#can’t stress enough this is all personal opinion and it might be right up your street

[alinaastarkov]

Is hotd s2 good? Without spoilers pls

Nope!

that’s the short answer jfksksksks and is obviously subjective as someone who’s always preferred the conquest/main asoiaf saga too. but the writing has been very inconsistent, slow and a bit nonsensical. their “feminist” take seems to be women will always want peace even as their children are killed and all men want war (and war is bad). still has some pretty visuals, and ofc other people will love it where i don’t but personally this is not it. still has time to get better tho i suppose!

[dystopyx-blog]

Hey I didn't see any requesting rules. I'm sorry if you posted them before but I didn't see them. I completely understand if this is too much. (Ngl I've thought about writing it myself)

I was wondering if you could write about a symptom with a reader who has a form of Conversion disorder/ A form of Fnd?

It's a umbrella term but to put it into words for what it; it is when a person experiences temporary physical symptoms, such as blindness or paralysis, that do not have a physical cause. While the exact cause of conversion disorder is unknown, researchers believe it occurs in response to stressful situations or trauma.

I personally have problems with my legs not moving at all for inconsistent periods of time.(Could be 5 mins or 3 hours) (Dw I'm fine I have a mobility aid)

So my question is which yandere twst boy do you think would take advantage of the whole leg thing most?

Once again I completely understand if this is out of your comfort zone and sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just really like your work

Y’know what maybe I should make requesting rules aksnsjsjsjsjd but I’m lazy

Speaking of lazy

Leona, no question. I have a very specific situation in mind—where you’re in the botanical gardens, standing over him, probably yapping

and then your legs give out underneath you

and Leona just… yoinks you…

you’re his pillow now.

BUT HE’S SUCH AN ASS ABOUT IT, TOO

If you nag him or just talk ‘too much’ (in his opinion) he’ll say something awful like “why can’t your moth stop working too?” if you’re sensitive like me and then cry about it, he would probably not make that comment.

Floyd is bad about it too…

you’re unable to walk so he just scoops you up and carries you with him. He’ll skip his own classes to get you where you need to go, but he will NOT put you down until your legs are fine again. And if you try to be all “oh Floyd what about your classes? :(“ He’ll just take you with him to his classes, so you miss yours. He is also very condescending about it :( and unlike Leona, he doesn’t really understand when enough is enough. Might have to complain to Jade or Azul if he goes too far with his comments or ‘jokes’.

Now imagine… you get taken to twst, and you still have conversion disorder, but no mobility aid. Crowley ain’t gonna help you. That’s just facts. So you go to Mr tech wiz on campus, Idia Shroud. But but but… he doesn’t really know what he’s supposed to be building for you 🥺 and he wants to get it right…. So you HAVE to stay with him whenever he works on it!! So he can get it right for you!!! Yeah you’re not getting a mobility aid. Man’s won’t even finish a fucking walker or wheelchair or walking stick for you, because it’ll never be “just right” or “perfect” enough for you…

Really this is just his way of ensuring you have to hangout with him. He just likes you so much 🥺👉👈

tbh this has just inspired me to do a getting trapped in twisted wonderland but without you meds and also everyone is yandere thingie

[ramona-quinn]

The Tiniest Digital Circus

Book 1: Stitched With TLC (Tender Loving Care)

Chapter 1: The Big Test!

“Today’s adventure is…‘The Tiniest Adventure Ever!’” Caine announced to the circus members as the text—“The Tiniest Adventure Ever!”—appeared above him. The text was in alphabet blocks, and there were baby essentials around it.

The group stared blankly at the title.

“Is this some type of babysitting adventure?” Pomni questioned.

“Oh, God, I can’t stand kids…” Zooble rolled their eyes. ��Last time we did a babysitting adventure, those little s**ts took my pieces and bit my arms.”

“Actually, you guys are the little ones!” Caine corrected before laughing maniacally.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jax asked.

“Each of you will be taking a classification test-”

“Wait, a test? We didn’t study for anything!” Kinger panicked.

“No need to worry! Classification tests aren't worth a grade per se. A classification test is a personality test to see where you fall under the age regression umbrella! ‘What is age regression?’, you may ask. From my digital research, age regression, a therapist-approved coping mechanism, is when an individual’s mind reverts back to a younger headspace due to trauma, stress, and more! Regressors do activities that they did when they were little, such as playing with toys, reading children’s books, coloring, anything that takes them down the memory lane! There’s not just age regressors, no, no. There are also age dreamers, pet regressors and dreamers, caregivers, flips, and more!”

The circus members looked at each other, then back at Caine, baffled at what he was talking about.

“I’m sorry, you want us to act like crybabies to cope with the adventures you’re giving us? It’s bad enough there’s already one right here,” Jax scoffed as he pointed at Gangle.

“I know that this seems strange, but for the past couple of adventures, you guys looked like you’ve gone through a little more than anticipated,” the ringmaster explained.

“A little?” Pomni raised her eyebrow.

“Which is why I have the perfect idea to help you calm your minds and revert back to simpler times after going on such big adventures!”

Caine snapped his fingers, making a portal appear. He then pushed the circus members into the portal, transporting them to an elementary school classroom. There were test packets on six desks.

“Can I skip out on this?” Zooble grumbled.

“Sorry, Zooble, but this adventure is mandatory for everyone.“

“Of course it is…”

“I promise that this coping mechanism will help you out in the long run. Besides, some of you might be caregivers, looking and caring after little ones,” Caine said as he snapped his fingers again, making anti-cheating folders appear on the six members’ desks. “Now, do your best, my magic xylophones, and answer honestly!”

Caine then exited the classroom as the portal closed up.

Pomni stared down at her test, which read “‘The Tiniest Adventure Ever!’ Classification Exam.”

“This adventure’s not going to have any of us scarred at the end, right?” The jester questioned Ragatha.

“Well, I’m not sure, but from what Caine explained, this is probably a lot more tame than what we’ve been through,” the ragdoll replied. “Even before you showed up, Pomni.”

“I still don’t know why we have to do this…” Zooble huffed. “Caine’s up to something.”

“You know, for once, I agree with you,” Jax stated. 

“I’m just hoping to God he’s not a f**king caregiver…”

“I don’t think Caine’s taking the test,” Kinger said. “He’s already busy with his ringmaster job.”

“Maybe this adventure could be fun,” Gangle assured.

“No one asked for your opinion, rugrat,” Jax said rudely.

“Will you shut the f**k up so we can get this stupid test over with?” Zooble glared.

“Why don’t you make me?”

“Guys, calm down,” Ragatha spoke up before any fight could ensue. “This is new for all of us, but there’s no reason for us to argue. Besides, this regression stuff doesn’t sound as bad as any of us think.”

Zooble and Jax rolled their eyes as everyone began taking the classification exam.

Pomni looked at the questions on her test.

“How do the adventures make you feel?” 

“What helps you calm down?” 

“What do your friends say about you?” 

“How do you like to ‘waste your time’?” 

The jester felt a pit in her stomach when she saw the first question. She could remember when she felt frightened when she first put on the headset. She could remember Caine taking her on an overwhelming tour of the circus. She could remember Kaufmo abstracting… Ragatha glitching out… Ragatha… Ragatha was the first person to help her calm down. She was her anchor when things got stormy. Pomni couldn’t remember if she had a family, but the ragdoll was like a mother figure to her. Ragatha forgave the jester when she abandoned her for the exit door on the first day. Pomni, however, felt like she didn’t deserve her forgiveness. She still doesn’t.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ragatha asked as she gently tapped Pomni on the shoulder. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Pomni replied. “It’s just the questions.”

“It’s okay. Just answer honestly and do your best, like Caine said.”

“Hey, Caine said no cheating,” Jax interrupted.

“No, he didn’t. Besides, we’re not cheating” Ragatha argued before turning back to Pomni and giving her a comforting smile. “Just don’t overthink it and answer the best to your ability.”

Pomni smiled back a little before returning to her test.

————————————

The next day, everyone was relaxing in the main room, talking amongst themselves.

“Mail’s here! Mail’s here!” Bubble announced as he appeared out of nowhere, startling everyone.

“Your results from yesterday’s test came in, my curious caterpillars!” Caine added as he arrived. The ringmaster snapped his fingers, making six colorful envelopes appear. He then handed the envelopes to the circus members. “I want to say that no matter where you are under the regression umbrella, you deserve tremendous amounts of love and support!“

The circus members opened their envelopes, their reactions being mixed. Pomni, Jax, and Zooble were shocked by their results, Gangle and Kinger were content with theirs, and Ragatha was a bit stunned with hers.

————

Pomni - Regressor (65%), Sibby (35%)

Ragatha - Flip: Caregiver/Guardian (50%), Babysitter (33%), Regressor (17%)

Gangle - Regressor (50%), Pet - Turtle (50%)

Kinger - Caregiver (40%), Guardian (30%), Babysitter (30%)

Jax - Regressor (55%), Sibby (45%)

Zooble - Flip: Babysitter (50%), Regressor (50%)

Divider by @abc-pupy

[peachjagiya]

Hello hello - I’m fairly new to all things BTS, took me a few months to kind of catch up on the most important things but it’s impossible to watch everything - I’ll need more months for sure 😉

BUT I wanted to ask you and your followers about something. It seems like Jungkook changed quite a bit, especially in 2023. Sometimes when I see footage of 2022, he seems like a different person to me. I’m solo era especially he seems less carefree, less smiley, more grumpy or on edge or just way more / even more guarded. Like he’s annoyed mode easily or fed up with a lot of things. I’m not saying his character changed, I don’t know him, and of course people change, grow, evolve. And we can’t forget that he probably was under a lot of stress and pressure to do well with his own music. And add onto that the constant observation, public opinion, paparazzi etc. I get it. But if you compare footage (I know that is also not 100% authentic or the big picture) he seems more at ease, more content and just happier in 2022 or up to 2022. I wonder what caused that switch and as a Pisces I can’t help but worry too. I really hope that - no matter how much he may not like it - his time in the military helps him to reflect on everything, take care of himself, prioritize his health and also just come back in 2025 and be able to enjoy everything a bit more, without the seemingly heavy load on his shoulders sometimes!

(And since that is a Taekook account, I also want to mention my impression that his behavior around Tae simultaneously changed similarly. He seemed a lot more guarded, less open, less smiley and way less touchy around Tae, at least in public. Could be due to him somehow wanting to fiercely protect and shield him and then more. Or he did change a lot, also towards Tae. Who knows. We’ll see in 2025, maybe :))

So yeah I’m interested in all your thoughts, especially those who were around for the years and how it was in real time! And if it was something that the fandom noticed? Cause the switch up in appearance and behavior (not good or bad, just observation) is quite noticeable. And don’t get me wrong, I’m always here for artists just doing themselves and wanting to break free from label and fandom expectations etc. but that always comes with worry too cause it indicates that the artist maybe reached a limit re certain topics or in general etc.

Ps: I know he is not 22 anymore, I know he’s a grown up and he can do what he wants or needs to in order to cope with this lifestyle, fame, pressure and the possible hide & seek of a relationship on top. 🤍

Pps: it truly comes from a place of curiosity and love. I hope that came across 🙏🏼

My own perspective on it is that the reason we talk so much about the importance of Solo Era is that it was the first time when group obligation wound down significantly enough for them to begin making decisions about how their time was spent. And more importantly, level out to more authentic versions of themselves.

You also have to bear in mind the dynamics. He's the maknae amongst his members, right? He has a silly relationship with Jin, a soft big brother thing with Hobi, a hero worship of Namjoon. But in Solo Era, he's just Jungkook without the other people to bounce off. It's gonna change how he comes across.

But it's not just Jungkook. The company thumb came off them all and it shows. Namjoon seemed more chilled out than he used to be without expectations of leadership. Hobi and Jimin seemed a bit more serious sometimes.

Tae didn't spend much of Solo Era fitting into his soft squishy wide-eyed company assigned role either. He definitely let more of his acerbic wit, intelligence and ethos come to the front.

It just seems like Jungkook might also have let himself be more real. Can you imagine previous years JK standing up for himself and being open about his real thoughts and principles the way he was in 2023/4?

Also worth considering that it's a period of having to strike out on their own with military service impending. It wouldn't surprise me if that was on their minds, as you said.

I guess I just consider pre-2023 to be the more constructed character in a way so I'm happy for him to be more serious.

All that said, we still had some of his most intensely silly moments over 2023! Army Magic WAOOW, skipping along on set, dying at food and practicing his smiles stick in my head:

As for Taekook, the cameras were off a lot more so it feels difficult to compare levels of physical affection from group times to solo times because we simply don't have the dizzying amount of content. And you're right - maybe there's a protectiveness. To be very delulu about it, what if finding they still worked in solo era was a crystallisation of what they already had? What if this freedom and getting to spend time together unbothered by obligation made it all the more precious?

What we did see felt like two matured people very comfortable with each other: A live where JK is basically twirling his hair and kicking his feet; Dreamiere where JK is giddy and shy; Inkigayo where Tae is dutifully calming JK before his performance; Suchwita where JK is happy to say Tae looks good without makeup; AYS Jeju where JK is skipping along to a restaurant and being silly as he usually is. A picture from Hawaii where JK is holding on to Tae's neck as they get ready to skydive and pulling a silly face behind Tae.

As ever, bear in mind I got here in early 2023. Other people have better knowledge.

Thanks anon. 💜

[cupcakemolotov]

Ex's and Oh's: Part Two

Warnings: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence; Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known; Minor Character Death; Magical Realism; We Make War Not Love; Post-Divorce; These Two Fools in Love; Klaus and Caroline Being Territorial; for each other; tyler is dead; kind of; Canon-Typical Violence; Violence; Murder; Werewolf!Klaus; Human!Caroline

Caroline's return to New Orleans is a little less triumphant than she'd like. There is a dead body in her trunk and a magical artifact in her passenger seat, and no matter how much she'd like too, the chances of avoiding her ex-husband are astronomically small. What, with the mate bond and all, but a girl's gotta hope.

“Caroline, why are we here?” Bonnie asked as she looked around at the familiar bar they’d once visited regularly before. Before.

Caroline looked up from her pile of beer battered fries. “I missed you?”

Bonnie gave her a look. “I missed you too, but I expected this chat to happen like, three days from now. You know, once you settled in and actually had the time to try that thing most of us do called communicating with your ex.”

“We should definitely go out again soon,” Caroline agreed with a nod. “This time with cocktails instead of beer, maybe during that dinner you could give me a list of who these mythical ex’s of yours are that you’d willing talk to. I only have the Curse on Sight bullet point list saved to my phone.”

“Caroline,” Bonnie said in fond exasperation. “You know what I mean. When you called and asked for your boxes, I was expecting to play delivery girl, not go out for an impromptu dinner. Please tell me you’re not doing this to avoid Klaus.”

“Hey,” Caroline protested as she gestured towards her food. “I’m hungry, and being hangry cannot improve this situation on any level.”

“Sure,” Bonnie drawled, “but there is no way you can convince me Klaus doesn’t have food in his house. I know how many calories werewolves consume in a day and it’s a lot.”

“He might have a house full of food, but there was nothing to eat.” Nothing she wanted. Not a single emergency bag of Doritos, no chocolate bars tucked away on a shelf, no decent cheese. The freezer hadn’t even contained a quart of emergency ice cream. She wanted to eat her feelings, and Bonnie was lucky she’d agreed to actual food instead of eating her weight in pie.

“Fine, I’ll give you that,” Bonnie allowed. “I’m not saying you owe him anything, but did you at least tell him you were going out?”

“Klaus,” Caroline said with false cheer. “Wasn’t there when I woke up, so I decided he didn’t get an opinion.”

Bonnie groaned and covered her eyes. “Haven’t you had enough rampaging werewolves today?”

“Eh,” Caroline said dismissively. “This morning was hardly a rampage, and you know it. Besides, torturing Tyler is absolutely a form of stress relief. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Probably. Bonnie was right, it would definitely piss him off that she’d left, and what she’d left him would not improve the situation. Dunking a fry into her pile of ketchup, she wrestled with the truth that she wasn’t in a mood yet to improve things.

I know a war when I see one.

Those words had haunted her as she’d fallen asleep, and had resonated in her chest when she’d woken. This felt like a war. Her own personal fight for something she wanted so badly she’d buried it under the ash and smoke of her temper, the scorched earth of her hurt. Wanted so badly and yet, no idea how to move past that anger.

Bonnie made a noise. “I knew we should have gone to Marcel’s.”

Her jaw clenched so hard, Caroline thought she could hear her teeth grinding. “No pack.”

“You can’t avoid them forever.” The words were said carefully, her best friend far too aware of that sore-point.

“Oh, I won’t,” Caroline said, flashing her teeth. “I really, really won’t.”

Thoughtfully, Bonnie relented enough to pick up her own fry. “What did Klaus tell you before he went off torture Tyler’s remains?”

Caroline shrugged. “He’s made changes, he’s the almighty ruler who rules with an iron fist, murder murder, the usual.”

I miss you.

She missed him.

Muttering something pithy, Bonnie pulled out a small bundle of herbs and dumped them on a convenient plate between them. A moment later, the familiar scent of burning sage brought a deluge of memories of ten years ago, and Caroline swallowed past the unexpected lump in her throat.

How often had she and Bonnie sat in this booth with sage burning between them, tipsy from cocktails? How many burgers had been consumed in the name of girl’s night? How often had she wished she could do this again as she sat alone in a random diner, eating pie and rapidly texting the second most important person in her life?

“Caroline,” Bonnie huffed. “You know people are straining to hear every word you say. People have been staring for the last ten minutes, there is no way the locals aren’t already gossiping.” Pointedly she glared at someone over Caroline’s shoulder.

“Nothing I said so far should be a surprise, they’ve all lived with his ego as long as I have.” Caroline said, emphasizing her words with the jab of a french fry.

Bonnie made a face in silent agreement. “I am absolutely not on team Klaus, but this separation hasn’t been easy for either of you.”

Caroline looked away for a moment, because she didn’t know how to explain the tangle in her chest, the way it’d felt like a fist when she’d woken alone in a bed that smelled just like her best dreams. Tired, bruises stiff and aching, she wanted him there and she was mad he wasn’t, and she was mad at herself for being mad about it. Showering had required that she clench her hands into fists not to sniff test everything in the shower, wanting his scent in her lungs.

“I know.” Her lips flattened. “I don’t know how to do easy anymore, Bonnie.”

“When have you ever?”

Caroline reluctantly smiled. “Klaus and I… we didn’t really have a lot of time to talk before he had to leave.” She would have been mad about that, that he’d disappeared so soon after the first time they’d seen each other in years, but she was firmly anti-zombie, so she had decided to be gracious about it. She just wasn’t sure what to do about the rest of it. What they had said. Their conversation had felt too personal, too raw to repeat out loud. “He wants me to stay.”

“Oh, he definitely wants more than that,” Bonnie muttered.

A03: Part 2

Please remember all my fanfic has been locked due to AI Bots scraping A03.

[yarameijer]

Hiiii Yara!!!!

I have changed accounts bc I forgot my password, but I was Flan-Girl304! I have been commenting in ur fics for years now lol, except in the last couple of updates, bc, yk, lost my password.

Anyways, I was rereading Accidental Reverse, as one does, and now I really want to know your opinion on the relationship between Sengoku and Tenma, because I love the idea of Sengoku being so protective and caring of the rest of the team and noticing Tenmas problems/struggles early on.

He really is like a pilar of peace between all the chaos of raimon, isn't he? (Most of the time)

Also, completely unrelated, but I just realized how long it has been since Accidental Reverse started, I was still in school. Now I'm on my last year in pyschology. And now knowing the struggles of university, I absolutely understand ur updating schedule, I haven't updated my own fics in ageeeees. But I'm still hyped for whatever you decide to post in the future!

Anyways, hope you're doing well!!!

WHOAAA I CAN’T BELIEVE IT, it’s been so long!!! Hi!!! How have you been??

I'm good, just super tired! University's been pretty demanding and I ended up pulling an all-nighter last night to almost completely finish my thesis, so I am going to bed very very soon.

‘’rereading, as one does’’ you know it’s almost 300K, right

Aww Sangoku, yes we love him. He’s great. He’s the best, hands down. He’s the voice of reason, the eye of the storm; he fades into the background when compared to other members on the team, both in terms of personality and appearance (...pink hair, anyone?)

I headcanon that Sangoku is the eldest on the team and that makes him feel responsible for his teammates. We know from the anime he’s already a very caring and responsible person, as shown by his interactions with his mother; she works late often, so he is in charge of groceries and cooking and other chores. He was canonically captain before Shindou and never really got rid of some habits from that time.

Which means that, just like Shindou, Sangoku understands Tenma's struggles as captain and tries to support him as much as possible; he did the same thing when Shindou was made captain after him, although of course the specifics are different because Tenma and Shindou are different. Sangoku doesn't really interfere with the leadership part; he's not one of the loudest voices on the team, and he doesn't want to be. He can leave the decision making to Shindou, Kirino, Tenma, Tsurugi, all the more outspoken members, all more qualified and talented than him - that’s what he thinks.

Instead he tries to help in more subtle ways: by caring.

(This doesn’t just apply to Tenma, of course. Sangoku keeps an eye on the whole team - literally and figuratively. He’s the keeper, he’s always in the back, always in position to keep watch over his teammates during a match, and that doesn’t end when the match does.)

He keeps an eye on Tenma whenever he can. Does he look tired? Upset? Ill? If Sangoku notices this, depending on the severity, there's a few different things he might do. If it's not that bad, he'll usually cue in the other first-years and let them drag Tenma along to hang out and unwind for a bit. The quickest way to get Tenma to forget about his worries for a bit is to let him spend time with his yearmates and act his age. They're a chaotic bunch and there's no room for worry or stress there.

If it's worse, Sangoku might interfere more directly. If it's more of an internal problem in the team, Sangoku can and will tell the others to lay off (Shindou means well, but sometimes he gets carried away). The rest of the team listens to him, and this is a rare enough event that the few times he's had to do it, it's been very effective.

If it's an external problem, Sangoku can't honestly do much. In those cases the whole team is stressed and trying to support each other, and as much as he wishes he could, Sangoku can't just go up to their opponents and tell them to knock it off. Instead, he'll ensure (by teaming up with the managers) that there's enough snacks and drinks present for everyone, and try to keep them all calm and rational.

Sometimes, when Tenma is being especially stubborn, Sangoku will outright scold him and tell him to go home, go to bed, take a break. Tenma definitely doesn't like this, but he respects Sangoku too much to deny him.

It's even happened a few times that someone else on the team cued in Sangoku. They know Tenma will listen to him, even when he's being stubborn, and they're not afraid to misuse it.

And always Sangoku is just ready with a listening ear, an offer to help, little check-ins, even when nothing bad is happening and Tenma is just busy or mildly stressed.

Like I said, Sangoku does this with most of the team, but he's more aware of Tenma. This, again, stems from having been captain himself. Early on, when Tenma became captain, Sangoku worried and tried to make sure the kid was doing alright, and that just stuck. Even years later after Tenma has proven himself more than capable, it's an old instinct that Sangoku can't get rid of.

And Tenma doesn’t really… know? Sure, after being captain for so long, he knows the dynamics of his team. How Sangoku is the voice of reason - no, rather, how he’s the calm inside the storm, the one who worries quietly and cares for them all and has taken the responsibility to watch over them through their craziest adventures and laziest days. He knows, by logical reasoning and several late night instances where Sangoku was the one to check up on him and tell him to get some rest, that Sangoku does it for him too and he appreciates that more than he could ever say. He just doesn’t notice that Sangoku is a little more keyed into his well being specifically - probably the only one who does is Shindou, and that’s because Shindou is the exact same way, for the exact same reason (they both agreed to make yet another first-year captain, when they know the burden of it; they refuse to let him drown under the pressure).

So Tenma hasn’t noticed, is not as close with Sangoku as some of their other teammates, and Sangoku honestly doesn’t mind. Truth be told, after so much time he barely notices it himself, it’s just become a habit.

Their relationship is interesting because they don't really hang out outside of the team - sure, if the team will go out together, they'll both join if they can, but they don't usually meet up with just the two of them. They’re both closer with other people on the team. Their relationship originated as simply senpai and kouhai - Sangoku feeling a sense of responsibility towards a younger teammate, Tenma looking up and listening to an older teammate. And yet it’s grown so much from what it was. Tenma knows Sangoku's door is always open and he can always count him. Sangoku respects Tenma as his captain, and cares for him as a friend rather than a kouhai.

Funnily enough, they’ve got a bit of a similar opinion on taking care of the rest of the team. Perhaps Tenma has been unconsciously imitating Sangoku’s behavior in the way he cares for them, and even handles them when they’re acting rash. It actually makes Sangoku his biggest ally in getting the team to behave! As we see in Accidental Reverse, Tenma is fully capable of being the craziest on the team, but in his actual timeline where he's captain, he's usually the semi-responsible one, if you'll believe it (in his defense, if something happens, he's the one who has to deal with the paperwork). And Sangoku is most often the voice of reason on the team, so he will fully support Tenma when they're trying to get the team to NOT do anything stupid for once.

So yeah. In summary, this is a relationship that was at the start nothing more than regular senpai and kouhai, and funnily enough never changed much in their roles - but the sentiment behind it? That has become much more genuine. Sangoku doesn’t look out for Tenma and feel responsible because that’s what is expected of him, but because it’s Tenma. And Tenma doesn’t respect and listen to Sangoku because he’s older, but because Sangoku has time and time proven that there are few people Tenma truly appreciates and admires more.

So! I hope you enjoyed that. Oh, don’t mention how long I’ve been working on AR, I know exactly how you feel. I uploaded the preview for it on my sixteenth birthday. In less than three weeks I’ll be celebrating my twenty-third.

I am still planning to continue though, I just need to deal with stubborn characters who don’t want to be written, tss.

It was really great hearing from you again!

[oceandeviancy]

Speculation (BadBoyHalo x Male Reader)

Title: Speculation

Pairing: BadBoyHalo x Male Reader

Requested by: xenenbii on Wattpad

Scenario: You decide to make hot chocolate for Bad while he streams.

---

It was no secret that it can be hard dating a content creator. (Y/N) had many creator friends who had their relationship public and he's seen the good and bad affects of doing that. Some flourish in the spotlight, showing off that perfect life, while others have seen the strain. He has witnessed many breakups and it wasn't fun to witness his friends go through so much pain, especially when millions of fans were involved.

He was grateful there were friends that trusted him enough to know the status of their relationship and in turn, he knew the status of his own was safe with them as well. (Y/N) was not a famous YouTuber or streamer by any means. Sure, he did a Twitch stream occasionally and a YouTube video rarely but he did not consider himself on the same level as his boyfriend or any of his other friends. That life was something he did not need the stress of.

(Y/N) saw the stress Darryl had keeping up with content creation and his public persona. He was glad his partner always set aside time to spend with him. He sometimes wondered how actors could spend months at a time away from their families. He wondered if it carried the same association of a musician going on tour.

One thing (Y/N) loved to do is watch Darryl's streams and bring him things as needed any time he mentioned them. It was (Y/N)'s way of telling Darryl he was watching. You'd think he would be mod with how much he spent watching but the pair agreed it was best if that didn't happen. Being mod could cause people to start looking into who (Y/N) was. Some fans could be a bit intense with how they treated their favorite people and those surrounding them.

On today's stream, Darryl had a camera set up to show Rat, who was currently sleeping on her bed, and the audience were loving it. They would commentate on everything she was doing. Every turn, every yawn, and every blink of her eyes. It was a bit much but Darryl preferred this greatly over some of the spam he's had to endure over the years.

Rat wasn't her actual name but it fit her so well that it might as well be her name. It's one of those nicknames you give your pets that become so common in your day to day life that using the original name seems wrong. Even when he wasn't using his BadBoyHalo persona, Darryl would sometimes say or do things that he would typically only say or do while streaming, including saying Rat. (Y/N) found it adorable.

(Y/N) didn't love Darryl because of him being a popular YouTuber. He loved Darryl for Darryl, and he appreciated that. Darryl didn't need to keep up his online persona in his personal life. He wasn't having to live a lie with his boyfriend. The lie was to his audience.

He was watching the stream, which was mainly building a new base, while trying to finish a personal project. He had all of his work out on the kitchen island and his laptop with the stream off to the side. (Y/N) kept moving the laptop around as he didn't want to bury it underneath all of his work.

"Does this look right chat? I can't decide if I like this color or this color"

(Y/N) checked the stream to see the context. Darryl was designing the entrance to the base and had several ideas for the color palette. The chat seemed to be split between the two options he had shown. (Y/N) quickly typed his opinion in chat and went back to his work.

"Yes, I think I am going to agree with everyone saying this one. Sorry to those who said the other. Both were very good options"

He continued to make progress and was slowly clearing the table.

"'What is your favorite drink'? Hmm...that is a good question. I think I'd say hot chocolate. Man, I'd love some right now"

In that moment, (Y/N) got an idea.

He thought it would be a good idea to make some hot chocolate for Darryl as a surprise and for him to have a treat to enjoy while streaming. He found the container in the cabinet and started the process of making it. Normally he would make the whipped cream but they, unfortunately, didn't have the cream or the vanilla he preferred to use. He chose to just use the can in the refrigerator.

Occasionally he would hear Darryl say something hilarious from reading chat and (Y/N) would let out a laugh. He loved his goofy self.

Once the hot chocolate was done, he topped it with the whipped cream and a little bit of cinnamon.

He walked into Darryl's room and could see he was busy with his game and reading chat. Rat was sleeping peacefully in her bed. With a careful eye on the hot chocolate, (Y/N) made his way across the room. He taps Darryl's shoulder to alert him.

"Oh gosh, you scared me" he jumped.

"Sorry," (Y/N) laughs softly, "I thought you might like some hot chocolate"

He hands Darryl the mug, whose face immediately lights up at the sight of it. He takes it from his boyfriend and places it on the part of his desk where he knows he won't accidentally knock it over.

"Should've known you were watching my stream"

"Of course. They're always very interesting"

"Chat certainly makes it interesting"

They both glance at chat. It was a mix of emoji and meme spam and people beginning to question who was talking.

"Indeed they do," (Y/N) turns to Rat, "Sorry to wake you, Rat"

He kisses her head and pulls out a dog treat from his pocket. He offers it to Rat, who immediately takes it. Dogs were always really hilarious to watch eating a treat. (Y/N) did know he was in view of the Rat Cam but in this moment, he wanted to forget.

"Would you like me to order food for you? I was considering getting something for myself but thought I'd ask you as well"

"I'd love some. I'll text you once I figure out what I want"

"Great. Enjoy your stream"

(Y/N) gives Darryl a soft kiss and leaves the room. Darryl was grateful he wasn't using his webcam. He was burning from the blush that would be very clear to an audience.

"I know what my chat is going to say. (Y/N) is just my roommate, I've said that many times before" Darryl says.

He really did wish he could tell them the truth but now just wasn't the time. One thing that was important was time. He wanted the time with (Y/N) where his audience wasn't going to constantly ask about the relationship or try to dig into their personal lives. He liked that peace. Separating his work and personal life is how he liked to live.

A lot of their friends knew they were roommates but only a small group knew of their relationship status. Darryl trusted the people who knew.

"I think communities of content creators sometimes look too deeply into the things the creator shares with their audience. Friends will playfully interact with each other, that doesn't mean they are attracted to each other. People will have roommates, that doesn't mean they are dating"

He could see that chat was still the mess that it was. On top of the normal spam, it was now filled with speculation and theories about who (Y/N) really was. It wouldn't stop as that is just how some fans can be but he could ignore it in the best way he could.

"Let's go back to this game, shall we?" Darryl sighs

He glances at chat and sees a familiar chatter.

(U/N): People are so nosey smh

"Indeed they are (Y/U), indeed they are"

[earth4angels]

I think I might have to leave the Jace fandom and it’s devastating.

For some reason, there is a trend of Jace writers making him take out his anger and stress on his girl by using sexual violence and I really can’t take it anymore. It never happens to men in fanfiction and women are not outlets for mens violence. Like women are human beings and they and their bodies are not tools to be used for when men are upset. A lot of the fics are straight up SA and some are just super rough sex which is still out of character for Jace. Like he is the softest boy and a mama’s boy who is a surprisingly feminist character for asoiaf. Rhaenyra didn’t raise her son to use women sexually when he is upset. Jace is canonically pouting and reading when he’s upset, he is not going to Baela and pushing her down on the bed.

I read Jace fics as a comfort character because I know he is sweet and soft. There are so many other men in the asoiaf world who are rough and mean. As an abused women who men have hurt and then said that they couldn’t control their emotions, it really bothers me to see a rise of Jace fics where he “takes his anger out” on his girl. Like that is the definition of abuse and internalized misogyny. Men already use women enough in real life and Jace would never do that.

It also bothers me that some writers I like are participating in this and other writers I like are supporting it. I know some people you are friendly with on here are writing like this and it really makes me feel alone and crazy

hi noonie… i hope you don’t leave bc there’s such good jace writers and many nice people in the jace fandom! i appreciate you!

but i understand im so sorry the fandom has been failing you. i’ve seen there is a trend of writers writing jace in this violent way and it’s all to the writers rights to do that. it’s a ooc jace that people love? i personally don’t get it bc that’s not jace but everyone to their own. i personally don’t like it. i’m very picky with stories i read that feature jace. if i start seeing it’s very ooc i tend to click off and that’s my choice, i know the writers are talented but i have the choice to read or not you get me?

people i’m close to on here that i’ve seen are very creative and they write beautiful stories of jace in many universes — most of my jace fics recs are literally beautiful pieces of art but any ooc jace im not really a fan of so i understand i personally love writing jace in soft writing bc he’s literally me, he’s a enfj and idc what people say but noonie you have a choice to not read things and to follow blogs that you feel comfortable with. you’re not alone and you should know your feelings and opinions are validated, i adore you & your opinions 🤍

but i promise there is beautiful writers that write jace so beautifully & know that from me you wouldn’t get any jace that isn’t soft with different layers into his personality bc personally that’s just what im comfortable in writing. of course ill write kinks and all that hard core stuff BUT ONLY WITH CHARACTERS THAT FIT THAT DESCRIPTION.

[ma1dmer]

Crescent City - Cormac Donnall NSFW

i have a soft spot for bastards what can I say

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex): he'll stay with you if he has the time, trailing his lips up and down your body simply basking in your presence, its one of the rare times he looks almost relaxed

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s): he has a small fixation with your neck, the way you swallow, how it looks with your hair up, likes simply resting his hand against your throat to feel your moans against the palm of his hand

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person): out of sight out of mind, always finishes outside and immediately cleans you up or simply wears a condom

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs): loves having his hair pulled, he always wants to be in control so whatever makes him seem as weak in his mind is sort of a dirty secret for him, even if its just his kinks, but he trusts you

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?): he has some experience not a lot and definitely not as much as you’d expect but even so he is very confident in his skills

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual): anything where he can properly see you and your expressions, he loves staring into your eyes , eye contact is very important to him, he loses himself in your eyes, knows when he needs to pick up his pace by the way your gaze flutters

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc): he is more serious, it's difficult for him to entirely let go and be fully relaxed, if he gets you to laugh during sex he really doesn’t know how to handle himself, feels confused, are you laughing at him, should his pride be hurt, or are you enjoying yourself, at which point adoration swells in his chest and he can do nothing but crush his lips to yours

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.): he trims just enough to not be very messy, he also smells very very intently of whatever cologne he uses

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…): very very intense and passionate, kissing you so deeply it takes your breath away as if its your last moments together ,holding your hands and breathing against your lips, swallowing every moan as he stares deeply into your eyes

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon): doesn't bother, would rather have you or take a long shower to distract himself

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks): he is quite vanilla, he's easy to please in that regard

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do): away from prying eyes where you are both comfortable and warm, he is very private especially when it comes to your intimate moments

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going): stress, he is so grumpy, he often finds himself starting unnecessary arguments when he just isn’t in a good mood, dealing with the stress in his life and stuff, however having you eases all that, especially if he can simply pound his stress away, there is always a split moment of guilt right after but he is too prideful to apologise

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs): for now he hates the idea of finishing inside you, he has had so much pressure put on him about breeding the next heir or whatever so i can’t see him being really comfortable taking such a risk

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc): surprisingly a very thorough giver, he'll be between your legs for a long long time ,using his mouth and fingers ,his eyebrows furrowed in concentration his hair up in a messy ponytail

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.): slower but definitely rough, he digs his fingers in your hips, holds your neck while bruising your lips with his kisses ,his hands are always seeking purchase on you, mapping out your body as if he might lose you any second

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.): wants to take his time, but won't say no to the opportunity of having you, using his shadows to hide you both or teleporting you away somewhere more private ,just long enough for the both of you to get your release

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.): surprisingly vanilla, his experience goes as far as a few one night stands and nothing else, just physical stuff , not bothering to explore much, knows the basics of what he likes and doesn’t care for anything else

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…): he has amazing control of himself, so he knows exactly how to pace himself and keep everything going for a long time,

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?): he doesn’t really see the point of toys during sex because he wants to be touching you, but won’t say anything about you using any when he is away, he doesn't want to think about it though

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease): he hates being teased, and is not much of a tease himself, things are very straight forward with him

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make): he muffles himself , biting his lip or his hand and groaning quietly against your skin

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words): he has a very pretty cock, a bit on he thicker side and really straight

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice): i think he'd be really into clothed sex, the desperation of wanting someone so badly that you both can't care about whatever you are wearing just needing to feel each other

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?): this man is nothing but yearning, he is consumed by yearning and want, not just with sex, he wants you in any and every way you'll let him have you

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards): he is often busy so as much as he’d love to spend every night with you, he rarely actually sleeps over, but always tries to return before you wake up just to press a kiss to your lips before you wake up and part ways for your day

[sorryimananti-romantic]

hi!! it’s the anon who wrote the long ask on how to begin a story, and i’m sorry to say, but i’m back with another question. that question is : how do you come up with your story concepts? because aurora, be with you, guerrilla, sunrise, and where do i go are all conceptual masterpieces. like serial killer!yunho with a crime novelist? GENIUS! king’s right hand!seonghwa and an exiled former royal spy? BRILLIANT!! soldier!san and soldier!reader with suppressed feelings who are forced to confess because they might die? (in my opinion) ROMANTIC AS HELL!!! your mind is a goldmine for amazing ideas.

personally, ideas come from dreams, movies or shows, or just random bouts of inspiration. and sometimes those ideas aren’t even actual storylines. sometimes it’s dialogue or a specific scene. but then if i really like it, i have to come up with the rest of the story. also, thank you for your advice! i’ve been trying to just move past it because i’ve just been writing for myself, but i still can’t really get past like one and a half paragraphs. granted, i also get confused and stuck on if the punctuation is correct, but i’m trying.

anyways, congratulations on finally finishing your jongho story! i know you’ve been stressing about it for some time, and while i haven’t read it yet, i bet it’s awesome and i can’t wait to! good luck on whichever project you’re working on now!

ahaha omgg welcome back!

thank you i try 😭😭 you're right, most of the ideas come from dreams, movies/tv shows, or just a random inspo. and yes, sometimes it is a scene or a dialogue that i want to write and i shape the story accordingly. sometimes it's just that i know the roles of the characters and now have to come up with the plot.

for stories like aurora, i saw the yunho pic i used for the moodboard- the one from the limitless mv and i was like, i have to use this. it looks like a military uniform and originally i was going to make it a typical 'he's loyal and you're a spy' story but personally, to me, when it starts to look like a typical trope, i try adding a twist to make it unique! so for aurora, i came up with the 'he's forced to be loyal' and worked my way from there- why would he be forced to be loyal if he was originally a loyal soldier and strategist? what was big enough that he could risk betraying the system?

sometimes i just come up with a concept first and think of who in ateez could fit the role. like in be with you where i initially only had the king's right hand x exiled former spy who'll use the right hand to get to her revenge. or in sunrise- military agents, yes, but the thing that i wanted to write about was how military agents must live knowing that they could die any day, what they want to do the most, how they would be hesitant to love bc loving means losing too. similarly, with where do i go, i had the bodyguard x whatever reader but it was a result of being heavily inspired by the kdrama mr. sunshine!

so yes, the motive for writing each fic is very different! it doesn't always have to be very unique- like ice prince x fire princess (white love) is not new, i just have to make sure the plot is unique and make up a backstory to fit that. prince x princess arranged marriage (promise) is also a very commonly written trope. but i think whenever you're coming up with the basic details of your fics, you first have to decide what will make your fic unique. think out of the box (i know its hard to do it sometimes) but i'll let you in on what i do-

i like to talk about what i'm thinking about a fic. i only became friends with loren recently and she's been my go-to person to exchange ideas with, and she's been such a help. it's great when you have someone you can exchange ideas with, get wild, think of possibilities that seem impossible until you think 'wait, i could make this work'. but i've been a writer longer than i've had loren LOL and before that (i'm gonna sound like a loner but it's bc no one irl knows i write) i used to exchange ideas with...

myself. oops

i'd simply open boring old notepad and start a dialogue with myself (only when coming up with ideas for fics and i still do that sometimes when im stuck) bc it helps me take in every perspective. it's a series of what ifs and me contradicting my own what ifs, me roasting my own ideas in the middle of that LOL and finally having some outline which i can work with. and then we start writing and see how it goes from there

i'm happy to learn that you've been trying to write and i hope it gets better!! i kind of relate to you now bc cyberpunk has to be my first real challenge. i've never struggled as much with a fic as i did with cyberpunk and all bc i was hell bent on writing this concept (i did this to myself oops). it took me 8 months to finally finish it. i came up with the first concept 8 months ago, wrote like 3 pages, stressed over it bc i felt like it was too dark and heavy (it was) and then i scrapped it. i came up with another plot, wrote like 6 pages and i thought this time i had it, only to realise that it was going to be the most boring thing ive ever written. it had no oomph factor. left it to sit in the drafts and collect dust, visiting every once in a while, meanwhile writing and posting other oneshots. and when i finally came up with a new plot and all?

i got too busy with real life to write it 😭 like i swear i was buzzing i was on a roll i was writing like 2k words every day but then it stopped and it was hard to get back to writing but i finally, finally finished it. all i had was droid!jongho x programmer!reader and that's it. i'll admit i hate droids im never writing droids again but at least i overcame this challenge, and i know you will too! if you ever need someone to bounce ideas with, i'm here. i love doing that. good luck <3 hope my rant was meaningful LOL

[my-strange-attraction]

I am a lesbian and I came across Lostryu’s post by way of a mutual of mine. I was curious and wanted to see your response. I have to say your rebuttal contains nothing of merit that could possibly fare as a proper argument. It’s chock full of contradictory statements and straight up lies. I am assuming you’re a USA resident, but the highest university with an LGBT+ population is Brown Univeristy; and only about 20-24% of people reported being LGBT+

As a fellow english major, it was painful to read. Constant contradiction with only half formed ideas; practically agreeing with Lostryu regarding the definition of lesbian only to backpedal…. And words do have meaning, that’s why we use them in our craft as wordsmiths. You can’t simply replace keywords with opposite definitions and expect your manuscript to make sense!

I also want to point out that you degendered Lostryu entirely, refusing to use correct pronouns. That in and of itself is very transphobic. I don’t really trust your judgment as it seems like you didn’t even care about reblogging from lesbian and transgender rape apologists.

I thought you might like to reflect on this, but I truly think you care more about your self-perceived moral superiority rather than actual people.

-🧁

Oh boy. Ok.

Well thanks for being so kind and civil and not attacking my character.

I know you don't trust me, but you gotta trust that a queerer school than Brown exists and I go to it. I can see where the confusion is, after doing a google search myself, because my school is pretty small and doesn't show up on a lot of searches for colleges in the US. I will give you that, after looking up the number myself, it's more like 50-70%, but I will tell you that less than a quarter of the people I know and talk to on a regular basis are straight and cisgender.

I'm not writing an english essay here, it's a tumblr post. If anything, this is a lot closer to how I would format a philosophy paper, which, if you've ever read one of those, are very rambly and have roundabout ways of getting to the point. Also, again, thanks for not attacking my character, here. Thanks for really respecting me and not discrediting my nearly completed degree. Really appreciate that.

I... have no words. I used they/them/theirs pronouns throughout the whole post, which, I cannot stress enough, are NEUTRAL pronouns. I use those pronouns for all people online, and I think most other people do too. Yes, I knew he used he/him and used they/them instead, but I also cut his username out of all my screenshots. I wasn't talking about him specifically, his post was just an excuse for me to explain a concept in depth, and explain why exclusionism such as what he was promoting is detrimental to the queer community as a whole.

I didn't include his username or @ him at all. It wasn't even meant for him to look at, really. He was an example, a nebulous person with an opinion I don't agree with. It wasn't personal, so I used neutral pronouns. I am really sorry it came across that way though, I never want to make anyone uncomfortable and I know pronouns are super important to pay attention to for some people. This is an actual sincere apology.

I don't think I'm morally superior, that's not the point. I don't argue with people on the internet in order to prove my opinions are right and that anyone else with different opinions has made a wrong and evil choice and is unredeemable as a person. Really this whole thing happened because the original post had some terfy red flags and even though op isn't a terf, I wanted to point it out so that people know how to spot it and avoid it.

And do I think it's bad for the community to exclude mspec lesbians? Yes, but I also understand where the frustration comes from. I don't think less of people who have that opinion, I just hope to change their minds, because I think a radically inclusive community is the best kind of community.

[amournoir]

Writing Questions Tag Game!

tagged by @fvckinghenrycavill thank you love!

• What is your absolute all-time favourite idea you've ever had?

the general idea that i should write. i had read so many fics and i figured i should try to write one as well. my problem was that i had so many ideas but i couldn’t get them all down fast enough which made me procrastinate but i finished my first ‘series’ and quickly after, i had an idea about another one 😭 i’m not a new writer though, i’ve been writing since i was at least 11, my first ‘public’ story was an OC on quotev which is cringeworthy to read now so i tried brushing it up and posted that on wattpad (ended up making the whole thing private) and then i wrote on tumblr and posted my first ‘fic’.

• Is there a question you've been asked in the past that really stands out to you and you still think about sometimes?

no, at least not on tumblr. when i wrote on quotev, i had other writers who asked to be co-authors on my story which made me feel like i was doing something right.

• What is your favourite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

the writing part is my favorite especially if my idea easily flows from my head to my fingertips. i love things that look visually appealing so it takes me a bit longer to make the entire fic look pretty. something i would leave would be writer’s block because it’s not about lacking inspiration, it’s about losing the drive/desire to write anything. it’s even worse when i have a great series lined up but the thought of sitting down and writing it physically makes me sick.

also, i’m a perfectionist, i can’t stand the thought of writing anything that is subpar so i tend to put that wip on the side which i then forget to return to later….on the off chance that i do return to it, i hate the fic idea so now i completely won’t write it. i no longer come up with a fic title, i just write my idea down and keep going, i’ll figure out a title or summary at the end. if i don’t it this way, it’ll force me to look at the fic in one way only which stresses me out because i feel like i can’t deviate from the ‘original’ idea if that makes sense.

• What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

1) reading the responses to my fics + reading fics from other authors that i adore. i’ve read my fair share of fics but only a couple have stood out to me. i gravitate more towards writers that have a similar writing style as myself or those who want to tell a story that you can easily follow along with that pulls you in.

2) music. i can create any fic from either a full song or just one lyrical line (must be powerful enough). i dislike music fics though, you know the ones that have lyrics in the fic….yeah not a fan but that’s my opinion. also, playlists are my favorite thing to ever have existed because i create a whole series from a 1hr playlist.

3) booktok. if you’re on tiktok, you know exactly what i’m talking about when i say ‘booktok’. i won’t go in depth explaining this one but just know it’s deriving ideas from existing books.

• What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

writer’s block is different for everyone and you never know when it’ll actually hit you. i’ve never had it in my whole life up until this year and i totally didn’t know how to ‘handle’ it.

• What is your favourite story you've written TO COMPLETION? Link it if you'd like and can!

i wish i could link it! lol it’s the one in my head, i have 2 series and idk when they’ll ever be done or if they will be.

• What is your favourite out-of-the-box quote?

lol i don’t think i have one

• Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

i’m still working on my wips and there are new characters but surprisingly none of them. their mindset might be controversial to some but not me honestly. i like characters that have an ideal or two that can be relatable, i wouldn’t write characters that are fully unhinged because i can’t force myself into that mindset and it’d be uncomfortable to write. *i will revisit this question later on because it’s interesting to me*

• If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

lmao younger me would definitely think i’ve lost my mind with half the ideas i’ve come up with. also, she might be a bit disappointed because i loved writing poetry and there’s this specific piece of writing that i adore, it’s my favorite thing i’ve ever written and i wish i could write like that again. it was a short story for a class and i wholeheartedly love it. other than that, she wouldn’t be too surprised because i haven’t changed that much, i grew up and so did my perspective of how to write stories.

🏷️ tag you’re it: @dreamingwithrafe @delicate-moon-princess @softcoremaybank @fleurfairie + anyone else!

[atelier-kristel]

5 Crucial Leassons I Learned as a Female Artist and Entrepreneur

Being a full-time female artist and running your own business is a tough enterprise, being a woman on top of that comes with its own set of challenges. I feel incredibly privileged for the career that I have and the opportunities that I have gotten along the way. They have all been a result of hard work, determination and ambition.  

Whenever I am approached for advice by a budding female artist or entrepreneur who is trying to make it out there, I have a lot to say as I end up reflecting on all the lessons that I have learned over the course of my career. This blog is going to be a retrospective one, as I look back and list down 5 invaluable lessons that I would like to pass down to all the women creators and entrepreneurs out there.

So, let’s get going…

Lesson 1 – Stop apologizing

Okay, I understand. As women, we are programmed to constantly apologize for wanting things, for being ambitious. Well, no one got anywhere by being sorry or cautious about upsetting people. You cannot get everyone to like you regardless of what you do or don’t do, so stop over-apologizing and obsessing over the opinions of people that you might never see again.  

Embrace your ambitions and dreams like a coat of armour and wear it proudly, with your head held high.

Lesson 2 – Work-life balance is key

I know, I know… You have invested all your time and effort into this craft and business, the desire for it to get off the ground is immense. So, you spend every waking moment obsessing over every single detail and idea to a point where you are spending countless hours working and never really finding the time to destress and recharge.

You know, what that does?  

Yes, you end up burnt out and with zero motivation for not only your art but also your family and friends. Therefore, have boundaries between your work and your personal life. It is only when you have this clear healthy divide, you are able consistently create and have the energy to face all kinds of professional challenges.

Lesson 3 – Mistakes are okay. Learn from them and move on.

We all hate making mistakes.  

I know, I did.  

It is the way, we are raised and taught in schools to avoid making mistakes because a mistake means that we have failed or that our shortcomings have been exposed. This is the mindset that we need to change and approach everything from a place of growth and learning.  

Every mistake presents you with an opportunity to learn and grow from it. This is how we get wiser, as we get older by making mistakes and hitting the bumps on the road. When it comes to running a woman-led business, it is impossible to not make mistakes because you are creating and managing something from scratch. So, don’t be too hard on yourself and take your mistakes as invaluable lessons.

Lesson 4 – Ask for help and delegate!

Yes, asking for help can be the most vulnerable thing to do when you are a perfectionist like I am. However, the fact remains that you can’t do everything yourself.  

It is literally impossible.  

Even if you try to micromanage and control everything, you will end up with same outcome that I had outlined in Lesson 2: burnt out, tired and out of motivation. If you are struggling or facing a challenge in your work because of a knowledge or skill gap, then ask for help. I am sure there are plenty of people and resources out there to assist you.

Also, at a certain point in the growth of your business, consider hiring people who can be delegated with tasks that are a time suck for you. Conserve your time and energy for things that actually matter to you and your growing business.

Lesson 5 – Surround yourself with people who actively support and encourage you.

This is a lesson that I cannot stress on enough.  

A flower cannot bloom, if it does not have the right environment which provides it with enough sunshine and water. It’s the same way with us.  

We need a support system of people who stand by us and support us, when we are combating self-doubt and our insecurities. This support can come from spouses, siblings and friends. I would also suggest networking and finding yourself mentors who are female entrepreneurs running profitable businesses similar to yours and were in your position at one point. These mentors provide crucial guidance and advise to not only help you grow and thrive, but also take your business to the next level.

There you have it: my pearls of wisdom for you to ponder over and implement. Doing art full time and running an art business can be a challenging and alienating experience, please know that you are not alone. Take a deep breath, consider what I have discussed in this blog and let’s get going!

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Check my digital artwork collection HERE.

[zepskies]

Hello, my love! 🩷

Ahaha no worries, hun!! Now you get to read Parts 2 and 3 without having to wait! 😂

I leave an hour for each stage of getting ready.

Exactly! And an extra hour for cushion! You get my math. 😂

But yes, I really wanted to call back to moments in BMD, and a red dress for Christmas seemed a perfect time to shoutout the night they met. 🥲 I'm so glad you enjoyed the description of the fit. I had a really fun time researching dresses and how to visualize it narratively!

[On Ben buying her earrings from an old-school catalogue lol]: It's my headcanon that with the kind of money this guy has, being a little rich boi, he'd like to bling his girl out. Now, our reader's not materialistic (and probably wasn't given many gifts as a kid/over the years with the hard lifestyle she led), so she really takes those gifts to heart.

THEY’RE SO CUTE OMGGG!!! Him modernising for her, and Pookie dipping her toe into the vintage era for him 🥹

Exactly my goal here! I knew you would pick that out. 😘

Benjamin, that would entail messing up the hair and makeup that took ages to perfect 🖐️

Well, ordinarily yes, but Trina's stress is gonna push our girl to the brink this time. 😅

LOL you're right, Marie treating him like a son is ironic when you remember his real age. 😂 But yeah, Louisa's being a bit salty. She has her reasons, but still. 🫠

“You’d told him about Alexa and Siri and all those techno bitches out there now, controlling people’s houses. He didn’t trust it.” — Omg this is such a funny concept to me, Ben learning about all of this shit would be hilarious 🤣 and it’s even funnier that he doesn’t trust it LMAOO!!

Isn't that just the best visual? Ben interacting with Alexa like she's a real fucking person, being confused and suspicious AF. 🤣🤣

And of course he gravitates to George. They're the closest in age! 😂 But it was so fun shading in the reader's family, especially with George, with her sense of humor/mischief coming from him.

When I see ‘Mets’ it reminds me of a club we have in Brisbane called ‘The Met’.

Oh that's so cool!!

Stan grandma for clear skin. At least Ben can’t hit on her with her being dead…

LOL wait 'til Great Aunt Sylvia meets him in Part 3. 😂

Oh it’s easy, just say that one of his dipshit employees at the time kidnapped you for no good reason, and so Soldier Boy nobly… uhh… kept you on house arrest, and eventually killed aforementioned dipshit.

LMFAO a nice and easy summation. But omfg your comments on Trina had my dying a million deaths. 🤣🤣 Some of my favorites:

Does this mean that EVERYONE can spit the truth? Because Trina I’ve gotta say, you’re a big mouthed slag who nobody likes because you give thoughts that nobody even asked for 🤙

TRINA YOU SLUTBAG THAT WAS SO OUTTA POCKET!

Trina why the fuck are you so obsessed with weight?? Who HURT you?

Believe me, you get this a lot in Latino/Hispanic households. It's obnoxious. 🙄🙄 Meanwhile, they be eating a whole tray of custard flan by themselves.

Ben’s intro to her family was less chaotic then I thought, he funnily enough just got to chill with the oldies.

Lol that's true! His turn will come more in Part 3. But while I don't have a "Trina" to this degree in my family, I have had grandmothers who made unsolicited opinions on weight and beauty, etc. 🥲

It was fun to see Ben and George interact though, I was curious to see how he might react to his granddaughter dating a man as old as he is and I love that it wasn’t even brought up.

...This is a great point, actually lmao. I could've explored that a bit more. But when I think about it, the boomer era was known for being kind of blase about age gaps. Granted, Ben's 102 and the reader is less than half his age. 🤣

But he's in this 45-ish man body, so it's almost like an Edward Cullen/Bella situation -- the age gap is so wide it doesn't even really matter anymore. What matters is the differing rates at which both of them will continue to age.

Though the reader does have to contend with Louisa's opinions on Ben's age. So there's that. 🤣

I'm so glad that you enjoyed Part 2!! I'm very excited to see what you think of Part 3. 😘😘

Love Actually - Part 2

Paring: Soldier Boy/Ben x Reader

Summary: You and Ben steel yourselves in order to meet your crazy family for Christmas dinner.

AN: Here’s the requested Part 2! It got too long, so I had to break it up lol. There will be a Part 3 after this (final part). I also tried really hard to find an image/gif that would match this chapter better, but alas, there are only so many pictures of this scruffy guy. (And none in a real suit. 😂)

Read Part 1

Remember, this story is set in the same world as “Break Me Down,” and set before “Checkerboard.” But this can be read as a stand-alone! Hope you enjoy…

Word Count: 4,800 Tags/Warnings: Tense situations, bit of angst, lots of sexy fluff

Part 2: "Season’s Greetings"

Ben checked his watched again. 

He’d lost count of how many times, how many minutes, how long he’d been waiting for you to come down the goddamn stairs so he could get this night over with. 

You’d been getting ready for this dinner with your family for four hours. How long did it take you to slap on some makeup and throw on a dress?

Finally, he heaved a sigh and got up from the couch, adjusting the watch on his wrist. He stayed by the foot of the stairs and called up to you.

“Hey. What’s taking so damn long?” he asked. His brows were furrowed, mouth set in an aggravated frown. “I already told you. I’m not planning on being at this thing all night. So if you don’t come down here in the next ten minutes, I swear to fucking Christ—” 

Ben stopped short, as he heard your footsteps at the top of the stairs. When he looked up with expectant, pursed lips, his face subtly froze. 

“What? What’re you gonna do?” you teased. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, you grasped the guardrail and carefully made your way down the stairs. These heels were no joke. 

You had a black suede clutch tucked in your other hand, but Ben was drawn to the bright red of your dress. The color alone appealed to him. It called back a memory of a musty club, rich whiskey, and the dulcet tones of your voice.

But now, this dress was shorter. It also hugged your every curve and stopped just a few inches above the knee. He noticed a tantalizing little slit in the back, at the hem, leading his eyes down your sheer pantyhose and down to the tall, black heels.

His lips formed a teasing smile. “You sure you can walk in those?” 

But you could see the truth in his eyes; he liked what he saw. They raked back up your body, taking in the short sleeves, the slight plunge of the neckline, the red lipstick as bright as your dress, the soft sweep of eyeliner and dark lashes—and you hoped he noticed the way you’d painstakingly done your hair into soft, ‘40s style waves.

“Do I look shaky to you?” you countered.

Ben tilted his head slightly as he stared up at you. “Not one bit.”

He reached out for you on the last step of the stairs. You took his hand and gave him a grateful look, but your hand didn’t stop there. It grazed up the sleeve of his suit jacket as you took him in with a smile.

Not often one to don a simple black suit, Ben went with a charcoal gray against a crisp black undershirt. No tie though, leaving the first couple of buttons casually open. 

“Look at my man, all sharp and modern and sexy as hell,” you purred. He accepted the praise with a pleased quirk of his lips. 

Normally you wouldn’t try to feed his peacock-level pride too much. He knew he was a damn fine-looking man. However, you also knew he wasn’t totally into meeting the rest of your family tonight. You knew you needed to give him a (well earned) ego boost.

“Gotta match my girl,” said Ben. Though he fingered the ends of your softly curled hair with a more genuine glint to his smile. “Though you’ve gone a bit vintage.”

“Compromise.” You grinned, and you leaned up for a soft kiss. 

He met you there, even pressing his luck when his tongue begged entrance against your lips. You held his cheek and brushed your thumb there tenderly, but you soon broke away. 

“We’ve got somewhere to be,” you reminded him. Ben sighed through his nose, though his hands molded to your waist.  

“I didn’t realize you were that kinky,” he said. His voice was deep and suggestive. Your face started to heat up, even as your brows knitted with confusion.

“What?” you asked. 

“I know you’re not gonna make me wait all night to get a taste of this,” he said. And he leaned down to begin plying you with his heavy hands and his lips along your neck. “I gotta assume you want me to fuck you in your mom’s house.”

You uttered a shocked laugh. You batted his shoulder, even though it didn’t even make him blink. His lips curved as they grazed your neck. He inhaled under your ear, making a pleasant shudder run down your spine. He hummed in approval.

“Is that the perfume I got you?” he asked. 

“Mhmm,” you nodded. “I like it a lot. Makes me feel all warm and spicy.”

Ben chuckled into your neck. He did pull back eventually to thumb around the edge of one of your earrings—the second part of his Christmas gift to you. The white stone and silver filigree shone in the light. 

“They look good,” he remarked, giving you a charming smile. “Better on you than the catalogue girl.”

Now that was an image. Soldier Boy: browsing through a magazine of women’s jewelry. You smiled brightly at him. 

“Thank you, baby,” you replied. “They really are beautiful.”

Then you glanced down to find your gift to him on his wrist: a new silver Rolex. You turned his hand over to make sure that it fit him right.

“Not too tight, right? Not too loose.” you asked.

He shook his head. “Nah, it’s good.”

“Just good? Does it still need adjusting? We can go back to the store and have them fix it—”

“It’s perfect, sweetheart. Stop fussing,” he said. Your lips pursed as you looked up at him from the watch. 

“I just want to make sure you’re happy with it, that’s all,” you said. 

“I am,” he replied. But his smile, the hidden glint of something in his eyes, made you blush. Inside, you were warm and pleased.  

“All right, let’s go then,” you said. “I’ve got the rum cake, and the actual rum ready to go in the kitchen. And the presents are lined up by the door. Can you load those up in the car for me while I get the food?”

Ben obliged you, though he soon balked at the army of presents waiting for him by the door. When did you have time to get all of these? He didn’t remember you buying all this shit. 

Though he realized, this must’ve been how you filled your time after work, while he was gone for the past two weeks on that mission. 

As he loaded the gifts into the car, Ben reluctantly remembered that it had been…strange, to be away from you. For the past few months, you two had fallen into a rhythm. Waking up to each other, busy morning routines before work, sharing your evenings afterwards. 

You had also been making it your mission to find new things to do together. Like paintballing, of all things. Or comedy shows, new movies and restaurants, concerts, club nights with your friends. Though it was weird for him, sometimes, to go to a show without all the celebrity fanfare he used to get as Soldier Boy.    

Well, he was still Soldier Boy. He just wasn’t getting paid anywhere near the same as he used to. (But let’s face it, he didn’t need the damn money. He’d earned plenty in 40 years of fame and family inheritance.) 

People still knew his name, still worshiped him at times, but it wasn’t the same. He wasn’t part of Vought’s machine anymore. No one really told him what to do, but if he wanted this life—here, in upstate New York—he was forced to make efforts to color within the lines of the law (mostly). Hell, he actually worked for a living. Even if it was for the government.  

The point was, he was part of something. And it wasn’t totally shit, even if he was surrounded by morons on a daily basis…  

By the time you opened the passenger side door to interrupt his musings, Ben remembered to actually start the car. 

“You okay?” you asked as you clicked in your seatbelt. You were keeping a close eye on him tonight, trying to gauge his shifting moods. 

Ben hesitated, but when he glanced over at you, he reached over and thumbed at your chin, under those ruby red lips. It made you smile. 

“Yeah,” he replied. Though he let out a subtle breath as he faced the road and took the wheel of the car. Ever perceptive though, you sent him an assessing look. 

“You’re not nervous, are you?” you asked. His brows furrowed slightly.

“Why would I be?” he asked, his voice a bit sharp. Defensive, you interpreted. 

Instead of answering, you leaned over and laid a hand on his thigh.

“Look, my mom already likes you. Louisa’s going to come around,” you said. Your mouth edged into a smile, of sorts. “I just need you to stop me from killing my aunt with a ladle.” 

Ben snorted in response. “All right.”

When the two of you arrived at your mother’s house, she opened the door to her home and greeted your boyfriend like a long-lost son. 

“Oh, Ben! Come in, please,” she beckoned, grabbing his arm and guiding him inside. “You look so handsome, my goodness!” 

Ben couldn’t help offering a smile. It was infused with his usual charm. 

“Marie,” he greeted with a nod. You shook your head, despite your own smile. Ben liked attention—along with a bit of praise and fanfare went without saying. And you knew your mom wouldn’t be the only one to play into that tonight. 

“Hi, Mom,” you said pointedly, with a hand on your hip. Marie turned to you with a bright smile. 

“Oh! Honey, there you are. Merry Christmas!” She brought you in and hugged you tight. She then fairly gushed as she took in your dress and touched your hair. “Oh, you look so beautiful. I wish you’d come earlier though. I need you to help me and Trina. Come on.”

Marie glanced up at Ben again. “Oh, you too, hun! We can introduce you to everyone.”

Ben nodded. He followed your lead behind your mother, and you inwardly steeled yourself on the way to the kitchen. The familiar smells awaiting you brought you back to the better parts of your childhood. Ones that were filled with music, laughs, and good food.    

And if there was one redeeming quality about your Aunt Trina, it was that she could cook her ass off. Since your mom had always been more of the “boxed meal” variety cook, Trina always took over at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and just about every other family gathering. 

She was putting the ham in the oven while your sister sat at the kitchen table with your Grandpa George, peeling potatoes. The bigger table in the dining room was currently set up with appetizers and wine. 

But the sounds of chatter and pots and pans and cabinets closing—it all stopped when you and Ben entered the kitchen. You felt his hand at the small of your back, and whether he meant it to or not, that familiar touch stabilized you. 

Even Trina stopped giving Louisa directions on how to correctly peel and cut the potatoes for boiling. Her mouth opened when she took in the sight of Ben, from head to toe. 

“Good evening,” he said, if only to break the silence. 

But you knew the rest was up to you. You curled a hand around his solid arm and gave him a smile, before looking to your family. 

“Hey, guys. Merry Christmas!” you greeted. “This is my boyfriend, Ben.”

Trina squealed in excitement. She came over (with a wooden spoon in hand) to give you an enthusiastic hug and kiss. She held your arms and looked between you and Ben. 

“Your mom said you were dating a superhero, but I had no idea…” she twittered. “I mean…it’s Soldier Boy. He’s in my kitchen!” 

“It’s Mom’s kitchen, actually,” you muttered. Trina’s excitement dimmed slightly as she rolled her eyes at you.

“Ever the smart mouth,” she said, playfully whacking you in the ass with her spoon. 

Ben smirked. He certainly agreed with your aunt’s assessment. He turned to her to offer something in greeting, but before he could, Louisa’s voice cut in from across the room. 

“What should we call you? Ben, or Soldier Boy?” she asked dryly. 

You frowned, gave your sister a look. Meanwhile, Ben didn’t quite make it to a smile, but he was civil when he answered her. 

“Ben’s fine.”

You remained in the kitchen to help out, while Ben migrated to the living room with your grandfather. Ben grabbed a large glass of wine on his way there, along with a few mini quiche to tide him over until dinner. 

He then noticed an old woman sleeping on the leather recliner. 

“Who’s that?” he asked George. 

“Oh, that’s Great Aunt Sylvia,” George said. “She just took an oxy for her hip. She’ll be passed out ‘til dinner.”  

Ben blinked at the casual mention of oxycodone, but he wouldn’t mind a few of what Sylvia was having. Oxy gave him such a nice buzz. 

But instead, he and George sat on opposite ends of the couch while Sylvia snored away. 

For a moment, it was quiet, save for the soft crooning of Nat King Cole playing (and Sylvia). The music came from a small round speaker on the coffee table, Ben noticed. You’d told him about Alexa and Siri and all those techno bitches out there now, controlling people’s houses. He didn’t trust it. 

“You like baseball?” George asked as he turned on the TV. Ben nodded, and the other man put on a game. Mets versus the Cubs, three to one. The men were silent for a while as they watched the game. 

Unfortunately for Ben, that peace couldn’t last. 

“So,” George started. “You’re a supe, huh?”

Ben inclined his head, sipping at his wine. This was what he fucking hated. Small talk. 

“I remember you,” George said. “My wife and I liked that movie you made…King of Kings. With Charlton Heston. What a classic that guy was.”

Ben smiled. “He was a good time. Drank like a fucking fish.”

George raised a brow. “Did he? Well, we all need a glass every now and then.”

Ben nodded, taking a pointed sip of his wine. 

“Heston. One of the few celebrities I gave a shit about when he died,” George said with a shake of his head. “Wasn’t long before my wife’s passing.”

You’d told Ben a lot about your grandmother. When your parents got divorced, she’d insisted that you, your mom, and your sister live with her and George. She didn’t want to take any chances with your dad, who’d been more than unstable at the time in his drinking. 

Ben didn’t often pray. But he drank then with a silent toast, that good ole’ Jon was getting hot coals up the ass right about now. In hell.

Ben then considered your grandfather’s musings, realizing he hadn’t thought about his old pal Heston in a long time.  

“How’d he die?” Ben asked. George glanced over at him.

“Well, official case was pneumonia. But it wasn’t all that clear,” he said. “However, I think he had a flare up.”

“Of what?” Ben asked.

George gave him a wry look. “The fate that all men fear. Ass cancer.”

Ben raised a brow, his mouth twitching. He had a feeling he knew where your sense of humor came from. 

“You probably don’t have to worry about that,” George waved a dismissive hand. “You’re still young. Well, sort of…I mean, being superhuman and all that. I’m sure that comes in handy with the normal stuff, like the sniffles and whatnot…and hey! At least you won’t have to worry about your asshole fallin’ out.”

Ben actually smiled. Now he knew you were related to this man. 

In the kitchen, you were trying and failing to dodge a game of “Twenty Questions” with your aunt, while you and your sister finished cutting potatoes. All of the questions were predictably centered around Ben. Luckily, you had a plate of mini quiche, cheese, and salami between you and Louisa to keep you pacified. 

“Well, you’ve done well for yourself, I’ll give you that,” Trina said. “But why on God’s green Earth didn’t you tell us you were dating Soldier Boy? How the hell did you even meet him?”

Shit. There was more than one reason you hadn’t told the rest of your family yet, and this was partly it. How the hell were you supposed to explain this? 

Louisa shot you a knowing look, along with a raised brow. 

“Well, I was actually assigned to find him after he…went missing last year,” you said, keeping things purposefully vague. “We met and…things just kind of took off from there.”

Your mom and your sister didn’t even know all the details, but they knew this much. After Soldier Boy used his nuclear power to end Homelander, he’d escaped in the aftermath. 

You’d been working a year in Surveillance at Supe Affairs, but you’d been a private investigator by trade, previously working at your father’s firm. You’d even worked at Vought for a few years, before joining the S.A. 

You were then recruited by Grace Mallory to track down Soldier Boy, along with Butcher and his team. 

…And that’s where things got complicated. 

“But isn’t Soldier Boy the one who killed Homelander?” Trina asked. She stopped in her stirring of the cranberry sauce to look back at you. And you met her stare directly. 

“Yes. He was partnered with the CIA on that.” Sort of. You added, “Homelander wasn’t the hero you all thought you knew, remember? He was a raging psychopath.”

Trina huffed at that. 

“So was your father. And you still worked with him for years,” she remarked, even off-handedly as she went back to stirring.

Your entire body stilled. Inside, your temper was a lit fuse, preparing to ignite. You stuffed a mini quiche into your mouth to stop you from exploding. 

And your mom and your sister recognized the danger. Louisa frowned tightly and touched your arm. 

She had been too young to form a true relationship with your father by the time your parents were divorced, and your grandparents (and later you) hadn’t allowed Jon to interfere too much with Louisa's life. So Jon’s death, a mere seven months ago, hadn’t truly affected her as deeply as it had you. 

And that in itself was complicated. 

Marie paused in preparing the sweet potato casserole to give her sister a warning look. 

“Trina, that’s not fair,” said Marie. 

Your aunt shrugged. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

Slowly, you stood. You grabbed a hand towel and brushed the velvety remains of potato skin from your hands. You also took the plate of cheese cubes and salami with you. 

“Honey, she just means—” 

“I know what she meant, Mom,” you said. Your mother wasn’t confrontational. She would never tell her sister to shut the fuck up when she was being out of pocket. 

But you had no problem doing so. You walked over to Trina, who saw the look in your eye and actually relented, realizing that there was, in fact, a line, and she had crossed it. 

“Look, I’d like us to continue having a nice evening,” you told her. “Mention my father again, and it won’t be.” 

After a moment, Trina nodded. 

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that. Don’t mind me,” she said. But then, she smiled. “I’m really happy for you, sweetheart. You’ve got a superhero! Who knew you’d pull that one off, huh?”

Your flat smile remained. “Oh, yeah? How do you mean?” 

Trina faltered. Apparently, she hadn’t expected that. 

“Oh. Well, you know…”

“No. I really don’t. Can you clarify for me?” you asked, using the same even tone you employed with testy co-workers on the Surveillance team. 

Trina sighed. “Oh, honey. You’re a beautiful girl, but…”

“What?” you challenged. “Just say it.”

Behind Trina’s coil of dark hair piled on her head, Marie looked worried. Louisa was also on tenterhooks, gripping the kitchen table. She slowly got to her feet though, in case she needed to intervene. 

“Well, I wasn’t gonna say anything,” Trina said. She gestured to you, after grabbing a cheese cube off your plate. “But your hips, hun. I mean, I enjoy a snack. A bon bon. A chocolate eclair. The occasional croissant, but the weight don’t come off easier as you get older, does it?” 

You were officially burning like a tea kettle.  

“And with a man like that…” Trina fanned herself with the discarded, empty bag of cranberries. “Mother of God. He’s gotta be beating ‘em off with a fucking stick.” 

Your mom pursed her lips at the salty language, giving Trina a sharp glance (for multiple reasons). 

Trina noticed, but she only popped another piece of salami into her mouth. “Sorry, hun.” 

But then she turned back to you. 

“And have you talked about kids yet? That’ll be some serious weight gain.” 

You let out a sharp breath and raised your gaze heavenward, pleading for mercy. 

“Jesus Christ,” you muttered.  

“I’m just sayin’!” she said. “He might have forever, but you certainly don’t.” 

Now that one struck a nerve. Perhaps not the one she intended, but it cut deeply into you all the same. You and Ben had agreed to pin that conversation for now, but the fact was, he would continue to age much slower than you. 

At your steely glare, Trina again raised her hands. This time in placating defense. “I’m trying to help you, is all I’m saying.” 

You gripped the edge of the kitchen counter so tight you thought a manicured nail might break off. You’d reached the end of your tether. 

“I’ve been here for all of five minutes—” 

“Okay, you know what?” Louisa finally stepped in and grabbed your arm. “I need your help. Let’s find the red tablecloth so we can set the table.”

She led you out of the kitchen and into the hall, but you stopped short so fast that you skidded a bit in your heels. You took deep breaths and braced a hand against the wall.  

You turned to your sister. “Why doesn’t she attack you like that?” 

“Oh, believe me,” Louisa said, rolling her eyes. “I had my turn before you got here. I’ve been locked in with these clucking hens all morning.” 

A grin twitched at the corner of your lips. 

“My condolences,” you said. But then, you look at your sister a bit harder. “And you. What’s your problem, huh? How long are you going to give Ben a hard time?” 

It took her a moment, but Louisa eventually sighed. 

“I mean, Aunt Trina’s an asshole, but she kind of said it. He’s literally a century-years-old,” she said. “How do you not have a problem with that?” 

You crossed your arms, though you knew you didn’t have a good answer for that one. 

“Age is…relative.” You struggled against a wince. 

“He lived through the damn Dust Bowl,” Louisa deadpanned. “He’s fucking ancient.” 

You glared back at her. “Okay, enough. What’s your real problem, huh? I mean really.”

Louisa let out another sigh. Her hands went to her hips. You hadn’t had a chance to tell her, but she looked pretty tonight too in her black dress. It flared at the waist and reached her knees, and she’d paired it with some chunky red heels. She was a little taller than you normally, but not by much. As the older sister, you enjoyed finally being taller than her for once in your higher heels. 

Still, you were annoyed with her right now. You sensed she had something deeper against Ben, and it wasn’t all about his age. When she eventually answered, it just confirmed your suspicions. 

“He’s dangerous,” she said at last. “He’s so fucking dangerous.” 

That disheartened you. Your lips pressed, and you held onto your own arms a bit tighter. 

“Not to me,” you replied. Louisa’s frown deepened as her brows knitted together.

“Especially to you,” she said. “He kidnapped you.” 

You gave a wan smile. “Not technically.” 

That had been one of his subordinates, who’d taken you outside of Ben’s orders…

It was a long and complicated story, but basically, it had worked out for both of you in the end. 

Louisa gave you a more incredulous look. “He’s got an atomic bomb in his chest.” 

“He’s working on controlling it,” you insisted. “He’s gotten a lot better!” 

Louisa threw her hands upward in exasperation and turned to leave you in the hall. You stopped her with a hand on her arm. 

“Look, I get it,” you said, meeting her gaze directly. “You’re worried about me. But here’s the thing…you don’t have to do that. I’m the one who looks out for you, remember?” 

Once again, she frowned at you. “Why, just because you’re older?” 

You gave her a teasing smile. 

“Well, yeah.” Still, you grasped both of her arms, now crossed in front of her chest. “Lou, haven’t I always taken care of you?” 

“Okay, yeah,” she said. “But who takes care of you? Who makes sure you’re all right?” 

You gave her a patient, if knowing look. 

She grimaced. “Oh, don’t you say it.” 

“Honestly, Lou. He does take care of me…he makes me feel safe.” You bit your lip, and your eyes began to well up with the sting of tears, emotion rising in your throat. “I’ve never had that. Ever.” 

Your sister released a heavy sigh. “I know.” 

“Then can you actually try to get to know him? Please?” You rubbed her arms, pleading with your eyes. You wanted your family to like your boyfriend, but it was so much more than that. You didn’t want to have separate worlds. Everyone in this house was part of your family, and that now included Ben.

The longer she looked into your imploring eyes, Louisa’s grimace lightened, just a touch. “I’ll think about it.” 

You smiled then, warmly as you hugged your sister. You then kissed her on the cheek, leaving the bright red imprint of your lipstick.

When you went back into the kitchen, your better mood was ruined pretty quickly by watching your aunt run your mother around the kitchen with demands and instructions. You decided to jump into the fray, taking a large serving bowl out of Marie’s hands before it tipped over.

“How’s the ham doing?” you asked. 

“About half an hour or so, I think,” Trina said. “Maybe forty-five.”

“Okay, and what’s left?”

“Let’s get the desserts ready.”

While your help sorely relieved your mother, it was actually a terrible idea for your mental health. When you could take no more of Trina’s irritating, commanding voice in your ear, you had to take a breath (as well as down a full glass of wine). 

You wordlessly asked Louisa to tag in for you before you traveled into the living room. 

There you found Ben immersed in a baseball game with Grandpa George. Both men only looked up at you when you stood near the couch with crossed arms. Your nerves were on edge, your blood still just short of boiling, but you took pains to look pleasant.

“Who’s winning?” you asked.

Ben quirked a smile at the sight of you, while George gave his more freely.

“5 to 3. It’s close on the Mets,” he said. You realized then that you hadn’t even hugged your grandfather yet. 

“Oh my God, Grandpa! I’m so sorry,” you said with a frown. You went over to hug him. “Trina has me all out of whack.”

George chuckled and patted you warmly on the back. “Why do you think I’m out here?”

You sighed with a wry smile. You then turned to Great Aunt Sylvia, who was still passed out in the recliner. 

“Aunt Sylvia?” you tried. You went over to her and touched her arm. 

“Leave her be, hun,” George told you. “Only the smell of food’ll rouse that woman.” 

Your smile deepened. Then you turned to Ben, who’d been watching you with reserved interest. He’d never seen you with the rest of your family before.

You went to him on his side of the couch and asked, in a tone deceptively light, “How about a tour of the house? You haven’t even seen it all.”

He could admit, it was a fairly big house for just your mother, but he was more interested in the game. 

“I’m watching this,” he said, gesturing at the screen. However, when he saw the tight press of your lips, he knew something wasn’t right with you. You were trying to tell him something with your eyes, he just didn’t know what.

You leaned down, subtly grabbing his thigh.

“I need you,” you whispered in his ear. “Now.” 

The tone of your voice set his blood alight with new interest.

Ben’s resulting smirk was subtle, but edged. 

“A tour it is.” 

AN: Just when you thought you'd seen the last of my BMD cliffhangers. 😏

How'd you like Ben's introduction to his girlfriend's family? I also sincerely hope you don't have an "Aunt Trina" in your life. 🙄

Next Time:

He grabbed your arms and meant to kiss you, but you stopped him with your fingers against his lips. 

“Two rules: this lipstick doesn’t come off. And no. Ripping. The dress.”

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[lavenderbexlatte]

day 24 - orgasm control

nct 1.2k words gender neutral reader insert Reader x Jung Jaehyun NSFW

🖤 warnings: teasing teasing teasing, situationally strange banter, a slowwwww handjob, using a man’s very competitive nature against him for sexy purposes 🖤

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Like most things, this gets much more interesting as soon as you frame it to him as a competition.

He's unstoppable when he has the opportunity to win. What winning means, in this scenario, is kind of unclear, but that doesn't seem to be holding Jaehyun back.

"Okay?" you check in.

"Fine."

A little heated, maybe, but he sounds fine.

One of the best things about Jaehyun is his low-maintenance personality. He's the kind of guy that goes where you ask, gives his opinions freely, and in more intimate matters, does whatever sounds the most fun in the moment. No stress. No worries about roles or strengths or his masculinity or other buzzkill things like that.

Which is why you figured he'd be down to give this a try. You just want to see how far he can take his cool and casual exterior.

The only rule, as you'd told him right up front, to an unimpressed dimpled half-grin, is that he only cums when you let him.

He'd said it was no problem, that he could handle himself. That maybe he'd even be able to convince you to go easier on him than intended with his adorable face and winning persuasion skills.

Doesn't seem like that's gonna happen.

"How long..." Jaehyun trails.

"Dunno."

You've got him on his back, on the laminate floor, in the sunlit and wide-open living room of your apartment. This wasn't exactly a planned dalliance, so you have to make do. Sometimes just watching a movie next to someone as infuriatingly hot as Jaehyun makes your mind wander, it's not your fault.

"You're - ah - you're going to want to get off, too, you know," Jaehyun says.

You shake your head. "I'm good."

"Come on, you don't even want me to-"

"Nope."

"But that thing I can do with my-"

"Baby, you know full well that I don't need to do anything but this to have fun."

Negotiation tactic number 17, failed.

He really is so pretty, though. Pretty enough that you can forgive any and all mental warfare.

Nude and shameless, lean masculine body lines sprawled on your floor, head tipped back and jaw working as he tries to control whatever struggle is playing out inside. His cock, as pretty as the rest of him, standing tall, so hard that you're sure he's having a difficult time, poor baby.

You've been jerking him off with alternating lubed-up hands as consistently and agonizingly as you can manage, slow and in control, for maybe fifteen minutes. Maybe twenty. It's not like you're keeping track, but he very well might be.

"If this is too much, we can change up the game," you offer.

"I don't think anything you come with is gonna be easier."

"You're right," you say, sweet as pie.

Even so, he grins, lazy. "Lay it on me."

"Since you're obviously not a fan of not being allowed to cum, we could see how many times you can cum in a row, instead."

It's the same game, if you're being honest. You, with free rein to do whatever you want, to make him feel whatever you think he deserves to feel, and him trusting you to make the end result worth it. Just a different process. He's not taking back any control, and he knows it.

That's what makes it so fun.

"You know, that second choice doesn't sound any better," says Jaehyun.

"Those are your choices."

Even strung out, many steps into this game, Jaehyun's dry humor is on top form. "I wanna talk to whoever's making up these games. It's bullshit."

"Already on the line, pal. And that's all you're getting."

"Then I'm going higher up the ladder. Can I speak to the manager?"

"Oooh, speaking."

"Damn."

He's talking to distract himself, and you shouldn't be letting him. It's like cheating, basically.

"Are you close?" you ask.

"I've been close."

"You know you can't-"

"I won't," he insists.

He can't, if he wants to win, and Jaehyun likes nothing better than winning.

"Think about it," you say, increasing your pace infinitesimally, making sure to catch him with a good twist on the upstroke, the way he likes. "You can pick all or nothing, remember."

"Such great - shit - choices."

"I try to be fair, that way."

"How long has it been?" he asks, and it's strangled in a way that makes you proud.

He hasn't been keeping track, then. Huh.

"Maybe like twenty-five minutes?"

"I've lasted half an hour? That has to count for something," he whines.

You shrug as best you can without breaking pace. "The deal is that you don't cum until I decide you can. Endurance by the numbers means nothing."

"Goddamnit, cut me a break!"

Oh, he's getting touchy. His temper flaring, breaking through that perfectly patient and chill exterior, is such a lovely sign that you're fraying his nerves, pushing all the right buttons.

"Do you want to cum, baby?" you ask.

"Of course I do!"

"Do you want to admit you can't hang, and for me to let you cum?" you rephrase, smirking.

The look he gives you is a veneer of annoyance over the best kind of desperation. You know how badly he wants to win. That makes it all so much sweeter.

"You've done a good job," you placate, "Nothing wrong with admitting that I'm too good at this, that you just couldn't do it."

"I can do it."

His voice is so thin, frayed by your carefully relentless onslaught of pleasure. You're telling the truth, of course; he's done a great job.

"If you want to cum, you just have to say that you lost."

It's not an offer he's going to take easily, but it's what you're going to give.

Jaehyun pries open his eyes to fix you with a helpless stare. He hates losing. He hates saying it.

That's the point.

"Any time now," you say.

Just to be awful, you circle your palm over his swollen head, earning a choked-out groan in his deepest voice. You don’t expect that to be the kind of thing that would break him, but his hips jump, his abs tense.

"You win, you win!" he says, nearly babbles. "Jesus, fuck, you win, okay, I want to cum, I want-"

"That's not what I said," you grin.

"I can't-"

"Oh, you absolutely can. Just tell me that you lost."

He doesn't say it. You slow down, just enough so that he'll notice, just enough to let his incoming high wane, to warn him that you mean business with this one.

And finally, desperation wins.

"I lose."

Jaehyun is pretty quiet when he cums, and this time is no exception.

He looks a little different, though. Cheeks tinged a darker pink than usual, the color creeping up his ears, as if he's embarrassed by the way this has gone. It's cute, in a way, sweet, that he was taking it all so seriously.

It's just a game, after all.  

Once the haze of his orgasm has cleared, as you're wiping his cum off your hand onto his t-shirt - he's gonna get mad about that later - Jaehyun is already looking at you, jaw set and eyes firm.

"Let's go again. And this time, I'm gonna win."

[wallflowerimagines]

*TW PERIOD MENTION*

If you're comfortable with this, could you do some hcs for the lords (but mainly moreau) with an s/o who gets HORRIBLE period cramps? Like they're literally writhing in pain and even after they take pain meds it's still miserable. Only do this if you feel comfortable of course, I totally understand if you dont want to do it❤

Hi, sorry folks, I bumped this to the top of the list, cuz I don't know if it's time sensitive for you, hope it brings comfort❤️ (Moreau's will have some extra)

TW: Period Mention, Reader is still Gender Neutral

Alcina Dimitrescu

Ah, she remembers those. She hasn't had to deal with one in a long while, due to her mutation, but even for her the experience was not pleasant.

This, however, looks very different.

Alcina cannot imagine the pain you must be in. You are curled into yourself on the couch, humming in an attempt to distract yourself from the pain, and you might try to hide them but she can see the tear tracks on your face.

Alcina takes care of you. Any of her day to day tasks can and will wait-- you are far more important. She doesn't leave the room unless you ask her to, and the Maids aren't let into the room unless it is to bring HER the things she needs to take care of you.

She will do whatever you need from her, no question. Cuddles, heated blankets, she will even read aloud to you as a distraction. Pro tip--her hands can get pretty chilly, and if you're someone who does well with ice packs, her hands work 100% better to cool off your skin.

Don't worry about her loosing control at the smell of blood--you are obviously in pain and she has far too much self control to let a little bit of blood bother her. (But depending on how hungry her daughters are, they might not be let in the room unless they have fed recently)

She will also use her contact with the Duke to find you a proper doctor. It's not normal for you to be in this much pain. Dearest, it doesn't matter if someone else has said there's nothing more to be done-- she's getting you a competent Doctor to get a second opinion.

Donna Beneviento

Donna is panicking.

Lady Beneviento is stressed the hell out by seeing you in pain--she hates it. You're lying in a pile of blankets on the floor, unable to be even the slightest bit comfortable because of the pain, and in such obvious agony that your hands are shaking.

Still, she's more than ready to make you feel better. Other than pain pills and more traditional treatment, Donna firmly believes in the power of distraction.

She will use books, movies, heck with your permission she might even use the pollen to craft a hallucination for you to help take the pain away.

(Ethan's encounter with the demon fetus was able to cause him enough harm that he felt it, Donna would definitely try to see if she could use her powers to trick your brain into not feeling as much pain)

She will also be attached to you at the hip, if you need space or can't be touched during your period, you need to tell her up front. She'll be very clingy when you are this miserable.

A little self indulgence here: while Donna does like her tea, she makes a KILLER hot chocolate. If chocolate brings you joy during your period, she has a constant, steady supply of it sent up to your room.

Salvatore Moreau

Salvatore engages Doctor mode immediately. For you to be in this much pain is both not normal and completely unacceptable. He's going to do his best to help.

This man absolutely used to be the Village doctor before his mutation, and as a result does Know His Shit. His siblings and mother may infantilize him to a certain degree, but that is mainly because Moreau's main issues are short term memory problems and his obsessive devotion to Mother Miranda that can make him regress. He's still competent as a doctor, and if he needs to reference anything, he still has some copies of medical textbooks.

He was also a Small Town Doctor, meaning he knows how to treat pain without access to traditional medicine, since often times he didn't have access to it.

It doesn't matter if you're not a tea person, you're still getting tea, made with herbs you don't know the name of and couldn't pronounce even if you did.

He doubles this up with more traditional pain relief methods like extra strength ibuprofen and heated compresses on the area. He might even talk you into doing a few exercises--it can help a lot with pain relief.

Still, when he's caring for you, sometimes he has to leave the room. He uses getting you a glass of water or another blanket as an excuse, but it's really so he can take a deep breath and center himself. Moreau is an empathetic man who loves you to pieces, and watching you cry silently into a pillow just...hurts.

Salvatore also does his best to distract you with anything he has on hand, mostly movies. While you two might normally playfully argue about which ones to watch, he will absolutely defer to you. I would recommend taking this time to watch a scary movie if you're a horror fan, there's literally no other time where Moreau would let you get away with it.

He is at your side constantly, and will only give you space if you ask for it. Even then, he will pop back in every few hours to check in.

Now for Fluff stuff: If you're not careful and watch him like he watches you, Moreau will run himself ragged trying to keep you comfortable.

The best solution to preventing this is coaxing him into bed with you. He might let out a couple of token protests, but one look at your pleading face takes all the fight right out of him.

He will cuddle up to you as close as possible and rub little circles into your back or stomach, whatever feels best. If you two are face to face, you can start to feel yourself relax in time with his breathing, and both of you slowly drift off to sleep together.

It's the best you've felt in days ❤️

Karl Heisenberg

Magnet Man is just... So lost...

You are writhing in agony in your bed, sobbing into a pillow, and so obviously suffering. He HATES to see you like this, because you're hurting and he doesn't know how to fix it.

Karl wants to hurt the things that hurt you, but when it's your own body rebelling against you and causing you pain...He wants to make it better for you but he can't.

He swallowed his pride IMMEDIATELY and called Moreau to the factory. Heisenberg might consider The Lord of the Reservoir to be a little slow in the head, but he used to be a doctor, and Karl is taking zero chances with your health.

He also pops by the Duke to pick up any kind of pain relief possible--Karl literally brings back 8 different brands of acetaminophen, hot water bottles, cocaine, opium, and enough alcohol to give an elephant a blackout. (Maybe he can get you to pass out long enough that you'll sleep through the worst of it?)

You will have to ask directly for cuddles if you want them--as handsy and clingy as Heisenberg is, he is so Bad At Feelings that he will just hover in the corner and work on projects to keep his hands busy. He doesn't know if you want to be touched, and is afraid to ask...but he really wants to keep an eye on you anyway.