#especially if I'm helping on the other line bc i really CAN'T be still there

[altruistic-meme]

i have apparently fucked up my ankle some time on saturday and it's killingggg meeeeeeee i have work tomorrow i cannot be limping >:(

[fluffykiddosstuff]

stanford and stanley pines fighting for you (headcanons)

i just played swooning over stans and...help i'm so obsessed with these two now..here is littles headcanons for them when they are both in love with you :-)

warnings : swearing (thank you stanley), gn!reader, using they/them pronouns, mention of child abuse

context : the kids are gone, the grunkles are on adventures, so to their surprise when they came back for a month, they saw you in the living room (stanley almost hit you with a stick if ford and soos didn't got him), soos explain to them that you got banished from your home and came to the shack late at night under the rain. Pitty hitting them since they know damn well what a lonely life is, they let you stay and life goes on..well not as they expected...

stanley pines :

at first he tries to deny what he feels, you are friends, right ?

if you laugh at his jokes, swear with him against things he dislikes (tv-shows, young people ect..), and that you help him annoy poeple by stealing and other things ? My man is head over heals

you can see he start to grow fond of you when he wants to protect you even more than before, especially since he knows what is gravity falls made of

when you where gone for shopping with soos, he decided it was time to annonce it to his dear twin brother

he would talk about it while watching a romance movie with ford (even tho he said he didn't wanted to watch)

"you know, i start to kinda like them..but like like them you see.."

the pills doesn't pass well when ford says he likes you too

stan is definitely the most childish one

"let's make a bet sixer ! the first to got a date with them wins !"

he likes to come in while ford tries to show you something or even tries to speak to you

he even broke down ford's clock so he would be late to your weekly monster's chase

he still as limits of course, ford is his twin brother after all, and it's only little jokes that doesn't harm anyone right ?

will definitly show off with his boxing skills or by putting a nice suit (for exemple the one in the gif) while you all go out together for a party or something, will try to do sport everyday but heh, he is a little bit too old to do those things daily..

gives you his jacket when you are outside with him, even if you aren't cold, when he sees ford's face when he smells his cologne on you while you both work on something, i'ts worth it

gives you flowers and little gifts, puts them on your bed for you to find when you come back

verbally says what he thinks about you, while ford can't even say two lines in a phrase when all he wanted to say is that your outfit was pretty

stanford pines :

he mainly start to realise he likes you when you helped him with his reasearches for a creature, he is amazed by how much you are interested in his work and doesn't hesitate to take you as an assistant and answer all of your questions

man did he regret telling stan's about his feelins for you, now his life is a living hell (sometimes he thinks about going back in the other dimension by how stan can be extremely annoying, really)

you only get free time with him when you are both in the forest to hunt monsters, you talk for hours about many toppics

smarter than stan, he tries to make you more open around him, asking you about personnal stuff and trying to comfort you when things gets too hard for you to tell, he even experienced to make hugs (bc my dude is awkard) and he purposelly hugs you in front of stan while you are crying about something related from your abusive parents, bonus point if you say : "oh ford..what would i do without you..", he would look at his twin, sticking out his tongue in a proud grin, revenge is a plate you eat cold they said

when you are all watching a show on the t-v and that it's his turn to choose the movie, even if he is dying to watch a documentary, he puts an horror movie and sits next to you, watching you take his hand as a loud noises his heard or hugs you if you are too scared

when you both work and you pass out on a table, he first puts his long jacket on you, and if it gets too late, he takes you in his arms to put you in your bed, all while him and stan are having a "who is gonna look the more angry at eachother" contest

when stan swears , he likes to take him back, especially if you don't like that either (or if it's not the right moment or the right place to do those) of course it doesn't stop him for saying : "for fuck's sake" or "fucking little nerd" while you laugh with ford

[captainlexapro]

hang on. I just need to talk about quinn's autograph for a minute because i have so much appreciation for the effort and intention he puts into it. (also i love linguistics/language/writing and how people sign their name is actually very interesting to me)

Been thinking about this (x) article from 2021 (and also very much demko saying "thoughtful" for his one word to describe huggy at the nhl awards this year. demmer u don't understand the implications of what you just said).

teammates chirping quinn for being a slow at signing because it's not a scribble or an unintelligible flourish...but he straight up doesn't give a fuck what they think because HE wants HIS signature to be easily distinguishable for FANS. like the awareness of how special that stuff can be for people. 💙 antoine agreeing that "you should always be able to tell the name without the number." YES!!! YOU GET IT!! (don't get me wrong, there can be iconic autographs that aren't legible whatsoever but idk. to me it's something about how it's a name and i'd like to be able to read it. it's so personal and a scribble doesn't feel personal).

i wanted to see how his signature has changed/progressed over the years, so i dug around a bit to see where he's landed at this point. let's back up to the beginning!

2018 (screenshot from this vid) -

huggy's first official nhl signature!!

his draft day signature shows he's still fully spelling out his first name. it also looks just very. teenage boy who can't do cursive.

BUT the elements are already there - heavy on the Qu, the Hu, (new nickname Q-hoo? like yoohoo? no? fine.) and the s. starting to stylize the gh.

*side notes: Qu is such a rough first letters pairing rip... it's a distinct shape. printing Q doesn't flow easily into the u while cursive Q is ugly (in my opinion) and idk if a lot of people actually know what a true cursive Q looks like (hint: it looks like a 2). also, "quinn" is hard just because it's SEVEN vertical elements back to back. i honestly think doing it in cursive requires more focus than printing. hughes is fun because it has the high and low elements right next to each other, which he emphasizes.*

2019 (nhl debut) -

oh boy. sill very choppy. still have those main elements of emphasis happening.

i feel like he probably hadn't started worrying about his signature yet (this was his first game, to be fair).

not a lot of connectivity (especially in Hughes)

the n has hints of what it will become later, though, which is cool to see!

2021 (from article)-

only writing Quinn now (only one dot for an i). maybe to speed it up, maybe just bc that's the nickname he goes by, maybe both.

seeing the connecting line/stroke between the g and h more prominently

s is looking more stylized as well

i think he's picking up the pen a fair amount still (maybe up to 8 or 9 strokes in this one?). so yeah, i'm sure it took a while compared to others...

2022 (from this silly vid)-

this is kind of not a 'true' signature to me bc 1) given the nature of the video i kind of doubt he would have put 100% effort into it (complete lack of stylized s) and 2) you can tell the surface/pen combo isn't great - see the jaggedness on the gh?

this is the most ~scribbly~ version i saw. like i said, idk if i really count this one but i don't want to dig around forever to find a confirmed 2022 signature

regardless, he seems to have sped it up and is better at the cursiveness aspect. Most of it is connected - i'd guess 5 total strokes for that version.

2023 (from wallpapers on the canucks' insta)-

definitely more committed to a "look"

Qu is kind of aggressive lol and the gh stroke isn't super smooth either. HOWEVER it is 100% a stylistic element he focuses on. also it's fast to connect them, so it probably feels pretty natural. just needed more practice on keeping that stroke aligned.

officially no dotting of the i anymore - just swooping up high (again, probably helps with speed)

we have the fully stylized s! i'm actually very fond of that part because lots of people will let the last letters fall to the wayside and basically just draw a line. he's kinda doing that a smidge with the n. but there's intention on the s and it looks very nice!

2023/2024 (from canucks' wallpapers & inhousemade insta)-

here we have our latest iteration

I reallyyy like the finishing on the n - it matches well with how he does the s, which is so pretty. such a fun letter to write lol

i think the gh line has been fully mastered at this point. and it's a good way to keep his signature legible but still give it a unique flair. not everyone's signature/name has that type of line so ppl can pick his name out rather easy i would guess.

i think huggy's probably settled on autograph style/look at this point. but i will still keep an eye out to see if he decides to try a new element!

thanks for reading and hopefully you found this mildly interesting ☺️

[honeymvnt]

Altitude [18+]

Tom Cruise x !fem!reader

Words count: 3.7k

A/N: taking a flight alone can be a nightmare, especially if you have anxiety but he knows how to help with it

Warnings: it’s a smut so, that’s the only warning I’ve got.

this is my Christmas gift for @dxddycruise bc she’s the best🎀

After putting your bags away you took the ticket of the flight in your hands for the thousand time and checked which one was you seat.

Most of the people were still trying to make the bags fit while you started to walk on the carpeted floor, searching with your eyes the number and... letter? Of your seat.

You’ve never been on a plane before and you had no idea what those numbers and letters were doing there nor how it worked.

You looked behind and there was a whole line of people just like in front of you and when you tried to reach for a hostess they were all busy helping the other passengers.

You were almost about to panic and let everybody walk ahead so you had more time to figure out where your seat was.

After a few minutes, when everyone had found their seats a man stopped behind you again and without even looking at him you gestured him to just go ahead but he did not move until when you looked up at him and when you did...

His eyes were staring into yours but you couldn't help yourself from looking at the rest of his gorgeous face.

He was smiling at you and it was honestly the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen, and the way his cheeks were rising when he noticed that you weren’t looking at him but staring at him as if you’ve seen a ghost (for him, for you it was more like you’ve seen a God).

"Do you..." he spoke up. The tone of his voice sent a shiver down your spine until your feet and you gripped the ticket as if it could save yourself from fainting. He pointed at the paper between your hands and looked down at it for a moment.

He thought you were going to say something but all you did was just staring at him. You could tell it was getting really awkward when he let out a small laugh and slowly took the ticket away from your hands to read it.

"Yeah... I can't- find my..." you couldn't even finish the sentence when he looked back at you. "...My seat" you smiled and swallowed hard before you looked down at the paper to avoid his intense and penetrating stare that was already sending you over the sky before you even left the land.

He smiled back at you as you slowly approached the seats and you noticed that everyone was already sat, already glued to their phones, already planning the rest of their lives in their hands. How depressing it was.

"There you go" the man spoke up again and placed his hand on your waist just to help you out with it and he had no idea how much you loved it.

"Thanks" you smiled, glancing back at him before sitting next to the small window.

He looked at his ticket and with a surprised smile he spoke to you again.

"I guess we will share this flight together" you laughed as he sat next to you while you were trying your best not to look at him for too long.

He took his phone out of the pocket of his expensive pants and you had to force yourself to look at the empty view next to you just not to stare at his hands or his lips or eyes. He was so hard to ignore.

"I'm Y/N by the way" you said out of the blue when he put his phone away.

He looked at you again and extended his hand for you to take it.

"Such a pretty name. I'm Tom nice to meet you" you took his hand in yours and he gently squeezed it before he let go of it.

"Thank you... so is yours" you smiled and he looked right at your lips before noticing your eyes.

Whenever you looked at him, time seemed to stop and no noise around you matter except the one of your heart echoing through your whole body.

When the plane suddenly left the airport you held yourself on your seat. The anxiety in your body started fo grow uncontrollably: from the noise of the people talking until the engine of the plane and was scaring the shit out of you.

"Are you okay darling?" He asked.

Darling.

You didn't know what he was doing to you and you knew he had no intentions with you but he must've known by now how much he had caught you and how much you’ve been waiting for this moment.

You slowly looked at him and your lips parted slightly, ready to speak but he took the word before you could even form a sentence.

"I'm going to get you some water" he said.

"No it's okay, I'm fine" you smiled before he could stand up. You didn’t want him to leave you, not even for some water, and so he leaned back on his seat and looked at you a bit concerned.

"I'm okay, thanks" the corners of his lips raised and there he was, smiling at you once again. It was such a view for you. The kind of view you'll never ever forget about.

"Vacation?" He asked after a while, trying to break the ice with you as he noticed how tensed you were.

"No, not really..." you chuckled "you?"

"No... just meetings, the usual" Tom laughed after you but it wasn't calming you at all.

You were nearly about to freak out on that plane and the more you looked down the more you felt like you wanted to throw up but his presence was forcing you not to and besides how embarrassing it was getting because you couldn't stop gripping the seat and take deep breaths between a smile and another he was noticing it all along.

"Your first time?" He looked down at your hands before meeting yours eyes again.

"Yeah, is it so obvious?" You laughed awkwardly before you closed your eyes for a moment to take your breath.

"You want to..." he whispered you.

"To what?" You asked back at him a little confused about what he meant by that.

"To go to the bathroom?"

Right. What were you even thinking about now. You felt so embarrassed. All you did was embarrassing yourself since the moment you dropped your bags out of the taxi this afternoon and then the ticket and the seat, your anxiety kicking in right when a handsome man talks to you and now this....

"Maybe it's better" you nodded and stood up, walking out of the seats but Tom held your wrist and you felt your whole body heating up. For a second you really thought that the altitude hit you but it was him, the way he looked at you and touched you was making you feeling higher than you already were.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked you but you didn't answer. Your lips parted and you frowned trying to read between the lines of what he was trying to say.

"I don't want you to pass out in there" the little laugh he let out led you to say yes to him. You were going to say yes anyways, to anything he wanted, you were down for it and couldn’t forget yourself for thinking such things in front of his face.

"Sure, that'd be better" with this Tom stood up and walked behind you as you approached the bathroom, holding yourself on every single seat until the door.

"I'll be right here" he smiled before you entered the room.

Your hand reached down to lock it but instead you did not. You didn't know why you were in the bathroom. You really didn't want to be there but you didn't even want to be next to him and act like a scared little girl so you had to make your move.

You looked at yourself in the mirror and you washed your hands without taking your eyes off of your reflection. You wondered if he was wondering why you didn't lock the door, you wondered if he was wondering that you were wondering that he was wondering why you didn't lock the door.

You were thinking about dragging him inside the room and just kiss him, as a thank you maybe?

The water was still going and you were still staring at yourself before he slowly knocked on the door.

"Is everything alright?" He asked quietly.

He knew it was open and even though you weren’t there since a long time you wondered why he'd really came here.

He wanted what you wanted, it was obvious.

"Y/N?" He spoke again and you felt his hand on the doorknob of the room before you decided to speak.

"no" you lied. Well it wasn't a lie, everything wasn't okay... you wanted him. You wanted him to kiss you and you were trying your best to convince your mind that that was what he wanted too, that he wanted to kiss you and more.

You suddenly opened the door and there he was, standing in front of you with that goddamn suit that only made you dream about what kind of beautiful, sculpted body was hiding behind it and those eyes, those lips. Your mind was going crazy.

He slowly walked towards you without taking his eyes off of yours, not even to blink. His hands reached for your face and his lips crashed on yours.

You held yourself on his arms as Tom entered the room and locked the door behind him without stopping the kiss.

Your mouth opened to let his tongue slip between your lips. Your breath was stuck in your throat and all the anxiety was replaced with hot waves of excitement.

His hands slide down your sides until your waist before he pushed you against the door and kept eating your mouth as if it was his last meal. You moaned and moved your hands into his jacket so he could take it off.

He broke the kiss and smiled when he noticed how good you were reacting to all of this while your hands traveled down his chest to finally feel it.

He kissed you again but quickly moved down to your neck, nibbling on your skin and biting it too.

Never in your life you’ve experienced anything like this and even if this was very inappropriate, you couldn't deny that it was such a feeling you didn't want to end for any reason.

His hands found the end of your sweater and he took it off of you with a fast move before his lips kept moving down your body.

You bit your lips as hard as you could, trying your best not to make any noise but he was making it impossible. Your hands reached for his face and you kissed all of him, harder than before and he didn't hesitate to go even harder until when your lips were red and sore.

Your heart was racing and your legs were already shaking just by the excitement of his kisses and when one of his huge arms wrapped around your waist and held you up on the small sink you let out a gasp.

"I knew you would’ve liked it” Hearing his voice after all of this was just the beginning of the end for you and he knew it, fuck if he did.

You smiled and looked up at him while he moved your jeans down your legs and kissed your thighs before you stepped out of them.

Tom started to unbutton his shirt but you didn't want him to do it, you needed to do it. You’ve been fantasizing about it since when your eyes landed on him and you must've had the pleasure to do it.

He was standing between your legs and you slowly leaned closer to him. You kissed his hand and Tom smirked down at you, noticing how eager you already were.

You took his hand in yours and moved it between your legs as you started to unbutton his shirt.

You bit your lips again and opened his shirt just enough for you to kiss his chest and just take a taste of it. His free hand moved through your hair and then down your clothed breasts.

"Fuck..." he moaned when your lips moved a little lower just to tease him and to make him lose his patience because of it.

You looked down at him with a smile printed on your face when you noticed what you've done to him. You couldn't help yourself from it and touched his huge hard cock with a hand and the moan he had to swallow not to let anyone hear the both of you was going to be the end of you.

He bent down to kiss you again as you felt his fingers gripping your thigh and moving closer to your core.

Your back arched and another moan escaped from your lips before he kissed you to avoid it.

"I'd love to hear you my love" he said against your lips as you tried your best to keep yours on his.

"I really can't let you do that..." he smirked while he slowly lowered and got on his knees in front of your spread legs.

You looked at him in surprise when you noticed what he had in mind and the worst part of it was that you were sure you couldn't shut up, you couldn't be quiet if he really did this to you.

Tom started to kiss your thigh without taking his eyes away from you, moving even closer to your core, teasing the hell out of you as you held yourself on the sink beneath you.

"Please..." you whispered quickly when two of his fingers moved your underwear to the side and you saw how proud he was for having you like this, helpless and completely fucked up already.

"Please Tom..." if only he made a false move now, the whole plane, pilots included, were going to find out what was going on in there.

"I haven't started yet" his long fingers slid down your soaked folds, slowly enough to make you feel how sensitive you already were because of him.

Your eyes fell shut and your body arched toward his to feel even more.

"Eager, are we?" He chuckled and when you opened your eyes he was right above you, with his body pressed against yours so you had no other choice but stare into his eyes while his fingers were slowly entering you.

"Oh my...." you gasped but he immediately kissed you before you could moan even louder.

"Fuck-" you cried out at the feeling of his fingers stretching you out, curling inside of you to hit the right spot.

"so wet…" Tom said against your cheek, holding your thigh in place with his free hand.

You nodded eagerly and let him sped up the movement of his fingers between your legs and your hand unconsciously held his wrist.

"Mm yes... yes-" you bit your lips again to kill all the cries that he was dragging out of you with his fingers pumping into you.

"You're gonna cum for me, aren't you?" He asked brining his hand toward your neck.

You nodded again at his question while your legs started to shake uncontrollably. His fingers were moving so fast that you could've barely feel your own body. Your hands tightened on his shoulders as he helped you reach the peak of your orgasm.

"There you go" he said kissing your neck, moving his hand up to your cheek and close to your mouth.

"Cum for me" his lips moved up to yours again as you came all over his hand while you cried out his name repeatedly, biting onto his fingers to kill all the moans that you were desperately trying to let out of you.

"Oh god" you took a deep breath and your eyes eyes fell shut as he caressed your face and kissed you over and over again.

"I want you so bad" you whispered against his lips, trying to keep yourself composed even though you were already feeling weak again.

Tom chuckled and kissed your lips while his hands left your body to unbuckle his pants and free his huge hard cock.

You bit your lips at the sight and when he noticed it, well that made him very proud.

"So do I" he replied and teased your sensitive folds with the tip of it before he slowly slide into you.

The way your walls stretched around him sent you straight to heaven and back and the way he was even struggling to go deeper just made you want to scream the lungs out of you.

"Fuck you're so big..." you moaned quietly and he let out a low groan as he tried to fit all the way in.

"And you're very tight" Tom held your thighs with both of his hands and spread your legs even more as your body started to get used to his massive size.

"Oh please fuck me..." you cried out in desperation when you felt your walls clenching around him.

"Say it again" he said staring deep into your eyes, holding your face with a hand.

"Please, fuck me" you repeated, breathing heavily and tightening your hands on his arms.

He looked down at your lips and kissed you while his cock slide almost out of you and slowly went all the way in again, with a slow, torturous pace that only made more eager and desperate for more.

"Oh fuck... I can't" you cried out but he was enjoying how stimulated you were and how badly you needed him to just break you.

"Yes you can..." Tom moved his lips down your jaw, until your neck while you were struggling to keep it quiet.

"And you will" his pace quickened as your legs wrapped around him to keep him even closer to you.

"Oh fuck... fuck" you moaned but he quickly kissed your mouth again before speaking up.

"Quiet babe" he said panting and fucking you at the same time.

You bit your lips as you felt your whole body giving in more and more. Your legs were trembling and your hands moved up his arms until his shoulders and face. God he was so beautiful.

His dark hair fell in front of his eyes as he looked down at the both of you but he quickly moved a hand through it so you could see his beautiful eyes again.

Just his face was driving you insane and the rest was killing you.

He was fucking your brains out and you were just about to let go when you began to feel his cock throb inside of you.

"Fuck I'm gonna cum again" you said against his lips.

"Not yet" he whispered next to your ear before moving away from you.

The sudden emptiness you felt made you gasp and moan at the same time. Tom quickly held you down from the skin and grabbed both of your arms, placing them behind your back.

"You cum when I tell you to" he continued and spun you around so you were facing the small mirror of the bathroom.

He bent you over the sink and slide all the way in again. Without giving you time to adjust to the size he started to pound into you with no mercy, hitting spots that not even his fingers could've reached.

"Tom- fuck" you were cut off by your own moans but he did not stop, he did not slow down.

He was giving you just what you wanted in the best way you wanted it.

"You want it, don't you?" Tom said against your cheek. Letting go of your arms so you could hold yourself up and he grabbed your hair and forced you to look at him through the mirror.

"Say it" he whispered you, speeding up the pace even more, till the point you couldn't take it anymore.

"Yes... yes-" you said straight away as tears ran down your cheeks and his lips moved down the back of your neck.

"Such a good girl" these words, sent you over the edge and he knew it by the way your walls clenched and gripped his cock so tightly.

"Yes just like that..."

"Please" you cried out.

"Let go for me darling, give it to me" and so you did.

He didn't stop moving back and forth until when your orgasm wasn't over and he had to place a hand over you mouth to keep you quiet while he finished himself inside of you, until the last drop.

"Oh fuck..." he moaned too and held himself on the sink even though you could feel the weight of his body over yours.

You two stayed there for a few moments to catch your breath before he slowly turned you around and hugged you close to him. You were both glowing with the after sex aura and the thin layer of sweat as you wrapped your arms around him and he did the same, trying to hold you up.

You slowly pulled away and kissed him again one last time.

“I hope you’re feeling better now” Tom said with a chuckle and you playfully rolled your eyes at him

“You think so?”

“Well I hope so” you laughed and kissed his lips one last time before you opened the door to check if anyone was there or if anyone heard what have happened but he held your hand and dragged you inside to kiss you.

You both quickly dressed up again and tried your best to look exactly like when you stepped into the bathroom.

“I think I’ll take you out on a date” His hands were holding your waist from behind as you slowly left the bathroom and you felt his lips against your neck again.

“You better” he laughed and you held his hand as you slowly approached your seats as if nothing happened.

[flowersdiceandlove]

Some more on my Nan Feng and Fu Yao were actually fengqing's kids all along au (first part here):

@happypeachsludgeflower @sleepyburito yes!! You get it!

When Xie Lian finally learns who they are, he turns to fengqing apologetically and says seriously, “Feng Xin, Mu Qing, I’m so sorry. I thought they were you. If I’d known they were just kids I would have focused on protecting them and making sure they were safe more.”

Nan Feng and Fu Yao are in the background, outraged and offended that Xie Lian thinks they need to be protected by him. It does not matter how old these two are, Xie Lian will forever see them as kids to be protected. Fengqing are actually kinda touched bc 1) XL thought the kids were them and therefore not in need of protecting, trusting their skills. And 2) Xie Lian likes their kids and wants them safe, feeling protective of them.

Post-canon, Xie Lian kinda becomes Nan Feng and Fu Yao’s kooky grandpa who has weird and slightly horrifying stories that no one really wants to listen to. When getting ready for visits to Xie Lian, there’s a lot of “do we have to?” by the kids and Mu Qing replying with a clipped “yes.” They argue the entire way down to the mortal realm or wherever they’re meeting until they immediately shut up when they spot Xie Lian. This family cannot communicate normally. All their conversations are arguing.

Also, fengqing sent the kids down independently. Neither knew the other was doing it, nor decided to inform the other. They only found out about it when the kids got back from the mission, at which point fengqing went to each other like "you sent Nan Feng/Fu Yao to help His Highness? What, do you not trust His Highness' capabilities or something!?" and the other is all "Bitch, you did the same thing!" They then fight about it. Of course.

And, because of this little non communication, Nan Feng and Fu Yao didn't know the other would be there too. The reason this matters is because the two of them end up being sent on a lot of missions together (they were trained together in their youth and fengqing knew they would have each other's backs in dangerous situations and that they knew each other's moves as well as their own), and were getting sick of it, so when their dad told them to do this, they did so with the impression that the other wouldn't be there. This is why Nan Feng and Fu Yao keep telling Xie Lian to send the other away. They do not want to do another mission with their stupid twin. (They still always drag each other into trouble together. They're ride or die, but will complain the entire time. just like their parents)

As I was thinking about fengqing's relationship and their kids in regards to the other Heavenly Officials, this is what I got: Not a lot of Heaven actually knows about it.

Feng Xin and Mu Qing are known to always be fighting and arguing, so if they hear rumors that the two are together, they laugh it off and go "yeah, right" with a roll of their eyes. It's simply unbelievable. There are also a lot of Middle Court Officials, and the gods can't be concerned to remember every single one of them. And Junior Officials also switch which palace they work for sometimes, so Fu Yao and Nan Feng switching between the Palace of Nan Yang and the Palace of Xuan Zhen isn't that odd especially since fengqing fight so much, they might also fight over Junior Officials. The most that line of questioning goes is "Wait, I thought you were with the Palace of Xuan Zhen?" "No, I'm with the Palace of Nan Yang." or vice versa. Of course fengqing's Junior Officials know the truth, but the two Palaces will always have a friendly rivalry with each other. If that "friendly rivalry" looks like death matches, that's not their problem, that's just how their palaces do it with each other. Like an extended family that is very competitive and ends up with everyone in the hospital at the end of the family reunion.

Of those in Heaven that do know that Nan Feng and Fu Yao really are fengqing's kids, most don't know that fengqing are still together. They know that at some point in the past fengqing were together and had two kids, but think they're now a divorced couple in a nasty fight over custody. After all, Nan Feng and Fu Yao both have rooms in both the Palace of Nan Yang and the Palace of Xuan Zhen and are being constantly passed between the two palaces in cycles and Mu Qing and Feng Xin are always fighting. Looking at it in that regard, it makes perfect sense to them. Of course the two generals have such a nasty relationship and can't get along for the life of them, they're exes!

Those that know the whole truth, that Nan Feng and Yu Yao are fengqing's kids and that fengqing are still very much together and in love, are very few. Ling Wen knows simply because she knows everything and she also had to go through the paperwork of the constantly changing palaces of the kids. Eventually they work out a system for them so that they don't have to file official reports of switching palaces all the time. (She would have killed them if they didn't (they knew this and so were quick to figure out a solution)) Pei Ming also knows. He's laughing about. He doesn't really understand how their relationship works and how they haven't killed each other yet, but is like "🤷‍♂️ whatever works for them." Shi Wudu knows because of the Three Tumors, but honestly doesn't care and spares it no thought. I think Shi Qingxuan would also know. He would also think it's common knowledge and therefore not gossip worthy or worth a mention. I also think he would get along with the twins.

[lovrily]

hi :) could you do steve x shy reader at like a party or something and steve is her boyfriend who is super flirty but she's never had a boyfriend before so she's nervous bc he's being flirty?? i hope this makes sense 😭 thank you!!

it makes so much sense! i hope this is good! fem!reader | 2000 words | suggestive but no smut

"we should leave."

you look up from the fire, a marshmallow melting on the metal skewer you're holding. "really? why?"

steve shrugs. "let's do it."

"why?" you laugh. you're not disappointed; you wouldn't mind going back to his place and getting in pajamas, where it's quiet and familiar. but it had taken a lot of convincing on steve's part to get you to come to the bonfire in the first place, so you're surprised he would want to leave so early. he'd even convinced you to wear your bathing suit, although you'd worn his shirt over it for most of the night.

he hasn't answered.

"are you upset?" you ask quietly.

"no, it's not that." he smiles at you, a little crookedly. "sorry, babe."

"it's okay," you laugh. when you flip your skewer around and bite into the marshmallow, he inhales- bending down to pick up your purse. when you bite the rest of it off the tip of your thumb, his nostrils flare.

your eyes flash wide. "what?"

"nothing. you wanna go? we don't have to."

"yeah, but-"

"i got you, then. my car's out front. did you know that?"

he's murmuring and grinning like a fool. yeah, he jokes again, this time in your ear. let me take you home. you can't help but laugh.

there's a small chorus of friendly but mostly unfamiliar girls around the fire who whine various lines like, no, don't take her yet! or, leave her with us! and while you're flattered that so many people have taken a liking to you in one night, you're perfectly relieved to go home.

steve puts his hand on your back while you weave through the small crowd. his friends holler at him, trying to say goodbye, and he waves back at them, every gesture noncommittal. the sky is a murky, midnight blue, the sun completely gone. you're gawking at him by the time you've hiked back to the empty section of the field where you parked, a handful of other empty cars around you.

"are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"wrong?" he scoffs. "no, nothing's wrong."

"you're scaring me."

he opens the passenger's door and leans on it, smiling. "you're ridiculous."

"what!"

once you're inside, he shuts the door and hauls around to the driver's seat, shutting it and locking it behind him. the breadth of his shoulders blocks the moon, his hair fluffy and dark, mostly towel-dried after swimming. you lean away and he's watching you- so you're tempted to lean back over and just let him do whatever it is he's planning to do. but you're genuinely rather confused, so you hold your ground against the seat. it's cold against your back, even in the dead of summer.

"your hair is still wet," steve murmurs.

"i know. sorry, i'm getting it on your seats."

he reaches over and takes a section of your hair in his fingers. "babe, you know i don't care."

"i know."

he's still smiling.

"what is your problem?" you nearly shriek.

then you're laughing, and he's laughing even harder, and then he kisses you, and you're very, very quiet.

he's still grinning. his fingertips rake against the back of your neck, at your hairline, careful not to yank at the wet strands there. his thumb skids over your cheek, your face still slightly damp, your skin too-clean and sensitive and a little cold.

"are you cold?" he says suddenly.

"no," you breathe. not now.

you pull away, dizzy. he breathes hard, beaming at you, but he doesn't look nervous. he's steve. he doesn't get nervous doing stuff like this. especially not with you.

why would he, with you? he's your first boyfriend. he doesn't have to impress you, if he doesn't want to. maybe you're not very impressive, either. every time he kisses you, you feel like you're going to pass out. that's not very cool girl of you.

now is not the time to be feeling insecure, but the feeling has already set in- even after he wraps his right arm around your waist and hauls you over to the driver's seat. you squeal as he sits you on his lap, grabbing his keys from the console and putting them in the ignition behind you. the heat comes on in a dull wave.

he's about to kiss you again, and then he stops, pulling wet, knotted strands of hair away from your eyes as you loom over him, not fully settled.

"you okay?" he asks.

"yeah," you try to say confidently. it's more of a wheeze.

"yeah?"

"yeah."

he smirks, and it might look a little evil if he wasn't so sweet.

"can i kiss you?"

it's the stupidest question you've ever heard. he's practically gloating.

"again?"

he gawks at you, laughing. "again, yeah."

"you want to?"

you're not even sure why you say it. but you do, and at first, steve just snickers quietly. then his smile goes a little crooked and his brows knit together. and he says-

"of course i do."

you swallow. "okay." be cool. "do it."

that was not cool in the slightest.

steve watches you, leaning back a little bit, like you're something to examine. you fight the urge to wrench your eyes shut. one of his hands lands softly on your hip, and the other comes up to rub your arm, warm over the thin tan sleeve of his waffle shirt.

"are you okay?" he asks. this time, he really means it.

"yeah," you nod. "i'm okay."

"but you're hovering."

"i'm what?"

"sweetheart," steve laughs softly, letting go of you for a moment. you droop a bit, and realize he's right. "you're not sitting."

"you can't just ask a girl to sit on you, harrington."

he looks like he might laugh, but he doesn't- his expression oddly serious for the night. "did i do something?"

"no!"

you finally lock eyes with him, and he looks so worried that guilt blooms in your gut. just be honest.

"i don't know, sometimes...i just get nervous. when we're together."

your words seem to wound him, but he's listening intently. "okay."

he brings his hand back to your arm, tracing lines on your skin over the fabric of his shirt.

"i...haven't had a boyfriend before," you say. it's not a shock- he knows. "you're my first. for everything."

he nods. "my luck is crazy."

"sure," you scoff, but his face is gravely serious. "i just worry sometimes that you're going to realize i'm not worth it. sometimes, when you...when you kiss me, or...touch me, i just get scared you're going to realize i'm not what you want. you could have someone who's less nervous. or who's been with other people before."

someone who isn't me.

you're a little horrified once you've said all of it. steve just watches you, crickets chirping outside the car, the heater blowing by your waist and over your elbows. his hands go still, and his face crumples, like he'd cut himself on something sharp. his mouth falls open a little bit.

"honey," he laments.

"i know. sorry-"

steve leans forward and wraps his arms around you, pinning your biceps to your sides at first, not weaving your limbs with his. you both inhale. he squeezes you, your head drooping onto his shoulder, and then he pulls you away and loops his hands through your sides; where you finally sit on his lap, thighs brushing against the console and the door. he holds you around your stomach and puts one hand on the back of your head, holding you to his neck. the scent of sunscreen and bug spray laundry detergent make it more real; his hands warm and dry from swimming, his neck tan from being in the sun. the entanglement of you both is a heavy weight on the seat.

you breath in again and exhale. he's real, and he loves you, even when it's hard to believe it.

"are you kidding me, sweetheart? are you joking?"

"no," you laugh, voice muffled at his neck, but he doesn't in return.

"you should have told me that before. i feel like i'm gonna be sick."

"steve!"

he squeezes you once more and plants a kiss to the top of your head, then one on your forehead. his palms meet your cheeks and he tilts your head back, your arms wrapped around his neck.

"i don't want anyone but you," he says earnestly. "there is no one i want to be with but you. it doesn't even cross my mind. it's not an option."

you might cry. he wipes his thumb over your cheek, now hot as an iron.

"you're it for me," he says plainly. "okay?"

"okay."

"do you believe me?"

"yes," you nod, embarrassed.

he shakes his head at you, expression still pained. it's almost comedic how awful he feels, but you feel even worse for bringing it up.

"i'm sorry."

"don't," he retorts. "no. don't be. c'mere."

you lean forward and kiss him this time, and he's happy about it; the palms on your cheeks sliding back into your hair and over your ears, drowning out the sounds of the field like a fishbowl. all you hear is him. all you feel is him.

"i love you," he murmurs, kissing your lips- and then the tip of your nose, and then your chin and the crook of your neck. "you're my girl. i love you. there's no one else."

you melt like ice cream, slumped in his hands. what else can you do?

"steve..." you whisper.

"mhm?"

"let's go home."

his response is delayed. he kisses the crook of your neck again, then closer to your collarbone. when you inhale sharply, he leans back, screwing his eyes shut.

"but we have to drive all the way there."

"you're the one who wanted to go home in the first place!" you beam, amused at his grimace.

"home is far," steve utters. "you're here. right now."

you're going to die if he keeps talking like that. so you climb off of him and drop ungracefully into the passenger's seat, clicking your seatbelt into place. steve groans.

"oh, that's evil."

"take me home, harrington."

he sits there for a second, and then shakes his head; running his hands over his eyes and his hair, black against the night. his laughter is a quiet rumble.

"you're killing me. you don't even get it."

"what'd i do?"

his head is still in his hands. "you don't even have to do anything. you're just sitting there, and you're driving me insane. it's embarrassing. it's bad for my reputation."

"take me home, steve."

you're trying to be firm, but you're smiling. it's impossible not to. steve sighs once, then sits up, putting the car in reverse.

"you need to watch for cops, at this point, sweetheart, because i'm going to go fifty over until we get home."

you consider saying something snide in return, but honestly, you'd be perfectly happy if he did.

[cybertron-after-dark]

I was gonna ask a question but i honestly forgot it 😅 so just tell me something you want to rant about

If you do happen to remember what you were gonna ask feel free to do so, do not worry about spamming my inbox bc I live for that shit.

As for the rant

Transformers Rescue Bots had some of the best, kindest, and most respectful representation of neurodivergence I have ever seen in media and I'm tired of pretending it didn't.

While there are obvious complaints to be made about neurodivergent traits (especially autistic traits) usually being portrayed in media by inhuman characters like aliens or robots, this being a case of both, I feel like thats a pretty negligible sin given just how human the show makes the robots feel. (Also it was like 2011 and we were STRUGGLING for any scraps of rep anyway)

But like. The behaviors all these robots exhibit are all shit that I do that was always deemed unacceptable when I was a kid and seeing it portrayed with the level of kindness and gentleness they do in that show has me fuckin crying a little man. I wish I had actually watched it when I was younger and it was first airing because maybe if I did I would've had an easier time explaining what the hell was going on with my brain a LOT sooner.

Blades being anxious, overly sensitive, and WHOLEHEARTEDLY queer (which they had the absolute unparalleled balls to just casually confirm by having him swoon over "hunky vampires" in one episode and NOBODY commented on it. Fucking iconic) and getting so so deeply invested in the shows and movies he loves that he acts out the roles with enough passion to steel his nerves and completely flourish.

Boulder getting really confused at concepts that are basic and intuitive for most people, but still being so fucking intelligent, and never being made to feel stupid for the mix-ups, as well as just being so wholely, unabashedly in love with the planet he's found himself on, even if he doesn't understand all of it (Also apologizing to inanimate objects when he knocks them over 😭)

Chase being obsessed with rules and law because he NEEDS the structure to not fall apart at the seams, even feeling the need to fabricate a minor crime to justify using the emergency line to get a hold of the firehouse when he can't find the other bots. As well as just fully not understanding comedy (BUT TRYING HIS DAMNEDEST), taking things super literally, and having a lot of trouble with tone and expressions (even though you know just how deeply he feels All The Time).

Heatwave being desperate for attention and recognition, but completely allergic to asking for it. And honestly allergic to showing any genuine emotional responses other than aggression. The constant sarcasm and sass and defensiveness that he POORLY maintains because everyone knows that underneath that tough guy front is the loneliest robot on earth that wants to be loved SO bad but would rather jump into unicron's mouth than voice it because if he lets his guard down who knows what will happen to him or the people he cares about.

Just. All of it man. Seeing them exhibiting all these behaviors and quirks that all too often get met with poor reactions from people who don't want to deal with what they don't really get, but here they're met with patience and understanding?? It's got me fucked up. They get to be functional adults that struggle with what they have going on but still push through. They get to have unconditionally loving relationships with people that treat them with respect. And that's the kind of shit that gives me a lot of hope for folks like me because maybe some neurotypical kids that watched it picked up on what's helpful when their friend who acts like one of the bots is going through it. And maybe some neurodivergent kids watched it too and for the first time they just felt SEEN.

Okay rant over, I'm gonna go cry over some plastic robots 👍

[tanoraqui]

Dungeon Meshi Liveblog: Some Much-Needed Downtime TBH

ok I kinda read these species-swap chapters quickly without commenting 2 nights ago bc I REALLY wanted to catch up to the show, and honestly I didn't have much to say? It was a fun showcase of some different species talents, and introduced multiple fun problems for the characters to solve [takes notes in DM]. But it didn't seem to move either plot or characters forward much. Some notes:

Honestly it's surprising that there's only been 1 count of food poisoning so far, when they're trying SO MANY new things. One must credit Senshi's cooking skills!

This might be the single funniest joke so far:

I've seen multiple posts saying Senshi's elfsona reveals him to be feminine by dwarf standards, and I'm genuinely BAFFLED by that take because it is SO obvious that Senshi's elfsona reveals him to be 1. the Hottest Man You Have Ever Met, and 2. HAIRY. We have seen 0 other elves with facial hair. I dug up that showcase of different elves and 0 of them have facial hair. In the Tolkienien lore from which all modern fantasy, or certainly this sort of fantasy, is derived, exactly 2 elves in the history of the world are said to have had facial hair. Elf!Senshi has a tiny little moustache. Elf!Senshi isn't feminine, he is the HOTTEST, HAIRIEST bear in the metaphorical gay club.

...it's possible that he's more of a himbo than we realize, though.

I don't know what's up with Kensuke and I AM worried that it's being directed by the demon. I want it to be Laios's friend so bad...

It occurs to me that "the winged lion is actually the demon at the root of all of this" is probably the biggest spoiler I've gotten, and I didn't even realize how huge a spoiler it was because I DIDN'T get spoilered for the fact that, so far as the characters know, the lion is supposed to be a helpful god. Don't play with spoilers, kids! Even if you want to read the juicy meta!

This initial fight with the gargoyles is probably my new second-favorite "Laios is really quickly analytical and problem-solving in combat" moment (the living armor fight is still #1). He sees how everyone is failing, prevents more problems as he can, realizes they can't win and puts together what pieces they need to get out. In group social dynamics, he's a mediocre leader at best, but he's a superb combat tactician.

Laios is just living in his own little after-school special, and I love him for that.

That first panel is definitely support for the theory that the 50-60yr life expectancy of "short-lived" races like tallmen, orcs, kobolds and halffeet is shorter than it should be, relative to their ages of maturity, because the long-lived races control and hold most of the resources. It's even possible that their ages of maturity SHOULD be even older, but social conditions force them to become "adults" at a younger developmental age than dwarves, gnomes and especially elves!

Panel 3 is Marcille mentally shoving Chilchuck higher on her list of Lives to Extend by Whatever Magic I Can Learn.

I love how the way they figure out that the mushrooms' effects are easily reversible is literally by thinking through the greater social worldbuilding implications of the effects.

^This is the single most Dad we've ever seen Chilchuck...topped only by that 'carry child like a football' a moment later. Actually, he yeets Marcille a LOT while tall - here, over the jump in the travel montage, with Laios to make a loop for the gargoyle...which I'm dead certain is an indication of how he physically treated his daughters. Those kids got casually, affectionately tossed like salad.

.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE CALL FRIENDSHIP.

...okay maybe I did have several thoughts about those 2 chapters.

.

"[Falin] was much tougher than I was. I hear she and our parents still write to each other" is SUCH a line for painting a picture of Laios and Falin's childhoods, and Laios's feelings on it.

.

you can keep your Kabru Wink(TM)s, I am weak only for the Laios Fond Little Smile(TM).

.

I love how Senshi is still musing on this soul = egg metaphor, and I LOVE how both times now that we've seen Laios genuinely lose his temper, it's because someone was saying "why are you just being excited about eating monsters when Falin is in danger?!", and he's snapping because he is fucking NOT dismissing his sister in favor of eating monsters, he is doing EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER to save her and it just so happens that the only plans with a smidgen of success involve leaning into eating monsters. And by trying to stop him from that, you're stopping him from saving Falin.

.

Laios, how tf do you remember the Wink? I'm 99% sure Kabru never once winked in your interactions; I WAS looking for it. Was he just exuding wink energy? (I mean...yes.)

.

The dramatic irony jokes in this chapter are on POINT. Chilchuck: "There's no way this thing still works" [tram door slams shut on his heels, cars immediately starts moving]. "You won't find a military company in the dungeon" [smash cut to Shuro, Namari and Kabru unhappily leading the Canaries into the dungeon]. Impeccable.

Stopping this one here in preparation for going nuts about implied elf-related worldbuilding in the next chapters!

[viquipo]

No bc I'm so mad rn I usually post my rants on ig stories but I need the tumblrites to tell me if I'm crazy or what. Jwcc/ct spoilers WHATEVER

First of all I want to preface this by saying that this is just my opinion on the matter, I'm not saying your headcanons are "wrong" or whatever tf, it's a kids cartoon where they unironically use terms like "fam". You can play with the characters however you'd like.

That being said, this is why TO ME it does not makes sense for Ben to be anything other than gay. Again, if you think he's bi or straight or anything else that's cool. I'm also leaning towards the opinion that he does actually have a girlfriend. I don't think the shows gonna pull a 180 on it because, realistically, 2 queer characters is already a lot for a DreamWorks kids show. As much as I'd like it not to be.

But, since the beginning, Ben has been very clearly coded as exclusively into men to me. Before finally going into it, I remind everyone on here that I'm a lesbian. I have felt an affinity with his character specifically for the experience of only liking the same gender. I might be totally projecting.

Ok, so.

1. The arc Ben goes through during the show is yes, one of self discovery, but also one of self acceptance. He changes a lot from the start of s1, but he also comes to terms with stuff himself or other people didn't like about him. He doesn't throw the dork pouch away or tells Kenji to keep it, the first thing he does when he takes it back from Kenji is put on hand sanitizer. He is covered in dirt, he's not afraid of filth anymore, but he still does that action because it's part of who he is as a person. He also becomes very unashamed at the things he does. He went from being embarrassed of his carob bars to eating grubs in front of people who he knows think it's gross. He knows himself as he is and he accepts it. To me (and to lots of other people) this works very well as a gay metaphor, and pairs up pretty nicely with the whole "jungle boy? Jungle MAN" arc being a trans metaphor. But how does this make Ben uniquely into men?

Well, it doesn't. But I think this next one does.

2. Enter Yasmina. She's pretty, she's smart, athletic, funny, all that good stuff. I'm not saying that means every wlm character should automatically be into her, but it certainly helps. Now forgive me if I don't remember specific episodes/seasons, but we all remember that episode where Ben convinces himself that Yaz is in love with him for some reason. When he "rejects" her, he says : "I'm just now starting to find myself". That's cool, cause I'm pretty sure Ben's " finding himself " personality wise was over and done a couple of seasons ago. To me, that is a really good hint at him dealing with his gayness.

3. He's also the first person Yasmina talks to about her feelings for Sammy. Now, in this particular context, the options for Yaz to talk to were Darius, Brooklynn, or Ben. It would initially seem to make more sense for her to confide in Brooklynn, since the two of them are far closer than her and Ben, and it also wouldn't be the first time she brings up Sammy as a romantic interest for Yaz (see: everyone tweaking abt that one line back in like s2). So why does Yasmina, a very private and reserved person, choose Ben to talk to about her same sex crush? She has probably gathered from the previous conversation that Ben relates to her struggle in a unique way in which Brooklynn just can't. Ben seems very receptive of what Yaz is saying ("feelings, am I right?") and it seems like he REALLY gets where she's coming from.

4. This is one I don't see talked about a lot, and maybe it's just cause I'm too out of the loop with the fandom, but I want to examine it as well. It's when Ben decides to not actually stay on the island. Everyone (except Sammy) already knew he wasn't going to stay in the end, but still didn't force him out. I think this is especially clear in a line Darius says when they reunite on the boat that goes something like "you needed to figure it out on your own" *smile hand on shoulder combo*. No explanation needed I think

I am diagnosed with autism did you guys know what

[madschiavelique]

ohhh my sparkling cupcake!! it’s so rewarding to hear you doin so well!! ma heart ma soul 😭❤️‍🩹 sincerely happy for you doings no matter how big or small they are 😘

im doing more or less okay. just another sad and lonely year, nothing new tbh. but i enjoy seeing other thriving especially you 😏❣️ 💃

as for request… don’t want to make you busy with added on work honestly 😅 but if that’s what you want, here’s some silly lil idea for a miggy prompt: he and his “only recently started to date” shy gf that secretly wants to constantly hold his hand but always restricts herself bc apparently he isn’t a fan of pda and usually seems like he doesn’t want to be touched and she doesn’t want to make him uncomfortable so she just stands quiet and awkwardly zones out on his hands most of the time🧍‍♀️ 😁

bbg i'm so sorry i took so long but life was hitting me hard and now i'm finally on holidays and have time to write yeyyy!!!

i'm sorry that this year is a sad one for you bestie, i sincerely hope your life gets better in every way possible ! <333 (i wanted to make this cute so i hope you'll like it)

summary : wanting to hold miguel's hand content warnings : none, really it's just fluff and maybe reader being a bit of an overthinker ? fem!reader, no use of Y/N word count : 1,2k (not proofread, english is not my first language c:)

Miguel's long, thick fingers ran as usual over one of the many orange holopads that made up his workspace. His middle finger was clearing a problem here, his ring finger was shifting a pop-up message from Lyla to the middle of the main screen there, and his pinkie was tracing under a line that was just a little too small as he frowned in the hope of being able to read it better.

The whole of his hand curled up like a spider's legs as he pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger, immersed in his thoughts and in the countless machinations of the mind that he had to maintain day and night.

As for you, your gaze was focused on his hands. Large, powerful, whose callus, hidden by his gloves, hadn't known its own age for a long time already. Security and envy bickered under your eyes, while your mind was obsessed with a single thought: taking his hand in yours.

You hadn't been with Miguel very long, and to be honest, it felt like the idea of 'being' with him was much more about being there next to him than it was about being a couple.

Of course he loved you, you knew that. There was something gratifying and touching about the fact that, despite all the work he had to do and the little sleep he got every night, he still managed to find time to think about you. 

But you couldn't help it, Miguel was a hard-working man, who didn't have a love of work as such, but he had the drive and determination to force himself to keep working.

Yet, despite the fact that everything between you was so recent, you couldn't stop thinking about the simple fact of holding his hand.

It's ridiculous, you thought, to want something as childish in such an obsessive way. But was it really so ridiculous? After all, every couple holds hands on a daily basis.

You understood that his work took up most of his time, but surely a gesture like this can't be that time-consuming? 

Waiting for such a small gesture made you sigh.

Was it perhaps due to the fact that Miguel was not very public in his approaches? Admittedly, he was very traditional, and that must surely have been one of the reasons why public hand-holding hadn't yet emerged in the relationship.

But you were particularly afraid, because one of the reasons Miguel hadn't taken the first step in this respect was undoubtedly that his image as a social boss would take a hit, which led you to the horrible thought:

Were you an embarrassment to him? Something preferably hidden that could not be loved in the eyes of all?

You quickly cleared this idea from your mind like a broom clears dust, only it can't help but leave a few too small to clear.

Fearing that this thought was overtaking your imagination, you decided to get up. It was already well into the night, but you wanted to keep him company, so you stayed close to him until you sometimes fell asleep on his desk.

"I'll be back, just gonna grab a coffee" you said before stepping off the platform and leaving the room.

Miguel couldn't help watching you walk until you disappeared into the shadows, his eyes attentive.

"For the love of a good woman, Miguel, take her hand!" Lyla finally shouted once you were completely out of earshot to have any chance of hearing her.

Miguel recoiled in surprise, as if a wasp had approached his face. His forehead was furrowed, eyebrows arched, and his lips were parted, waiting for the words to do their job and speak.

"What do you mean?" he asked, now completely out of his work, his eyes riveted on Lyla.

"I know your lack of spidersenses deprives you from seeing or sensing certain things, but I didn't know you would be so blind from it."

"Will you quit mocking me and tell me what you mean?" he questioned, teeth clenched and voice low.

"She's been eyeing you all day!" Lyla nearly choked out as her arm swept round to point at your empty chair.

He cast his eyes towards the said seat, already missing your mere presence more than he'd thought possible. Had he actually been blind?

"Has she?" he asked, his voice approaching a whisper, his eyes still fixed on your seat.

"Miguel, she's been watching your hand like it's the only thing she's ever desired in her life." giggled Lyla.

He raised his hand to the level of his chest, observing it as if from a new angle.

The hint of a smile tugged at his lips on one side, "Has she?..."

"Look I don't know if you're playing the game of 'premarital eye contact is a sin' but hold her hand. She looked like a sad pup on her way out, poor thing."

The realisation was immediate, and all of a sudden Miguel felt like a complete idiot.

Since you'd made your relationship official, he'd barely made any physical contact whatsoever with you. But now he realised just how much this complete lack of attention had affected you, and felt deeply embarrassed. 

At first this had simply been because he didn't want to rush you or force you into anything, but once again the work had taken all his attention. Between the reports, the missions, the anomaly checks - no, it's too easy to blame your own mistakes on your work than on yourself.

"Is everything alright?"

He turned to you, paper cup full of forty-cent coffee from the vending machine in hand as you watched him, puzzled. Not because you'd heard him, as he'd surprisingly feared, but because you hadn't found him the way you'd left him: glued to his work.

He was touched by the sight, watching you from above with a surprised look on your face, just to see him away from his work for once.

No more excuses.

He climbed down from the platform, still under your astonished eyes, and put his hand on yours, holding the coffee. With the size of his hand, encompassing yours completely was an easy task. His thumb stroked the back of your hand gently, noting how your shoulders slumped under the gesture and a sigh of relaxation slipped out, hitherto lodged in your chest.

"I think we should call it a night," he said, taking the cup from your hand and placing it on the first surface around you, replacing its absence with his own hand.

Your palm and fingers were still warm from holding the drink, which made him smile slightly. 

You looked at him, surprised by his sudden change of heart. What could have caused him to finally realise all this delay?... It didn't matter now. Lacing your fingers with his, you both left the room.

"It took you long enough," you laughed softly as Lyla, in the distance, took a photo of the two of you with your backs to her, hands entwined.

[millionmaggots]

RGG Show was Mid, + a Tangent About Goro Majima

Ok, yeah, I'm glad I didnt get my hopes up, bc WOWIE the amazon prime RGG show is Not Good.

I wanted to like it, but in 100% full sincerity, i would recommend that you watch the unhinged 2005 movie over this.

The games beautifully mix genuinely serious story beats / subject matter with completely absurd moments of levity. This contrast allows you to see the silly and charming sides of the characters, making the story especially engaging precisely because those moments of happiness contrast so sharply with the characters' hard lives. Seeing what they could have makes it hit so much harder when they're put through the wringer.

Kiryu will go through the most gut-wrenching tragedy, then immediately after, you'll do a side quest about helping people find their lost items or something. Ultimately, the series is about humanity, and flawed people in horrible situations doing what little good they can.

The 2005 movie is ridiculous and borderline incomprehensible, but it still captures that mix of tragedy and farce. It's weird, it's campy, it's horny, and it makes little to no sense - It's fun.

I can't say the same about the new Prime series. It lacks the charm and silly antics that separate RGG from any other crime drama, and that self-serious nature just sucks all the appeal out of it.

I'm not upset that it isn't totally loyal to game canon - in fact, one of my main hopes was that it would reconcile Majima's super inconsistent characterization in Kiwami 1.

Him kidnapping Haruka just to get to Kiryu, holding a woman at knifepoint, etc., was all written for the original game in 2005 when he was meant to be a wildcard minor antagonist/villain.

The Majima Everywhere mechanic was added in the remake in 2016 after gradually becoming a much more complex and likeable character in 11 years worth of subsequent games after the original game's release.

However, the added content more in line with his later characterization was tacked on to the original iteration of him with little consideration for consistency, making him feel like one of two different people, depending on the scene.

With the show having the benefit of hindsight, I really hoped they would do something interesting with him, and balance out the genuinely detestable things he does with the silly amicable rivalry he has with Kiryu.

The story of the first game is mostly about Kiryu, Nishiki, and Yumi, but the marketing made a point to say it was (however loosely) adapting Kiwami 1. While I understand not wanting to advertise a brand new show with 2005 PS2 era graphics, I feel like that implied that it would reflect the minor narrative/framing changes and increased prominence of Majima, just as it does with Nishiki from the original game to Kiwami.

Essentially, I wasn't too excited about this series, but I had some hope because they had an opportunity to clean up the story and retell it without the limitations of being a remaster of an old game and following an eleven year old script almost word for word.

Instead, they told a gritty and joyless version of the same story without taking advantage of the freedom to rework a flawed but enjoyable story/script, and in doing so, lost its grip on the central theme of the series.

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

me: don't think about it

me: Charlie going to the demon over lords like "hey look! heaven attacked and we fought and (mostly) didn't die and a sinner got yeeted up to heaven! Will you please support my (newly rebuilt) hotel now??"

(most) demon over lords looking at charlie like: shit the second most powerful person currently in hell, who was BORN with that power, is trying to fuck up the power that WE clawed our way to the top of (she's ruining it by giving sinners hope) (meaning they won't be so eager to sell themselves off to bigger demons) (meaning bigger demons will have less power) (if she has it her way they'll be fewer sinners at ALL) (which won't work) (bc this is all still Stupid) (BUT) (if the people of hell start thinking they have a chance...) AND she wants us to stick OUR necks on the line in the fight against heaven (who don't traditionally go after her or her family anyway but love hunting US) now she's also got her dad actively backing her up, so we can't just say a flat "no" or try fighting her over it, especially not since she's shown herself to be not so lame after all.... we need a way to get all of hell doubting and mistrusting her, so they don't go to her hotel thing instead of to us... but what can we use against her? what weak spot does she h-

over lords, looking over at charlie's girlfriend vaggie, and her newly returned, never-before mentioned angel wings: ......Hmmm...

charlie: trying to explain that her gf WAS an exorcist yes ok, and sure she DID kill lots of sinners but- No charlie didn't know that when they started dating but they've worked through it and vaggie- look she fought on hell's side during the hotel battle she was right there with charlie up in heaven advocating for sinners getting a second chance-

What? Yeah she, she went back to heaven that one time. No I guess she's not banished exactly, they just tore off her wings and left her to die here after she- NO she does NOT want to go back- yes ok she COULD but she doesn't WANT to, the hotel is her home now and- look she almost died fighting for it-

it wasn't a LIE, she just, she was scared and didn't tell the truth! What do you mean "can't trust your judgment"? I know her and I knew she'd have my back and she DID, the whole POINT of the hotel, which WORKS by the way, is that people can change-

NO SHE ISN'T SPYING ON US FOR HEAVEN! she hates them! no I'm not "just" saying that because "she said so" I can TELL we've been together for THREE YEARS- YES FINE SHE WAS HIDING SOMETHING FROM ME ALL THAT TIME OKAY but look at what she's done and been DOING! Yes, thank you Caramilla- she got her wings back and used them to fight for- she- WHAT?! NO! She's the hotel manager- she's OUR hotel's manager- she can't leave, that's- wh- fire her? It's her HOME! I'm her partner not her boss!! No I'm not listening to this! This is stupid- the whole hotel wouldn't even BE a thing if I hadn't MET her and it wouldn't work without her! I-

vaggie: I'll go vaggie: charlie's being modest. she's got things covered here vaggie: I'll be hell's spy in heaven, if it'll help. IF you all support the hotel.

and the overlords smile and promise-

(of course of course they will, really, it's nothing against her just a little PR issue, a matter of building trust, so naturally she'll report only to them yes? she and charlie will make a little deal not to contact each other otherwise? they're just worried, you see, wouldn't want an angel taking advantage of the princess of hell's confidence again, so glad she understands)

-nice and sharp and already watching eagerly as charlie's newfound backbone crumples while she stares at vaggie, wordless again just like up in heaven, and doesn't react when vaggie takes her hand and gives her a pleading look-

back at the hotel, alone, vaggie is swapping out her hotel vest for the clothes she was in when they met, wrinkled and crammed at the bottom of drawer, while charlie sits on their bed refusing to watch. vaggie doesn't pack for heaven. she walks over with just her spear and holds it out- here. she'll feel better, about being away, if charlie keeps this with her. charlie doesn't take it. charlie doesn't answer. charlie's crying and she latches on tight when vaggie drops the spear to hug her. she should've been able to stop this- she can't keep the hotel running on her- she doesn't WANT to TRY doing this alone-

she won't be. vaggie reminders her, lucifer and the others are all here, charlie isn't alone anymore. she's got the hotel. she's GOT this. and vaggie will come back

but she's tired of being scared and she's not gonna risk both their dream because of it. not again.

so, vaggie goes to heaven, supposedly to help sir pentious settle into his new life up there, with the help of emily to smooth things over and the fact that adam and lute swept her under the rug instead of making her fall an official thing- and considering the circumstances, emily argues, they were in the wrong anyway, especially now a sinner HAS been redeemed

meanwhile charlie stays in hell, at the hotel, without her.

and she's short tempered with worry, impatient with the everyday problems of the hotel- vaggie up in heaven with LUTE the woman who ripped out her eye ripped off her wings tried to kill her- all because charlie couldn't convince the overlords- couldn't convince (wasn't enough to convince?) vaggie to STAY- and,

the other's notice, notice that asking how things are NOW is too raw but asking about the past is easier, lighter, get's charlie lost in memory instead of on of her worry spirals, and there's flashbacks of them getting together- there's vaggie up in heaven quiet and listless as she shadows sir pentious around keeping lute at bay and he looks over at her nervously, he brings up how much he misses cherri, and how he could use a few relationship tips for when she (surely) eventually ends up here too-

charlie and vaggie, both of them apart in the present, neither of them okay, maybe vaggie's snooping up in heaven leads her to lilith and gets her in trouble- maybe charlie makes deals she regrets down in hell trying to keep things going without her- but we see them in the past, together, and them pulling on those memories now, trying to get back to each other again

or something like that.

[howtotrainabraincell]

Head cannons bc I can - What kinds affectionate the different assassins would be - Part 2

Evie Frye - The Enduring Lover. Personal head cannon that she gives hand kisses whether it be the back of your hand or the palm, and she loves to hold hands while reading books. I see footsies being a thing too, like if you can't hold hands but you're sitting down to work with her you two are wrapped together at the legs under the table. She would be more serious about teaching self-defense genuinely wanting you to learn from it and be able to protect yourself, but there would be sweet smiles of encouragement and pride here and there, soft touches to correct your posture and stance, and a surprise kiss here and there. Speaking of surprise kisses... she will totally pin you down and smooch you. 100%. Brushing her hair will be routine because who can look at the gorgeous hair she has and not want to run their fingers through it, brush it, braid it, and style it? Her love will definitely be playing with her hair and doing her braids for her, and she loves it (especially if you give her head a little massage during lol). I see her adopting a cat specifically a wispy blue-eyed baby maine coon! Somewhere along the line maybe a dog - a small one for lap cuddles alongside a big intimidating one to protect you (she seems like the kind of woman to be into dogs that look like children of satan himself but are actual babies) such as a Belgian Malinois or a Doberman. Feel like she would feel a little better leaving you with a dog that is dedicated to protecting you (and do those dogs LOOOOVVEEE her bc she's Evie and all of the interesting smells she brings home). Flowers are a definite way in which Ms. Frye would woo her love. She brings many of them to you whether they have meaning or they're just beautiful. She carries pressed flowers from you inside a handkerchief (one that you made her as a token of your favor) hidden in her coat, resting just above her heart. The first thing she wants to do after kicking bahookie in Fight Club is find you and hug you tightly. It's for both of you really - her to let you know that she's safe and to receive comfort from your embrace, and you to check her over any injuries she has and fuss over her and how great she did in the ring (which she LOVES might I add). After a long day she'll want nothing more than to just plop right into your arms - and if she doesn't conk out first (poor thing) - she'' wrap her arms around your waist and rest her head against your stomach. I see her having a girlfriend that does her nails via filing them in a way so that they're sharp AF this helps her out (not that she needs it lol woman's a menace) against Templars, Blighters, and goons in Fight Club bc everything's allowed - she legit breaks bones for crying out loud so ofc she claws people's faces off too. Have a feeling that she has a secret sweet tooth so if you baked for her, you're going to get a kiss on the cheek as she munches away with a major blush coating her freckle speckled cheeks. She will box Jacob's ears if he tries to sneak off with some of the snacks you made her and tell me why I'm at.least 93% certain that she keeps some of the things you bake for her in a handkerchief in her coat. Would totally recommend books to you, share them and bring them to you so you two could have your own little book club together haha. She is a devoted lover and although shy when it comes to showing and verbally expressing her love, have no doubt that it's there. She loves you very much and hopes that despite the kind of life you two lead, you have many years together. Or if you choose not to be an assassin, she still hopes for the same just accompanied with a deep unspoken fear of her getting killed and leaving you alone. You two have the kind of bond where others are totally convinced that you'll both die on the same day. Rest assured that your love will be one that lasts throughout the ages.

Malik Al-Sayf - The Restrained Lover. Will drape his robe over you to keep you warm, he hates to see you uncomfortable (and this ties into why he doesn't show you public affection). I have a feeling that he's only affectionate in private due to societal norms at the time throughout the late 12th and early 13th century. Will escort you through the market and help you choose things (idk why but I have a feeling that Malik is the stand there behind you in the candle aisle and sniff candles with you boyfriend lol). He'll keep you close on his arm and help you with your basket (one of the first clues that you had about him liking you back was that his fingers would reach up and brush yours, lingering when he holds it in the crook of his arm). He would teach you how to draw maps efficiently and also how to work out the geography that revolves around creating one. He would stand behind you real close hovering over you as he holds your hand and helps you make your first map...and every map there after lol. A certain Novice he knows is only a little taller than him so he's up there in height, with this being known he will stand in front of you with your head tilted back and his forehead pressed against yours as he looks into your eyes muttering sweet things in Arabic. You should SEE HIS FACE when you get him gifts! If you bring him a loaf of fresh baked bread, some new incense, or pick up some extra papyrus for him to make maps he will get redder than a chili pepper. He kisses your forehead quite often caressing your hair which is something he often does as well. You two can sit there in complete silence before you feel his fingers taking up a lock of your hair and twirling it around his finger, without even looking up from what he's doing. When he leaves for missions and you two are in front of people, he doesn't touch you, but he stands before you and bids you farewell in Arabic wishing "Safety and Peace" upon you. However, if you two are alone he'll kiss your cheeks - as is common among assassins - lingering with his lips against your skin (which makes you blush, and he does it on purpose). Once he sees the blush he'll chuckle and look around quickly before taking your waist in his hands and kissing you properly. You made it a habit of being alone when he has to go off on missions so you two can have a proper goodbye. Altair immediately knows lol and teases him to the ninth realm and back, which make Malik try (and fail) to shove him off his horse lol. He does have issues reminding himself not to touch you in public and you two have almost been caught embracing, standing too close or with his arms around your waist, but assassin reflexes come in handy. Malik remains restrained for the majority of your relationship (save for in private ofc) but he kind of has to while Al Mualim is alive, as love is thought to make assassins weak. When Altair takes over and changes a lot of things it takes him a while to get used to it, but he's happy that he can finally show his love for you in public. When this is the case, he'll take to hugging you and kissing your hands and head and speaking lovingly to you in the open. I think this man would have a garden. I really do. I think he would grow flowers in that garden that reminds him of you and when they're ready he would bring them to you. When you two have to hide your relationship, he'll press the flowers in books he gives you to read. But after he'll stand there and decorate your hair with them. He would definitely teach you Arabic and you'll get a kick out of the cute little blush he has when you call him Habibi for the first time. More of a serious lover but he does make sure to show you the affection you deserve (which is a lot bc this man is quite handsy in private lol). I think he would bring you tea and dates or oranges depending on what was available and you two just sit there and talk or hold hands in silence enjoying each other's company.

Henry Green - The Selfless Lover. I think that this man drinks chai, tis a staple drink to this gorgeous man and once he introduces you to it and you like it? Consider drinking Chai together one of the many things you two share together. He loves it when you call him his real name Jayadeep and the grin on his face every time you do it is a mile wide. He always kisses the back of your hand when you two meet bowing slightly (which once you two become friends you wonder why he keeps that formal gesture, but he continues to bow out of respect for you). Has a little habit of pulling at his collar when you're near and when he looks at you while you're speaking it takes him a moment to respond. If you're looking at a book about botany and want to show him something he'll place one arm behind your back his hand resting on the surface next to you, while the other supports the book as you show him. You have noticed how his chest gently presses against your back and how his fingers brush yours when he holds the book, how close he stands and the way he leans down over your shoulder close to your face. He never tries anything ever the gentleman and you would never expect him to...he totally just gets closer to see the book properly! Will bring so many flowers you'll have your own literal garden, and every single flower will mean something. A thornless red rose after the medieval tradition to symbolize his pure and eternal love that will never wane. Forget me nots for his affection and loyalty to you. Daisies for the ability to keep a secret a little joke between you two about how you must keep the true nature of what you do - aka being assassin's - secret. He takes very good care of you, always asking how you are and if there's something you need. Imagine the blush on his face when you tell him that the only thing you need is his company, this poor man will look like a tomato lol. He's always there when you want to talk offering you something to drink beforehand and then he sits there, holding your hand and listening to you talk. Will call you endearing nicknames in Punjabi and say things that you don't understand. Though when you ask him what he's saying, he just smiles with a slight blush on his face and kisses your cheek sweetly. Always offers his arm when you two are walking together, him being closer to the street of course as he wouldn't want you in/near the road. In the end if you want to stay in England or go somewhere else, he'll follow you wherever you go (personally believe that he would love to travel with you, learning about new lands and cultures, exploring with you and making memories). The first thing he does at the end of the day is search for you and he invites you to read together or have tea/whatever your pleasure drink is, so you two can just relax together (and be alone but he won't admit that lol). This man will pretend to read his book, but he'll actually be peeking at you over the top to catch glimpses of your face. Will gush about you to his parents and his mother already loves you because you make her darling son happy, but his father is a little skeptical. The reason being that Arbaaz was angry to find out that his only son did not have the killer instinct of an assassin within him and turned out to be a peaceful intellectual instead, and he is now concerned that the love his son has for you may make him weak. The whole "love can make you weak vs love can make you strong" argument runs rampant in his mind. But when Arbaaz sees how serious his son is about you, he begins to have hope that Jayadeep's love for you will at least inspire a protective nature in his son. It does. He asks the Frye twins if they can brush him up on combat (he can fight from previous training but he's lil rusty) so he can be ready to kick the dumb out of anybody who tries to hurt you. He loves you and never wants it to come to a situation where he can't fight or kill to defend you (but then again, he doesn't really get into fights bc the majority of people like him lol he's a cinnamon roll)

Yusuf Tazim - The Amusing Lover. This man will make.you.laugh allll the time. He has a wonderful sense of humor and considering that his favorite sound in the world is your voice and specifically your laughter? He'll do anything to bring a smile to your face and make you laugh. He is very sweet and would NEVER do anything to disrespect you but if someone else does? I have a feeling that this man goes from sweet to serial killer real quick lol. Something about him says to me that he goes feral when protecting his loved ones, so don't cross him or disrespect the one he loves. Calls you endearing names in Turkish his favorite being 'Sweetheart' because he thinks that you're very sweet both personality and otherwise... Head cannon that he got so nervous when he first met you because he thought that you were so beautiful he couldn't remember English, so he stood there introducing himself in Turkish and asking if he may have the honor of showing you around the city when you have some free time. You had no idea what he was saying but you couldn't deny that he was very cute, and it made you smile. While he is quite a good-natured comical man, he does have serious moments and is not afraid to wrap his arms around you and tell you how much he loves you. Cooking and especially baking with you is something that he loves to do because he has fond childhood memories of baking with his mother. Have a feeling that he's a family man and that he would LOVE to have big family. This man is MEANT to be a Papa (fight me I won't back off on this one lol). He cannot WAIT to have a handful of little bitties running around who call you Mama and him Baba. He would love to have daughters who he can play with (and teach about hair care bc have you seen his luxurious locks?) that look exactly like you. He loves to hold your hand and trace the lines of your palm almost as if he's trying to memorize every single detail, all while kissing the tips of your fingers. You tell him that this tickles of course but it makes you laugh so he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon lol. He also loves to kiss you on the cheek always pulling away with a wide grin when he hears you giggle at the feeling of his beard against your skin. There are few feelings in the world that he thinks are better than holding you in his arms, waking up to see you asleep next to him, or the feeling of coming home to you and seeing you safe and happy. If.you.bake.for.him he will MARRY YOU. There is no asking (joking he 'll plan the most romantic proposal ever for sure) he'll literally just consider you his wife because he'll never want anyone else or their cooking. Playing with his hair, brushing it, braiding it and putting his head wrap(?) on for him are things that he will melt like butter over. He loves it. He loves how you kiss him all over his face and cling to him just as tightly as he does you when he hugs you. I personally think that he would looovveee it if you learned some Turkish lullabies and sang to him, whether it be while doing a minute task or just before bed. This man DEF gives the kind of hugs where he rushes to meet you and wraps his arms around you to spin you around. When you greet him at the end of the day, he jogs to you with a happy smile and kisses you sweetly. Will totally take your hands intertwining his fingers with yours as he moves your arms and hands slowly in a silly dancing motion as he asks about your day. Man gives a vibe of lowkey ADHD lol. Whenever he gets into a mischievous mood you can expect him to grab you by the hand and pull you in tow behind him, running through the markets either to cause a ruckus with the guards by trolling them from AFAR (he'd NEVER put you in intentional danger) and making them pin it on each other, or finding a secluded spot on the rooftops to watch the sunset/rise/stars in the sky. TELL ME that after all of the teasing and picking on Ezio that this man has done, that Ezio will hesitate for a SECOND to tease him right back about you and how whipped he is for you.

[karoochui]

I just wanted to say I am so enamoured with Binary Insurgence! I eat up everything, every little crumb, you drop about it and the entire idea is so interesting to me! I'm so in love with stories and worlds like this! I'm also curious to know about the relationship between Sun and Moon, if it's alright to ask. How was it before the fire compared to after? Does their relationship begin to mend (because I'm certain over the years it deteriorated) when y/n comes back into the picture? If any of this is too spoilery or you just haven't fleshed it out yet then you don't have to answer! I'm just super curious about the boys and how you see their dynamic/relationship. I just look forward to seeing how their bond has grown and/or broken and how it may be mended over time.

AHH im glad you like it so much!! Im happy to talk about what i've got, but you are right not everything is fully fleshed out. I have points i wanna get to but while im brainstorming and planning i make up a lot of stuff as i go and then go over it again later to see if i like it or can connect stuff in any way. I have 3 chapters for Arc 1 fully summarized as of now! (Which probably doesn't seem like a lot but i like my chapters long, so it's quite a bit actually).

I wanna say, too, that i'm planning for the first story to be more in the perspective of the reader, so most things about Sun and Moon's personal thoughts and feelings are gonna be more implied than said. I might have some switching points of view, i'm not sure, but i haven't found a place i'd do it or think it's relevant. The sequel is gonna be more from their perspective since it'll mostly be about them.

NOW! I see Sun and Moon as brothers, so they really treat each other in a way that's like that. Before the fire they get along pretty well. Most instances of issue would be when Moon blocks out Sun when he fronts, or just mutual panic over the fact Moon lost his shit w/ the virus. They'll have their disagreements about things (i havent planned specifics yet) but generally they're chill. Sun just worries about Moon hurting people, but Moon worries too. With the way the virus functions in this AU it's hard for Sun to fully fault Moon for what he does, especially because he's also affected by it but not nearly as bad. (I'm gonna explain this more in another ask i have).

Plus, even before the virus they were always glitch/bug-ridden because technicians fucked up their programming continuously after removing them from the theater to work in the daycare. So they had to kinda navigate through that together, glitches and errors on both ends (though not deadly). They hate P&S bc of this, obviously. Hardware fixes suck but they fucking HATE software examinations.

Later on though some issues come into play whenever Sun starts getting worse by being further exposed to the virus (it gets worse for him when they eclipse) because it presents itself in Sun differently than it does Moon. He gets snappier and angrier at times (that comic i made that's captioned "well someones snappy") and while they both understand he doesnt mean the shit he does it's still not great. And nobody's gonna just let themselves be talked to like a dog even if the reason it's happening is because of something the other person can't really help. They're still relatively fine at this point, though.

It's at the end when shit goes really bad, because this part of the story does end badly. I won't spoil specifics but after the fire Sun loses his shit. He starts trying to put the blame on Moon for everything (the virus enhancing his already bad habits/fucking with his line of thinking) out of grief and anger. That carries over into the apocalypse and he just gets worse in general. He gets irrational.

It's a long period of time though, so he eventually also manages it, in his own way. But! I did say before in an ask that in the sequel he's "not evil, persay, but he's a fucking nut". He damns Moon to an hourglass to just fucking get rid of him about 100~ years before they meet you again (he fully thinks he's in the right for this (and he also just hates him) and the only reason he really even stayed around after that was to make sure Moon didn't get out again). He's not a bad-intentioned individual, but he's off the fucking wall at many times bc of the virus having made him worse. He's stubborn as all hell to an infuriating degree, he's irrational, hard-headed, reckless, and while a good bit of his old, kinder self is still pretty prevalent he can be downright fucking mean if provoked. Again, worse than before, and it doesn't take much these days! I always imagined him to have more dramatic, snappy, diva aspects to his personality (even before Help Wanted 2 came out) bc hes so theatrical and intense, so basically take a Sun that's like that, crank it up to 100 and put him in a Bad Situation. That's what Round 2 Sun is like at his worst. He's not a complete lost cause though, and he's far from dumb when he does stuff, just clouded by his own judgement. He doesn't think anything's wrong with him (or does he?).

Moon doesn't really hate him like Sun hates Moon, because although he knows that what happened (the ending of the first story) is technically both of their faults he just feels guilt. They do fight a lot, though. Most of it is Moon trying his best to tell Sun that he's basically full of shit and not seeing things right after Sun starts something, but Sun's at the point where he's gotta learn by consequence. Part of the reason he's so bad is bc 1: hes been infected by the virus for so long now and 2: in his grief, anger, and resentment he's learned to live with it rather than fighting it.

But the sequel is gonna be a feel-good story! Falling in love w/ the reader all over again, i want things to get cleared up - or at least some kind of middle ground between Sun and Moon - the whole sha-bang.

[valtsv]

So, I really like body horror and horror in general, but I’m also physically and mentally disabled, and I tend to notice a lotta ableist/eugenicist folk flocking to the horror genre. Do you notice that too? Or am I just like, paranoid?

Also, do you have any suggestions for horror movies (especially body horror ones) that AREN’T oozing with Hollywood flavoured ableism? Would really appreciate it bc I’ve been getting so dispassionate about the genre lately thanks to certain kinds of fans.

i don't think you're paranoid, there are definitely people who engage with horror in ways that can have ableist implications and be very upsetting if you actually experience those reactions to your own conditions in real life, because for you it's not just fiction, it's your lived experience. the line between horror and ableism (and other forms of bigotry, like homophobia, transphobia, racism, etc.) can be a very fine one, and it's important for people who enjoy horror to be self aware and willing to listen. and at the same time, there are disabled people (and queer people, and people of color, and people from all kinds of marginalized groups) who find comfort and empowerment in horror and reclaim and make use of it to express their lived experiences. a lot of horror fans are disabled. i'm one of them, you're one of them, and i know there are more than a few on this site and in the world at large, enough to form communities. i'm friends with some of them. it's a complex issue.

the way i see it, you can't control your instinctive reactions to seeing something you're not used to or expecting, which horror often uses to its advantage to shock a response out of you, sometimes with ableist implications. you can, however, become more comfortable through exposure and learn to think critically about and control how you respond outwardly, especially if you're prepared to have those experiences, which in choosing to engage with horror you probably are unless you're being tricked or forced into it. so if you're a horror fan and want to avoid (or minimize) being ableist, take care not to let portrayals of mental and physical disabilities in fiction create misconceptions of what those conditions are actually like in real life. it's horror; it's not usually intended to be an accurate or flattering depiction (and even horror that DOES portray disabilities respectfully will still likely reflect experiences specific to the creator that aren't entirely accurate to actually living with them, because nobody's experiences are completely universal, and it's fiction). use it as an opportunity to learn more. do research, or talk to people if you have anyone willing to share their experiences with you. unpack your fear and sit with it and examine it. try to understand it so you can control it instead of letting it control you. thought crimes aren't real and don't harm anyone, but how you outwardly express yourself is something you can change and improve if you become aware of any issues. horror can help dig up those issues and get you to confront and consider them, and that's worth making use of.

that last part is directed more at horror fans who aren't disabled, but i included it because i hope it might be helpful in making you feel more comfortable and secure that there are ways to engage with horror without being ableist about it, and people who do so. unfortunately i don't have any recommendations because i think that horror is very personal and my ideas of what does or doesn't make good horror might be completely different from yours, so i'm unsure i could provide you with what you're looking for. i hope this was helpful to hear, though.

[bonesandthebees]

Hi Bee!

I really admire your work and I'm currently attempting to write my own fic, and I'd love to have some advice on writing stuff.

1) Do you have any tips for writing the beginning of a fic? I cannot figure out how to start writing with a decent sentence. It all falls apart when my fingers go on the keyboard.

2) Do you have any tips for pacing/plot/outlining? I still have barely figured out what pacing is, because I cannot tell when authors are like "oh I don't like this because I rushed the pacing". I literally can't tell most of the time, unless there is not any space to breathe between things that happen.

3) Do you have tips for writing surroundings and the parts of the paragraph that aren't dialogue? Like. How do I naturally fit the description of the area into the fic? And how do I naturally fit extra commentary into a paragraph that has dialogue in it, especially when it isn't the pov character's dialogue?

Again, adore your writing. I feel kind of awkward since I've never done an ask before; idk if there's some kind of etiquette.

Hope you're doing well!

-Royal :)

hi sorry it's taken me a bit to answer this one! I'm more than happy to give some advice!

okay so first off, writing the first line of a fic is borderline torture sometimes. it's so fucking hard. to me though it's kind of like jumping into a cold pool. you can stare at the water thinking about how cold it's going to be and how unsure you are, but then at some point you have to bend your legs and jump before you can overthink it or else you'll never do it. you have to just put something down for the first line.

one method I like employing when I'm really struggling is starting with a line of dialogue. it instantly throws the reader into the scene as they have to try and find out who is talking, what they are talking about, and where everyone is. an example where I used this is in the stars and their children, which opens with a line from tommy "Hey Wil, can you hand me the epli?" this tells us multiple things right off the bat. it establishes a character present in the scene (Wil) and that there's something different about this world from ours (epli—it makes the reader want to know what it is and why it's being handed to the character speaking)

other times I try to either start with a line that describes the setting ("The streets were crowded at this time of day." - everything else has gone wrong), or start with a line that describes the emotions of the pov character ("Lessons were the most unbearable in the afternoon." - under the hanging rose). basically, you're trying to find a way to throw the reader into the scene in one line. it's difficult, but try any of those angles and hopefully you'll think of something that fits. but again, it's jumping into a cold pool. you just have to put something down so you can start. you can always go back and change it later

okay putting the other two under a read more bc it got long

2. okay now pacing. that's a bit more difficult to help with because a lot of pacing is just getting a feel for it. one way is to just think about it logically. say you have two characters that start as strangers and you want to get them to be best friends. you can show them meeting for the first time, but then you often have to show them bonding before they can reach best friend status. there's pacing here both in the literal world of the story, but also in the text itself. you don't want to write them hanging out for a few hours and suddenly decide they're best friends (although ofc there are exceptions to this like if they're little kids bc, well, that is a thing little kids do where they'll declare a kid they just met their best friend), nor do you want to write them meeting for the first time, write a line saying "they hung out every day for the next three weeks until they were best friends" and then just act as though they're besties (again, there are exceptions to this in specific cases). it just feels weird yknow? It doesn't get the reader invested in this relationship because it doesn't feel like it's been earned. it's a similar thing with plot beats. you have to make it feel natural both in the world of the story itself, but also the timing with which you tell the story. like I said though, pacing is really something you just get the hang of naturally with practice. reading published novels will help as well because it'll help you get a sense of what good pacing feels like.

3. ohhhh you've hit a specific issue I had a lot when I was younger. when you have a dialogue scene going on there's a lot of ways you can balance the text outside the dialogue. ofc if the dialogue is going by at rapid speed, you can straight up just do the dialogue lines and you don't even have to specify who's talking if it's clear within the text

Ex:

"You can't come to my nuclear reactor, Tommy," Tubbo sighed.

Tommy scowled. "What the fuck? Why not?"

"Knowing you you'd find a way to cause a nuclear meltdown."

"Would not."

"Would to."

"Would not."

"Would to!"

"So what, you're a bitch who can't handle a little radiation?"

"Oh for fuck's sake-"

see how after the first two lines of dialogue where I established who is talking in which order, I stop using the tags all together? it's still clear who is talking because the dialogue is ping ponging back and forth. it's a fast-paced conversation, so cutting out the tags helps that effect.

but of course this is only the case in a few instances. most of the time, you do need lines outside dialogue not only to establish who is talking, but also to keep the characters present in the scene itself.

you have several options for what to include outside your dialogue. one of my go to's is always character actions.

"Don't you have one of those swimming pools you keep the nuclear shit in?" Tommy asked, leaning against the wall.

Tubbo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes but before you ask, no, you can't go swimming in it."

there we include the action of tommy leaning against a wall after he asks the question, which is followed by tubbo pinching the bridge of his nose. this lets the reader see exactly what each character is doing, which can also establish the emotions each character is feeling without saying them outright. tommy is comfortable enough with tubbo to annoy him with his questions, which we see by him casually leaning against the wall. tubbo, meanwhile, is annoyed just like tommy wants, which we see by him pinching the bridge of his nose.

characters sitting down, standing up, wringing their hands in front of them, folding their arms over their chest, shrugging, curling their hands into fists, etc. are all examples of character actions you can include to give the reader the ability to picture the scene more accurately

then of course you have thought process and scenery description you can include as well. thought process is just including what your pov character is thinking as the conversation progresses.

"Yes but before you ask, no, you can't go swimming in it."

Tommy huffed and folded his arms over his chest. Tubbo was so fucking boring these days with his 'safety rules'. He'd nearly been nuked before and was fine! A little radiation wasn't going to hurt him.

that right there is a glimpse into what's going on in tommy's head at that moment. he's frustrated with his friend because he thinks he'd be fine swimming in the nuclear pool. it gives us more insight into the pov character and how they're reacting to the conversation at hand.

then for scenery description:

Silence fell over them as Tommy glared at Tubbo. Tubbo glared back, refusing to budge. Around them, the snow coating the ground glittered in the afternoon sunlight. Clouds of breath puffed in front of Tommy's face. An icy breeze wound between the buildings, making goosebumps rise along his arms. He tugged his sleeves down, still not breaking eye contact with his friend.

the conversation falls silent for a moment, so we take a moment to step back from the two characters. we look at the setting around us, which emphasizes the pause in dialogue and makes it feel quiet even to us as the readers. you don't have to restrict your scenery description to moments where a conversation takes a pause, but taking a step back gives a sense of a 'silence' to the reader even if it's brief. another example of this could be,

"Don't bullshit me, Tubbo. Why won't you let me see it?" Tommy asked after several long beats.

Clenching his jaw, Tubbo's eyes flickered to the ground. The snow beneath their boots was muddied. Tommy spotted a dead worm frozen against the hard earth.

Then, Tommy understood.

"You don't trust me anymore."

now let's see this a different way

"Don't bullshit me, Tubbo. Why won't you let me see it?" Tommy asked after several long beats. "You don't trust me anymore."

see how without all that extra description the pause feels much shorter? and with that shorter pause the weight of Tommy's next sentence loses it's emotional impact?

if you want to add scenery description to a dialogue exchange, imagine it like it's a movie. you have two characters that are talking, and suddenly the camera pans away from them to look at the setting around them. why does it do that? what effect does it have on the scene playing out? your words are the camera zooming in and out on the characters. there are a lot of ways you can use this 'camera' to change the rhythm/flow of a scene. you just have to play around with it to figure out how to use it

I hope that's helpful!