#disappointing that this can still surprise me

[itsnesss]

𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | oliver bearman × fem!reader

summary | you’re still haunted by a past love, unsure how to move forward, but ollie waits

warnings | fluff, emotional vulnerability, past toxic relationship, self-worth issues, mentions of unresolved trauma

word count | 0.8 k

🖇️ sctw album 🖇️ more ob87

The night seems endless. The dim lights of the cloudy sky barely reflect off the windshield, and the silence in the car is thick, as if something else is sitting between you two.

You glance at him out of the corner of your eye as he takes a smooth turn, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. Sometimes he taps the steering wheel with his fingers, like the movement helps him think or calm down. But this time, he doesn’t seem nervous. Just attentive. Waiting for you.

"Do you want music?" he asks, breaking the silence in a soft voice.

"No... It’s fine like this," you murmur, because any song now would be too much. It would make you feel something you’re not ready to hold.

Because you’re on the edge. All the time.

Since he showed up in your life, you’ve felt like you’re walking on a tightrope between what you could have with him and everything you haven’t let go of yet.

"I tried to be what he thought I was, I wasn't."

That thought keeps coming back like an old wound that still hurts when the weather changes. You curl up against the window, not looking at Ollie. You’re afraid of what he might see if he looks at you too much. Afraid that he might discover that sometimes you still hear *his* voice in your head. That you still wonder if the problem was you.

Your ex wasn’t cruel. Not like the stories other people tell. He didn’t yell at you or break you apart... at least not directly. His was slower, subtler. A collection of small disappointments that you absorbed as if your worth depended on how much you could endure. You molded yourself to like him. You changed your loud laughs for silences, your ideas for concessions, your boundaries for excuses. And when he left you in the end, you didn’t even cry. You just felt empty.

Now Ollie.

Sweet, patient, and with those eyes that always seem to see more than you want to show.

When he stops at a lookout point by the sea, everything becomes even quieter. You only hear the distant sound of the waves and your shallow breathing.

He turns off the engine.

"I know it’s not easy," he says without looking at you. "And maybe I’m asking you for something you’re not ready to give."

You don’t know what to say. You’re not even sure there’s a right answer. Part of you wants to ask him to stay. Another part feels like you don’t deserve it.

"I don’t want to hurt you," you whisper, and for the first time, you say it out loud. Something real. Raw. Honest.

He nods, but doesn’t pull away.

"Then don’t," he replies with a simplicity that disarms you. "Just... tell me the truth. That’s enough for me."

And so you speak.

Of your past. Of how you got lost in a relationship that seemed like love but was slowly draining you. Of how you learned to lock your emotions away in boxes you never opened. Of how you feel now with him. Scared. Confused. Tempted. And also alive. Because he makes you feel all of that together, and that’s what overwhelms you.

He listens.

Without interrupting. Without judging. He just listens.

And when you finish, when your voice breaks and the tears blur your vision, he doesn’t say "everything will be fine" or try to fix you. He simply leans toward you, carefully, and presses his forehead against yours.

"I’m not going to force you. Or rush you. I just want to walk with you, even if it’s slow."

The tears surprise you. Not because of sadness, but because of relief.

Because no one had ever offered you love like that: without conditions, without hurry, without demands.

"I guess I never healed right... Maybe it's a green light, but I can’t go."

Yes. You’re broken in some places. But maybe you don’t need to be whole to move forward. Maybe something can be built from that honesty.

He looks at you. And for the first time in a long time, your eyes don’t look away.

"I want to try," you say. "I don’t know how, or how long. But I want to."

He smiles. A soft smile, small, but enough to make you feel like you’re worth it. Even with your broken pieces.

You don’t kiss that night.

It doesn’t matter.

Sometimes, the real start of something isn’t a kiss, or a promise, or a certainty. Sometimes, it’s simply staying. In silence. Together. Waiting for the moment when you can cross that emotional stoplight without fear.

And Ollie, you know, will be there when that happens.

Because he doesn’t need you to run.

He just wants you to take his hand when you're ready and say: now, yes.

tags | @ebkitty

[hedwig221b]

Hii, odd ask but do you know of any Sterek fics where it has Stiles and Jackson friendship? Or just anyone else that isn’t Scott or Lydia 😭 I love their friendship with them but I just love to see him having like a special bond as well with like Jackson, Erica, Cora or even Peter lol I feel like I don’t see it enough.

thank you!!

Okay, but isthatbloodonhisshirt got me addicted to Stiles & Jackson dynamic, I actually adore it when they're besties. They have a lot of stackson brotp featuring fics, so check them out

What Fresh Twilight Bullshit Is This by isthatbloodonhisshirt

“I am not Bella!” he insisted, shaking his fist angrily at Jackson, as if he’d been the one to suggest he was. “I am not Bella! I am, like, a Jacob, at least!” Lydia made a noise of debate from his right and he whipped around to look at her. “What?! What was that sound?!” “You’re more of a Mike,” she insisted, shrugging neatly and flipping some curls over her shoulder. “Wha—” Stiles had never been so offended in his life! “I am not! No way! I am a solid Jacob!” “Mike,” she argued. “Who’s Mike?” Scott asked. “Shut up, Scott!” Stiles insisted, pointing a finger at him but still glaring at Lydia.

Sweet Buns by skoosiepants

Stiles hasn’t seen Derek Hale this close up for over a decade. He looks almost exactly the same, except somehow he seems even bigger and broodier—criminally handsome, with soft-looking dark scruff, heavy brows, light hazel eyes. His gaze zeros in on Stiles almost immediately, and his scowl lightens minutely in what looks like surprise. Stiles is acutely aware that he has melted butter and cinnamon all over his face, and tries to surreptitiously wipe it with the ends of his sweater-sleeve. Or- The a/b/o bakery au with feelings

Turn the lights (turn the lights down low) by whentheywrite

"I’m not jealous.” “You are so totally jealous!” Once more, the red eyes were snapping up and Stiles’s breaths stalled in his throat. Carefully, he stepped forward, uncrossing Derek’s arms, and the man whined again. “Derek, what do I smell like?” “Wrong.” “Yes, but what do I smell like?” “Not… mine.”

Everyone Needs a Little Mischief in Their Life by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

Finally, against his better judgement, and having gone in circles for much too long, he blurted out, “Who is my soulmate?” The Witch looked disappointed, like he’d fucked up. Like he’d fucked up bad. But she answered anyway. “Mischief.” Derek stared at her, not understanding, because what? “That’s not a name,” he insisted. “Not exactly, no.” She offered him a small smile. “I don’t understand.” “You will.”

Actions Speak Louder than Words by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

"I apologize.” The cop finally looked back up at his face, seeming thrilled. “It’s just—it’s been so long. And we finally have you.” That was a bad word. Not found. Have. Stiles wrenched his hand free and took a step back, but before he could even think up a gameplan, he felt a prick in his neck and jerked away, reaching up to slap one hand against it and twisting in the same moment. One of the others had come up behind him while he hadn’t been paying attention, and his vision began to swim even as his eyes caught sight of the half-empty syringe the guy was holding.

Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark by Nerdy_fangirl_57

After the whole ordeal with the nogitsune Stiles struggles with proving to himself that he can be good again. He starts learning to control his spark in hopes that he could be helpful to the pack once he manages to channel it's power. Everyone thinks it's a great idea and are willing to help him anyway they can, but Scott, Scott doesn't see the point in it. It's not like Stiles' tiny spark could ever be powerful enough to be an actual asset to the pack. Stiles just wants a chance to prove himself.

Small Town Logic by Renmackree

Derek Hale is the new Deputy of Beacon Hills, hoping to have a fresh start for himself and his son Eli. What he didn't expect was the owner of the coffee shop to turn his existence upside down. Or The one where Derek's new to town and thinks that Stiles is in a relationship with Jackson and pines for him.

[masterlist link]

[bie-tch]

Monstrosity trailer analysis part 1:

The Monsters are terrifying, and everything is huge

One of the very first shots of the trailer shows the fire knight mech (which I’ll call Ignis not because it’s canon, but because it sounds cool and is much shorter) standing right beside Kai. I remember seeing this for the first time and just marveling at the sheer size of the mech. It’s one of the biggest mechs in the Ninjago franchise, and having Kai right next to it, contrasted with the giant flag, makes everything feel so massive that it’s almost uncomfortable.

The next shots are definitely one of the most memorable. It's what the guardian dragon (who I'll call Ator (pronounced ey-tore) for the same reasons as ignis) calls: 'the beast who ravaged her homelands and destroyed her future.'

Im pretty sure we all had the same reaction when seeing this thing for the first time. Because Jesus christ, that thing is huge. Compare that to the trees, which we know are fairly big since we see Kai stand next to one later in the trailer, and they look like literal twigs compared to the giant... thing. Its toe can literally topple a mountain. Which psycho designed this. I wanna give my thanks.

And since I'm following a trend to naming these characters... I'll just call it 'The Beast.' Pretty on the nose but accurate nonetheless.

The next monster shown is painfully unrecognized by the fandom which is sad because, to me, it's definitely one of my favorites. In the first photo, Kai takes a few steps forward, but when the light hits him, he just ceases movement altogether. It's definitely a red light green light situation. This is made even more horrifying due to the fact that there are SO MUCH (I'll call them eyeblights) EYEBLIGHTS BEHIND HIM. It seems like they have a specific area of the realm of monsters that they inhabitate, and that just makes the trailer 10000000000x better because now there a tangible ecosystem the watcher can actually see and hold on to.

Ooooh, this is hard to spot if you don't know what you're looking for. In this shot, Kai runs on a bridge while some monster that definitely looks made of roots and other organic material (I'll call it a rot-root) shoots out behind him in an action that's adjacent to a hand reaching out into the sky. You can see what looks like fingernails on the edges of the rot-root, and the overall shape looks kinda like an arm.

Another kaiju. Poor Kai. His name is Repnok.

Just for clarity, but the size of one of its whiskers is enough to reach half of the castle. Its head is the size of the castle, which can house more than a hundred people. This thing is atleast 100feet and above. Not as big as the beast, but still fucking giant.

Another thing that the fandom didn't notice for some reason is that the place Kai is in is a kingdom. If you look closely, the Repnoks leg is resting on a wall, and Kai is running on the same wall. Look just below, and you can see actual houses just barely out of sight. This means many things, though. This means there are actual confirmed on-screen deaths in ninjago because no one is surviving that shit, and that the realm if monsters is definitely the biggest realm so far and that many other smaller realms are inside of it. Sadly, all their occupants are probably dead, which will probably affect Kai for the rest of his life. (More in-depth analysis on this later in part 2)

I have no words. I don't think I need to explain this, really.

It's huge.

Like, ungodly huge. It's definitely a squid of some sort, it having barbed tentacles, but it's fucking huge. What the hell, Lego. Look how– Kai looks like a speck of dirt compared to it! Her name is Celybyss.

Another thing is that it's underwater. What kind of giant 'fuck you' is this to Kai.

That's all the monsters shown so far, and Lego did not disappoint. I wouldn't be surprised if they hired actual horror artists to work on this. Poor Kai, he's gonna have so much fun.

[salty-autistic-writer]

Tommy prepares for Bobby's funeral. (AO3 Link, tw: grief)

On the morning of the funeral, Tommy wakes up from a night of tossing and turning, feeling like he barely slept.

He has never been a heavy sleeper and is used to short periods of rest being interrupted by waking up from a noise or a sensory discomfort like the air being too warm, but this is different. This time, he had trouble sleeping because he is scared of what he has to do today.

In the bathroom, Tommy washes his face with cold water until he feels a little more aware and looks himself in the eyes, repeating the truth to himself that still feels so surreal it hasn’t had a chance to settle in yet.

Captain Bobby Nash is dead. Today, they are going to lay him to rest. And Tommy is going to be one of the people carrying his casket. One of the six pallbearers.

Tommy can still feel the aftershocks of surprise that hit him when Athena had asked.

“Are you sure?” He had to check. After all, he hasn’t been part of the 118 for a long time.

“I’m absolutely sure. Bobby would have loved you being one of the pallbearers,” she told him, putting her hand on his. “You saved his life eight years ago, you saved it again when you flew a helicopter through a hurricane to search for that damn cruise ship and you helped save Chimney’s life. Of course, you are going to be one of the pallbearers.” 

Tommy was touched and had to blink back tears. He didn’t even know she was aware of that night eight years ago, when Captain Nash stumbled into that room and almost broke through the collapsing floor before Tommy managed to grip him in time and pulled him back from the edge, away from that abyss filled with raging flames.

“Athena is right,” Evan told him. “Bobby would have wanted you there. He … He spoke very highly of you.”

Tommy almost winced at the unsettling formality in Evan’s voice and the serious expression on his face, which had been there ever since Evan emerged from the lab, stone-faced and pale, his eyes red-rimmed but empty, staring straight ahead.

You don’t have to pretend with me, he almost said. I saw you.

I know you’re not okay.

You can not be okay with me. 

But then, before he could say anything, the moment was over, and Evan left to check on Chimney.

Evan.

Evan, who said Bobby was the dad he never had.

Tommy’s heart twists.

Evan is going to be one of the pallbearers too, of course.

Tommy is more unsure about what they are or what they aren’t than ever. He just knows no one made him feel like this before. Like he wants to tear his heart out of his chest and put it into a box, hand it to Evan and tell him: Here. It’s yours. Do with it what you want.

He slowly puts on his dress blues, his throat tightening when he remembers Kevin’s funeral and Chimney ringing the bell, looking so shocked and broken. Since then, Tommy has been to three more funerals of fallen firefighters. Two of them were pilots. He wonders when it’s going to be his turn. Wonders who is going to carry the casket.

It could happen any day now. Any moment.

Death is their constant companion after all. Death is with Tommy when he flies his helicopter. Death is with Evan when he steps into burning houses. Death.

There are things Tommy wishes to say before it’s too late. And he can feel them bubbling up to the surface of his thoughts, now that they are about to bury someone who shouldn’t be gone. Someone who was such an exceptional and solid presence in everyone’s life.

Tommy has his own memories of Bobby Nash. Some of them changed his life.

* Family dinner. That’s what Hen called the new routine Captain Nash decided to introduce. And that’s exactly what those shared meals start to feel like.

It’s nice. In the beginning, though, a persistent part of Tommy, that has lived through too many disappointments, wonders if this is some kind of trap.

He keeps his walls up, waiting, watching, suspicion nagging at him, until he finally decides that Captain Nash isn’t doing this because he is so desperate for people to like him or because he wants to find out things he can later use against someone he’s crossed with.

No. 

He is doing this because he wants to do it. 

Because he likes to cook, and he likes to watch people enjoy what he makes. It’s visible in the way he sits at the table, watching and smiling.

Tommy relaxes gradually.

Bobby Nash is a good Captain. He’s … different from the people Tommy has worked for so far.

In the field, he’s calm. Precise. Determined. He gives orders in that certain way that speaks of experience. But his eyes soften with emotion ever so often. His voice cracks when he promises a father he’s going to save their kid or when he’s talking to a dying woman, telling her everything will be okay.

Bobby Nash cares. Maybe too much, sometimes. He tells Tommy, “Well done,” and pats his back and smiles at him. It’s a real smile that reaches his eyes. The change from Kinard to Tommy feels almost natural. As does the shift from Captain to Cap to Bobby.

One day, one of the civilians they saved from a car has to be airlifted. They watch the helicopter start and take off, Tommy’s heart doing a flip when he remembers flying. Bobby looks at him. “That’s pretty cool, huh?”

So cool. And Tommy can’t help himself. He tells Nash everything he knows about this specific model of helicopter. All the technical facts. His brain just releases them from some corner of his mind where he buried them with all the other facts about aeronautics. They were never gone, and once he started, he can’t stop.

Minutes later, he realises he’s been rambling and feels his face heating up with a blush. Suddenly, he’s twelve again and his father tells him to finally shut up because no one in the world wants to hear so much about something they don’t give a single fuck about. He ducks his head. “I’m sorry. Kind of got carried away.”

Nash smiles. “It’s okay, I didn’t know all that. Impressive. You were flying for the army, right.” It’s not exactly a question. He probably took a look at all the files of his subordinates before starting to work as a Captain. It only makes sense.

“Yeah,” Tommy nods, his cheeks still burning.

Nash hums. He doesn’t add anything. They return to the firehouse and have dinner together with the team.

A little while later, Bobby tells him, “You know, there’s an open position for a pilot at Harbour Station. If you’re interested, I can put in a good word for you.”

“You would do that?” Tommy asks, baffled.

“Of course. I’m not going to lie. I would hate to see you leave. But if this is something that would make you happy, I’m going to help you get that position,” Bobby says.

Tommy is at a loss for words. The mere thought of getting to fly a chopper again makes him feel lightheaded. But at the same time, the 118 is starting to feel like family. He has friends here now. Real friends. And a Captain who respects him. He would walk into a fire for Bobby. Literally.

But they don’t know you. Not really, a voice in the back of his mind whispers. You’re still wearing a mask when you’re with them. Still hiding. Still pretending. Because you’re scared. Because you’re scared to lose it all again. When have good things ever lasted?

Tommy swallows around the lump in his throat. Who knows. Maybe becoming a pilot and switching things up is going to help him be braver. Flying has always made him feel free.

He accepts. Of course he does. And when he enters a chopper for the first time in years, he can feel the joy of his inner child who spent so many hours on the floor of his room, reading every book about planes and helicopters he could find.

A little while later, Tommy meets the 118 at a call. It’s a big accident. One that requires the help of many stations.

He finds time for a short chat while a patient is lifted into the helicopter.

“Flying looks good on you,” Bobby tells him with a smile. “How are you doing?”

“Great,” Tommy says. And means it. “Turns out getting my wings back was exactly what I needed. Thank you, Cap. But I have to say, my partner isn’t as thrilled about my career path as I am.”

“Is she worried about the risks?” Howie chimes in, grinning. “You just need to tell her about the crazy stuff you did in the army. After that, being a firefighter pilot is going to seem like a walk in the park.”

Tommy chuckles. “I doubt those stories are going to help in this case. My boyfriend is scared of flying.”

There.

He said it.

He said the word.

For a horrible moment, Tommy feels the clutch of familiar fear around his heart. Feels the urge to retreat. To hide behind his old walls. This is the first time he comes out to someone from his past. They are going to see him now. It’s terrifying to be seen. And he’s not Hen. He’s not that brave …

“I can relate,” Howie says, grimacing. “Humans weren’t made to be up there. Only the crazy ones. Hey, if he needs someone to rant to while you’re in the air, you can give him my number!”

Oh.

“And you’re always welcome to dinner,” Bobby adds with a warm smile. “You can bring your boyfriend.”

Oh.

A heavy weight falls off Tommy’s chest.

He breathes.

They see him. They do.

It feels good. Feels freeing.

“Take care, Tommy,” Bobby tells him, putting a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. Warm. Solid. Comforting. “It’s a shame you won’t meet our new probie. You might have taught him some important things.”

* He’s in that casket, Tommy thinks, grasping his own hand. This can’t be real.

But it is.

It’s a hero’s funeral. Everyone is there. Everyone is very composed. Unshed tears sparkle in eyes that are focused on Chief Simpson as he talks about the life of Robert Wade Nash.

Tommy blinks his own tears back and glances at Evan’s tense back, his chest clenching.

This is not fair. This shouldn't be happening.

But life is rarely ever fair. Tommy knows that well enough.

He can hear Gerrard’s heavy breathing right beside him and suppresses a shudder. 

Tommy didn’t forget the medal ceremony. He didn’t forget the slur. And when Gerrard tried to act like nothing happened, even offering Tommy a hand to shake, Tommy ignored him, just taking his seat and staring straight ahead, his heart pounding in his chest and his blood rushing in his ears as rage mixed with his grief. 

It’s bad enough he has to breathe the same air as this man, this bigot. He doesn’t have to force himself to interact with him. At least Gerrard seems honestly upset about Bobby’s death. At least.

But Tommy doesn’t care about him.

He cares about Evan.

Evan, who looks like he’s sleepwalking, when they prepare to carry the casket.

Evan, who is rigid and wears his chin up while they walk behind the truck, but Tommy can see his hands clenching hard. 

Evan, who watches as they load Bobby’s casket into the plane, his lips slightly parted and eyes starting to mist.

Tommy watches Evan.

And his heart is breaking for him. With him.

* “Evan.”

“Oh. Hey, Tommy. I was just about to do the groceries for Athena, so she doesn’t have to worry about -”

“Evan. I saw you.”

“What?”

“I watched you on the monitor. I saw you crying.”

Evan goes tense. His mouth is open, but he doesn’t say anything. He just stares at Tommy, blinking.

“Evan,” Tommy says softly. “You can’t keep doing this. You can’t act like you’re fine. Not after this.”

“I’m fine,” Evan says. “I’m … Bobby said I’m going to be fine. And I am.”

I have to be. That’s what he doesn’t add, Tommy knows.

He can see the cracks.

They start in Evan’s eyes.

“You don’t have to be fine with me,” Tommy says quietly. “I know what Bobby meant to you.”

The father I never had.

“Tommy …” Evan exhales shakily and slowly shakes his head. “I don’t know. I … I don’t want to take advantage of you again.”

You won’t. Because you already own a box with my heart in it. I know where I want to be in the time we have left. I want to be right here. With you. Please let me.

“Why do you think I’m here?” Tommy asks, smiling weakly. “I’m here for you.”

Evan’s eyes gleam with fresh tears. “Are you sure?” He whispers hoarsely. “Are you … Can I …”

“Yes,” Tommy says.

Always.

Evan looks at him for a few heartbeats more, a tear running down his cheek. He takes a deep breath. And then he breaks open. Tommy sees him. Sees the walls crack and crumble. Sees the waves of grief. He sees. And he feels.

Tommy holds Evan in his arms as he sobs and shakes, as the grief wrecks them both.

He holds Evan in his arms, sharing memories that make them cry and laugh.

He holds Evan in his arms and says, “There are things I have to tell you, Evan. If this showed me anything, it’s that we never know how much time we have left. We only know how dangerous our lives are. So … I need to say these words now.”

Tommy holds Evan in his arms. And he talks about a box.

[tinylilacbun]

f u t i l e e s c a p e . ݁ ₊ ⊹ . ݁ ˖ . ݁

You've fed his fantasies for long enough, pretending to be his perfect girl in order to earn his trust and let his guard down, waiting for the perfect time for him to make a mistake, which luckily happened to be sooner than you thought.

You lay curled up on the dingy mattress, not being able to sleep but pretended to have fallen asleep earlier when JJ came to tuck you in and waited for you to close your eyes, knowing that if you didn't he would give you a spiked cup of milk.

Suddenly you can't seem to remember if you heard the familiar sound of the lock clicking in place or not, he couldn't have forgotten it, right?

Eventually you get up, trying to make no noise as you pad towards the door, taking a deep breath before grabbing the doorknob, turning it slowly.

To your surprise, it's open, he actually forgot to lock it earlier, that's your chance to escape and return back home.

You can't rush this though, the second JJ finds out what you're up to you know you're in for it, quietly stepping out into the hallway and quickly spot the door to the backyard.

Your feet automatically carry you towards the possibility of freedom, your hands shaking as you unlock the door and step outside, your socked-clad feet touching grass for the first time in weeks.

Not being able to handle it anymore, you run.

Unbeknownst to you, a certain pair of blue eyes narrow in on you as he takes one last drag from his cigarette, flicking it onto the ground and exhales, shaking his head in disappointment.

He quickly went after you, already thinking about how to punish you for this stunt as he really felt betrayed by your move, thinking that you finally understood that your place is with him.

Eventually you trip over a branch that is hidden under some leafs, a yelp leaving your lips as you fall onto the dirty ground, scraping your knees in the process.

Just as you're about to push yourself up again you feel a shoe press on your back, pushing you back into the ground as you whimper.

"You really thought you could run without me noticing? I told you, I'm watching your every move, always have, always will." JJ's low voice has you freezing in place. "I gotta say, I'm hurt. I do everything for you to feel comfortable and safe, giving you everything I have to offer and working my ass off, and this is how you thank me?"

The tears flow before you can stop them, not knowing if it's because he caught you or because of the way he sounds so disappointed in you.

He moves his foot from your back and you scramble to your knees, shuffling to face him as you sniffle. "N-No, I-I'm sorry-"

"Sorry?" He scoffs, crossing his arms, not giving in to your crocodile tears. "If you're so sorry, then why did you run in the first place, huh? HUH!"

You flinch as he raises his voice, knowing you've really fucked it up since he shows you no ounce of gentleness like he used to whenever you screamed at him to let you go or threw anything you got your hands on across the room he kept you locked in.

You shake your head desperately, reaching out for him but sob when he takes a step back from you and his sudden rejection somehow makes your chest tighten, feeling the strong urge to gain his favor again.

"Ple- pwease..." You weep, wincing as you shuffle on your scraped knees closer to him, grabbing onto his jeans so he can't move away again. "Didn' mean to! Jus- Jus' wanted some air."

He hums as in thought, uncrossing his arms to rest his hands on his hips. "Just some air. Better not get used to it 'cause you won't get some for a while."

You look up at him with wide eyes, nodding your head, trying anything to get on his good side again. "M-M'sorry papa..."

Finally, he starts to smile, his dimple showing as he places his hand on top of your head, patting it in a condescending way. "There you go. C'mere, sugar." He coos, grabbing one of your hands that are still clutching at his leg to help you up, tsking at your bruised knees. "Look at what you did to yourself."

He swiftly lifts you into his arms, carrying you back towards the cabin that you should start seeing as your new life now as you can't seem to escape it, even if you tried.

[rolesturnz]

track two: please please please

(Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another, I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker, oh)

title: don’t make me look stupid

word count: ~1.3k

the first time she kisses Chris Sturniolo, it’s because he’s pissing her off.

he’s late. again. he’s got that look on his face like he just did something reckless and he wants her to ask what it was.

she doesn’t.

she kisses him instead.

his mouth is warm. surprised. then smug.

“that was aggressive,” he mutters, lips still brushing hers.

“you were asking for it.”

he shrugs. “i usually am.”

she likes him. God help her, she likes him.

but she also knows what people say. matt’s the kind of boy who makes girls cry and calls it character development. he’s all trouble and no apologies, just a crooked grin and a voice that sounds like “don’t wait up.”

her friends warned her.

so when she walks into a party and sees Chris pressed up against a wall with some girl she doesn’t know, her first reaction isn’t even surprise. it’s disappointment.

he sees her. of course he does.

pushes off the wall, brushing past the girl like she’s already forgotten.

“babe—”

“don’t,” she says, cool and calm, even though her chest is on fire. “don’t start with ‘babe.’”

he stops. hands in his pockets. voice low. “it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“oh, so you weren’t about to kiss her?”

“i wasn’t.”

“then what were you doing?”

he pauses. “thinking about you.”

she almost laughs. instead, she crosses her arms. “you always gotta be like this?”

“like what?”

“the kind of guy who makes me look stupid.”

he steps forward. close enough to smell the cologne she gave him, the one he swore he wouldn’t wear for anyone else.

“i’m not trying to make you look stupid.”

“good,” she says. “then please, please, please don’t.”

he kisses her like he’s trying to fix something.

like his mouth can erase every wrong move, every almost-mistake.

she lets him.

not because he deserves it.

but because her heart is loud and her head is tired.

“you’re too good for me,” he says once, half-drunk and lying on her couch.

“i know,” she says.

“you’re gonna leave one day.”

“maybe,” she says, brushing hair from his face. “but not today.”

@cherryswifeyy @dolliraez @zenithsturniolo @sturniolo-szn2 @scorpio1205 @ph3ebssturniolo @auttysturnz @conspiracy-ash @emely9274 @nickysturnss @eeyoresturnz

ⓒ𝖱𝖮𝖫𝖤𝖲𝖳𝖴𝖱𝖭𝖹. 𝖠𝗌𝗄 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇.

[crustyfloor]

brainvomit I can go on and on about the apparent hints we're getting in merch and subtext that allude to a Till revival but it grates on my nerves that it could easily be disproven in several ways, so I can never be certain, but honestly.. I'm quite confident in a Till revival. And I'm coming to expect it to some degree (In part because it's been months since there's been a proper update on him, otherwise his post-mortem comic would've been uploaded ages ago and that would be that,, but since it's seemingly being held off it leads me to think that it's an intentional decision because there is more content with him and his perspective to come, probably in later episodes)

from a writer's perspective, it feels like the logical next step. On the other hand, he might be really dead. It can happen, hell, it probably will happen because it's already clear that the chances of him living or staying dead are so situational, depending on where this story is going it might be right for him to just stay dead, (and that much in regards to the plot I can't really guess with much confidence either). I'm already so unsure how Vivinos plans to juggle all this worldbuilding and development within one or possibly two new episodes, I trust her ability, and so far she hasn't disappointed me, even when she's left me confused and upset for some time- and Vivinos is always introducing surprise plot twists to the story when I least expect it so now I'm not surprised that Till was shot anymore (aside from the agony and dread of actually seeing it) losing to Luka served it's own purpose, and I wouldn't be surprised if she brought him back

Even if revival is a very bold decision for a character, I wouldn't say it's as completely out of the realm of possibility as some may think, and it wouldn't be "impossible" to do. Alnst still has sci-fi themes. If aliens can exist, then many other things are on the table. That's why I like the robot/alive Sua theories so much. (and even though I wouldn't lean too much on realistic facts that would apply to our world to a fictional setting where plot armor exists, they're also still within the reasonable time frame to resuscitate Till, time isn't moving that slowly between the episodes Blink gone and Wiege so it's not too ridiculous if they're fast enough they can save him)

Sometimes I feel like I'm riding too close to the sun with the absurdity of insisting that Till could revive while his dead body is right there but I don't feel like we would be exploring the full scope of his character if his development ended here, yeah it's already been made somewhat cleared up that he wasn't as indifferent to Ivan's presence as we would have assumed given Ivan's view of him, but that's still pretty up in the air, we have a lot of assumptions about his character and his perspective but ultimately a lot of questions about him are still unanswered and up in the air, and personally, I'd deeply hate leaving this series not knowing as much about him as I could've, sure you could say that's simply his narrative, sure you could say death naturally comes when you least expect it to, that's just the way life is and I would accept that narrative if it came to it and Vivinos executed it in a way that made sense but ehg, it's just cliche to me and I believe there are better ways to handle his character

Whats irks me the most is that if this is where it ends for him, he's dead and there's no elaboration that kind of storytelling would only validate Ivan's narrative, the most we know about Till in regards to his perspective is through Ivan's eyes, to accept that Till's character and his relationship with Ivan is simply built on unrequited feelings and indifference to Ivan is just assuming that what Ivan says is the truth and not his skewed perspective like we know it is. But if there's no way to make that obvious this narrative would only do everything wrong... 1) validate Ivan's perspective 2) It leaves everything about Till's perspective majorly up to interpretation without some solid ground, aside from the fandoms already here and there takes that just wouldn't be good writing (?) there's really a difference in leaving mystery and interpretations to the hand of the viewer and just not answering valid questions, and not leaving any solid content to work with and interpret in the first place, whether this direction is meant to be either or I wouldn't be fully satisfied with it anyway . We see Ivan's impact on Till in Blink gone in the emotional turmoil Till goes through, it shows enough that, as opposed to what Ivan thinks, Till cared about him, but really, what do we know?

That's my biggest gripe; I don't want Till's story to end on such an abrupt and sour note that doesn't truly serve him as a character. I believe this could all be resolved in comics and side content, too. But the reason why I bring this up here is that one of the most reuccuring themes of Alnst is exploring the perspective of the ones who must live on after their loved ones die impactful, painful, unforgettable deaths, it's a present theme to show how the characters (Mizi, Luka) progress after it, it's about showcasing endurance and the human spirit. Characters shouldn't just die for the sake of it, without contributing to this and showing it, and Till hasn't yet shown it (It'd make sense if they wanted to show this in his death too, but I'd question what groundwork we were really meant to be laying here.. and I'd hope it'd done right at least)

In the case that the story shifts in a way that supports this to it's full potential (ie. not killing off everyone and blowing up the stage), reviving Till and allowing him the means to process his thoughts on Ivan and his death and what he did and what that means to him enough to put it into words would be great for his character, it's probably overgenerous for how little time we might have but I'm realllyyyy hanging onto hope here that the story will even shift to open up for this chance in the first place. If Vivinos doesn't plan to do either of these things to further Till's growth as a character visibly, then his death is rendered pointless and dismissive, and I'm not serious about that wording

because his death isn't inherently useless, none of the deaths are, and his death serves a purpose regardless. It's most likely being used to bring about Mizi's new turning point in her character development, yes blink gone is one of the many sequences of events in furthering Mizi's story first and foremost, Till's downfall signifies a new turning point in the story, still it doesn't mean he has to remain in that role to move the story along (unless vivinos would like to express that all hope is lost now and she's going to blow up the remaining characters, given Till was practically standing as a hope that things would change), if Vivinos has any interest in not making him look like a sacrifice and tool as a character for the sake of Mizi's growth after experiencing more loss, and not making his character completely reliant on Ivan's unreliable perspective (Because Cure is mostly Ivan-centric and that's the most we get of their dynamic together), She can bring him back, it can still have emotional relevance without being forced or random. And if done right, it wouldn't even erase the impact his death left on Mizi

(And I do worry about that, because revival in alien stage ideally shouldn't take back any of the tension or attention from the current events because otherwise that would be poor writing too, while I'm writing this I realize this story is really put in a tough spot because everything could go all sorts of bad ways) but it's not like if Till were to come back it'd erase the irreversible mental scar his death reopened within Mizi and be one of the driving forces on her mind come whatever she may do next (But what about the moment of hope in Blink Gone that represented Till's naive feelings for Mizi that overrid all sense of rationality and made him run to grab her hand? reviving him wouldn't rewrite that dread either... if anything, the impact of a near-death experience would also be fascinating to write on a character like himself with all the developments he's had so far)

On another note, I'm sure there are characters that may have better reasons to come back to the story, namely HyunA, but I believe what distinguishes Till from her is the possibility that bringing her back would be redundant, the possibility that it would actually remove the impact she intended her death to have on Luka. Her words would be for nothing if Luka doesn't realize this is for real, and he'll have to live with that truth and these new realizations. Everything contributes to that one message. HyunA serves us the "Live through the pain, forgive yourself, you live on" narrative right there.. So naturally, the best way I can see this being formatted is allowing us to continue to explore the perspective of Post round-1 Mizi, Luka, and Till after losing Sua, HyunA, and Ivan perhaps even going HyunA's route and finding a home within the rebellion to allow them to grow and grieve and introspect... #hopefulstage

HyunA is the catalyst for Luka's development, and it turns around to benefit both of their characters. Ivan is the catalyst for Till's development, and in turn, growth from Till would also contribute to Ivan's character . Allowing Till to live on would be a satisfying way to execute this narrative (But of course, this all goes out the window if like I said before Vivinos plans for this story to take a different direction, all I'm saying is that if the plot allows it I don't want Vivinos to miss the opportunity to expand on Till's character this way, if not in other forms that confirm he's dead). Till is my favorite character, so I'm aware I have bias and I'm indulging my delusions, but the way I see it, there's nobody who can resolve this better than Till can, there's nobody who can elaborate on his and Ivan's story better than he can, because Mizi was their friend, but nowhere near as emotionally close to them as they were to each other, she loves them but she only knows so much about them as people and just "her friends" so it's a tough spot, and Luka doesn't know them at all. Till is resilient, always coming back from the brink, and has always been fighting for agency and freedom. In that way, he parallels HyunA a lot. And I have a soft spot for both of them that wants to see them flourish and grow, and heal. If it's allowed, I want him to have that, I want him to have the space to grow with as much time as we have left, and I want him to have a fair and well-written wrap-up otherwise, I don't know I'll probably change this opinion a little bit later down the line and I still have too many questions on what the helllll is about to go on with this story to write anything sensical but if he's alive awesome if he's dead okay i'd just strongly prefer the former if it suits the overall narrative and I want it to make sense and not feel like he's been written off (and worse, I don't want his character to be perceived as shallow because of wherever vivinos chooses to direct his arc next)

all this to say I really want his perspective or any indication of anything about his current status hepl

[aintnoloveintheheatofthesun]

Some of you are fucking boring.

It had to be said. Pearline is 100% a sinner but the nuance is going right over some of your heads! She is a flapper! Aka, a woman with some privilege in early 20th century America who defies societal expectations of modesty, fashion and femininity. She is meant to surprise you. She is meant to leave you clutching your pearls.

Tell me why I am minding my own business and I come across this pick-me ass, holier than thou shit on Threads.

The problem I have with this comment is the lack of irony. On this blog I will call Pearline many things. Lying ass heffa, OG city girl, dishonourable, messy, wicked, adulterous and much, much more. Bear in mind I say this with love. She is absolutely wrong and I adore her.

In a story with literal demonic creatures, a Black woman dancing freely is devilish?

Fuck your dull, prescriptive, puritanical world view.

This movie is not meant to represent angels vs devils, good vs evil. For any viewer to watch this shit and create their own binary of Madonna vs Whore is deeply disappointing. I am begging you to read bell hooks anything, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Audre Lorde anything. Black women have never been protected by imitating white, middle class, evangelical gender norms. I can promise you, if Pearline went straight home from Clarksdale station to her NPC ass husband, minded her own business she would still be at the mercy of the clan in Mississipi and the constitution of a country where she can barely vote. Her shaking some tail is an expression of joy! And freedom! Things she might rarely experience in this social and political context! Fuck.

This woman howls, tap dances, grinds and moans on stage. She crawls across the floor boards like a lion watching a herd of gazelles. She is wild. She is uninhibited.

Do you know who else had their style of dance described as possessed? Devilish? Animalistic? Primitive? Josephine Baker.

One of the most talented, celebrated Black women of the early 20th Century. She understood how she was viewed by society and she lived unapologetically. I read a very interesting book by Alicja Sowinska that explored how white critics discussed Josephine Baker. They found her exotic, strange and utterly captivating. They couldn't understand how a Black woman in 1920/30 could be so sexually deviant and bold. How unladylike!

Josephine Baker was not a devil nor a whore. She was an artist with a political consciousness that served her career very well. Their ignorance and obsession with her body was not lost on her, she took their stereotypes of wild women and savage Africans and inverted them. She made them her own; and in doing so, became a trail blazer.

No one is expecting you to praise her infidelity. I am asking you to engage with social context! Do you really think she chose her husband? Do you truly believe she has access to all the rights and opportunities available to white men at the time? Do you really think she wants her only taste of freedom to be in sweaty juke joint she had to walk to?

Pearline is a three-dimensional Black female character, clearly inspired by the likes of Josphine Baker and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Black women that challenged America's notions of sexuality, artistry and genius.

This woman is nurturing her artistic abilities, living life on her own terms and saying 'fuck you' to polite society.

She is a married woman who openly flirts with a younger man she has just met. She swings her hips in broad daylight, and looks back to make sure he's watching. She gets ate off the bone in the back room of an illegal juke joint. She wears her wedding ring as she gets head from a preacher's son.

In conclusion, I love her.

[lexishoney]

i might be the only one but i couldn't care less about frenchie and colin tbh. i had the same problem with maeve and elena but they eventually grew on me with later seasons but i was still dissapointed that we never get to know elena. and idk for me kimiko and frenchie's relationship took a very strange route this season. at first two seasons they had been written as possible love interests, then in season 3 they both decided that they are the secret third thing which was so cool and original and completely different take on love between characters that can't be categorized in simple words like: *"platonic""romantic""erotic"*. frenchie and kimiko were always intimate with each other and don't get me wrong i have nothing against the new drama that just dropped but i do think that writers wanted to have a cake and eat it and instead of admitting that kimiko and frenchie ended up in the relationship, they wanted to experiment with frenchie's bisexuality and they threw his relationship with kimiko out of the window. the last thing that i'm about to say might be controversial. i think it would be more interesting for writers to write bi frenchie in the relationship with kimiko and do the commentary on the topic of people under bi umbrella not being taken seriously because they are in long term relationship with person of opposite gender. and before someone decides to put some words into my mouth that i hate gay men or whatever: i won't cry if colin and frenche become endgame i have more interesting things to do than worrying about some ship from tv show (i'm so uninterested in those shipping wars or love triangles or anything). it just seems a little bit weird choice made by writers and completely strange for plot sake

[ganondoodle]

the closer we get to arcanes finale the more worried i am bc so often .. if not always .. things i like end in a way that i dislike so much it ruins everything else for me

and im so worried they pull a 'this is a multiverse' thing bc then they can say every skin is somehow canon bc its all different universes you seeeeee and jayce went mad bc he lived through all of them or something, or force it to end in a way that makes the champions end up like they are in game- Vi is a shitty cop, Jinx is just heehoo craycray bc xyz etc

[cankersoregirl]

I was afraid I’d lose him. So I got there late. And… as I entered, I saw him about to take pictures by himself. The first thing that I felt was… I wanted to hug him. No matter how bad I was to him, he’s still there for me. Every time that I’ve fallen or torn apart, he always runs up to me. He’ll come running and hug me. The same goes for this time, where he shows up. Am I happy? I’m really delighted. I really am. I’d like to thank Save for always being by my side till this very day.

DMD Friendship the Reality: It Takes Two EP. 5

[marimbles]

i miss carpisuns sometimes </3

[doodlingwren]

If only the original Saint Seiya anime was a 2014-2018 anime series instead of being aired in the 80s-90s, I can only imagine the sheer amount of animation memes that could have been done. Some of the characters are just so perfect for those, like, if this was a more animation-oriented fandom this would totally be a thing.

[sysig]

Is this small and pixely enough that it’s not a spoiler

[right-there-ride-on]

Dinopants (the unit) has so many parallels to Gyjo (the unit) but I’m disappointed bc so much of the dinopants I see in the wider fandom is ooc or a ‘pair the spares’ scenario that’s for me is just not compelling. I guess I’m just confused because there really is so much there to dig into, and for me it’s definitely the canon dinopants that’s the interesting one! Both HP and Diego as standalone characters parallel and bring into focus Gyro and Johnny’s characters and arc, and when teamed up contrast the Gyjo unit in a really interesting way. People have written some really good dinopants analysis on here and I’m grateful for that! I think I’ve just seen them mischaracterized so much that for awhile the ship lost its appeal, but seeing people who are passionate about dinopants and sharing their thoughts always makes me happy.

[cheemken]

Puppet Arena may have given me playable FMN and teaming him up w Tuesday, but it made me realize just how shitty it is to actually be at the receiving end of not only the poison damage, but also Windsong's ultimate