yourusername last photo is from me and lidyah's latest gossip session

view all 7,983 comments

whosalidyah not your boy in the likes...🤭

yourusername guys what is this crazy woman talking about?? username girl... you are NOT slick username not alidyah exposing her😭

carlossainz55 can't wait to meet you at our next race!

liked by creator

username anyone noticed that both oscar and mclaren liked??

username that's suspicious🤨 username that's weird...

oscarpiastri no photo creds after standing in the middle of the road to take that second one??

yourusername you're still alive and well?? landonorris justice for my boy oscar😪 whosalidyah burning all my number 4 mclaren merch landonorris I take back my earlier statement, I was misguided please forgive me oscarpiastri the things that love does to people🤦

username ignoring that 3rd photo for my peace of mind

username not me finding out my wife is cheating on me on my birthday

yourusername never bby 💕 oscarpiastri 🤥

mclaren come visit us in the paddock sometime soon!

yourusername I thought you'd never ask!! username oh?

username Man, I thought I had everything, I was lonely.

oscarpiastri

liked by yourusername, mclaren, landonorris, and 392,487 others

oscarpiastri Thanks to all the fans who came out to support @mclaren today.

yourusername Your nails are gorgg, who did them?? I need the number immediately🤭

oscarpiastri that information is classified🥱 username not y/n tryna act like those aren't her nails...

username babe... who's nails are those??

username why is lando lowkey looking like a snack in that photo??😩

landonorris it's just impossible for me to look bad, truly a gift and a curse😪 whosalidyah don't boost his ego too much now, im scared it might implode...

username just noticed that the nails match the colors on his helmet

username that's actually so cute wtff username oh it's seriousss

yourusername just a girl waiting for her photo creds

oscarpiastri just a boy waiting for the ones he was robbed of😣

username Now you're my everything, now it's on me.

mclaren

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri, f1, and 203,587 others

mclaren Our papaya boys + Y/n = another good day in the paddock

yourusername I had an amazing time, thank you so much for inviting me (10/10 experience, would recommend).

mclaren You're welcome to join us again anytime!

username ok but who was y/n looking at because I don't think her smile could get any brighter??

username ik y/n was sick of them by the end of this😭

landnorris y/n run they're trying to recruit you

yourusername girl dw i'm already halfway down the road oscarpiastri 🤦 username lmao i love their dynamic

whosalidyah if only I didn't have exams

yourusername never leave me again, oscar and lando almost drove me insane whosalidyah igu next time babes🤞

username hope to see her at the paddock a lot more!

username oh to be y/n rn

username I could you tell where your head was at when I found you.

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Will You Be Mine?

1 year ago

Y/n was very excited for her date with the one and only Oscar Piastri, not like she hadn't gone on many with him before but he had said he had something very special planned which "fit her persona well", his words not hers. She was very suspicious seeing as basically all their dates filled her with joy and excitement, high standards to exceed, if she did say so herself.

She had gotten her nails painted prior to the date and had made sure her hair looked nice. She had also put on a pretty dress but not before playing dress up and have a whole fashion show in her room with A'lidyah. Her whole hype crew in one person, she was so blessed. While doing touch ups she heard the doorbell ring and practically flew downstairs to go and open the door.

Oscar stared down at her, his face leading her to think he was in a trance or something of the sort. Y/n loved the effect she had on him. She did a little twirl to show him the full fit knowing it would fluster him even more.

"Am I pretty enough for the occasion, Mr. Piastri?" Y/n said chuckling softly before leaving a mannequin like Oscar standing at the door in awe as she went to go grab her purse and let A'lidyah know it was time for her to go. She came back down and Oscar swore she looked like an angel descending from the heavens.

"Well, I'm waiting on an answer?"

"You are absolutely stunning, beyond pretty enough for the occasion, although those are definitely everyday qualities of yours."

"What a sweetheart!" Y/n said, once again teasing the man and taking pleasure in the blush that spread across his face, as she closed the door to the apartment and took Oscar's outstretched hand. As they made it to the car he opened the door for her and allowed her to enter before going around the car and getting in himself.

"Ouhh my favorite song is playing, did you orchestrate this or is the universe just working overtime?" The girl spoke softly in a joking manner.

"A magician can't reveal all his tricks." Oscar said jokingly before smiling softly at the girl in the passenger seat and taking in the joy that radiated from her being. They drove with soft music in the background and just the amazing scenery to guide them through the city. Once they got to the destination, which seemed like a garden of some sort, Oscar practically ran over to her side of the car. Once he had opened the door for her he covered her eyes with his hands.

"Oscar, your coordination better be on point because if I trip your days will be numbered." she said seriously with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Wouldn't be the first time you've fallen for me, now would it love?" Oscar teased as he walked her over to the romantic picnic spot he had set up for her.

"Girl, you know what... just don't be surprised when I jump you." Y/n said playfully. They then came to a stop and and Oscar uncovered her eyes allowing her to see the scene that he had put together. When Y/n saw the sign that said "Will You Be Mine?" her heart felt as though it would jump out of her chest. When she turned to face Oscar he got down on one knee and began to speak before she could say anything.

"From the moment I met you I knew that we would be inevitable. You're intricate but gorgeous hairstyles, your dough like eyes, and your beautiful aura had put me in an immediate trance and I remember thinking 'woah'. My friends once told me that when I looked at you it seemed as though stars had been placed in my eyes purposely as if to gaze upon you meant my pupils had seen an unknown galaxy deeply treasured by the cosmos. So, will you allow me a place in your heart in which I beg to stay for an eternity."

Y/n immediately broke down crying before saying yes a million times and jumping into Oscar's warm embrace.

"I will do my best to treasure your heart." Y/n said before pulling Oscar in for a kiss.

That night the stars danced above them as though rejoicing.

♫ Know life been lifin' lately, so I save you if you save me ♫

୨୧–------------------------------------------୨୧

Current Time

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, whosalidyah, and 479,502 others

yourusername I was over love, thought I had enough, then I found you @oscarpiastri

This posts comments have been limited to users mentioned

oscarpiastri I was no doubt, stressed out without you.

yourusername the only man ever🤭

oscarpiastri

liked by yourusername, landonorris, and 923,547 others

oscarpiastri All we got is us, when nobody does, I got you @yourusername

This posts comments have been limited to users mentioned

yourusername For your sanity and my mentality.

oscarpiastri mine, in every universe

yourusername omg I'm literally your biggest fan!!

oscarpiastri well I would hope so🤨

୨୧–------------------------------------------୨୧

♫ Man, I thought I had everything, I was lonely... Now you're my everything, now it's on me... ♫

୨୧–------------------------------------------୨୧

[asleepinawell]

sorry if this seems a bit out of the blue, but ever since youve been posting about fallen london, im a bit curious about it! What is the game about and where can I get it?

oh no worries! I'm happy to ramble about it

fallen london is a free to play browser game you can find here. the basic premise is that sometime in the 1800's the entire city of london is engulfed in a swarm of bats and then falls through the earth into a cavern a mile below. this is the neath, a huge underground cavern where london sits on the shore of a vast ocean. queen victoria is still around locked in her palace being a typical shitty british monarch, who, amongst other things, decided that 1900 was cancelled and we were just going to have 1899 for a second time

things are a little...different down there. humans are far from the only ones running around. there's devils, rubbery men (think mind flayer vibes), clay men, and the shadowy cloaked figures running the bazaar (and the city) called the masters. death mostly isn't permanent and the dream world is a little too real. also, most importantly, cats can talk! and there are tons of them! and tigers too

it's got victorian, gothic horror, dark humor, lovecraftian vibes. also it's extremely queer as is everything the dev, failbetter games, makes. something I especially appreciate is that you don't have to give your character any particular gender (though you can) and some of the little avatars are very gender neutral:

since it's free to play it comes with the normal things that type of game has such as real money transactions (completely optional and unnecessary for enjoyment (though some of the bonus side stories you can buy are extremely cool)), limited number of actions you can take (max of 20 at a time and refills 1 per 10 minutes). it is definitely grindy too though there's so many things to do (cannot emphasize the insane amount of content enough) I will usually just switch things up every so often

it's single player for the most part but you can ask friends to assist you in certain actions and there are some specific items that can be sent to other players

(if you like the setting but not the free to play part you can check out mask of the rose which is a visual novel they just released set right after london fell. it's a romance but with full aro and ace options (which I actually preferred) and a murder mystery. that one is a normal just buy the whole game deal and I think it's on most platforms. there's also sunless seas and sunless skies which take place in the same world but are a very different type of game and would require their own post. all of these have great writing in them)

but back to fallen london. it works based off of 'storylets', or little short stories when you usually do a skill check to accomplish something in return for advancing the story, levelling your skills, and reward items. you unlock more and more things as you go and get access to new stories and areas. here's an example of one of the little activities and its resolution

since it's a game designed to be able to play endlessly there isn't really a way to lose or game over. you can die but dying is just a minigame of its own and sometimes even a thing to do purposefully. (the only actual way to die is the notorious story called seeking mr eaten's name which you may have seen me post about, which is a very unique story that will permanently erase your character at the end. why you'd ever want to do that would also be its own post. it's pretty hard to stumble on accidentally I think and extremely well-marked as a thing with severe consequences that you probably shouldn't do. or should you...)

anyway I'd definitely recommend giving fallen london a try if you're interested in the premise and aesthetic

[dracowars]

Hii! If requests are open could I get a professor!neville longbottom and professor!reader?shes the potions teacher and theyre "enemies"? Always at each others throats and interuppting classes just to throw snarky remarks and the students are like "omg not again🙄"? Anyway one night a student sees him leaving her room and rumors start abt how they're dating/fucking?? And after a few days of trying to deal with a school of nosy students they "talk it out" which ends up being a make out session in the potions room and they get caught by the students who are like "plz we just wna study😭"??

Thank youuu <3

greenhouse hearts and cauldron sparks | neville longbottom

pairing: professor!neville x professor!reader

word count: 3,4k

summary: where rumours are spread about neville and y/n having a thing

a/n: somehow this was difficult for me to write & i don't even know why, maybe because it's my first for neville and i don't know yet if i got his character right (especially since he is older here). i really tried my best and i hope you enjoy it <3 feedback in any form is much appreciated!

warnings: slight angst, cursing

universe: harry potter

With a set goal in mind and pure determination, you strut through the glass door of greenhouse three and are immediately eyed by more than twenty pairs of eyes, all curious but somehow not surprised. Some of them even look like they were only waiting for this to happen. Again.

"Professor Longbottom, forgive my interruption", you apologize with a smile that does not quite reach your eyes, making your way towards him. "But I need to talk to you. Urgently."

"Welcome, Professor Y/L/N", Neville greets you, not moving from his leaning position on the table, fully concentrated on the plant pot in front of him which seems to be housing a Chinese Chomping Cabbage. Suspiciously eyeing the dangerous plant, you take a small step back. Herbology has never been your favourite subject, not when you went to Hogwarts yourself, not now, not ever.

"You burst in at just the right time! We are about to harvest the first cabbages", he explains, strongly emphasizing you interrupting his class, his eyes still fixed on the pot.

"I actually don't really care right now. All I care about is the huge plant or whatever that monstrum even is that has spread over my desk in the teacher's room", you start whispering now, not wanting the students to hear your words. But since they all still stare at the both of you, their cabbages long forgotten, you bet they could hear you either way.

"Oh, I must have mixed up the tables", Neville simply shrugs but a small smile plays around his lips as he finally turns his head to look at you. You have looked into his eyes several times before, million times even, but it hits you differently every time. His green eyes stare at you for a second too long before he clears his throat and straightens, pulling out the cabbage and putting it into a big crate. Removing his gloves, he leans his hip against the table, his big frame towering over you as you still stand there.

"You did that on purpose", you whisper, more to yourself than to anyone, but the little chuckle that escapes his mouth confirms your assumption.

"I would never do such a thing", he replies, placing the gloves on the table behind him. Scoffing, you look at him in disbelief.

How come that Neville Longbottom, the slanky, shy and nervous boy who hid behind his robes and hair from your school days suddenly became such a cunning and especially handsome professor who tests your patience every day. And most importantly, why does he always look at you like that, as if his eyes want to tell you something more, something deeper. And why, for Merlin's sake, is your heart beating faster every single time you interact.

"It would be much appreciated if you could get rid of this monster as quickly as possible before it eats someone or whatever it is that it does", you repeat, but something about the way he looks at you right now tells you that that probably won't happen any time soon.

"Of course, of course. Once I've got- No! Put that down, Henry. Excuse me for a second, sweetheart", Neville interrupts himself all of a sudden, jumping into action as he quickly runs to said student who is about to get attacked by one of the vicious plants, the nickname he called you still ringing in your ear. On his way there, he runs against a table and knocks over some empty pots. If it weren't for you stopping them mid-air with a spell, they would have shattered into a thousand pieces.

He may not look like the Neville he used to be, but he has not lost his clumsiness. Shaking your head, your gaze follows him, watching as he rescues the student from his demise and you can't help but smile a little at that. He also never lost his genuine sincerity and willingness to help.

As you are waiting for him to return, you notice several of the girls staring at you, whispering to each other as they have certainly seen the way you looked after him. Clearing your throat in an awkward manner, you stand up straight and adjust your robes.

"Alright, well, that turned out differently than expected but wasn't that fun? Never underestimate nature", Neville speaks up now, all heads turning to him. "Please finish your protocols until next week, clean your tables and then you are free to leave for the day."

What initially looks like pure chaos ensuing turns out to actually follow a clear order as the students rush around and do what he says. In a few minutes, everything is back in its place and the students rush out of the greenhouse, ready for their break. On their way out, they also say goodbye to you.

The second the last student leaves, Neville claps his hands together, rubbing them as if he still has something planned. "You know, these things only ever happen when you are around", he teases you, walking back to where you are standing to put his bag on the table and gather his things.

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't me who got attacked by one of your experiments for once", you counter, having lost count of the times you had unpleasant encounters with his plants.

"That is just because they can sense your fear, sweetheart", he smiles while packing up his stuff, making sure everything is neatly placed inside his bag.

"I'm not scared of them", you scoff, ignoring what he called you and what it does to you once more, and you cross your arms in front of your chest as you lean your hip against the table he is still standing at. "They just make me feel uncomfortable and I don't like them. Your experiments certainly didn't make me like them any more, in case you forgot."

"How could I ever forget that", Neville laughs. He does not giggle or even try to hold back his amusement - he just straight up laughs at you as the memories find their way back to him. Huffing out an exasperated breath, you softly shove him to the side which only causes him to laugh even more.

"You are so annoying, do you know that? I can't believe I have to deal with this every day", you sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. You would be bored to death without me", he smiles at you, genuine, and gently pushes his shoulder against yours, coming even closer. He looks at you, the way he always looks at you, and even though you would never admit it, he is right. It would be boring without him.

His eyes are locked with yours, at least until they drift down for a split second, looking at your lips, but it was so fast you are not even sure it actually happened. One of his hands now gently touches your arm and your insides twist.

Until the door to the greenhouse suddenly bursts open and a student comes in. Jumping in surprise, you both put as much distance between the two of you as possible in these few seconds, but the way she stops in the doorway as if she had just interrupted something speaks volumes.

"Uhm- I'm sorry, Professor. Professors. I-"

"Chloe, what are you doing here?", Neville asks her kindly, no signs of nervousness, but out of the corner of your eye you can indeed see how he plays with his fingers.

"I uhm.. forgot my book", she says awkwardly but makes no attempt to move, her gaze switching between the two of you.

"Right", Neville smiles at her, obviously trying to make it less uncomfortable. "Then go get it?"

At his words, she is seemingly brought back to life and quickly runs to one of the tables, grabs her book and rushes out of the greenhouse with lightning speed. Watching her leave, Neville's eyebrows furrow. "What was that about?"

Sighing, you lean back against the table, this time, however, with a lot of distance between your bodies.

"Dear Merlin, we will never hear the end of this now", you say, rubbing your fingers against your temple as you try to wrap your head around what just happened.

"Of what?", Neville asks, curious and seemingly oblivious.

"Of us having a thing."

"What?", he lets out in shock, his eyes searching yours for any sign that you are joking. Oh how much you wish you were.

"Yeah."

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you haven't heard about it", you answer, turning your body to directly look at him now.

"I honestly don't know what you are talking about."

"I can't believe this", you let out a humourless chuckle before continuing. "The students are talking about us, Neville. Have been all the time."

"And?"

"And they think we fuck", you blurt out and watch as the realization hits him.

"Oh", is all he says to that, his eyes unfocusing and his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.

"Yeah. 'Oh'. And now we fueled the rumours even more, we have given them even more reason to believe them", you explain, trying your best to not sound too desperate.

When you first heard these rumours, you had to laugh. Neville and you? Never. But over time, you realized where these assumptions came from and you could actually see how someone could possibly come to this conclusion. But there is nothing between you. Right?

"But nothing happened", Neville agrees with your thoughts, looking at you with those beautiful eyes of his. A strand of hair has come loose and hangs over his forehead and you would like nothing more than to gently remove it from his face.

"No. It didn't", you whisper, supporting his statement even though you both know exactly what almost happened. Neville gives you a sympathetic smile before picking up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Anyway, I believe there is a plant I need to take care of", Neville digresses from the topic and even though you welcome not having to talk about this any longer, your heart feels a bit heavier than before. "Also, did you make the potion I asked you for?"

"Of course", you say as you follow him outside, noticing how his hand hovers over the small of your back as he leads you through the door.

════════════

"Professor?", one of your female students asks for you, sitting in front of her and her groups bubbling cauldron. Quickly, you get up from your seat at the front of the classroom and walk to her, smiling as you are thrilled to help with whatever is going on. You have been these students' Potions teacher since first year and now that they have reached seventh year, you have formed an even stronger bond with them.

"Yes? What can I help you with?", you ask once you reach them, leaning over them to take a look inside the cauldron which is exuding a sugary sweet scent. So far, they seem to have done everything right.

"Do you have a husband? Or kids?", she puts the question out there like it is nothing, the other girls at her table looking at you attentively.

"First of all, that is not a question you ask", you remind her and she only shrugs apologetically, making you feel like she actually does not feel sorry at all. "And to truthfully answer your question: No, I have not."

Apparently, your answer triggers something in them, because suddenly the whispering starts again and they look as if they can hardly sit still due to being incredibly excited about something.

"We asked Professor Longbottom the same question this morning", she continues now, suppressing a giggle. "And he gave us the same answer, so we thought that you two would make a good match."

"Oh girls, please", you sigh, trying to suppress a laugh at their endearing faces. "You definitely shouldn't worry about your teacher's relationship status and focus on your grades and upcoming exams instead."

"But Ms. Y/L/N! You would be so cute together!", they all gush, telling you about all the times they have seen you two, how they can clearly tell that 'there is something more going on'. You know you should tell them to continue their task but you just can't stop listening to them.

"When we asked Professor Longbottom, he told us that he thinks you are a wonderful colleague and also quite attractive", one of the girls chimes in, batting her eyelashes at you.

"He certainly did not say that", you retort, shaking your head with a smile at their determination.

"But he did!", they all say in unison, repeating to you all the words he supposedly said about you.

════════════

"Professor? Do you have a moment?"

"Of course. How can I help you?", Neville smiles at the group of girls in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He has just finished his last lesson for the day and was on his way to the Great Hall for dinner now if it was not for these students catching him in the middle of a hallway.

"Remember how we asked you about Ms. Y/L/N this morning?", one of the girls says, a smile on her face that he can't quite pinpoint.

"I do", Neville answers, not adding that their conversation had followed him throughout the whole day.

"Well, we just had Potions with her and we asked her about you, too", another student says, a sign of pride in her voice. "Do you want to know what she said?"

"Do I have a choice?", he says, feeling a bit cornered by the four girls in front of him. He was set on eating and then going to his quarters in the Faculty Tower to get some well-deserved sleep. Apparently that was not happening any time soon.

"She told us that you are her favourite colleague and that she also finds you kind of handsome, even though she told us not to tell you."

At that, Neville needs a few seconds and swallows hard. He does not know what he should be more uncomfortable with: the fact that these students are interfering in his private life or the thought that you actually may have said those words. What are the chances that you did?

"That is..", Neville starts, no idea how to best solve this situation. "Certainly very nice of her to say. Thank you for telling me, but I'm afraid we must head to the Great Hall now as dinner will be served soon."

He does not even wait for them to answer and walks straight past them, a blush on his cheeks as their giggling follows him to the end of the hallway. He sighs, their words echoing through his mind as he turns another corner and suddenly bumps into someone.

With wide eyes, he realizes that the person he just almost pushed to the ground is none other than you. His hands are still tightly gripping your upper arms, a measure he took to prevent you from falling, as he stares at you.

"What is wrong with you?! You almost gave me a heart attack", you lecture him, your frozen body slowly coming back to life. Only now do you notice that Neville is still staring at you as if you weren't from this world and the pressure he is exerting on your arms is somehow getting stronger.

"Neville? Hello? Anyone there?", you ask slowly, snapping a finger in front of his face. That seems to bring him out of his trance because he blinks several times in a row and clears his throat awkwardly, letting go of you but not before smoothing down the sleeves of your cloak.

"Sorry", he mumbles, looking to the ground and grabbing the strap of his bag as if it were an anchor to help him from drowning.

"Are you alright?", you ask, a bit worried now at his unusual behaviour. When you hear several voices coming from the hallway, he suddenly takes your hand in his gently and maneuvers you both into the nearest empty classroom, closing the door silently.

"What is-"

"I didn't want them to see us together", he tells you before you can ask and your heart drops.

"Oh."

The sound comes out a lot more sad than you wanted and Neville notices it as well, shooting his head up to look at you. It does not take him long to realize what he said is the reason for it.

"N-No, no. That- That was not what I meant", he immediately starts explaining. "I just- These girls kept asking me questions about you the whole day and since our.. the situation this morning I thought it would be best to not fuel the rumours even more. Like you said."

Switching between his eyes, you don't even know what to say to that. Because you indeed do not want them to spread anymore rumours about you. On the other hand, you can't deny the emotions you feel, especially right now, with one of his hands still holding yours.

"Did you tell them that I'm a wonderful colleague and that I'm attractive?", you hear yourself ask. You have no idea where that came from all of a sudden but somehow you do not even feel sorry for asking. The girls love gossiping and spreading rumours, but a tiny part in your heart still hopes that they did not just make all of it up.

You just need to know.

"What? No", Neville immediately responds with so much vehemence that you take a step back. Again, he realizes a bit too late what he said and you feel your heart crack. You should have been prepared for this, you asked for this, and yet it painfully stings.

"I mean", he tries again, getting ahold of both of your hands now, making you look up at him. "I didn't say those exact words. I- Well, I think they just saw the way I looked at you and probably realized something sooner than I did."

"Neville, you really don't need to justify yourself", you say, not wanting to hear any more to protect yourself but also not moving to leave.

"I'm not, Y/N. What I would have liked to tell them is that you are the most wonderful person I have ever met. You are smart, sweet, sometimes snarky, loyal, helpful and have those little quirks that drive me crazy. The way you are engrossed in your notes and keep pushing the strand of hair out of your face and chew on your lower lip. And I love the way you interact with the students. You can tell how much they adore you and that they see you as their role model", Neville tells you with so much adoration and determination that you think you must be dreaming.

"I love the daily teasing, the banter whenever you get upset about my plants but then help me with the potions I need anyway. And yes, I think you are absolutely beautiful", he continues, mending the crack in your heart. "But I couldn't possibly tell the students all that."

Lowering his head after exposing himself like that to you, showing vulnerability, you are at a loss for words. He said all the things you always wanted to hear from him but never even dreamt about them ever becoming true. Your silence makes him nervous, he shifts his weight from one leg to the other and breathes in deeply.

"They would certainly have loved that", you giggle then, placing your fingers under his chin to make him look up at you. When your eyes meet, he can see yours sparkling and shimmering like they never did before. "And I love you."

With that, you pull him in for a kiss. Neville is too perplexed for a few seconds to do anything, but then he relaxes into the kiss, his hand finding its way to the back of your head to pull you even closer. You relish in the feeling, of how your lips work against each other, of how your hands are pressed to his chest between your bodies.

You forget where you are and what could happen if someone came in any second, but you simply do not care. And Neville does not either as he softly pushes you against the desk in front of the classroom, smiling into the kiss as he says: "Let's spread more rumours then."

[furybymoonlight]

See Me (Now) – Part II

Pairing: Trent Alexander Arnold x OC/Reader

Warning/Genre: NSFW!, Age Gap, Angst, Suggestive Theme, Smut, friends to lovers

Part I

Part III (final)

***

“I don’t want you to dance with other man…and this dress…way too sexy.”

He said slowly, putting emphasize on each word. She could see that he was trying to restrain his emotions, but his words triggered her. Who the hell did he think he was?

***

Why am I such a wuss?

She had been staring at her phone screen for the past hours, endlessly debating whether she should call Trent or not. It’s been a week since the kiss. The new year was around the corner, and she still avoided being alone with Trent as best as she could. Thankfully, this festive season was a busy one for Liverpool with no long period in between matches.

There were of course, instances that required her to interact with him, their parents were best friends after all, and even when things were awkward between them, she wouldn’t pass the chance to support him and watch him played live. So she went to the games, cheered for him in every match, yet every time he approached her, she decided to play dumb, pretending like nothing had happened between them and kept the conversation casual. Surprisingly, the footballer played along with it, didn’t attempt to press her for a moment alone to talk about the kiss. She even began to doubt whether it had been real.

Yet how could it not be? When she could still remember his taste….or how his palm burned the uncovered skin at the curves of her hip as he pinned her to the wall. It didn’t help that now she paid more attention to how his muscles rippled when he played in the field or how his smile made her heart did a double somersault.

She was not blind, she knew that Trent had grown up to be a good-looking man, even good looking was putting it mildly. Tall with lean yet defined physique, skin and eyes in the sweetest shades of caramel, bright smile that never failed to make her life somehow better, even at her less than stellar moments….the man was absolutely gorgeous.

Was she attracted to him? She used to see him just as a younger brother, until at a certain point she simply couldn’t anymore. She always tried to push that notion away though, ‘tried’ being the operative verb. Mainly because after all, they were…well – them. Trent was the first one she called when she had been accepted to her dream uni or when she randomly saw a cute dog on the street. Just like she was the one he first reached out to when he had a difficult game or when there’s a new Drake album coming up. They had always been there for each other, in grand moments and everything in between. Their connection was so precious, she didn’t dare to risk changing it in the slightest. It had never crossed her mind as well that Trent would want their relationship to be romantic, but the kiss definitely proved otherwise, right?

The ringing of her phone snapped her out of her reverie. It was Maddie, one of her close high school friends, asking her if she would want to have a girls’ night out at a newly opened club downtown. Club wasn’t really her scene, but she felt she’d be going crazy if she was alone with her mind for much longer, plus, it was rare than she could hang out with her old friends. So she dressed up, wearing her go-to little black dress that molded her body in all the right places and headed out.

***

“So….how are things with you and Trent?”

Maddie suddenly asked and she almost choked on her dirty martini as her friend raised a knowing brow. They were currently at the bar tables, volunteering to order shots for the others.

“We’re just close friends.” She said as she drank the rest of her cocktail in one go. Seemed like she needed a stronger drink to get through the night.

Maddie tilted her head, looking unimpressed.

“Huh…tell yourself that the next time you two exchange starry eyes across the room when the other side isn’t looking.”

Had they been doing that? Or more importantly, had Trent? She was about to inquire more when her friend spoke again.

“Well, speaking of the devil.”

Maddie’s words made her turn her head, just in time to see Trent entering the room with his teammates, looking devastatingly handsome in a simple white shirt paired with a well fitted black trousers, complimented by a black leather jacket. Her lips reflexively tugged into a small smile, jeez she had it bad. Thankfully it didn’t seem like he had seen her, as she was standing near one of the grand club pillars.

“Just talk to him. I’ll go bring the drinks to our table.”

Maddie chuckled before walking away with the row of shots.

Collecting her courage took a while, but just as she was about to step forward, a flock of girls swarmed around the players. One girl sauntered dangerously close to Trent. She was incredibly pretty, dressed in a red clothing that left none to imagination. She saw them chatted just for a few seconds before the girl smashed their mouths together.

Her belly churned, and she could literally feel her heart cracked. She turned away and returned to the bar, eyes felt hot with unshed tears. She didn’t see that he pushed the girl off of him right away.

A hollow laugh left her mouth. Stupid. She was just beyond stupid. How could she ever thought that Trent wanted her to be his girlfriend now? The kiss must be just a joke for him, such a cruel joke. Maddie was definitely mistaken in her observation.

Trent had changed, he was not the shy sweet boy from the neighborhood that, even though he grumbled a lot, was willing to play girly games with her anymore. He was a top class footballer now, rich and handsome, with pretty girls, most probably models, threw themselves at him anywhere he walked.

It was not that she was unattractive. She was not plain by any means, and had received compliments here and there, but she was not model-like. She always felt her bum was a bit too big, and she often hoped her thigh could be slimmer. She was merely a uni student, taking chemistry engineering for God’s sake. It couldn’t get any nerdier than that…and more unsuitable to his glamorous world. She took a deep breath, shaking her head. She never felt that they were so different than at that moment.

“Tequila, double shots, please.”

She said to the bartender after she was sure she would not break down, at least not then. She just wanted to not think at that moment.

She swallowed one small glass after another like her life depended on it. She didn’t know how many shots she had taken. It was not enough to be absolutely wasted but enough to build a fog around her brain, which was exactly what she needed.

A man suddenly sat right beside her, asking her for a dance. He was good looking, in a neat kind of way, with slick black hair. He was not really her type, but hey, she just wanted to escape tonight, and the man could be a good distraction. Besides, it was just a dance.

She let him lead her to the dance floor. Closing her eyes, she swayed her body in rhythm of the music. The man put his hands on her waist and began to dance as well. Dan was his name if she heard him right, or perhaps it was Dane? She really couldn’t care less. Dan’s hands started to slide to the small of her back, then slid down close to her arse. It just felt wrong. She was about to push Dan away, but someone beat her to it, with a rather unnecessary force at that.

“What’s your problem, man?!”

“Stay away from her. She’s with me.”

Trent’s voice pierced the fog in her mind, and before she knew it, he already dragged her away.

They walked briskly passed his teammates who were lounging on a long sofa, but then Trent continued leading her away. She awkwardly waved at them with one hand. Robbo opened his mouth, clearly wanted to say something, but Trent shook his head. Usually, it would not deter the Scotsman from anything, but something in the Right Back expression that moment managed to shut him up.

She tried to remove her hand from his grip, but he just tightened it, so she just let him. She didn’t want to make a scene and she was kind of grateful that Trent had managed to remove the stranger from her.

Her appreciation died the instance he pinned her into the wall of the club’s exclusive seating space. It was situated at the separate corner of the club. It did not have a door, but had a divider, granting them enough privacy since the guest there had to ring for the server to come.

“What are you doing?!”

His usually warm brown eyes were cold, his tone scathing. He looked like he was up for blood and if she was anyone else, she would have feared him. Yet she knew Trent would never harm her…at least not physically.

“Well, what were you doing?!”

She snapped at him.

“What?”

His expression morphed into confusion. She shook her head, trying hard to tame down the bitter emotion within her.

“Nothing, I… I better get back to Maddie and the girls. Thanks for helping me with the man though. I owe you one.”

She attempted to break free, but the younger man wouldn’t budge. His fingers dug into her shoulder, keeping her on the spot.

“You owe me an explanation.”

“For dancing with a man? You gotta be shitting me.”

“I don’t want you to dance with other man…and this dress…way too sexy.”

He said slowly, putting emphasize on each word. She could see that he was trying to restrain his emotions, but his words triggered her. Who the hell did he think he was?

“Well in this last hour I found out that I don’t want a lot of things to happen to me, but they did anyway. We can’t always have what we want, can we?!”

“What do you want?!”

Perhaps it was liquid courage, or perhaps she was just at her breaking point, but she exploded there and then.

“You want to know what I want?! Fine!! I want our kiss to not happen because now I can’t keep my feelings towards you in check!! I want you to not kiss the girl in red tonight! I want you to not see other girls at all…”

Her voice gradually got quieter as more and more tears streaming down her face, blurring her vision. She fisted her hands and put them against his chest. She closed her eyes. She was already pathetic enough, she didn’t want to see him pitying her.

“I want you…to see me as a woman…only me. Why can’t you just….see me, Trent?”

She said in a broken, trembling whisper. Her heart was bleeding, and nothing can salvage it.

Trent softly cupped her face, thumbs tracing her cheeks to wipe her tears, but still she cried and kept her eyes shut.

“Look at me.”

He said and she stubbornly shook her head, but then her breath hitched in her throat as he closed the gap between their lips. Unlike their first kiss, which started out quite tentative, this time he didn’t give her a chance to resist him. He plundered her mouth, sinful tongue sneaking through to meet hers. He feasted on her like he had been hungry for months and she let him, because if this was the last time she could kiss him then she would take whatever she could get. She could be gone the next day, back to uni, mending her heart far away from this city, and this man. She just hoped to God that there was still some part of her heart remaining.

She wept inside as the man abruptly ended the kiss, only for him to lift her up. His strong hands on the base of her thighs, he pressed her against the wall. Reflexively, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her dress now bunched up, baring her thighs, and she bit back a moan as the movement created a delicious friction on their nether regions.

He stared into her eyes, dark toffee eyes lit up with desire, and some other emotions that she couldn’t decipher yet.

“You’re all I can see, damn it.”

He hissed at her. Then he sealed their lips together in a fiery kiss, before moving on to the delicate skin of her neck. Propping her up just with his left hand, he then used his right to push down the thin straps of her dress, baring her shoulder to him. He traced the juncture of her neck with his lips before biting on the sensitive skin. This time, she couldn’t hold back her moan and she felt him smirk against her skin.

He kissed her again while gently bringing her legs that had been crossed at the small of his back down so she could stand up. She wobbled, putting her hands on his broad shoulder to steady herself. God, her insides felt like liquid fire.

“Trent – “

She yelped as his fingers suddenly slid pass her thin underwear, which was shamefully drenched at this point.

“Ssshh so wet….all for me, isn’t it?”

She could only nod and bit her lower lip as long, deft fingers moved inside her, pouring oil to the fire within her. Her eyes started to flutter shut.

“Eyes on me.”

As if under a spell, she instantly obeyed, trapped in his dark eyes, letting him take in every detail of her expression as he pleasured her with his talented fingers. It felt just like seconds, or maybe it really was. At one point, his thumb pressed on the tiny nub at the top of her drenched entrance and she came undone, her cry of release swallowed by his mouth. Their lips clung for a while, and some time had passed before Trent helped her to wear her dress properly again.

“Let’s go.”

Trent said as he took of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulder, then put an arm around her waist, pulling her to his side.

“Where are we going?”

She asked automatically, though she didn’t really care at this point, her mind still fogged by the release that he gave her.

“My place, not a fan of other men seeing you in this dress at all, definitely not gonna risk them seeing you naked.”

Author’s Note: Ahh, always a fan of the old-age misunderstanding/jealousy trope. LOL. Please don’t sue me. Anyway, this was longer than I had imagined. It looks like it will be three parts instead of two, the next would be the last, I am sure this time. Please let me know what you think and thank you for reading, whoever you are <3

[theneighborhoodwatch]

hi. it's 1 am here but i just had a Thought while rereading some old speculation and i wanted to write it down before i forget: you know how part of the horror of eddie's breakdown/dissociative episode at the end of the homewarming broadcast is eddie realizing for the first time that On Some Level, he is an object? something that cannot move or act on its own, created to be at the mercy of something much larger than him, etc etc. and y'know how the live action bits of that scene are Very similar, visually speaking, to the bug videos, which are all shot from wally's pov, with the unspoken implication being that this is just kind of how wally Exists, if not 24/7 then at least a significant amount of the time?

hear me out: what if wally just, like. doesn't think his neighbors are Real, in the same vein that he conceives of himself as a puppet rather than a person? yknow. they're fun to play with, and he's learned a lot from them, but the "friends" bit... i mean. you can't really make friends with cheap simulacrums of humanity being maneuvered around by the ones who are Actually real. friendship is more of an actor’s role to him than anything else.

what if that's why he's so attached to home; because home is so unlike any other living being in the town that they can Only be explained by being Real on some level, as far as wally is concerned? and most importantly: what's wally going to do when he realizes that his neighbors are, in fact, real? when he realizes that being a puppet and being a person are not mutually exclusive? what does that Do to a man's conscience after he's been diving head first into a series of sunk-cost fallacy interdimensional power plays with no regard for how it would affect them? (bc who worries about how their relationships would affect, like. idk their alexa.) how long would it even take him to accept this reality? how long would it take him to realize that this realness also applies to him?

i realize this is kind of a rehash of an OLD post of mine, but the key difference i'm trying to emphasize here is: that old post assumes that wally thinks of himself as a puppet and everyone else as people, but what i am suggesting Here is what if wally does not see any of home's residents as people, and that so happens to Include himself. the distinction is important, at least to me.

anyways. goodnight.

[platoapproved]

Two things from continuing to read TVA, bitterness and Marius hating ahead, if you don't wanna see that honestly why are you even on my blog:

Honestly I don't care at all about authorial intent but the way this is written, how Armand narrates his early days as a fledgling, is fucking haunting to me. It's so utterly casual and passive, with just that one little interjection of "this was put to the test". Oh? Who was doing the putting? What was the test? Was the test perhaps Marius starving you to see how many days it would take for you to be too weak to get up, Armand? Was that maybe it? Oh but Marius did it to help him, of course. To teach him his exact limits, for the future! How benevolent. Someone get him a World's Best Maker mug.

____

Idc maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see but the "What I mean is, I didn't have contempt for him" reads as protesting too much. Like... it's giving "it's not that I found Marius tedious, just ancient Roman law and his obsession with it and also literally all the things he said and believed".

MORE IMPORTANTLY, though, the ideas in question here are Marius droning on about how the world is getting more just and how wonderful the contemporary world is. Love him telling all that to an enslaved child - WHO HE OWNS - and bought legally from a brothel! Wow, I wonder why Armand might not have a lot of faith in the law or in government institutions! It's almost like those institutions failed him in a profound way!

But no, Armand probably feels that contempt because he was 'born in a dark and savage land'. Y I K E S. Listen... to anyone reading this overlong post who isn't reading the books I can't emphasize to you how much this is Marius's whole thing. He talks about the ~civilization of the West so often. It's honestly nonstop. He's RADIOACTIVELY Eurocentric and if they stay true to the character it's going to be 100x worse in the show because of Armand's changed background.

[pascaloverx]

LAST LOVE — MYG

SUMMARY: You are about to become the Queen of Murak, a kingdom previously ruled by your father, the King. But there is something wrong with you, something your subjects must never suspect. You were born with powers, one of them being the ability to transform into a dragon. Because of a curse, you are condemned to be abnormal for the rest of your life. One of the only ways to alleviate your situation is by getting married. When Prince Yoongi offers to marry you, you feel there is a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fanfiction will be a fantasy fanfic involving royalty. As the story progresses, a love triangle may develop, but for now, this fanfic will focus on Yoongi and the reader. This story will feature scenes of violence, fantasy, and romance. Inappropriate language will also be used, so minors should not interact with this fanfic. Other BTS members may appear in the fanfic. Taehyung will be an important character. I hope you engage with the fanfic and help it move forward.

PREVIEW

ONE

Your feet hit the ground hard as you feel the weight of your dress becoming increasingly difficult to bear. You feel as if your whole body is on fire as you walk towards your father's chambers. Prince Yoongi will be at the palace in a few moments, ready to officially request the marriage promise between you. The royal advisor, your father's right-hand man, knocks on the door and, after hearing the king's permission to enter, announces that you request the king's attention. Your life has always been like this, one formality after another. The only times you felt your parents were your superiors were when you dealt with your dragon side.

"My beloved daughter, I must emphasize that your beauty is radiant in that dress. I hope you have come here to bring good news." The King of Murak says, looking at you with a certain tenderness. The Queen is right behind him, looking at you with admiration.

"Certainly, it is good news. I have come to inform the King and Queen that I have found a suitor. He meets every necessary aspect to become a good ally. And before you, Your Majesties, react inappropriately to this news; I would like to inform you that he will be here soon to formalize our union." You play it strong. You know that, despite your parents being King and Queen, they also know that the throne will soon belong to you. And more importantly, that if you do not bond with a dragon rider soon, you will lose the ability to control yourself.

"My dear, our daughter, as insolent as she may seem, must have the final word on who will be bonded to her through the dragon and rider link. Unless you wish her dead. In that case, I suggest you pass the throne to another and end this right here." The Queen, with such subtlety, suggests that the King kill you. But the truth is, if you do not marry and bond with a dragon rider, you will end up turning into a dragon permanently. This would prevent you from being human and make you a target for the population.

"The Queen is right, Your Majesty. If you want me not to marry the one I choose, you will be indirectly killing me. After all, if the wrong person tries to bond with me, the end will be tragic for both of us. If you do not accept that I marry Prince Yoongi, then kill me." You try to be fearless. The reality is that familial love is not important to your family, so your father might actually kill you and put another on the throne.

"I would never kill my own flesh and blood. You are the only heir I have, which is why I tolerate your lack of decorum when speaking to your King. But I will accept this folly, considering that you will be able to control the monster within you. It is a pity that the Kingdom of Murak will lose the opportunity to have Prince Namjoon or Prince Jungkook as its rulers." The King speaks with authority as he laments. However, the princes he mentioned would never accept your dragon form so readily. They are responsible and have a bright future. Marrying a half-dragon wife would be unfortunate for them. Prince Yoongi, on the other hand, will be fortunate to have you as his wife.

Before you can think of a response, you are interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The royal advisor announces the arrival of Prince Yoongi, who enters immediately without being invited. You smile subtly, finding it interesting that Yoongi is as bold as you. The King, however, seems dissatisfied with the prince's behavior.

"Forgive me, Your Majesties, for the intrusion, but I was eager to begin the union of our kingdoms." Prince Yoongi says excitedly. He bows as if paying his respects to the King and Queen. Your parents seem ready to pretend to be pleased.

"There was a time when princes had the decency of waiting for the King to let them enter the royal chamber. These same princes would not have the audacity to ask a princess to marry without the King's authorization." The King says with some contempt. Yoongi smiles awkwardly and then extends his hand towards the King. They wave their hands and you know you'll get what they want.

"In my defense, your daughter proposed marriage. But I recognize my rudeness. I hope the King and Queen can give permission for our marriage." Yoongi says as he goes to his mother and kisses her hand, gently.

"My husband and I are pleased to know that our daughter will be getting married. But we are concerned about your commitment. After all, the Princess of Murak needs a husband worthy of her and who understands the sacrifices that this union will require." Your mother says imperiously. You smile, finding it amusing that she speaks of sacrifices. She is the one who cursed your existence by bringing you into the world, knowing you would become a dragon.

"Your Majesty, your beautiful daughter has instructed me on every essential detail to make our marriage as beneficial as possible. I believe that if the King gives his blessing, our wedding can happen as soon as possible." Yoongi speaks in such a casual tone, as if marrying you were a simple task. Your father looks at him with pity. It is what you expected; of course, your father pities the poor soul who will bear the burden of your secret with you. But he has no pity for his daughter who, in addition to dealing with a curse that is not hers, must also bear the weight of the crown.

"Prince Yoongi of the Kingdom of Cirrus is officially betrothed to Princess Y/N of the Kingdom of Murak. May your union not be a complete disaster. Now, if you will excuse me, my kingdom needs my attention." Your father speaks with a tone of anger in his voice. But he has given his blessing. Looking into Yoongi's somewhat frightened eyes, the King then storms out of his own chamber. Your mother touches your hand, looking at you with a regretful expression. Your mind wonders if she regrets the situation she put you in or if she regrets you being this way. An imperfect daughter. But the only legitimate heir.

"Congratulations on your upcoming union. The next step is to obtain the blessing of the King of Cirrus. After that, we will hasten the wedding. Now, I need to go calm the King of Murak. I suggest you two get to know each other a little better." Your mother speaks, looking more at Yoongi than at you. I bet she wants him to be sure of what he's doing. She then leaves, leaving you and Yoongi alone.

"If I bring one of the strongest drinks from the palace, will you accompany me to the forest again?" you ask, glancing at Yoongi after a moment of awkward silence fills your parents' chamber. He looks at you a bit surprised but smiles slightly while nodding in agreement.

"I'll dismiss my guards and meet you in the forest. Bring the drink," Yoongi says near your ear as you leave the King's chambers. When you turn to look at him, he's already running. Surely, your marriage won't be boring, since your fiancé seems quite spirited. You then descend the stairs, accompanied by some guards, and head to the wing of the palace where the cellar is located. You take one of the best drinks stored by your father. At this moment, you feel you deserve to drink this. Stealthily, you hide it using your hood to cover the bottle. You dismiss the kingdom's soldiers as you always do when entering the forest. You run to the place where you last transformed into a dragon, finding a bored Yoongi sitting under a tree.

"I brought your drink, future husband," you say as you approach Yoongi, who quickly stands up to go to you.

"Your parents are a bit too tense. And my father is the king of stress. Now I understand why you chose me. We both have parent issues. At least with mine, I know I provoke them, but I feel sorry for you." Yoongi says as he takes the bottle and the glass from your hands. You smile subtly, but you feel embarrassed that he noticed your family problems.

"No one will ever know how the King and Queen truly act in this kingdom. Because my parents only allow themselves to act the way they did just now when they are with me. It's one of the perks of being a burden to your parents. They didn't expect me to become a dragon. So they weren't prepared for it. But instead of lamenting our crappy parents, let's focus on why we're here." You speak as you begin to slowly undress, being watched by Yoongi who is drinking the alcoholic drink you brought. After taking a large sip of the drink, he drops the glass and the drink on the floor.

"Here in this kingdom, 'getting to know each other better' means something more advanced than in my kingdom. But I'm open to getting straight to the point; after all, why wait until the wedding night?" He talks about having fun with the possibility of sex, taking off part of his clothes too. You look at him and laugh.

"As flattered as I am that you think I want to jump on you right here, I'm just preparing to transform. I suggest you keep your clothes on." You say, trying not to be rude, as you found the scene amusing. Yoongi looks visibly uncomfortable but starts putting his clothes back on. He then drinks directly from the bottle.

"You made me believe I was striking gold, but tell me, what are we doing here? I don't think you just want to show me your dragon form." Yoongi says, regaining his composure. You finish undressing, leaving you down to your underwear. It's shameful but it will be part of your routine as a couple.

"Before we get married, I need you to be blessed by my dragon side. More precisely, I want you to try riding me while I'm in dragon form." You say, seeing him widen his eyes, impressed by the suggestion of riding you.

"What if you don't accept me? Will I become your food?" Yoongi asks, taking another sip of the drink, while his speech becomes groggy.

"It will be a risk for both of us. Take this risk with me, so we can proceed with this union. If my dragon form allows you to get this close, our marriage will be a success. But if not, we can forget about it." You say, looking at him almost pleadingly, hoping he will accept the idea. Revealing that your dragon form is not reliable is not ideal. No one wants to ride something that might burn them.

"Since we are testing the future of our marriage, I want you to test mine." Yoongi comes closer, and you can guess what his proposal will be. Anticipating it, you gently hold him by the neck and pull him into a kiss. The kiss was meant to be quick and efficient, but the taste of his lips captivates you. So you both deepen the kiss. The taste of alcohol intoxicates your mind, making you feel a certain comfort in kissing Yoongi. You remain with your lips intertwined, drawing closer to each other for a while, until you need to take a breath.

"I hope I’ve cleared up your doubts. Now let’s get to the part that matters." You say, catching your breath as you run in the opposite direction from Yoongi. As you run, embarrassed by having kissed him, you transform into your dragon form; flapping your wings and letting out a somewhat loud roar. Your head sways with your body as you search for Yoongi. He is still in the same place, standing still. Then you lower yourself, releasing a warm breath from your nostrils over him.

"Understood. I'll ride you, even if I die." Yoongi says, taking another drink and approaching you. He’s unsure of what to do, but when you feel his cold hands touching you and gently caressing you, you know he will try to mount you. So you lower yourself for him. Your dragon self accepts Yoongi. He seems to notice this, as he quickly climbs onto you. It’s as if he’s taken a dose of courage. And then, with him mounted on you, you flap your wings to fly with your future husband.

[toastyeverlark]

- set after endgame battle, and nat is alive! romanogers drabble for ya :)

The fight had concluded, at long last. They won. Things were slowly falling back into place, though they would never be the same again.

Tony had agreed to let a few of them stay over at his place until they found somewhere to settle in. Morgan was the happiest with the decision - having ‘two-week uncles and aunties’ staying with them meant that she had more people to include in her tea parties.

The ‘two-week’ detail was especially emphasized by Tony, who hoped that they could get out of his hair in two weeks or less.

For Morgan’s tea party of the day, Steve had assumed the role of Mr Steve who likes strawberry cake and grape jam. It was Morgan’s favorite - everyone else got to change their roles but it was already Day 3 of Mr Strawberry Cake Grape Jam Steve.

“Mr Steve, here is your strawberry cake,” Morgan said importantly, setting down a plate with a strawberry cake plushie on top of it.

“Thank you, Morgan,” Steve smiled. “It’s exactly how I like it.”

”No, Mr Steve, you need to call me Missy Morgan,” frowned Morgan, who quickly moved on to Sam who was sitting at the other end of the table, awaiting instructions.

“How’s the cake?”

Steve turned to see Natasha, her arms crossed, leaning on the wall for support. She was smiling, trying not to laugh at the comically large rattan hat on his head that Morgan had definitely found in the garage.

“Actually Nat,” Steve got up as slowly as possible to avoid being noticed, “I think it’s your turn for tea.”

Morgan didn’t seem to care - she was busy reprimanding Sam for moving her teddy bear away and sitting in that spot instead.

Natasha poured a glass of water from the flask on the table and offered it to Steve.

“Something’s on your mind,” he took the glass and looked at her thoughtfully as she poured another one for herself.

“Are you really saying that? After all that’s happened?” she laughed.

“Yeah, sorry. Kinda hard to believe we fought some aliens just a few days ago. But then again, what’s new?”

Natasha rubbed her hip, where she had sustained an injury earlier.

“How’s your injury?”

She shook her head. “Nothing that can’t be healed in a couple days. What’s the plan for the stones?”

Steve took a long sip of the water. “I’m going to return them. Tony and the others are getting things ready.”

Natasha nodded, looking towards the lake outside the window.

“Why’d you ask if you already know what I’m going to do?”

She didn’t respond for a few moments, then looked at him, her eyes wet. “I guess I was just hoping that I would be wrong.”

Morgan had discovered his escape, and was already running over to get him back to the tea party.

“Nat,” Steve moved towards her, but she quickly walked off.

“Mr Steve?” Morgan pulled at his finger gently, to which he responded with a smile.

Natasha retreated to the guest room and sat on the edge of the bed, letting the tears run down her cheeks. She had always known what he was going to do. Steve had told her once, a long time ago, that if he ever had a chance to go back in time, he would choose to be with Peggy a thousand times over. Now that the opportunity presented itself so perfectly in front of him, it seemed almost foolish if he didn’t take it.

She didn’t know why her heart stung so much now that the moment came at last. It wasn’t supposed to.

Perhaps it was because of everything they had been through together, and she had held on to the little hope that he would choose her in the end. Stupid hope.

“Bad day?”

Natasha wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, “Didn’t know it was that obvious. What happened to the tea party?”

Sam made himself comfortable on the armchair next to the bed. “Oh you know, Steve’s doing all the work for me.”

Natasha smiled, and they sat in silence for a while.

“You should tell him.”

“And, just so we’re thinking about the same thing…”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

“Actually, Sam, I’m establishing communication here, in case you couldn’t tell.”

“Okay, genius. I’m telling you, you need to tell him how you feel about him. He needs to hear it from you. I’ve been Blipped for what, five years? I’ve been trying to say something about the two of you way before that, but no one ever listened.”

“So what if I do? It’s not going to change anything.”

Sam looked at her in exasperation. “Why do you keep thinking he doesn’t value you?”

“I know he values me,” Natasha sighed. “But it’s different from how he sees Peggy.”

“How do you know that? You’re here lecturing me about communication, but you can’t bring yourself to make this clear with him?”

She looked at him then, and his previously annoyed gaze softened.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Sam put up his hands to surrender, and got up. “I can’t force this, but I really needed you to hear it.”

Natasha nodded. “Thanks.”

He made his way awkwardly to the door, as if unsure whether he should leave her alone or not. “Feel free to join us at the tea party.”

“Maybe later.”

Then she was left alone to ponder about all the new questions in her head.

Natasha had wanted to stay in the house while the rest of them prepared the site for Steve and accompanied him there, but she knew she would regret it if she didn’t say goodbye. She decided that the pain of seeing him leave was more bearable than not getting to.

Sam seemed to know, because he intentionally popped by her room the day of.

“They’re heading down to the lake in a bit. I told Tony that I’ll be coming with Bucky.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“You coming with us?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I am.”

“Okay buddy, just remember, you have to return each stone to the exact moment it was taken. You’ve got all the time in the world, so just - be careful, okay?” Bruce reminded Steve for what seemed like the twentieth time that morning.

“Actually, I didn’t quite get that right, could you say it again?” Tony quipped, before getting elbowed by Bruce.

Steve made eye contact with Natasha then, and made his way over to her.

“See you in a minute,” he smiled.

“Eh, it’ll take less than that. He’ll be back in 5 seconds,” Tony chimed in.

“Yeah,” Natasha took a shaky breath, “I’ll see ya.”

There seemed to be a flood of tears fighting to break through. She had said her goodbyes, and so she decided that it was enough.

She finally let the tears roll down her cheeks when Bruce called Steve back to get ready, and made her way towards the lake, away from the group.

“She okay?” Bucky, who had noticed her leaving, nudged Sam.

“Just let her be.”

“Okay, go on Quantum, in 3, 2, 1. Returning in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

Natasha stooped by the lake, watching her reflection in the water, taking many shaky breaths as the tears continued flowing. She might have cried enough to fill up the lake if her body allowed it.

She wondered where he was at that moment in time. Probably happy and contented somewhere, having lived a beautiful life with the woman of his dreams. And there she was, crying over someone who had already lived his life and would not be part of hers ever again.

“That’s a lot of tears.”

Steve was standing beside her in the water’s reflection, and for a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.

“What is this, Romanoff, I’m gone for 5 seconds and you can’t recognise me?”

She lunged towards him so hard, he almost fell over in their embrace.

“You came back,” she sobbed into his chest, hugging him tighter than she had ever hugged anyone.

He stroked her hair comfortingly and kissed the top of her head.

“Can’t you be apart from me for 5 seconds even?” Steve teased.

“I thought you left,” she cried, “I know how much…Peggy means to you. I thought I was prepared for what you’d do when the time came, but I guess I never was. And I don’t think I’ll ever be.”

“Look at me, Nat,” Steve whispered. “I loved Peggy, and yes, there was a time in my life that I was certain I would live my life with her. But she was in my past, and even though I had the chance to redo everything, I don’t want to leave behind the present, because you’re in it.”

He gently placed his hands on the sides of her face. “I love you, Natasha Romanoff. And it’ll always be you.”